There are lots of travel gadgets available to help travelers, but nothing is more reliable than a good guide book.

In Parts I and II of “A ‘To Do’ List To Get To Paris,” you:

1. Determined your bottom line for your trip.

2. Determined when you want to go – busy season vs. slow season.

3. Applied for your passport.

4. Determined whether you want to live like royalty or like a commoner while travelling.

5. Investigated airfare prices for one or two airlines and read the fine print of each airline’s website regarding luggage allowance and their rules of carriage (your rights as a traveler).

6. Determined whether you need travel insurance.

7. Bought Rick Steves’ Paris 2015 guide book or another if you prefer.

8. Determined where you want to stay.

9. Made a list of travel gear to buy.

10. Strategized your food spending plan.

11. Using your guide book, you made a list of the top activities you want to do while in Paris, being mindful of which arrondissement they are in.

12. Planned your transportation costs.

13. Notified your bank (and credit card companies) of your travel plans and got it in writing (that you notified them). You inquired as to whether you will be assessed fees for cash withdrawals and debit/credit card transactions and included these in your spending plan.

14. Verified your cell phone includes international calling and how much it is per minute. You considered getting a SIM card in France.

15. After your research, you developed your spending plan for your trip.

Part III

16. Get travel apps but don’t rely solely on them. As previously stated, it is good travel sense to have a contingency plan. A smartphone can be lost, stolen, dropped in water, or you could have my experience and not be able to access the internet due to a lack of information provided by the cell provider. Take a travel guide unless your contingency plan is to “wing it.”

New apps become available almost every day. Although I plan to highlight some of them on my blog in the future, it is impossible to keep up with the proliferation of technological gadgets unless that is your sole focus. Here are a few that have caught my attention recently. Don’t be surprised they’ve been around for a while. Note: Most of the descriptions are the official app descriptions, and all are available for Android and iOS phones.

Travel Apps

TripAdvisor. This app includes photos, descriptions and reviews of hotels, flights, restaurants and attractions for locales around the world. You could conceivably plan your entire trip using this app. Note: I am a reviewer on TripAdvisor, and I am not being paid to endorse their app.

TripAdvisor City Guide Catalogue; Paris City Guide. Download the TripAdvisor City Guide Catalogue for a multi-country trip or the Paris City Guide for information on restaurants, attractions, hotels and more, all available offline. Both are free.

Travel App Box. Fifteen tools, including tip calculator, currency and unit converter, phrase and pictography dictionary, and country calling codes. $1.99

Tripit. Organizes all of your reservations – plane, hotel, restaurant, etc. – into one itinerary. Free.

Rail Europe. Check schedules, book tickets and reserve seats on 35 European railroads in 32 countries. Free.

Flight Aware. Tracks flight information, including status of arriving and departing planes, gate/terminal changes, delays, cancellations and connections. Free.

Google Translate. Translates written and spoken words and phrases (64 and 17, respectively), and speaks the translations of 24 languages aloud. Provides phonetic spellings for non-Latin-based languages. Free.

Jetsetter. Alerts members to daily sales and exclusive iPhone deals on high-end hotels, weekend trips, safaris, and other excursions. Booking capabilities plus reviews and photos. Free.

Easy Currency Converter. Live exchange rates for 180+ world currencies, favorites, graphs, available offline. Set up your personal currency list and have them at first glance. Free. (Note: I’ve used this and found it to be accurate.)

Since I don’t have field experience with all of these apps, please feel free to leave a comment about any of them if you have already used one, or use one in the future. Also, if you have travel app suggestions, don’t hesitate to share that with me in the comments section. I would like to give my readers that kind of feedback. Please leave me a comment at the end of this post or click here.

17. Notify your email provider and Facebook (or other social media) of your travel plans.

I put this here as a joke. The fact is, you can’t do this (that I am aware of), but should be able to. Why? My Outlook and Facebook accounts were both frozen shortly after I arrived in Paris. The beauty of these types of accounts is that they are supposed to be world-wide accessible. Yet no matter how many questions I answered to verify my identity, neither account could be satisfied: I was using a computer in a foreign country. I kept getting messages that stated both accounts wanted me to sign in from a computer I had previously used. After I arrived back in the U.S., both accounts unfroze themselves, as if by magic. Outlook, Facebook and other such social media need to have a system in place so their users won’t be frozen out of their accounts that are touted as world-wide accessible. If I am unaware that you can notify social media of your travel plans please leave me a comment at the end of this post or click here.

While I opened a Gmail account when in Paris, I needed access to previous emails to get a resume from my Outlook account.

