Category: travel hacks

Shopping in London

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, England, London, Shopping, Travel, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, UK, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

If you like to shop, London is calling you! From vintage to designer, there is something for everybody. Even though I have been to London several times, I’m always finding new stores, neighborhoods, markets and towns to explore. On this trip, as in several previous trips, we had to buy an additional suitcase to bring home all our goodies that we found. Since we get free bag check, it’s cheaper than shipping it home. Next trip (to Italy in May!), we are taking a new fold-up bag, so we are prepared to bring home more treasures that we find on our shopping adventures without having to buy new luggage-I’m running out of luggage storage room!

DEPARTMENT STORES

UPSCALE

Harrods | The World’s Leading Luxury Department Store is THE luxury department store in London that you must visit just to check out even if you don’t have the $$$ to buy designer duds. They do have a nice souvenir department in the lower level where you can find reasonable items. Make sure you check out the food hall with so many tasty options. Word of caution-jam/honey/mustard is considered a liquid (anything that spreads!) when you are leaving London and have to go through security, so pack those goodies away in checked bags or you’ll be sad when they confiscate it from your carry-on.

My new favorite store is Fortnum and Mason, a luxury department store with floor after floor of amazing housewares, including their famous picnic hampers and foodie merchandise. Founded in 1707 as a grocery store, the flagship Picadilly store is beautifully decorated, especially during the holidays, and has been a shopping destination for the Royals, as in Queens and such. After our initial shopping trip where we picked up “biscuits” aka cookies, they were so good that we picked up some additional biscuits or as I now call them “bites of heaven” at their outlet in St. Pancras train station. They also have a shop in Terminal 3 at Heathrow, where we picked up cute British cars stuffed with fudge for the grandkids on our way home. Who’s the best NaiNai and GiGi?? Yep, the people who bring back the best souvenirs and tasy treats to share. I particularly love the F & M premium packaging, from curved beautifully decorated boxes filled with dark chocolate biscuits to their tea tins and musical containers. There are gifts for all ages. If you get hungry while you shop (and don’t we all?), they have a fancy tearoom, a food hall with every kind of food, a wine bar and a café serving famous ice cream confections. Cheers!

Thom had never been to Liberty, a luxury department store located in the West End near Carnaby Street, so we had to go on this trip. The façade of this mock-Tudor building with its ages old timbers is absolutely beautiful and the inside doesn’t disappoint either with wood floors and an atrium that is always spectacularly decorated for the holidays. This merchant is known for its fabrics, housewares and fashion. Founded in 1875, Liberty supports new and emerging designers within its historic walls.

After wandering around Liberty, we headed over to Carnaby Street which is filled with specialty shops like Levi’s which we didn’t need to shop at, but I did visit Doc Martens, a British classic. Thom has a pair of these, purchased after he saw Bruce Springsteen wearing them at a concert (of course, right?), and I have always wanted a pair, so I finally decided to just go for it. YOLO and all. It helped that they had a really cool limited-edition Year of the Dragon tassel loafer style that I can’t wait to wear. Unfortunately, we took public transportation everywhere in London and you do NOT want to wear nice shoes on the Tube. On one Tube trip, a guy was asleep and had a latte on the floor precariously wedged between his feet and it eventually tipped over after a hard stop and spilled all over Thom’s shoes. Thom was just glad it wasn’t vomit but that experience convinced me that the Tube is not the best place for my beautiful new Docs.

REGULAR FOLK DEPARTMENT STORES

Your everyday Londoner does not shop at the fancy department stores like Harrod’s or, if they do, they are rich. Popular go-to places to get clothes for most people are Primark and Marks and Spencer. There are many locations of these stores all over town. Have fun buying reasonably priced outfits and accessories to take home.

SPECIALTY STORES

VINYL

Vinyl lovers should bring an empty suitcase in London. You could spend a week visiting all the vinyl stores located all over London. Check out this good list: 56 Best Record Stores in London by Neighborhood | Discogs – Record Stores.

On this trip, we checked out Third Man Records, which is musician Jack White’s cool space in Soho. “Mind your head” is not just a sign but a caution as the entry to the basement section of this shop has a very low doorway that unfortunately Thom had hard contact with resulting in a big bump on his head. Not only do they have vinyl but a nice assortment of merch and a book machine plus a jam (for playing music not eating a delightful spread for toast) area.

Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, go to the Vinyl Market (oldspitalfieldsmarket.com) to find some good bargains. On my last Girls Trip to London, I was able to find Thom a Bruce Springsteen concert bootleg album that seemed pretty rare. Score!

BOOKSTORES

The Hatchards Bookstore in Piccadilly was founded in 1797 and is London’s oldest bookshop and bookseller to the Royal households. When you sell merch to the Royals, a store gets to display a sign on the outside of their store that is a Royal Warrant. Hatchards has three Royal Warrants. They have lots of stores but the five-story location in Picadilly is the one to visit-it is beautiful and located next to Fortnum and Mason, one of my other favorite stores. It is also opposite the Royal Academy, which is worth a visit to see their museum (and a good place to use the bathrooms!).

Check the Hatchards online site for book signings. They also have in their assortment first and special edition books for the collectors. A book is always a good idea for yourself or to take home for a present.

OPTICAL STORES

MOSCOT Beak Street Shop in the Soho district has a fantastic assortment of frames to pick from. Thom and I both have sported Moscot frames in the past and they not only look great but are super well-made and comfortable. Buying frames wherever we travel is one of my favorite souvenirs. I take the frames home to my local Costco optical and get my prescription lenses put in. Every time I wear my new glasses, I remember my vacation!

On this trip, we discovered a new brand of frames that have lots of fashion styles to pick from at reasonable (about $150 GBP) prices. Buy Eyeglasses | Designer Eyeglasses For Men & Women – Jimmy Fairly (UK) has locations all over London and the suburbs like Hampstead. I love that they have an espresso machine in their stores and offer shots as you shop. Get all caffeinated up and buy some frames to take home!

MUSEUM GIFT SHOPS

I have to call out museum gift shops because I have gotten some of my favorite gifts there to take back home. Usually well priced, every museum in London has at least one if not multiple gift shops with everything from pillow covers (British Library) to Winston Churchill rubber duckies (Churchill Rooms) to booze (all of them have hard liquor including Buckingham Palace, which had an unusually large selection of sloe gin-why?). So, make sure you take time to check out the merch at the museums!

STREETS/NEIGHBORHOODS

Regent Street London – Shopping – Dining – Wellness (regentstreetonline.com) is a major shopping street in the West End of London. It runs from Waterloo place at the south end through Picadilly Circus and Oxford Circus to All Souls Church. Retailers who can afford this pricey real estate have their London flagship stores here. Check out technology at the Apple Store or the Microsoft Experience Center and then shop for fashion at practically every retailer you could want.

