Finished project: Egypt scrapbook

When I was 16 I went on the trip of a lifetime to Egypt with some other students. We had a fabulous time visiting the Pyramids, the Karnak temple, the Valley of the Kings, and other sites. We spent time in Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Aswan and Alexandria. I can honestly say that it was the most fun that I have ever had on a trip -- to date!

After that trip, I resolved to make a scrapbook of my memories. Over the years I did a page here and there but it wasn't until this year that I realized that I had to finish it. It took me 12 years but now I can proudly say that the scrapbook is finished! The last thing that I did was a fabric scrapbook cover.

Here are some shots of it:

My title page to the Egypt Trip

Karnak Temple

The Valley of the Kings

The Egyptian Museum

Visiting Versailles in Paris

During our visit in Paris, we took a day trip to Versailles and it was the highlight of our trip! There are a few points about planning a trip there though.

The Tips:

• Take the RER C to Versailles-Rive-Gauche to arrive at Versailles at 8:30am. Get in line! The best piece of advice that I can give you is get in line so that you are the first ones in the Chateau. We did this and got through the entire Chateau before the rush came. It was the difference of walking through an (almost empty) room and one that is so crowded that it heats up in seconds. 
• Make sure your camera battery is fully charged before going. You will find something that you like at Versailles, from the Chateau, the various gardens or the Trianons there is something for everyone. 
• Bring water. This will make you search for a bathroom almost all of the time but you will be walking for at least 6 hours.
• It is a long day. Seriously, it took us over 7 hours to see everything. By the end of the day, it was hard to believe that we had been there since 8am. It seemed like we had visited the Chateau days ago but it was only that morning. 
• Food - it is your call. We ate at La Petite Venise restaurant and the food was amazing. It cost 33€ for two people which was pretty affordable so I can't say that it's a better idea to pack a lunch. You can if you want because then you can find a place to sit and eat in the gardens and experience them even more. 
• Take the Versailles Train back to the Chateau. Once you are done for the day, you will be tired even if your feet are fine. The tickets for the train were 3€ per person and although the ride was bumpy, it was worth it. Remember, you still have to get back to where you are staying too.

The Chateau:

If you like are a history buff then you will love the opulent Chateau. We loved it but found it dwarfed by the grounds (more on that later). Nevertheless, the Chateau is awe-inspiring.

Tips:

• Go to the bathroom before you start the tour of the Chateau. As soon as you pass security, the bathrooms are down the hallway and stairs to the right. Seriously, go now even if you don't think that you have to or that you will have to within the hour. The next bathroom is a long way away.
• Don't forget to look up. The paintings, furnishings and murals are astounding but the ceilings are truly something. Some have frescoes, some are gilded and some are covered in marble. 
• Listen to Rick Steeves tour of the Chateau during your visit or before your visit. We did it before our visit so that when we were there it was much more interesting. You can find these podcasts on iTunes for free.

The Gardens:

This was the highlight of our trip. Once we stepped out of the Chateau we were awestruck but the sheer size of the gardens.

Tips:

• Bring a map of the gardens. We printed one out from here so that we wouldn't get lost. They are seriously LARGE. 
• Don't rush to the Trianons: walk through these gardens. The canal is gorgeous but there are tons of little picturesque spots in the gardens that you should see. For example, near the canal we stumbled on this spot:

Grand Trianon:

This was Louis XV's escape from the zoo at Versailles and you can see why. It's not too big, not too small. It isn't overdone (well, for the time period). I couldn't get over how much rose-coloured marble was used to build the place though! At that time it would have cost a fortune! 

The gardens here were also very nice. The Trianons are the only places that you will find flowers in Versailles. The gardens were very well kept. 

Tips:

• Get a baked potato with toppings of your choice at La Parmentier de Versailles cart that is outside. These potatoes are baked in an oven that he has on-site and they are amazing. We had the Norweigan potato (Norvege) which had smoked salmon, dill, creme fraiche, sour cream, chopped fresh chives and a lemon wedge. Let me tell you something, it was the stuff that dreams were made of. The hot wine (vin chaud) is also very good if you are cold.

Petit Trianon:

This retreat was built for Madame Pompadour by Louis XV and was also used by Madame du Barry before Marie Antoinette completely took it over. This building itself isn't all that impressive but the gardens and the hamlet are. If you visit the Petit Trianon, it opens after 12 noon and expect for it to be full of tourists.  The bathrooms also REALLY suck here, there are only two stalls for ladies.

The Hamlet in the Petit Trianon:

What to pack for your trip to Paris

Are you planning a trip to Paris? Surely, you are wondering what to pack as well then. Here are some of the items that I packed and what I wished that I had packed. Hopefully I have covered everything that you will need in one suitcase (yes, ONE).

