KINGSMEAD COLLEGE TOUR TO FRANCE – APRIL 2013
10 APRIL D DAY!
After months & months of anticipation, D day has finally dawned and a group of very excited young ladies gathered at the International Departure Hall at OR Tambo International airport this afternoon. I have just spoken to Mrs Townsend who reports that check-in went smoothly and once through emigration, the girls (predictably) headed off to the duty free shops! They will all meet at the designated boarding gate at 18h00 and everyone is looking forward to flying on the magnificent A380, a veritable hotel in the sky! Arrival at Roissy Charles de Gaulle is scheduled for 06h00 tomorrow and I will update the site as soon as I have heard from the chaperones. I would like to share this lovely snippet from a letter received yesterday from one of the Kingsmead mums, as I am sure that there will be many who can identify with the vacillating emotions to which she refers! “After having looked forward to this event for so long, it feels unreal that the time to pack bags has finally come! After having organized numerous school tours, you are certainly very familiar with the feelings of parents who let a child go abroad on their own for the first time! Not to mention the feelings of the children – constantly changing between excitement and nervousness!! You are indeed rendering an invaluable service and we have no doubt that this will be an unforgettable and enriching experience for everyone”. Please rest assured that all arrangements are firmly in place and that the safety & security of your precious children is of paramount importance to the chaperones. I have no doubt that a wonderful tour awaits your daughters, filled with special memories and abundant blessings - ‘bon voyage’!
11 APRIL BIENVENUE A PARIS!
Bonjour! At 08h00 I received a message from Mrs Townsend saying "all are happily in the coach and we're on our way to the hotel. It's a lovely day, with no rain and everyone is in such high spirits - a very happy 16th birthday to Natalie Speed-Andrews"! Upon arrival at the hotel, everyone had a quick wash & change of clothes and then headed off for their first metro experience to the Champs Elysées, flanked by the magnificent Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde. Experienced chaperones know that there is nothing like retail therapy to allay any fatigue and all swarmed into Zara, Morgan, Virgin, Sephora with great delight! Thereafter they made their way to l’Ile de la Cité for a visit to Notre Dame and all were in awe of this magnificent cathedral. After a quick lunch – their first sample of delicious baguettes - a weary group returned to the hotel to settle in and unpack at leisure. In the late afternoon they set off to Montmartre, where they climbed the seemingly endless stairs to the impressive basilica of Sacré Coeur and thereafter they made their way to the Place du Tertre. At 3-course dinner has been organized at La Cremaillère, one of the most famous restaurants on the famous square and a special treat has been arranged for our birthday girl, Natalie! Everyone will undoubtedly enjoy a good night's sleep after an amazing 1st day in Paris!
12 APRIL EVERYONE LOVES PARIS!
What a difference a good night’s sleep makes! After a substantial breakfast, all hopped on the metro to the Musée du Louvre and everyone was so impressed with the grandeur of this former palace. Once divided into 2 groups, all donned headphones and appreciated the guide’s informative commentary as she used the latest ‘whisper system’ to communicate ~ it was such a wonderful experience! In the afternoon the group made their way to the Eiffel Tower, where the pre-paid tickets allowed immediate access and all looked on pitifully as unbelievably long queues formed! Thereafter they made their way to the ‘Bateaux Parisiens’, where all thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing cruise on the River Seine, with a really informative commentary. I am not sure where they have decided to dine tonight, but I suspect the Quartier Latin … i will update once I know!
13 APRIL DISNEYLAND PARIS!
The girls have really been looking forward to their day at Disneyland Paris and although still very cold, there was no rain predicted for the day! After breakfast they excitedly made their way to the RER station for their ‘external’ train ride to Marne la Vallée and with their entry tickets already in hand, all bounded through the gates for a fun-filled day! The chaperones have made the decision to leave around 17h00 and to spend the final evening on the Champs Elysées, where they will enjoy the lights and no doubt some last minute Paris shopping! A coach will collect the group at 09h00 tomorrow and they will make their way to Orly Airport where, at 12h20 they will board flight AF 6212 destined for Nice, Côte d’Azur ~ word has it that the sun is waiting there to greet them!
14 APRIL BIENVENUE A ANTIBES!
Whilst sad to say au revoir to Paris, everyone was really excited to commence the next phase of the tour! The group arrived at Orly Airport at 10h00 and once on the plane, all were able to relax and catch up on some much needed sleep en route to the Côte d’Azur. Here they were greeted with clear skies, sunshine, sparkling blue seas and Loic, their animateur from Le Centre International d’Antibes. After initial introductions and banter, everyone hopped on board the coach and made their way to the school, Le Château, where they enjoyed delicious baguettes on the terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea & the Alps. At 15h00 everyone departed for an orientation walking tour of the vieille ville ~ it was such a relaxing afternoon and the weather was truly magnificent! The girls have immediately fallen in love with this quaint town and all unanimously agreed that this was an exceptional part of the world. At 18h00 the host families arrived to collect their ‘children’ for the week – quite a daunting thought, but I have no doubt that everyone will thoroughly enjoy the experience ~ bonne nuit et bon séjour!
