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Passport Renewal

Passport Renewal

by | Jun 1, 2018 | Travel, Trip Planning

Well, that time comes around every so often when one needs a passport renewal.  Yes, it takes 10 years for it to come around.  But, it always seems to be at the most inopportune time.  Like, when you are ready to take a trip!!!

Schedule Your Passport Renewal

Yesterday, the alarm on the mobile phone sounded and a note reminded me, “renew passport.”  I have no idea when I set that alarm, but probably one day when I was wondering when my passport expired.  I must have found the passport in my chest of drawers and checked the expiration.  Then, trying to be a prepared traveler, I set the alarm several months before the expiration.

Even though my passport does not expire until September, the U.S. Department of State recommends renewing a passport 9 months before it expires.  This is one thing all current passport holders should note.  I do not have any international flights planned (I’m sorry to say) so I decided I should do as my alarm instructed and renew.

Visit the Department of State

Since it had been 10 years since the last renewal, I didn’t really remember what to do.  And, I did not want to go wait in line at the post office to find out, so I searched the internet.  The U.S. Department of State has a great website for renewing passport holders and new applicants.

The site provides direct and easy-to-read instructions for renewing.  To renew, 4 things must be sent in:  completed application, passport photo, payment and the recent passport.  On the website, the renewal application is available to print and complete by hand.  Or it can be completed online with the Passport Application Wizard.  I chose online.  With my old passport in hand, it could not have been easier.  I printed out the application, wrote a check, paper-clipped the passport with those two and only needed a passport photo.

Passport Photo

Well, that was the problem.  Did I go to a place to have one made?  Or, try to take selfie and print it at the office on photo paper and in color.  I tried the selfie.  My arms were not long enough to hold the camera far enough away to make my head fit in the size required on the application.

I had to have a friend take my photo at various distances from my face while I stood against an off-white wall.  After printing 4 of the photos, I measured my head in each one and finally found one that would work.  Soon, I had another problem.

Passport photos need to be 2″ x 2″.  I could measure with a ruler, but thought there must be a 2″ x 2″ square if I search the internet.  Sure enough, I found a whole page of templates for 2″ x 2″.  Next, I printed those, cut one out, placed it over my face and cut around the edges.  I pulled the ruler out again, measured – I cut too much off!!!  It was too small.

After trying again, the print and scissor work seems to have paid off.  Granted, I am not very technically savvy, so your efforts could be rewarded much more quickly.  But, I stapled it to the application and took everything to the post office and mailed it off.  Passport renewal in progress!

Routine or Expedited

Because I do not have any travel plans in the near future, I chose routine processing.  Of course, there are instances where someone needs to renew a passport quickly.  The site has detailed instructions on how to request expedited service by mail (2-3 weeks) and in person (8 business days).  The 8 business day option is only if you have an airline or cruise ticket proving you are traveling within 2 weeks or have an emergency.  These expedited services have a special fee in addition to the renewal fee.

As long as a new passport is returned, I will stick with my assessment that this must be one of the easiest things to do with the government.  If my application is returned because of my homemade photo, I will let you know.

Even if you have trouble, the site offers help!  “If you have questions about passports, please contact the National Passport Information Center.”

Need to apply for your first passport?  Go to the Department of State’s website to find out how.

UPDATE!

I mailed my renewal on May 16.  And, on May 31, guess what arrived in the mail?  New passport good for the next 10 years!  Passport renewal success!

I’m ready for Paris anytime!  I could even make new itineraries if the 5 and 10 day are not enough!

Passport envelope and brochure

 

 

Métro Instructions

Métro Instructions

by | May 2, 2018 | Paris, Travel, Trip Planning

Remember the number one rule in Métro Instructions. If you are confused or think you are lost, get out at the next stop, move to the side out of the way of the passing people and get your bearings.  You may be going the right direction, but it is okay to confirm and get back on.  It will only be a few minutes until the next Métro comes along and it will not cost any more money.

If you have gone the wrong direction, cross over to the other side and get back on. Then, you will be going the right direction.  The Métro in Paris is one of the simplest in the world.  The line you are riding goes and comes only one way – back and forth.  You determine the direction by looking at the names of the stops at the ends of the line.  Board the Métro going in the direction that stops at the station you need.

General Métro Instructions:

  1. Find the Métro stop that is nearest to the place you want to visit.
  2. Find that stop on the Métro map and determine the color of the line that stop is on.
  3. Follow that color towards the left and learn the name of the station at the end of the line.
  4. Then, follow the color back to the right and learn the name at the end of the line in that direction.
  5. Put those two names together and you have the name of your Métro line.
  6. If you want, verify the color of the line and the line number. I think that is two more things to try to remember.  Meaning two more things I could easily forget. So, I focus only on the beginning and ending stations.
  7. Find yourself on your map and see if you are close to a stop on that line. If so, great.
  8. If not, find a stop that is near where you are and then go to that entrance.
  9. Buy a ticket. Look for the signs listing the stops, and the ending point for the direction you are going.
  10. Go to the platform and catch the train.
  11. Get out at your stop and exit the station. A map of the area (plan du quartier) is near the exit and you can get your bearings.

