Frustration

I am off to Clermont-Ferrand tomorrow at 6 am, thanks to the SNCF workers striking this week. According to the linked article, a small fraction of trains are running in the Paris area as well as the majority of international trains, but -- take it from this witness -- no trains are coming and going in Montlucon. When I stopped by the station today, the tickets windows weren't even opening. When I get up painfully early tomorrow I will have to buy my ticket from a machine, which would be impossible if I didn't have a French bank account.

Adding to this frustration is the fact that I just spoke with Meredith who told me that the doctor's appointment was pointless. The doctor never examined him, just asked a couple questions such as, "How much do you weigh?" To top it off, he waited to see the doctor for over an hour.

I am concerned I won't be able to make it back to Montlucon in time to teach on Friday if the strike doesn't resolve before then. The only bus runniing between the two towns leaves Clermont around 6 pm whereas my doctor's appointment on Thursday is at 5.

On the bright side, I am going to spend most of my day tomorrow with good friends, surrounded by dormant volcanoes and beautiful scenery. Photos and stories will follow of course.