Last Day in Paris

We were faced with a dilemma. What do you do to fill your last day in Paris, not knowing when you will ever return ? The answer is surprisingly simple. You do just what you have spent every day doing - walking ! And that is what we did.

This time we decided to spend more time on the left bank of the Seine. We had enjoyed many hours on previous trips exploring the narrow streets and eclectic shops in this region. On this visit, most of our walks had been on the right bank. It was an opportunity to even things up a little.

We walked south, crossed the river and stopped to spend some time having a closer look at the mighty Notre Dame restoration works. Our walk then continued on to the left bank and slowly meandered eastwards.

It is possible to walk endlessly in Paris, without having a definite destination in mind. It is just that sort of place. Although, on this trip, we were somewhat restricted due to Maggie's bad back, we still managed to walk quite a few kilometres on every day we were here.

After we were both feeling tired, we started to make our way back to the apartment to tidy up and pack our bags for the last time. When I get back to Australia, I will add up the total number of different hotels we stayed in during this trip. I do know that the repetitive ritual of packing every morning to move to a new location is a very tiring one.

In many respects, it is a more demanding exercise than the daily ride. Only people who have participated in one of previous cycling trips will appreciate just how demanding they can be. These trips are not intended to be easy. I know they are challenging in all sorts of ways, but the feeling of achievement at the end is unlike any other travel experience. I am so proud of each and every one of our participants for what they have accomplished over the past 9 weeks. I am sure it will something they will never forget.

Tomorrow morning we face the long journey home. That is the final challenge and it is always an occasion for relief mixed with sadness that it has all come to an end. All the other arrangements have gone so well, I just hope that the return trip will go just as well.En savoir plus