How much does a trip to Paris cost?

[mama squeak!]

^sis, I'm not sure if Pacsafe have convertible laptop backpacks. True, pricey talaga if you buy here. You won't be lugging your laptop when you go around naman, di ba? Probably you can get a smaller Pacsafe bag that will serve as your daybag or pasyal bag. I also have this small sling purse:  http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=57
Kasya my passport, CCs, money, cellphone, map and some abubots. This purse is convenient too. I wear this underneath my coat kaya secure na secure din sya. If you prefer a bigger one I think they also have it.

 

[Karrie]

When I go abroad and some one approaches to beg I start talking in tagalog loud and strong voice...it scares them away.  Never be friendly and act masungit.

A way to save in paris is by eating in the boulangeries (tama ba my spelling?) all over Paris.  Remember last time I was in the Champ Elysees I was able to by rice meals.  It may have just been a meatball with rice pero it was good.

[melodymedley]

^^My concern is lugging my laptop during flights and trains as well. I don't want it in my backpack so for trains/flights, I want my laptop beside me. Eh my laptop is 9" x 13" so medyo malaki sya. Saw the Pacsafe Tourist backpack kanina and my laptop won't fit there.

Kinda OT already. 

[maddie_girl]

^thanks water and wine!! Very helpful tips i just realized nga na walng sinabi mga snatchers natin! Why doesnt the police stop them?

yeah, i agree with one sis. too many and it happens too often. the most they can do for you during your stay is to file the necessary papers para maka claim ka from your insurance for the theft. pero hassle then because it can take hours in the police station to get them done.

[foxymom]

Finally had our french embassy interview and hopefully we will get our visas by next week!

Celebrating New Years in Paris soooo excited!

[foxymom]

hi everyone!

a friend suggested getting the hop on/ hop off bus tour in paris:

http://www.parislopentour.com/

i'm actually considering it since it will stop in all major tourist spots and will save us from deciphering the metro system. what do you guys think? we are there during winter and do not mind not sitting on the upper deck. and a plus since we will see the city in a relaxed manner. im so worried about pickpockets in the metro.

inputs?

[chianti]

A hop on/off bus tour isn't that bad actually. Di ko pa na-try to pero nakita ko to when I went to Europe before. Relaxing siya in a way kasi once you get off the bus, pwede ka na umikot ikot dun sa lugar at your own pace. Tapos you could hop on back to the bus pag tapos ka na umikot. Just bear in mind the schedule of the bus. Ang worry ko lang is since winter, baka mashadong malamig if nasa upper deck ka. But if you can tolerate it, then go ahead.

About sa pickpocketing, you just need to be conscious lang talaga all the time. Kahit naman dito sa Pinas di ba, like sa Quiapo, dapat vigilant ka kapag naglalakad dun sa area na yun. I suggest you use a bag na may zipper so it'd be difficult to get thru your belongings.   

[mama squeak!]

@foxymom - sis, I don't recommend you taking the open tour bus at the height of winter. Di mo kakayanin ang upper deck sa sobrang ginaw plus the wind will make the cold worse pa. You will only end up sitting down below.

A cheaper alternative is to purchase a Paris Visite Pass. The pass is good for the metro, RER, bus and boat. A 5 day pass will cost you EUR30,70 only compared to a 2 day Open Tour bus at EUR32,00. If you are intimidated with their metro system you can always take the bus. There are 2 or 3 bus lines that go around the main tourist sites. I'll get back to you on that as I need to check my notes on the particular bus numbers and the route they take.

With regards to pick pockets, chianti is right. You just have to be aware of your surroundings and be extra cautious with your stuff. Advantageous pa nga na naka-coat kayo kasi you can always wear your bag inside your coats. Dapat nga lang manipis yung bag mo, tipong sling bag. Or you can always opt to get a Pacsafe bag, the sling bag type ha. I have the convertible sling/backpack bag. Very convenient!   

 

[foxymom]

thanks thanks! sigh, fail ang hop on hop off bus ko

checked feedback in trip advisor and not recommended because the bus does not arrive every 15mins as promised

[textspeak!] mamasqueak, pls let me know the bus number to take we will definitely get the paris visite pass

[mama squeak!]

