Lessons Learned
At the end of these trips we've often done a "Lessons Learned" entry to help remind ourselves of what we've done well or want to do differently next time we travel (long enough to bother with a blog).
Tom's List:
1. Always get the SIM chip with data plan. With Google Maps, a paper map of the city is an anachronism.
2. Get the unlimited use mass transit pass. And, if possible, take the bus.
3. Next time, use MAPSTR for general sightseeing. This trip almost all of my entries were specialty food (sweets) or beer/cocktails. I only went to a few of them.
4. The negatives in the apartment review are pretty much true. Eg. This apartment had the noisiest floors I've ever experienced.
5. Work a bit more on learning French. They've become extremely adaptable to English but still...
6. Pack a little less stuff. If only for the transport mobility.
7. Assume you can buy clothes and most other necessities if necessary.
8. This was a more interesting (non residential) neighborhood. So, I enjoyed the walks to public transport more because it was more interesting.
9. It does work to Google Street View the neighborhood. I felt quite familiar with it before we arrived.
10. I learned a little about humanity in a way that my LA-centric experiences didn't permit. There was a guy playing the accordion on the metro and looking for tips. I was a bit sour on the idea of hearing him play especially since he was loud and it seemed corny. He and I got off on at the same stop and I saw him going through garbage pails for recycling. I've got to learn to be more sympathetic.
11. Pack sweats and slippers. There were lots of times that we weren't in a hurry to get out and instead hung out in the apartment. In fact, most days we were "home" (other than Maxine/Emmy walking to get bread) until after lunch.
12. Important conditions in an apartment: clothes washer and dryer (especially in rainy, cold climate), dishwasher, elevator, kitchen (not), comfortable bed, quiet street (no motorcycle parking nearby), reliable wifi, grocery store nearby.
13. Openness to new foods, willingness to walk a bit, patience with what seems inefficient, respect for differences.
14. Especially in this day and age, we can speak French well enough! Even got praised for it on numerous occasions.
Maxine's List:
1. What he said...
2. Definitely pack less. Could have focused more on layering as a way to handle the varying weather conditions rather than more clothes.
3. Spend more time exploring and getting to know the neighborhood when we first arrive. Walk different routes. I discovered a wine bar two blocks from our apartment after we'd been living there for almost two months because I took a different street to get to the bus stop.
4. It's OK to return to the restaurants you like best. I tend to want to try something new every time we go out to eat. But, since we likely won't be in Paris for several years, it's fine to eat at the same place more than once.
5. In a place that we've been before, plan for some new activities and excursions rather than the old tourist standbys. The bread workshop and our excursion to Giverny were definitely highlights.
6. Let your friends know where you're traveling. We had four sets of friends come through Paris while we were there and it was great fun to see friends in a new place.
Tom's List:
1. Always get the SIM chip with data plan. With Google Maps, a paper map of the city is an anachronism.
2. Get the unlimited use mass transit pass. And, if possible, take the bus.
3. Next time, use MAPSTR for general sightseeing. This trip almost all of my entries were specialty food (sweets) or beer/cocktails. I only went to a few of them.
4. The negatives in the apartment review are pretty much true. Eg. This apartment had the noisiest floors I've ever experienced.
5. Work a bit more on learning French. They've become extremely adaptable to English but still...
6. Pack a little less stuff. If only for the transport mobility.
7. Assume you can buy clothes and most other necessities if necessary.
8. This was a more interesting (non residential) neighborhood. So, I enjoyed the walks to public transport more because it was more interesting.
9. It does work to Google Street View the neighborhood. I felt quite familiar with it before we arrived.
10. I learned a little about humanity in a way that my LA-centric experiences didn't permit. There was a guy playing the accordion on the metro and looking for tips. I was a bit sour on the idea of hearing him play especially since he was loud and it seemed corny. He and I got off on at the same stop and I saw him going through garbage pails for recycling. I've got to learn to be more sympathetic.
11. Pack sweats and slippers. There were lots of times that we weren't in a hurry to get out and instead hung out in the apartment. In fact, most days we were "home" (other than Maxine/Emmy walking to get bread) until after lunch.
12. Important conditions in an apartment: clothes washer and dryer (especially in rainy, cold climate), dishwasher, elevator, kitchen (not), comfortable bed, quiet street (no motorcycle parking nearby), reliable wifi, grocery store nearby.
13. Openness to new foods, willingness to walk a bit, patience with what seems inefficient, respect for differences.
14. Especially in this day and age, we can speak French well enough! Even got praised for it on numerous occasions.
Maxine's List:
1. What he said...
2. Definitely pack less. Could have focused more on layering as a way to handle the varying weather conditions rather than more clothes.
3. Spend more time exploring and getting to know the neighborhood when we first arrive. Walk different routes. I discovered a wine bar two blocks from our apartment after we'd been living there for almost two months because I took a different street to get to the bus stop.
4. It's OK to return to the restaurants you like best. I tend to want to try something new every time we go out to eat. But, since we likely won't be in Paris for several years, it's fine to eat at the same place more than once.
5. In a place that we've been before, plan for some new activities and excursions rather than the old tourist standbys. The bread workshop and our excursion to Giverny were definitely highlights.
6. Let your friends know where you're traveling. We had four sets of friends come through Paris while we were there and it was great fun to see friends in a new place.
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