The Eiffel Tower

We took the tourist bus around Paris and they give you little headphones to explain all the significant parts, in the breaks, when the bus is stopped, they play random music and it turns out Iain knows the words to some obscure song that was playing on the information bus.  The chorus seemed to be Chanseellleeesay, Chanselleesay….. then some other French words.  He had his earphones in, so had no idea how loud he actually is……  but it was funny, mainly because there is very little life and spontaneity in the French! 

Eventually we got off the bus at the Eiffle Tower and Alex, Jan and I decided to go to the top, while Cathy and Iain, who had been there before, had other plans.  We hoped in the line, only to have Iain run over and rescue us from the really long line, because “there was a shorter one over here!”  We were all pretty keen because it had gone from cold to freaken freezing in the space of about 30 minutes.  The short line was a better plan…..  until we found out that the short line circumvented the waiting for the lift by making you take the stairs!!!!!!!???????  We were in and so we started to climb…. and climb….and climb…. and climb …. and did I mention some climbing…???  We made our way up through the howling wind and ice and thin air, until we eventually got to the elevator point where you had to take that lift up (quietly….. thank GOD!!) so then we waited in this line that frankly New Zealanders would never be a part of (we do not have a stand in line mentality) so then, we waited and shuffled and (etc, etc) until we made our way, wet and cold to the lift.

Once in, with 67000 other people pressed in around you (actually the maximum was something like 42, but seriously! Do they need to be that close!!) we started up and that was all fine for the girl who doesn’t like heights, right up until we burst into open air with clear surrounds on the elevator for ….a …..long…..way ….up!!!!!  I leaned into Alex and said, “we go up, do the round and then- we are out of here, I hate this” and she was okay with that, good natured soul that she is.

Once at the top, I went to the toilet, right up there!  Imagine the suck when you flush!  Then made a fool out of myself by trying to open the door out, instead of in and being rescued by an American who simply pushed it for me!!  I think I was a bit ‘get me off this whim, hysterical’ by then but at least the others were ready to get off as soon as possible. 

Ick!  Not doing that again!  Damn that FOMO’s disease!

Having Hot Chocolateee while safely back on solid earth!