12:30 am and I am bolted out of bed by a sound no traveller want to hear. No it isn’t a drunk Irishman trying to get into your room and refusing to believe he has the wrong room, that’s another story, no it is the fire alarm…. I stick my head out into the hall to see people hurrying towards the stairs, we are on the second floor so not far down, I grab my room key, wallet and phone and join the people hurrying out. Down 2 flights of stairs and out into the misty cool wet embrace of the London morning. People are all gathering on the corner…

Another day and the day is overcast and cool, but no rain is forecast until late afternoon. We head out for Hyde park and we find ourselves in the middle of the international triathlon, we head to the Albert memorial and then back to Hyde park corner, a long but enjoyable walk. Next we head down constitution hill and stop in to see the raf memorial, it may have taken 80 years but the memorial is very fitting and well over due. 12:00 finds us arriving for the end of the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace, as usual the crowds are packed in. Next we walked through James…

A cloudy day greets us as we head for the tube, it is made quickly apparent that 8:30 am is not the time to try and get on the central line as train after train of sardine packed workers travel by, but by 9:08 the trains are much lighter and we easily catch a train to St Paul’s. After a quick look around the cathedral it is a short stroll over the millennium bridge to the globe theatre, the sun is starting to shine but the wind is still cool. We make our way down the river and over London bridge to monument station. A short ride finds us at…

5:15 am and I am up and on the way to the airport, 9:00 am flight to Sydney then a 2:25pm flight to London via Hong Kong. Flights to Sydney is smooth the virgin rep checking in our bags gives us a transfer to get to the Sydney international but virgin has there own bus that goes from gate 46, unfortunately you can’t get your checked bags thought the security scanner to get to gate 46 without giving up all of your banned items. Had to use the transfer on the T bus which ended up okay. Flight to Hong Kong started badly the seats that I had allocated on…

Another big day, today is museum day but first a visit to the Notre Dame cathedral, the RER takes us straight to the front door and we manage to get inside just as mass was finishing and the organ was playing, very loudly and filling the whole cathedral. After doing a lap of the cathedral we head off to the Musee D’orsay to take in the art, once again there is a long line of people waiting for tickets but we waltz through the pass entrance, we wander around and I am disappointed to see that there are paintings and sculpture not on show as there is renovations going on.…

Today is another full day of walking and we head of the see the tomb of Napoleon, on our way we encounter a street parade, many cultures with tall figures are heading along the street to the sound of music.We enter Napoleons chapel and visit his tomb, then it is off down to the Grand Palais before turning and heading for the Place de la Concorde.Lunch is taken in the Tulleries garden before heading to see Monet’s lilies, many people are lined up but our museum pass works wonders again. After taking in the paintings it is off to the metro to catch a train to the Arc de triumph.…

First full day in Paris and it is sun sun sun, today we are catching the RER to Versailles to see the Chateau of King Louis the XIV. I have bought the tickets yesterday so it is just a matter of catching a train, unfortunately that is not that easy as there are track maintenance and we are sharing an hour for a train.Finally we are underway and soon arrive at the end of the VICK line, it is a short stroll to the chateau and the sight that greets me is over whelming, the marble and gold leaf detailing is amazing.We join the line and head inside, once again…