07/14/12 by Paris-Travel | Paris Travel Tips, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
Want to know how to use a foreign laptop plug while you’re in Paris?
When you’re going to be in Paris with your laptop, and you’re coming from another country, there are 2 things to consider:
- the plug which will go into a wall socket, and
- the voltage of your computer.
This video shows my Australian power cord plug, and how I get it to work while I’m in Paris. Luckily the French voltage (220v) and Australian voltage (240v) are very similar, so I don’t need a Voltage Converter. But you might. The last thing you should do is plug in your computer without findout FIRST whether you need a voltage converter — you run the risk of blowing up your hard drive.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfkpOcFSbx0
Want to view on Youtube? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfkpOcFSbx0
Transcript of “How to use a foreign laptop plug”
How To Use A Foreign Laptop Plug in Paris
with Teena Hughes of https://a-night-in-paris.com
With my laptop plug from Australia we have 3 prongs so what I needed to do was get a little attachment (plug converter) so that it would fit into the French system. So I simply got this little plug adapter here that just pushes on, and makes the two flat rods turn into round rods and also it pushes the height further away from the third prong for the Australian plug.
So all I had to do basically was just plug these two prongs into any electrical outlet here in this Parisian apartment and it worked just fine. So that’s all you have to do. Nothing special. So just get yourself one of these little plug adapters to go from Australian plugs to European plugs, and of course this will depend on which country you’re in.
Okay. If you enjoyed this quick Paris tip, you might like to get them in your email inbox – pop over to the website and sign up today!
See you soon!
Teena
Welcome to Paris France with Teena Hughes
If you’re not close to any shops, you can also buy these online – here’s the exact same one I have and it’s available online at Amazon:
Got any tips of your own on how to use a foreign laptop plug?
If you have any great suggestions and would like to share them, let me know and I’ll post them here; thanks in advance! View more Paris Travel Tips.
04/06/10 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
Want to know a quick and soothing way to avoid jet lag?
Jet lag is the curse of the traveller on long haul flights and journeys, and here’s a tip you might not have considered before.
Once you arrive at your destination, go straight away to have a full-body massage. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200 (ok, old references to Monopoly may not be suitable :-)
Your body will thank you, your well-being will thank you, YOU will thank you :D
The simple act of having a full-body massage will help your stressed body get back into a gentle zone, away from lugging suitcases and stressing over missing flights etc.
Try to have a one-hour massage — at least — to allow your body time to get back into the local timezone with ease and comfort.
Trust me — you’ll feel refreshed and revitalised.
I just had a friend visiting me from overseas, and on her last day she had a two and a half hour massage and spa treatment BEFORE she got on her long-haul flight. This is a wonderful thing to do too!
Let me know if you try this out, as my ‘research’ so far works for me and my friends, and I’d like to know if it works for you too :D
You might also be interested in 5 of my other Top Tips to Beat Jet Lag …
Happy trails!
Teena
10/31/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
I’ve been asked where to find the best Chai Tea in Paris, and I wasn’t sure as I had never had to find this before … so I did some research and found a few places for you to start with.
I’d love to know if you’ve visited any of these places. Do post a message by clicking the Add A Comment link below :-)
“Chai tea was milky and fragrant with a bite of cinnamon, black peppercorns, cardamom and other spices I couldn’t name.”
Krishna Bhavan
24 rue Cail, 10ème – 75010 Paris
Métro: Gare du Nord
Tel: 01 42 05 78 43
Open 7 days a week
Iced chai tea lattes
Can be found in Starbucks in Paris.
Chai vanilla tea
Le Bon Marché
22 rue de Sèvres
75007 Paris France
Website : Le Bon Marché – Rive Gauche
Opening hours : Mon-Sat 9.30am-7pm, Sat -8pm
Tel: +33-1-4439 8000
Metro: Sèvres-Babylone
Loose leaf tea & muslin teabags @ Kusmi Tea
Kashmir chai (black tea with Indian spices)
http://www.kusmitea.com
Buy online or visit these storest:
Kusmi Tea
56 rue de seine
Paris, Paris 75006
France
BHV – Corner Kusmi Tea
36 rue de la verrerie – 3° étage
Paris, Paris 75004
France
Kusmi Tea
75 avenue Niel
Paris, Paris 75017
France
La Grande Epicerie
38 Rue de Sèvres
Paris, Paris 75007
France
Enjoy!!
