Photos of Cergy Pontoise

Cergy -Pontoise (PARIS)

Wow ! we made it to Paris. We got off the plane vitually last only to find the french police at the end of the plane walkway stopping everyone to look at passports. After we got let through we then went to passport control and the french police stamped our passports again. We got our bags and walked past Customs who didn't even blink an eye at anyone on the plane. Really Weird compared to the barriers we have here in Australia. We eventually found our counter to collect our new car. The transfer turned up and we headed to another part of the Charles De Gaulle airport and their was our Peugeot 308 wagon with GPS -brand new car waiting for us with the red tourist number plates. the lovely man helped us with the GPS and to get it to talk ENGLISH . Grahame got in and we were off on the RIGHT HAND SIDE of the Road. We took off and got diesel near Terminal 1 and then headed to CErgy about 15 minutes away. There are 4 lanes on either side of the freeway. Its amazing . Keep to the right Graahme was said quite a few times. Right hand lane was the slower lane. Our Accommodation at Cergy is lovely 2 bed apartment. Cergy has a huge University here. Lots of young students staying here .

We got on a flight to Paris ek075

Well ! After waiting since 721am at Dubai airport we got a flight ! We chased this flight at 11am and received our baggage tickets and held out till 2pm to confirm we got the boarding pass ! By the way the cost was A$ 1200 - ouch ! Travel insurance claim is being generated . The boys occupied themselves by using the cars they got from burger king and flying them on the floor of the waitng/check in area till 2pm . We are on the Boeing 777 again . Both boys are disappointed that we missed our first flight which was the A380 ! Grahame and I got more nice things in duty free for later . We are due into Paris 8pm their time . All we have to do now is prey that we can collect our car from Peugeot at the airport ! Lots of french speaking people on this flight . Merci we say thank you - oui we say yes - non we say no ! Pa le Vou anglais ? - do you speak English - we will say a lot .... Stage 2 Europe here we come Finally !!!!!! Yeah!!!!

How long have we been here ????

Well what an interesting morning it has been . Kieran and Tristan have discovered how to spend cash at burger king and gold stone Icecreamery . This airport at Dubai is huge . We are patiently sitting outside check in A40 which is the wait list counter . We have our bags tagged for the 3pm flight . It's midday here and at 2 pm we will know if we can get on the flight . Well filling you in the floors are sparkling ,seats galore that don't look thAt comfortable to sleep overnight ??? Different nationalities if people here arriving and passing by us . High and higher heels are in and it beats me how they walk on the polished floor , everyone is really friendly here as well . Currently the boys are playing their phone . Grahame is trying to Skype and I'm blogging ... Not bad for the last 5 hours . Anyway enjoy your evening to all . Hopefully when you wake up we should be in Paris ! Fingers crossed !

Waiting waiting !

Monday 28th May

Oooops our transfer didn't collect us . Stuck at Dubai international Airport hoping to get on the next direct ek flight to Cdg at 3pm . We are on the standby list and should know at 11 am if we are on ! Help us find some Aussie humor please ....😝😝😝😝 boys are happily eating burger king for brekkyat 830 am

Desert Safari Sunday 27th May

Our Sunday was a quiet day . The boys swam in the hotel pool . We were picked up at our hotel in Dubai for the desert safari at 330pm . We drove out towards Oman for 100 kms and stopped by a shop for icecream . Whilst there about 100 4WD turned up and parked . Tyres were let down and we headed off for a few kilometers before we headed into the sand ! Amazing amazing said both the boys as we went up and down the sand hills ! The driver spun the car down the sand hill and sand spun onto the windscreen and side windows . Kieran and Tristan were laughing and saying faster faster please ! Amazing sight 100 cars going over sand dunes in rows driving crazily . Our photos won't really show just how close they were to each other ! Kieran and Tristan ran down the sand dune that we stopped on only realizing that they had to get back up the top again . Eventually we found the tarred road and we headed to a camel pen on a property . They stunk ! Off again we headed over the dunes as the sun is setting at 630 pm to our destination camp for dinner and belly dancing. There are sand motor racing on quad bikes , henna artists and shops . We even could drink an alcoholic beverage here ! It's 40 deg today on the sand according to the car. As we got out for dinner the car said 37 deg

Desert Safari part 2 / Henna artist

The boys found the henna artist and they got scorpions on them . You have to let the henna dry and it peels off . Then you are left with a pattern on your skin . Boys are excited ! ! We had appetizers of chicken wrap Lebanese type picked vegetables and kofta ! Then the dancing began 💃👯

Desert safari - the belly dancer

Will what a night . Still haven't started a main course and the belly dancer came out . A beautiful yellow and green sparkled skirts and brasserie. Grahame was in heaven .. The belly dancer picked him for some fun with her cane ...she also picked a few Indian men who were rather rude ! Kieran almost fell of the side of the padded dancing area laughing at his father 🐫🐫🐫🐫🐫🐫🐫

We are doing our travel diary for school

Saturday 26th may

Had a great morning . We went to the mall of the Emirates again and headed to ski Dubai ! We got the super pass which included ski tubing giant ball tobogganing and chair lift rides . Grahame did skiing as well down the slopes . We played in the snow for four hours . It was minus 3 degrees Celsius . We had our ski suits on shoes and gloves . We had hot chocolate at tge middle chairlift tower and we also tubed down the mountain from there . After ski Dubai we went shopping and had coffee at borders books and lunch . Last night we went to Indian and swam in the sea with our friends Samantha Steven catrin and Thomas at jumeira beach . Everything opens here at 10am and goes till late around midnight .

last day in Dubai

We are off to do a desert safari at 3pm today. 4wd driving markets and dinner and belly dancing !!! Can't wait to see a sand desert . We have had sand haze here over the days we have been here. The sun is eerie in the sky. Boys are tired and having a ball. The whaling for prayers in the shopping centre is amazing as well as the diversity of countries and people here.  We would love to come back. If any one goes , you really need more than 3 days here. So much to see and do !!! Shops open at 10am and go past midnight . Anyway - thinking of our friends and family. More photos to come once we make Paris. We are already staying an extra 2 days in Paris as we are meeting up with Rhonda and Ally Thornley there.
Kieran is keen to see the louvre. I almost fell off my chair !!! Must be Mrs Lakiss' art classes at school !

Ski Dubai Photos

Square donuts in Dubai

Just having coffee and donuts in borders books at the emirates mall after a great morning skiing at ski Dubai . Photos to follow later

On the plane !

So what a trip just an amazing flight . We went over burwood over the blue mountains to Adelaide and veered over the great Australian bight towards kalgoorlie in western Australia and headed north over meerkatharra in the wheat belt of western Australia and over exmouth on the WA coast ( ningaloo reef) . Boys have been enjoying endless Simpsons cartoons and I've gone back to my childhood in the 1970's watching the muppets movie !!!!

We are on the plane

777 Boeing from Sydney