Anyway, I previously wrote the last time I blogged was in July 20, that's about 1 and a half months!
Going to the airport in 6 hours and 30 minutes, then we head to Dubai, and then Paris! I'm not feeling particularly excited about France, since it's a school trip, and apparently, I've got no friends whatsoever. Ain't gonna be fun. The only things I'm looking forward to is the long plane rides (7 and a half to Dubai, another 7 and a half from Dubai to Paris!), sightseeing in Paris and Vichy, to places like Tour Eiffel (need I say more?), Le Louvre (home to the famous Mona Lisa!), Les Catacombes (underground, with tons of skeletons), visiting Thiers & Lyon during our stay in Vichy, Champs Elysees, and of course, shopping!
Flying Emirates, in Terminal 1! Bummer, I'd hoped it was Terminal 3.
This is the full list of the itinerary of our 14 days in Paris & Vichy, France!
8 September
01.40: Departure time from airport
13.30 (France Time): Arrival in Paris
15:30: Arrival in BVJ, students accommodation.
19.00: Visit of BVJ surrounding area and dinner.
20.00: Free time in Louvre’s surrounding area.
22.00: BVJ’s curfew. Students have to be back in their accommodation before 22.00 (you'll be locked out after 10PM if you're not back in the dorms! Harsh)
In case you were wondering, BVJ stands for Bureau Voyage Jeunesse (translation - Office Travels Youth?!). It had some pretty bad reviews... so I'm not particularly looking forward to stay here, not one bit! The only good thing about it is its prime location (5 mins/2 blocks away from Le Louvre, and other major destination spots!) and the Internet access!
Here are some of the negative reviews it got...
"The rooms are somewhat dark and lack ventilation, which is especially noticeable after someone showers. Showers and sinks are in the rooms, though both are push button, which proves annoying when it takes a long time for hot water to run. There is no closet, not even any hooks or rods to hang towels are so towels remain wet."
- Review by TheHostelz.com
"...no lift and a spiral stair... no closet, no table / chairs, no bathroom. Only the 3 loft beds (without ladders or rails, only a stool to climb up) and a washbowl with a mirror. And snot everywhere on the walls and on the ceiling."
- Review by S, Germany
"... no toilet paper ANYWHERE! Internet kiosks stole my money as did the 200 year old lockers. the top bunks have no ladders and no rails, but sink in the middle so you don't fall out. The showers don't stay on. The breakfast ran out of muesli most mornings and the lady yell at you for not returning the tray, but then have to wipe the table cause the coffee/hot chocolate is served in bowels."
- Review by Anonymous, NZ
9 September
07:15-08.15: Students have breakfast at BVJ.
09.30: Paris Bus Tour (Champ de Mars, le Louvre, Tour Eiffel, Arce de Triomphe, Nothre Dame, Orsay, les Champs Elysées, Opera, Grand palais) + Visit of the surrounding areas
11:30: Lunch
12:30: Eiffel Tower Visit
14.00: Visit of the surrounding area (Trocadero, Champs de Mars, Esplanade des Invalides)+ Bus Tour (free)
19.00: Dinner around BVJ
22.00: BVJ’s curfew. Students have to be back in their accommodation before 22.00
10 September
07:15-08.15: Students have breakfast at BVJ.
09.30: Paris Bus Tour (Champ de Mars, Le Louvre, Tour Eiffel, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Orsay, Les Champs Elysées, Opera, Grand Palais) + Visit of the surrounding areas (what?!! TWO SIMILAR bus tours two days in a row? Really, it's an utter waste of time...)
12.00: Lunch
13.30: Visit of the surrounding areas: Palais Royal, Tuileries, Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde
15.30: Le Louvre Museum Visit
19.30 : Dinner
22.00: BVJ’s curfew. Students have to be back in their accommodation before 22.00
11 September
07:15-08.15: Students have breakfast at BVJ.
09.15-12.30: Paris River Cruise
12.30-14.00: Parc de la Vilette Visit
16.00: BVJ to get students luggage.
18.01: High-speed train to Vichy
20.51: Dinner in the train. Arrival in Vichy. Host families are waiting at the railway station. (There are many instances in Vichy where our host families will have to pick us up from a certain spot to bring us home. What if they forget?!)
12 September
08.00: Language Placement test (oh crap. I'll surely be placed in the beginner's class!)
10.30-12.00: Language Class
12.00: Lunch (Geez, 2 hour lunch break?!)