MARKETS

There are so many cool markets in London that you can’t possibly visit them all in one trip so every time we come, we try to at least go to one or two. On this trip, we made it to Covent Garden and Spitalfield’s. Come to these markets hungry and ready to shop. Enjoy the journey!

Thrift Shopping in London

On By Travels with MelindaIn Europe, London, Shopping, Thrift Shopping, Travel, travel hacks, travel tips, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Who doesn’t love a bargain? Whether you want to upcycle those thrift store finds or wear them as you find them to style an original look, London is the perfect place to find unique fashion pieces at great prices.

I’ve always loved shopping for unique items not only for the thrill of the “find” but also for affordability and sustainability. Instead of “throw away” cheap fashion like you would find at H & M and the chain stores which only really last for a few wearings before they are no longer in good shape, some of my finds have lasted for years for myself and the previous owners. A Levi denim shirt at a “boot” sale in London, jewelry galore, a vintage scarf, and lots more from this trip-so much that we had to buy more luggage to go home! Plus, instead of looking like everyone else, you are able to style a unique outfit that looks like no one else but you. We discovered two great stores next to each other in the Covent Garden neighborhood that you should definitely check out next time you are in London.

PICKNWEIGHT https://picknweight.de/pages/london

Whatever you are looking for, if you have the time and dedication to go through all the racks crammed full of items, you won’t be disappointed. PICKNWEIGHT sells their vintage and secondhand clothes by the kilo. Based on the color of the security tag, you pay a certain price. There are convenient weighing stations throughout the store with pricing signs so you can weigh your purchases before going to the register to see how much you are going to spend.  With stores all over Europe, this is obviously a popular concept. There was a wide variety of American brands like Levi’s, Carhartt, Dickies, and American sports team’s t-shirts and hats. We even found a Boise State University Broncos shirt, which is the college football team in our hometown in Idaho. We picked up a vintage t-shirt, denim shirt and sweater vest for about 50 GBP, which I felt was very reasonable.

Rokit Vintage Clothing

Vintage Clothing | Retro Clothing | Rokit Vintage Clothing

From Kate Moss to Amy Winehouse, Rokit Vintage Clothing has styled London celebrities; unique outfits for nearly 40 years. Starting in Camden Market and expanding to multiple locations in the UK, Rokit not only sells second-hand and vintage clothing but upcycles fashion into limited edition pieces they sell at their stores.

A much different shopping experience from the next door PICKNWEIGHT store, where racks are packed together and merchandise is displayed from top to bottom, Rokit has space to walk between the racks. Separated by categories, you can easily find what you might be looking for and each piece is individually priced. Here, Thom scored a black velvet tailored blazer that appeared to be never worn with pockets and back vents still stitched shut for only $55 GBP. He plans to style this jacket with jeans, a white t-shirt and his Docs. Perfect! I got a Joseph Abboud men’s denim shirt for $15 GBP, again in perfect condition.

Now, how to get all this good stuff home to Idaho?? The options were to ship or buy another piece of luggage and check it on the way home. I’m not a fan of checking luggage ever but for this trip being gone for over a month in the winter, we just had to check some and, because of my airline status, we didn’t pay to check 2 pieces of luggage each. So, it was much cheaper to buy a suitcase (at TJ Maxx or thrift store for under $50) which I have also had to do on every previous Girls Trip, rather than shipping a big box home. For our next trip to Italy in May and all future trips, we bought two collapsible bags that I’m sure we will fill up with all kinds of finds. No more luggage will fit in my basement! I plan to hit the resale stores in Milan, the fashion capital of Italy. Who knows what kinds of designer deals I’ll get???? Enjoy the journey!

London-Tap to Pay Tips

On By Travels with MelindaIn England, Europe, London, Travel, travel apps, travel hacks, Travel technology, travel tips, travelling, UK, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Technology is deeply integrated in any visit to London so be prepared to “tap to pay” and even “tap to pee”! Need to ride the Tube to get anywhere? Tap to pay. Need to go to the loo? Tap to pee. Going through Customs? Scan your passport. At a museum? Scan the QR code to hear about the exhibit or tap to donate to the museums. After a trip to London, you will go to other countries and wander why they aren’t as technically savvy as London. How to make a trip to London go smoothly? Follow these tips!

There are various ways to “tap” to pay. You can tap your credit card if it has a chip. You can tap your phone if it has Google Pay or Apple Pay. If you don’t have either of these methods, for public transportation, you can get an Oyster Card to do the “tap to pay”. Purchase the Oyster Card at one of the service desks at the major train/Tube stations and add money (called “topping off”) as you go in order to ride the Tube or buses. But the easiest and safest way to tap all over town is to use your Smart watch for all tapping. It eliminates getting out your credit card/phone every time and risking theft or misplacing it. Use a VISA for your payment because AMEX sometimes isn’t accepted. We used all these methods as sometimes Thom had some issues with his watch, credit card and phone not working so he relied on the Oyster Card when that happened. Be prepared! You don’t want your companion to be able to go through the turnstile at the Tube and you are left behind not being able to tap in to be with them.

As you enter the front door of the bus or go up to the turnstile in the Tube, hold your payment type (Smart watch, credit card, Oyster card or phone) about an inch away and you should see the light go from yellow to green. If it goes red, it means it isn’t working, which is not to say that it won’t work if you try it again. Wait a second or two and try again, perhaps at another turnstile. We had this happen numerous times and sometimes on the fourth try, it would go “green”. On the bus, if tapping is wonky, the driver will sometimes just wave you in to sit because you are delaying the forward motion of the bus. Remember, you must tap in for the Tube and tap out as well. For the bus, you just have to tap in.

Public bathrooms do exist in London and the nicest facilities that are staffed with an attendant, aka not the street latrines that I avoid at all costs, do cost money. The tech savvy bathrooms have a “tap to pee” model where you tap to get access into the bathrooms. The one I used in Covent Garden market was $1.50 euros and well worth it because it was warm and clean. You may find some bathrooms haven’t been updated yet and require a $1 euro coin to enter so have some of those handy if you visit London.

I appreciate how quick the Custom lines are at Heathrow even with the crush of people moving through this airport. You just scan your passport page and off you go! No waiting in lines to talk to a live person and get a stamp. I have had to wait hours before going through Customs (India, I’m looking at you!) so my sincere hope is that all countries embrace the UK technology and gets with the program. Automate now and save us all some time. Enjoy the journey!

