the last bit....
As the weeks before our meeting turned into days, then hours, I have to say that the butterflies started in the stomach and the nerves really kicked in
I have never felt such trepidation before meeting any woman.. I'm usually a very confident guy.
We knew that we had a lot in common, enjoyed writing long emails to each other, detailing our daily lives, but.. what about the chemistry?
Chemistry is, to my mind, either there or not.. you cannot create this.. or control it.
This was, I think, the only thing I was really worried about before our meeting - I wanted this to be right.
Looking at the pictures on the website and subsequent pictures I had received I knew that I found Miss A extremely appealing and physically attractive.. but what about her
thoughts about me.. would she find me sufficiently un-repulsive to continue our journey??
Ha.. looking back on this it seems I was feeling like a teenager coming up to my first date
During our correspondence while we were planning our trip the question of accommodation was obviously brought up.
We had never openly discussed sex during in our emails even though a few 'naughty thoughts' were exchanged, in fun, on occasion during our later emails.
I had offered to book two rooms.. or if she preferred, a single room with twin beds.
I was told not to be silly and book a single room with a double bed as she wasn't coming all that way for her not to be able to wake up with me beside her!
I thought that was a very nice way of putting it and the question was not discussed further.
so the time for me leaving home to go to the airport was upon me and I checked, rechecked, then checked again, that I had my tickets, passport, wallet etc before leaving the
house.
I'm not usually so 'anal' but a lot was riding on this trip and I wanted nothing to go wrong.
45 minutes later, I arrived, left the car in the long-stay car-park, then wandered to check-in, feeling a little dazed but excited at the same time.
My flight to Paris Charles De Gaul airport took was uneventful except that I was sat next to a very large woman, in her thirties, who did not seem to understand the concept of
anti-perspirant deodorant. No wedding ring on her finger... not surprised really...
And English women sometimes question why we guys go on our search for FSU women?
I arrived at terminal 2 of the airport a little over 90 minutes before Miss A.
We had arranged our flights so that I arrived just a little before her as I wanted to be there to smooth her passage and then we could travel to the hotel together.
Paris, Charles de Gaul airport is MASSIVE! (By UK standards) stretched over a number of square miles and 3 different passenger terminals.
The first problem I had was finding out which terminal Miss A would arrive in...
I have been to Paris on a few occasions and, although I don't speak much more than 'school-boy' French I find if you try then most French people will take pity on you and help
as much as possible. The 'Arrogant Englishman' who thinks that you can shout English to a foreign person for them to understand doesn’t get very far in France
Eventually I found a helpful airport information operative who advised me that all Russian flights come into terminal 1 and gave me directions to where I should get the free shuttle bus which would take me to terminal 1
Time was fast approaching for Miss A to land and I was anxious to get there before she arrived so at this point I was getting a little stressed
I have to say I was shocked at the difference in the two airport terminals.. The European terminal I arrived in was big, bright & beautiful.
Terminal 1 is the pits!!
Small, dirty, with peeling paintwork.. I was really shocked!
Do the French think that people from Russia don't appreciate the difference??
I'm sorry if I have offended are any French readers, but I'm calling it like I see it.
I arrived at terminal one just in time to see the 'arrivals' board change and list Miss A's flight as delayed by 30 minutes.
This was a bit of a blessing because it gave me a little time to freshen up in the dingy toilet (yes even the toilets in terminal 1 were bad!)
I can't describe my anxious wait for those 30 minutes to elapse.. I was drinking water as my throat kept going dry.. and eating mint candys to make sure my breath was ok
Ha.. back to being a teenager again.
45 minutes later, having had to wait a while for her bag to be unloaded, Miss A hesitantly walked through the gate and I saw her for the first time.
Did I just get struck by lightning, or is this beautiful vision really coming to see me?
This says it all really
Miss A had previously asked me in her last email if I would kiss her in the cheek or on the lips at our first meeting (interesting that she expected me to decide)
Well... me being me.. I went straight for the lips
We later laughed about this - you know when you are a kid and you kiss someone for the first time and you're not too sure which way they will turn their head?
We had one of those moments.. but we worked it out
The 45 minute taxi ride through Paris to our hotel was enough to establish that Miss A's English was even better than on the phone and looking at her body language she appeared to warm to me more and more.
By the end of the journey to the hotel we were comfortable with each other and sat cuddling, holding hands like a couple of kids!
All the worries that this week-end might turn out to be a disaster for us soon disappeared.
Before going to Paris we had talked about all the things that we would see and do together: The Eiffel tower, which as just a short walk from our hotel, the Louvre, Arc de Triumph, all the tourist things you are supposed to do when you go to Paris.
I have to confess that we only got to see the tower!
By mutual agreement we spent many hours in the hotel, talking, sitting on the balcony, and enjoying each other's company in many different ways.
We were very lucky that Paris was mostly sunny and warm
Evenings were spent in a local restaurant/bar where they played 'our' kind of music and served excellent wine & food - Even the cost was not so great - about 100 Euros for a good meal with wine - very reasonable
Miss A did make one rather strange comment.. without going into too much detail, she said that she did not expect our lovemaking to be so pleasurable.
She expected to be able to give me pleasure but not to receive much of the same...
I was a little shocked at her low expectations!
Was this because I am 16yrs older than Miss A or maybe the Russian guys she had known were no good in bed? - I didn't push the question but I will ask her to explain when she feels ready.
So now I'm sitting at home missing the girl like mad!
I know that some of you may think that this was just like a 'holiday romance' and these feelings will change with time.
I have to say a little bit of me almost wishes that they do.. Things will get complicated if they don't.
We have already planned to meet again in June - This time for 10 days in Portugal where my sister lives - I know that I should go and see her in her own environment in St Petersburgh and I will surprise her one day and just turn up to see her reaction (I'll book a hotel for the night - just in case
)
Have we fallen in love?
I think we had before we met.. our meeting confirmed this to both of us.
Will we marry?
The answer to that question remains to be seen.. after Portugal and my visit to her home.. possibly.
I know that I feel at the moment that I could spend the rest of my life with her..
She has already told me the same.
How will we feel next week? Or next year? - The same I think!
We will have to give it some time to see if we feel the same by the end of the year, we are both fairly cautious.. but optimistic
If we do then I shall propose
(Hopefully she will say yes!)
Gentlemen I said at the beginning of my post that I am no expert dater and that I wouldn't presume to give advice.. but.. One thing I have to say..
If you ever get the chance to meet your girl in Paris, either as a first, or subsequent date..
Do IT!
You won't regret it if you are an old romantic like me
Cobra