18. Make sure you have enough medication to take with you if you need it. Some people still recommend that you get a written prescription for any medications you take with you. I wrapped a prescription (from my doctor’s prescription pad) around my prescription bottle with a rubber band and packed it in my carryon. I wasn’t asked about it, but how else would a Border Patrol Agent or Customs Agent know the prescription is mine, and that what I have in the prescription bottle is what it says in the bottle? You can’t be too careful.

19. Write down (or program into your smartphone) the number 17: the number to call in France for English-speaking police. I’m not trying to scare you, but I had a frightening moment in a deserted section of Pere La Chaise Cemetery during my last trip. (See future post “Paris Trip Day 10.”) Rick Steves had this emergency number in his 2014 guide book on Paris but unfortunately, I didn’t notice it. If your first language is something other than English, ask for an emergency number when you arrive at your lodging and program it into your phone right away.

20. Make arrangements for pets and/or plants to be taken care of.

21. Cancel newspaper and other publications/services as applicable.

22. Tell a relative or neighbor of your travel plans, and give them your contact information while in Paris. Suppose something happens to your cell phone and a family member needs to get in touch with you? It is always good to let someone back home know where you will be in a foreign country.

Meeting new people is one of the joys of travelling. May you be mindful that you are an ambassador for your country while in a foreign country.

23. Take an attitude of a helpful traveler with you on your trip. No matter how long you stay for, whether for a weekend or a month or year, try to have a willingness to try to see things from another’s point of view. Be mindful that you are a guest in a foreign country, and that foreigners don’t often view situations the same way as Americans. And enjoy yourself.

Salut.

Many people find planning international travel to be a dizzying experience.

In Part I of “A ‘To Do’ List to Get To Paris,” you:

1. Determined your bottom line for your trip.

2. Determined when you want to go — during the busy season vs. slow season.

3. Applied for your passport.

4. Determined whether you want to live like royalty or like a commoner while travelling.

5. Investigated airfare prices for one or two airlines and read the fine print of each airline’s website regarding luggage allowance and their rules of carriage (your rights as a traveler).

6. Determined whether you need travel insurance.

PART II

   7.  Buy Rick Steves’ Paris 2015 guide book, or another guide book if you prefer. I personally think Rick offers the best travel advice for first-time and experienced travelers alike – and he’s not paying me to say that. (He does not even know I exist.)

I realize in our digital age many people want to travel without being encumbered by travel books. “A smartphone is so much easier to carry, and I can schedule everything using it,” you say. But what if your phone was stolen? Or you cannot seem to get internet service in Paris (or wherever) – what then? You think that cannot happen in our global, digitized world? It happened to me. Before I left for my trip, T-Mobile told me I would be able to get WiFi service anywhere in France and that I wouldn’t be charged roaming fees. They said that even though they don’t have cell towers all over France, they have partnerships with French companies that do. In places where T-Mobile doesn’t have cell towers, the French partners would provide service; this is why I was supposed to turn on “roaming.” What T-Mobile failed to tell me was that I would need a User Name and Password to access the French partners. As a result, I hardly ever had internet access on my phone outside of my hostel, which provided its own service, was password protected, and free.

  8. Determine where you want to stay (your lodging). I looked through Rick Steves’ Paris 2014 Guide Book in the “Sleeping in Paris” section to see where I wanted to stay. I had already stayed in the 7^th arrondissement, and in an unknown arrondissement 39 years ago, and wanted to discover another part of Paris. The description of Montmartre (18^th arrondissement) intrigued me since it is a village, and sounded like it had its own personality. From there, I narrowed down my lodging choices to six possibilities – three hotels, two hostels, and renting an apartment. (I looked at Hotel Pavillon, Hotel Andre Gill, My Hotel in France Montmartre, The Vintage Hostel & Budget Hotel, Plug-Inn Hostel, and Cobblestone Paris Rentals (apartments)). I decided on Plug-Inn Boutique Hostel because it is easily accessible to Metro (it’s actually between two stops, each close by) and cafes and shops, has a full bathroom in each room, a kitchenette so I could make some of own meals, they provide free breakfast, bed linens, towel, WiFi and internet service, they have showers downstairs for when you want to take a shower while yours is occupied by a roommate, their prices were extremely reasonable, they have no lock-out period (though a chamber maid needs access to clean the room) and they have the most beautiful pictures on their website (which, I should mention, turned out to be realistic). I checked whether they had beds available for when I was looking to travel. But before I made my hostel reservation I booked my airfare. You need to make sure you can travel on your preferred dates before you book your lodging. Another possibility is to pay for 1-2 nights lodging before you see whether you can book your airline reservation during your preferred travel dates, that way you won’t be out much if you have to cancel, but are guaranteed to have someplace to stay for those nights if you can.

