The Beach

I had a day of repose after the Eurotour then I was up at 5am the 5th July to be at the train station, Lille- Flandres to catch the 6 hour train ride to Bordeaux, to rejoin my host family who were holidaying there. We were staying at a 4 star Caravan Park with 3 pools (freezing cold) and heaps of activities. It was super! Although we didn't have the best weather, lots of overcast. However at the beach, when it was hot I did manage to get burnt, as water proof sunscreen is not common here! We bike rode, we did this high ropes course thing, rented some canoes, with 3 in the canoe it was extrememly hard to handle, especially in the tiny thin streams, and we got bitten by lots of fly things that I'd nver seen before and thought they were just flies until i got bitten! You should've seen the stings afterwards, they were huge. We also spent some days at the beach with these hugemungous waves. They were like double the size of me!!!

Just an example of the waves!!! That's me on the far left about to be swallowed by it.

So we were pretty battered, but it was so much fun. We kept going out and just knocked over and pushed from the sea. But there were so many people between the flags that you knocked over about 5 people each time. Because they just stood with their feet in the water. One time I crashed into a little girl! But it was ok, she fell into my lap and we went for a little ride on the sand.

We also saw this interville show thing which involved lots of people being gorged by vachettes. Vachettes being cows with horns, no not bulls, because they were girls.

On the way home we stayed a night in the Loire valley to visit the castles. In one we saw Leonardo DeVinci's grave, we also saw the castle de Chambord, which has a special staircase. And TinTin's castle. That is the castle that Moulinart based the castle in Tintin on. Here's a photo. See if you recognise it.

The reason it's a bad photo is because there is more to the castle than what is put in the comic, but Lucile took the photo so that it was like it is in the book.

Will put photos on msn space soon!

Eurotour!!!!


Wow, fantastiquest trip ever!! Well one of them. So good. Saw so much will give short run down. In fact I'm copying this from an email I sent to my councillor in Aust because it's too long to write everything again.

Wow, Europe is beautiful!!! I have to say that. The eurotour was fantastic. The first night we stayed out Munich in a youth hostel, where all the australians were for the australia vs brazil match, including 3 of my bros friends. We were a group of 75 students or something, 18 Australians. And we arrived at night and went straight to the city. The whole way there we were singing and chanting all the songs from each country. On the metro it was almost a war AUssies versus mexicans as to who could sng the songfs the loudest. It was a nice little repetoire. We then went to the haufbrauhaus which is a really well known pub, one of hitler's favourite, where they only sell 1L beers. There were all the aussies in there too as well as brazilians. It was fantastic!!!

After Munich we went to Vienna, where it was raining! But it was sooo beautiful And the ice cream was sooo good! We went to the palace the first day, then the sexcond day we had a tour and that nigh we went to the Opera. It was standing section though, adn after all our walking that day our legs were so sore, and it was really crowded, so we got a choice to stay or leave early and spend an hour or so in the city, I had to leave which I was disappointed about, but oh well.

After Vienna we went to Salzburg which is the most beautiful city!! We went for a bike ride the night we arrived which was really nice. Then the next day they had organised a tour by bike, but there were not enough bikes for everyone so I missed out. Instead we walked up to the castle with some friends. Which was still fun. Then we had a tour on foot where we saw the centre of the town, and we saw mozart's boirthplace and where he grew up. Someplaces from the movie sound of music (lol, while we were there we didn't stop singing the songs) and we learnt the history of the plce.

After Salzburg was Venise. Again a really beautiful city. We had to get to our hostel by boat, of course. Then to the city and everything by boat. Then when we arrived was Aust vs Italy. It was disappoojnting when we lost, in the last seconds! But we still went out that night with all our falgs and were very surprised by the lack of ambience there. We had two comments, one by someone working at a pizzeria thing when we passed and another by an other aussie. We had a short gondola ride, because we paid less, which was still good, but the man who was paddling it wasn't in a very good mood. At Venice we also had a tour guide who explained the history.
From Venise we went to Florence and o the way stopped at a place called san gimingnangio or something like that. Which was nice. It was all of stone and brick with the city walls still intact and everything. Then in Florence we stayed at a hostle a bit far away from the city, so we weren't able to go straight away, it was late. But it was still good, we stayed around talking til pretty late. There was a group of South Africans there too. And someone from Adelaide. The next day we had a tour and got some time to look around. My friend needed a new pair of bathers, and she really wanted them from from Italy so when people asked where she got them she could say 'In Italy'. FRom Florence we went to Siena, a small village nearby, where they had a practice for a horse competition, rding barebacked. After woulds we were chased down the road by a huge marh of supporters.

