France is also famous for its good food, and if any country will have something you will like -- and can tolerate -- it will be France.
*sigh* Sad isn't it? That I have to watch everything I eat even in countries known for their cuisine? I have a lot of food intolerances.
A lot. They're a lot harder to avoid than you'd think. For an example, I have a gluten intolerance. So no grain products. So that means not only avoiding breads, oatmeal and breakfast cereals, it also means avoiding anything that has flour in it. That means sauces and gravies as well. Anything that might have used flour as a thickner. Anything that is breaded/stuffed/topped with a crust. While I was in Britain, I had to very carefully watch everything I ate. I had no choice with my meals on the plane ride over and a day after my arrival promptly embarassed myself when finally meeting my London friend and in the middle of his impromptu tour of Trafalgar Square, had to beg him to find me a bathroom - twice.
Please forgive my frankness, but you seem determined to hate the trip before you even get there. Tell me those things you do like, and I may be able to guide you on finding them in France.
No, I'm not ready to hate it at all. I love to travel. I'm just not particularly interested in Paris or France, I don't mind seeing it, it's just not in my top 10 to go to. I'd rather see Italy, Greece, Crete, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand, the Galapagoes first. But due to my limited budget and lifestyle, I can only choose one or two more destinations at the most in this lifetime.
For example, you mentioned wanting to see the countryside in Italy (and Tuscany is beautiful): France also has wonderful drives through the country.
Perhaps you could negotiate with your sister to rent a car (or take a bullet train) for an adventure away from Paris... something that you'll be able to look forward to, whatever it is.
Since I do all our planning, we've already definitely brought up a trip through the countryside by train that ends at the Mediterranean. Just to see the coast and countryside. LOL. We agreed we can't afford to stay once we get there and will have to just turn around and come right back, but we think it's worth it.
It's important to find that something before you go, because if you're full of resentment during the trip, neither you nor your sister will be able to enjoy yourselves. That's no way to spend your money or your time, and it would probably be better that you don't go after all.
Heh. Don't worry. My sister felt my resentment very much in our London trip last year. I love England. It was my dream to go there. For a year in our planning and saving, I kept after my sister to exercise, walk. London was a walking town. She is morbidly obese - hence her recent diabetes diagnosis - and I warned her that she would be exhausted if she didn't. She agreed and reassured me throughout the year that she was doing so.
She didn't.
Our first day touring she nearly twisted her ankle. She had no strength in her ankles, which she would have had she been exercising. Instead, she almost seriously injured herself in a town that is not friendly toward wheelchairs. As a result, she was tired, dragging, hurting, complaining the entire two weeks, wanting to cut our touring short during the day so she could rest. I finally snapped and said she could go back to the hotel and rest, but I hadn't flown 3000 miles to sit in a cheap hotel room all day and would see her later.
She grudgingly kept on going. I was both proud of her for sucking it up and determined not to let her ruin my trip. And I didn't.
It's a family joke now since she also nearly twisted her ankle on a trip to Mexico City with my father, yes, while touring the Pyramids.
I jokingly threaten that when we go to Paris, before we even leave the airport, we're going to stop in a bathroom and wrap her ankles in Ace bandages.
I'm saying to first try to find something to stoke your enthusiasm about the trip. Only if you're sure you won't enjoy yourself should you consider whether to go at all.
Please re-read this enough times to see my sincerity.... and concern.
Don't worry,
Impy. I won't sulk during our trip. I do find things to enjoy anywhere I go, whether it's a truck pull or a trip to a faraway city. A dear friend of mine instilled that in me. He too was often around grumps who didn't want to be where they were and gave off sufficient negativity to ruin things for others. He gathered the attitude that no matter their attitude
he was going to have a good time. And I will. France is not high on my list, but it
is on it, so I can look forward to the Louvre, the catacombs, Notre Dame, the Eiffle Tower etc.
I'm reading up on the French language so I can know left from right, up from down and north from south.