Carry-on:

• a few really good magazines
• your iPod, fully charged with new songs, podcasts, apps or TV shows that you haven't seen yet
• your charger cord for your iPod
• An adapter for European outlets
• Lip gloss or chapstick (less than 100g)
• A lined pad of paper and a pen: to record thoughts, events, your agenda, etc.
• Your sunglasses: despite the time of year that you are traveling
• Your laptop: there is a huge debate about if you should bring your computer or not. I did not but I seriously wish that I had. That doesn't mean that I would have spent hours on end on the computer, but I could have uploaded my photos every day and used the wireless internet on my computer with my keyboard (the computer in our apartment had a French keyboard which drove both of us insane).
• A Paris guide book
• Your money
• Your Museum Pass, any tickets to events that you printed out beforehand (Eiffel Tower, Seine Cruises, etc.)
• Any medication that you must take while you are traveling in a plane
• Any jewelry that you have brought with you for the trip

Suitcase:

Clothes:

• 5 shirts (all of them that match your pants, coat and shoes) fitting the seasonal weather
• 3 pairs of pants (all of them that match your shirts)
• 2 sets of pajamas
• 5 pairs of clean socks
• 6 sets of clean underwear
• 1 jacket or coat that matches everything and fits the seasonal weather
• 1 really great scarf that matches everything
• 2 pairs of shoes (one that you are wearing, one you have packed) and both are good for walking for 8 hours on end.

Items not to bring:

• Pumps or boots with a heel: seriously, walk in it for 8 hours then see if you can do that for 10 days.Then don't pack them.
• Your purse, wallet and almost anything from it: this is not the place to carry around a purse. Keep what you need in the pocket of your coat or carry around one small back that has your RER pass, Museum pass, keys and a little bit of money in it.

Toiletries:

• a double duty shampoo/body wash
• a bath puff or face cloth (if you use one)
• toothbrush and toothpaste
• floss
• your make-up (just the basics that you use every day)
• face wash and moisturizer (if you use this)
• deodorant
• a small supply of tylenol (just in case)
• Any medication that you take daily or use often enough that you have to take it with you
• a nail clipper
• 1 bottle of Melatonin (to help with jet lag)

Items not to bring:

• your body lotion unless it is in a smaller bottle and will fit in your toiletry organizer
• nail polish, nail polish remover

Other items in your suitcase:

• 2 reusable grocery bags for shopping. Carry these with you as you travel around the city and use them instead of plastic bags as you cannot recycle in the city centre.
• One knitting project -- or any other craft that you do. Bring one small project and do it in the evenings while you are resting after a long day. Just an hour here and there. You'll be very happy that you brought it.

Notes:

• Try to keep the weight of your suitcase under 30 lbs (if you can) as your limit will most likely be 50 lbs. You will need that extra space and weight for the items that you are going to bring back: wine, cheese, books, souvenirs, etc.

Changes after my honeymoon to Paris

Well, traveling to Paris for our honeymoon really changed me. I realized some new things and I've had a lot to think about. I have written several posts already about what I learned about Europe, Paris and French Girls but here is what I am going to do about it.

1. Quit the clean plate club: from this day on, I will not have to finished off my entire plate.
2. Eat smaller portions of everything: also, from this day on, I will put smaller portions on my plate.
3. Eat in good restaurants once a month and never order out food again. 
4. Eat supper later: in France, they don't eat supper until 8:30-9pm which is completely against how we eat in North America. We usually eat supper between 5-6pm. We are going to start eating supper at 6:30pm. This also gives me a chance to cook as I get home around 5:15pm.
5. Drink wine more often: we already do drink wine at least once a month and with important meals, but we should have a few glasses of wine with supper every week. It's relaxing and it makes each meal special.
6. Eat real food: we hardly saw any packaged or processed foods in Paris and that really struck us. Why do we need engineered food? From now on, we are going to eat as real as we can get. This means butter instead of margarine, sea salt and homemade jams. In other words, Clean Eating.
7. Spend the time to cook: we love to cook and I miss doing it because I get home so late. In university I cooked every day after class and it was my way of starting the evening. I should do that again. This also means that we will stop buying any pre-made meals as they are full of salt.
8. Drink better coffee: I always thought that espresso was too strong for me. I was used to my watered-down American coffee with milk and sugar. That is until I tried an espresso with a cube of sugar. That is now my drink of choice!
9. Switch to cubed sugar: all of the sugar in Paris was either in cubes or sticks instead of a sugar bowl. I like this idea because the sugar is portioned so we bought some cubed sugar for our coffee.
10. Spend the money on good clothes: I saw lots of French girls wearing good clothes. They wore nice scarfs and good quality coats and shoes. If I save up money and spend it on more expensive, better quality items then this is better than 10 cheap shirts. 
11. Go out and do things in Ottawa: we need to be a part of the life here in the city. We want to be part of the Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11th, go to ballet and opera performances at the NAC and see the fireworks on Parliament Hill for Canada Day.
12. Have French weeks: I really want to maintain my language level and that means committing to our French weeks. What we do is speak French for one week at home (all of the time, even over the phone) then we speak English for a week.
13. Get more exercise: not just in working out on the treadmill but also in everyday things. I will walk more on an everyday basis such as walking home from the bus station (15 minute walk) instead of taking a bus and I will take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Little things like this. 
14. Just do it: are you thinking of going somewhere or doing something? What is holding you back? Those are questions I have been asking myself this year as part of the 2011 Experiment and it's a mantra that I want to continue. 