Picking the Perfect Pet Sit

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Europe, London, pet sitting, Travel, travel apps, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, Trusted Housesitter, UKLeave a comment

First, there are no “perfect” pet sits but, with my tips below, hopefully you can find one that is the best fit for you! Now that we have done several pet sits ourselves, both domestic and abroad, I want to share our best practices with you. We have used the app Trusted Housesitters for over six years, first to have people sit our animals and now we are sitting other people’s animals. The best part is that you get to meet lovely new animals and travel the world for free!* You don’t pay to stay at the host’s house (transportation to the sit location is up to the sitter to pay for and arrange) and the hosts don’t pay you to sit their animal. A win-win for everyone involved. For our current 40+ day pet sit in London, the cost of a hotel for that amount of time would be $20,000+. What an opportunity this pet sit is to embrace the British culture AND take care of a friendly and beautiful cavapoochen! Pet sitting for us is the perfect way to see the world. Enjoy the journey (while pet sitting)!

These photos are from our current and past pet sits. Check out my other blog posts on our pet sits at: https://travelswithmelinda.com/2023/09/06/down-on-the-farm-pet-sit/ and https://travelswithmelinda.com/2023/08/26/travel-free-as-a-pet-sitter/

How it works:

  1. Activate your profile on the app and fill out all the required paperwork.
    1. *join Trusted Housesitters here and get 25% off-annual pricing-membership levels vary from $189+). Membership includes a free background check.
  2. Set up a search for the dates, locations and type of pets (cats, dogs, farm animals, etc.) you want to sit.
  3. Apply for a sit that looks good for you. Here is my typical post to the host via the app: “Hi! We would love to take care of your (insert pet names/type) on (insert dates of sit). I work remotely as a tech consultant and my husband is retired so we will be home to care of your house and pets. Please let us know if you would like to do a virtual chat to get to know us. I’m happy to set up a meeting invite when you are available, either on Zoom or Teams. Thanks!”

Video chatting with the prospective hosts is essential to making sure this is the right pet sit for you. You check out if they have a good vibe, meet the pet(s) and observe their behavior and check out where you’ll be living. Is it comfortable, is it clean, can you see yourself being there. After you chat:

  1. Decision process: once you speak with the hosts, if they pick you, the app will send you an email letting you know and then you go to the app to either accept or decline.
  2. Communicate with the hosts after accepting a sit via the app to work out all the details.
  3. The hosts will share with you a House Guide that they fill out on the app. This guide should provide you with all the information you need for a successful sit with their pet. Review this guide in advance of the sit so you can ask questions about the information and anything the host might have left out.

Tips for creating a strong profile section on Trusted Housesitters:

  • Provide several personal character references from your friends and family touching on your reliability and trust worthiness.
  • There is a section on the app that shows your: background checked, ID verified, email verified, phone number verified and LinkedIn profile link. Having a strong LinkedIn page reassures the host that you are legit because it shows your work and education history. I have no doubt that my LinkedIn profile has helped hosts get to know me and feel comfortable picking us for sits.
  • Elaborate all about yourselves in the “our experience”, “about us” and “why we want to house sit” sections on the app as your content will help you get selected for the sit you want.
  • Always post lots of pictures of yourself and your own pets. Visuals give the host a look at your vibe to see if it’s a good fit with theirs.
  • Now that we have done several sits and gotten five star reviews from those hosts, we have people reaching out to us and asking us to sit without even applying. We’ve turned down a few offers but it’s nice to be asked.

CHOOSING A SIT:

Location considerations when choosing a sit:

  • You will want a safe neighborhood always. Check crime stats and use Google maps for street view of local area.
  • How’s the weather going to be in this location? We knew that the January weather in London would be rainy but still probably 20-30 degrees warmer than in Idaho where we live. We are in London now and are hoping for at least a few days without constant rain. Who knows? It might happen. In the meantime, we packed rain proof boots, jackets, umbrellas and don’t have to worry about dry skin with all this lovely humidity.
  • Listings will state whether the sit location is “accessible by public transportation”. If not, how do you plan to get around? Are you driving to the sit or renting a car? If you are driving, is there parking for your car off the street? The hosts can let you drive their car and the listing will state if that is the case. We haven’t done a sit yet where the hosts offered use of a car. Two hosts said we could only use their car in case of emergencies with the pets to take them to the vet.
  • If you are going to use public transportation only, really check out what that means. Are cafes, markets, stores nearby? How close is the public transporation to get to them if you can’t walk? Is it bus or underground? Does Uber work in the area if you need it?
  • If you can walk to the grocery store, how will you carry home groceries? We asked the host in London if they had a wheeled cart we could use. They didn’t but when we arrived, we were surprised that they had bought us one to use and it has been essential for getting home everything we need for a multi-week sit.
  • We have a quick walk to the bus but an almost mile walk to the Tube to get to the underground. Yesterday, we walked seven miles between walking the dog several times, going to/from the Tube and into London for a short museum visit. If you are not able to or don’t want to walk a lot, take that into consideration before picking a sit. Imagine what your day-to-day life will look like. It’s nice to have a change of pace from your normal life but not so much that you are not able to handle it physically.

Pet considerations when choosing a sit:

  • Really dive into the pet details with the owner. How big is the dog? Do they pull when you walk them, i.e. will they pull your arm out of it’s socket when they see a crow or are they old and walk too slow a pace that you might not enjoy? Some owners let their pets walk off leash. We don’t walk dogs off leash on a sit because the pet doesn’t know us well and we want to keep them safe either from traffic, jumping in the creek, getting hurt by other dogs, etc. Make sure dog owners have a leash for you to use as well as lots of poop bags.
  • Does the pet have any separation or anxiety issues in general? How long can you be gone from the dog? Most of our sits have stipulated that we can be gone from the house for max 4-5 hours. We interviewed one owner for a sit in the US and they shared that their 95 pound dog gets anxious and has jumped out a closed window after being left alone in the house too long. They were looking for a pet sitter to not leave the dog alone at all and, if the sitter did have go run errands, they could take the dog to a daycare center which the host would pay for but would really prefer you stay home. We were offered the sit but turned it down. I just couldn’t see walking a dog that big that lunges at crows per owner and jumps out windows. Even working from home, we would occasionally want to go out to eat and run errands without having to check the dog into daycare. 
  • Are any pets on medications or have medical issues? Do you feel okay with administering medicines to the pet?
  • If you don’t want to follow strict instructions on pet feeding, then don’t sit. All our hosts have had very specific feeding schedules for their pets including weighing the food, times of day to be fed,  limiting any treats, etc. You must follow their guidance.
  • Where does the pet(s) sleep? Do they sleep in a crate? We had a sit with four dogs and even though they weren’t big dogs, we opted to have them sleep downstairs vs. sleeping with us as they were used to doing with the hosts.
  • Does the house have a fenced yard where you can let out the pup for those early and late bio breaks so you don’t have to get dressed and go for walks every time they need to pee.
  • Are there parks nearby for walks on grass vs. cement?
  • Do the owners have shampoo supplies and a place (tub or deep sink for smaller pets) for when the dog gets muddy or will you have to take the pet to a pet spa to clean them if they roll in the mud? It rains A LOT in the UK so we have designated towels to wipe mud off paws at every door.