I hope you enjoyed this update on “Where to find the best chai tea in Paris”!
Let me know if you have any questions about Paris or my website, or just want to share some tips about your trip to Paris.
Post a Comment below, send me an email, or click the little “Say Bonjour!” tab on the right side of the screen, or pop over to the Facebook page — I’d love to hear from you!
Ciao ciao for now, a bientot ! Talk soon!
Teena
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10/27/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
How do I order coffee in Paris?
When you’re in Paris, it’s easy to get a bit confused about ordering coffess in cafés. I hope this description might help somewhat :-)
For all you coffee lovers who love to savour your Italian Arabica-style coffee beans, stop right here – you won’t get coffee like that in the majority of French cafés. Before you start to despair, I have found a couple of places in Paris where you can buy your Italian-style espressos and lattes (links below). The normal coffee sold in Paris is not made from Arabica beans, but is made from Chicory – a very different flavour.
These descriptions listed below are what the French people ask for in a café.
Two prices, same coffee … why?
You may notice people standing at the bar in cafés – they will pay a cheaper price than the people sitting down at tables, who require table service, so if you’re in a hurry you can save yourself some money by drinking at the bar or counter.
Normal sized cups
- Un Café : a normal sized cup of Chicory coffee.
- Un Café au lait : if served at breakfast time, this can arrive in bowl (un bol) – don’t be alarmed, this is quite normal. May also be served in a normal sized cup of coffee with a jar/small pot of milk.
Small cups
- Un Express : an espresso in a small cup.
- Une Noisette : a small espresso coffee with a dash of milk/cream in it (a macchiato).
- Une Crème : an espresso half-filled with warmed milk (small café au lait).
- Un Allongé : an espresso coffee with double the amount of hot water (weak black coffee).
- Un Serré : an espresso coffee with half the usual amount of hot water (strong black coffee).
- Un Déca : a decaf coffee.
- Un Américain : filter coffee (might not be available in some of the non-touristy areas).
I took this photo of the Cafe Americain – one place you can certainly get American-style filtered coffee.
Related Links:
Where to find soy latte in Paris
Teena recommends where to find Italian-style coffee in Paris
Teena’s tips on making the best Italian coffee in Paris – at home
09/06/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
I love travelling, and I bring back all the maps, flyers, business cards etc from wherever I’ve been.
I do this because I’m SURE I’ll be able to use them all somehow :-)
Here are my Top 13 Tips for Travel Maps after your holiday, many of them will help you remember your travel destination on a daily basis:
- wrap gifts in travel maps when you get home
- cut travel maps to fit wooden drawer fronts, attach with glue, paint with clear gloss
- cover a lampshade by cutting the map in sections to fit
- cover books with travel maps
- cut up travel maps to make bookmarks, laminate and give as gifts
- cover containers (or old tins) with travel maps and use for your pens etc on your desk (paint with clear gloss to protect them)
- cut the travel maps in strips and attach to the spines of folders for your bookcase – the map will continue along a series of folders and looks very cool (paint with clear gloss to protect them)
- make your own greeting cards with small parts of the travel maps cut up
- laminate and display on the wall
- buy some inexpensive cork drink coasters, cut travel maps the same size, attach with craft glue, and paint with clear gloss to protect them
- cut them the same size as placemats, laminate them and use at mealtimes to remind you of your fabulous travel adventure!
- cover shoe boxes or hat boxes with travel maps to give them an exotic adventurous look
- make your own postcards – cut to fit postcard-sized heavy paper, attach with craft glue, attach sticky postcard-backs to them
You can do all of these things for your own pleasure, and you can also give them away as gifts to friends, family, co-workers and associates. Receiving something handmade is always greatly appreciated by the person receiving the gift.
Got a travel tip of your own? Click the ADD A COMMENT link below to share it – thanks! Have fun!
Link to retweet this page :
Teena
View more of my Top Travel Tips >>
09/02/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
Do your feet swell when you fly? Then you simply must wear comfortable shoes in Paris when you’re exploring this marvellous city.
In 2008 I had a real problem with my feet – I couldn’t fit into any of the shoes I had with me, and ended up doing a quick search online to find large shoes, preferably somewhere close to where I was staying. I was struggling to walk and couldn’t walk for too long at all.
My feet usually swell when I fly, because I am in the air for so long when I depart from Sydney, Australia, but they generally settle down after a day or two.
