another leg in the longest day ever

So apparently something about my face seems to give people the idea that I am a Master of the Parisian public transportation system! First off, in line to buy a ticket for the RER a man asks if this is the line to buy tickets to Lille, I of course have no idea, but I know that you can buy tickets for the RER in this line. ON the RER with my heavy bags I settle in near the door: a mistake. I was unaware of the fact that the person closest to the door will most likely be interrogated about every aspect of this particular line and all of its stops. Luckily I am quick on my feet and was able to field these questions like a pro. I even helped the woman who did speak French!

Following signs gets you far, but heavy bags don’t. Luckily there are friendly French men to selflessly offer to help poor struggling me! (this happened on 5 separate occasions!) each time I warned: “it’s heavy” and thanked them many many times.

So I get off the RER at a connection to the 6 and start looking for a place to buy Metro tickets. None in sight. So I ask one of the 7 cops standing on the other side of the gates where I can buy tickets. One directs me “down the hall and to the right…but it’s automatic, there is no person” That’s fine, not a problem. ONLY THERE IS NO MACHINE. So I ask a commuter who tells me that there isn’t a machine anymore. GREAT. So I go in through the accidentally open door to the other side.

My first day in paris and I am ALREADY illegally riding the metro. I emerge at Place d’Italie but have no idea which of the converging streets is mine, so do almost an entire circle of the Place to find Avenue des Gobelins. Then, finally get to the hostel. Feet and hands blistered, tired, and can’t get into the room until 4 pm. I decide to walk slowly to the FIAP which is where the davidsonians are staying and sat there for 3 hours before anyone even showed up (they were at the Louvre) but I had some coffee (since it was 6 am for me and I hadn’t slept in 28 hours)

Then had an amazing evening of cidre, galettes, beer and chichi with Skye and Rachel. Like old times.