We'll Always Have Paris...

Before we knew it it was time to get back on a Ryan Air plane and return to Dublin. We had packed a lot in and were fairly exhausted when we woke up early Monday morning to go to the airport.

Beauvais Airport is about an hour outside Paris so we had to take the bus again to Beauvais and it was suggested we catch the bus at least three hours before our flight. I thought this would mean that we would have plenty of downtime in the airport but turns out even though Beauvais only has four gates it took hours to get through security.

When we got there we quickly got into the line to check in and have our passports checked for the first time. We waited there quite a long time, and many people tried to cut us but that was not going to happen while Brittany was on watch. Once we got to security we also realized that a woman in line was attempting to bring a helium Minnie Mouse balloon (no doubt from Disneyland Paris) on the plane with her. I don't know what she was thinking but it unsurprisingly did not make it past security. I feel a little sorry for her but even it security could ensure that it was not a risk it would still pop on the plane due to pressure issues and if I heard a balloon pop while on a 747 I would probably start to cry and perhaps try to lock myself in the bathroom so the hostiles that were undoubtedly taking over the plane could not get me. But, of course, I tend to always jump to the worst conclusion.

Hostiles were definitely not going to take over this plane though because the staff at Beauvais Airport checked our passports five times before boarding the plane. Five times!* They also used the wand on Laura and made her take off her shoes and socks because they though she was limping because she was concealing something in her shoe. Nope, just limping because of her stress fracture, but better safe than sorry. They also searched my bag and when they asked me if there were only clothes in one section of my backpack I responded, "Yes, and a mini Eiffel Tower." They allowed that.

The we were in the air and on our way back to our home of Dublin. The landing was extremely shaky and I'm not going to lie that I said a quick prayer as we approached the runway a little fast for my liking. We did however touch down successfully and I lived to write this blog entry.

* Laura has since set a record for passport checks at Beauvais Airport with eight checks.