What I learned from Paris

I had a post of what I learned in Europe but this is more specific to what I learned in Paris. I won't repeat anything from that post but the advice there still applies to traveling in Paris.

1. Learn some French: although you could probably get by if you only speak English as all of the main attractions are bilingual. Most of the servers at the restaurants spoke English too but it,s better to learn some French in case you have issues. I saw waiters switch languages all the time even though the customers only spoke English.
2. Find the bathrooms: Some of the big attractions don't have bathrooms but if you think about it, when they were built in the 13th century (or whenever), were they meant to have bathrooms? Most cafés did have bathrooms though -- just look for the stairs. That's how I did business although there are some places where the bathrooms were really bad like the Louvre or the Petit Trianon in Versailles -- two stalls in the ladies rooms is not enough.
3. Bathrooms: another note on bathrooms as this was an interesting topic for us. First, most bathrooms are unisex so you will find yourself washing your hands next to men in the next stall. The toilet is in a closed room that locks - and for heavens sake, use that lock. People assume that if the door opens, no one is there. It is a closed room though so you are in total privacy: no one can hear you if you really have to do business. I might have to write an entire post on bathrooms in Paris because I found it so interesting.
4. Try to blend in: the French are great people but they tend to treat you differently if you are obviously a tourist. We lived in an apartment in France, not a hotel, and we ate the same kind of food that they ate instead of insisting for French fries and asking for -- God forbid -- ketchup.
5. Walk -- as much as you can: seriously, it is good for you and you will see more. You can walk down crowded little streets and find all kinds of things waiting for you. Walk around your quarter and get used to it. You will feel more at home which is so important when you are traveling. Wear really good shoes -- not necessarily sneakers -- with good insoles too. Check the weather forecast each day before going out and bring an umbrella, scarf, coat, etc. accordingly.
6. You must take the stairs: the only place where you will find escalators or elevators is in really good, new museums and the metro. Other than that, you will be taking the stairs everywhere you go. For example, we climbed at least 100 stairs to get to Sacre-Coeur, and 84 to get out of the Catacombs. We had 4 dozen stairs to get up to our 5th floor apartment too. 
7. Spend your money wisely: that also includes getting to know what the money looks like and what kind of value you are getting. If a tiny pat of butter is 5€, you are being swindled. Don't just hold out your change to the cashier and tell them to take what is needed -- I saw tourists doing that.
8. Take the flash function off of your camera for all museum visits: the camera is usually allowed but your flash is not. There are usually staff sitting in the exhibition rooms watching you and they will catch you if your camera flashes or if you touch something. The only place where cameras where not allowed (that we found on this visit) was the Musée d'Orsay and the temporary exhibit at the Musée de l'Orangerie.
9. You will not be the only tourist: I mean that as in, North Americans are not the only tourists in Paris. You will meet all sorts of people from Korea, Italy, Russia, Japan, China, and so many more. You will hear so many different languages all at one time, especially at big places like the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower. Whatever you have planned to see, plan that it will be swarmed at the time that you visit by a sea of tourists all thinking the same thing as you.
10. You will not eat what you normally eat (or the way that you normally eat): no French fries or chicken nuggets with ketchup, no spaghetti, no lasagna. If you want that kind of thing, find an Italian restaurant or a Macdonalds. No, when you are here, you will most likely eat like the French do. That doesn't meant that the food is full of cream and butter (although the Coquilles Saint-Jacques au beurre blanc at Le Petit Chatelet was out of this world) but you will notice that the food is different. So is the portion size -- they don't stuff you like meals in North America but the portions are just enough.
11. Buy the guide book (if one is available): every museum and most tourist monuments have a guide book to that site. Seriously -- buy it. Get the version in the language of your choice, it is most likely there (we counted at least 10 languages in the Louvre). You will possibly see everything in that site nor will you remember it for all time. Get the book. It also has better photos then you could ever get without a flash -- refer to point 7. 
12. People are rude: I don't mean everyone, but some of the everyday people that you meet in France are rude. They bump into you, they step on your feet or they roll their eyes at you. They don't care about your feelings or about special treatment. Most don't say "please" or "thank you" unless they are selling you something. Don't expect them to be as nice as people in North America. 

