I said from time to time we would venture outside Ponsonby (VOP) which is what we’ve done – and is the reason for being no posts since July 12th cos I’ve just got to a pc and can’t seem to do it right on an ipad.
Anyway we left Auckland on July 14th bound for London via Shanghai. Why Shanghai – well Air New Zealand fly there and we still like to fly the flag or Star Alliance and you get to go Virgin Atlatic from Shanghai to London. And by the way if you are looking for a shower en route during the 4-5 hour layover at Shanghai be prepared to pay around NZ$50 but it needs to be cash in the local currency (RMB250) which you can buy at the currency exchange booth.
Anyway I digress. On to London for a few days then the Eurostar to Paris for 7 nights. We happen to be in Europe when summer is at its sweltering worst. Paris was 32 to 34 degrees every day. Stinking hot as my dad used to say – but we expect no sympathy. And we were in Paris for the last day of Le Tour which was very special – bit like being in Auckland for the rugby world cup final. Seriously.
Of course I thought I’d been very clever in booking an apartment through airbnb rather than those tiny hotel rooms and it was in the heart of the Marais. Outcome in the heatwave was no airconditioning so had to sleep with the windows open which let all the noise in from the noisy street below. Went out to buy a fan on day 2 for 40 euros and left it at the apartment! Didn’t get much sleep – small price to pay for being in this fabulous city.
But you’ve gotta love Paris – we went to some great bistros, loved the Musee d’Orsay, went to the Moulin Rouge (awesome) and did a 4 hour bike tour which was fantastic – sore bum though. Also if I could have worked out how to get some photos from iphone to this pc I’d have posted photos of my role as Huffer’s European brand ambassador where i posed in huffer t’s around the major sights of Paris – they’ll come – sorry Steve, not good for the brand image but I couldn’t help myself haha.
Well that’s about it for now. More Paris and London stories to come. “Wicked” was wicked and you can get a great flat white from Federation Coffee in Brixton – and not many other places in London – Even Sacred (off Carnaby Street) has gone off I think.
Am sure missing the great coffee from Diz, Farro and Douglas Supreme. Nothing as good over here.
Later, and look out for my travel tips blog being launched soon.
Poncentric 