Bonjour

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OK, got up and abused the breakfast buffet for the last time then jumped in a cab to Waterloo Station in readiness for 10:10am Eurostar train trip.

Was hoping we could check our baggage so I wouldn't have to cart it around but to no avail had to stow it myself once we boarded. Took the first class option and was worth it - had 4 seats to ourselves (2 facing 2) and room for the monkey child to jump around. Had a nice cooked breakfast (again) and hit the bar for a couple of celebratory welcome to France drinks. Very smooth and airplane like ride but better because you have something to look at and can hang around in the bar if you get sick of sitting in your seat. Even the toilets are airplane like with the suction thing happening.

Hello France
OK arrived at France - Gare du Nord - and thought shit, look at all this French (language that is). Had no Euro so first step was to find an ATM, tried for about 2 minutes at a machine that turned out that only accepted smart cards (the ones with chips in them) and was trying to sell me tickets so we joined the long queue which lead to your stock standard ATM (which also asked if I wanted a ticket - I said no of course but it meant reciept).

Now with money we headed outside and was met with a huge taxi rank queue, finally got one and only then did I realise what I was in for when we were to pick up the car in a few days time. This was worse than Asia, cars everywhere as the same in Asia but these cars were packed millimetres from each other. It was all very pushy but it seems to work as there was so much traffic but it you kept moving. If everyone was polite it probably would have deadlocked.

Once we got across the river Seine the trafiic got lighter and we reached our hotel on Rue Cler. The location was great, Rue Cler has shops all along with them also having stalls outside so lots of activity but thankfully the double-glazed windows worked. Our room had two balconies that opened out to it, fantastic.

Once settled in, we went for a walk to the Effiel Tower (only 5 mins away, once again great location), had a bit of a walk around and let Michael have ago on the playground nearby before we made an emergency dash back to the hotel because Corey can't handle his curry.

Later, we had dinner and tried our limited frebch at a local cafe on the Rue Cler, du biere pression.

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Comments

[Davo]

Bit quiet....
What's going on? Last entry 10 days ago? Bit quiet every since the Rude Boys went down to Davo's Dropkicks 1893 to 1909 and then Hawthorn go down to Melbourne 61 to 136 with seven unanswered goals in the last quarter....

[Andy]

Go the Woods !!
Yeah Davo, I was at the "G" watching the game so I can understand why Corey has been lying low, they were pathetic!! Also went to the Crows V Richmond game and the Collingwood V Geelong saturday night..Crows lost, Collingwood won...Does it get any better?? :-) Sounds like your having a great time, keep the journals coming. Andy

[Lloydie]

Stinkin Dog!
Hey buddy - hope all is well over there, u must be having a reat time. Better not come back cos when you left the Hawks are crashing - wooden spoon favourites - in fact they would be bottom if not for Danny Jacobs. Now where is your laptop? did you take it with you?

[Jezza]

Où est le gueridon?
Cet hôtel est merde.