Host considerations when choosing a sit:

  • Preferably choose a host that has had previous sits done through Trusted Housesitters with great reviews from their sitters.
  • Check our the hosts on various social media platforms before accepting, i.e. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, etc.

Before accepting a pet sit, dig into these details to determine if this sit will work for you:

HOME FEATURES

  • What are your essentials? Mine are: strong Wi-Fi and dedicated office space, a good kitchen to cook in-which saves us lots of money and is necessary as I work remote but on West Coast hours from 2 pm to 10 pm when I’m in Europe so we can’t go out to eat during the work week. We download the local delivery app if we don’t want to cook and get our dinner delivered.
  • Comfortable furniture (Americans are used to oversized comfy couches-which are hard to find in Europe) is a plus as well.
  • Are stairs a problem? We live in a ranch house back in the US but in Europe you will typically have to be okay climbing stairs in almost any residence. Our lovely three story Edwardian home where we are pet sitting in London is great for getting some cardio but we also have both slipped when taking the curvy staircase steps a little too fast and not watching our feet. So, if you have any accessibility issues, make sure you ask about the layout of the house. Even in a one story, inquire if the laundry is in the basement.
  • Bed size may matter to you if you are tall. We are used to a California King bed and now have a full size bed at our sit where my hubby’s feet are hanging over the bed. Not much to do about it now!

COMFORT

  • Heating and cooling-check it out before you accept any sits! Especially in Europe, many homes don’t have air conditioning and, with global warming, it gets HOT in the summer and early fall. With heating, ask the host how the home is heated (radiators? forced air? controlled by app?) Our London hosts shared the app for their heating system. We raised their temperature programming by a few degrees because I like to be warmer than they do. For long sits like ours, it’s important to be comfortable.
  • Speaking of being comfortable, if you are used to creature comforts like a cozy throw, flannel pillowcase, washcloths (not a thing in Europe) then pack them! I have a travel throw that I don’t leave home without-find it here Travel Essentials – Travels with Melinda

SAFETY

  • For safety purchases, we brought a carbon monoxide travel alarm with us. Ask the hosts if their home has one of these and also smoke alarms. You can bring travel door alarms. Our house has a security system, which the hosts explained in detail before they left.
  • Ask the host if there is a door key hidden outside the house in case you forget your key on an auto locking door. You do not want have to take out the window screen and crawl through a window like we had to at our first pet sit when the door key code stopped working. The hosts were mortified because it was their fault that the guest key code setting expired. It happens. Be prepared.
  • Before the host leaves, get neighbor names, contact info, neighborhood groups on WhatsApp or Facebook, etc. You never know when you might need local help.

CLEANING

  • If you are lucky, the host will have a housekeeper and you won’t have to clean. At our current sit, there is a trusted cleaner who comes in for four hours every Friday to clean so we won’t have to do anything at all. Perfect!
  • In other sits, we have been asked to sweep/swiffer floors, etc. while there. No one wants to come home to a dirty house. We actually go above and beyond for our pet sits and, in addition to cleaning the house, we wash our towels and bed linens the day we leave so the hosts come home after their vacation and don’t have to do our laundry. This type of care will earn you five star reviews and it’s just the right thing to do.

ENTERTAINMENT

  • Strong wifi is needed for so many things so check with the host.
  • Like to watch your tv shows? Get a chromecast device and program it at home before you leave. Bring your chromecast to enjoy your channels like Netflix, Apple TV, etc. on the host’s tv. Make sure you bring the instructions on how to hook it up!
  • We will also stream shows on our computers and cast to the tv via bluetooth if possible when they aren’t available via the  chromecast.
  • Enjoy music? Bring along a Bluetooth speaker to stream music from your computer or phone.
  • Bring enough adapters to the appropriate country to plug in all your devices. Also, we have found a travel extension cord is really valuable to have. See my Travel Essentials – Travels with Melinda to find the one we use and like.

Best of luck in your new pet sitting journey!

Trip Prep-don’t forget these 10 essentials!

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, packing tips, Travel, travel essentials, travel hacks, Travel medical care, travel tips, travelling, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Now, we travel ALOT and I’m currently deep into preparing my packing list for our month in London that starts in just a few days, so I thought I would share some of my trip prep tips on what NOT to forget to pack.

Honestly, even with all my experience, I still manage to forget things that I later find that I need when I’m in a new country. So, for me AND for you, here is a list of 10 items you may not think you need until it is 1 a.m. in Lisbon or you’re roaming the British countryside by train:

  • First aid kit including ice packs and wraps.  After the hand getting crushed by the ferry bathroom door incident in New Zealand, the falling off the curb and rolling an ankle in Vietnam and slipping down rain-covered stairs in Lisbon, we learned the hard way that you may get hurt while travelling so you need a robust number of supplies to self-treat yourself just in case.  Countries in Europe have pharmacies (identified by a big green cross on the outside) but in other countries like India and Vietnam, you are SOL if you do not plan ahead.  Even the ferry in New Zealand had NO FIRST AID KIT!  That has to be against some law, right? So, depending on where you are going, pack accordingly. Note: ice is not a thing in many countries, thus pack an ice pack, the kind you smash and it gets cold quickly. Otherwise, you’ll be holding a can of Coke on your ankle like Thom did in Vietnam on vacation.
  • OTC meds (especially sleeping aids like Advil PM) because when the party on the street outside your Airbnb just gets going at midnight, you are going to need help getting asleep. Pack those ear plugs too. Or you can just go out and join in the revelry.
  • Day pack to carry the first aid kit, umbrella, raincoat, suntan lotion, snacks, when you take that train ride to Sintra for the day. 
  • Water bottle to refill as needed (remember to go through TSA with it empty!). You can fill up in the many European fountains on the streets. Just check to see if public water is clean and not going to get you sick before partaking.
  • Bluetooth music speaker is a “nice to have” to enjoy music while gazing at the water from your balcony. You can buy really small portable ones so you can stream your music at the cottage in Ireland or the beach.  On Waiheke Island, our Airbnb had a great Bluetooth Bose speaker that we used daily. When we arrived in Portugal on our next trip and there was no such thing provided, we really missed the music at night while we wrote out our stories of the day.
  • Ziplock baggies of all sizes for that lotion that leaks, the seashells you collect, the wet bathing suit you need to pack, etc. Not to mention in Europe, you need a quart size one for your liquids to get through security. 
  • Kleenex-it isn’t the same in other countries and your nose will be hurt by the roughness of local tissues. Pack a few travel packs with you.
  • Downy wrinkle releaser plus does it all and we used it every day on a recent trip. One travel size bottle lasted us for a two-week trip.  Love this stuff! You can dewrinkle your clothes, freshen up your room and even works with ironing clothes if you do that, which I don’t. 
  • Travel blanket/pillow is something I never knew I needed until I bought one and now it is my all-time favorite essential. I can use it was a pillow if needed or unzip the cover and pull out the blanket if I get cold on the plane/train and use it in the hotel room to get cozy. Slips over the handle of your carry-on. Trust me, you want this item!
  • Portable power charger bank you can take everywhere with you to charge your phone when it dies at 10 pm while you are trying to get an Uber to take you home in a rainstorm in London.  

