Walking around the streets early in the morning (ie after 7am and before 10am), you would be forgiven for thinking Paris to be a very quiet city. Very few people are out and about above ground – the majority of people who are up are on the many kilometres of lines for the metro deep below the city.

Paris is a mixture of beauty and filth. Rubbish, cigarette butts and dog poo are scattered across the footpaths beneath mostly beautiful buildings. You need to be very careful when walking. Michael reckons he has “shitlexia” which is a medical condition which has you fail to spot any dog shit on the footpath.

I was glad I bought my backpack rather than a suitcase as the walk to the Gare du Nord this morning was not too difficult. I knew I did not want to go via the metro as the stairs kill me even without my 12kg of luggage fixed to my back. My calves are aching.

Orly Airport was quite big and the train to get there was very efficient. We actually arrived about an hour earlier than we needed to be there.

I discovered a rookie mistake I made with this flight booking with Air France to Bordeaux. We had to pay €30 for each piece of our checked luggage (instead of €15 had I done this online). Never mind!

Arriving in Bordeaux on a Sunday afternoon was interesting. Loads of families out enjoying the sun and open air markets. We caught the bus from the airport and then the tram. Only cost us €1.40 each. Very cheap. Loads of people and one very large dog. You need to look at the photo closely and look at what all the people are staring at.

We are staying very close to the Gare Saint Jean in Bordeaux as we leave from here early tomorrow morning to go to Bergerac where we pick up our hire car to get to our house sitting assignment at Melinda’s place. We are looking forward to meeting her and her two dogs Lola and Fizz. We will have ten days at her home.

We have been to Bordeaux before for two days. It is very different to Paris.

This city has brilliant transport – this is one of the city trams wizzing past Michael on our way back to our hotel with a bottle of Bordeaux for us to try.

We are heading out for dinner later for Moules and Frites (mussels and chips) which are very popular in this part of France.