Sunday 12^th August, 2018 Noon, Paris

I was exhausted when finally, after 28 hours, I got to the hotel. For 99 euro I had expected better than a bed and bathroom but under the shadow of the Eiffel tower for that price it is all you get. Great location though, Bistros, Chinese, Italian etc restaurants less than two minutes on foot.

It was late at night but I dumped my cling-filmed suitcase and went out for two quick beers before hitting the mattress. Worried (unnecessarily) in case I overslept the time to meet Alice at the airport, I set my phone alarm for 1100. Chinese time.

That meant I was rudely awoken at 0500 Paris time. Idiot. I tossed and turned until seven-thirty and gave up. No kettle in the room and a shower that was missing the fixture to hold the head on the support pole (bodged in true Chinese style by yours truly using a towel strategically stuffed underneath) I cleaned up and went to get hot water and pinch some coffee. God I felt dreadful. So at 1030 it was back to the Bistro Dupleix for some medicine until it was time to go back to the hotel and await the taxi.

He arrived a minute early and after waiting for twenty minutes at terminal 2G, Alice, Osama (seriously) and I were on our way “home”. He's charging me more than a random taxi I know but he's reliable and prompt so he is also booked to take us back to CDG on Tuesday.

Back to Le Dupleix. I'd been in Paris 22 hours by then and eaten nothing. Alice had what appeared a lovely steak but in the land of bread and cheese I felt it a crime not to have some with vin rouge to wash it down. A few nibbles of cheese and a solitary slice of baguette and I was full. Just as well, for when my sister finally rolled up at 2245 (she bussed from the airport) there was some food for her to eat. I was in contact with her on Facebook but shortly before she arrived there was a short power cut so I lost connection. I went to the loo and when I came out a minute later she was sitting with Alice! Neither had any idea what the other looked like yet they both knew!

It was around 0200 when we went to bed, by which time I was as tired as a newt. At 0855 Alice, trying to be quiet in the Chinese way, managed to wake me anyway. Jeez, did I feel rough! Lack of sleep more than anything but I knew she would want petit dejeuner L'Anglais and the clock was ticking.

She and my sister breakfasted, I had a white beer. Then I got rid of them and they are away seeing the Tower, Arc De T, Notre Dame etc and shortly I will go back to the hotel and an afternoon kip. What am I seeing of Paris? Bugger all, however the trip is really about Alice rather than me. Young legs, naive and inexperienced mind – it would be a crime to make her sit with me bored to tears – thank God for my younger sister.

I might recover by the time we get to Athens......