European Adventure

After 15 hours I was finally pulling up the runway to Melbourne Airport. It had been a long flight with a bit of turbulence, plus I was stuck in a window seat after specifically requesting an aisle one. But at 3:30am I headed trought the silver doors into the arms of my best friend and I was finally home.

I had definately grown on this trip (and not just from too many delicious pastries). I learned about myself and how I cope with different situations all whilst exploring the magnificent motherland I had longed to explore. I had seen enough for now but I would be back one day and I new it would be waiting just as I had left it, only a little older.

Well after the coolness of Europe I reached the frenetic and boiling hot Dubai for a quick two day stopover before heading home. I had booked a group tour, so on my first day their I headed off on a Desert Safari. It started off with some 4 by 4 desert bashing which was great, it involed a trip to some stinky camels, and ended up in the middle of a test at a bedouin barbeque with belly dancers, henna and sand snowboarding -all in all a top afternoon.

The next day I wandered around the Gold Souq, and spent a few hours doing last minute shopping at the Deira City Centre Mall for the rest of the afternoon, before heading out to the airport for an evening flight. A few hours later I was on my final flight, back home to loved ones and reality, and I was sad for it to be all over.

Well I was back in London where it all started, and still my favourite city in Europe. I decided to spend my last few days checking out a few shows and seeing a bit more of England while I was at it.

I saw two more shows in the West End. The absolutely fabulous Avenue Q 'The internet is for Porn' and the astonishing 'Jump'. But I didnt have much time left and I still hadn't been to Wales. So it was off on a bus for the day to Cardiff. Well Cardiff is great. Not too big, not too small but just right as Goldilocks might say. The streets are bustling with friendly people and their outrageous accents, and to top it off the city has a castle which is as cheesy as it is historic but great nonetheless. But before long I was back on the bus to London.

I hadn't seen London's musuems last time I was there and I'm glad I had time to see them as they are perfect musuems. the Musuem of London has some great pieces and the British Musuem was very informative. Before spending the afternoon wandering along South Bank taking in all of London.

I had one day left and I wanted to see Bath. The Roman Baths were interesting if not pungent, and on an interesting side note they also have a costume museum which isn't too bad either. But I had to be back in London for an early flight the next morning. I had to be up at 3:30 to catch a 4:00 bus to the main Bus area to catch a 4:30 bus to the Airport to catch a 6:30am flight to Dubai - boy was I tired when I finally got on the plane, not just from the early start but from 14 weeks traversing across Europe on a trip of a lifetime.

I arrived in Paris, but not really. I was flying a cheap airline that shall remain nameless so when flying to Paris I actually went to Beauvais, 40 miles away. But I got there eventually in the evening and caught the metro to my home for the week up in Montmatre.

Paris is charming although probably better experienced when strolling hand in hand with a lover rather than on your own - after all it is the city of love. Paris had so much to offer so I had to squeeze in as much as possible. I started off at the Louvre and spent 6 wonderful hours exploring every room and every piece of work thanks to a handy audio guide for a few euros. The Mona Lisa and Boticelli's Venus were as expected but it was some artists I hadn't heard off the I liked the most, Arcimboldo my favourite. I then perused the Musee d'Orsay for the rest of the day and was equally impressed. i wandered back to Montmarte and walked pass the Moulin Rouge on the way but the area itself is just a bit too seedy.

The next day I headed off to Disneyland, having already been to the Original and Tokyo. It wasn't as big but I still spent the entire day - from 30 minutes before it opened until it closed in the magic that is Disney. But there was still Paris to explore. The day after I went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower - and suddenly felt afraid of heights which is new for me! I headed up to the Arc de Triumph but wasnt game to try and get across to it. I wandered down the Champs de Elysees and Rue de Bac strolling until it got dark.

The following day I wandered through the Luxembourg Gardens, and admired the Pantheon. I headed across to the il de cite, and pushed through the crowds at Notre Dame which was smaller than I had pictured. I window shopped through Gallery Layfette and Printemps and admired the ugliness of Centre Pompideu.

The following morning I watched the sun rise from Sacre Coure and then spent the day wandering around the outside of Paris. I walked to Stalin Grad, to the Pierre Lachaise Cemetry, onto Place Nation, and Place Bastille, through to Place Republic, through the Jardin Tulleries, up to Place Concorde and finally to Place Clichy before heading back to Montmarte satisfied that I had explored Paris as best as possible.

Portugal is wonderful, so excuse me if I seem to gush a little. Lisbon is the home of the best portuguese tarts so I could never do anything but love it. The city is charming, the buildings pretty, and the people some of the friendliest in Europe. I stayed in a hostel right in the middle of the main square and spent my two days there wandering around checking out the typically European shops and dining on portuguese chicken (tastes nothing like Nando's by the way). A highlight was going up the ancient elevator for fabulous views of the city.

I then trained it up north to Porto, which was even better if possible. I spent the first day travelling between the different Port companies, drinking samples and taking tours (I'd never had port before and I quite like it - which i think makes me an old man on the inside). The riverfront is charming and the food good - if you order the right thing, and the shopping was great. But with only two days I didn't have a lot of time to explore the city. I had to leave it behind for another day as Paris lay just ahead of me.