The next day we went to pisa, where the tower is actually on a lean! After taking the must-do photos of holding the building up we continued on our way to France. On the way to Nice we stopped at Avignon, had a look around. We actually didn't see much of Nice but whimle we were stayoing there we visited Cannes and Monaco and we went to the beach!. We also had a pool at the hostel. Then for the last night we went to Lyon where we went out to have an icecream and a drink. and then the next day started the long journey home! In the streets we got many weird looks as awe sung our songs in the tiny and thin streets as loud as we could. Lots of fun!

I know I am the luckiest girl in the world :D. I hope time slows down though.

London!

Ok, so it's been a while since I've written a post. But here we go. London. Each year my old host dad goes to London on his boat with a huge group of people. This year, it was planned I'd go with him but duing to my inability to handle the cold, we booked train tickets on the tgv to meet up with him and if it was nice weather I'd go back on boat with him. It wasn't nice weather and for the first year, the trip was cancelled. Thankfully, by coincidence, my parents were in London at the same time as part of their holiday on europe, so I was able to stay with them.

I caught the TGV after school on a wednesday, when school finishes at 12. And it took 2 hours or something to get to London, after going under an ocean ( or channel, same difference). Not that it was scary or anything.
Then i met my parents at the train station. It was really weird to meet up with them on the other side of the world after 4/5 months. But it felt normal after a few seconds. Then we made our way to the holiday apartment at hyde park. I wanted to catch a taxci, the really cool ones u see on tv, but instead we caught a metro n then a bus. Going outside the station was really weird. Like walking into a post card, I kow I said that about Paris, but it's the weirdest thing seeing all these places. These was a red phone box, yes they actually are everywhere in london, as well as the double decker buses. We caught a bus to St Paul's cathedral but because I had my bags we didn't go inside. On the way there on the bus, there was someone, possibly aussie, who pointed out all these sites. One of a barber shop where this serial killer use to slit the throats of people who went in there and then drag them to his basemlent, turn them into pies and sell the pies at a bakery a few houses down. So be careful when you buy a meat pie! Another site had something to do with the Knights of Templar, but I didn't really understand, he was talking english :p.

Then we went back to the hotel, I went with mum to do some grocery shopping, where they had vegemite, cadbury, everything! but extremely expensive. THey also had a Woolworths, but it didn't sell food. My parents said they went in there and asked where the food section was. It was more like Big W. Then we went back to the appartment and went to an Indian resteraunt for dinner. Which is strange because we had Indian the night before I left too!! After dinner dad went to the internet café, and I followed too, afterall, I'm addicted to msn. There I called mharianne to arrange to meet up the next day. The plan was she'll come to the appartment at 10:30.

The next morning I wake up, my parents leave to do some museums and I wait. 10:30 comes and goes, and at 10:55 I go to phone her, thinking maybe she was lost. I go to the phone box, dial a number, no response. Dial again, still no response. Call her home number and I get the answering maxchine. Ok I think. And head back to the appartment blocks. When I get there there is a message waiting for me from her. It says she came she left she might come back. So I wait for her. An hour I leave thinking I'll go to meet my parents and I leave a message at the office with my mobile number again, just in case she had the wrong one.

After walking 5 mins down Oxford St, I'm suddenly attacked by a psycho from behind. It turns out to be Mharianne. By some queer amazing thing she saw me walking down the road. That was so great to see her.

After walking a bit down the roaad we walk/ catcha bus, can't remember, to the palace. Buckhingham Palace. Where we take some photos. Frankly I didn't find it so amazing, and after a few photos was ready to go, while there were people there who were just standing there for ages. Maybe they were hoping to get a glimpse of the queen or something. But I'm putting too much detail into this so I'll sum oit up a bit. We walked to big ben and all that, passing by Downing Street, where the prime minister lives, then to Westminster abbey and to the eye of London. Then we made it back to Trafalgar Square,watching the pigeons for a while. Walking around London really is like walking around the Monopoly board.

That night Mharianne slept over. Then the next morning we split up on the metro on the way to the Tower of London so she could go home :(. Fortunately I'm seeing her again in a month :). The Tower of London was great. We had a tour of a guy dressed as a beefeater (the guards) and he was really into it and everything. Then we saw the crown jewels. WE walked pretty much straight in, but then after we got out of the white palace (can't really remember the name, but it's something like that, what wlliam the conquerer built) the line was so big, it would've taken a few hours to get in!

AFter that mum and I went to harrods while dad went back to ge my bag. That's a pretty cool appartment store. Then we headed to Waterloo, so I could go home.

It was a really good visit. And while London isn't the most beautiful city in Europe, it's really impressioning. Will definately go back in my lifetime, I hope.

STOP RIGHT THERE

Before you send any more letters or packages, like I know you are about to :p, I've changed families. For more info email me.

I really like my new family. 3 siblings living with me and 1 living at the dad's farm. 2 cats here and 3 kittens a 4 yr old cavalier king charles ( tan and white) and soon we're getting a kid (baby goat). At the farm there are 4 horses, Cows and calfs, don't know how many cats but 10 kittens. And a puppy cavalier king charles (tricoloured) so cute. The farm is like a castle, all stone and old.

