I intend to write a daily blog to capture our experiences and I hope you enjoy it too.
319 June 2022: Melbourne to Singapore to Paris
Off at last – finished off the packing this morning. Either I'm getting older or my case is getting heavier, as it is definitely harder to lift and carry than it was in 2018.
Got away on time – tram to the city and then Sky bus to the airport, but then hit our first snag at check in. Despite spending over an hour online check-in and apparently jumping through all of the required hoops on Thursday, the Singapore Airlines check-in rep told us that we had also to fill in an online EU digital passenger locator form. This took over an hour with the full-time assistance of another Singapore Airlines rep. Thank God we arrived four hours ahead of our flight’s departure!
Relaxing in the Sheraton Silverkris Lounge now, having taken the obligatory selfies, enjoying a well earned glass of Bailey’s Irish Cream.
It could be very easy to get used to travelling Business Class:
• shorter queues and priority boarding
• much roomier seating
• champagne to start the flight
• lying flat for sleeping
to name some of the benefits. I had an excellent fillet of beef in green peppercorn sauce after taking off at 3.40pm but it was a little strange to see Robyn tucking into lobster thermidor at about 4.00 o’clock in the morning, Melbourne time.
We didn’t have much luck with the phones in Singapore 66but we will see how we go in the morning in Paris after (hopefully) a good night’s sleep.
Sleeping on a lay-flat bed is definitely better than an economy class seat, but still not easy to sleep so I watched Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. (I had reintroduced to DC Super Heroes by Lachie in Port Douglas during our February holiday.)
Arrive in Paris and settle into our apartment
We landed on time a bit before 8.00 am, and proceeded through Customs and Immigration with a minimum of fuss – nobody checked our prescription medications at any stage of the trip, and once our vaccination certificates had been checked in Melbourne that was it – the only things checked on our arrival in Paris were our passports! /storage/emulated/0/Documents/19 June 2022 - Melbourne to Singapore.docx
Taking the train from CDG Airport to Chaeĺet Les Halles and then the Metro to Bastille convinced us that we are now too old to use public transport from the airport to our apartment – hauling 20kg suitcases plus backpacks up and down stairs (there are many stations without lifts) is now beyond us – it used to be acceptable but no longer!
We met Bruno at our small loft style apartment in the arty Marais District. He showed us over the apartment and then left us to it as he and Brian (our hosts) were off to Tanzania on safari. We had a scratch meal and set off to walk to La Sainte Chapelle. Immediately Ian suffered a disaster when one of his teeth seemed to break on a Mintie. Closer inspection revealed that it might not be too bad – the crown may have come off an implant and he had no pain.
We attended a wonderful classical music concert at Sainte Chapelle – beautiful stained glass windows, soaring ceilings and great music, including Pachelbel’s Canon, and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
As we walked home we encountered the evening’s second disaster! We saw a girl at an intersection wearing a very light and flimsy black lace dress. I was thinking how vulnerable it looked when a gust of wind lifted it well over her waist. Only got a quick rear view but I think that she wearing a gee string. We finished walking home and collapsed from the day’s exertions.
