Disneyland

 

I have been stuck in the land of shit Internet for the week so I am sorry for the lack of updates...

My second day in Paris had been set for a trip to Disneyland. I will start by saying, as a ten year old it would be amazing, as a forty year old it is lots of walking, crap food, long queues for everything...

Still, I can now say I have been to Disneyland.

This is the bad guy (girl) from 101 Dalmatians (I think). She was a bitch to everyone, even the kids. She liked Joey through...

Greg likes to pose... He is good at it. I think Erin enjoys it too.

The stunt show was good. Almost Movie World good

All the old favorites were there. I couldn't find Eamon though, just those boring good guys.

 

All up it was a pretty fun day.

Thanks guys.

Posted with Blogsy

First day, what to do...

After a quick train trip into Paris I waited for Joey at the station. Trying to avoid eye contact with the literally 40 people asking tourists for donations to who-knows-what. Dodgy looking taxi drivers and countless people selling Eiffel Tower statues. I think they started at 2 euro and if you haggled abit i saw one guy offering 5 for 1 euro. Hurry up Joey...

I didn't have to wait long. On our way to apartment we had to stop for some corn from a street vendor. Apparently you can't buy corn anywhere else. I have since been looking and it turns out he was right.

The apartment is right in the middle of Paris. A short walk to a metro station, five minutes from the main station and about 4km to the river. Perfect.

What to do on my first day... What else, Eiffel Tower. We start with a quick tour of the neighborhood, followed by some drinks and dinner at a friend of joey's bar. It was about 10pm and the sun was starting to go down so we jumped on the train and headed to the Eiffel Tower. There were people everywhere. France had just played Spain in the euro cup and there was a big screen set up just across the river. More people selling souvineers including some flying thing that you shoot from a slingshot... of course Joey had to have one and after two shots of it, Greg wanted a go and crashed it into the ground. Off to buy another one. They were bartered down to two euro so it wasn't going to break the bank. However, when this one also crashed and broke after three flights we decided not to launch anymore. It was good for five minutes of fun though.

 

Back on the metro, we got off a couple of stops early to see the Moulin Rouge. The next time someone complains about the strip clubs in King Street, tell them to come here. It is quite possibly the dodgiest place I have every been in. There is no way in the world I would step inside one of these places... Not that I would ever do so in Melbourne mum... it was about 1am and every shop on the strip was open. Souvineer shops, tshirt shops, countless food shops and lots of shops selling cheap shoes.

Home at last after about 50 hours of travelling I was ready for bed...

 

Posted with Blogsy

The trip begins

After the slowest work day I can remember my trip got underway.

7am Friday morning for a 10.30 takeoff.

I could never understand why people line up to get on a plane when your seat is already allocated. I would always rather sit comfortably and stroll up when I am ready.

Quick check in and got a window seat next to a guy that slept the whole way, the food was pretty good and it had personal entertainment. It seems like good start... Then we arrived in China... What a nightmare.

I had to pick up my bag and was told, so I and everyone else thought, to head to the transfer lounge. Nope, not allowed in there. We had to go through immigration and customs and then find our way to another terminal to check in to the next flight. Clearing immigration was fun, they took everyones passport and we had to line up to get it back. No one could work out why but I think they only had one stamp. That is all they seemed to be doing, stamping each passport and giving them back.

Next step, check in to the next flight... Nope. Two hours after check in was due to open there was no sign of any staff. Word began to spread that the flight had not arrived and would not be here until 5 in the morning. To say this caused panic would be an understatement. At one stage I saw a Chinese staff member behind a counter getting yelled at in English, Chinese and French while at least two people tried to climb over the counter while throwing punches. He was swinging back too. Finally the police arrived and stood around and watched with the rest of us. Finally we got checked in with still no official word about the flight. We were directed to a bus and taken on a 25 minute drive to hotel for a few hours sleep.

3.30am phone call to wake us up and back on the bus. We arrive at an empty airport and I just following the crowd through immigration and customs to the departure lounge for our 5am flight. There is still no plane in sight. I find a spot with free Internet and check out the news at home and check facebook... No, no Facebook in China. At least I can send some emails to the guys in Paris and let them know I will be a little late.

About 6am, while looking at the continued arguments at the staff counter still in three languages, I noticed a passenger counting some money. I headed straight for the counter and handed my boarding pass to the outstretched hand. She circled something asked me to sign something and handed me 500 yuan. Nice. As I turn to go get a coffee they announce we are boarding. I turn and walk past the customers still asking to see a manager who is clearly not coming. We are finally underway.

A pretty uneventful flight, luckily I had my iPad as there was no personal entertainment and my headphones didn't work.

40 hours after arriving at Melbourne airport...

I am in Paris.


 

Photo test take 2

Here is a shot of Ralph hitting out of a small bunker at Moonah links

This is where i am staying while i am in Scotland

Carnoustie Golf Hotel

Photo test

And now to see if I can add photos on my iPad

 

iPad test

This is just a test post to see if I can post from my iPad