Well, I'll post more later

Ciao

Rhetro-Defi

Friday 28th April was Rhetro- Defi day in Mouscron. Rheto Defi is a day when all the sixième année (yr 12) from all the school's at Mouscron and in the Mouscron area compete in a series of events. We were in small groups and had to walk around Mouscron, and up to Dottignies, finding certain places where we did certain events. All in all we walked 20 kms with about 2 by bike!

Our first event was at the Fire station where we had to crawl our way through a maze typed thing which was multilayered and the lights went off a few times. We succeeded, as we did with all our activities, with 8 super defis. I won't explain every activity as there were 14 but it was really great. My favourite would have been, I don't really know. Probably the bit where we bought an ice cream :p, even though it wasn't an activity :). The worst would have been the second last where we went into a room and were given a thing on an effect or factor of alcoholism and had to draw or act it so the others guessed it. Me being the lucky person I am got a card saying le sexe. Thinking it was an effect I proceded to do some actions for the others to guess, when the lady said no, it's a factor, the difference between male and female. Everyone laughed at me, of course, but luckily it was just a small group of friends, and not the whole class, and they laughed more with me than at me. I'm kind of getting used to making mistakes like that anyway.

After the day was over I went with some friends in my class (the girls who I was with aren't in my class, they're in tourism, n tourism and general is worse than IB and SACE segregation wise) to the café for a drink. The café we wanted to go to was closed, on a friday night?, so we went to one across the road. We just talked and spent most of the cannette (where everyone puts in a certain amount) on chips. We spent about 12 euros on them.

I then walked home with a friend who lives just around the corner from me, which is good, although I'm moving soon. And then when I got back ran upstairs to grab my bathers to go Scuba Diving!

I have to go so I'll be quick, but it was really weird to breathe under water. I had a mini panic attack at first. It's also weird because you breathe in, and it's like taking a normal breath and then when you expire it's like expiring under water. It was just in the local pool but we did exercises like being given air from someone elso and how to get water out of the mask. We went pretty deep, a bit more than 3 m and my ears were ok as long as I kept unblocking them. There was one stage though when we were rising that they really hurt. And afterwards they felt a bit weird, but other than that everything was great! It was a really good experience, but I don't think I'll continue because it's a bit expensive. And that lesson was complimentary, but I don't think it was allowed.

All in all, a fantastic day!!!!

ANZAC day!

This week the Australian embassy was able to arrange a special ANZAC day for those Australians and New Zealanders who are spending the day away from home in Belgium. The day started at 9 am at Zonnebeke Chateau near Ypres. Most students had to wake up at 4am to catch the train at 5 to be outside the Australian Embassy at 7, but as I live at Mouscron, only a 40 minute drive from Zonnebeke I arranged to meet the others at the Chateau at 9, meaning I only had to wake up at 7.

I arrived a little early, twenty to, and with the other students running late as usual I was able to take a little walk around the grounds. It was so beautiful. As this time in the morning there was a little fog leaving a layer of mist on top of the lake out the front of the chateau. It was so beautiful. As the chateau had now been turned into a museum for the war there was also the flags of those countries who had fought there out the front. After a bit of a walk I went back to the big tent to see if the others had arrived. They hadn't, but there were lots of young people wearing suits with ANZAC written on it, and as I got closer I began to hear the most lovely sound in the world, Australian Accents! It was seriously like music to my ears. I began talking to them and it turned out they were from WA and here with the government doing a tour of the places Australians had fought. After Belgium they were heading to Turkey. I spent a little while talking to them, they said I was sounding French :p (the second time I had heard that)! Then I turned and saw a mass of green blazers heading this way. I practically ran to the group. They were all the exchange students, mostly Rotary, but a few from WEP and other organisations I have never heard of. I had no idea there were so many Aussie rotary students though. It was really good to catch up with those I had met in Normandy, to catch up with Carla whose from adelaide and who I spent the whole plane trip with and to meet all the others. As we were running late we had to quickly take our seats though for the first ceremony.

The ceremony was just a little thankyou from the Burgemeister of Zonnebeke and numerous Government officials, mostly Australian. Every Minister was given a little candle holder made out of war shrapnel, which is found all the time there, by a local artist. A young girl who lives in Zonnebeke also presented a project she had done on an Australian soldier, I think a corporal, who was never found and whose body is thought to be on her farm. When his family started searching there she became interested in it and researched his life and everything in a project.

