Europe Trip, January 2007
After arriving in Paris the group went walking around central Paris, in order to keep awake, the first stop being la Cathé
drale de Notre Dame on l’Ile de la Cité, then l’Ile St Louis, l’Hôtel de Ville, Beaubourg, Forum des Halles and St Eustache. During the week the students also visited le Louvre, la Tour Eiffel, le Musée d’Orsay, l’Arc de Triomphe, walked down les Champs Elysées, had a ride on a bateau mouche, went to le Palais de Versailles and bought funny hats at Disneyland Paris.
Eight days later the group left Paris and caught the TGV to Montpellier, a modern and busy city in the south of France. On arrival host families were waiting eagerly to meet their guests from downunder. A day was spent getting to know the hosts before getting the first taste of French school life at College Gérard Philipe. There were also some excursions during the week in and around Montpellier, plus to the medieval city of Carcassonne and the Roman Arena at Nîmes (denim was invented there and exported to the USA :it is fabric de nimes!!!). These excursions were enjoyed by all and after a week everyone was very sad about leaving their new found friends.
After a 14 hour journey and 2 train changes the group finally arrived at the Munich Hauptbahnhof where all were anxious but excited to meet new friends, host students from the Werner Heisenberg Gymnasium. The school was one very large enclosed building with a new and modern library. There were mural decorations, coffee machines and table soccer facilities. Outings included the 1964 Olympiapark to watch a local ice hockey match, the Marienplatz main square with Neues Rathaus and Glockenspiel, Andechs monastery, Dachau Concentration camp and King Ludwig’s Bavarian castles. Added excitement was the severe wind storm in the region which meant that schools were officially closed.
Whilst in Munich an overnight trip to Salzburg, Austria was planned. There, as well as the many sights the city has to offer, the group splurged on the official “Sound of Music Tour” where many of the sights from the movie were visited and famous songs were sung. On returning to the hostel after having eaten copiously in a typical Austrian restaurant and doing Salzburg by night, the group settled in to watch the film and play “we went there” !!! The next day was an organised tour of the Bad 
Durrnberg Saltmine. [Salz means salt, burg means mountain, salt was originally the white gold of the area]. Visitors had to dress up in white miners’ outfits, travel on a miners’ train and use steep/fun wooden slides to go deep into the mine. (Anyone using Feuerwerk 2 text??) The last afternoon was spent walking up the enormous hill to the Salzburg Castle, being sooo hungry afterwards (all cafés closed) that all had to race into the nearest McDonalds for sustenance, just enough time to return to the hostel, collect baggage and take the train back to Munich. After a minor drama or two (wrong train/ snow track closure) the troops chugged back into Munich where it had been snowing for 24 hours and the magic white stuff was everywhere! What 
fun!
The last evening soon arrived and it was farewell party time where, after eating their fill, everyone joined in the biggest snow fight in front of the school. Unfortunately it was over too soon and the group was at the airport before the break of day to head for home.
The trip was thoroughly enjoyed by all: Girras, Baulkos, Ms Stuart, Ms Bishop and Ms Lacey!
With thanks to best group of students ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gilda Stuart (Girraween High)