After a lovely Christmas dinner with Beck and Dan on Christmas eve, mum and I drove up to my place in Brissy so we were nice and close to the aiport before our midday flight on Christmas day. We were ready like, 2 hours early so sat there waiting for the cab to pick us up at 830 (also an hour earlier than needed). Finally he arrived and we gas-bagged our way to the airport, blabbing on and on about Paris. Once there, we lined up and checked in. It was around about this time that mum's face took on an eerie, glazed kind of look, with a smile permanantly slung from one ear to the other, eyes popping out her head - "Im going to Paris, oh my God, Im going to Paris". So cute :-)
As most of you know, mum isnt so good at flying - in fact she needs a valium just to fly to Sydney (and still gets petrified), so you can imagine what I was expecting from a 10 hour flight, followed by a 14 hour flight! But no, mum was actually really good - we chatted about things we would do in Paris, and played with the entertainment system looking at movies and games, it was looking to be an awesome flight - woo hoo!
Aaaaand then the turbulance hit - nobody was even allowed up to go to the toilet. Greeeeeat. The flight was stopping in Cairns along the way to Hong Kong - and there was a tropical cyclone there. Awesome. "Its fine mum, the cyclone has moved south now, its not in Cairns, we'll just fly over it, and it will be a nice landing in Cairns. We're way above the cyclone so its not going to bother us, its just making the air above a little bumpy. We'll be fine". And so on...
It was more than a little bumpy.
Aaaaaaan then the toilets closest to us flooded all down our aisles. Greeeeeat. Had to be our toilet and not one where mum couldnt see! Mum is nervously looking up and down the aisle, watching the flight attendants - "You can see on their faces they're worried." she said, "Ive never seen flight attendants moving around so frantically" "OMG they're even running, now thats very disconcerting, you never see them running". She asks a steward what is happening "The toilets are just leaking water" - duh! A little while later she asks another steward the same questiosn - and gets the same answer. Double duh!
"Mum, tell me why you're so worried - there is a leak in the water pipe, how can that actually put us in danger? "It could short out all the wiring in the plane!" (She may have had a point for all I know). "No mum, they are prepared for these situations, the planes are designed for this - its a waterproof cell and no water can get anywhere near the wiring, its perfectly safe. They are only rushing around so people's belongings dont get wet. There is no danger. Just stop looking around, releax your body - bring your shoulders down from up around your ears and just ignore it. We're perfectly safe". This logic worked - and so did the wine, she did ignore it, and we watched a movie together. We landed in Cairns, got out and stretched out legs for an hour, then back onto the plane - leaking toilet and all.
It was all fine and we made it to Hong Kong airport. Oh, My. God. It was the most gigantic ariport I have ever seen - we had to catch a frigging train to get to our departure gate!! We spent 4 hours there, I got THE BEST massage ever, we had a bit to eat and a wander around the multitude of shops. I saw a Popeyes Chicken place and laughed - "Popeyes chicken is frickin awesome!" I shouted - those of you who have watched that Adam Sandler movie Little Nicky will get it. Mum was totally freaked out by the currency - HK$31 for a big mac meal at maccas, HK$350 for a bottle of wine we buy at home for AU$15 ($72 for a glass). I tried explaining the difference in currencies but her mind was too boggled - I paid for our food so she wouldnt faint at the $470 price tag!
We get on to our next flight to Paris, Mum, now a seasoned traveller, was much more calm - dont get me wrong, she still took her valium (well not reallyy, but more on that later) but she was very much more relaxed. I, on the other hand, had a severe flare up of spasms in my neck and trap and had to take some very strong drugs and slept almost the entire 14 hour flight, waking up every couple hours to check on mum, try to watch a movie but fall back to sleep. Towards the end of the flight we were getting things ready to leave and mum looks at her drug bag - and realises the "valium" she has been taking to calm her nerves was actually a sleeping tablet temaze, not valium at all, but similar I guess. Silly mummy.
We arrive at Paris airport and as we walk off the plane we are hit wth -4 degrees!! Woah that is cold!!! It was 6am and dark - and freezing. There was snow everywhere, it was beautiful!! We were so excited saying "Ohhh look over there, OMG look at all the snow on the car, OMG look, look, look!!!! I felt sorry for our poor driver who had to put up with our ramblings for the half hour drive to our hotel. Hahahaha
We pulled up to our hotel - and were speechless - and you all know, something has to be pretty major to make mum and myself speechless!! It was the most stunning, grande, opulent, magnficent looking hotel. The immaculately dressed porter came out to greet us and took our bags, and we walked into the most decadant building we have ever seen - gold everywhere, marble, chandelliers, gorgeous velvet chaise lounges. We must have looked hilarious because we just stood there looking around and up at the ceiling, then back at each other with our mouths gaped and our eyes popping. SUCH a stunning, impressive hotel. It was surreal.
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| Especially taken for my sista - love love love it!!! |
We peered into all the Christmas display windows in the department stores Printempes and Galleries Lafayette - sooo cute!!
Then we headed down Rue de Royal, had some breakfast...
then a short stroll to the square where lots of beautiful things are - including the Louvre, had a frolic in the snow - nearly slipping on the icy ground many times, then headed onto a city tour to have a look around.
That is great that you both has fabulous holidays and also flights. The hotel looks great, you both must have been feel like millionaries. LOL!! Continue enjoy your fun trip in PARIS. Luv Kaz xoox
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