After this there was a quick breakfast which was provided by the Zonnebeke council, and then we all loaded onto the bus to go to Tyne Cot Cemetary. This cemetary is situated at the top of a small hill, where Australian and English Battalions fought the Germans. The German soldiers held the higher ground and there are still the Barracks (its not the word they used but I can't remember it, but it's like a huge cement block where they put the machine guns). There are 5 altogether, each protecting the other. The cross of sacrifice is situated on top of the one in the centre, it was thought appropriate as there was the amachine gun there which killed so many people. Here we had another short ceremony but this was more for the soldiers. Some wreaths were layed and the Last Post was played. 70% of the soldiers buried there were unable to be identified. Almost every cross has the symbol of the army of their country (for Aust it's the rising sun) and then 'A soldier of the Great War, known unto God'.

After this we went to Menin Gate, at Ypres. We went first to the town centre, where we met up with the New Zealand exchange students. Here they had a marching band and some people marching with flags and we walked with these from the centre to Menin Gate where there was another ceremony. Menin Gate is the entrance to Ypres. Here there is a huge Arc, similar to the Arc de Triomphe in shape, and on it are listed all the soldiers who were never found in that area. Every night the Last Post is played here to honour the soldiers. During the ceremony a group of students, came, they were on a school excursion, I think to do with places of the war. And they started taking photos and watching. They would've had no idea what was going on. They played the New Zealand anthem, and then the Australian one. My friend and I struggled a bit with the words here. We mixed the second verse with the first one and then while trying to figure what went where got completely confused and gave up. After this the Last Post was played again and we walked behind the band and the flags again to a smaller memorial behind the town hall. More wreaths were layed and then we again walked into the town hall to have another ceremony. Here there were thankyous and drinks after. We were then left to have lunch at Ypres.

After lunch we went back to Zonnebeke and to a smaller cemetary, just for Australians. This time we had a guide and here he explained how the war went. I didn't really understand it all. But he said that in 1914 the population of Australia was 4 or 5 million. Of that 4 or 5 million 300 000 soldiers went to War. 80 000 were killed or missing and 150 000 injured. He said that the size of the Australian Army compared to the population was one of the biggest in the War. And we were standing on the land where they had fought and died. For me, the war had always seemed quite foreign in Europe. And to actually be standing where boys our age had killed and died was just really touching. You can't help but imagine your friends and family there. While we were here he read a quote from an Australian who had fought there, describing how he almost drowned in the mud. Trying to save himself he grabbed the leg of a body nearby which broke off. He saved himself by getting his mates to lie down rifles so that he could roll himself out on top of them. If you see the land here you can imagine how after days of nothing but rain and bombing could turn it into that. It's not a nice thought to imagine drowning in mud. He also explained about the chemical warfare. The German Soldiers had the bottles ready and would wait for a favourable wind and just open them and let them go. They didn't use bombs because they had signed a treaty or something so they did this instead. the gas was chlorine gas and would burn the eyes and if it was breathed in the lungs as well. I think he said this effected mostly the Canadians, it was where they were fighting it was first used or something.

After this we went to a tiny cemetary across the road. Where there were buried a few soldiers from different countries. There was even one from Germany. He told us the story that he was the last soldier there and fighting against the Allies and after seeing all his comrades fall he refused to give up. He is buried where he fell out of a certain respect for that and also as a sign of reconciliation. The guide also told us here about all the shrapnel that is found every year, as well as body parts. While he was digging up a hedge in his yard he found 4 shells and a lot of bullets. And this was only 2 years ago.

After this we went to a German Cemetary. This was situated where a group of enthusiastic young German soldiers who had not had much training were pracitically mowed down by experienced ally fighters in what the German's call the slaughter of the innocents. All the soldiers are buried in groups as they have the idea we fought together and died together so we are buried together. In the centre there is a big mass grave with 25 000 soldiers, there remains in little silver boxes. The graves do not have crosses, only little plaques with the names of who was buried here. Another interesting fact is Hitler has been to that cemetary. It's really weird being at all these places of history and imagining it happening there.

My history of the place is not too good but the areas we visited were to with the Battle of Passchendaele. So if you are interested you can do a little research. The day was a really amazing and impressioning. I'm glad I had the opportunity to go.

Normandy!

From the moment I woke up all signs implied that this was going to be a stressful trip. Sleeping through my alarm I quickly jumped out of Bed at 6:30 to get to the train station at 7 in time for the 7:11 train. I took a quick shower, chucked on my clothes , packed some last minute things I had forgotten the night before and was downstairs just in time to meet my host dad getting up to take me to the train station. Unfortunately I didn't have time to grab any breakfast.

