Got up early in the morning. Bag was packed. Washed myself. Looked in mirror. Put on a big grin, and started for Reims - Country of champagne - 150 miles from my place - all alone.
It was one more addition to those lonely journies I undertook before. From home to bangalore to see my friends (to be precise, females who rejected me) or from Pilani to home because I wanted to stay back at campus in summer or to be in corpus or to jaipur to get my passport done or my virgin flight .. but this one was different. This time I was in a foreign land with a bag stuffed with woolen clothes, maps and print outs about routs and places I want to visit.
Everytyhing was planned. A single minute late anywhere in middle meaned a total failure. Reached Avon Gare (Gare in french is Railway Station, pronounced as gaa) at 6:43. The bus stopped at every bus-stop and every traffic signals. Was happy that I could catch 6:48 ter to Paris. But soon my excitement got the first crack. Saw that the door of Gare is closed. Tried another one. No success. Saw people going directly to platform. I followed them. Got this brilliant idea of getting inside through platform. Again no success. Frustrated yet smiling, came out. There I saw a lady opening doors for me ;) Angel opened doors of heaven, but closed the window of ticket counter. And I never took tickets that ticket machine. I struggled. Could not locate ticket de jeune. Again two angels came to rescue only if they could understand what I wanted and I , what they are saying. I could hear my train leaving the platform. I had another train after 3 mins. If I were to miss that train, I had no way to save my 37.8 € that I spent for tickets. And the principle of favorability played its part. I got my tickets and I was off to paris.
30 seconds I waited for M14 and 3 mins for M4 and I reached Gare de I'Est before time. Corail was comfortable. As usual I sat on the wrong sit. Somebody again taught me the seat numbering system. Somebody should follow some universal numbering system or they should write numbers on each seat :) Poo's wishes did not work. was sitting next to a fat guy. Soon I changed my seat at next station. Window seat with beautiful nature outside and 'We the living' in hand.
After an hour or so I reached Reims. A new place. Far far away. Only thing that could help me was the map of town. But the place was so beautiful, I followed the most beautiful path to Office de tourism instead of shortest path. It was fun clicking my snap by my own. Then I reached Notre dame - Gothic cathedral. It was the same that I saw in paris. Did not bother to go inisde. Only thing on my mind was to get to Champagne Pommery. I took my time around town. Took shorted path this time, cause by now I figured out that there is nothing here that can qualify to be not good. Reached Pommery. Came to know that next tour is only at 2:45 and they are going for lunch break. I had no other option than to walk for 15 mins and come back to town. Nice reason to get inside the cathedral.
When I came back again, I had option to buy tickets rangin from 8 € to 15 €. I bought the most expensive one. Gave me the warm feeling of being proud that I can afford it. And she opened the doors of cave. The Angle show me the way. She was sweet, smart, funny and stunningly beautiful. (Yeah! I am talking about A girl, not 4 different girls ;) ) It was little dark inside. Those golden light neither took away all the darkness nor the beauty of darkness. The long dark cave, beautiful sculptures around, thousands of bottles kept horizontal. Grand enough to know the worth of champagne.
And the moment came. He poured me a glass of prestigious 1995 vintage - Pommery cuvee louise. Can't describe what I felt. It's the best drink I ever had. Worth spending 72 € for a glass.
In short a wonderful day. Time well spent. बस, एक लौन्डिया कि कमी थी ...
