Chan Brothers Europe Italy, Switzerland and France Travel- Departing back to Singapore (Day 11 and 12)
On this last day of our Europe tour, the morning call came at 9am, not the usual 6.30 or 7 am as on this day, we would just need to concentrate on the 20++ hours to fly back to Turkey and to Singapore.
My wife and I woke up early at 730am, ate breakfast, back to hotel to pack up and rest. Lunch was on our own and my wife and I ventured to a Chinese café called Veng Heng where we saw the tour guide there eating. His presence told us the food must be nice there and hence we ate there. The pork chops were fantastic and prompted my wife to ask the cook whether there is any special recipe.
At 1 pm, the tour group took a chartered coach (our tour coach left us on Day 9 to drive back to Rome and start his gruelling and hectic driving days without any break again). On the bus, we absorbed in the final views of France before our departure. The tour manager sang us, with the help of a mini high-fi and Italian song a sad song of Goodbye in French, I think. He was not really singing but just mimicking.
Our tour group was quite early at the airport. Then we spent our time in the processing of tax forms. The tax redemption form from Lafayette is faster to clear but the Printemp is harder to clear. I asked the tax people whether my Printemp form is cleared several times just to be sure.
We waited for several hours at this domestic airport in Paris. At the transit lounge, my wife and I played some computer car games. Finally we departed for Istanbul. The flight duration was somehow delayed and when we arrived at Istanbul airport, we were late and had to rush to buy the Turkey’s “evil eyes” at the airport and walking hundreds of metres, taking a bus before finally boarding the plane via the stairways once again to depart for Singapore close to midnight (Day 12, last day of our tour).
It was amazing! 12 days of our Europe tour filled with joy, laughter, surprise, discovery, awe, inspiration, respect, learning all coming to an end. My wife and I were sad. I watched Ninja assassin enroute and another movie. When we reached Singapore, it was already 3.30pm. When we reached home, it was 5.30 pm already.
Going to Europe is not cheap but it’s worth the money. My wife and I look forward to our next tour and sharing the details again with you readers! Thanks for your time! The blogging of the Europe tour is not made in sequence, keep a look out for all Days 1 to 12 and all parts! Take care!