We made it to the train station just before 7, meaning an 11 minute wait in the cold, but better too early than too late. I needed to catch this train to Tournai then change trains to go to Mons where I was meeting the rotarians and other exchange students at 8:30. My train was to leave 5 mins after I arrived to get to Mons at 8. Tournai, however, is a big station and when I arrived I was completely lost as to which platform my next train left from. SO I quickly ran inside too ask. There was a small T.V. inside with all the trains, the depature times and the platform. My train was at the top, leaving from platform 3. I looked out the window and realised it was already there. I started to sprint outside, but just as I was reaching the underground pass thingy to get to the other platforms, the train started to move off, leaving me stranded at Tournai. After checking when the next train was coming, in an hour, I start to panic because it means I will be half an hour late. I didn't have the number of the Rotarians who are going with us and my host family wasn't answering the phone. Eventually I remembered that another exchange student whose number I had was going so I was able to send her a message asking her to explain to the Rotarians that I will be late. I felt a little better afterwards, but was still nervous they'll all be annoyed with me for holding up the trip. On the bright side I was able to buy a waffle for breakfast.

When I finally arrived at Mons I saw the huge group of exchange students and I was just about to yell it's ok, I'm here, when I realise there are no rotarians about. I then approached a friend who I had met when I first arrived and she told me that the bus, which was coming from Liege, was running late. I was so relieved. After this things started to get better, and just kept getting better. About 2 minutes after me, the bus arrived and we were quickly loaded on. I sat with Alicia from South Africa, but throughout the bus ride we were changing and getting to know everyone. Us Aussies were in the majority, I think, with 8 or 9, but the Brazilians closely followed. It was a great trip!!

Our first stop was somewhere in Normandy, to be precise, not exactly sure where but we took our sandwiches down this alley way type thing with really nice trees and houses either side to the beach. Here we, some of us, put our feet in what we thought was the Atlantic Ocean (now my brother tells me it was the English channel) for the first time! Boy was it freezing! Adam, an Aussie, was completely soaked by the waves and had to change before hopping on the bus but the rest of us were smart enough just to get our feet wet.

Throughout the trip we visited beaucoup d'eglises (lol, that was actually by mistake, for those unfrench speakers it means lots of churches), the tapestry de la rein Mathilde (also known as tapestry de Bayeau, it's 70 metres long and depicts the story of William the conqueror. It's also not actually a tapestry but an embroidery). We saw a Haras (horse breeding farm), a farm where they make cheese and a cider farm. We also saw St Mont Michael which is absolutely beautiful, it was like being in a town from Middle Earth or something, and they old plastic swords!

But the most affecting places were the beaches of the disembarkment, where the allies landed during the war. There was one place we went to on the sea where there were still holes in the ground from where the bombs were dropped and there were piles of rubble and galleries of the germans still left. It kind of freaked me out, because you never know, there could still be bodies under those piles of rubble. And I was also too scared to go into the galleries and tunnels underneath the ground because they were pitch black and had awful smells. But just imagining what it would be like to be fighting there was scary too. Seeing all these places which are always in black and white, in colour made it so much more real too. At Juno Beach, where the Canadians landed, we went to a small cinema thing which was 360°, the pictures were all around us. The pictures shown and sounds to go with them were really impressioning. There was one stage when there were the sounds of bombs, and most of us actually ducked. It was pretty real seeing the pictures all around and hearing the sounds too. Also knowing that most of the soldiers were our age, and imagining everyone I know there was hard too.

Well that's all for now, I'm slowing getting up to date with my blog!!! :)

Skiing!!

Ok, so it's about time I wrote up on this holidaiy. It's not that bad though, only about 3 months after it happened. I have to say this would've been one of the best trips ever, excluding of course Mimili and Nep. It commenced, :s I've forgotten dates, will check them later, but it was the vacances de Carnaval, the week of mardi gras, Ash Wednesday and all that, at least I think. But anyway. Amy came over the Friday night we left, my host mum had invited her because she was good friends with Manon in Australia and because I needed someone to suck with me at skiing.

In order to get to Valleroi, near Lyon (the city of our favourite francaises) we woke up at 3am to leave at 4am. I was behind the passenger, who at this stage was Marie France. Not only had she placed the chair as far back as possible, and then proceeded to tilt the chair back as well!! I couldn't believe how much room a small lady took and I was a little cramped (nearly screaming in pain!) but I couldn't say anything and Amy had it a bit worse, she was in the middle! And the whole time little Louis had bundles of space, being behind the driver, who always moves the chair a bit forward. It was even worse when Marie France was driving, the seat as forward as possible and louis with sooo much space. And then when she came back to the passenger, it was back again, further than Vincent ( a lot bigger than her) and tilted again.

So, after a painful 13 hours, we arrived at Valleroi. The first sight of snow, it was sooo beautiful!!! I can't explain it. But the town as like a little gingerbread town and it was beautiful. Like christmas. When we got there Ok, I'll put in an extract from my diary there, because it's a bit hard to remember:

Okay, so I'm here skiing in France. How exotic. That sounds so romantic and it's really surreal ... (stuff about being behind passenger seat). But anyway I survived the trip, just, and we got here and hired some skis and booked into lessons and all that. It is very expensive, I don't like the ski lessons, it was like 116 euros for the week and the instructor doesn't speak english. Back to sat. After all the boring stuff, we came back to the chalet and then rugeed ourselves up to Faire du luge. That was fun. Louis had a big tyre, board and spade thing. And we went to this hill and climbed it and slid down. So much fun, we made angels and through snowballs. Amy kept getting snow everywhere so I had to go and fix her up and take off my gloves. While i was doing it I fell face forward into the snow and of course I put my hands out to stop me and then sunk my arm length into the snow! N I was gloveless! It burned!!! Then on our way back, Louis took us this other way so he could go downanother hill and me and amy got stuck in waist deep snow. We couldn't get back out, we had to Army crawl out using the tyre. And then Louis started throwing snowballs!