This is essentially what I did, though with Plug-Inn Hostel, I was able to make a reservation and pay for it once I arrived. I believe because I was so rushed I misread the reservation (what I printed out), since I mistakenly thought that the total I would be paying for two nights was for one night. When I arrived there, I first paid for the two nights I booked and then for the rest of my stay once I understood my mistake. This is why I had to change rooms several times, and my first Saturday night I had to stay elsewhere. Actually, management came to me before then and said they had a cancellation, which meant I could have stayed there. But I had the opportunity to stay in a 3-Star hotel for half price, and I decided I wanted to see what another lodging in Paris was like. (I was also looking forward to spreading out my belongings on a huge bed and maybe even…watching a little French television to see what words I could pick up. I am not normally a big television watcher, especially on holiday.)

  9. Make a list of travel gear you need to buy. At the bare minimum, most people need:

• suitcase (check your airline’s baggage regulations);

• carry-on (check your airline’s baggage regulations);

• travel blow dryer;

• at least one 220 voltage adapter for electronics;

• 3-1-1 containers for their personal care items (for your carry-on);

• first aid items you often use at home (for sore feet, or if you cut yourself shaving); and,

• locks for your baggage.

See future posts “Selecting Your Best Wardrobe & Travel Gear (For Women)” and “Selecting Your Best Travel Gear (For Men),” coming soon.

“A jug of wine, a loaf of bread, and Thou.” — Omar Khayyam

  10. Strategize your food spending plan. Rick Steves says in his Paris 2015 Guide Book that you should be able to eat comfortably for $85 per day per person, or for $40 per day if you’re a student or tightwad; in his Paris 2014 guide book, those figures were $80 and $40, respectively. My daily average for food was $55 per day, even with a free breakfast at the hostel. On days I knew I would be eating dinner in a restaurant, I skimped on lunch, often with a sandwich (or two) I made at the hostel using a baguette or croissant I got as part of my breakfast (both were provided daily) and produce I purchased at markets. I was amazed at how much produce I could buy for so few euros. (Though markets closer to my hostel were much pricier: I paid $8.00 for a pint of cherries because the larger market didn’t have them.) If you stay at a hostel with a kitchen and food shop at markets for even part of your meals, your savings can add up. Look through your guide book for meal ideas. Remember, in Paris there are 1,773 hotels and 12,938 restaurants (that are reviewed by TripAdvisor). If a restaurant looks too pricey from its menu posted outside, just keep walking.

  11. Using your guide book, make a list of the top activities you want to do while in Paris, being mindful of which arrondissement they are in. Keeping in mind I’ve been to Paris twice before, my top activities for this trip besides meeting and talking to Parisians and travelers were: 1) a nighttime dinner cruise on the Seine River, 2) Photographic Exhibit that was there while I was; 3) Eiffel Tower; 4) Arc de Triomphe (top);5) become a regular at a restaurant; 6) a guided bus tour; 7) buy a French cape (on the Champs-Elysees if possible); 8) take the “scenic bus routes” as bus tours; 9) food shop at markets (to live a bit like a Parisian); 10) Christmas market on the Champs-Elysees; 11) Musee du Petite Palais; 12 )Mass at Notre Dame; 13) Hard Rock Café; 14) eat bruschetta; 15)Shakespeare & Co.; 16) Alexandre III Bridge (seen in Midnight in Paris); 17) Pere La Chaise cemetery; 18) take a picture of Moulin Rouge (and many others!); 19) eat a crepe; 20) have a few glasses of wine; 21) drink as much cappuccino as possible.

  12. Plan your transportation costs. Many of the activities I planned were clustered together, and I often did at least two things per day when I went out. (I stayed at the hostel some days.) Using your activities list, plan your days for transportation costs. “Metro” tickets are good for bus and subway trips. Some activities, such as a trip to Versailles, will require a train trip (or car rental).

My (ground) transportation costs for a month in Paris were $160.00, which isn’t much. I walked a lot, clustered my activities together, and at times stayed at the hostel during the day. I was there to live and relax, as well as see Paris.

Rick Steves says in his 2015 guide book that you should probably plan for $65 for ground transportation costs per week per person. See my future post entitled “Maps of France, Paris, and the Metro” for more information on Metro and other ground transportation costs.

13. Notify your bank (and any credit card companies) of your travel plans and get it (the fact that you’ve notified them) in writing. Inquire as to whether you will be assessed fees for cash withdrawals and debit/credit card transactions and include these in your spending plan. Banks and credit card companies should be forewarned of your travel plans so they won’t suspect your cards have been stolen once you start using them abroad; you should also inquire about fees for using their card(s) overseas. I called Wells Fargo and gave them my travel itinerary: the countries I knew I would visit and several other possibilities (which were possible day-trips). I also asked them about fees. They said I would be assessed a 1% fee for debit card transactions and a $5 fee for all cash withdrawals. I understood what I was told. Still, once I was in France and thought about it, I was a bit surprised that even though I used ATMs in the Star Network – which Wells Fargo is part of – I was assessed fees. I thought the whole reason a bank was in a particular network meant that you wouldn’t be assessed a fee – otherwise, what’s the point of being in a network?

