Basically some thoughts on travel, arising from the Paris trip:

• Charles de Gaulle airport sucks; the architect who made it should be made to run through it while getting chased by hungry lions
• 2 hours is not enough time to get to the airport, because of course, the train for the airport will leave as you come running down the stairs; there won't be another train in time; the gate won't let you back out of the train thing, even if you try five different passes; there will be long lines to check-in; the guy at the check-in counter will make everyone shove their carry-ons into that stupid little metal baggage size thing; security will be anal about everything (and someone will have a jar of peanut butter :-P); and by that time you'll have five minutes to run to your gate before the plane takes off.
• NEVER ask the people working at the train station which train is going where. They don't know, whether it's Madrid, Paris, or anywhere.
• but people on the train usually know where it's going, and there's usually a person that understands English that will overhear you talking and tell you you're on the wrong train