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Round-the-World

April - July 2016
A 104-day adventure by Aaron and Flora Read more
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  • TravelerRound-the-World
    1
    Day 1

    Perth

    April 14, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    We said our goodbyes to the family at Preston's restaurant. It turned out to be a huge crowd - well, we were actually crashing JJ's birthday celebrations. Nothing like stealing your big brother's thunder! We will miss everyone!!

    We're off to Perth airport for our red-eye flight to Doha. Long transit there (9 hours) before we fly the big bird to Paris.    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
    11111
    Day 2

    Doha

    April 15, 2016 in Qatar ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    As part of our flights package, we scored business class seats on our long haul trips. I'm never going back to economy class again!! It was incredible! You can order food at any time during the flight. They even make your bed for you (put a sheet over your seat) but we didn't utilise that extravagant service.

    After 11 hours on the plane, we finally landed in Doha. Us lucky ducks get to relax for 9 hours in the Business Lounge. Few more kips in the lounge before we set off again on our last leg to Paris.    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
    11
    Day 2

    Bonjour Paris!

    April 15, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Hello Paris! We landed at 8:40PM local time and collected our lease car from Peugeot for our European adventures. Our first challenge was to find our way to our AirBnB accommodation just outside of Paris.

    Actually, our first challenge was navigating our way out of the airport. Our not-so-trusty GPS kept leading us in a loop around the airport. After 30 mins, Flora decided she will take over the navigation with much success. Aaron was in disbelief - yes, Flora is not so hopeless with directions after all. She's actually learning a life skill!    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
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    11
    Day 3

    Marché des Enfants Rouges

    April 16, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    We got up bright and early to meet up with Flora's old uni mate from Melbourne. Sherly and Trav moved to the UK for work and were in Paris for the weekend - aahhh.. to be able to jet around Europe on weekends. What an amazing luxury!

    This small market mainly sold fish, fruit and vegetables. Nothing was open yet - Parisians get up surprisingly late! The whole city seems to be asleep until about 11AM. To kill time (and to defrost our tootsies) we walked around the block and sought warm shelter in shops and supermarkets. Our lack of (non-existent) French vocabulary proved to be slightly challenging but our hand-gesturing game was strong.    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
    11
    Day 3

    Notre Dame

    April 16, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We were told to expect lots and lots of cathedrals in Paris. Not sure if any other cathedral can top this. Notre Dame is jaw-dropping. The architecture is incredible. Inside, it is even more beautiful.

    The construction commenced in the 1160s. Over the next centuries, the building continued to evolve. Throngs of tourists visit each year. We're not big fans of overly-touristy things but this one is a must-see.    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
    11
    Day 4

    Musee du Louvre

    April 17, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Let's be honest. We're not very cultured or knowledgeable when it comes to paintings but it would be a crime not to visit the Louvre. We quickly decided we liked the Louvre. It had heating. So hot that we needed to take our jacket and scarves off. Yep, we will stay here to defrost, thank you very much.

    So, what did we know about paintings? Not much, I'm afraid. We scanned the sections before our eyes caught a glimpse of something we recognised - Darth Vader. The original Darth Vader mask was on display. The exhibition tells of how modern day filmmakers, illustrators, sculptors, etc. draw inspiration from myths. Was Darth Vader inspired by Hercules?

    I wish we were more cultured. We decided we would go see the Mona Lisa. Unexpectedly, we ended up spell-bound by the paintings that line the corridors. We can't tell you the titles of the paintings but I think we might have started our Art Appreciation 101 class.

    There she was, perched on her own pedestal, in the middle of the room. I could just make out her face above the bobbing heads of tourists and selfie sticks. The Mona Lisa. It was like being in a room with a royalty.    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
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    13
    Day 4

    Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Élysées

    April 17, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    After we had spent a few hours at the Louvre, we decided to go for a walk to Arc de Triomphe to soak up the sun. Arc de Triomphe sits at the end of 2km long boulevard called Champs-Élysées.

    Champs-Élysées is flanked with expensive stores and clearly attract the desired clientele. Not unlike the rest of Paris, this boulevard also has its share of street beggars - quite a juxtaposition of rich and poor. I've never noticed this many beggars at home. Or have we been so absorbed in our daily lives that we fail to notice the little things? In any case, it was quite a sad sight.

