Hi Everyone,

We are now in France, after a few challenges along the way. We had expected delays once we reached France because of the National strike. People are protesting about new work laws. These are certainly detailed laws because the document outlining them exceeds 850 pages.

Our first surprise was after we reached Singapore. Our flight which was due to depart about 90mins after our arrival was already delayed almost 9hrs until the following morning. Singapore Airlines booked us a room in town and sent us there in a taxi. Upon arrival at the hotel, we contacted Christian who kindly notified the rental car people that we were delayed until the following day. We also managed to find a hotel room near Gare de Lyon. We would have preferred Bercy, but many/most hotels were booked out.

We did manage to get a few hours sleep and headed back  to the airport by chartered bus the next morning. All went well until just before departure, when a passenger became ill and had to depart the 'plane for medical reasons and they had to find his baggage and remove it. Another 30 mins gone!

After that, there were no further incidents and we reached CDG airport without problems. We managed to catch a RER train to Gare du Nord and it was PACKED. Just like commuter trains in Tokyo where you sleep standing up because everyone is jammed in so tightly. Gare du Nord was also incredibly busy and a helpful SNCF guy told us where our next train was to depart from. In fact we needed two more trains because trains were not going their usual routes nor their usual platforms and 2 in every 3 scheduled trains were cancelled.

Finally we reached the hotel and had our first meal in France for this year. This was at a nearby cafe and we had a three course meal with wine, bread and water all for 18 euros each. Excellent! Then at the hotel we checked what trains were actually running to Joigny the next day. There were very few trains indeed. However, we did spot something very strange. Normally we go from Bercy which was 1.2kms walk from the hotel and has the fast trains. Gare de Lyon 200metres away normally has the slow all-stations trains. But we spotted a unique express train from Gare de Lyon with one stop before Joigny. It was terminating at Laroche Migennes, the next stop. This was good news if it really existed.

Next morning, we visited the River Seine which had broken its banks. The railway line and 5 lane Periphique road were under water. Nothing could fit under the bridges becaue of the water height. The Seine is at its highest for 30 years and also, it is very late in the year for such flooding.

Next we went to Gare de Lyon. Sure enough, the "Ghost Train" was listed. Fantastic! But, when we tried to buy a ticket from the machine, it would not let us becauser every train was cancelled and the "Ghost Train" was not listed. So, we went to the ticket office. There a young lady tried all combinations and also could not book a ticket. Finally, we got one from the counter, but they had to use a different train, later in the day, from a different station in order to print tickets! But the train came and our tickets worked (inspectors were not in any case checking them). There was a 30min delay in a suburb while Police removed protestors from the railway track.

We saw many submerged villages along the way and the Seine was very wide in places. Moret sur Loing looked particularly bad and it is interesting we were there and had a peaceful time last year. Now, where we had been, was a raging and wide torrent.

We have done some work on the boat (in the flooded boatyard) and caught up with Christian and Chantal who had lots of good and interesting news about changes in their lives.

Photos are coming but we are tired and this will suffice for the moment.

Best Regards,