Paul is in France: PARIS FROM ABOVE 12-5-2008

So I left you when I was staying in La Defense. The french people in this area were so nice. In the local internet cafe I would use the people would chat to me and it seems they all love Australia very much. Norbert's apartment was so cool to stay in although it was a shame he wasnt there to talk to and to learn more about France. He has been so great to allow me to stay.

I caught the metro back to Paris and you would think that it would become easier for me to use but

I guess I'm an expert at getting lost and the people you meet when you are lost are just amazing. Anyhow William, a friend who I met while travelling through Brazil in 2003 invited me to stay at his apartment in the heart of Paris. He met me at the La Motte Piquet Grenelle Metro station and he took me to his parents apartment. They are the most amazing family. So lovely and friendly. I had a luncheon with his parents, his brother and sister and of course his lovely girlfriend Emanuelle who is gorgeous friendly french girl and also some actors who work with William's father Bernard. The Menez family are so warm and friendly and they invited me into their home and they were so good to me. The lunch was beautiful and the wine went down well in the afternoon sun. I loved Tatoon their little dog, he reminds me of Monty and he is such a beautiful little dog.

Then William showed me the apartment I would be staying in. He has been so good to me while I have been in Paris and I really hope someday I can pay back the way in which he has taken care of me. William is just a brilliant guy. His apartment is on the eighth floor and its just gorgeous. It has the best views of Paris and it overlooks the Eiffel Tower. I have the most amazing views of the eiffel tower when I go to bed. It's amazing to look at of a night time when it is all lit up and sparkling. Its something that I will remember all of my life.

I walked around the district with William ane Emanuelle. She has the most beautiful smile and you can tell when you meet her she is just the most lovely person. Later on that night when I was alone in the apartment looking at the Eiffel Tower I had to pinch myself to make sure this is all real. It's like a dream come true for me.

Early the next morning William ane Emanuelle picked me up and we drove across Paris and out to a local airstrip. We picked Romain, Williams instructor and friend up along the way. First we had cafe and then William went up for his flying lesson with Romain. Emanuelle taught me some more french while we were waiting ane we sat around enjoying the french sunshine. A lovely french family spoke with me while we sat there and a little boy named Alexander gave me a drawing to keep. He was quite a talented little boy and his sketches were amazing. Sometimes its the simple things I love best like watching a french family interact and observing the beauty of the french culture.

Then Emanuelle went for her flying lesson and William started to teach me French verbs and I liked the way that his teaching seems to make learning french a bit easier. I'll give it a go anyhow. The french family seemed to be listening to everything that William was teaching me and I received lots of smiles from them.

We all had lunch at the cafe and it was here that William and Emanuelle had Steak Tartare which
is French steak which is raw with a raw egg on top. It looked so so bad and I was happy that I had ordered a different dish. I tasted it but it was so so bad I cant really express to you how bad it was.

After lunch it was my turn to take to the skies in the small cesna which can carry four people. For those of you who know me well. You would know about my fear of heights. The take off was amazing although I was nervous as all hell. I could only think of what would happen if the single engine stalled or if it went spiralling out of control when it was turning. I have a vivid imagination and sometimes it just runs out of control and I cant stop it. William was pointing things out and I could see the Eiffel tower and Paris in the distance but I was very very nervous. It was beautiful to see the coloured fields, the lakes and the forests from above but I also wanted very much to be safely back on the ground. We flew around for about one and a half hours and William practised his take offs and landings a few times on an airstrip. It was aan amazing experience although I am very embarrassed that I was so nervous. Its something I thought I could never do and I am s happy that I did it. Romain is very experienced and very confident as too is William.

How can I ever repay William for the sights he has shown me, the friendship and also the accomodation. My french journey is off to an amazing start and my family and friends in Melbourne will have to help me in showing William and Emanuellhe the best time when they visit Melbourne in a couple of years time. Hopefully his whole Menez family will visit someday as they are really special people.