    By the time we got to Arc de Triomphe, our feet were aching and the sun was disappearing behind the clouds. The queue to climb to the top was too long. Flora's getting hungry - never a good thing. A few quick photos and we found the nearest metro to take us home.    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
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    Day 5

    Eiffel Tower

    April 18, 2016 in France ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    Another day, another croissant, and another walking marathon. Thank heavens for the sun, however temporary it is. We got off at a metro station a couple of kilometres away. We were heading in the direction of the Eiffel Tower when we saw a crowd outside a shop. The Asian in Flora was awoken. Crowd = bargains = win. We got into the line not knowing what it was about. It turns out it was for a very popular boulangerie (bakery). WIN!

    In a mix of broken French and brilliant hand gestures, we left the shop with 2 baguettes. We'd like to think of it as a Kinder Surprise - who knows what you've just ordered. We set off to find some sun to devour our prizes. We found a spot along the Seine river, just outside of the Louvre. What a beautiful, beautiful day.

    Fueled by food, Flora found her second wind and charged along to the Tower. Walking is not her favourite pastime. Why walk when you can run? We got there some time later. Great - Flora is hungry and tired again. We rest in the sunshine and contemplated climbing the Eiffel Tower by stairs. Stairs to the second platform it is. Just think of how many croissants we were burning off!

    The panoramic view of Paris from the tower is pretty amazing. We probably preferred the view from the second platform (approximately 1/4 of the way up) rather than the very top as it wasn't obstructed by a cage. You can get to the second platform by stairs, but a lift will be required to get right up to the top for an extra fee. It was worth the experience.

    We fail at being tourists. Every other person has a selfie stick which they wield expertly with one hand. We had a camera, mobile phones and short arms which unfortunately cannot give the same bird's-eye-view effect. Excuse us if the Eiffel Tower looks really small in our photos. Our heads are just very big.    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
    2
    11311
    Day 6

    French Alps - Quiege

    April 19, 2016 in France ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We set off from Paris early this morning to get to the French Alps. We took the toll roads which set us back 40 Euros (holy moly!). On the upside, the roads are not congested, extremely smooth and pleasant to drive and the pit stops have great facilities.

    The 6-hr drive took us through Annecy, a picturesque town at the foot of the mountains. We kept on driving to get to our accommodation high up on the French Alps in a little (I mean little!) town called Quiege. What would we eat, Flora wonders.

    If you have ever seen the most perfect photo of little houses perched along the side of a mountain, imagine it 20 times more beautiful and that would be Quiege. We eventually arrived at the house, after snaking up the mountain for 20 minutes and nearly being in a head-on collision with another car (note to self: do not veer to the wrong side of the road when you see a crazy French driver screaming down the small roads).

    Our English host, Trevor, was lovely and welcomed us into our home for the next 4 nights. We would live downstairs and have our own privacy. The house is splendid! Well-equipped kitchen, comfortable living room, a bed like the clouds with a view to die for.

    We would be the only diners at the only local bar/restaurant that night. It was a mere 5 minutes walk from the house. We ordered a baguette and croissants or pain au chocolat for the next morning and the mornings after. Every morning, whilst Flora was still in bed, Aaron would fetch the bread. They were divine, especially with the blueberry jam that Trevor's neighbour made. Flora decided that she would take the jar with her when they leave.

    This place is really a slice of paradise. Words and photos don't do it justice. We would love to come back here again.    Read more

  • TravelerRound-the-World
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    Day 7

    French Alps - Beaufort, Albertville

    April 20, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    We decided to visit the little towns around Quiege on our first morning at the French Alps. Beaufort and Albertville sit on either side of Quiege and were only 15 mins drive away.

    We came across a market in Beaufort. The day had already started beautifully! As is typical of markets in France, fresh produce was sold in abundance. This market also sold cured sausages of different flavours, cheese and olives. There would be no bargaining at this market. All the prices were written on chalkboards. 1 sausage for 4 Euros, 4 sausages for 10 Euros. What a difficult decision to make!

    Next, we stopped at Albertville. This town is a lot bigger than Beaufort. Not many shops were open but we found a cafe to sit in and have some coffee and a beautiful chocolate crepe.

    We head back to our home in the Alps to enjoy some roast chicken and rice for dinner.    Read more

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