French Girls

While I was in Paris, I was on a quest to see what was so different about French girls versus us girls in North America? For example, why are they absurdly thin when they eat mille feuille? Why do we all want to dress like them and look like them?

Well, first of all, the skinny French girl who eats cream and butter in everything and doesn't get fat is a myth now. The obesity problem that plagues us in North America has crossed the ocean to Europe and beyond so most of the natives that you will see usually eat the same thing that you do. So I had to look harder at the thinner French girls and their habits. I did notice a few things which I found interesting and this was of all French girls of various shapes and sizes.

1. They drink water: I didn't see one French lady with a Coke, only tourists.
2. No snacking: I didn't see a French woman buy something for a snack nor did I see one eating one. I saw them eating their meals but nothing else.
3. Portion control: the meals that they did eat where smaller than the typical meal in North America. If they couldn't eat it all, they didn't stuff it down either. They just didn't eat it.
4. They don't eat that rich food every day: we assume that they do because it is France. Well, they don't. Treats like crème brûlée and other delicious pastries are a weekly treat and they are not huge portions either. The size of a crème brûlée in France compared to one in North America is much smaller. The same is true of croissants and almost everything else -- notably mille feuilles.
5. They don't eat fast: I'm serious--I eat slow. In France, my plate was gone before half of theirs was. They seemed to eat less than me too. They are not part of the "clean plate" club either, that is, finishing every morsel that was on the plate. If they can't eat it all, then they don't.
6. They eat real food: there was no processed food here. I am serious, there were no aisles of Mr. Noodles, Sidekicks and Kraft Dinner. I did see frozen French fries but I don't count that. Everywhere we went, there was fresh veggies, fruit and meat. There was some candy and pop in the grocery store but only the tourists bought it. The ladies were going around with baguettes, cheese, ham and lettuce. No preservatives, no nothing -- just the real food.
7. They walk to get to where they are going: unless they need to take the RER (metro) if it is too far, then they walk. They think nothing of walking around for awhile. They walk along the Seine and sit and relax for awhile. They walk to the market for a coffee, even if it is out of the way -- why not? Also, if they were not walking, they are biking. Or running. We saw lots of them getting a morning workout while we walked to the Louvre.
8. They are not on time: we North Americans seem to be very precise with our timing: if we say 9am, you need to be there at 8:45am and everyone understands that. No, not here. We find it frustrating but the French take their time, not your time.
9. They wear scarves before adding a coat or a sweater: why get out the heavy, puffy coat if the weather is 5 degrees colder? You'd be surprised how warm you are just by wrapping a pretty scarf around your neck.
10. They wear classics: the girls that I saw were wearing simple v-necks or sweaters (usually in two layers), jeans or pants and the scarf mentioned above. For coats, it was trench coats or pea coats. They were not covered in logos, patterns or screen-printed t-shirts. There was one patterned item (the scarf for example) which matched everything else they were wearing. They wear a lot of black knee-length boots too.
11. They are relaxed: if you haven't noticed by now, I've mentioned how they eat slow and walk everywhere. I saw ladies taking a stroll next to the Seine too - not just running it but also walking casually without a care in the world. I didn't see one stressed out French woman during my trips -- cashiers and tour guides included.
12. They drink wine: in addition to water, they drink wine. Good wine too and it's so cheap in France. They took their time while they drank it with friends.
13. They don't take photos of every little thing: us tourists, we were snapping away while they perused and looked around. They took the pictures that mattered and perhaps that is better. They spent more time enjoying what they were seeing then stressing about photographs. What, you think the only people at museums in Paris were tourists?
14. They do something in the evening: and that something usually requires walking or biking there. I don't think that they sit in front of the TV for hours on end.
15. They don't all wear French perfume -- or perfume at all: we assume that if the perfume is made in France, they must all wear it. Well, they don't. That doesn't mean that they smell bad but they smell like clean soap -- not overpowering. I stood behind enough of them to notice.
16. If you are in their way, they will tell you: oh yes, if you step out of line, you will know it. Some of them swear at you, some are polite and say pardon as they pass you. Some let loose a tirade as they pass you. 

