note enclosed: toothpick from "Au Bon
Accueil" 7, Rue du 29 Juillet.
Hotel St-Petersbourg 12th Dec 1924
33 & 35 Rue Caumartin
Paris
Telegr: Peterotel-Paris
Telephone: Central 43-57
- - 57-01
Dear All,
I really did try hard yesterday to write to
you and I will enclose the effort with this as further evidence. It was impossible for me to post the missive
though as the fog made us late and so had to rush through Folkestone and
Boulogne without getting a chance to get near a Post Office and finally arrived
in this gay city of Paris at about 6 last night or in the words of Continental
time 18 hundred as they take the full twenty four hours from midnight.
It was quite a novel trip across from London
as the fog was so dense leaving Victoria Station they put detonations on the
line for miles and then went very slowly.
The fog lifted a bit just outside Folkestone and we sailed into that
station at a great pace. Before the boat
left however the blanket was down again and we went miles past Boulogne before
the skipper found out and so back we went to the screaming of foghorns and
whistles finally docking about 2.30. The
Customs were again easy and I seem to be lucky as so far my boxes have not been
opened at all and I am frightened it is all being saved up for me until
reaching Sydney when I will have quite a lot to declare.
Well off again in the train to Paris and she
sure is some flyer. I think the fastest
train I have ever been in and we got to Gare du Nord in a little over two
hours. As the fog had lifted in France I
got quite a good look at the scenery on the way down. At Gare du Nord my troubles began as these
Frogs do not speak French the way I do and it was hard work telling the taxi
where I wanted to come to but I finally succeeded and landed in the pub where
they spoke English a little before 6 o'clock and a bit tired. Later a chap dropped in whom I was expecting
and after dinner adjourned to one of the shows - The Casino. That little town in N.S.W. does not know it
is alive in comparison and I will tell you more of the show when I return as it
would look under written down in black and blue.
Well after the show we adjourned to a very
nice little cafe where a lot of the theatre folk attend and a very nice end was
put to a splendid evening.
As it was not early when I went to bed this
morning my arrival at the breakfast table was long delayed and so I have just
returned from a walk around and lunch, to write this letter.
Tonight I hope too see the bright lights of
Monte Matre and then to bed as tomorrow I do the trip around Paris and
Versailles and also Eiffel Tower so must be in good nick for it.
On Monday I leave Paris for a day or two to
see over the battlefields around Arras and Amiens Camrai etc and return on
Tuesday night so that will be that. and our Saturday I leave Paris for London
and take my trip la premiere per air as it is my intention to fly to Croydon and
then into London that way. It is a much
quicker trip and nicer I hope as I shall be in London in 3 hours from here
whereas it took me 11 the other way.
Well that is all the news so I will close
down hoping you are all well,
Gordon.