Simple Métro Example

(No transfer needed to get to my destination.)

  1. I want to get a crêpe with Nutella next to the entrance to the Tuilleries at the Place de la Concorde (Could something be better?)
  2. I pull out my Métro map and find “Concorde.”  (There are several exits at Place de la Concorde. But no matter which one I actually exit, I will find myself climbing up the steps very close to where they guillotined many poor souls.)
  3. I look toward my right hand and see the end stop is “Château de Vincennes.”  (And I note the line is yellow and it is Line 1.)
  4. I look toward my left hand and see the end stop is “La Défense.”
  5. Therefore, the name of the Métro line I am looking for is “La Défense/Château de Vincennes.”
  6. I am at the Arc de Triomphe. So, I look on the map and find that the closest Métro stop to me is “Charles de Gaulle Étoile”
  7. “Charles de Gaulle Étoile” is in yellow and I see that it is also a stop on the “La Défense/Château de Vincennes” line. So, it is a direct route.
  8. I find the Métro entrance on the sidewalk side of the Arc de Triomphe. I enter the Métro station, buy a ticket at the machine or from the ticket seller and go through the turnstile.
  9. I look for the signs close to the ceiling or on the wall for “La Défense/Château de Vincennes. I find a sign that points it out to me.
  10. Then I look on the sign for the direction of “Château de Vincennes”.
  11. I take the steps at the sign “Château de Vincennes” and then find myself at a platform.
  12. The train comes and I get on.
  13. The train begins moving, I look up toward the ceiling of the Métro and find the same route map that was on my pocket map.  I see “Charles de Gaulle Étoile” and then I see the next stop is supposed to be “George V.”
  14. The Métro starts to slow down and the wall tiles state “Argentine.”
  15. Uh-OH!!!!!  That isn’t going the right direction!!!!!!!!  What do I do???????
  16. Get off the train.
  17. Find a sign that states “La Défense/Château de Vincennes.” Then, find the sign that states “Château de Vincennes.”  (Many times this is up the steps over the tracks and down again so you get the train going the opposite direction.)
  18. Go down to the platform for the train going towards “Château de Vincennes.”
  19. The train comes and I get on.
  20. The train begins moving, I look up toward the ceiling of the Métro and find the same route map that was on my pocket map.  I see the next stop should be “Charles de Gaulle Étoile” (back where I started – all of 5 minutes later).
  21. The Métro starts to slow down and the wall tiles state “Charles de Gaulle Étoile” – I am going in the right direction – yippee!
  22. We pass a few more stops and then, “Concorde” – right on the money!!
  23. I exit (same feeling as when I was coming into Paris – for me this is each time I exit a Métro station).
  24. I find myself by the Crillon Hotel.  Not perfect, but the city is, so who cares?
  25. I walk towards the Tuilleries. The gardens have huge gates and a crêpe stand by the entrance.
  26. Could it have been any better????  Maybe if I didn’t take the first train going the wrong direction, but so what? I am here. I order my crêpe. I sit and look one way toward the Arc de Triomphe and the other way toward the Louvre.  Incredible!

Difficult Métro Example

(A joke – no Métro instructions are difficult! This includes a transfer.)

