Stop 1, London. We only planned to stay over to help us along with the crack of dawn Eurostar but a beautiful sunshiny day in London turned out to be the perfect start to the holiday. The South Bank was rammed with musicians and artists, we meandered past Shakespeare's Globe, St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster to our hotel at London Bridge where we were greeted with glasses of champagne to begin out trip. The surprising beauty of the day taught me a lesson on day 1. Be prepared to be wowed around any corner. Let lovely surprises creep up on you!

Paris was certainly following hot on the heels of London and lovely surprise after lovely surprise came along. We decided to stay in a studio apartment in Paris to see a bit more of a real neighbourhood and our choice didn't disappoint. Our first neighbourhood spot, tipped off by the gorgeous smells, was a bakery. Said bakery has now supplied us with several pastries, baguettes, cakes and macaroons. When in Paris...!

Wandering around the city in the sunshine one word has struck me over and over again, elegance. The buildings with their wrought iron balconies, the shops with their hand painted signs, the fashionable women, all so effortlessly elegant. Sitting having a cocktail near the Eiffel Tower I felt like I was watching a fashion show, even our waitress looked like she wouldn't look out of place on the cover of Elle!

Clearly highly influenced by the elegance around me I spent today dressed in a giant purple rain poncho, think tellytubby crossed with Barney the Dinosaur and you will be somewhere close. Needs must though as our impromptu picnic in Jardin de Tuileries was caught short by a freak thunderstorm and gosh darn it I was getting to Shakespeare and Co Bookshop even if it meant dressing like a giant purple blob. Some things are more important than fashion!

Tomorrow we head to Bordeaux but first I have a tumbler of white wine and a macaroon with my name on it! Au revoir!