For a packing list template, go to https://travelswithmelinda.com/packing-checklist/ and for more travel essentials, see my list of recommended items here: https://travelswithmelinda.com/travels-essentials/

Enjoy the journey!

San Diego Holiday Cheer!

On By Travels with MelindaIn California, San Diego, Travel, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized, vacationLeave a comment

We were in San Diego the first weekend in December when it seemed like everywhere you looked there were holiday events taking place-on Coronado, in Balboa Park, at Seaport Village, and the streets of Little Italy. Definitely a beautiful time to enjoy warm weather and experience holiday cheer while walking along the beach!

We are thinking of bringing one or both of the grandkids with us on future trips here, so everywhere we went, we were on the lookout for experiences and places that they would enjoy. San Diego is an awesome place for kids of all ages. Here are some of the places we’ll go with the grandkids when the time is right:

CORONADO

We would definitely stay at the Hotel del Coronado with the grandkids. This historic property dating back to the 1800’s is a resort filled with everything you would want-pools, onsite gelato and candy store, many restaurants, etc. At the holidays, there is a real ice-skating rink and gorgeous decorations to enjoy as well.

After walking through the property several times and sitting in the rocking chairs on the veranda, we made a vow to stay here next time we come to San Diego, hopefully with the grandkids in tow. They seem to offer a variety of rooms/suites though we were definitely eyeing the ground floor with a patio that included nice seating around a fire pit and ocean view. How much could it cost?? Hotel del Coronado | San Diego’s Legendary Beach Resort.

What else is there to do in Coronado by the resort? Take a stroll down the beachfront and watch the surfers. While we were there, they had posted a warning not to get into the water due to issues with pollution in the water but while that warning deterred swimmers, the surfers were still out there. We even saw a pod of dolphins having fun in the surf too. I hope the polluted waters didn’t hurt any of them.

When you are hungry or ready to shop, walk Orange Avenue on Coronado which is lined with boutiques, cafes and even a large grocery store and Walgreen’s. Everything you could need is located on this one main boulevard. They even have a small movie theater showing the latest flicks and a theater with live performances.

BALBOA PARK AREA Home – Balboa Park

The 18 museums in/near Balboa Park are great for any rainy days or when you need to get out of the sun for a while. The park is free, but the museums do charge admissions. If you want to go to several, consider buying a pass that is good for 7 days-details on museum pass here: Explore | Balboa Park Explorer; About | Balboa Park Explorer

Our grandkids would definitely enjoy:

Comic-Con Museum – The Magic of Comic-Con, All Year Round (not included in the Balboa Park Museum pass)

San Diego Air & Space Museum – Historical Balboa Park, San Diego (sandiegoairandspace.org)

The San Diego Zoo is considered part of Balboa Park. We plan to spend an entire day at the zoo with the grandkids-first, it is expensive, and you want to get your money’s worth, but it is so massive and there is so much to see that it deserves a whole day and not just a few hours. Get on your walking shoes, wear your sunscreen, and get ready to see the animals. Plan Your Visit | San Diego Zoo

If we are able to visit San Diego in December, we will take the kids to see the annual theater performance of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas at the Old Globe Theater in Balboa Park Home | The Old Globe  This is a favorite movie for both of them!

EMBARCADERO

Embarcadero is a Spanish word for “landing place” and San Diego’s Embarcadero is a scenic waterfront area with a rich maritime history and culture that runs next to San Diego Bay. We stayed at the Marriott Marquis Marina, which is right on the Embarcadero, so we were able to walk this area quite a bit. We even got on a two-seater bike courtesy of our hotel and biked the waterfront. So. Fun. Here are the highlights of the Embarcadero area:

I think our grandkids might enjoy taking a tour of this enormous aircraft carrier and hearing about its history. This experience would definitely take several hours at least. After visiting the USS Midway, it’s a quick walk over to the Seaport Village which is a great place for lunch.

Worth an afternoon to shop and enjoy the various restaurants by the water at Seaport Village. We dined with relatives at the Edgewater Grill that has indoor and outdoor seating with direct water views but there are also casual taco and pizza places. Very nice!

The San Diego Symphony’s home stage, the Rady Bandshell also have a variety of other programs so check out their event schedule online before your trip. It is outside seating so even though the weather is usually perfect in San Diego, check for rain first before buying tickets and in the winter, it gets cold at night so bring a blanket. San Diego Symphony – The Official Travel Resource for the San Diego Region

DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO

There are lots of historic sites, shopping, restaurants, and museums in downtown San Diego to check out. Got kids and you need to get out of the sun/rain? The New Children’s Museum | Think, Play, Create (thinkplaycreate.org) is a few blocks away from the Marriott Marquis Marina where we stayed this trip and also next to a great children’s outdoor playground.

I would recommend you take the Trolley Tour and hop on, hop off downtown if you see spots you want to visit. I would NOT recommend you randomly stroll around downtown on your own like we did. Even veteran urban dwellers like us who love to do this should not if they are not familiar with the area. On this trip, we decided to walk from our hotel to Little Italy on a Saturday to check out the farmer’s market there. We randomly chose a path that unknowingly took us right by the downtown jail and through a deserted section of town since it was Saturday, and no workers were around. Confronted by a person masked and dealing with obvious mental health issues in an underpass, we were able to get away and stay calm but even my New Yorker husband was rattled by the close call that could have gotten ugly quickly. So, take the trolley and enjoy the city but always be checking your surroundings and have a plan in case you get into a situation.

Our trolley driver told us that the Gaslamp Quarter is THE place to party into the wee hours in San Diego. They close off Fifth Avenue to traffic from 11 am to 3 am so everyone can just parade down the street going from bar to bar. We were so tired from walking during the day that even our best laid plans to try out a Speakeasy on Fifth Avenue did not happen. Next time if we don’t have the grandkids!

The Little Italy neighborhood is a great place to enjoy their Saturday farmer’s market (come hungry-there are lots of enticing food stalls!) and also many restaurants to savor. We got real Italian cookies (think buttery, chocolate and tasty) at the Italian grocery. Just like I remember from New York Italian bakeries!

On a previous trip to San Diego, we met relatives here and enjoyed awesome Mexican food at a café and walked around the historic buildings. The trolley stops here so you can hope off and probably eat and spend hours just wondering around. Lots of souvenir shops!

