Our plans were to fly from Toulouse to Heathrow to Boston on Dec. 17. The strikers protesting pension changes were upping activities that day. Actions would include blocking autoroutes and reducing flights.
What were our chances of making Boston without major problems?
"If we drive to Toulouse-about three hours from Argelès and leave around 3 in the morning at the latest, I'm sure the truck barricades won't be out," I said. My husband agreed so by three in the morning we were on the highway which was deserted.
At the airport at different it was announced our plane would be delayed a half hour, two hours, one hour, etc. Since we had a three-hour layover in the UK worry was alternated depending on the announcement. It left five minutes late.
Strikes are a national pastime in France. As much of a pain as they are at times, the unwillingness to take abuse from the powers that be is a good thing to keep those powers from being abusive.
There have been times we've had to modify our plans. One strike which kept gas from gas stations, meant we never passed one that we didn't top up the tank if we could when we were driving from Normandy to Argelès. A train trip may be replaced by a car. With the gilet jaune, we kept a yellow vest on our dashboard to show solidarity and were waved on by the protestors.
The worse that could happen this week, was that we would have to take the back roads to Toulouse and if we couldn't get out Tuesday, than Wednesday or Thursday. A friend living in Toulouse offered to let us stay with her family if we had to stay overnight.
I'm writing this from my daughter's home in Boston. We made it. Rather than still be scrambling to get from Toulouse, we enjoyed the snow and are cozily ensconced in her flat and are looking forward to the holiday, going to the Revels and Shear Madness and seeing friends and family.
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