After talking about it over and over and sorting through possible options, I finally boarded an Etihad flight yesterday bound for Paris via Abu Dhabi. This marks the first steps on a trip that I am hoping will give me the impetus for many more in the future.

The flight from Perth to Abu Dhabi went well with a few spots of turbulence. The flight was completely booked out, so I wound up sitting next to a very nice elderly gentleman from Bunbury, who was heading back to his former home of Munich to catch up with his family. It was a very strange experience, hearing all of the flight announcements in Arabic, followed by the English translation. The meals were very nice (a chicken biryani with aromatic rice and a chicken and mushroom pie with herbed potatoes) and there was plenty to watch on the in-flight entertainment system, which came in very handy, as I simply could not get to sleep.

After almost 11 hours' flight time, we arrived in Abu Dhabi to a very warm 33C at midnight. I had prebooked a night at the Premier Inn at the airport, as I had a 9.5-hour stopover and I thought it would be good to get at least a few hours sleep and a shower, before continuing onwards. I did wander around the main passenger terminal for a bit to check out some of the stores, and the items on sale definitely point towards a more affluent lifestyle. Expensive cologne, perfume, watches and jewelry sitting next to alcohol and brand-name clothing. A gorgeous canary-yellow Lamborghini sat just next to a store selling Lamborghini hats, shirts and other items, and there was a raffle going to win a brand-new candy-apple red Ford Mustang.

After a nap and a shower, I boarded my next flight. This one was not as heavily booked, so I initially had two spare seats next to me. However the gentleman in the fourth seat was moved to allow a mother to take his seat with her two small kids, as she had not been able to book her three seats together. The little boy was a bit of a wriggle-worm for about the first hour of the flight, but then he flaked out and I just had to contend with him planting his feet on my leg or pushing against my side, as he stretched across his seat. :) His mother was very apologetic, but I told her not to worry, as it did not bother me, so she relaxed for the rest of the flight.

This flight had some more delicious food (I had a fish mandi with aromatic rice and, later, a chicken and lettuce roll) and went very smoothly. Again I tried to get some sleep but only managed to doze briefly.

After just over 6.5 hours, my flight arrived at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris. The trip through passport control was a bit delayed, as the officers were a bit more attentive with the Muslim passengers, especially the women who were wearing the full head-veils (they have to lift the veil to show their face to the officer). Once we reached the baggage claim area, things ground to a halt, as the area felt smaller then Perth Domestic Baggage Claim. It took almost half an hour for me to get my bag, but once I picked it up, i headed out and grabbed a cab for the drive to the hotel.

Screaming along at 140kph in a VW mini-van taxi is a fun experience. As we drove into the city, I was struck by how much I felt like I was driving along the Tullermarine Freeway in Melbourne. Aside from the French signage, and the driving on the right-hand side of the road, I did not get the feel of being in another country. It wasn't until we reached the city proper, and I started to see some of the older buildings with their distinctive curve-slope tops, that I finally got the feeling of being in a foreign land.

The traffic was a different due to the way the streets are laid out (stopping in the middle of a multi-path crossroads, for example), but it was a fun drive to the hotel. Checking in was a breeze and I headed up the top floor to my room. - it's small but cosy and the window opens fully to allow a lot of air in. If I really wanted to, I could easily hop out and and go running across the rooftop - fortunately, I am able to restrain myself. :)

Owing to the fact that I neglected to pack the power adapter for my tablet, I went to the nearby FNAC store to try and buy a new one. Again it felt very strange to be in a place that felt so familiar (think a large-scale Harvey Norman electronics store) and at the same time so strange (everybody speaking French). Unfortunately the store did not have any chargers in stock, and the nearest store that does have any is a bit of a hike, so I might wait until I reach London in a few days.

After taking a quick walk in the summer rain to a place called Pomme Du Pain, I picked up a ham baguette and a cup of tea for my dinner, and returned top my room to settle in for the night.

So here I am, sitting at a desk in a hotel room in Paris. This feels so weird! Hopefully tomorrow will bring a lot of new and fun experiences. :)