14.00-15.30: Language Class
16.00-18.00: Vichy historical visit
19.00: Dinner and time with host families
13 September
08.45-12.00: Language Class
12.00: Lunch
14.00-15.30: Language Class
15.30-18.00: Free time (visit of the surrounding areas)
18.00-19.00: Sport (Umm... I hope this isn't compulsory!)
19.00: Dinner and time with host families
20.30-22.00: French Movie Screening
14 September
08.45-12.00: Language Class
12.00: Lunch
13.30-19.30: Visit of Thiers, charming French city and capital of the prestigious cutlery-making industry in France. (Looking forward to this!)
20.00: Dinner and time with host families
15 September
08.45-12.00: Language Class
12.00: Lunch
14.00-15.30: Language Class
17.00-18.30: local Delicacies tasting
19.00: Dinner and time with host families
20.30-22.00: French Movie Screening (Another French movie? I hope they are good Cannes Film Festival types of movies!)
16 September
08.45-12.00: Language Class (Last day of classes! Hallelujah!)
12.00: Lunch
14.00-15.30: Language Class
17.00-19.00: Sport
21.30-00.30: Dance Party (Not compulsory) (Thank goodness. I'm not going, no questions asked!)
17 September
7.30-20.30: Field Trip to Lyon (Looking forward to this one as well!)
18 September
9.00-20.00: Field Trip to the Auvergne Volcanic Regional Nature park (Ditto! This is the largest regional nature park in France!)
19 September
07.00-08.00: Last breakfast with host families
10.58-13.52: High Speed train from Vichy to Paris.
15.00: Check-in at BVJ. (Damn.)
16.00: Visit of Centre Pompidou-National Modern Art Museum
19.00: Dinner
20.00: Visit of Champs Elysées at night (It'd be cool to see the place at night! I predict pretty lights!)
22.00: BVJ’s curfew. Students have to be back in their accommodation before 22.00
20 September
07:15-08.15: Students have breakfast at BVJ.
09.00-20.00: Visit of Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur, Historical Walk, Food Market Rue Mouffetard
22.00: BVJ’s curfew. Students have to be back in their accommodation before 22.00
21 September
07:15-08.15: Students have breakfast at BVJ. (Final breakfast! Yee-ha!)
09.00: BVJ check-out. Luggage will be kept safely there.
09.00: Visit of Galerie La Fayette (genuinely can't wait to visit this shopping centre!)
12.00: Lunch
13.00: Free time (spent shopping, I hope!)
15.30: Departure for the airport (Counting the days till it comes time for this...)
21.50: Flight Departure
22 September
20.55: Arrival (Home Sweet Home!)
We'll be staying in a host family's home each! Mine are Monsieur Bouguerre & Mademoiselle Bouguerre! I love their last name! The man's 59, while the woman's 66! They have a dog (yay! Just hope it's not the fierce, unfriendly sorts) and two daughters who are no longer staying with them, so I won't meet them.
On Sunday, when we went to Suntec for the Comez exhibition, we came across a souvenir store (items are not of exceptional quality...) and I found a fridge magnet with places of interests of the country, and some fruit forks (is that what they're called? - they have 2 prongs!). Then, just yesterday, my mother came home with a nicely wrapped package for the host fam as well! She bought this aluminium ornamental plate display costing 40 bucks! Crazy expensive! I just hope they like it.
And together with the package, my mother brought home the Abbey Dawn clothes I ordered online! ;D This is the shirt I ordered... It cost $24.99 USD! I ordered 'S' but it still looks awfully big. Damnnn.
Elaine's hoodie from Abbey Dawn also came through! I had to run down to pass it to her where she was waiting in a taxi in the midst of mapling. Died, disconnected, and didn't get the EXP. Geek talk ends here, don't fret.
She passed me stickers she bought in Daiso in return! ;D
I just finished downloading A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song, starring Lucy Hale! I recently began watching Pretty Little Liars, and she's awesome as Aria! I also enjoyed watching her as Justin's goth girlfriend in Wizards of Waverly Place Season 1! She has a pretty good voice. Check out the movie's music video, with her single 'Run This Town'!
Anyway, that's enough blogging for now. I shall blog all about France when I return, my non-existent readers! I shall leave with some really random pics...
Two baby heads I found in a shopping mall, selling children's clothing.
This is HILARIOUS. And totally accurate. You'd only understand this if you play The Sims...
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