15 APRIL HAPPY FAMILIES!
The girls arrived bright-eyed at the school this morning, chatting excitedly about their various host families and all seemed to be very happy! Between 09h00 & 10h30 the students were assessed on their written & oral competence and after the tea break they were divided into groups and placed with other students of the same ability. After a delicious lunch prepared by Jean-Marie (the quintessential French chef!), all hopped on board the coach travelled to Grasse, which is dubbed the ‘balcony of Provence’ for its magnificent, panoramic views. It is also the home of French perfume and upon arrival at the Fragonard Parfumerie everyone had the opportunity to participate in a mini-workshop and create their very own fragrance! Thereafter they persuaded the driver to take them further afield to Gourdon, a perched hilltop village which was used for some scenes in Les Misérables! In the evening they enjoyed a soirée barbeque with other international students – what a lovely day!
16 APRIL BON ANNIVERSAIRE!
Happy birthday to Caitlyn Lattimer, Brianna Dennis ... et moi!! After their enjoyable & enriching language course this morning, all hopped on board the coach, very excited to be going to Monaco! They travelled along the ‘route du littoral’, the winding coastal road which boasts magnificent views. Upon arrival in Monaco, everyone was struck by the cleanliness & obvious wealth of this small Principality and with 1 policeman per every 60 tourists, no one even thinks of littering! All thoroughly enjoyed the ride on ‘le petit train’, which is a great tourist attraction and the informative commentary gives excellent global coverage as it travels through the streets of the F1 race track, passing in front of the world renowned Monte Carlo Casino. Thereafter Loic led the group to the Cathedral, where Prince Rainier and Princess Grace are laid to rest and at the Palace they all tried to catch a glimpse of our very own Charlene Whittstock – the Princess of Monaco! The girls then had a little free time to enjoy some Grand Prix souvenir shopping and a stroll through the beautiful exotic gardens of Princess Grace, before boarding their coach to return to Antibes. It was a very special day in this idyllic part of the world and what a wonderful birthday treat for Caitlyn and Brianna!
17 APRIL EXCURSION TO NICE!
The sun was shining this morning and all arrived at school in high spirits, looking forward once again to improving their spoken French with other international students. After a delicious lunch, they made their way to the train station for the afternoon excursion to Nice, the ‘Queen of the Riviera’, which boasts the famous Boulevard Jean Medecin, with its designer boutiques, Vieux Nice with its quaint streets and the beautiful Promenade des Anglais, which showcases the azure blue water s of the Mediterranean Sea! It was a wonderful afternoon and at 6.30pm, laden with parcels and wonderful memories, all hopped on board the train back to Antibes ~ quelle journée magnifique!
18 APRIL FINAL AFTERNOON IN ANTIBES
The girls have thoroughly enjoyed their classes at Le Centre International d’Antibes and this morning they accompanied their teachers to the marché provençal to conduct a survey with the locals – great fun! After lunch with friends, both old and new, they were delighted to have a free afternoon and while the majority chose to explore & shop in the fascinating 'vieille ville', some were brave enough to take a dip in the chilly waters of the Mediterranean Sea! The girls are all very sad at the thought of leaving tomorrow and their final evening on the Côte d’Azur is bound to be memorable!
19 APRIL FOND FAREWELLS!
The chaperones report that the girls have been amazing – all have embraced every opportunity and many have “truly blossomed”. Today they proudly received their DELF accredited certificate which attests to the 15 hours of tuition + the level attained + a comment from their teachers. I have been informed by Management that they have been a delight to teach and all are to be complimented on their positive, enthusiastic and serious approach! After lunch they were transferred by coach to Nice Côte d’Azur airport, where they said a fond farewell to Loic, their wonderful ‘animateur’ who has added a special dynamic to the week. All flights have been confirmed and AF 990 is scheduled to depart Paris tonight at 23h20, arriving at ORT tomorrow, Saturday 20 April @ 09h50. A special word of thanks must surely go to the 4 chaperones, who have taken such good care of your children over the past 10 days – it was a very big group and they handled the task with great competence – bravo! Finally, as parents, you have certainly afforded your children the most wonderful experience and I have no doubt that each and every girl will return not only academically enriched, but enriched as a person, having matured and grown in confidence. It remains for me to wish you all a very happy home coming - merci beaucoup, bon retour et à la prochaine!