Farewell Drinks

If you are in Paris and have either nothing better to do or you have been stood up, you're welcome to come down for a farewell drink (or 2 or 3 or 4) Au Caveau de Montpensier from 21h00 (15 rue Montpensier, 1er).

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=15%20Rue%20de%20Montpensier,%2075001%20Paris,%20Ile-de-France,%20France&ie=UTF8&cd=4&geocode=FUGd6QIdpacjAA&split=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.875,57.630033&hq=&hnear=15%20Rue%20de%20Montpensier,%2075001%20Paris,%20Ile-de-France,%20France&z=16

Stuck inside waiting for FedEx

It's a beautiful day here in Paris. The sky is blue, the birds are singing, there's a real hint of spring in the air. And what am I doing? Am I out making the most of my last days in Paris? Am I having a coffee on a café terrace people watching? Am I skipping down to the Musée d'Orsay to have a final look at the Impressionist master pieces? NO! I am stuck inside waiting for FedEx to come round and pick up some boxes to be shipped home.
Don't you just hate the way any companies who deliver, pick-up, read meters etc give you a ludicrously imprecise window for arrival?
"We'll be there at some time between 11am and 5pm. We trust that is convenient for you Mr. Smith?"
No it's bl**dy well not. Gggrrr!

Catching Up & Cleaning Out

Le grand départ is fast approaching now...just over a week to go now. But all my time right now is spent either zipping about Paris to catch up with everyone I can before leaving, or cleaning out my room. The clothes recycling bank is FULL of my stuff! I have even drafted in my parents for a few days to assist (mums particulary excel in this kind of exercise I find!).

Light at the end of the admin tunnel

Sorry I have not updated this for a few days, but I forgot to take my computer with me into the seemingly endless French admin maze: Taxes, social security, passports, banks, apartments, deposits, gas & electricity. The only thing that I haven’t come across yet is a Minotaur.

The whole system seems to be designed so that once you are in it, there is no way out again. Luckily with my trusty ball of string I think can see light at the end of the tunnel. Only a few things left to put to bed and then I might actually be able to enjoy my remaining days in Paris.

Regarding the day care centre, the new school year began last week and so I cannot wait to get back to see everyone and really get the projects moving. I spoke to the school this morning and the foundation of the new boys’ dormitory are being laid as we speak. With the goodies from LFC and the kids’ shoes my mum has collected from colleagues at Amec, we should be able to get the football practices up and running in February.

I am hoping also a good friend will come through on the green gingham material (vichy pour les français) for the school uniforms … watch this space!

We are still looking for the killer contact on solar power. I hope we have made it and I will be speaking to him again later this week. If that one bears fruit, many of the other things may just fall into place. To be continued…

Flight booked!

Too cold to do much today, but I did book my flight! Leave for Nairobi on Monday 1st February at 19h30. Woo!
Also, if you haven't already, check out the videos of the school. The one of Mr Kuranja singing and dancing is classic.
Oh ... and happy 75th birthday Elvis!
Bon weekend à tous.

Another day another admin hurdle

Today was the bank. For the uninitiated the French banking system is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Jeph Jacques hit the nail on the head : "there are two ways to pass a hurdle: leaping over or plowing through... There needs to be a monster truck option"

Red Tape Steeple Chase

Today I began the bureaucratic headache of severing ties with France and establishing them with Kenya. Unfortunately I didn’t get any further than the UK consulate where I needed to apply for a new passport seeing as how the old one doesn’t have any blank pages in it. To be fair this was easy enough, although I did walk out of the consulate €143 worse off.
How on earth can a new passport cost €143?! I am in shock.

My final month in Paris has begun

Before I begin, a very happy new year to you all. I hope 2010 brings you all you wish for, but above all health and happiness.
Having seen in the new year in the snow of Krakow, the partying is now well and truly over and it is time to get down to the serious business of preparing to leave to Kenya. I have the month of January before me to get my act together including dealing with (disposing of) all of the stuff that I have accumulated during my 11+ years in Paris. It is truly amazing the things we amass as we pootle down life's path. At some point during the last 11 years, I decided I couldn't live without many things including:
12 suits;
15 pairs of jeans;
7 scarves;
5 skateboards (without wheels);
20 Starbucks city mugs,
1 motobike helmet (for a motobike I do not own);
1 Union Flag toilet seat (1 careful clean-bummed owner);
1 limbo-bar

What was I thinking?