Je parti Paris; je vol à Chine.

I've been back home for just over one week now and although I have actually posted twice since then, I've only just realised that I should probably post about my last few days in Paris before coming home!

On the Tuesday of my last week, I had to wait in all day, because I elected to send two suitcases home by way of www.sendmybag.com ... I'd recommend this company, if you're ever in a similar situation. It wasn't expensive, and my bags beat me home, so it was very convenient. Luckily, it was also a boiling hot day, and it wasn't really a hardship to stretch out on the balcony with a cocktail and an ice cream or two. 

I had thought that I would take the few days after that and cram them full of things, but I actually found that I had done 98% of what I wanted to do already, and so I was free to chill a bit, which I needed more than I realised. This year has been exhausting!

I ran some errands - got my confirmation of departure form signed at Assas, closed my bank account and the like - but Wednesday consisted mainly of a long period sat in the sunshine in the Jardin du Luxembourg - again, no great hardship on my part!

Thursday - Parisa and I began cleaning our apartment from top to bottom in preparation from.moving out, and I went to Notre Dame one last time, mainly to light a candle for a recent family loss, but while I was there I finally stumbled across Kilometre Zero, which I had looked for and failed to find on every. single. prior visit, so that was an unexpected bonus.

Oh, and I finally got to see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night - cutting it mighty fine, I grant you, but at least I did it!

Then came Saturday morning. I headed for the airport bright and early, immensely thankful that the French Air Traffic Controllers strike was called off early, and feeling a little bit sorry for myself...

I mean this is ten months of my life we're talking about here! It went so fast, and although it was a real mountain at times, I made it to the top and I loved it. So yes, I was a little bit sorry to be leaving, although it was lovely to be back in Blighty with my family, and just in time for my younger brother's 17th birthday.

That's it! My year in Paris is up - but my year abroad isn't quite over yet! Before I will count myself as officially "ex-erasmus", I'm jetting off to Chengdu, in the Szechuan Province of China to spend a month there, working at a law firm during the week and exploring in my free time!

Now, the furthest east I have ever been before is probably Poland, so this should be a real experience...

I leave tomorrow (ahhhhhh!) so this will be my last post for July, but I'll resume posting in August to finish my year abroad blog off properly.

Vicky xx