Getting there is half the fun

I've made it to London!  What's more, I made it here without any major issues.  This is a triumph because generally when I travel, chaos ensues.  For instance, in Morocco two years ago, a friend and I spent 4 hours on the wrong train and consequently nearly missed our flight back to France.  Yesterday, however, was a relaxed day in Bordeaux.  I set off for the airport in the late afternoon, after packing and grabbing coffee with a friend.  In order to save myself the exorbitant taxi fare, I decided to take the airport shuttle from Gare St. Jean.  I navigated the tram with a suitcase during rush hour, which let me tell you is no mean feat.  I arrived at the Gare with plenty of time.  The only problem was, the shuttle stop was nowhere to be found.  Bus stops a plenty and trains galore, but not an airport shuttle in sight.  I went inside the station to ask.  The lady at the information desk looked impatient and said, "But it's just outside!"  So that's where I went, only it wasn't there.  I walked around a bit, looking.  By this time, the shuttle was supposed to be leaving, and the police officers nearby were looking at me curiously,  as if the girl wandering around the station in leggings and wheeling a houndstooth print carry-on could potentially be a security threat.  Defeated, I decided to suck it up and pay for the taxi, or else risk missing my flight.  As it turns out, though, the shuttle was pulling out from exactly where I had been standing in the first place.  I flagged him down, which I can imagine made me look truly ridiculous.  I ran over and boarded the shuttle, a little out of breath.

Since in France people under 26 years old get a discount on transportation, the driver asked me how old I am.  Since sometimes it turns out I really don't speak French, I told him what time it was.  He shrugged and charged me full price.  It was still at least 20 euros cheaper than taking a taxi, so I couldn't be bothered to be too embarrassed by my abysmal flag-down-the-driver-like-a-lunatic-then-tell-him-the-time-though-he-didn't-ask-for-it episode.  I made it to the airport on time, and even made it through security quickly and with minimal groping. A few hours later, I landed in London.  Easy as pie.