Certainly not bright but indeed an early start to the day. Horrible nights sleep, had a headache and because I was on the top bunk kept getting woken up by people turning on the light. So woke up with a headache still feeling yuck. Got changed and then had to take two trips to take all my stuff to reception, and by the time I checked in with topdeck I was all headachey and sweaty from carrying all my stuff, so great first impression there! Was on a bus in no time heading to Dover, everyone was still half asleep and ended up sleeping most of the way there. Saw the beautiful white cliffs of Dover while getting on the ferry. We all sat in a group on the ferry and were all chatting, everyone is mostly Aussies again! Ferry only took 90mins to Calais which went by in no time. Hopped on the bus again and settled off - had to do 'speed dating' so talk to everyone individually for 3 mins to get to know everyone (much better than the usual get up and talk about yourself). So everyone found themselves repeating the same thing about them about 30 times! Made friends with a few people (yes believe it or not I can be sociable).
Started getting in towards the city and felt so bad for all the people who hadn't been to Paris before - we came in through a really dodgey area and it looked so average - their faces were so 'is this it???'. Got into our hostel quite a while later as the traffic was horrendous, trust me mum and dad don't ever bring Priscilla through here! Got up into our rooms (really nice new hostel, so well equipped) and then down to dinner in the restaurant behind the bar. Had a snail each for starters! Was done in garlic butter so tasted nice but texture was really chewy, I think one will be enough for me! Then had French onion soup and chicken and rattiollie (or however you spell it) with white wine sauce which was lovely! We all got back on the bus then for a tour of the city at night. It is almost prettier at night with all the sights lit up in a golden glow. It was nice to hear all the history, as last time I was here I didn't get any of that. Like the Place de la Concorde was where they used to have all the beheadings, and the ground is still uneven because off all the blood that used to be on the floor from the chopped heads just got sand poured over it! Yuck. Went up the champs élysées which was beautiful - hadn't been up there before. The arc de triomphe unfortunately had a lot of scaffolding all over it, and then when we got to the Eiffel tower and it was awesome seeing everyone's faces who hadn't seen it before. It was beautiful as ever, I think I could see it a hundred times and still not get over the magnificence. Headed back past all the other beautiful buildings and then went straight to bed. Bloody knackered!
