Get your CabeRAT out!

Day 1 (of Contiki): 10 Sept 09:







We left London by 7am! We drove to the White Cliffs of Dover and jumped a ferry to Calais and then drove to Paris. O, in the bus between Calais and Paris we played speed dating to get to know some of the other people on the bus. Everyone but 2 were Australian!! If I come back speaking funny its because I am around Australians all the time!!







When we got there we found out that we were not staying at the campsite with the other Contiki tours but that we were staying at a hotel on the outskirts of Paris. After getting our rooms and putting our bags in there, Bec, Amanda and I went to the supermarket by our hotel and got some traditional French Food...







Crepes and Nutella







We decided to have a picnic in the park by the supermarket, we had the intention of dipping our crepes in the Nutella but....the Nutella was super hard so.....what did we use? A traditional French stick...yes a stick. We cleaned the stick up and thoroughly enjoyed our picnic of Crepes and Nutella!!







We then drove into Paris for a 'getting to know the city tour' with Idim (Adam) and Chachi (Ryan). We stopped at the Eiffel Tower and got some great night time pictures! We headed back to the hotel and had probably the only early night of this trip!







Day 2 - 11 Sept 09:







Today was our free day in Paris! Idim and Chachi dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower and we all stood in line to go to the top. While in line guys on the street were trying to sell us Eiffel Tower keychains and souvenirs....this is very illegal...and when the police showed up, they ran and hid in the bushes. It was very and cold at the bottom but when we got to the top it was much better. The view from the top of the Eiffel Tower is quite amazing!! The last time I was in Paris I only saw the tower at night and seeing it in the day is a completely different experience. We spotted the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elessys (sp?...damn French...)







After the Eiffel Tower we walked to the Arc de Triomph! I had only driven around it the last time I was here and seeing it up close was amazing!! At the Arc is a flame for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, We followed Chachi's orders and used the stairs underneath the ground to get to the Arc...that roundabout has no lines and no traffic rules!!





We then hopped on the Metro and attempted to take a large group to Notre Dame, due to overcrowding on the Paris Metro Amanda and I got separated and ended up at Notre Dame by ourselves. Perfectly alright...SOOOO beatiful!! We just did the free admission and walked around...one of the best examples of Gothic Architecture...Amanda got some beautiful pics of the church. After walking around inside we then walked around the building outside and it is as impressive as the inside.





When we finished with Notre Dame we headed to H&M to find some clothes for the "Shock Your Mother" Party at the Chateau the next night. Didn't find anything but then proceeded to attempt to find Bec for about an hour.





When we couldn't find Bec, Amanda and I went to the Musee D'Orsay!! We saw all the big artists inside; Degas, Gaudi, Cezanne...and VAN GOGH!!! Mainly who I wanted to see, his 'Starlight Over the Rhone' (the one hanging above my bed at home) was there and was amazing!



After the Musee D'Orsay, Amanda and I decided that we were done and made like the French and people watched on the lawn of the Louvre.





Chachi met us at 6.00 and took us to the Louvre carpark to get changed for our traditional Parisian Dinner and Caberet. I had French Onion Soup (simply called Onion Soup in France), Beef Burgandy, Cheese, and whipped cream for dessert.

After dinner we went to the Marilyn Monroe roundabout for pics of the Moulin Rouge before heading to our caberet, 'Nouvelle Eve.' Bec and I definitely disobeyed Chachi's orders and ran across the street without a cross walk, singing "Disobey Chachi's Orders, Disobey"!!

The caberet was quite fabulous and the champagne kept flowing as it was Bec's bday eve!

After the caberet we got back to the hotel and Bec realized that she left her cantact solution on the bus along with her contacts so we got her 2 cups and bottled water!! Thanks Kate for teaching me that trick, you just saved bec's eyes!!

Off to the French Riviera tomorrow!!