Firstly, an outline on last nights birthday bash - dinner in a restaurant up the Eiffel Tower, they were seated with other couple and from all places in the world, Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula! Then a river Seine cruise before their real highlight a cabaret show, Moulin Rouge. It was reported that a jaw dropping two hours of amazing dancing, costumes (or lack there of) and death defying acts was had, nice for Kathy to be able to recount the time she celebrated a birthday in a special place and an event I think they will store in their minds filing cabinet for many a day. Believe home time was around the three bell mark. Unfortunately no dispensation can be given this morning as all up and down the stairs and at em by 9.30am.

Guess what, rain . This is our first encounter with persistent precipitation which basically does not give us a break at all and of all days. We are to tackle on foot many a distance but we are now conditioned seasoned campaigners, we understand that if you don't do you don't see so regardless of weather what has to be done has to be done. The Don was a little keen to pack it in but the majority rules so he / we soldier on.

We walk the Champs Élysées from the Tuileries Gardens right up to the Arc de Triomphe and then back down the other side, naturally the noteworthy aspects were the actual boulevard, the many shops - this pleased the girls more so than the lads, we have decided that at all entrances to frock shops it should be MANdatory for a park bench with a few mags and beverages to be made available.

The Arc looms large, the anticipation intensifies at each block nearer. As do the crowds. This like most statement structures loom large, and best when standing under / along side as the sheer power and domination dwarf you and all else around . Plonk it in the middle of an enormous traffic roundabout with fourteen busy roads meeting, makes for a frantic yet totally unique atmosphere.

Next on the list is to tick off an area not far from the Champs, a speciality food district near the Operatic district. Lost again, turn a turn ask for further directions get lost gain, discover something new. We turned a corner and were confronted with the local police, the gendarmes, the undercover police and every other French security force - we have stumbled across the French presidential residence, not sure the best description of an entire block. Surrounding this are all the miscellaneous accompaniments of embassies etc but not the place to joke around as people with big guns and many of them in them these parts.

Arrive, part drowned rats part sorry soles, dry off and then whet the whistle with warming teas and coffees and an array of overworked and over the top pastries and cakes. The place is called Fauchon in the Place de la Madeleine ( for the foodies have a look at it on line), perhaps a little Foie Gras de Cunnard with truffle @ close to 500 euro a kg. Wet weather gear back on we head for the icon of Paris, at least it is not raining in the underground train subways.

Now around the six bell mark, join the other idiots in the rain in the queue, the signs say that there is a delay of at least 45 minutes, one in our group has a deal of trepidation but her fear needs to be mastered. We make it to the top on a day that one can not see past your nose, plus a tad on the coolish side. Well done all, especially M-L, the pics are real keepsakes.

Dry off and warm up a little over dinner close by then back to watch the 10.00 pm light show, we also witnessed a guy right in front of us go down on one knee (in the mud) and propose to his girlfriend and now fiancée. The light show in the mist was surreal and one not forgotten, me a bit same same - only kidding. Hit the subway for home base, we see across on the other platform a group of girls all dressed up for a masquerade ball. I yell out hey girls give us a wave and they do. The next thing M-L strikes up a conversation across the train lines, then one of them says - are you Australians, yes. They then say that they are all Aussies as well all studying here in Paris, just everywhere.

Home all ready for the sack, see the harder you work the more you get out of it. Paris done.