Welcome

Life is full of plan B’s – and this trip for us is a very special plan B.Plan A was to spend a little over 3 weeks visiting and helping out on the MV Doulos in the Persian Gulf.We have had a long-term love of OM’s ship ministry and we have tried on at least two occasions to serve on the ship. Our three kids have each spent a gap year working with OM Ships and as Richard had a pile of unused study leave and Wendy was on holidays we decided to offer our services to the ships.The plan was fixed in July 09, the tickets bought and an adventure in places like Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai was in place until a phone call 4 weeks ago told us the ship had failed ‘rego’ and our trip was off.

So what to do? Tickets paid for, leave planned. Well we had one wild idea that started with a question.We wondered if Danielle’s studio (which we stayed in July 08) would be available and if we could change our tickets from Dubai to Paris. After an amazing set of events the answers were confirmed:

1. Yes the studio was available for all but 4 days. It is on the right bank of Paris and is tiny, humble, very French and at $AUS 500 a week too good to believe.

2. Yes we could get tickets to Paris in total for over $1200 cheaper than to Dubai- our travel agent is still scratching her head as to why this happened at such a late stage.

3. So the study leave becomes a time to travel, to think, to read and maybe even write a few things that have been swirling around in Richard’s head during a couple of decades of ministry.

4. And finally another blog because we enjoyed writing the last one and our good friend Mandy said she was waiting for it!

Finally the name, (Don’t) Forget Paris comes from one of our favourite movies about a couple who fall in love in Paris and yet have to live in love in real life! So welcome to our winter adventure, our plan B, from the 20^th Arrondissement in Paris.