I've forgotten to mention how beautiful this place is. I almost expected it to have no one here, stupid, i know, but it's so hidden in the mountains, it's like being in a snow dome, a winterwonderland. It's like this little plateau in the middle of the mountains It's so weird and beautiful, to wake up and just have the mountains surrouns you.

Yesterday (the Sunday) me and Amy went skiing in our lesson. Her boots weren't good, so she couldn't do anything and had to leave early... Neway at the end of the lesson I caught a bus back to the Chalet and then waited for Louis and AMy who had gone looking for me. Later that night we went out. We walked down the huge hill to the town where there were all english people. Their accents were so funny. We spent a while walking around trying to find a bar, when we found an english one. Full of English people, with Englsih bartenders ( not too bad looking). It was a fun night. But then had to walk all the way up to the huge hill back into our beds.

Ok, for those of youlasting through that long and interesting diary entrie (how do u spell it?) I'll quickly finish up the rest. It was a great holiday Spent one day on the slopes with AMy before she quit. So hilarious! Then I think I went to two more after that. The last day was ridiculous. Snowing and about -20 on the top of the slopes, no way I was going, I wouldn't've even been able to see the edge. I think that's the day me and Amy went with Duncan (english boy) to see Kill Bill. The first english movie in ages! N it was really good. I waznt to see the second now, in english, so I know what happens. Clearly over done with all the blood though!

So to conclude

Snow = Beautiful
Ski = Cold n painful
English= Great
Holiday= Absolutely fantastic

Paris: Day 3

Friday marked the last day for me in Paris as well as the last time I'd see Josh and Ashwin until i returned, we spent it at the Palais de Versailles. I didn't realise how big it was, well I knew it was big, but when we turned around the corner to see it, it just struck you, wow. IT was very big, with golden gates and a huge front courtyard. Unfortunately they were working on the courtyard so it wasn't as impressive as it could've been. We met Marion and Cam at the front gates and proceeded towards the Castle. After a few arguments over where we're supposed to go to enter, we followed Camille as she eventually remembered from her previous visit. We did the simple tour as it was cheaper, free for us girls, and we didn't have a lot of time as i had to be home that afternoon.

I didn't find it as elegant and as amazing as I thought I would. It was a strange layout, which I didn't really like, and I found the rooms a lot smaller than I thought they would be. Like some of them said that Louis (insert number here) threw balls in this room, and the room was smaller than my bedroom! Maybe they changed the size of the rooms when they re did it, just to give people an idea of what it was like. Even the hall of mirrors which was supposedly a huge ballroom was just like a hallway, too narrow to be a ballroom. But still, the chandeliers in there were very impressive. It's strange to think that chandeliers were for candles. But I was thinking that when I realised that they must of been made to improve the light given by the candles, not just because they look good!

So after going around the edge of one of the wings, seeing Marie Antoinette's room and the door she tried to escape the revolution through, learning bits about life from tagging along with an english tour group and what Cam and Marion knew (like how there was one king who only bathed himself 4 times in his life, and how women used to just go to the toilet in their dresses because they were to big to actually go to a chamber pot and about how the queen and servants used to applause the king in the morning if they'd had sex) we went to the gardens. The only really impressive thing about them was the size, because it was winter it wasn't very green and it was a bit of a dreary day. We didn't have time to explore them so we just looked from the top. We also passed a bit of the time trying to break the layer of ice which covered the fountain with stones :p, why else to you go to Versailles?

After that we left because I had to go to the Train station. The others walked me there and on the way we stopped at some souvenir shops and spent a while in there, where there were some interesting souvenirs which I'm not exactly sure how they are souvenirs of Paris. At the train it was hard to leave everyone knowing I wouldn't see them for a while, but I knew the twins would be not too far away. Hopefully I be able to see them again soon. After the train I somehow made it to Paris du Nord Gare by a series of metros and onto the TGV.

After I got to Lille my host dad picked me up and took me to Mouscron where I met up with a friend to book my trip to Spain! Where I'm going this thursday, maybe Friday.

Sorry I don't have time to write up about Skiing before I leave tomorrow, but I will try asap.

