My French Adventure

Paris has always been one of the cities on my To Do List to visit ever since i saw the eiffel tower in a romantic movie, as i'm a big fan of the romance even the really cheesy romance. When the opportunity arose to visit a friend in Paris, i decided it was now or never. I jumped at the opportunity and before i knew it my ticket was booked to France in Dec '09. Before i knew it 5 months had passed, a crazy year at the office, busy year at uni & time for an adventure. Arriving in Paris at minus temperatures after leaving sunny cape town was quite an adjustment but just being there, experiencing a new culture was what i was looking forward to. We visited all the touristy attractions which i had to do & consider myself to be a real tourist, taking pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower, Eurodisney, Palace of Versailles, Louvre, Montmatre. Highlights of the trip include our trip to Orlean for new years, Reims, experiencing the student culture was amazing, made me think back to the days when i was a full time student. Moulin Rouge for Xmas eve, an 8 course meal along the Seine River for Xmas day, Montmatre, sledding in the park & sipping cappuccino's in side street cafes observing the french made me realise how badly i needed to see more of the world & experience other cultures. Apart from Bonjour, Ca va, merci, au revoir, s'il vous plait, my french was quite limited but none the less i was able to communicate. Leaving Paris with overweight luggage at 6am was not pleasant but the reality of spending 3 amazing weeks in a city i had always wanted to visit had been fulfilled. Several tears were shed on the plane from Paris to Amsterdam as it suddenly dawned on me my adventure was over & reality was about to set in. The thought of staying in Paris for a bit longer did cross my mind but coming home to share my stories with loved ones was what was needed. Landing in Cape Town was indeed bitter sweet but the more i think about it, its more sweet than bitter really. I have come home with the most amazing memories, experiences and travelling is the most awesome way to get insight into the diverse cultures of the world. I will miss the french accent, chocolate crepes, lying in bed listening to the snow fall, smelling the snow, the adventure & my rabbit however the trip has revitalised my soul & i'm already planning my next adventures :)