I Feel So Unprepared!!!

[dep0515]

I will be leaving in a little less than two weeks and I am starting to feel like I am completely and totally unprepared!!! Even though I have been planning this trip for eight months, I feel like I am clueless!

I have some (possibly silly) questions/fears that keep popping into my mind, and I was hoping to once again rely on the expertise of this forum. Any help/assurance would be much appreciated!

1. Can we hail a taxi anywhere on the street, or does it need to be at a taxi stand?

2. Can you send things via FedEx/UPS at La Poste?

3. Do you order all courses at once in a restaurant? I did pretty well ordering when in Italy...is it the same?

I'm sure I'll have more questions...thank you!

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Don't worry, absolutely everyone feels unprepared a week or two before the first trip (and the second, and the third . . . .)

For taxi information, see Demarais' post today in the "transportation strike" thread in the general section.

LaPoste handles the official postal packages. I don't know whether there is a "package store" type of place like you could find in a large city in the US, but people seem to have done fine with the postal boxes (there was a discussion of that in some other threads, but I don't recall which ones - perhaps mtngrl trip reports?)

Typically you would order at least the starter and main course at once. If you are ordering a dessert that takes time (e.g., souffle) that might be ordered at the start. In my experience, usually you are asked later about cheese course and/or dessert (but that may vary from one place to another, and also may depend on whether you are ordering a prix fixe menu that includes all courses).

Let me repeat what others have said: don't stress about any of this! It will all be fine! ;D It will all get done, and you will sort out everything as you go along. (As someone - don't recall now who - said, "Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once"! )

[greyghost1]

LaPoste also has pre-paid boxes which are easy to use.
re: stress....once you are through customs and baggage claim you'll feel like you belong there.

[dep0515]

Thanks to you both for your responses! I'm sure you are right and everything will go well....but for now, the panic refuses to leave completely!

Becky - I will check out those other posts that you have mentioned. Thank you!

[Shoesy]

Dep - No need to panic, my dear. You're talking about a trip to Paris, not a final college exam. Some people plan and plan and plan and plan, but others don't. Everyone survives, and just about everyone has a great time. You're one of us, so you'll love it. Just relax.

[dep0515]

Thanks, Shoesy!

I've decided to look at it this way: If there is a glitch or two, it will probably just make my trip report more entertaining!

[sistereurope]

Dep,

Heed Shosey's words of wisdom...it's natural to be a bit nervous, but try not to get TOO anxious! It will all work out in the end, and it's true that even the little glitches won't matter much in the end!

[Happygoin]

Sometimes it's the glitches that add character to a trip and they end up being the things you laugh at most. You really will be fine. We promise!

[andi]

Dep.......you are not alone in worrying, we all do the same thing first time. I remember our first trip, we got to to Gare Du Nord hoping to get the metro to our hotel and just wandered aimlessly around not knowing how to do anything. After deciding a taxi was easiest (there was a rank outside) the rest all became so obvious and it felt like we had lived there forever. ;D We did not think twice about how to order food, we just went with the flow (watched and waited). ;)Products we were buying at the shop, although written in french were fairly easy to work out and if not it was fun to try and guess. The metro is so easy to use too.........you have a line that goes from A----to----B or B----to----A with stops in the middle, simply follow the direct until you come to your part of that line you want to get off at. You may find no need to worry about taxi's then. I can not comment on the postal service, not ever having used it yet but again don't worry, once you say "Bonjour madam or monsieur" the majority of Parisiens will speak very good English wherever you are if you are polite in the first place. The biggest thing to worry about is just how envious we will all be whilst you are having a fun time!

[trechic]

Hi Dep, I just read your post and want you to know that I am also leaving for my first trip to Paris alone, and I too feel so unprepared. I have great trepidation about the ordering in restos part, taking the metro, understanding enough of the language (forget this one!!), etc. ... but with all that said, I know I will have the most thrilling time. I will be in Paris!! I will finally be in Paris!! However it all goes, it will be another story in my life and I know one I will cherish for my lifetime. Shoesy's advice was excellent. It's not a college exam - it's PARIS!! Enjoy and I will look foward to all you have to share when you return.
Bon Voyage! Tre

[dep0515]

Thanks again to all of you for your responses and support!