Paris: Day 2

The next day we aimed to get up early so we could spend as long as possible in Paris, but that didn't end up happening. We had a really yummy breakfast of Milo cereal (except it wasn't called milo) and baguette with the nicest jam I have ever tasted!!! The bread was fresh and with the jam, it was really really really good. I'm going to see if I can find it here, maybe in Lille they'll have it if it's not here. Anyway, we ended up catching the train at 11:30 to the city. I don't know what time we got in tho or anything, but we headed straight for Notre Dame. When we first got out the metro staion there was a shop completely dedicated to cows, which was pretty funny. They had some interesting cushions with udders on them. The whole time we were wondering if we were going the right way when I pointed out a restaurant with Notre Dame in the sign and then Marion and Ashwin pointed out the church. I didn't think it particularly impressive from the outside, but the detail on the carvings of the building were amazing. Then we went inside and it was just, wow, really, really, really, really beautiful. THe whole ambiance of the place just hit you when you walked in, although it was cheapened a bit by the vending machines for guides and souvenir shop, but it was breath taking. I can't really describe, I have some photos which I'll try to post later, but they're all blurry because I didn't want to use flash.

After leaving the church we climbed up the million stairs to the top of the bell tower. The view from there was really good, and the gargoyles were really interesting to look at. They were all different and I found it surprising that they'd have them on a church, but Ashwin said it was to scare away evil spirits or something.

We then climbed back down the million stairs and went and sat on a bench next to a little patch of grass overlooking the Seine and ate our baguettes (very French with the taco cheese!! ). They were very good. After lunch we went to take the metro to the Arc de Triomphe. There I really felt like i was in a picture, because it is something typical of Paris. It was funny when we got to the Arc de Triomphe from the metro because we were all looking at a map of where it would be in relation to the station n then we walked out and it was right there. When Marion was looking at the map someone asked what she was looking for and she said the Arc de Triomphe, and he was like, you're already there.

When we got out the station we walked a bit further to the Arc de Triomphe and took some photos from the other side of the road (the Arc is in the middle of a round about) we then in the tunnel going under the road to the Arc. Here you had to pay to go up the top of the Arc, but as the twins and I were 17 (2 days before my birthday) we didn't have to pay, and we managed to pass Josh off for 17 but Ashwin was our designated 18 yr old. Because in all the places you need at least one 18 yr old to go into places. We then went to the Arc and had a look around the base and then up more stairs to the museum up the top. After looking around the museum a bit, it was about Napolean, we went up a few more stairs and then outside. The view was really great from up there (as with most tall places, especially in Paris), but particularly here because it was right near the eiffel tower and there was a bit of sun. I took a lot of photos there and they are currently on my space (msn). After spending quite a while up there we decided to descend and take a walk down the Champs Elysée.

After gazing at the Champs Elysée sign for a little while in wonder, we began our trip up the street. It was weird seeing the McDonalds because I don't know if anyone remembers but there was a whole page on it in one of the Ca Bouge books, when we were learning 'je prends ...' and, as with the Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower it really felt like being in a photo. So anyway, I gazed in wonder for a little bit at the Macdo which sold beer and with the only white M in the world, then we continued our adventure. After remembering I had to buy some post cards (which I still haven't sent :s) we found a little souvenir shop down a side alley and bought quite a few postcards. To the annoyance of Josh and Ashwin, the twins and I sat down to start writing a few of them right there on the Champs Elysée. Next stop was the Louis Vuitton shop, which, again, to the annoyance of the guys we had to go inside. I was a little worried we wouldn't be allowed in because they had doormen, but all they did was open the door for us. I didn't really find it all that interesting, everything was the same and way over priced, but it was still awe inspiring just to be there :p. When we came out the boys weren't where we left them, looking at the Louis Vuitton car so we started to get a little worried, but then they appeared out of the shop and said they had been looking at the clothes, which we had missed :( but we didn't really want to go back in there and Marion and Cam had to go soon. We then walked up the top, and to the metro station for the girls to get home and said goodbye for the night. We were meeting up to go to Versailles with them the next day. Ashwin, Josh and I were going to have some dinner and then go to the Eiffel Tower. We then went into a soccer shop for Ashwin, he was looking for a present for his bro, I don't think he found anything though. We then went to Macdo for dinner, it being by far the cheapest thing on the whole street, and afterwards proceded to the Eiffel Tower!

I wasn't too hard to find, given that it towers over the whole city and Josh and Ashwin had been there before. We were expecting to be able to climb the hundreds of stairs to the top, but unfortunately they were closed, probably due to safety concerns, and we had to take the more expensive option of the lift. Again, it was amazing at the top. But I can't really describe it. There are some photos, but they're not very good. I was a bit disappointed though because I didn't get to see the Tower flashing. It only does it every half hour or so and I was going up when it first did it and down when it did it again, and by the time we were at the bottom it had stopped.

