Living anywhere will mean that you have adventures in and around where you are living. In Paris, these seemed all very glamorous; however it is clear that in and around Melbourne is equally glamorous, albeit in a different way. I have often had people ask me for things to do close to the city, and here a a few things that we have done in the region of Melbourne.
Read MoreParis and its surrounds provide no shortage of things to see and do. Indeed, this is my second post of things in and around Paris. In addition to the sights one might expect, I also visited the Musée Jacquemart-André, a beautiful residence showcasing the life collection of Édouard André and Nélie Jacquemart. I also took a trip to the fairy-tale Chateau de Pierrefonds and explored the medieval town at the end of the line, Provins. I later found out that Provins is an exceptionally popular place for grandparents to take their grandchildren, a trend that was well observed on my visit. But perhaps the greatest trip was saved for my last weekend in Paris: Versailles. Arriving bright and early I was surprised to see a line already formed some 30 minutes before opening, albeit quite a small one. Once the doors opened, I did not mess around and got to the front of the group, ensuring that I had every room in the palace to myself for at least a short time. I rushed though first in order to have the place to myself and take photos, but once I was done I went back to the start and took things more slowly. I loved every minute of my time in Paris and will sorely miss living there.
Read MoreOne could not be faulted for saying that Zurich is not really a natural excursion when on a journey from Mainz to Paris; however there are direct trains between all three cities, and it was cheaper to travel from Zurich to Paris than from Mainz to Paris, so work did not complain. I had visited Zurich previously in 2011 and my memories of the city were that it was pretty, but that it also stank of money which really put me off. Having visited Switzerland somewhat more extensively since then I wanted to give it another go, not to mention I was very keen to visit the nearby Rhinefalls, which are the largest in Europe.
Read MoreA place that I had never explicitly planned to visit was the Romantic Rhine, that is, the middle Rhine, which is defined as the region between Bingen and Bonn. The upper half of the section is particularly famous, known as the Rhine Gorge, a 71 kilometre long gorge formed by the constant glacial waters carving their way from high in the Alps into Lake Constance and escaping into the North Sea. The average elevation of the gorge is roughly 100 metres, making for some spectacular scenery. Adding to this are the 40-odd medieval castles built along this stretch, yielding an average separation of only one and a half kilometres between castles. The Rhine Gorge is a UNESCO world heritage site which has meant that the cities that line the gorge are kept pristine; however it has also meant that no bridges have been allowed to be built across the river, leading to practical difficulties. In any case, this area is everything that I think of when I think of Germany, I just did not know it before I went.
Read MoreMay had rolled around and in 2014, this resulted in three public holidays falling on a Thursday. In France, this is equivalent to a four day weekend – it is a given that the Friday is also a day off, even though it is not an official holiday; on doit faire le pont. The first holiday was the first day of the month, and the Labour Day weekend was as good a candidate as any for a trip to Bordeaux. East-west train travel is somewhat problematic, so from Geneva, Mia would fly to Bordeaux and I would catch the first train of the day from Paris. This would provide sufficient time to see Bordeaux and the surrounding sights of Saint-Émilion and le dune du Pilat.
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