Just to confuse everyone, PARIS!!!

Erm.... I'm kind of getting sick of having to refer back to old stuff, so instead I'm going to talk about my first day in Paris. I'll definately fill in Northumberland and Scotland cos they were awesome, but I just want to talk about my first 18ish hours so far in gay Pareeeeee.

So I get off the plane and make my way to the RER, which is the train system. Had about three conversations with randoms in the airport on my way to the trains. Everyone's so friendly. The hostel I'm staying at gave excellent directions from the airport to the hostel, so I knew exactly which train to get on and when and where to change. Even I had no excuse to get it wrong.

I did stuff up a little initially on the train. It had said the first stop was the station I needed to get off at, only I hadn't realised that the train stopped at another part of the airport. So I got up and started picking my crap up, only to notice that no one else was moving. I looked around and then realised we were still at the airport. Awkward. That seemed to be the man next to me's cue to break into conversation. He seemed to feel I needed to be taken under his wing in order to reach my destination. I think I've perfected my "shit-I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing" face down to an art. I mean, it's only been 24 years of feeling this way. Anyway, we got chatting about what I was studying. He worked for Lufthansa so could fly everywhere for free and was going to Marseille. Did I want to come? Erm.... I'm gonna go with negative, son. But obviously I was incredibly polite and gracious. Anyway, he had to change at the same train station and was getting on the same metro so we went together. Did I want him to show me where the hostel was? Not so much. Did I want to go out for a drink with him the next day (tonight)? Meh, if I've got no plans.

Before you all start freaking out, he was middle-aged, and I'm sure he just felt sorry for me being all alone. Apparently I don't carry my handbag properly and I should keep it in front of me, never behind. He was full of helpful advice to get me through my time in Paris. But anyway, he was just so nice and friendly, it was a nice start to my time here, and I didn't get any weird/creepy/sleazy vibes from him.

So then I got out of the underground and into the fresh air. And the HEAT! Oh, so exciting. It's really summer now. No disrespect to the UK, but they need to come up with a new term for whatever is going on over there. That ain't no summer. But it was gorgeous here.

There was another girl with a backpack on who seemed to be heading in my direction. We got chatting and it turns out she was from Auckland, here in Europe for two months.

Anyway, booked in and was death so we parted ways and headed to our respective rooms.

So, I've stayed in a St. Christopher's hostel in Bath and it was naaaaaasty. Really old, incredibly hard to find, horrible conditions, unisex, dirty bathrooms, no elevators, plus really REALLY old and decrepit. So I was expecting the worse for this one. Instead, I was greated with a big, easily spotted, brand new building. There was an elevator, and inside the rooms were huge. I'm in an eight bed mixed dorm, and it's just so spacey with a sink and table. Each bed is also really cool, with two electrical outlets, a light, and a curtain to slide across for privacy so it's like you're sleeping in your own little cocoon. Had a great sleep, was even entertained by one of the boys talking in his sleep ("Please don't hurt me! Please don't hurt me! I don't wanna play hockey! That's not my position!!!").

This morning I got up early to join a sightseeing tour of the city cos I figured that would be best to get my bearings. It worked out well because Anna, the girl I'd met the night before, also ended up doing the tour. It was a long one, but it was good. 3 and a half hours but it covered a lot of the city, plus I love the little anecdotes guides through in.

We met at the fountain at Place St. Michel, and what do we see when we get there?

A guy on bag pipes. Except, wasn't Scotland yesterday?

Oh, and notice the inclusion of a photo? Finally! I will eventually go and republish posts with photos. Eventually.

What else did we do? Walked part of the Seine, over Pont Neuf, over the bridge that features in the last episode of SATC (when Carrie and Big get back together - hey man, don't judge me! The tour guide told us this!), outside the Louvre and others.

In case you don't know, that's me in front of the pyramids at the Louvre. But you really should know that. I mean, you're reading this, so you should know who I am!

I saw my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. So exciting. I haven't seen it up close yet. Maybe tonight.

We also went to the Arc de Triumphe which was great - very impressive.

So I'm not going out with my friendly friend from the train tonight because I'm hanging out with a few people from the tour. I'm supposed to meet them in half an hour... soooooo tired though.

Also, this post is soooo dull. I think due to my lack of sleep, but it could also be due to the fact that I'm neither witty or insightful. You be the judge.