I paid $60+ for withdrawal and international transaction fees for use of my debit card. Fees might seem like a waste of money, but I didn’t want to have too much cash on hand at any one time, even with a locker. I’ve learned to give myself permission to do what I need to be comfortable.

Fees charged by Wells Fargo wasn’t the worst part: Even though I notified them of my travel plans, and even though I received an email from them verifying my travel itinerary, and even though this travel itinerary was clearly visible in my account documents online, Wells Fargo froze my account twice while I was in Paris. They demanded that I recount each and every transaction I had made (twice) in painstakingly slow conversations that increased my cell phone bill. While the customer service reps (Ha!) told me they could see in my account documentation that I had filed a travel itinerary with them, they COULD NOT tell me why they chose to freeze my account twice; I was even hung up on when I kept asking for the reason. I contacted Wells Fargo about this after I returned to the States: Their regional manager never followed up with me to tell me what he found out about why the bank froze my account, twice, even though I gave them a travel itinerary, and even though I emailed him a copy of my itinerary upon his request.

   14. Verify your cell phone plan includes international calling, and how much it is per minute. Consider getting a SIM card in France. I had to buy a new smartphone just before I departed for France because mine simply stopped working. I made sure I had an international plan. The employees at T-Mobile told me that customers do, from time to time, mistakenly think they have international calling as part of their plan.

Rick Steves suggests that if you are going to be travelling for an extended time, you should pick up a SIM card (with an activated phone!) in France for $5-$10 and save on calls. If it weren’t for all of my other challenges I would have done this. But too many things went wrong for me to deal with yet something else. Also, when I inquired about this at T-Mobile before I left the U.S., I understood more about it after reading the guide book than the employee I spoke to. He first tried to tell me I didn’t need a plan—my phone activated–to get a SIM card in Paris. Only when I narrowed him down and talked about what I had read in the guide book did he finally state his misinformation succinctly: he said “the plan would come with the SIM card.” “Not for five dollars, it won’t!” was my response.

15. After doing your research, develop your spending plan for your trip. In addition, it would be helpful to give yourself a 10% – 15% cushion for unexpected expenditures, such as lost or stolen items. Also, be sure to factor in cell phone calls (or calls, period). You might decide to try to make as few calls as possible and then have an emergency that keeps you on the phone for an extended time. Sometimes, the best laid plans are all for naught.

 The following is my spending plan for my month-long trip during the slow season:

Airfare:             $   850.00        Turkish Airlines

Lodging:              1,015.00*      Plug-Inn Hostel

Food:                    1,650.00

Clothes/Gear:        500.00        (Baggage, travel purse, other travel gear, clothes)

Passport:                  221.85

Transp.                     100.00*      (Cab, Metro, Bus) (I planned to walk a lot)

Attractions:                60.00*      (Attractions are free on first Sunday of the month)

Souvenirs:                200.00*      (For myself and others)

Int’l Bank Fees:          50.00*      (Withdrawal fees and int’l purchase fees)

Cell Phone & Calls    150.00*      (Bill and int’l calls: I planned few calls)

London Trip:              300.00       (Eurostar, Hotel, Underground, Food, Bus to Paris)

Emergency Fund       500.00

Spending Plan $5,596.85

My actual spending in categories with an asterisk* differed from my spending plan. My actual spending is listed below, with marked categories in bold and the reason(s) for the difference in parentheses.

Airfare:                 $   850.00

Lodging:             1,102.50* (+ 87.50) (Had to stay one night in a hotel)

Food:                       1,650.00

Clothes/Gear:           500.00

Passport:                     221.85

Trans.                      160.00* (+ 60.00) (Cab to hostel more; van return trip)

Attractions:             38.00*   (- 22.00) (I only paid for one)

Souvenirs:             350.00* (+150.00) (Sent gifts and replaced lost items)

Int’l Bank Fees:       61.63*    (+ 11.63) (More withdrawals than planned)

Cell & Calls              168.49*   (+ 18.49) (Wells Fargo froze my account 2x)

London Trip:               300.00       _________

Actually Spent  $5402.47  ($327.62 difference) (From Emergency Fund)

Emergency Fund Left  $  194.38

We will finish your To Do List to get to Paris next post!

Salut!

Image of smartphone (LG-GC900) courtesy of Flickr. Photo by Viewty Smart, taken on 3.21.09. CCBY 2.0.