Here we are again on honeymoon, albeit closer to our cotton anniversary than our wedding day. (Note to self: use extensive Levi’s contacts for a sweet denim based anniversary present).  I don’t know why these holidays with wine and/or soft cheeses keep popping up in our calendars every 6-9 months, but I’m not arguing!

We’re currently passing between La Loire Valley and Bordeaux.  The trip here thus far was a totally unremarkable journey…if, that is, you consider hurtling through the sky at 1000km/h for 20 hours in a couple of aluminium tubes, to a country where people speak a different language and hate each other for different reasons, then across France at 300km/hr in another tube unremarkable…then it’s been totally unremarkable. And thankfully all has gone right to our laid back, nonchalant (French?), meticulously planned schedule…so far.

We sat at the pointy end on our first air leg (the tail has many more points on it that the front when you think about it) having the last 2 rows of the plane all to ourselves. However, we did upgrade ourselves for the final leg…on the train. I think you pay a bit extra to look at the confused faces around you who’ve realised they got swindled. Those in our car certainly got value for money as I look around in disbelief.

The first couple of hours, pre-train, were to acclimatise ourselves with the European conditions in the airport. This is where you get used to the Pay2Poo and Pay2Pee policies (and I just realised it’s too late to pretend this is what FranceP2P stands for…), creating your own multi ply paper (then actually having a discussion about how to spell multi-ply…), and working out how many standard drinks are in a centilitre.

In summary, the first 24 hours of our holiday included: a lovely walk home in Perth; an Uber to the airport; 2 planes; and 1 TGV.  Now we only have an Uber in the way of a boat ride on the Garonne, and maybe an underwear burning ceremony, to close out day one.

No photos just yet, still on the train, so all we have is an unflattering photo of James, a beer, a baguette and far too many rolls this early into the holiday…