^sis, these are the bus numbers you can take:

no. 82  - The bus starts at the Luxembourg gardens at the Latin Quarter with direction towards Tour Montparnasse. It will continue towards Les Invalides (tomb of Napoleon) and Ecole Militaire. It will then pass by the Eiffel Tower. You can get off here or at the next stop at Trocadero.

no. 72 - There is a stop at Trocadero (direction towards the Louvre). The bus will pass by Place de la Concorde, the Jardins des Tuileries, the Louvre and will make a circular route back to Trocadero. Once you see Notre Dame to your right (it will be across the island Ile de la Cite), you can get off at the next bus stop.

You can check this link to give you a general idea of where the bus stops are and the directions to take:

 http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orienter/f_plan.php?loc=reseaux&nompdf=bus_paris_geo&fm=gif

Don't get intimidated. In case you get lost, the easiest way to get back to your apartment is to use the metro. Sorry ha, metro pa rin ang bagsak mo. But if you've taken the HKG MTR, it will be easy for you na.

Basta think of it as an adventure and getting lost is part of that.       

[foxymom]

^thank you again! yes, we've taken the hk mtr plenty of times. [textspeak!] if kaya ko yun kaya ko! excited

[chianti]

@foxymom, if it helps, here's the link to metro system within Paris:

http://parisbytrain.com/paris-rer-map/

Don't worry about getting lost, I was able to get the hang of it right away. The train lines are color coded and are intertwined. Even if you get lost, you'll surely find a way back to your place just by looking at the map. Just make sure you keep one in your bag in case you can't locate the posted map in a station.

One thing I enjoyed using their trains is I got to immerse myself in the culture somehow. You'd be surprised that even those wearing fur chanel coats use the metro.

[foxymom]

@chianti: thank you!! this is a great help

meron nga ako mababaw na problema... what bag to use for the trip! lol, i was bent on buying a pacsafe bag but my husband laughed when he saw it... im thinking of using a wallet on chain then use it under my coat... i have a chanel woc but will look for a cheaper alternative since i do not want to abuse that one, hehe babaw ko..

[mama squeak!]

^sis, I'm sure you will be shopping designer bags there, right? Don't bring any designer bags with you from Manila at baka ka masita ng customs when you get home kasi marami ka ng bitbit. For me the safest bag to bring is still a pacsafe bag or if you insist on a designer bag something that you can easily hide. With customs kasi you can't tell minsan mahigpit sila and they check everything minsan naman they just wave you away.

[chefron]

wow sarap naman, sige 2 years from now sana masched ko yan hahaha

omg i didnt know na magkakatotoo ang sinulat ko dito nuon...grabe!

Paris, magkikita na din tayo next year 

[tiff_xi]

hi mga sis
when traveling to europe (paris-venice-rome), do we really need the assistance of a travel agency?
I've travelled before in Southeast Asia (vietnam-cambodia-thailand-malaysia-singapore) and puro DIY lang kami nun, but ofcourse, we didnt need visas.
So I'm concerned how much we're going to rely on the travel agency? Kasi when applying for visa, according to my research, kailangan na ng ticket reservations, itinerary and hotel reservations, right? Mahirap kasi kung kukuha na kami ng mga yun pag wala pang visa, so a travel agency will be a big help on this.
I just want to be clear kung ano lang ia-avail namin na services nila if we really need them.

Lahat ba ng nag-travel to europe from Manila, nag-avail kayo ng services ng travel agency? If so, which of their services did you avail of? Were they really helpful? Mas madali ba talaga with a travel agency? What should we tell our travel agent para clear? 

Backpacking style gusto namin gawin, so no guided city tours needed. It'll just be me and my husband.

Any advice?
thanks in advance mga sis!  

[mama squeak!]

^sis, if you backread on this thread and the Euro threads 1 and 2 you'll see that most of the GTs did their trips DIY style. Some did a combination tour package and DIY naman. Just backread and post your questions again.

 

[chefron]

mama squeak, sa tingin mo ba a carry on luggage will do for a 1 week trip?

natrauma kase ako sa pag check in ng bagahe 

[mama squeak!]

^Yes, that's doable if you have no intention of shopping.   

[chefron]

yehey!
problem na lang if papayag ang budget airline if 2 ang carry on or better yet antay ng sale ng airline.

thank God for this talaga