Celebrating the 70's - A chronicle of time and temperature

December 30, 2023

Friday 29 December – The adventure begins

We awake early and do the last little jobs including sorting an e-sim for the new phones. It would appear, that despite being told that our phones were both unlocked (true) and e-sim capable (partly true) that the model made for the Australian market is actually not capable of using e-sims. Not the best discovery 10 hours before we are due to depart for the airport.

After much discussion, including considering racing out and buying new phones, we decided to just wing it. Lady P will research this to death over the next few days, including her many blog and chat contacts with fellow travelers. In any case, we can survive on wifi and what’s app until it’s sorted.

Our packing for the year away is two backpacks weighing 16 kg and two small carry on backpacks, under 7 kg. Not much for Flashy to forget or leave behind. The limo arrives on time at 7pm and Tas is there to farewell us.

The trip from Hawthorn to the airport, check in and through customs to the Emirates Business Lounge takes 45 minutes. This has got to be a record for Melbourne traffic and hopefully an omen for the rest of the journey.

Saturday 30^th and the 24 hours in the air to Paris

Our A380-800 flight departs Tullamarine at 10.30 pm spot on time and we have 14 hours to Dubai. Of course, at 11.30 pm they offer cocktails and Champagne and then a three course dinner. Shame to miss all that eh? We didn’t.

Both of us get a good 5-6 hours sleep on the lie flat seats and before you know it we are into pre breakfast Champagne and a cooked brekky for Lady P and fruit and croissants for Flashy.

The business lounge in Dubai is very quiet and the two hours layover is spent mostly getting from the arrival gate to the departure gate. The A380 800 to Paris is an older model but very comfortable. What do you need for 7 hours flying time? Well, lunch, breakfast, Champagne, wine, a separate bar at the back, a quick power nap and a couple of movies and we are in Paris. Very smooth transition through customs and immigration to our waiting limo.

Muhammad the driver, drops us off at the door of our hotel at 1.30 pm and we immediately check in. Now, Lady P has booked this hotel – ‘Citizen M’ and it’s a doozy! Check out her photos on Find Penguins. link coming soon.

Tiredness is setting in, as we have been on the road, or should I say in the air, for almost 24 hours, so a long walk is in order. As it’s 10c outside, we pull out the puffer jackets, lightweight scarfs and beanies and head down the Champs Elysée to Place de la Concorde and the Louvre grounds, where there is a Christmas carnival complete with wild rides and food stalls.

A magnificent display of tree lighting grabs our attention on the walk back. Simply stunning.

Lady P finds a little bistro called Morny, just across the road from our hotel and a couple of Bellinis and a bowl of onion soup hits the spot.

Our hotel has a roof top bar where we intend to watch the New Year fireworks, so we inspect said bar, verify that there is a magnificent view of the Eifel Tower, have a beer and cocktail and retire to our room for hot showers, Having travelled nearly 17,000 kms by air and 10,000 steps by foot, we are in bed by 8.00 pm.