We’re Going to Paris!!
I’ve been dreaming of visiting Paris for the past 2 years, but now I can really say WE ARE GOING TO PARIS!! YAAAAAAAS!! My dream vacation and first trip to Europe is booked and paid in full! Not only the flight and hotel, but all of my top priority, “must see” activities.
Our travel dates are perfectly timed right after BG’s high school graduation and our move to the cheaper apartment. The trip overlaps with her birthday and ends shortly before she has to begin her summer college orientation. I hope and pray that 2010 is a year that she will NEVER forget! I know I won’t! *happy dance*
Planning for our Trip:
I’ve been monitoring international flights for over a year and keeping my eyes on vacation package deals for almost as long. I considered working with a travel agent, but of the four I spoke with, none of them gave me the warm and fuzzies. I’d done enough research on my own to know what I wanted to see and do (at minimum) but none of the TAs impressed me as experts in French culture nor could they offer any insider knowledge/tips that wasn’t touristy or readily available on the internet. If I’m paying a fee for your services, you should be able to offer me something that I can’t or don’t want to do for myself.
After 2 years of planning in my head and a year of monitoring prices, I noticed that the best online deals were offered on Wednesday or Thursday in the middle of the night. I fell asleep extra early last night so I woke up about 2am and couldn’t go back to sleep. Ugh! As usual, when that happens, I talk to God to see if there’s something He’s trying to tell me. Mmm Hmm…He did. And yes…I will (evil eye @ Tazzee!). Then I fired up the laptop to peruse the innanets and all the right prices seemed to appear. I didn’t dare waste another minute!
Highlights of our Trip:
- Our outbound flights are overnight, so we’ll sleep on the way there if the excitement doesn’t overwhelm us too much. LOL
- We’re visiting Paris for 6 days with a 1 day trip to London.
- We’re staying at the Plaza Tour Eiffel, a quaint little 4 star, contemporary hotel that is less than 1 mile from the Eiffel Tower and 2 blocks from the metro. Eek! It is noted as one of the best hotels in Paris and received a 95% approval rating from the reviewers at Trip Advisor.
- On the first day, we’re going to cruise the River Seine and have lunch at the Eiffel Tower.
- On days two and three, we’ll do the hop-on/off bus to get a feel for the city, visit a few museums, and go on a guided walking tour of the Latin Quarter.
- On day four, we’re going to London! The London trip is described to include “transportation to/from our hotel, standard reservations on the Eurostar, a hop-on/off bus tour that stops at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, and the Tower of London.” The trip also includes “one guided walking tour and a river cruise along the Thames.” Whew! I’m tired already!
- On days five and six, we will have a 2 day Paris Pass with “unlimited bus/metro access and free entry to over 60 sites and attractions.” There’s so much to do and see with so little time. At minimum, I want to visit the Louvre, Panthéon, Arc de Triomphe, Musée d’Orsay, Museum of Modern Art, Picasso Museum, and Notre Dame. If time allows, I hope to experience a Parisian wine and cheese tasting at the Ô Château Wine Tasting.
- On day seven, it’ll be time to wind down so we’ll probably explore some of the quaint residential area near our hotel, visit a few local shops, eat at a non-touristy local bistro, and possibly go on an African-American Paris Tour.
The Cost of our Trip:
The total price so far is ~$4.5k. I could have saved $750 by staying at a 3 star hotel in the same general area with a 85% approval rating, but I didn’t want to spare any expense. I want this trip to be a luxurious experience and where I lay my head plays a big part in that. Plus, I was impressed by the higher rated hotel’s superior customer service comments. What can I say? I’m a sucker for customer service and ideal locations! I also plan to spend ~$1.5k in miscellaneous travel related expenses for the total estimated cost of ~$6k within my 2010 goals and budget.
Health & Fitness on our Trip:
I hope to be within 10-15 lbs of my target weight by the time of our trip. But from the moment we board the plane, all dieting is off limits. I plan to drink LOTS of wine and eat french fries, french dip, french bread, french pastries, french…uh, what else? LOL However, I will get some form of exercise every single day because there is a fitness room in the hotel and we’ll be doing LOTS of walking. When we return, I’ll need a vacation from my vacation! If I gain ~5 lbs, I’ll be ok with it. Might take 3-4 weeks to get it off, but it’ll be worth it to experience everything Paris has to offer.
Last Minute Details for our Trip:
I need a pocket-sized book to learn some French words – at least basic phrases like hello, goodbye, excuse me, please, and thank you.
I also need to buy a good camera – no camera phone pics with weak batteries in Paris!
Hmm…what else?
Ok, that’s all I can think of. Expect to be inundated with all things Paris for the next few months. LOL! Au revoir pour l’instant!
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43 comments:
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Don’t evil eye me ;-) So glad God spoke to you in the still of the night. Sounds like an exciting trip. I’m going to send you Ricki’s information just in case you wanna do the Black Paris tour.
You’ll have a great time!!!
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Cool, thank you!
