Paris Trip – Day 1

 Paris Trip – Day 1

Our flight to Paris was smooth and uneventful. We breezed through security with no lines and only waited about 30 minutes before boarding. While chatting with other passengers, we got so caught up in the excitement that we forgot to do our usual pre-boarding tasks like brushing our teeth and removing our contacts. I ended up taking my contacts out while standing in line to board.

We were seated separately, but I lucked out with an empty middle seat, which gave me a bit of extra space to stretch out and try to sleep. According to my Fitbit, I slept for just three hours during the seven-hour flight. That sounds about right, it felt like I was awake most of the time, though I did have my eyes closed for at least five hours.

Arrival in Paris came with a few hiccups.
First, my friend accidentally dropped her phone into an open vent next to her seat. The flight attendants asked us to deplane and said they’d send the phone to baggage claim if they found it. Since we had only carry-ons, we didn’t need to wait for luggage but we ended up waiting 45 minutes for the phone to be retrieved. A United representative told us we could exit and re-enter through a specific door, but we didn’t want to risk not being allowed back in, so we stayed put, used the restroom, and waited. Around 9 a.m., we finally got the phone back.

Next came the challenge of finding transportation into the city. We were told that no trains were running that day and that we’d need to take a bus instead. After buying two bus tickets, we were directed to area 2F but ended up waiting in the wrong area. A confusing exchange with a bus driver and some sign-reading led us to retrace our steps. Eventually, a helpful representative pointed us to an elevator that took us to a lower level, where we found a long line of people waiting in a parking garage for the bus.

For €30, we finally boarded a bus into Paris. It dropped us off on a random street, not a station, so we pulled up the Uber app and requested a ride to our Airbnb. That part was surprisingly smooth. The driver was friendly and even pulled over so we could snap a few photos of the Eiffel Tower.

Getting into our Airbnb took a bit of effort. We first arrived at the wrong door, so naturally, the key code didn’t work. Once we found the correct entrance, we faced our next challenge: climbing six flights of stairs with our luggage. Thankfully, we had packed light, just carry-ons and personal items.

Unlocking the apartment door was another adventure. The lock was tricky and took nearly five minutes to figure out. Just as we were about to give up, the door finally popped open.

After a short rest, we headed to a nearby coffee shop for cappuccinos and snacks. Then we set out for an evening walk to see the Eiffel Tower. It was around 6 p.m. on a Sunday, so most shops were closed, but it was still magical to stroll around and take in the sights.

On our way back, we picked up some groceries and called it a night, exhausted but happy to finally be in Paris.