Day 33 (Sunday 8Dec19) back to Reims and off to Venice.

Today we head back to Reims to catch a train to Dijon and then onto Venice. Unfortunately there is a national strike still on going, so our trains have been cancelled and we have been offered alternative train (maybe) to Djion and bus to Italy instead of 1st class private sleeper. Grrr.

The trip to Reims by car went well. Some rain but light traffic. Beautiful countryside. 

On arrival in Reims, the train staff informed us that our train to Djion has been cancelled today and tomorrow and probably the next day too. No one really knows, so with help of our Travel Agent and train staff (who were great), we were gifted 2 1st class train tickets to Paris (160 €), then we booked hotel (ibis) for tonight and 11am flights to Venice for tomorrow morning. Hmm hopefully this will work? Who knows? Wish us luck. 

The train staff suggested since our train at 7:45pm, we should take look at Reims and its Christmas markets. So we left the station to explore Reims, and found a beautiful city. 

The markets were larger than we expected. It certainly had vast variety of stalls selling all manner of food, sweets, gifts and decorations. 

We enjoyed some local marshmallows and chocolate covered sweets and a hot wine. The small hot wine was only 2€, Cos offered 10 € note and waited for the change which did not come. The stall holder was resistant to return the change but Cos was insistent (with some help from other customers) and with a smile he gave the 8 € change. Hmm. Otherwise a delightful afternoon and evening spent in Reims. We cut short our explore of Reims to returned to the multi level carpark at 5:30pm. We weren’t sure when it closed, and all our luggage was in the rental car in the carpark. It was open, so retrieved our luggage and dropped off the keys to the car in Avis Dropbox. Before we left Melissa photographed and filmed the returned car fully intact and fueled up. (Always careful, we filmed the car, as we don’t want to bill turning up in a month time for falsified damages etc. ) 

Cos sourced some dinner while Melissa watched our luggage in the train station. 

Our carriage 11 was empty.

We arrived at Garde De EST on time and walked to Garde De Nord to catch a train.

 Lots of interesting people roaming so the walk was brisk. The fast walk helped with the cold. 

20€ each for train trip to CDG airport ibis so decided use uber for 56€. Trip through crazy traffic to CDG airport ibis went well arriving at 10pm. Cos was glad he didn’t have to drive in Paris.