Try, Try, Again

I leave for Paris the day after tomorrow. I love the anticipation of travel, that fluttering in your stomach when you think of arriving at your destination. I've been to Paris on 2 previous occasions. Once in the 90's when I went on my first honeymoon and again about 6 years ago when I went with my son and parents. My first trip was exhausting, I arrived within hours of my wedding and was extremely sleep deprived. I didn't have a great impression of Paris during that trip. Maybe it was the physical state of exhaustion I was in or the rainy October weather but I left Paris with little desire to return. My 2nd trip was short but a completely different experience. We were based in London but took the train to Paris to spend a few days and enjoyed a leisurely stay. This trip to Paris I'm planning on experiencing all the delights of the city and the countryside from the local street markets to world class vineyards to meeting local people.

I consider my previous 2 visits to Paris as a warm up to this visit. I jammed the usual tourist stops into my trip but didn't experience life like a Parisian. One of my friends who is traveling with me speaks French and lived briefly in Paris a few year ago. I'm looking forward to seeing her Paris, the market stalls, picnics on the banks of the Seine, train trips to the country. We've rented a 2 bedroom flat in a non-tourist neighborhood and I'm looking forward to finding the local coffee shop, buying groceries, uncorking a bottle of wine, tossing my shoes at the front door and arranging fresh flowers on the table. I'm looking forward to just being there with my friends.

There are other places I've visited that I have little desire to return too (Italy, Hawaii) but as I'm learning 1 bad trip does not a lasting impression make. I'll try and blog from Paris. Au revoir!