Planes, Trains & Naughty Knickers!
I just had a fab weekend in Lyon - a bit of a whirlwind trip, but great fun and got to see some sun too!
It didn't start too well though - the Stansted Express crawled along for the first 15 minutes and i started stressing I would miss my flight although thankfully, I'd already checked in online a few days before. Anyway, I was pretty much the last person to board the plane but I made it! Then when I arrived in Lyon, I decided to take a different route to the place where I was staying at, and then panicked when I realised I was at Perrache train station and couldn't see a bus stop anywhere (i got lost here exactly 2 years ago - but it was at night which was far worse!). Anyway, I jumped onto a bus which had just terminated to ask the driver directions but my french is embarrassingly poor and he couldn't speak English but bless him, I managed to understand that I needed to get a tram from downstairs. But even trying to purchase a ticket from the machine was a pain - i didn't have enough change, and you have to use this stupid bar to scroll down and select your options. Anyway, a girl told me I could use my debit card to pay and eventually i boarded the right tram - problem now was - it didn't seem to stop anywhere too close to my hotel - aaargh!!
I jumped off at a stop that I hoped was not too far and I kind of recognised the area - but the road was full of roadworks as they're building a new tram to run right down the middle. So it looked like carnage and there was no proper footpath - thank god I only had a bag for an overnight stay and not a suitcase to drag along! I didn't like the look of things at all, and in my state of mind at that time, everyone looked dodgy, I didn't want to shout hey, I'm a tourist, I don't know where I am!! Then i spotted 2 little old ladies so i asked them if i was on the right street (there were no street names either!) and i was hugely relieved to find I was!
Eventually I made it to my hotel & checked in to my room - I needed a stiff drink or 2 to calm my nerves before heading out for dinner! This was also slightly fraught as I got on the bus to Belle Cour and then a drunk Frenchman decided to sit next to me and harass me despite me telling him politely in french that I was English and didn't understand him! Trying to ignore him didn't work either so in the end I raised my voice and told him where to go in English - stepping over him in dramatic style to move seats!
Dinner itself was quite pleasant and I even had company - my girlfriend phoned from Sydney and kept me entertained for an hour while I was eating - much to the amusement of my waiter. I was horrified to realise the next day however, that I'd be paying quite a lot of money for that call - obviously I was overseas when she called so god knows how much that will cost - ouch!
I rose early the next day to get a bus to the lingerie exhibition, which was my purpose for the trip. I waited impatiently for half an hour before realising that this one wasn't going to arrive, and went back to the hotel to request a taxi. Thankfully it arrived promptly and I gratefully got inside. The driver started talking to me a little, but I apologised that my French was not good, whereupon he asked if I spoke Spanish or Italian. I replied that I did indeed speak some Spanish and so we started chatting away. It turned out he was Spanish and I was really pleased when he told me I spoke Spanish very well and with a proper accent - I didn't sound English at all!
A short time after, I arrived at the exhibition -which was absolutely massive, so I sat down to prepare myself for the areas & stands I wished to visit. I did really well & got to see everything I wanted to and spoke to numerous suppliers, gleaning all the info I needed along the way. I now have some fantastic ideas for my lingerie range next year and I'm feeling really motivated & excited by it all. You'll have to wait until Spring next year to see what delights I have in store for you, my fellow lingerie lovers!
Of course, I have some great stuff already - take a look if you haven't already -
Christmas isn't that far away but plenty of time to drop hints to your loved one what you'd like as a present, lol!
