So I survived vertigo above paris and eating a garden pest! Conqquering the Eiffel Tower was actually quite breathtaking, scary in the lift, claustrophobic in the lines but worth every cent and hour spent waiting. And you can see the direction in which every country (including Australia) is from the top. Only downside, no one to pash at the top :( But I did see one couple eating each others faces!! and another having a domestic - of all places!
Eating a snail - I consider myself fairly open minded but I struggled to get it down. Was quite mushy and floury in the middle and chewy on the outside ... and a black green colour so not overl enticing visually. The best bit was the butter sauce. But at least I can say I did it (and Mum, it kind of reminded me of Papa eating oysters :P)
Went to a nice French restaurant last night and sweet talked the waiter (in French) and ended up scoring a better dessert for our table than the rest of the Contiki group, and REAL french coffee (the others got american coffee apparently!) as a result! Also had a decent chat en Francais with the taxi driver later in the night. Has been such a novelty being able to use my French but I'm stuffed in Spain, Italy etc.
Drove through the countryside to Lyon today - the bus windows were like postcards showing sunflower fields and cute cottages. Again, it feels like I've seen it before! Staying in a 500-year-old Chateau here (which now has a flat screen playing MTV and a pool ... bet they were add-ons!) but it very picturesque.
Observations: There are "cool kids" in every group... Being hungover on Contiki is in fact inevitable but I plan to fight it as long as possible (for fear of compounding the effects with car sickness on the bus rides)
Mistakes: Trying to ask a French lady in a bar what her drink was so I could order one without really thinking through the necessary words ... in such cases I have found "I'm sorry, I'm Australian" (in French) will generally fix the problem...
Mini victories: getting my backpack shut again on leaving Paris
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