Not this time – yikes!
So I let my fingers do the walking (over the internet) and I found a place which was only about ten minutes’ walk from my friend’s apartment – fabulous!
I headed off, found the shop, introduced myself to the owner (after I squeezed through all the precariously balanced boxes) and was treated to the best service I can ever remember receiving in a shoe store.
My feet were swollen all over right up to the ankles, so I needed wide shoes with an extended strap of some kind. After trying on about a dozen pairs, I slipped on these little beauties and they felt like soft leather gloves – perfect! They were available in right up to size 42 (European) which is size 11 in US fittings.
The brand is Reiker and they come in lots of styles and colours for normal to wide feet. I highly recommend them! There is absolutely nothing worse than hobbling around in Paris with painful or sore feet, so treat yourself either before you leave home, or when you get to Paris. You won’t regret it, I promise!
PS – they were so comfy I bought TWO pair! :-)
Where to buy your comfy shoes in Paris
I bought mine at the Marvin shoe shop – Chaussures Marvin – 56 rue Marx Dormoy, 75018 Paris
Telephone in Paris 01-42-05-77-72. Here’s the business card I collected:
Buy before you leave home!
If you want to buy before you leave home, I’ve found the Reiker shoes at a great price online – click this banner and type REIKER in the search box on their website. Good luck!
09/01/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
My Top 5 Tips to Help You Beat Jetlag
With all the travelling I’ve done over the past 30 years, I’ve had to learn how to beat (or avoid) jet lag, so that I don’t miss out on a day on both ends of my trip while I try to get into the normal timezone.
I’ve never taken sleeping pills when flying (or not flying) so I can’t really comment on that – they may work for you, but I have no first-hand experience.
My sure-fire tricks have worked for almost 30 yrs of travel … for me. Maybe they’ll help you too …
1. Whatever time I land, I have to be part of the timezone.
Arriving in Paris or another city early in the morning? If possible, have a quick shower. If you know in advance you can’t check-in to your hotel or accommodation early, shower at the airport after arrival. You’ll feel refreshed after your long flight, and be ready to start the day … on ‘Paris time’.
Head to your hotel etc, drop off your bags, grab your day bag of necessities (sunglasses, camera, map, journal – whatever you’d normally carry on a day-to-day basis). Go sit in a café and get into the ‘zone’ or go somewhere to keep your eyes busy (away from your bed). What about taking a cruise along the Seine? The Hidden Paris Barge Cruise for 2.5 hrs would be perfect! Do some research before you leave home to see which tours etc start early.
Arriving late in L.A. or Berlin or Melbourne? Go out for a drink, go window shopping, go somewhere relatively lively or meet friends etc.
2. Never nap for more than one hour on the first day
If you absolutely cannot stand up or stay awake during the day, have a ONE HOUR NAP – but NO LONGER THAN ONE HOUR.
Set your alarm clock, cellphone or ask the front desk to call and wake you – then have a shower to wake up and feel refreshed if possible.
I find if I nap for over an hour during the first day, I just can’t get into the swing of things.
Depending on the city I’m visiting, I follow all of the above, then go out for a few hours, have lunch, then come back for a one hour nap. When the alarm goes off, I force myself up (take another shower if you’re not already water-logged – or go for a swim if possible), put on my happy face and head out again for a few hours.
Instead of coming back to your room about 3-4pm, find a nice little place to have an aperitif, and talk to strangers, people-watch, savor the experience.
3. Do everything in your power to stay awake until 8pm
I’ve tested different ‘bed times’ and for me 8pm is the magic number. I have told myself that if I can stay awake until 8pm then I’ll get over jet lag fast, and I do :-)
Whatever you do, don’t laze around on the bed wherever you’re staying – you’ll be asleep from 3pm till 9pm and then awake until 6am – not good at all :-)
If at all possible, push through for as long as you can, or have a shower to freshen up and try to hang in till around 10pm.
4. Avoid doing things which help you fall asleep
Here are a few things which I know I shouldn’t do when jet lagged:
- ‘resting’ on the bed
- just ‘closing my eyes for a minute’ – a big no-no
- going to a movie – I’m bound to fall asleep, and maybe even snore and scare the rest of the audience
- sitting/laying anywhere you feel very, very comfortable
Strike up a converstion to keep your brain active, whether it’s with a companion, someone at your accommodation, in a café, asking for directions, or just passing comment with a stranger … all of this helpsI’ve found this has worked for me time and time again – I am only ever a ‘bit tired’ for the first 2 or 3 days, I do wake up very early but I use that time to write in my journal or go for solitary walks around the district while the city is still stirring, then I’m right into the swing of things.