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This entire post made me smile. I’m so happy for you and BG. I know you are just going to have a wonderful time. “Where’s the restroom?” might be a good phrase to learn as well. LOL!
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Now that was funny! LOL Yea, I better learn that phrase too.
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Woo-hooo! You will love Paris. All of this sounds wonderful. If you are near the Eiffel Tower, you won’t be far from Rue Cler, one of my absolute favorite places to get food in Paris. It is great for picking up something to eat back at the hotel. London is also lovely. Sounds like you are hitting the major attractions.
And don’t be surprised if you lose weight on the trip. When I went to Paris the last time (for a week), I actually lost 5 pounds. The reason is a combination of the walking and the food: the portions are much smaller than Americans are used to, but the food is very flavorful and satisfying so you don’t want/need to eat as much.
I am so happy for you. Can’t wait to hear all about your trip and see those pictures when you get back.
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 11:55 am
I will be sure to look for Rue Cler. If we eat there, I’ll def let you know.
I knew the servings were smaller but I figured I might gain a little weight from all the carbs and wine. If I don’t, win WIN!!
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Fantastic & what a way to send her off to college!!!
I’m so excited for you and can’t wait to hear all about!
As for cameras tigerdirect usually has fantastic deals. We can chat offline bout that. Doing the running man and enjoy all the french food and delicious wine with you from afar!!
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 11:56 am
If luck is on my side, I might try out a french MAN too. HA HA
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Hi Single Ma,
So happy for you Paris and London are great fun. A few things to think about: 1) pack as light as possible (try to cross-coordinate your outfits), if there are any changes in your transportantion, you may find yourself running with luggage to catch a connecting train (done this 3 times in France); 2) add 30% to your planned London budget, the pound is no joke; 3) On Sundays evenings, a lot of things close earlier than here in Paris, so you may have to hunt a little for a restaurant; 4) have the time of your life! I hope BGirl knows how lucky she is – a graduation gift of her first real girlfriends trip – with her mom – in Paris. Can life get any better for a 17 yr old?
Big smile,
Life in a Shoe
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
#1 – I’m sorry, I don’t speak French. Did someone suggest that I pack light on a 7 day vacation to a foreign country? Me no understand. LOL!
#2 – Hopefully, the only thing I have to buy in London is a souvenir and “maybe” lunch if we don’t pack snacks. Breakfast & dinner (served on the train) and all activities are covered in the total price of the day trip.
#3 – Roger that! Thanks for the tip.
#4 – BG has no idea how lucky she is, but I think she’s very appreciative of what I do for and with her.
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C’est tres formidable! Bon voyage!
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
You said “that’s great! have a nice trip!” HA HA
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Have a fun, fabulous and safe time in Paris. I hope BG is aware and appreciative of the work you do as a mom. Make sure you take lots and lots of pictures!
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I shield her from so much, she doesn’t know any different. Thank God she isn’t a spoiled child with entitlement issues.
I’m on a hunt for a good camera so I can take those pictures.
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I went to Paris last year and although I ate everything Paris had to offer, I didn’t gain anything! My personal theory is that they quality of their food is better (as is the case with most euro countries), so my body just processed it better!
Have fun!!
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Good to know!
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congrats on cementing your europe vacation……I can’t wait to see the pictures you’ll share.
I hope you and BG have a WONDERFUL time in Paree’, LOL
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
LOL @ Paree’ – I’ll call it that from now on!
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Sounds wonderful! I’ve been to London (a day will definitely not be enough – let me know what you think!) and would love to do Paris someday. Do keep a close eye on your wallet – both my mom and sister were pickpocketed in, of all places, a cathedral!
What a way to celebrate BG’s accomplishments, and yours as well. BG wouldn’t be the woman she is becoming if she didn’t have such a great role model – you.
Have a great time – can’t wait to hear all about it.
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
I was going to spend equal time in both, but when I narrowed down everything I wanted to see and do, most of it was in Paris so this arrangement made the most sense for us.
Re: pickpocketing – oh no! Thanks for the tip. Most likely I will carry a small wristlet or something around my neck that doesn’t look to gaudy or touristy.
Thank you for the compliment. :-)
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Wow, that sounds wonderful! I’m so glad you posted this because, I’ll be planning a trip soon myself. Great info.
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Ooooh, please share the details on your blog so we can swap information!
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I’m so happy for you and BG! What a wonderful experience to share before she heads off to college. Have a fabulous time!!!
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:15 pm
My last hoorah with my “baby” and her transition into womanhood. :-)
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Yay for you and BG! What a great trip you have planned…I hope you two have lots of fun and create lots of good memories.
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
I hope so too!
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Have fun! You’ll both enjoy Paris and London. I’m just praying that you’ll come back!!!!
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Let me get over there and find a boy toy. With my only child leaving for college, hmm…no telling what might happen. LOL
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I can’t to wait to hear how the trip was and see some pictures. My best friend and I were planning on a Paris trip next year for our 30th but we opted for a 4 day stay in Puerto Rico instead. I’m sure BG will NEVER forget this year.
