Monday, April 27

Albert and I got up before 9:00. We took off the sheets and pillowcases, as the instructions asked. We put the dishes away, and fed Choco. Finally we wiped all the surfaces, cleaned the cat litter again, and took the rubbish bag down to the bins.

After a final check of our possessions we left the keys on the table, walked down the five flights of stairs, and left.

Now we are opposite Gare du Nord station. In a few moments we will be inside trying to buy our tickets. Albert will realise that he has just lost all his money, possibly when he took his phone out of his pocket to take a selfie. He will walk back the way we came and I will buy two tickets before this turns into an escalating comedy of errors that finishes with us watching our plane taking off without us.

The Case of the Disappearing Money will provide enough material to keep Albert’s conversation going until we have reached Charles de Gaulle and passed through security.

For reasons that involved “not making any more mess” we skipped breakfast. I will discover that sandwiches at the airport are no cheaper than on the plane. I will opt to wait and have a chicken wrap on the plane, since Irma has said that they are delicious. She will be correct. In the event, I will supplement this with a blueberry muffin and a second cup of coffee.

It will be raining in Helsinki when I leave the airport to catch the 519 to Itäkeskus, but I won’t mind. I am a man with an unnecessary umbrella.