Bye bye Burgundy. Friday 7th August 2009.

It is with sadness in my heart that I leave Burgundy. We have all made happy memories here, meeting new friends and making new family memories of moments we will all treasure forever.

Moving days are always tiring, it is a big job to pack, clean and get organised to move onto the next exchange and today was no different. I don't know how we manage to fit all of our stuff into our three suitcases, but somehow the zips always come together, even if a little strained.

Annie came, on time to the minute, to take us to the train station, she is such a sweetie. As we were unpacking our bags at the front of the station, Pauline appeared to give us a hug and a kiss and send us on our way. Pauline had only just returned from staying in our place with her family and just loved our home and the things she experienced in Australia. Then, Isabelle was there with a message for AJ from Jeremy who is staying at his Dad's place and could not catch up with AJ this week. The tears welled in my eyes as we said goodbye, Burgundy and its people will always hold a special place in my heart.

So, Paris here we come. The train ride took just over two hours, AJ and I were in a silly mood and annoyed JR for most of the way.

Our new apartment where we will live for the next 21 days is gorgeous. It is style, style, style all the way. The walls are hung with Warhol, and at long last I have decent knives to use, Porsche design no less. We are a 2 min walk from the subway, 10 mins to Place de la Madeline and a little less to the Louvre. You just gotta love this home exchange deal. The family in our home have arrived safely too and they have commented on how huge our place is. The apartment is small for us but that makes it no less wonderful, just different. As they don't own a car and will be driving ours while in Brissy, they have bought us three passes to cover all our train, bus and tram transport while in Paris.

AJ set tonight's itinerary and chose an amazing Italian restaurant in St. Germain. It was mind blowingly good. Everything was made in house, the raspberry tiramisu was heaven sent and made with the plumpest fresh raspberries God ever made. My tortellini was filled with spinach and swam in a rich gorgonzola sauce - loved every creamy, calorie laden mouthful too. The whole place was spot on from go to woe, couldn't fault a thing except for a loud American on his fifth visit to Paris complaining they still couldn't get his coffee right. You would think after five visits he would have learned to sit back and feel the love.

On AJ's agenda next was a night time stroll up and back along the Champs Elysees, the guy's got taste. What fun we had. AJ was car spotting and I think managed to see almost one of every dream car he had ever heard of. He and JR snapped photos and drooled curbside more often than not. Every step we took brought us closer to the Arc de Triomphe, we had never seen it at night before and it was beautiful.

The Champs Elysees was alive with people and it was magical and exciting to be back in a big city again after our time in the country. We got home late to our little apartment, the party upstairs was in full swing but we were not and were in bed before you could yell, 'turn that music down and would you mind taking off your high-heels so we can get some sleep down here!'