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I never realized how scared I am of heights until I went up the Eiffel Tower! It’s very…open. I could only go halfway up it, but the view is truly wonderful. Love Paris, excellent choice. I’m sooo jealous of your trip!!! :)
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Hi Single Ma,
One last thing I forgot – For the Love of Pete – get an electrical outlet adaptor before you go. European outlets are totally different, and if you don’t know, you could end up like me with a wet, o-l-d relaxer and no working blow dryer or flat iron (got caught in the rain)! I still have to explain why I look crazy on some of my vacation photos. *Shaking head*
Life in a Shoe
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Love your tips! I’ve never been to Europe before so keep ‘em coming. If you think of something else, come back to this post. All comments are sent to my email.
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I hope you have a fantastic trip! Mother/daughter trips are great! My Mom and I are taking a trip to Paris in the fall and I am now seriously considering the hotel you chose. My only suggestions are to invest in comfy walking shoes and a reliable camara because photos are the most memorable (and most cost effective) souvenir.
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
When I return, I will write a separate post about my opinion of the hotel just for you.
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Tips for your visit to the Louvre:
1) You will want to arrive at the Louvre early in the morning ~ like 8 am ~ otherwise you will line up all day just to get in. Early also means you get to visit the Mona Lisa with less than 700 other tourists in between you and her. Same goes for the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
2) Be prepared to be there all day. I am not kidding. My traveling companion and I didn’t plan it this way, but we were there for 12 hours.
3) For this reason, bring water and snacks in with you.
Have a great time! I also loved the Musée d’Orsay.
Bon voyage,
Meadow
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SingleMa, I am so excited about you going to Paris with BG!!! You will have a fantastic time! And you did great on the pricing and overall package.
Do you know if your package includes “Skip the line” tickets to the Louvre or other attractions? As someone mentioned previously, you will need to get to the Louvre (and other attractions) super early because those lines are lonnnnggg.
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Single Ma Reply:
April 9th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Yes, thank you for asking. The pass descriptions says “This two-day pass allows you to bypass the queues at more than 60 sites and attractions in and around Paris, including the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Arc de Triomphe.”
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ooo! I’m happily envious and I’m excited for you. I’m sure that you will have a great time. re: language–look into borrowing language cds (Pimsleurs or Rosetta stone). Many libraries have these audio CDs or you can download the lessons onto an MP3 player. If you get these lessons soon, i think that you will be surprised by how much you can learn in a short time.
Rose in SV
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Hi SM-
I’m happy for you. I took my mother to Paris 5 years ago and we had a great time. What made it even more special is that she passed away less than 6 months after that trip.
My tips:
-Learn some French. It’s really going to help you if you get lost or want to ask questions about prices, food, etc.
-Even the nice hotels sometimes are quite smaller than what we have here. We did a 3 start hotel and I was surprised by the twin beds. But it was one of the best bathrooms I’ve ever had.
-The trip to London is great! If I had to do it again, Instead of 9 days in Paris and one in London, I think we would have stayed in London at least one more day.
-Theres a Black / African area of Paris – not far from the Moulin Rouge (If I remember correctly). We found great african fabrics and excellent art and jewlery. It was so fun to meet folks that looked like me but spoke french and they were very friendly.
Have fun! It’s definitely one of my favorite trips.
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HI …..great I would love to visit Paris i really like there every body wants go on good places . There are so many activities and i really want go again nice city nice hotels way of living the people over there very friendly and soft spoken in my we should go once if you will like there go again again its all your financial possition.
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I was in Paris for a week in 2002, and it was amazing! The hop-on hop off tour is great. The tip for the Louvre is true, I went early and there was no lineup (and that was on the ‘free’ day). And yep, you’ll spend hours there, but it’s so cool to visit.
Even though it’s not cheap, trip to the top of the Eiffel tour is worth it to. Go before Sunset, you can get awesome sunset photos..just time it to get up before sun sets..and it takes a couple of hours to get on top, but no time limit once you are on top.
If you can, take a tour of Notre Dame too.
@meadow- I also loved the Musée d’Orsay! Another day spent there. The Palace of Versailles is awesome too! Too much to do…:) One day I shall return, if only for the pastries..yum!
And if you can, walk around Paris..it’s an interesting and cheap experience to walk around to get the feel of the city and it’s people.
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Fantastic!! Congrats on nailing down such good prices, too, considering the quality of your bookings. Y’all are going to have so much FUN!
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Sounds pretty awesome and the museum pass is definitely the way to go, you skip most lines. I live near-ish to Paris so I go there quite a bit. Let me know if you need any info. I’d say the only downside of Paris is that they have loads of amazing bakeries and shops, but the restaurants can be very hit or miss (esp. in the Latin Quarter) so it’s best to have a list researched on Trip Advisor. For French, all you need is please, thanks, hello and “where is…”
For hair stuff (or anything w heat), I *think* you need an actual converter, not just an adapter.
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