The last Post

Lets start at the very beginning...that's a very good place to start.
Thank you....
To Keitha in her infinite wisdom 'to just get it booked and do it'....thank you.  X
To Gail Frances for looking after the 'Little White Menace' that is my little Manu.  Appreciated it so much knowing he was well cared for by his aunty Gail. X 
To Victoria for suggesting we took a limo from the office to the airport instead of a taxi...it was all of mmmm $5 more and got this adventure off to a great start...thank you Miss Vic...for we both remember the horrors of the Melbourne taxis from last year. X
Thanks to Bob and  Patricia for keeping an eye on the house. X
Thanks to Mark for setting up this blog at short notice..always there to help out the oldies. X

Thanks to Steve John too for kindly collecting us from the airport. X
Thanks also to everyone who has shared this with us.  I know we didn't set the comments part up but we know the stats for the blog and have had heaps of comments via fb messenger and emails...thanks to all. X
Finally and not the least ...thanks to the Old Badger for most excellent skills in organising this trip of a life time...what a hoot we have had.
Oh and thanks to me for the Train trip...my idea...big Gold  Star Bat.
Even if things have been a bit...well less than perfect here and there..it has invariably been hysterical...well once the shock wore off in a couple of cases lol
He has been amazing.  Driving on the 'wrong' side of the road for nearly a month, in a manual (which he hasn't driven for years)...amazing.  We always got where we needed to be, mostly on time and without damaging the car. If you could have seen some of the condition the cars were in, especially in Spain...he did a grand job.  But most of all...I was eternally grateful that he refused my offer to share the driving....mostly with the events of Girona....he never lost his bottle...awesome job but more importantly...Barcelona...what a hero.
6 weeks 24/7 with my soul mate....Thank you my love it has been magical..and if this is what retirement will be like...then bring it on.  XXX

The flights?...We flew Air France who are in a partnership with China Southern  Air.  It seems the current thing...these 'partnerships'.

All I can say is..'Air France what were you thinking????'  it's sort of like they arrived late at school the first day when everyone was paring off....and all the other best friends were taken.    Yeah..not a fan...give them a big miss...unless they get a new best friend in the future. 

We flew Premium Economy..which was leaps and bounds better than Economy but...no where near as good as Business. I guess you always get what you pay for.

So to wind up ....the last of the photos.
The Cheshire cat.  One of many which was sort of like a 'Where's Wally thing'
Paul trying to light the BBQ at the Oliverier..the olive grove...took him about an hour all up....my fault, note the girly drink I mixed complete with strawberry..what was I thinking...as soon as he had a beer...no worries.
Now that is a proper pork pie.
The killer staircase(s) at Arles..note the 'landing' and I use the term loosely...about 40 cm.
The little Volvo that was on the adventure with us and got us to each new place safe and sound.
The little creature in Girona...the rough translation is 'kiss my...posterior'
Irish pub...no matter where you go in the world...you will always find an Irish Pub....it became a bit of a game with us...everywhere we went we found one.

Au revoir ....perfect last day...in Paris

What a brilliant end to the holiday....
We decided that only having the one full day in Paris, we would take a day tour.  This included a bus tour of the city, a river cruise down the Seine and lunch at the restaurant in the Eiffel Tower.  It was absolutely wonderful...everything you could wish for including an arrogant waiter...now come on...it would have disappointing without that.
Absolute magic...he thought he was funny...and he was. Paul bounced comments back at him and he seemed to respect that..so it was a giggle.  Pure magic.  The food was wonderful to top it all off.  What a view. 
The city of Paris was amazing, the architecture, the history...just wonderful. 
Parisiennes were really nice.  To begin with we got a tad confused after getting off the train first thing on our way to meet the tour, so we asked a shop keeper who was just opening up for the day for help and despite our poor French and his battle with English, he was so nice and actually escorted us to the road we were looking for.    Everyone we approached for help were very nice.  Despite the warnings of pickpockets, I still felt really safe and comfortable (even on the diabolically disgusting underground -yukko...never complain about our rail again btw...it may not function properly...trains may get cancelled, late etc.  but if you think it is filthy and disgusting...then think again)...anyway, I digress.
We finished off our day by visiting the little village near our Hotel.  We booked near the airport for ease and it was like an industrial estate but of hotels...sort of like Hotel alley.  We were almost the last on the road...we walked a few metres to the end of the road and sort of stepped back in time...from huge hotels like the Marriot etc. and then there is Roissy...this sweet little village.  So we had one last drink and said au revour to Paris and our holiday. 
Never thought I would say that and some of you know I was not keen on going to France at all...(my last experience there was pretty awful)..but this time it was a dream...new memories. I would love to see Paris again on foot and nose around and Provence is also a given.