Trechic - I look forward to hearing your report, too! I'm sure we will both have a wonderful, magical time!

[sistereurope]

I am SO excited for all of you first-timers. There's just nothing like that goosebump-y feeling you get when it hits you and you think - "I'm in PARIS!"

[dep0515]

Four days and counting! ;D ;D ;D ;D

One more question: I am planning to get tickets for the hop-on, hop-off boat and bus. I found a L'Open combo ticket on the Cityrama website for 40 euros for a three day pass. Is there any advantage to buying this on line, or should I just wait until I get there? Is it easy enough to do?

As always, merci!

[joan1]

Hi dep,, I would wait and buy L'Open tour tickets when there. I have used them before, two years ago , when I took my 14 yr old son to Paris for his first time. We enjoyed them very much, most especially as you get a great street view from the top deck, which is where we always sat. This was in August 05. and weather was good, but hot. This past August I took a friend to Paris for her first time, and entertained the idea of using them again,, but the weather sucked, rained, cloudy, cooler, it would have been NO fun to sit up top,, if even possible ( there was a heavy rain and lightning storm one day) and sitting on the bottom inside deck would not have been any better then taking a regular bus , , yes there is a taped guide, but it is basic, so for a person who has been to Paris before there would be no advanatge to using the hop on and off buses just for transport. ( except it does make touring around to all the sites very easy as you don't have to look at metro maps or anything, not that doing that is that hard) . Anyways, as we did not pre buy tickets we were not stuck with having to use the service.
If weather is decent then get the pass, you can buy it as you board at any stop. Dress warmly and sit up top,, this assumes no rain!

[Happygoin]

dep, how's that last minute panic? Under control? You must be getting really excited...it's almost here!

[dep0515]

Thanks, Joan! I will heed your advice and buy the tickets there. It sounds easy enough. As of yesterday when I looked at the forecast for Paris, it will be in the mid-50s and clear while I'm there...perfect for the boat and top of the bus! ;D However, I know that the weather can change in a heartbeat.

Happy - I'm still a wreck. I'm certain that I will not be able to communicate with anyone, make a fool out of myself, and not have any clue what to do, how to get anywhere or do anything.

But then I try to remind myself that even if all of those things happen (which I'm fairly sure they won't...at least not ALL of them ) I will be IN PARIS!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks again to you all for all the time you took to help me plan my trip!
Denise

[Becky (Berkeleytravelers)]

Nothing bad will happen! And anything sort of bad that happens, will happen in PARIS - so really, how bad could it be?? ;D

You're going to have a great time, and you'll do fine! Just give them lots of smiles, and try in your best (even if mangled) French to apologize for not speaking the language better, and they will jump in and try to help (the French, by culture, love to solve problems so you likely will find that they can't resist when presented with your communication difficulty!) Just take a little cheat sheet with the phrases you will use/hear most commonly (which of course will do no good in many situations, but you won't care because - say it again - you'll be IN PARIS! ;D)

You're almost on vacation - you go, girl!

[sistereurope]

I agree that it's a good idea to wait and buy your tickets there - it will give you some more flexibility.

And you're welcome for any advice we've been able to give. Most people feel some jitters when they're going to a new city, especially if they're not fluent in the language (I know I do!) But once you get there you'll be fine...trust us ;D

Please stop by before you leave so that we can wish you a proper bon voyage!

[annettecinca]

dep0515 said:

I'm certain that I will not be able to communicate with anyone, make a fool out of myself, and not have any clue what to do, how to get anywhere or do anything.

Denise, relax! If you find yourself in a predicament and need an English speaker, we have found that the younger people almost always will speak English with you--English is a required subject in school these days. We look for someone under 30ish who doesn't appear to be in a hurry and start off with "Bonjour, parlez vous Anglais?" But we really don't feel the need to resort to this often. You will get along just fine!

[dep0515]

Thank you all! This forum has been such an unbelievable help to me. I will be so excited to finally be able to share my own Paris experiences and advice!