  1. Still looking for my crêpe with Nutella next to the entrance to the Tuilleries at the Place de la Concorde.
  2. I find “Concorde” on the Métro map.  (At many Métro stops there are multiple exits, but all relatively close.  At this stop, there are several exits, but no matter which one I actually exit, I will find myself climbing up the steps very near where they guillotined many poor souls.)
  3. I look to the right and see the end stop is “Château de Vincennes.”  (And, I note the line is yellow and it is Line 1.)
  4. I look to the left and see the end stop is “La Défense.”
  5. Therefore, the name of the Métro line I am looking for is “La Défense/Château de Vincennes.”
  6. I am at Place Victor Hugo, so I look on the map and find that the closest Métro stop to me is “Victor Hugo.”
  7. “Victor Hugo” is on the blue line and Line 2.
  8. So I follow the blue line – keep looking, it is all the way to the right – and see the end is “Nation.”
  9. I look to the left and see the end is “Porte Dauphine.”
  10. The Métro I am looking for is yellow but I see that they share a common stop, “Charles de Gaulle Étoile.” So, that will be my stop to change trains.
  11. I see that if I get on the “Porte Dauphine/Nation” line going in the direction of “Nation” I can go one stop, change trains and then be on my way to Place de la Concorde.
  12. I find the Métro entrance on the sidewalk of Place Victor Hugo and enter the Métro station, buy a ticket at the machine or from the ticket seller and go through the turnstile.
  13. I look for the sign for “Nation” (this is a relatively small station and it only has two directions, “Nation” and “Porte Dauphine”.
  14. I find the sign for “Nation.”
  15. I take the steps down and then find myself at a platform.
  16. The train comes and I get on.
  17. The train begins moving, I look up toward the ceiling of the Métro and find the same route map that was on my pocket map.  I see the next stop is supposed to be “Charles de Gaulle Étoile.”
  18. The Métro starts to slow down and the wall tiles state “Charles de Gaulle Étoile.” This is my stop.
  19. I get out and then look for signs with, “La Défense/Château de Vincennes.” This is a larger station, so there will be multiple signs for other lines. Find the sign for “Château de Vincennes.”
  20. Go down to the platform for the train going towards “Château de Vincennes.”
  21. The train comes and I get on.
  22. The train begins moving, I look up toward the ceiling of the Métro and find the same route map that was on my pocket map – it is in yellow.  I see the next stop should be “George V”.
  23. The Métro starts to slow down and the wall tiles state “George V” – it is the right direction – yippee!
  24. We pass a few more stops and then, “Concorde” – right on the money!!
  25. Get off the train and exit the station (same feeling as when I was coming into Paris – this is really each time you exit a Métro station).
  26. I find myself by the Crillon Hotel.  Not perfect, but the city is perfect so who cares.
  27. I walk towards the Tuilleries – the gardens have huge gates and a crêpe stand by the entrance.
  28. Could it have been any better????  I am here. I order my crêpe. I sit and look one way toward the Arc de Triomphe and the other way toward the Louvre.  Incredible.

For everything you want to know, and in English, take a look at https://www.ratp.fr/en to find maps, timetables, user guides and an easy to use trip planner.

Still want more?  Visit the absolutely amazing site, ParisByTrain.

And, Métro workers can go on strike, so it is good to know other ways of getting around Paris.

Hold Up – $490 Roundtrip to Paris – Same Day Departure and Arrival?

Hold Up – $490 Roundtrip to Paris – Same Day Departure and Arrival?

by | Apr 13, 2018 | Airfare, Travel, Trip Planning

I was just looking online at tickets for roundtrip to Paris.  When I searched, the results popped up, and under “lowest fare,” it shows a price of $490 roundtrip to Paris!!!  And, it leaves New York’s JFK airport and arrives in Paris at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle on the same day.  I have checked and re-checked.  YES, it is correct!

At first I thought I had lucked into one of those rare times we all read about in the newspaper.  “Mistake by Airline Results in $49 Roundtrip Fares for Lucky European Vacationers.”  Or, something like that.  But, no.  I opened a new browser and went straight to the airline’s site (wowair.com) and got the same result.

However, here are the catches:

Yes, the flight leaves on the same day it arrives in Paris.  But, it departs at 12:40 a.m. – the very beginning of the day.  To look on the bright side, that means you could get to JFK from nearly anywhere in the country in time to get on that flight.  Budget travelers – are you ready for this?

Another catch, you have a 3 hour and 25 minute layover in Reykjavik, Iceland at the Keflavik International Airport.  I have been to that airport and it is pretty cool.  And, they have interesting souvenirs.  But, the airport is a little far out to be able to go into town and see anything.  Still, from the airport you can look outside at the crazy moonscape of Iceland.  Who knows, it may get your traveling yen going for a trip to Iceland next.

On the return, the departure time from Paris is great – 6:30 p.m. (Go ahead and climb those towers at Notre-Dame de Paris, have lunch, then take your time getting to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport for your return journey).  Again there is a layover in Rekjavik for another 3 hours and 30 minutes of chill time.  While it is not so bad for the savings, the plane does not arrive until 11:25 p.m. at JFK.  What are you going to do if you don’t live next door to JFK?  Sleep in the terminal?

Then, more catches:

You have to pay for a carryon, and for a checked bag, and this is for each direction.  So double those bag charges!  Remember, even with the least expensive ticket, personal items are free – hurrah!

No food is included in the ticket price unless you buy the WOW biz ticket.  So if you were going to try the suggestion to avoid eating in flight, the decision is made for you!

Yet, the airline offers a lot of options to go with the basic ticket.  Everything is à la carte (to use some French), so you buy what suits you.  Need cancellation protection, check it off and an amount is added to your total charge.  Want priority boarding?  Check it on the screen and your total is increasing.  What about extra leg-room or extra, extra leg-room?  You can buy it.  Decide you want to forego the recommendation about avoiding jet lag?  On the WOW air website, you can purchase food for your meal on board at the time you purchase your ticket.  Choose what you want and pay for each part as you choose your options.