What I learned from Europe

So, I just got married and my husband and I had our honeymoon in Paris: it was my first flight to Europe and I learned a lot from it which I will now share. I have written this so that it applies to Europe in general even though my experience is in France. This post is meant for a North American audience traveling to Europe as what I mention is from that point of view.

1. If you can afford it, take the Economy Plus on the flight: Every airline has this option and it should cost about $170 per person, round-trip in addition to the price of the seat. That was a lot of money but if you are planning a big trip then it should factor in there. With Air Transat, this was called Option Plus. See my review about this feature here.
2. Stay in an apartment, not a hotel: most large European cities have this option now and it is way cheaper. You don't have any meals included though but your apartment should be furnished with everything that you need. Plus, because you need to get all of your meals, you start to feel like a local with the shopping and planning that you do each day.
3. Go to big tourist attractions in the morning, as early as you can stand: we visited the Notre Dame Cathedral at 8:30am and the bus loads were coming in just as we left. We did the same at the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Also, look up days that monuments are closed (to avoid going on that day for nothing) and days that it is quieter like Tuesdays. 
4. Look for pass deals that get you into all or most of the tourist attractions and if you can, get it before you go or know where to buy it when you arrive. We got the Paris Museum Pass for 6 days at a cost of €65 but it was totally worth it. It's worth was paid for in the first day and we bypassed the long lineups for tickets almost everywhere we went.
5. Watch out for hagglers, gypsies and pickpockets. My first day in Paris we watched a gypsy woman beg a French woman for 5 minutes. In North America, the homeless and less fortunate ask you once then stop. This lady was persistent, she just didn't leave until a waiter chased her off.  We also saw pickpockets on the metro and running scans at big tourist areas (Eiffel Tower, Champs de l'Elysees, the RER, Sacre-Coeur). These were the people trying to sell you things laid out on a scarf on the ground.
6. Get used to smaller spaces: we have a space issue in North America. We are used to huge houses and grocery stores. Our apartment in Paris was a 1 1/2 (one bedroom, one bathroom). Our bathroom was the size of the wheelchair bathroom stall in Walmart and the 4 dozen stairs that it took to get to our apartment was only wide enough to fit one person walking at a time. The elevator fits only one person. Even the streets are small -- one car lanes in some places -- and the grocery store was the size of a small convenience store in Canada. It was a lot to get used to.
7. Something that is old to us is not in Europe: they are way ahead of us when it comes to something old. I saw things dating back to the Romans in Paris and way further back when I visited Egypt. They think nothing of 18th or 19th century furniture or paintings -- unless it was by someone famous. Our apartment was furnished with 18th and 19th century furniture with 19th century paintings. Meh, just something lying around. In North America, that is a goldmine.
8. Research the Public transit system and what pass you need BEFORE you get to the ticket counter: My hubby had this all planned out. Once it was our turn in the absurdly long line to get to the ticket counter for metro Passes, he said which one he wanted (for Paris, that was zones 1--5 for 7 days at a cost of €47 each) and already had the cash on hand to get it. We saw some people say to the ticket agent that they wanted to see this, or that which doesn't help at all. 
9. Eat local food: you did not come to Europe to eat Macdonalds. We gorged on crêpes, croque-monsieur and other French foods while we were there at restaurants that were recommended in Trip Advisor. The coffee was absolutely fantastic (I had espresso the whole time) and you HAVE to try the hot chocolate in Paris. Seriously, it is thick like creamy yogurt and tastes like something out of a chocolate fairytale -- and I'm not a choco-holic. Look for locals in your restaurant because that means that you are in a good place. 
10. Do not go on a trip at the height of Tourist Season: we went in October and thought that it would be quiet but NO, it wasn't. Everywhere we went, we were privy to busloads of tourists. Mind you, we were tourists too and we did touristy stuff like the river cruise on the Seine in Paris but we didn't want long lineups or do touristy things like buying kitschy Eiffel Tower paper weights. Avoid peak tourist season and visit tourist spots in the morning or after supper. 
11. Plan out your trip -- but not too much: my hubby planned the entire trip to Paris as a wonderful gift to me. Some of it was rather daunting though: in one day, we visited the Notre Dame Cathedral, Sainte Chappelle, La Conciergerie and Le Musée de Cluny. It doesn?t sound like much but we went from 8:30am until 4:30 pm and my feet were so tired. Despite that long day, when we got back, I sat knitting for an hour and found that I could go out for a few more hours. Just that rest was enough so if you have long days, plan down time in the day that doesn't require brain power like eating, having coffee or sitting beside the Seine talking for an hour. It recharges your touristy batteries.
12. Charge your electronics as much as you can: just bring the adapter for where you are going and charge. Charge your camera battery every night while you are home and every stop you make home during the day, even for 30 minutes. Charge your iPhone and iPod whenever possible because if they do not go with you during the day, you are most likely using them at night like we were. 
13. Prepare for culture shock: you never know what it will be that surprises you but something will. For me, I found that people were rude in Paris, the bathrooms were very different (and often unisex), and the spaces were small. They didn't have many choices for milk, butter and other everyday items either (no skim, 1%, 2% milk choices, only one). 
14. The bathrooms are different: there are no North American-style bathrooms here. Expect a bathroom with a toilet in a closed room with the soap, sinks and hand dryer in the open. They are usually unisex as well. I think I will write a post just about the bathrooms in Paris though because I found it so interesting and different.

