Day 2-Paris, France

A croissant with Nutella was the perfect way to start my first morning in Paris. After breakfast with Ryan, April, and Christa, everyone headed for the coach to get into Paris and have a free day in Paris. On the drive Ryan told us they would be doing two drop offs, one at the Notre Dame and one and the Arc de Triomphe; this was so convenient because they were main areas of the city and we didn’t have to navigate the Metro. Ryan also gave us “Ryno in your Pocket”, which was his personalized travel sheet for us, which included info, directions to sites, and even some French phrases so we could get to know Paris better. Everyone then headed in different directions; some went shopping on Champs Elysee, to the Louvre, to Sacre de Coure, even down by the River Siene. Dan, Jen, Desiree, Simmy and I went a little off the beaten path and headed to the catacombs. Since Dan had studied abroad in France he became our personal tour guide so we walked there which gave us more of the real Paris.

Entering the catacombs I didn’t know what to expected, I had heard about them being a place of bones but just couldn’t picture it. After climbing down spiral staircases and walking along underground passageways we were surrounded by surreal history. I learned that all the bones stacked in the catacombs were from overflowing cemeteries after a plague ran rampant through Paris. This was one of the most unique experiences I’ve had while traveling; it’s definitely a worthwhile trip for your next stop in Paris. After the catacombs we headed back towards the city through these gorgeous gardens and stopped along the way for the essential Parisian treat…Crepes!! **Travel Tip: Savory crepes are just as good as Sweet crepes.** Everyone went for dessert crepes, but Simmy and I wanted to try a savory crepe also. So I got a banana/nutella crepe, which was heavenly, and then Simmy and I split a ham and cheese crepe, which was so good too there were all these seasonings in it to make it amazing.

After crepes we split up, Jen and Dan went on the Ferris wheel near the Louvre, while Desiree, Simmy and I headed for the Mona Lisa. Ryan,our amazing Contiki guide, had given us the inside scoop of an alternate entrance to the Louvre so that we didn’t have to wait at the Pyramid entrance with all the other tourists.

Since we were running short on time, we went straight for the Mona Lisa, and after getting there it wasn’t clear as to why this painting is so famous. The Louvre is way too large to see everything, so rather than get lost we just left and headed back to the coach, along the way we did some souvenir shopping at the little stands along the River Siene. Back at the hotel everyone got fancied up for our big night out in Paris at the Moulin Rouge. I once again didn’t have much knowledge of the Moulin Rouge but was excited to see this Parisian favorite.

After a few group photos outside we went inside and enjoyed dinner and wine before the show. Throughout the show we saw acrobatics, magic, topless dancers, comedians and more; it was quite the variety show. The Moulin Rouge was amazing, everyone had a great time. After the show some people went out, but I like most people just went to bed. We need some rest for our first day on the coach as we head to Switzerland tomorrow!

Day 1-Paris, France

After about 12 hours of flying from New York, I finally landed in Paris and was so excited to start my Contiki adventure. I got to meet up with some other early arrivals and our first stop was Notre Dame. It was amazing I was only in Paris for a few hours and was already wisked to one of the most famous places in the city. The line to get into the Notre Dame was quite long, but we shuffled our way in and I soon fell in love with the architecture of stained glass and vaulted ceilings.

Desiree, Dan, Christa, Elise, Simmy and I then headed to a café, where I felt compelled ordered the Parisian baguette as my first meal in Paris. Then we headed to the coach and met up with everyone else and met our Tour Manager, Ryan, and Tour Driver, Andy. Right from the start I knew Ryan would be awesome because he was a Kiwi, and I had just gotten back from a Contiki in New Zealand. Everyone started introducing themselves on the coach and we quickly arrived at the hotel then Ryan told us we would have about 2 hours to nap, shower, or just relax. **Travel Tip: When traveling have a reliable alarm clock** My roommate, Christa, and I decided a nap would be a good idea, recover a little from jet lag and be recharged for a night in Paris. However we overslept, missed the coach to dinner, and thought we would miss our first experience in Paris. We ran into Patrick in the lobby, who also missed the coach, but luckily caught up with Becky who had arrived on a late flight. We then navigated the Paris Metro and made it to the restaurant in time to eat some dinner before we headed to the Eiffel Tower.

When we arrived Ryan went and got our tickets so we were able to bypass the other tourist, which is of course a perk of going with a group like Contiki. The way up gave us time to take pictures and get to know more of our fellow Contikiers. Before getting to the top Ryan told us what time to be back at the coach and that it is usually quicker to take the stairs down rather than the elevators. The top of the Eiffel was amazing, you could see for miles and the sun was setting as we took in the 360 views. Paris is called the City of Love and we experienced that as we witnessed an engagement atop the Eiffel Tower, and looking out over the city we saw a huge heart mowed into the lawn below.

After taking in the gorgeous views from the top of the Eiffel Tower, it quickly became to head back to the coach so Kevin, John, Simmy, Desiree and I made a made dash down the Eiffel Tower, which included no shoes and getting lost once. At the bottom we ran into Mark, who showed us how to take awesome pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower.

Back on the coach we had our Illuminations Tour, Andy drove us to throughout the beautiful City of Lights while Ryan gave us all the inside info on Paris. Andy navigated the narrow arches through the Louvre, took us down Champs Elysee, past the Opera House and so many other highlights. It was then back to the hotel for some much needed rest before a free day in Paris tomorrow.

Less than 12 hours!!

Well since I will be embarking on the trip of a lifetime in less than 12 hours, I figured it is about time to share the details.

Here's a little info first...I am a senior at St. John's University and recently spent a semester abroad in Australia and had the most amazing experiences ever. Since it takes over a day to get to the South Pacific from NY I had to make a pit spot in New Zealand on the way home. After traveling to Australia solo, I was looking for something more in New Zealand, and that's when found Contiki! So I booked a 13 day Contiki tour of New Zealand and hoped for the best, but what I got was the most amazing 2 weeks ever. On this trip I did things I could never have imagined doing before like bungee jumping, black water rafting, glacier hiking, at it was all thanks to Contiki and my great tour group. Just think of two weeks with amazing people, action packed days, and awesome nights. Contiki introduced me to people around the world, who I still talk to and even have plans to meet up with again as we cross paths through travel. I began my journey solo and returned home with heaps of stories and heaps of new friends.

So back to 12 hours from now...I will be en route to Paris, where I will begin a 13 day tour of 6 European countries with Contiki once again. Although I've been to Europe in the past, I'm expecting a completely different experience. Many of our destinations are unfamiliar to me like Paris, Switzerland, Florence, and Prague. Then there are also the few familiar places of Venice, Austria, and Munich. With me on this journey will be over 40 other college students, whom I've never met, which makes the trip even more exciting because not only do I get to experience a whole new world, but I get to do it with a whole new group of people. Also different about this trip is the Contiki staff, they offer the best excursions and know all the inside details about where to eat and where to go out at night. Soon I'll be riding a gondola down the canals in Venice, standing atop the Eiffel Tower, and white water rafting through Austria.

With my 12 hours quickly becoming only 11, I'm going to finish up my last minute packing, but I'll be back soon with details from Paris!

Bye!
Christine :)

P.S. Wanderlust-irresistible impulse to travel and get out and see the world!