Raghunath’s French Flight- A Thrillophilia Trip Review
They say childhood desires are seldom forgotten….but it worked out a bit differently for me- I not just remembered my dream, but also lived it.
Last year when I got the chance to fulfil my dream, I did not let it slip away from my hands…
I waited at the airport for 3 hours with my wife to catch the flight, and it was the best decision I had made that year.
We had booked the entire trip from Thrillophilia, customising it to include a private tour of two days in the beginning. It was to celebrate this little win together with my wife- we landed at Nice airport, from which we were transferred to Monte Carlo in Monaco. It is a marvellous city I must admit, with yachts lining up the harbours and glistening buildings stacked up against the hills, and the glamour of Monte Carlo Casino was worth witnessing.
The entire ambience was so laid back and comfortable that we did not want to leave the place anytime soon. But we knew that we had to, as we already had a trip booked with Thrillophilia- we had France to cover!
We spent 4 days travelling with a group of 40 people along the French Riviera. The French countryside, in their language, was ‘trop beau’! We could not take our eyes off the stretches of grasslands along the shores of the turquoise ocean, with a few houses with red tiles scattered here and there. Some of the houses even had smoke come out of their chimney, so my wife and I wondered what they might be cooking!
Another striking aspect of the French Riviera tour was witnessing the mediaeval towns come alive from the history books…we really felt as if we had been transported back in time, the only difference was no one was speaking old English there. The narrow streets with centuries-old stores and houses, with pretty street lamps lighting up the path, all created a scenery that I can still visualise vividly.
We also went to Arles, the place where Van Gogh painted his famous painting of ‘The Starry Night’. It was a mesmerising event, when we entered the apartment where he lived, I felt as if I had entered a very sacred place. It was heart-warming, to look out from the windows that once inspired him to paint this Magnum Opus.
Along the way, we also made a few friends, not just from France but also from England and Australia…the group of 40 was unimaginably diverse, which kind of enhanced our overall tour. The part that I was the most excited for was yet to come, and I could not hold my horses strongly enough, so the excitement kept on slipping out in the form of random ‘yayys’ and ‘wohooos’.
The Parisian Poise
I felt scared, almost vulnerable when I stepped on the soil of Paris for the first time. It had been my dream for so long that I never foresaw how it would feel to turn it into reality. Just before this day, Paris was still an ‘upcoming’ place, but now that I had arrived there, I did not know what to expect!
I had a long list of things to do and places to visit in Paris, but it all seemed very dreamy and distant…it was my wife who pulled me back to reality and gave me the confidence to hold my head high and live my dream as I own it.
I did own it. It was my dream. And now that I was in Paris, there was no holding me back.
So, I headed straight to the Eiffel Tower, one of the 8 wonders of the world. It was a day at leisure and we had full freedom to go wherever we wanted. So, for dinner, we went to this very pretty cafe at the bank of the Seine and treated our bellies with a croissant and Ratatouille, followed by a big cup of hot chocolate.
The rest of the trip was a tour of the past, present, and all the possibilities in between. The growth of the city has been something to savour, there were majestic mediaeval-era buildings and those built from the 9th century till date. We were not just intrigued, but also impressed. There was a certain charm to the city, it reflected an essence of love and war. The blend was a very romantic one, as my wife would agree to as well.
Speaking of romance, our Seine River cruise was something to cherish…we toured the course of the river sipping on champagne and spending some amazing moments in the golden glow of the sunset. It was a memorable experience, and to witness it all with my wife, it was the best way to live this Parisian dream.
The Notre Dame Cathedral stole our hearts, and the Arc De Triomphe- magnificent. There was another experience that is noteworthy, and a very unique one in itself.
The Moulin Rouge Show. the colours, the costumes, the ambience, the vibes, the music - me and my wife both just fell in love with the spectacle.
My heart goes out to the Paris air, it was truly astounding. And special thanks to Thrillophilia for making this happen. I will forever be grateful for all your efforts in offering me an experience that I longed to have all my life!
Read More: Thrillophilia France Reviews