Option Plus with Air Transat

On our flight to Paris for our honeymoon, we took the Option Plus package with our airline, Air Transat, in addition to our seats. This was an additional cost for us but we rationalized it as "we are only on our honeymoon once". The cost is $169 per person per round-trip (if you are flying to Europe, if not it is cheaper). If you are considering adding this option to your flight then read this post to see if it is really worth it.

With Option Plus, you get the following per person:

• A small bottle of good quality Prosecco or Champagne (worth 2 glasses) after take-off
• 1 snack (chips, chocolate, etc.)
• 1 heated meal with better food than Economy Class meals with 1 alcoholic beverage (good quality red or white wine)
• 1 heated snack with beverage
• Priority meals, beverage and snack service (in other words, you are the first in the cabin to get asked) 
• Beverage service (soft drinks, juice, coffee, tea) at least two times
• 1 comfort kit (blue bag with a blue blanket, earphones, thermal socks, inflatable neck pillow, earplugs, eyeshade)
• Separate check-in line titled "Option Plus"
• Priority sticker on your luggage so it comes off in the first round
• Priority security screening like First Class, cabin and crew in some airports
• Priority boarding of the airplane in the "Option Plus" line
• Priority seating in the cabin behind first class with an "Option Plus" tag on your seat (which means that the stewards are much nicer and accommodating to you)
• Priority deplaning of the airplane as you disembark close to the cabin
• 10 kg extra on the weight limit of your luggage

Is it worth it?

If you are flying overseas on a flight of 5 hours or more and you can spare $169 per person, take this package. It really is worth it. The flight is long, dry and crowded with people. There are only so many bathrooms and you start to go a little batty after four hours. This package not only made our flight enjoyable but it made it an exceptional experience. Air Transat is not paying me to say this, I am writing this after our honeymoon. I believe this was money well spent -- just for the priority screening at the security line-up alone.

Things to note:

• You do not have a private bathroom though like First Class passengers -- you use the same bathrooms as everyone else in Economy Class
• We did not get priority security screening in Paris but we did have priority check-in with Air Transat.
• In Paris, the planes are not boarded through the terminal as they are in Canada. In Canada, there is a long pathway that is extended to the door of the aircraft and you never set foot outside. In Paris, you queue in line and board a bus which takes you to your aircraft but you board it outside and up stairs. With this package, we were the first in line thus the first on the bus and the first on the aircraft. 
• After our trip to and from Paris, we amassed four comfort kits! That's four of everything that was listed above and I plan on making the most of it.

Ideas for the comfort kit:

• Reuse any of the items in the comfort kit in any other trip that you take (car, flight, train, boat, etc.). 
• Use the blanket from the comfort kit at work, in your bedroom or the living room if you get cold. It would also make a great car blanket for you or your kids.
• Use the earphones with your iPod (or, your kids' iPod) for whenever you loose a pair or they wear out.
• Use the ear plugs for sleeping at home on noisy nights.
• Give the ear plugs (unused, of course) to someone who works with loud machinery for extra comfort. 
• Use the inflatable neck pillow at your desk in the office or in the car. 
• Use the eyeshade for sleeping in the summer. 
• Use the entire comfort kit for camping trips.

Ideas for other extras:

• If you don't drink all of the wine, Prosecco or beverages during the flight, take one anyway and take it with you. This works best on the flight to your destination because if you are bringing alcohol home with you, you will need to claim the drinks that you don't consume on the airplane and this can take you over the limit. 
• Take the snacks that they offer you and if you don't eat them, pack them and take them with you.

Visiting the Louvre in Paris

During my honeymoon, we visited the Louvre (just as everyone does, right?). If you are planning a trip there for the first time, you might want to read this post.

