My trip to Europe

[Admin]

G'Day

 

I haven't started on the aviation side of my trip just yet but I thought I would share some photoes of today's sight seeing of Paris.

 

Will be going on the very fast train tomorrow to Italy where the aviation side of things start.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Very nice photos Ian, keep them coming.

 

 

[Guest David C]

Ah ... One of my favourite cities , after Sydney of course .... Have a great time , enjoy and cherish the experience . And what about that weather !! ... See it's not all dull and dreary in Europe after all ..Have fun .

 

Dave C

 

 

[Guest munch]

Love those photo's Ian, how good is that weather ? Makes me want to go back there. Looking very much forward to your next instalment. ;)

 

 

[Admin]

Fast Trains

 

Here are some pictures of the fast trains that are used in France - boy are they fast - who needs to fly when you are cruising in first class in one of these

 

 

 

 

 

[Admin]

To get these great aviation bargains you have to go deep into the suburbs to find them - here is a picture outside the window of my hotel in Italy - mind you I changed hotels after this - the better hotel even had a Biddau (???spelling) - boy that gives you a thrill but wasn't sure which way to sit on the darn thing :confused:

 

I have stayed in many hotels throughout France and Italy and I can say two things - the rooms are tiny and there isn't any tea/coffee in them

 

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Opps should have told you about the majority of motels in Italy. Better to find a B&B if you are going to spend several days. if you ask for an 'americano' you will get a coffee close to what you are used to. it comes in kit form.

 

ozzzie

 

 

[slartibartfast]

You silly man Ian. The bidet is not for sitting on. It's for drinking out of.

 

Damn Tourists.

 

 

[Flyer]

You silly man Ian. The bidet is not for sitting on. It's for drinking out of.Damn Tourists.

You'se one sik dude slarti....:yuk::yuk:

 

Just ignore him Ian....he's just jealous.

 

 

[Geoff]

He is not the only one ..........Jealous that is:angry:

 

 

[hihosland]

You silly man Ian. The bidet is not for sitting on. It's for drinking out of.Damn Tourists.

you mean its not for keeping the beer cold?

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

Country Bumpkins

 

You silly man Ian. The bidet is not for sitting on. It's for drinking out of.Damn Tourists.

Youse all country bumpkins. Everyone knows that bidets are for washing your socks in.

 

Bloody uncultured mob :)

 

Yours in culture

 

Mike

 

 

[BigPete]

That's exacltly right ;)- and we don't ave them in this country because you don't wear bloody socks with our national footwear - thongs.

 

(Although I have seen people wear sandles and socks.....)

 

Why is it when I'm surrounded by idiots - I feel so at home?

 

egads

 

 

[Admin]

- good ones about the Bidet - so I take it that when I used it to wash my hair I wasn't using it properly - but I tell you what, I must get one of those for home because they will make washing my daughter's long hair a lot easier ;)

 

Here are some photos of a little airstrip in above Torino in Italy. It took a while but I was driven there by the Millennium Team owner's wife and I was advised that whilst all the testing of the Master is being done in secrecy, I am the only person outside of this small airstrip to witness some of the testing - the Italy/France border is only 80km away and there are huge mountains there to create many variable wind conditions including the freezing cold as they are covered in snow. The testing was better trim and backseat weight with sand bags as being a prototype it isn't allowed to carry a passenger.

 

You gotta love these Italians - they were so friendly, happy and keep giving you cafe (coffee - in a 2" cup that you would swear you were drinking liquid tar).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Admin]

Here are some more - including the instructor/owner of the airfield, Ricardo - a very funny and excitable man, always on the go and a long flying history. he flew in the display team and even flew Morrison from the Doors around. There were many aircraft that we all know there coming and going.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Admin]

I have just come back from seeing another aircraft manufacturer here in France and it was interesting to see the production process - I felt like I was building a kit.

 

Going back to Paris tomorrow and will probably spend Friday at Disneyland - hey, what else is there to do in Paree other then look at the girls - I swear there must be 3 girls to evey male there (hi dear, I love you if you are reading this and yes I have behaved myself ;)).

 

On Saturday morning I will be going over to England to the UK sports aircraft show that is being held in Birmingham on this Sat/Sun - will be interesting.

 

 

[Guest pelorus32]

I love those Italian airstrips. There are apparently about 950 airstrips of that sort scattered throughout Italy. When I flew there last year I could believe that - you could often see 2 or 3 at any one time. They are also such passionate aviators.

 

Have fun Ian.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

WAH. I want to go back.

 

 

[Ultralights]

you should have sold tickets to tag along with you!

 

ohh, a savannah, i still have that aircraft on top of my list due to buy in late feb, once contracts are signed! and a set of floats for it already sourced :)

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Nice pice Ian. Thanks. ;)

 

 

[Admin]

Back in Paris now - darn train strike still on and been going for over a week now. I tried to get a train to Paris yesterday but couldn't, there was only one today and when I tried to reserve my first class seat they said they were not taking reservations as it was the only one going from Dijon to Paris - visions came to my head of those trains in India with people hanging out the doors and windoes plus people clinging to the carriage roofs - aaarrrrrrrghh.

 

Had to sit on the floor so for a couple of hours I sat there with my trusty IPAQ playing solitair - I would be lost without it now having the experience of sitting at a railway station for upto 6 hours - couldn't walk around much with my baggage in tow.

 

Went out to dinner tonight - down on the corner was a japanese restuarant - hey when in France eat Japanese because let's face it, if you walked down your local shops how many Aussie resturants do you see so I thought it was only fitting.

 

Was planning to go to Disneyland tomorrow but as it 50kms out of Paris and no public transport it looks like just a local walk around the area tomorrow before I head over to England.

 

Sorry to say but I think I have come to the conclusion that the French can have Paris

 

 

[Guest David C]

On Saturday morning I will be going over to England to the UK sports aircraft show that is being held in Birmingham on this Sat/Sun - will be interesting.

Ah .... My home town . ;).. I guess the show will be held at the NEC . If you see this post and have time , try popping over to my home airfield , Wolverhampton Business Airport , about 20 Miles West of Birmingham . There is quite a collection of aircraft types there , including a dealership for the Icarus C42 . Have a great time .... ;)..

 

Dave C

 

 

[Admin]

I will try Dave!

 

Here are some more pictures - rather boring ones but anyway. One thing I really miss here is having coffee in the rooms - there isn't any and with the coffee amount that I drink I am always having to find some cafe here and there. I have had to up my hotel requirements as the cost of rooms is huge - these pictures show rooms at around the 115 Euro a night - thats about $190 a night.

 

The first ones are the train coming back from Italy at the French border.

 

The next ones are my room at Dijon and looking out the hotel window.

 

The final lot is my room now in Paris - looking out the window is just a wall plus have a look at the lift - they say it's a 3 person lift but I took up all the room with just myself and my suitcase.

 

After England this weekend I will be off to Germany for some meetings so I hope it is better there - raining today in Paris and the trains are still on strike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest High Plains Drifter]

Thought I was in a better homes and garden forum for a minute

 

Aircraft Ian... pictures of AIRCRAFT

 

HPD

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Ian, the French must be very small with lifts like that. Also, are they flogged airline safety cards in your suitcase???