San Diego Padres play at a rare downtown field, Petco Park. Years ago, we stayed at a downtown hotel and our room looked out over the field-so close we could see the players and scoreboard. So, if you are a baseball fan, check out their schedule, get a hotel close by and enjoy! Official San Diego Padres Website | MLB.com

SEAWORLD Visit with Purpose: SeaWorld Orlando, San Diego & San Antonio – Park to Planet | SeaWorld

We didn’t make it to SeaWorld on this trip, but we will definitely include a visit if we bring the grandkids here. Plan to spend the whole day here and bring your $$$ because it is not cheap. Check around for deals and coupons but with amusement rides, animal experiences and more, it is very much like a trip to Disney World and costs just as much.

WHERE TO STAY

 We stayed at the San Diego CA Lodging | San Diego Marriott Marquis on the Embarcadero and close enough to walk into downtown San Diego. The Marriott is a huge hotel next to the convention center, where you can easily walk along the Embarcadero promenade to the USS Midway, Seaport Village, the Rady Bandshell and get the ferry to Coronado across San Diego Bay. They have multiple pools, outdoor bars by the pools and multiple on property restaurants. They have a M Club for status members, but it was disappointing in that the food selection was very limited compared to other clubs I’ve visited at Marriott properties all over the world. But we still we got free coffee, beverages and some limited snacks which are nice to have around. The huge win for us was that they honored my status suite awards and we got upgraded to the Luxury Suite on the 23rd floor with a kitchen, dining room, and balcony overlooking the water. So lovely and appreciated so much!

I don’t think you could ask for a better location unless you wanted to be on the ocean in Coronado, in which case the Hotel del Coronado is the best choice! Hotel del Coronado | San Diego’s Legendary Beach Resort.

GETTING AROUND

Arriving in San Diego at the airport, I am always surprised at how close it is to the beach and downtown area. It is smack dab in the center of it all, making it easy to get to your hotel. Our Uber was a quick 10-minute hop to the Marriott and cost about $20. We don’t rent cars as a rule when we travel, opting for public transportation, walking ALOT and Uber. San Diego has a light rail, buses, and is very walkable. We also took the ferry from the marina over to Coronado which I would highly recommend. Only $8 each way and running every 20 minutes, it is a great way to get out on the water and super convenient to the many hotels on the Embarcadero. https://www.flagshipsd.com/cruises/flagship-ferry

OLD TOWN TROLLEY TOURS San Diego Tours Voted #1 | Save Up To 20% On San Diego Tours (trolleytours.com)

Instead of the hop on, hop off buses you see in many cities, the cute trollies in San Diego take you to all the top sites. They offer one- and two-day tours of San Diego so check it out, look online for any coupons and use this as your transportation between all the sights for a reasonable $50 per person. I know our grandkids will love riding around in the open-air trolley cars. We took the one-day option and had several different drivers on the segments as we hopped on and off several times. They were all friendly and informative in explaining about the various areas as we drove through them. Time efficient AND entertaining! Enjoy the journey!

Embracing Paris Cafe Life

On By Travels with MelindaIn Food, France, Girls Trip, Paris, Travel, travel apps, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Oh, how I miss the cafe life in Paris! Seemingly on every corner there is a cute bistro with outside and inside seating serving affordable delicious food. Why would anyone cook when you can get your food here? The majority of cafes offer the standard fare including omelets, French onion soup, burgers, pomme frites aka fries and a wide variety of salads. Snails, charcuterie boards and crepes-sure, no problem!

We used the Google translator app on our phones to translate menus from French to English. Our apartment was in a local not tourist neighborhood and English menus weren’t a thing. This helped us avoid menu mistakes. Patti was going to order a salad with salmon until we saw it was smoked not cooked salmon. An older Parisian woman sitting next to us was smoking and drinking Chardonnay while enjoying a lunch of a small serving of smoked salmon. That’s it. No salad, no bread just raw protein. So Parisian!

The waiters were almost always male. Not sure why but just what I’ve observed over many trips all over Paris. Tipping is not a required thing, though if you get great service, some euros handed to the waiter won’t be refused. A basket of bread is usually served for free alongside your meal. You can ask for tap water, which is also free. The rude French service is really a myth. Now, if you present rude behavior then it may happen, but we had lovely service.

Travel tip: Don’t just sit down at a cafe. First, find a member of the wait staff and ask for a table and wait to be seated. They may ask if you want food or just drinks. Depending on time of day, they may not sit you if you aren’t ordering food. They will give you a menu or there will be a QR code to scan. TIP: Put down your menu and close it after you’ve made your food decision, and the waiter will then know to approach to take your order.

One night after a few missteps and lots of walking, we stumbled into a cafe with pizzas and when I spoke with the waiter to get a table and was told it would be a few minutes, I ordered a margherita pizza to get started baking for our very “hangry” group. He was the only waiter for the whole cafe, so the pizza came out before he took the rest of our order and before we had plates or drinks. Like hungry American animals who acted like we hadn’t eaten in days, we ripped into that pizza with our hands. Yum! Later we got our tableware and more food. This waiter was still nice to us despire our behavior, so he got a tip and a hearty Merci beaucoup!

Need to use the facilities? You can either buy a beverage at a cafe and then use the bathroom, usually found in the basement, or you can just march in like you are actually a customer and just don’t make eye contact. Facilities are just for customers, and I get that but there are times when you have to take charge and go.

Bon Appetit. Enjoy the journey!

Paris Transportation-Girls Trip 2023

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, France, Girls Trip, Paris, Travel, travel apps, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, UncategorizedLeave a comment

On the first day of our Girls Trip 2023, we went to the nearest Metro aka subway station in Paris and got our Navigo Decouverte card. Luckily, I had done the research and knew to go to the nearest Metro station (not a stop-you can tell the difference because a “station” has a name vs. just a Metro stop that has no sign). Even with no French language skills (despite months of trying to learn!), I was able to show the station attendant my picture for the card that I had brought, and he immediately knew that I wanted the Navigo Decouverte card. The card works on all public transportation for a week running from Monday through Sunday.

We arrived on a Sunday, so later in the day when we returned to the station to take the Metro to Montmartre, our passes weren’t working. The same worker was still on duty and called us over to patiently explain to the stupid American that the card didn’t start on a Monday, and we would have to buy paper tickets for individual rides until our passes became effective on Monday. So, I bought a book of 10 tickets for our use on Sunday ($20euros) and off we went!

As we made our way to the platform, we noticed a huge group of people waiting to board the train. Someone was saying there was a problem with that train and sure enough the doors closed with no passengers and off it went. The next train to arrive was, of course, then packed with people who had been waiting. In the crush, Becky and I got on and Patti did not. Oops! She was just too nice to elbow her way in while the Hoyt girls had no issues at all working our way onto the crowded car. When the doors closed with Patti still on the platform and us on the train, we quickly pantomimed to take it to the next stop where we could meet up. Then suddenly an alarm sounded, and the doors opened as someone had gotten their backpack caught in the doors and they had to open the doors to release it. (Metro warning sign below warns you not to get your body parts or bags caught in the doors!) Patti jumped in quickly and off we went on our Paris adventure. Yes, we still masked up (do you see how crowded it is!) and we did not get Covid on our trip. Yeah for vaccines and masks!