When we got to the bottom we started the journey home. Walking to the metro station we past the Australian embassy which felt good to see it and the flag. And then we caught the Metro and then the train to the station. Sophie had said we could call her when we get off the train and she'll come to the station to pick us up, but my phone had no battery and Marion had taken Josh and Ashwins with her in her bag. So we began our walk in the direction we thought would take us to the house. Half way through we got a bit lost and when we saw a lady get out of a taxi I asked for some directions. She was very nice and got us a map to show us the way because she didn't know the street. We memorised the picture, thanked her, and then began the long walk. The first part of it was climbing a hundred more stairs!! I think I have decided that there are too many stairs in Europe :p. Eventually we made it home.

Ok, this is the second day of Paris the 9th February. I started writing it ages ago but got too busy to finish. I'm a little behind in my posts :p only about 2 months. But I'll try and catch up before I go to Normandy this Sunday.

All my photos are here: http://spaces.msn.com/potatohead53/

Paris

Last week I spent 3 of the best days of my trip so far in a little city called Paris, you may have heard of it. It is the most beautiful city I have ever seen, which may not say much considering my experience but I never thought I'd call an actual city beautiful.

The trip started on Weds afternoon. My host mum offered to drop me at Gare Lille Europe so I could catch the TGV to Paris. I then had a list of instructions from Marion of how to get to Gare ST Lazare from Paris du Nord (which is where the TGV ended) which I was a little worried about. But all the train stations have so many signs telling you where to go, its all pretty simple. By the end of the 3 days we were all experts on the Paris metro. Anyway, once I got to Gare St Lazare I had a littletrouble trying to find the meeting place because Marion had told me to follow a sign saying 'trains banlieue' or something like that when it said 'trains de something else' I can't really remember, but it confused me a little bit. But I asked directions, in French (to which the security guard replied in english, I was very upset), and he pointed me in the general direction. When I got to the place I heard my name called out and I was so relieved to see Cam, Marion, Ashwin and Josh all standing there. It was such a welcome sight. And to speak english! That was a relief. It felt really good to hug people. I hadn't hugged anyone in 3 weeks, here they kiss on the cheek instead of hugging.

After saying hi to everyone, we went to find our train, getting a crepe with jam on the way, that was soooo yummy. We got on, went upstairs (they have 2 storey trains here) and sat down. The train didn't stop out our stop, so we had to get out at the next one and catch a train going back to the right stop. Here, Marion and Cam's aunty picked us up and took us back to her house. She is really nice. I met all their family, I had talked to her son Tibo on msn a bit so it was good to meet him. We had an early dinner, of omelette and ham and some other nice things, dessert was particularly good, because Marion, Ashwin, Josh and I wanted to go back to Paris that night.

Sophie dropped us back at the train station and gave us directions of how to get home, well she gave them to Marion cause she could understand. N then we caught the train back to St Lazare and the metro (M 14) to Chatelet. When we got out the station at chatelet, there was the Louvre right in front of us, an old building, but not particularly special, until we walked through a walkway to the seine. The part of the building surrounding the walkway was absolutely beautiful, and all lit up because it was night. It was so gorgeous. Along the river was also beautiful too, you could see a bit of the eiffel tower and it was like being in a picture. I wish I could really describe it. I tried to take a photo but they didn't work out. You'll just have to visit it. We then spent a little while following Marion and Josh as they tried to find a place where supposedly lots of young people hang out. It was a new modern building which 'we'll know when we see it'. We definately did know it when we saw it. It was the most ugliest building I have ever seen and even worse because it was surrounded by the beautiful, centuries old buildings. I have no idea how they let them build it. But it was deserted. Marion said that it would be in summer that everyone comes, because it was pretty cold in winter. So we thought we find another place to have a drink. We spent a while choosing, but we found a cute little bar in a alley way type thing, not really, it's hard to explain but there are a lot of streets too thin for cars, and there are bars and clubs down them. There Marion and I shared a cocktail and the guys each had a beer. We also got some finger foods which were really nice and we polished them off in a second.

After a little while, we headed on our way home, the long way, and got another crepe. Which, again, was deliscious, but mine had too much jam so I couldn't finish it. We then found an Aussie bar!! We went in and it was pretty full. They sold coopers and I can't really remember what else. It was pretty cool. We wanted to stay but had to get home because it was late. So we caught the metro then the train back to Sophie's house. We got a phone call on the way back though asking what time we'd be home because they had ended up staying up late and Sophie could pick us up if we wanted. So we accepted her offer and got home at about 11:40.

I have to finish now, the lessons over, this was the first night. I'll write up about the next days later.

Jo xoxox

Ma Premier Bier Belge

Sunday night I went with my host brother to my second host brothers house as they were having a gathering. It was here I had my first Belgian beer, Leffe.

This beer is 6.6% alcohol so after two of these and a Jupiler:

I was a little tipsy. But I actually spoke better French!! I was very impressed with myself. All in all the night was good and everyone was nice to me.