Paris Trip - 5th to 12th March 2010 Part I

It's really not easy to bring a young toddler overseas, especially TWO which are of the same age! 13 hours in plane to Paris was not a pleasent one. Almost wanted to write to SIA to complain for the bad service by a crew lead but hold back. Luckily the flight back to Singapore was better, maybe because it was 3 adults to 2 kids then. And the cabin crews for that return flight provided so much better service compared to the earlier.

To that fat uncle cabin crew (think you are some teamlead of the crew or something) who was on duty in SQ333 on 5th March 2010 2355 plane to Paris, it was the latter crew team that saved your job. If I were to complain to SIA about what you had requested me to do due to a crying child, I assured you will be put on investigation and I pray you will lose your job!! You truely let me see the dark side of a reputable airline!

Enough said about that spoiler. Shall continue with my entry regarding about the trip...

The girls were very cranky during the first 3 days due to different time zone (7 hours behind Singapore time) which cause them lack of sleep, hungry because of the different feeding time and the coldness. 12pm - 2pm was the deadly timing to bring them out. During this period, they would start to go crazy until the 3 adults were very frustrated and almost wanted to call it a day and proceed back to hotel. But after they had managed to take their nap, the rest of the day would then be more peaceful and enjoyable. Therefore on the 4th day, we decided to change our itinerary to suit their body system. And indeed, the rest of the days were more manageable.

Arms almost sprain and broke with all 6 days carrying them while walking in Paris. Elsie, my super glue only allowed me to carry her and no others. Letting them down to walk was a complete waste of time because they just wanted to wonder around on their own without following our directions. I swear I had brought back some arms muscle by carrying a 10kg kid for so many hours a day. Straight 6 days! Not forgetting they were wearing so many layers of clothing which added more weight!

Getting them to wear layers of clothes before leaving the hotel room was also another horrible battle of war. Especially Elsie, everyday before stepping out of the hotel room was a disaster! She only started to understand that it was neccessary to put on so many clothings because of the low temperature out there after 5 days had passed in Paris. On day 6, getting her dress up was so much easier and she had happily adapted to the changes. But sad to say, just when the girls finally got settled down with the Europe timing, it also marks the end of our trip as the next day we will check-out and take the flight back to Singapore.

So to those who are planning for a Europe or US trip with young toddlers, pls plan at least a 2weeks trip so when the kids get settled down with the different timing, you still have 1 more week to start the real enjoyment with a less cranky child!

Here's the itinerary of our 7 days 6 nights trip in Paris with a temperature ranging from -3 to 5 degree C:

Day 1:
- Touched down at Paris at 6.40am. Hui was 15mins late to pick us up!
- Took the metro from the airport to our hotel: Citadines Saint Germain Des Pres Apart Hotel Paris. It was less than 10mins walk from the metro to our hotel.
- Get settled down in the hotel and left in the noon to visit the Cathédrale Notre Dame since it was near to our hotel.
- Took some photos and proceed for teabreak at some cafes nearby.
- Had crapes and hot chocolate while the gentleman had coffee.
- Walk around awhile and took the metro to Champs-Elysées to take photo of Arc de Triomphe.
- Went to the disneyland shop at Champs-Elysées to purchase Disneyland tickets for Monday (08/03/10).
- As the weather was getting colder, decided to return back to hotel.
- A relaxing day 1 as we didnt want to stress and tired out the kids.
- Had maggie mee for dinner and tried to make the girls to bed. Then the adults also slept early around 10+pm to recuperate from the jetlag (except the gentleman since he was in France 1 week earlier than us, so already adapt to the time zone!)

Day 2:
- Visited Musee Du Louvre after having breakfast in our hotel apartment. We had bought some bread, cornflakes and other groceries (to make porridge for the girls) from Carrefour on day 1, which is near to our hotel.
- We walked to the Lourve as it was only about 15mins walk away from our hotel.
- Elsie was very cranky in the Lourve starting 12pm onwards. So in order to settle her down and get her to sleep, we wasted alot of time in the Lourve.
- Had lunch at the Lourve while the girls were having their nap.
- After taking photo with the famous Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci and walking around the musuem, we left the Lourve and proceeded to Jardin De Tuilleries. It was a park and just 5mins away from the Lourve.
- The two girls had fun playing the carousel in the park and Chloe refused to get down, crying for more.
- Walked to Rue Saint Honore to find a shop call Goyard but it was closed on Sunday.
- Walk further to find a place for tea-break and leg rest.
- Settled for a cafe to feed the girls milk and the adults had a Croque Madame sandwich, hot chocolate and coffee.
- On the way back to hotel, found a whole street of shops that sell souveniers. So we bought some gifts and slowly proceed back to hotel.
- The ladies had the 1/2 loaf of bread (left over from lunch at the lourve) for dinner while the gentleman had maggie mee.
- As usual, settled the girls to bed and the adults also called it a day!

Day 3:
-Disneyland day!
- Weather was simply too cold that I find it so difficult to walk around.
- Nevertheless, did manage to take some photos with the characters (4 dwarfs out of 7). The rest of disney characters were nowhere to be seen because they usually started parade out individually in the morning. By 3+pm, all were preparing for the street parade show and hiding away from the crowds.
- Why 3+pm then we started to take photos? Because 12-2pm was the deathly timing, remembered?
- Anyway bought some clothings and stuffs for the girls in the disneyland shops, watched finish the street parade and we called it a day.
- Left disneyland around 6pm and took RER back to hotel.
- Again we had maggie mee for dinner.

* To be continued...*