1. There is WAY too much to see. Have you ever heard that expression before? I hadn't either until I saw it for myself. It doesn't matter where you start but you will get overwhelmed over and over again. We tried to see as much as we could and came out of there needing to sit and do nothing for 6 hours from the sensory overload. If you go, plan it in several trips with a Paris Museum Pass. See French, Dutch and German painters one day, Sculpture, Greek and Egypt another and Italian and Napoleon III's Rooms another.
2. The bathrooms SUCK. They really do. If staff from the Louvre is reading this, the bathrooms need to be renovated. There are about two stalls available in every bathroom and they were awful. I did my business and hurried the heck out of there. The lock on the door is necessary too because people walk in on you -- believe it. Happened to me twice while I was there and I thought that I had locked the door. 
3. Eat at the Cafe Angelina Richelieu at 11:30. Seriously. I have pictures of the line-up to the cafeteria at 11:30 and it's unbelievable. Get the veal or another meat dish here, they are really good. So are the pastries and the coffee. 
4. Prepare to get crowded: and hit, slashed, bumped into and knocked over. People step right in your way with no apology and it's MUCH worse in the Italian Painters exhibit. If you get a good picture of the Mona Lisa then you are one of the lucky ones. Here is the one that we got. If it is not the sensory overload from the amount of stuff that gets to you, the sheer mass of people will. 
5. Get a map: this is your best friend. As soon as you get into the main lobby, find the map. This is your best friend. I am serious, this is the only way that we saw everything and how we exited the exhibit -- most of them were not obvious. We often had to walk through entire exhibits without looking at anything just to find a bathroom or the exit.
6. Turn the flash off of your camera: like most other exhibits and museums in Paris, you cannot use a flash at the Louvre. You can, however, take pictures without it. What we did is turn the flash off before we left the house for that day.

Gallerie d'Apollon

The closest we got to the Mona Lisa in the Italian Painters wing.

The line-up of people going to the cafeteria at 12 noon.

Wedding finances

So how much does a wedding cost? And people always say that there are last minute expenses, but if you are a bride you aren't really sure what they are. Here is an approximate list of what we paid (in Canadian dollars) and what we learned. This list may not be complete as some people buy things that others do not think are necessary. But here is how I viewed it.

The necessities:

1. Marriage license: you will need this. Expect for it to cost between $100 to $200. The price is regulated in each province and state. Mine was $122.
2. Reception: depending on how you do it, budget it at about $50 per head. This may or may not include the price of the room before the meal.
3. Officiant: again, it depends but count on about $200 for the officiant and the church unless you live in a city and you are having a wedding at a cathedral or basilica. You may also have to pay for the officiant and the ceremony venue separately.
4. Musician: this could run you at between $100 to $300 for the ceremony. If you have an organist and a musician, this will double.
5. Photographer: count on $800 for the lowest packages (ceremony and photo shoot) and then it will go up.
6. Photo venue: you may or may not have to pay a fee for your photo session location.
7. Wedding dress: start your budget around $700. Mine was $1100 and it included alterations, storage, rebeading and steaming. 
8. Hair and make-up: I didn't have my make-up done, but I did have my hair done professionally. Expect for it to cost between $100 and $200.
9. Attendant gifts: depending on what you want to give your attendants, you should always give them something. If you spend $50 on each attendant and you have three girls and three boys, this is $300.
10. Paperterie: programs, invitations, thank you cards, and any other paper items that you want to use like signage, menus, name cards, etc. The paper costs money but you don't need to buy invitations made for weddings as they cost 10 times as much. If you make it yourself, you will save tons of money. The average price I found for buying paper items was $900-$1200 whereas mine was less than $300 for everything.
11. Flowers: depending on which flower package you choose, this will run you from $300 to $1200 or more.
12. Transportation: how will you get from point A to point B? I rented a limo which cost $800 for the day. You could also rent an antique car or have other options. Expect for it to run you between $500 to $1000 for the day.
13. Decorating: after you decide on how you want to decorate the church and reception (or more venues) you have to go about paying for it through a decorating company or you do it yourself. I kept things extraordinarily simple because my venues spoke for themselves and didn't need decorating. I paid about $100 total for decorating.
14. Favours for guests: again, this will depend on your wedding theme or colors. I made candies and gave them out in decorated Chinese takeout boxes. We made them ourselves and it cost about $250 for the ribbon, boxes, paper, maple syrup, filling and wax paper.

Some items you may already have:

1. Shoes to wear in your wedding dress: wear a pair of comfortable shoes. You will be on them all day until the reception. They should match the dress but you don't need to spend a lot of money on a new pair of strappy sandals. 
2. The groom's attire: it depends, of course. Some men rent their suit, but we got lucky. The groom will need a suit, shirt, tie, and shoes. It is possible that he already has some of this. 
3. Accessories: the jewelry that the bride wants to wear, a shawl if it gets cold, and a purse to carry around that day.
4. Manicures: all girls love manicures and pedicures but we have an army of beauty products at home. You could do them at home to save money or spend about $40 per person. It's up to you.
5. Attendants clothing: we were lucky that we didn't have to pay for the bridesmaid's dresses or the groomsmen's tuxes. I did buy ties for the guys so that they all had the same color tie but we saved money here. Some people want to buy all of that for their party (I did at first) and that is fine.
6. Make-up: also listed below in unexpected expenses but you might already have good make-up that you can apply yourself for your big day. I did but I did buy a long-lasting lipstick and waterproof mascara.

