Arriving to France!

There is an amusing ending to this post....

The day finally rolled around for our trip to France.  We'd be travelling a little later this year, just about the time of the Cannes Film Festival (mid-May).  We were just glad to have gotten seats on the flight considering how many international celebrities and their entourages book seats in advance, in anticipation of the world class film event.  But, we did get our seats, on the flights we wanted and were so happy to be travelling.

It was a great flight on Air France - Premium Economy Class - that afforded us few little perks that went a long way for comfort and ease of travel.  First our TWO BAGS EACH are checked free and tagged "Priority" - they will be among the first group of bags to come off the plane; we boarded and disembarked as "Priority" - but the best was Security/Immigration/Passport Control: dedicated lanes marked "Priority" which meant limited time, if any, on line!  What a pleasure - highly recommend it!

Our arrival to the Nice airport was effortless.  True to the "Priority" tags, our bags are among the first to come out.  We secured a luggage cart, loaded it with 4 huge bags and decide to teeter another two small carry on bags on top - six bags in all are stacked high and a bit shaky if you ask me.  I walk ahead of my husband always looking back to make sure the stack of bags haven't fallen.

Now, as we approach the exit of the baggage claim area we encounter hundreds of paparazzi...oh my goodness, "the" film festival!  They've blocked the main exit area and passengers have to divert to a side area to exit.  Seemed fair enough, no excitement.  I exit the area and immediately there is a rush, no a stampede of paparazzi around him and the teetering cart of 6 bags.  I look back and they are swarming what seems like all around him - I can see his face, the look of shock....I run back and start pushing them away from him and the luggage cart...they weren't after my husband BUT the guy behind him!  Whoever that celebrity was, he was short and must have been using my husband as a shield!  The paparazzi did clear the way  and began snapping photos of this guy as we made our way in the opposite direction!  Now we need cash to pay for a taxi; I'm left outside with the sky-high luggage cart while he goes to the ATM....no sooner he leaves there is another rush of paparazzi within inches of me walking/running backwards for another celebrity (I remember this guy, because he was on our flight from Paris - but did not know who he was).  These paparazzi were crazed - one guy fell backwards and two more fell on him and they all got up and kept snapping photos.  It was unreal!  At that moment, I realized how dangerous they were to the celebrity and to passersby.  Needless to say after that bit of excitement, we were all charged up and ready to leave the airport!
Taxi, please!

Fifi