Repatriation

After hunkering down in place for a few months as coronavirus spread across the globe and countries went into lockdown, we started our journey back to the United States. Our return is only a week later than we'd originally planned, though we've adjusted to leave from Paris instead of Amsterdam. Additionally, since coronavirus is so widespread in Paris, we chose to wake up super early and drive straight to the airport from our farmhouse to minimize exposure. While a bit painful to get up at 4am in the dark, the sunrise as we drove in was beautiful.

We had plenty of time before our flight as it turns out as the roads were empty and the airport even emptier. There was a temperature screening, half of the seating was blocked off and many restaurants (and water fountains!) were closed, but otherwise the airport felt normal. 

Our flight had only 65 people on it, though we somehow were all still crammed in one row! Despite no space to stretch out, the boys enjoyed having free access to a screen and we all indulged in movie watching and it made the long flight pass by much more quickly. 

Our flight was direct to LA and after a temperature check and brief series of questions from the CDC we were back on American soil for the first time in ten months. We had arranged to buy Dave's aunt and uncle's Honda Pilot and several good friends helped get our roof storage box on it and drove it up to LA and then to the airport for us! It was so helpful to have a car there and ready for us. 

We hopped in and drove up to Lake Tahoe for a 14-day quarantine. What a long day. We basically took turns sleeping and driving and managed to also meet Christine's parents at an In-N-Out parking lot on the way for socially distanced hellos and the best burger we'd had in a while. In the end, it took us 29 hours door to door from leaving our farmhouse in Normandy to arriving at our cabin in Lake Tahoe. Exhausting, but relieving to be back as well.