Where: Charles de Gaulle airport; Originally written 10/13
I’ve been in Paris for two hours. Well, let me clarify, I’ve been in the Paris airport for two hours. I deplaned and navigated my way through customs in an hour. But, at baggage claim, I realized I had left my yoga mat on the plane. My heart sunk. I desperately needed my mat because I had to lead a yoga retreat in Morocco in a few short days.
Well *boff* as the French say. Not exactly the starry-eyed start to my adventure that I had envisioned, one where I whisked myself off my flight, tumbled into a taxi, and…. *cue Parisian montage of the Eiffel Tower, l’Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre*.
For the next hour I navigated the Charles de Gaulle airport to track down my yoga mat. The third airport counter I spoke to was the correct one. The Delta staff there were patient and kind. They understood my yoga mat was important to me. They called the desk agent back at the terminal, Moustafa, who searched the plane, found my mat, and kept it by his side while he checked in another flight on the very same plane. The Delta Desk agents told me he wouldn’t arrive back with my mat for another hour or so.
Exhausted and jet lagged, I made the best of this unexpected down time. I organized my first few days in Paris by arrondissement and activity type and chose a few things to do each day. I edited my retreat themes. I booked Ernie and me a couple’s massage at our Loire Valley hotel.
Then I sat back and observed. The Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport is a bustling hub of activity. People — hundreds of passengers and staff — came and went. From my seat behind the Delta counter I observed cleaning ladies, wheelchair assistants, desk agents, and crew all come and go and come and go as their flights arrived and departed this busy airport.
After he wrapped up his flight responsibilities, Moustafa personally walked my yoga mat about a mile, from the terminal gate to the Delta counter, to hand deliver it to me. Moustafa, thank you. Had you not searched the plane, my yoga mat would be heading back to JFK without me. Thank you to Saddam, Oualid, and Virginie at the Delta counter who contacted him and reassured me he would arrive soon. These four people made me immensely happy during this albeit-stressful re-introduction to Paris. Their efforts brought absolute tears of joy to my eyes.
This is the joy of travel. Not losing my personal belongings and feeling stressed, but, through it all, making meaningful connections that reassert my faith in our shared, human capacity for kindness.
Stay tuned for day 3 of my 30-day writing project in Paris!
The Paris Project
I’m Sarah, a travel and wellness writer based in the US. Join me on my 30 day journey in Paris as I post something new each day. You can follow along here on my blog or subscribe to my newsletter. I’ll send a weekly missive to all my newsletter subscribers while I’m here of all of my favorite Paris discoveries and adventures.