A Surprise Christmas Present Revealed

So, during the last week of November, mum and I decided to go on a holiday together for the period between Chrtismas and New Year. We discussed Tassie, Hunter Valley and many other places, and finally settled on Hamilton Island. I started planning things and looked at the costs and thought "Blimey, we could go overseas for that amount of money!" but mum didnt have a passport. Hmmmm, bit of a problem.

I thought about it for a couple of days and thought "You know, I am the luckiest girl in the world to have such an amazing mum. She is so generous with her heart, her help, her advice, lending an ear, a shoulder, a hug - she honestly would give you her last dollar or the shirt off her back! She gives so much to everyone that its about time someone did something for her - "Bugger it! She can get her passport in a couple of days if we rush it - IM TAKING HER TO PARIS!!"

So, that night I looked up flights etc, and the next day went to Flight Centre and booked our $10,000 dollar holiday to Paris! All the ladies (and even their customers) in the travel agency were so excited for us, the place was buzzing with what an awesome surprise it was going to be.

I called mum saying I was driving down to see her to discuss our holiday to Hamilton with her and headed down to the Gold Coast. I bought a bottle of Moet on the way. I called my sister Beck and asked her to come too in case mum said no - and to get the camera ready to catch her response.

I get there and mum says "What's the Moet for?". I bluffed and said, "Meh, Im loaded, I wanted it, so I bought it!" After some of mums ramblings about her day (Beck and I rolling our eyes at each other willing her to shut up so I could give her the news!), she finally takes a break. Then I say...

"Well, there is something for us to celebrate.... (I pour us all a glass of Moet)... Cheers! Heres to you and I mum, sipping French champagne on New Years Eve while watching the fireworks.... at the Eiffel Tower!"

Mums response?

"Ohhh fuck!! You're kidding!!! Ohhhh myyyy Ghaaaaad!! Fuuuuuck" and so on... Hahaha. Here a couple of pics from that moment...

I booked flights on Cathay Pacific (a nice safe airline so mum wouldnt be too scared on her first ever overseas flight), accommodation in a lush, LUSH hotel The Concorde Opera Paris - check it out http://operaparis.concorde-hotels.com/en/ , a driver to pick us up from the airport, a city tour, dinner at the Eiffel Tower, cruise on the Seine, a show at Moulin Rouge, a day trip to Reims - including a visit to the Moet & Chandon winery, a 2 day Museum Pass to get into over 60 different monuments, museums etc in Paris, and then finally an evening partying with the multitude of people on New Years Eve watching the light show (and hopefully fireworks) at the Eiffel Tower and along Champs Elysees.

After MUCH MUCH drama and stress, mum flew to Sydney to get her passport. As I write this, she has just picked up her passport, and we have four more sleeps until we leave at midday Christmas day!!

Paris here we come!!!!