The unexpected expenses:

1. Food for the day of the wedding: that is, breakfast, lunch and a snack. Is it made at the house? Are you getting something on route? Or are you buying a veggie tray and taking it with you?
2. Also, Food, in general: you will eat during your meetings with the vendors if they are at a coffee shop. During the wedding week, keep a couple $20s in your wallet to cover this.
3. Long-lasting make-up: I thought that my regular make-up was good enough but believe me, get the long-lasting lipstick, waterproof mascara and eyeliner. Use blush and foundation. The point isn't to look super made-up but for it not to fade.
4. Photo development: is your photographer developing your photos or do you get a CD of photos that you have to develop? I put aside $200 for that.
5. Scrapbooking: well, you might not be into scrapbooking but if you are, you might want to consider the following items: a scrapbook (or two, or three) for the wedding, scrapbooking paper, scrapbooking stickers or embellishments, acid-free pen for journalling, and the photos.
6. Cash bar at the reception: that was for everyone else, right? No. It includes you too.
7. Honeymoon night: where are you staying? do you have a hotel room? And if you booked one, you still need to feed yourself while you are there too.
8. Gas in the car: you'd be surprised how this takes up money while you are going around running wedding errands. 
9. Bachelorette Party: depending on what you have planned, you may buy food or other items. I spent $350 at my bachelorette party--I won't say on what.
10. Craft items: if you are making things yourself, you may notice that you keep buying double-sided tape rollers, acid-free pens, and other items. You may also need scissors, an eraser, pencils, glue dots and other craft items.
11. Postage: you will need stamps to send most of your invitations and then again for your thank you notes. Depending on how many you are sending, this could set you back at least $100. You may also want to note that if your invitation package is heavy with lots of paper in it, you may have to weigh each one of them as the stamp might not be enough.
12. The Bride's Kit: any of the items in the bride's kit that you don't already have (or, can't find and don't care if you buy another one).

The extras:

1. Travel: do you have to fly to and from your wedding? We did so plane tickets were a factor along with additional expenses like meals and taxi fare.
2. Spa treatments: you can indulge in a spa treatment before or after your wedding day. Some people do: I wish that I had.
3. Gifts for your parents: our gift to our parents was a slideshow with photos that we had scanned from their photo albums but you may want to buy something special for your parents on this day.
4. Hair and make-up for your mom: I paid for my mom's hair and make-up on that day so that she didn't have to stress about it. She looked really great too!
5. Manicures and pedicures: as I mentioned above, you may already have some of these items in your arsenal of beauty products. If not, you, your girls and your mom could all go for manicures and pedicures. Expect for it to set you back at least $50 per person but it's a really nice treat. It helps you destress too!

Ears popping on an airplane

Here's a confession: I have a problem with changes in air pressure. I didn't know this until my first flight to New York when I was 16. I was told that chewing gum would help your ears pop but I had no idea that I would be one of the other people who felt ear-shattering pain on landing. Are you one of these people? If so, read on: I found out how to solve it!

So, on the way up in an airplane my ears pop a bit to adjust to the change in air pressure so I only notice the pain when I come down. It's really bad if we come down quickly instead of slowly to allow myself to adjust to the change in air pressure. I have tried everything from manually trying to pop my ears to trying to yawn. I have pressed on my head behind my ears to dull the pain and I have even tried pressing a warm facecloth to my ears. I must look awfully strange to other passengers on a plane.

Well, I had to deal with this. I fly at least twice a year so that is at least four flights per year for the past 10 years. It took that long before one of my co-workers (who also snorkels) told me of a diving trick for adjusting to pressure in the water: plug your nose with your fingers and blow slightly to pop your ears as you go down. Not once, but many times, say every 2 minutes until you are at the bottom. Decompress like this all the way to the top as well.

BRILLIANT! So, on the way down, I am the passenger holding my nose and blowing (quietly) to pop my ears every few minutes as we come down. Don't mind me, that is if you notice that I do this. I am no longer in any pain when I fly! It sounds strange but it really does work.

So, are you one of these people? If so, here is a trick that really does work. Who cares if you look strange doing it. Actually, after a few years, I've gotten pretty discrete about it. The person next to me doesn't even know what I am doing.