Want your bags included in your ticket, take a look at WOW plus.  That fare is about $100 more and you get a seat, one checked bag and one carryon bag – worth it!  Then you only have the catches written about earlier to worry about.

Leaving and arriving on the same day is incredible.  You arrive in Paris, go eat dinner, go to bed, and wake up the next day on schedule.  Or at least that is how it is supposed to work.  This flight could work to your advantage to avoid jet lag.  You will be so exhausted, you will sleep well into the next morning after you finally hit the hay.

This is budget travel and it doesn’t seem half bad.

It will just take a bit of planning to cover the issues created by cost savings.

Your Paris Library

Your Paris Library

by | Mar 3, 2018 | Paris, Travel, Trip Planning

Paris is one of the most visited and beloved places in the world, and because of that, there are MANY books about Paris.  Lots of people have written about Paris and continue to write about it.  They make movies with Paris in a starring role that have luscious scenery and breathtaking views.  Lucky for us!  That means we get to read old favorites and brand new titles coming out each year, plus watch the newest films shot on location in Paris.  Fun For All Of Us!

Together with histories and nonfiction accounts, publishers keep turning out historical fiction, thrillers, mysteries, picture books, children’s books, guide books, cookbooks, best of books, garden books and even shopping books and guides.  Books have always been, and still are, a sure way to transport you to another world and they do the same for Paris.  They are the perfect way to explore Paris before going so you can learn more about what you like and what you do not like.  Remember, it is important to narrow your focus to what you love and what really interests you.  That is important so that you can create your Paris List and have the best trip to Paris possible.

Narrow Your Focus in Advance

In order to figure out what you want to see, one website, guidebook or history is not enough.  Paris is so diverse that you should consult multiple sources in order to get a feel for the monument, museum or neighborhood that may spark your interest.  Each author has a different perspective and each offers a different insight.  And, you may learn something from one book that you would never find out from another book.

My “Paris Library” contains some of all types of books.  It contains a range, from little mini books on bistros to oversize coffee table books.  Each one has a particular appeal.  Some are so specific that they would be unhelpful to the casual Paris visitor.  But, since I write about Paris, I need some pretty specific books to help with some of the articles that I write.

To help you begin your initial armchair journey to Paris, I have reviewed my library and propose some books for your pleasure.  You probably only need a few to really make a difference in your life.  And by making a difference, I mean providing information and photos to get you really excited about going there, providing information to make informed decisions on what will meet your expectations, and providing a way to have a great traveling experience even at your home through photos, writing and recipes.

I find these books are especially helpful, with plenty of information. They are books that I find myself returning to time and again for the great resources and reference. But also, because they conjure the feelings of Paris.

Guidebooks

It would not be impossible to visit Paris without a guidebook, but….  You may have a few questions before, during and after your trip and a guidebook could provide the answer.  Plus, they are fun to read and pretty much essential for preparing your Paris List.

More info here: Guidebooks for Paris

Fiction

To be able to write like Balzac!  Or Victor Hugo???  What about Ernest Hemingway???  Each novel takes us deep into Paris.  And, who doesn’t like to sit on the edge of the seat waiting for what comes next in mysteries and thrillers?  A car wreck, Soviet spies, snipers – and set in PARIS!

Nonfiction

Like most nonfiction, we can learn more than we really want to know about the real goings on in the past.  From the bedraggled pauvres that are the subject of one of the longest running Broadway plays, to the daily rituals of Louis XIV, these books illustrate the reality of the past and present.

Photo Books

Nothing is quite like sitting with a photo book and getting a bird’s eye view or seeing oversize full-page photos of Paris.  One image can make your heart leap!  So many try to publish books that capture the City of Light, but some seem to do it better than others.

Garden Books

Well, if you want to admire beauty up close and personal, garden books can set you straight.  The grand gardens, the little pocket parks, the areas surrounding monuments that would not necessarily be called gardens.  Each one is elegant and thought out beyond what we can imagine.  Formal, wild, vegetable, preserve – you name the garden type and you can find it in Paris.

Cookbooks

Cookbooks are a great way to learn about the food that you may see on a restaurant menu.  Not that you have to learn the name of every French dish in French, but being familiar with some of the names can help ease you into your culinary experiences in Paris.

Children’s Books

What joy to read a children’s book and see characters come to life with caricature drawings – and then – see them in real life.  Children’s books are just as fun for adults and really dig deep into the French mindset preparing and exciting the whole family.

Movies

Dancing like Gene Kelly across the screen is about as wonderful and magical as you can get!!!!  Audrey Hepburn takes on Paris in her own way and everyone knows The da Vinci Code!  Images of Paris, style, culture, glamor – all rolled up in these movies.  Movies are pure entertainment.