UP THE SEINE WITHOUT A PADDLE

OR

#NOAH WHEREFORE ART THOU!?!

This trip is starting to appear jinxed before it even starts what with changes from Fall to Summer and 10,000 of our closest, most intimate FUTBOL Fanatic friends joining our sojourn in Paris, and it now seems as if we'll need to pack Fishing Waders.

I’m sure that most of you have not been following the weather in Europe.  It’s been bad enough in Middle America.

However, those of us traveling EAST in a week are watching European Forecasts, and thanks to State Department advisories, we are now aware of the “Flooding in Paris”

W.T.F.?!? 

The Seine was expected to crest at 21.4 feet above norm Friday, overflowing the banks and affecting the Metro stops we need to use coming and going, while authorities closed the Louvre and Orsay Museums to move artwork to higher floors. 

And… to add to the Tumult, there are numerous strikes affecting the Metro, Planes, Trains and WHATEVAH - The French are notorious for striking at the drop of a beret. 

Soooo… getting from the airport to our flat in the 15^th Arr. is already on Plan C, while plans D-E & F are being formulated. And... most other sorties will be hampered by Metro outages, Rain, Strikes, Floods, FUTBOL Fanatics, Famine and Locusts... 
OK, we made up the last two. [we hope]

On a Lighter Note, our WEGO Guide assures us that the floods will not affect our walking tour, He says, “If we don’t mind wearing hip high rain boots… Just kidding!”  All should be OK, Parisian authorities expect the river to start receding by Saturday and be fine by the time we get there.  
Tell that to the French Weather Ladies who predict more rain all week. 

Oh $#!%&^*@ 

Dragon Chick - as we speak - is on the internet researching where to buy rain-boots in Paris and/or if she has to pack some… seriously. 

Hey… we missed the “Aqua Alta” in Venice so I guess the Travel Gremlins are just trying to keep us on out toes.
I sense another #DSW run in the making. [You're welcome - again - Melanie at #DSW!]

Now... About that peek into the TSA PreCheck & Customs and Boarder Protection’s Global Entry Programs.

Unless you’ve been in a coma lately, and with the current political climate you might want to go back there until December - the TSA screening delays have been all over the news lately.  The vision of long lines and missing the flight to Paris had Chucky stressing until a frequent flying friend said “Chill Chuck” and apply for TSA PreCheck for $85 to bypass the lines [most of the time].  Then he learned about the Customs & Boarder Protections Global Entry Program for $100 that covered both PreCheck and Expedited re-entry through customs and found their Global Online Enrollment System  GOES  website.  Both programs are good for 5 years, then you have to re-apply.  
Intending to get as much international travel done before He Can’t LUG anymore… and with the 2013 re-entry from Cuba taking over 2.5 hours to process customs, we decided it was worth it.

Here’s how it goes.

First you create an account on the CBP GOES website, login, complete a VERY detailed application, pay your $100 fee and wait.  It usually takes about 2 weeks and you have to log on frequently to check for Acceptance, they don’t send out notices.

Once “Conditionally Approved” you make an appointment for an interview at an “Enrollment Center” or CBP location within 30 days. And if the Travel Gods Smile upon you, you're issued a Global Entry Card – good for practically nothing – you still need your passport to get in and out of the country, but if the re-entry Kiosks are not working you can use it to get to the head of the line.

Chucky’s approval came in 15 days and hers the next day. The Ft Lauderdale enrollment center at Port Everglades was booked up until August [NOT GOOD] but Checking MIA they had a plethora of time slots starting Jun 3^rd and we got appointments together.

In spite of the ominous concerns spread on the internet about daunting interviews where they take photos, fingerprints, frown sternly at their computer, then back at you… then back to computer, then back to you… OK, you get it [this must be a Universal Bureaucratic Intimidation technique] we were in and out of MIA in under 30 minutes, from parking to exiting the CBP office.  Just make sure your application is 100% correct and you remember your answers, or there will be a lot of back and forth computer to you frowns and maybe a rejection.

Okee Doakee, ‘nuff for what was supposed to be a short ***EXTRA**

Hey… it’s Chucky, you know better than to expect Short.

Ciao Pour L’instant,

Uncle Chuck & The Rain-Boot searching

Dragon Lady