All forms of transport in Paris...

We arrived by plane, we spent hours on tourist buses (literally hours - needed to get to the Eiffel Tower for a boat trip which we decided not to go on - and it was in the middle of rush hour). The traffic felt much like this..

OK slight exaggeration. The Champs Elysees only had 7 lanes or so - not that anyone stuck to them.

We have travelled by foot - many hours trying to find key landmarks with maps which don't have a clear sense of scale (perhaps a user error!).

As mentioned earlier, we almost made a trip on a boat. The weather wasn't great and our enthusiasm, after slightly longer on the bus than planned, had waned.

We didn't make it on a bike either - although saw plenty of them, especially when standing in the middle of what looked like the path by the road but was actually a pedestrian crossing across a cycle path - bbrrringg, bbrrringg.

Tomorrow we take a step up and pick up the camper van. Apparently it takes at least 45 minutes to take a 'newby' through the instructions. I reckon I will need 45 minutes just to be shown how to go round a roundabout!!

Today we discovered the metro. Probably 4 days too late. How easy it was to get round town.

We have had a very entertaining and full 5 days in the apartment and have enjoyed living right in the middle of town. Esther did say that she could easily become a Parisienne - Im not convinced, the apartments do not have enough storage space for her lamps, handbags, shoes and clothes, let alone space to live as well.

The highlight of today was tramping round the Louvre (not the tramping bit, but what we saw). Here is a photo of the Skinner family with a relatively well known piece of art. If you look carefully, everyone's eyes are looking towards the camera....






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Alex

I have this problem

Over the years, Ive had this problem which has been getting worse and worse. When out with Esther, we would be walking down the street, and when we stop, at a pedestrian crossing or something, I would look away for just a second and my good lady wife would be off; into the nearest shop. I would be standing there like a lost soul. Sometimes it would be up to five minutes before she showed herself. Well, the guys at the Eiffel tower had things sorted for me. I was able to agree up front with Esther that in the event we get 'split up' then we had a meeting point...check out the photo....




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Alex

We turned our backs and the kids just disappeared, quell horreur...

We just couldn't see them anywhere....

The French know how to park

Couldn't believe it when we passed this car parked on the side of the road. I've heard of tight squeezes but this is ridiculous...

101 - driving in Paris

I have seen it all.  Didn't think about the time of arrival into Paris and therefore the time we would be getting into town.  Rush hour and then some.  Rush hour on steroids would be a good description. Motorbikes (and cars for that matter) ducking and diving into non existent gaps in the traffic. 3 or 4 lanes of traffic on 2 lane roads.  Many examples of ducking and diving gone wrong - i.e. dents.  We made in one piece (after lots of expletifs, I think) from our charming taxi driver.  And the lasting thought for me is what the hell is it going to be like trying to get a 5 berth camper van out of town on Thursday. Await that blog!!

The apartment we are in is quintessential and up four flights of stairs, so my fitness regime starts from now. It is along a popular tourist street with lots of boutique shops and restaurants.  Esther already managed to get some window shopping in when we went out for some food.

Bon nuit
Alex

Jet lag kicks in...

...and The first thing I do is the blog. Well actually second, the first was to down load a new blogger app. I'm awake and the family are asleep - no change there I suppose.

Was met at the airport by the whanau. Great reunion. The kids had made a plaque with 'daddy' on it. Luckily they remembered me after 2 months otherwise they could have been whisking away a stranger.

Spent the day at legoland yesterday. A dream come true for all the kids including me!

Favorite bits - the laser shooting game, which we got half round and then it broke down. You go in a car and get driven round a building with lots of targets to shoot. Naomi wasn't liking it though until it broke down and we all had to leave.

2nd fav -the mini city. We travelled the world in a matter of minutes. All so realistic albeit it small. With lots of working parts.

Back at the hotel now. Benjamin was keen to get up and watch the rugby - that's my boy. Just seen it is a 9pm kickoff, so hopefully we get time in between breakfast.

Some quick snaps...













A tall building in little london (HSBC tower i think) - spot the darlek.













'finding ne-aomi??













Just lovely. Funny thing was, we were taking this picture when someone calls esther's name - a fellow mum from St Benedicts in khandallah. Small world or what!

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Alex

Location:Chestnut Close,,United Kingdom

A reflection from the HK Koru Club

Half way there.  An easy trip so far.  Managed to watch 2 films - now that would never normally happen for me but Esther would manage it when we travel as a family!

The house is packed up and Ive said my goodbyes to work and friends.

Only took 2 days to box up and transport away our worldly belongings.  The packers arrived on Tuesday morning and they started straight away in the hallway by the front door - it didn't click until they were on their second box that they had packed away all my shoes.  So we started unpacking, although I know it is very Kiwi to travel with no shoes!  Im sure the packers thought here we go.

Managed to tidy up loose ends at work, I think.  Hopefully no ticking bombs.  And my car is now in safe hands - so Bruce reckons.

Not much happening here.  Another hour then Im on the next leg to Heathrow.  Lets hope there are not too many tears when the family reunite - you know me Im very emotional!

I will leave you with a quote on France (the first part of our adventure):

“France is the only country where the money falls apart and you can’t tear the toilet paper.” – Billy Wilder

Laters
Alex