One Day – Day 9 of 30 Days of Indie Travel Project
During this entire month of November Bootsnall is inviting bloggers from around the world to participate in 30 Days of Indie Travel : a daily blogging effort to look back on our past travel experiences. I am a bit behind in my efforts but Bootsnall invites everyone to participate in any amount they can. Here is my belated contribution…
If your tour guide totes a long stick with streamers in the colors of the French flag and speaks at you through a microphone transmitted to a speaker in your ear: it’s going to be a run of- the- mill travel day. On the other hand, if Christophe, a former pharmaceutical executive-turned fine art dealer (who knows Paris like the back of his hand), invites you for a spin around the City of Lights on the back of his motorbike: you’re about to have one of the best travel days of your life!
For the record let me say that weaving in and out of traffic on the streets of Paris is definitely not for the faint of heart. Caught off-guard by the unfathomable opportunity presented to me, I jumped at this once-in-a-lifetime offer before really thinking it through. Throwing caution to the wind, I chose to worry about the implications of my decision later. Hey, if things go badly, it would be a chance for me to experience the renowned French healthcare system firsthand.
I gripped the back handles of the bike tightly and attempted to relax as we zigzagged
around gridlocked cars and stylishly-dressed pedestrians, ricocheting precariously into the roundabout encircling the Arc de Triomphe (which Christophe claims is the most dangerous place in Paris). We reached the Champs-Élysées alive and cruised down this legendary boulevard towards a day I will never forget. October 6, 2011: My best travel day ever!.
Photographs by Manuela Calvet and Toni DeBella
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Arghhh how brave you are, I’d love to do this one day. One of my resolutions is to ride a vespa with style. Brava to see you’ve joined the fray at 30 days of indie!!! Loved your post
ciao lisa
Lisa!!! What are you doing awake at this hour…thank you. I have been so busy and I couldn’t get to it, but I guess it’s better late than never. Loved yours too and linked it at the bottom. Touching and your photos so sweet. Baci. Toni
Sounds like a lot of fun! I believe I would probably panic, but afterwards have felt that it had been an ultimate adventure.
You are right Cathy, the adrenaline was pumping, but it was all work it. I saw more of Paris in one day than most could see in a week. I am a lucky girl. thanks for writing. Ciao. Toni
What fun, Toni! I jumped on the back of a motorcycle in the Puglia region of Italy and was driven from my hotel to the restaurant selected by our cycling guide on a biking trip in 2005. Michael was a little surprised when I arrived on the back of a bike but hey, girl, you only live once!:)
Carol,
You are correct….life is short and so we have to take advantage of the adventures presented to us!! Brava to you too!! Let us keep the adventures coming. Kisses. Toni
🙂 Our french Clooney “Christophe” don’t want his picture on FaceBook, i’m surprise to see his picture here 😉
JC, If you think he would not like it I can remove the photo?? What do you think. (Your english is very good, but of course I am not sure of your French). 🙂
toni