Media Garden Hotel Valbonne

Monaco was unbelievable. I was awestruck most of the time by the fact that I was actually in Monte Carlo! Immaculate streets and gardens/parks, very clean. Designer labels and fashionable people everywhere. So small in area that every available inch of land is consumed, but still so much traffic. Amazing hills and views. The selection of photos show it best than I could describe - i took heaps of pics, so these are just a selection, but still a lot ...

... if she tries to sort all this out now we'll figure it out at noon when she has off. so i called her back and said it wasn't acceptable, i still had a class at 9:30 and i didn't know with whom or where, and made her look it up for me. I wasn't about to skip my first real day of work because someone didn't do her job! fyi she's also the lady who tried to force us into that dark smelly apartment that didn't have internet, and was in sketch town.

So i make ...

... the most beautiful boats in the world are in MonteCarlo...

Language is more interesting in france. If we try to do the simple tourist things then most people can work out what is going on but when we try something else eg. going to the doctor (sue has been sick) going to a chemist.. or finding a Laundamatt.. then the language thiig is a bit more animated....

have some grat pics of Nice and French Rivierra to show when we get home...

... blue/green shutter doors. i feel all french like whenever we open and close them.

so tomorrow is my first day of school for real. eek. little nervous, its a class of terminal and then the professional school. definite potential for them to be older than me. oh *****, i already look like im 12 haha.

yet another part of this lovely adventure!






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... didn't charge me. They do if the delay is less than 2 hrs. So instead of the 4:25pm flight, I am getting the 8:15pm. Annoying because I miss seeing Nice in daytime and the train ride to Monaco is supposed to be excellent views over the Mediterranean.

So, today has basically been in transit. Saw some good views from the plane window of the Swiss Alps (at least I think that’s what those mountains were).

Hahahaha, they are playing ...

Just paid a fleeting visit to St Tropez on the way to Avignon (so we thought)... had to be done really.. a quick wander around and a very quick coffee. It was much smaller than I thought. Lots of nice boats but loads of tourists too.... that was about it!

... Also stocked up on food at the Monoprix (which is like a Priceline crossed with DJs food hall), so had dinner in, and also enough for brekky and lunch the next day. Final day in a foreign country other than Italy now! Getting stuff sorted out, last moments at a beach for quite some time, bit more of an exploration of the city centre and off on a 5 hour train ride to Milan... Woo hoo, more shopping!

... and flood it. This didn't happen, not because of enviromental concerns, but because it was going to cost so much! haha. Anyway, we made the 40 mile drive which took a little over 2 hours because of the winding roads. I was loving the drive - zipping around corners on a tight mountain road. Lots of fun!! We got some good pictures too, I'll post those later. Today we are off towards Nice with a stopover in Cannes for a few hours. Then on Friday I drop off the car!

... to a room, thankfully they are heated!! Sightseeing in Paris- what a day. Began at the Arc De Triumph [eternal flame], walked to the top of the archways- great view of Paris [ how big is it?]Then walked down the Ave Nes Champs [shopping area], Versace has a shop decorated as a suitcase -clever but wierd at same time. Then walked through the parks to the Louve- how big it it, will not get to see it all. So decided to find our way to the Mona ...