Day 2: 8am Paris time, The Parisian Life - Metro, Walking & Cafés

My first night (the previous night ie) in Paris was a short one. After arriving at around midnight, unpacking, freshening up and blogging till 2am, sleep only arrived around 3. And with sunlight streaming through at 6am, it really wasn't possible for me to sleep any further. After jostling around in bed till 8.30 am, I finally got up! Bread, cheese, eggs & a delicious apple for breakfast later, I was ready to hit the road!

First stop, a France Telecom store, to get myself a connection. The roaming rates are of course ridiculously expensive, so I was glad to welcome a 15 euro card with 10 mins of free talktime (and not to mention, free incoming).

I didn't really have a plan for the day apart from taking a stroll along the river & utilizing my day pass for the metro (5.90 for zone 1,2 - zone 3 is not really required - The metro is divided into zones and most of Paris' well-known tourist attractions lie in zone 1 or 2 - That I went off into zone 3 coz I got onto a fast train that skips stations, is another story :) ).

Walking through Paris, especially along the river, is an absolute pleasure! Starting in Pont Marie, all the way up to the Jardin des Tuileries, one finds the route dotted with 'stunning' & 'wow' at each step and turn.

Being summer, tourists from around the globe can be found lining up at each possible entry to any place... Apparently, all the Parisians go away from Paris on vacation during this time! If I were one, I'd probably go away during the winter, and stay back in summer!

A round of ice-creams and hot-chocolate at the end of the evening tops off a nice and relaxed day...

On the menu today - La Tour Eiffel & Montmartre!

Pics soon (Hopefully I can get my laptop to detect that memory card!)

Day 1: 2am Paris time, too excited to sleep!

Landed at CDG (Charles De Gaulle Airport) and took a train into the city... FANTASTIC weather here, continuing from where I left off in Bombay! Bright sunshine at 8.30 pm when I landed, felt quite weird...

As the train moved from CDG into the city (a good 30 minute, 8.5 euro ride), huge industrial estates breeze past me... and I can't help but get a deja vu feeling - VERY similar to the harbor route in Bombay when it goes past Dockyard Road and such...

I walk the streets around the house at night, and the area I'm in (close to Place d'Italie) seems to me like a mix of South Bombay and Brisbane! Bombay for the feel of the place and Brisbane for the way the roads are and the (usually corner) cafes are... very peculiar

Its 2am Paris time, 5.30am India time, and there's no sign of sleep.. its been 3 hrs of sleep in the last 60 hours or so.. The bloodshot eyes tell the story, but the excitement is just not allowing sleep a whiff of a chance!

Will TRY to sleep now.. Got a 1 day train pass for tomorrow (zone 1 & 2 only), any suggestions anyone on what I could/should/must abs see? Don't say 'Eiffel Tower' :-P

xx

PS - Schumy's back...!!!! I SOOOO Wish I couldve caught the European GP..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 0: 2am IST - Butterflies & duty-free dreams

A few butterflies in my stomach, relating to what I'd tell the French customs authorities about where I'm going to be put up.. As long as I have money & a return ticket, they wont really care, I'd presume. But still that nagging thought at the corner of the mind persists - WHAT IF...

Anyways, too excited to sleep.. I'm sure flying Emirates is going to be a pleasurable experience. Hoping that I have good company on both flights! Fingers crossed!

Flight in 7.5 hours.

Dubai. Duty free shopping. What do I (Du)buy?

PS - On a trip across Europe, starting today!! Wuhhhhooooo!!!