We also used the excellent bus system to get around Paris. We used various apps to review our route and find our nearest bus stop. Did we get lost and take the wrong bus? Of course! This type of mistake can be viewed as additional sightseeing time in Paris. We got dumped off at Gare de Nord train station, which is not the loveliest neighborhood to be walking around, but luck was on our side as we quickly found a bus headed in the right direction and jumped on. Make sure you look at the front of the bus to see if the route destination on the top reader board of the bus is indeed the one you want. Once on the bus, there is usually but not always an electronic sign that shows the next stop so you can time when to get off the bus. If that isn’t working, then make sure you are following each stop and comparing to the bus route sign that is posted in every bus. Don’t be intimidated-hop a ride and see the city. Enjoy the journey!

TRAVEL TIPS: when you are in a group travelling by Metro, have a plan in case someone gets left behind. It happens! Make sure to stay tight, lock arms and push on together to get to where you are going. I learned this lesson from riding the China subways where overcrowding is prevalent. One time I even had to lock arms with a stranger to push our way through a mob to avoid getting trampled. All this never scared me off public transportation. You just have to be aware and take appropriate actions to survive!

To buy the Navigo Decouverte card, bring with you to Paris a color headshot photo 3cm tall x 2.5cm wide that you provide to the Metro worker to attach to your card. More info here: https://parisbytrain.com/paris-train-metro-week-pass-navigo-decouverte/#google_vignette

Tap to pay using your transportation card to get through the gates of the Metro or the payment machine on the bus. Note: it doesn’t make a sound or give you a green check on the Metro gate-just tap and push through. If you double tap, you will get a red “X” warning, and you will not be able to get through. This is because they want to prevent people from using their Metro card once and then handing it to a friend to use next. If you get the red X and can’t get through, go to the manned Service counter (if there is one at that station) and they can let you in through the manual gate. If you are not at a staffed Service station, then you will have to go to the machine and buy a ticket to get through and continue your journey.

Alternatives to public transportation: Uber works well in Paris, and we used it when not on public transportation. At night coming home from the Moulin Rouge or the Trocadero after seeing the Eiffel Tower at night, those Ubers did come in handy. We rarely waited more than five minutes to get our ride. If you are out just walking around and decide to get an Uber, just find a cafe to use as your location so the Uber can easily locate you!

Several times we did wave down a taxi on the street that had a green light on but don’t count on that. I would recommend you download the G7 app that allows you to book a ride up to 14 days in advance or use for on demand rides! Different levels of services are available, and you can choose the one you want when you order your ride. Payment can be made via the app or with the driver.

TOP TRAVEL APPS TO FIND YOUR WAY AROUND PARIS

Rome2Rio: discover how to get anywhere is an app that I have used in many different European places and all across the US. My favorite app! You just input that you want to go from Point A to Point B and it searches any city, town, landmark, attraction or address across the globe with thousands of routes to easily get you from A to B. It gives you timetables and estimated pricing for all types of transportation-tram, bus, subway, train, taxi, etc. If you decide to walk, it tells you how long it will take and helps guide you around that way too.

Citymapper – The Ultimate Transport App Citymapper is a free public transit app with mapping that displays transport options, usually with live timing, between any two locations in a supported city.  Similar to Rome2Rio but very helpful for getting around by any means of transportation from e-scooters to walking to biking to subways. I like this app best for getting around by foot.

Google Maps can be used to navigate around town. This is the app my husband likes best.

Experiencing the Moulin Rouge-Girls Trip 2023

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, France, Girls Trip, Moulin Rouge, Nightlife, Paris, Travel, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized1 Comment

“Your hair is tres magnifique!” Well, thank you very much Mr. Moulin Rouge Bouncer. After complimenting my coiffure, he let our group into the lobby more than one hour before our show time. We showed up WAY early. My research indicated that you must queue up early because it is first come, first serve to get the best seats since we didn’t order dinner and had no seat assignments. Well, by the time we stood in line and got back to the table concierge who was assigning the seats, he took one look at our tickets and told us we would have to leave and come back in 20 minutes. Oops-the bouncer was distracted by my hair and messed up. It happens. I pleaded that they had sent us back to be seated and it wasn’t our fault. Worked like a charm and we got to sit in the lovely bar area right by the main hall to wait our turn with a kind gent giving me a complimentary wine and some Parisian potato chips. Ooh la la! We started chatting with one of the tour guides who was also hanging out there and he took our picture before we finally were summoned to go to our teeny tiny table wedged into the first balcony. The adventure began!

The Paris icon, Moulin Rouge, which translates to “Red Mill”, was built in 1889 the same year as the Eiffel Tower and it was on Patti’s “must see” list for our Girls Trip 2023. It is situated below the Montmartre neighborhood in Pigalle. This famous cabaret show features elaborately dressed topless show girls. Yes, it is expensive and not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s been around for over a hundred years so it’s legendary. Patti has extensive costume design experience, and she spent the show marveling at all the finery and wondering how chaotic the backstage was with all the costume changes. You wouldn’t think that it would be so complicated when the top half is largely bare but the headpieces, elaborate appendages (think huge lips or feather tendrils) alone are complicated. I wish I could share pictures of every one of the costumes. Alas, while pictures before the show were supposed to be taboo, the staff mostly looked the other way. However, no pictures were allowed once the show started, and customers complied.

What’s in the show? Well, Moulin Rouge is well known for the Can Can and the bare ta tas and g-strings but it’s so much more. There are 20-30 beautiful showgirls, all thin and all with long ponytails. No diversity to speak of in the cast. There are about 10-20 guys who lift up the dancers and who keep on their colorful outfits. No bare skin on the boys! All of the cast is very talented whether dancing, singing or performing various feats of gymnastics or ballet. In between the singing/dancing showgirl numbers, there are skilled acts to allow time for the cast to change. These skilled acts were marvelous and included two male gymnasts with incredible moves lifting up one in various poses requiring muscles of steel and a lovely interpretative dance.

One scary act (at least for those watching!) involved two roller skaters on a small round platform on the stage with the male twirling around the female crazy fast. A good reason to not sit in the main section by the stage where those who buy dinner sit. At any moment with one wrong move, that woman would have gone flying into the crowd, steel wheels gouging your eyes out. I held my breath for that act, but they were amazing. If you don’t like people being held by a wire flying close over your head, don’t sit too close to the stage as a charming couple sang a song while flying barely above the crowd. Same goes for getting wet…yes, the dance floor (to use when the pre-show band entertains) becomes a huge water tank rising out of the floor during the show. The topless dancer fell into the pool (you knew that was coming!) and the mermaid entertained AND cooled down the audience with water flying everywhere nearby.

