Day 1: Chicago to Bayonne

I left Chicago at 18:45 on January 2 on an Icelandair flight to Reykjavik. The plane got to Iceland at 07:00 local time. I walked through passport control, getting an Iceland stamp. I caught another Icelandair flight to Paris that was supposed to leave at 07:40, but it ended up leaving late. I finally got to Paris at 12:15 local time.

I picked up my bag and then needed to get to Terminal 2G on the other end of Charles de Gaulle for an Air France flight to Biarritz. I had to take an airport train and then a shuttle bus to get to Terminal 2G. I also hit an ATM to get some Euros. The rate was $1.257 to 1 Euro, which was quite different from the going rate of $1.14! I picked up a few bills because I knew I'd need cash for the bus later in the day.

I waited a few hours in the terminal, and the Air France flight to Biarritz took off at 16:15. I fell asleep on the flight and woke up as the plane landed at the small two gate airport. I collected my bag and then bought a Coke at an airport cafe, so that I'd have small change for the bus. I walked outside to the bus platform knowing I'd need to take Route 14 or Route C to Place de Basques in Bayonne. A Basque guy gave me a 24 hour bus pass he no longer needed, so I didn't need to break a 50 Euro note by buying a bottle of Coke after all. It was very cold outside waiting for the bus.

I took the 14 bus and almost thirty minutes later got off the bus as I saw the Adour River bridge just before the Place de Basques. I walked across the bridge to the Ibis Styles Bayonne Centre Gare. I checked in at 19:00 and took a much needed shower after being on three flights.

Next, I took a walk around Bayonne looking for somewhere to get dinner. It seemed a lot of the restaurants were still closed for the holidays, and nothing I saw that was open enticed me. I then went to the train station to see what time the train departs to St. Jean Pied de Port in the morning. The lady at the desk said 07:40, 12:00, and two more in the afternoon.

I went back to the hotel and passed out almost immediately. I had been on airplanes over eleven hours and crossed seven time zones.

Getting on the jet at Charles de Gaulle.

The two gate airport in Biarritz.

The Adour River in Bayonne.