Day 1: 30/9/2022 ( 2 days really, both with the same date)

Currently sitting in the Silver Kris lounge at Singapore and it is 1am Sydney time. Beer in hand, well it is hot here !! Another hour until our flight to Paris.

So far so good. Easy flight in an A380, Singapore are really a great airline. Not overly familiar, but friendly and efficient.

When we left home we had 2 plumbers in attendance, one with a camera. It appears that our bathroom pipe is blocked, as evidenced when Kate had a shower the other day and the bathroom flooded. It was the first time it had been used. The camera revealed that there was a blockage caused by expanding foam. How it got into the pipe is a matter for further discussion !! The plumbers must expect problems as they had photos before the concrete pour showing their handiwork, and showing where someone had applied expanding foam. So, they were quick to avoid any blame.

They were hopeful that a high pressure jet may break up the foam. We are waiting to hear !! We have left a l  o  n   g list of outstanding items for the builders, so when we come back it may be like moving in again except this time to a completed property. Time will tell !!

Our pickup car was spot on time, and very plush. The transition to champagne through check-in and customs was painless and quick. It would have been quicker if I had remembered to warn security that the scanner would light up like a Xmas tree, given my 2 new knees. Anyway, off with my belt and shoes and a quick hand scan later and we were through.

This will resume, no doubt on the TGV to Bordeaux.

As expected, I have resumed whilst speeding across the French countryside. There are freshly ploughed fields as far as the eye can see, and in each field there are a multitude of wind turbines. They don’t seem to interfere with the farming process at all.

The flight from Singapore was uneventful, thank goodness. The seats were excellent and we both slept pretty well. Straight through customs into Paris, with no requests for any of the forms we were told to prepare in advance. Masks are all but gone, but in saying that the couple opposite us on the train have them on, but no one else I can see.

From the airport the TGV train station, we caught the RER (above ground rail) to Paris and then the Metro to Montparnasse (and a bit of walking). The Metro lacks lifts so we a lot of stairs and the bags we were glad to have an hour to spare to rest and recuperate before hopping on the train. Now for 3 hours of more rest and some sights before arriving in Bordeaux. By the time we get into our AirBnB it will have been about 40 hours of travel….at least we should sleep well.

Arrived in Bordeaux and the first impressions are fantastic. Wide boulevards along the river with glimpses down many side streets into the old town, and that was just on the taxi ride to our AirBnB. A beer and cheese plates while we waited to et in, and once in our flat is better that it looked in the photos. Plent of street life on the doorstep, and plenty of room inside.

Now to unpack, shower, explore, buy supplies and relax.

Travel is never easy, especially over such a long period, but Kirsty and I are still talking to each othetr (now that the yelling has stopped).