The showgirl numbers feature a wide variety of music-everything from disco Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive to big band hits like In The Mood, which was my mom and dad’s song. I felt like they were there with my sisters and I. Dad would have loved the show and my mom would have blushed at the skimpy costumes while she sipped Sidecars. I miss my mom and dad and think of them often when travelling. I wish they could have seen more of the world when they were alive. I certainly plan to! #YOLO

We didn’t book the dinner package, though it looked pretty good as the servers went by. We also didn’t get a bottle of champagne, a popular package. Instead, we went ala carte, and I ordered a glass of wine ($15) and Patti got a cocktail ($20). Enjoy the journey!

Travel tips:

  • The tables are very close together with no room to pass by without everyone standing up, so plan ahead to go to the facilities before the show starts. Once the show begins, there is really no getting up from your table without really inconveniencing everyone in your way between your table and the exit.
  • As soon as house lights come up hit “reserve” for an Uber. There were lots of available Ubers when we were there but it was a mad dash to get to street to find ours and yes, it was chaos with the early show getting out and the late show crowd arriving. We crossed the street and managed to find our Uber circling around looking for us.

Show Details

At the Moulin Rouge, shows run every day of the week and there are 2 shows every day:

  • 9 pm show with optional dinner starting at 7 pm (dinner show ticket holders will get the best seats)
  • 11 pm show only no dinner available

Plan to arrive early! These shows are usually sold out, so arrive at the entrance one hour before the time of your show. Doors close ten minutes before the start of the show and you won’t be allowed to enter if you arrive late. There is no refund policy for Moulin Rouge tickets. Plan your transportation and allow, as always, for the Paris traffic jams that are bad at all hours.

Buy your Moulin Rouge tickets as soon as you book your travel dates. You never know when travel groups will suck up all the available tickets, as this show is always on their itineraries. You can buy direct from Moulin Rouge (Official Website) for tickets for all showtimes and options. If, for whatever reason, you don’t want to buy the tickets there, you can also book through Viator:  Paris Moulin Rouge Cabaret Show with Champagne Only or Dinner 2023 (viator.com) but not all options like the 9 pm show are available.

Getting there

Of course, you can walk there or take the Metro aka subway. I prefer to get around Paris during the day by walking or Metro. However, you’ll be there in the evening and the Pigalle neighborhood is probably not the best place to wander around late at night. Known for being a tourist magnet, you can imagine that all kinds of folks would frequent here around showtimes to take advantage of people visiting Paris. I would recommend using an Uber, which works quite well in Paris. I have not had great luck with taxi apps in Paris working so that, at least for me, taxis won’t be an option. If you do take the Metro, the closest station to Moulin Rouge is Blanche on Metro line 2.

Exploring the Eiffel Tower-Girls Trip 2023

On By Travels with MelindaIn Eiffel Tower, France, Girls Trip, Paris, Travel, travel hacks, travel tips, travelling, Uncategorized1 Comment

No trip to Paris would be complete without checking out the Eiffel Tower. It is an icon and a masterpiece of engineering. Whether you just walk by or you go for the whole guided tour, skip the line ticket, dining at the restaurants on the first or second levels or the champagne at the top package, you MUST experience the Eiffel Tower in some shape or form.

The Eiffel Tower was created to be the centerpiece of the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris. With 60+ million visitors a year, the Eiffel Tower is the tallest building in Paris (about 81 stories high). For our 30th anniversary several years ago, Thom and I celebrated the milestone with a trip up to the top. With a combination of tickets to use the elevators and access the top floors, we enjoyed the view and took some amazing pictures to memorialize the moment. We ended up going the less travelled route as usual by walking down the steps all by ourselves for awhile. We wandered around the park underneath, enjoyed seeing the carousel and went back to the Trocadero at night to see the tower light up and twinkle, which it does every night for just for 5 minutes. Get there in advance so you don’t miss it! The night we were there, it was also a full moon which made for an amazing view.

This time on our Girls Trip 2023, we decided to skip the trip up the tower due to some issues with the ladies not liking heights. Instead, we jumped off the Batobus boat, got off at the Eiffel Tower pier and walked around the grounds admiring it from the bottom up. Well, at least as much as we could, given the “sprucing up” that Paris was doing to get ready for the 2024 Olympics coming up. There is a lot of construction going on all around town. Paris will shine in 2024. Enjoy the journey!

PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO THE EIFFEL TOWER TRAVEL TIPS:

  1. Go online to the official Eiffel Tower site and compare options to visit: The OFFICIAL Eiffel Tower website: tickets, news, info… (toureiffel.paris) Best times to visit are early mornings for a day visit and at night for the twinkling lights.
  2. Book tickets well in advance from official site (they go on sale two months in advance) for the experience you want. Once you’ve booked them, you cannot change or exchange your e-tickets. All purchases are final. So double check before hitting that “purchase” button to make sure you have right date/time. Prices/times may vary so I won’t quote any here. Just go to the site and check it out.
  3. You can print tickets or show on your phone just as long as barcode can be scanned. Bring ID for everyone as you may get asked to show it (even for children).
  4. You do have to go through security checks so don’t bring anything that will prevent you from going in like luggage-small bags okay but not big ones.
  5. There are free toilets on every floor (1st, 2nd and top). Use the facilities here because there are practically no toilets on the grounds around the Eiffel Tower. Believe me-I searched and found one defective pod toilet where the door wasn’t closing all the way so my sister stood in front of it so I could use it.
  6. Go during the day AND at night. These are very different experiences. Lights start twinkling after sundown (depends on time of year) on the hour for five minutes (so get there early) and until midnight.
  7. Walk up/down at least some stairs to get a feel for the structure. There are 1665 steps to the top so probably plan on a combo of getting elevator tickets and walking some sections for a well rounded experience. There are only 328 steps to the first floor-you can do it! Thom and I did this and loved it. Lots of good pictures taken too.

GETTING THERE:

ADDRESS:

Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France

On the day of your visit, allow A LOT of extra time to get there. Surface street traffic in Paris is always bad so if you are coming by taxi or Uber, you will get stuck in traffic. I’ve never before gotten a text from Uber that said “we see you haven’t moved in 20 minutes, are you alright?” until I recently went to Paris and then I got it several times. One trip that was predicted by the app to take 20 minutes took two hours. Not kidding! Poor driver did not make money on that trip but we did trip him 20 euros for not kicking us out.

I would recommend using the Metro (Lines 6, 8 or 9) to get close and then walking. Other options: Bus (line 42 or 82/closest bust stop is Bir-Hakeim), take a scenic boat ride (we took the BatoBus Seine River hop on, hop off and they have a stop at the Eiffel Tower), or RER train line 3 (get off at Champs de Mars station). Map below courtesy of official Eiffel Tower site.