In Paris there are many cafés open at the crack of dawn (for example near the major stations like Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est) where you can have your café creme, watch the city start to awaken, and write in your journal or write postcards; you do still write postcards, don’t you? :-)
5. Ever heard of a floatation tank?
Haven’t heard of these for a few years, but I had friends who said floatation tanks were their answer – get into one as soon as you land at your destination – they reset your internal clock immediatly.
PS – I don’t have any hard and fast rules about being on the plane – eat when hungry, sleep when tired usually gets me through :-)
If you have any of your own tips or suggestions, I’d love to hear them! Simply click the ADD A COMMENT link below this text and share it with us.
Cheers
Teena
08/31/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
Today’s Top Travel Tip is for Return Address Labels
I always take a few printed sheets of these with me whenever I travel, and make sure I have them in my day bag, backpack or handbag each day before I head out into the streets of Paris (or whichever location I’m visiting).
There are so many reasons to have your own stick-on return address labels with you – here are a few that I use:
- every time you buy a book or item you want to keep, but a return address label on it, in it or under it
- when you want to swap details with someone, hand them one of your sticky labels (with the back on it) so they can stick it in their journal or address book or whatever
- when you’re in a shop or gallery and you’d like to add your name to their mailing list, simply stick a sticky label on their list
- use as return address labels on postcards, letters and parcels you post while on your holidays
- stick the labels onto camera and digital items, fold-up-umbrella, any other item you would like returned to you if you misplaced it
- please note that if someone steals your items, a sticky label is easy to peel off – if your camera or other digital items have serial numbers, make sure you have those written down somewhere, and take photos of all items before you leave home, and download the photos in case you need them for insurance purposes on your return
- if you need to fill in forms of any kind while travelling, your stick-on return address labels can be used instead of all that handwriting :-)
- if you write in a journal while visiting cafés and restaurants, make sure your return address label is stuck on the inside front AND back covers (and if your Twitter name is on there, you’ll get a tweet about it as soon as you login somewhere!)
- if you buy posters and plan on shipping them home, or even carrying them on the plane when you return, you will probably keep them secure in a cardboard mailing tube of some kind – put a couple of sticky labels on the outside (AND INSIDE) of the tube in case it gets misplaced on the flight
- you probably have laminated tags on all your belongings, but it’s always a good idea to put sticky labels in pockets of suitcases, handbags, carry-on bags, backpacks etc.
Things to consider
If you’re not comfortable sharing your mailing address with people you meet on your travels, consider giving them a sticky label which simply has your email name, website name, or Twitter name on it
If you don’t want to hand out your email name – create a new ‘travel email name‘ at http://Gmail.com
My Twitter name is: http://twitter.com/anight_in_paris
I’ve just ordered some new sticky labels which have my Paris website name and my Twitter name, so I will also take these with me on my next trip or travel adventure.
<< Back to List of Top Travel Tips by Teena Hughes
If you’ve got tips to share, I’d love to hear from you! Simply click the ADD A COMMENT link below to let me know your travel tip – thanks!
08/30/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
In a previous tip you read about the Travel Tip for addressing your postcards, and in this Travel Tip I’m going to talk about your RETURN address.
I’ve been an adventurer and travelled to far away lands over many years; from Alaska in the north to the bottom of Australia, and many points inbetween :-)
I’ve sent more postcards than I can count, and as much as I’d like to say every single one arrived … they didn’t.
Over the years I’ve worked out ways to help my postcards arrive, one of which is putting my OWN return address on them.
This might sound crazy to some, but if for any reason whatsoever your postcard can’t be delivered, the post office will try to send it back from whence it came.
Now I understand that as travellers we would rarely think to put our return address on a postcard or letter sent while we’re on holidays, but let’s think about this …
If your return address WAS on the postcard or letter, and for any reason it couldn’t be delivered to the address you wanted, then it will be RETURNED to your home address … even while you’re still travelling.
There could be many reasons why it didn’t reach its destination, and this just helps it get back to you, so you can deliver it or resend it when you get home. Works like a charm!
So I always take RETURN ADDRESS stickers with me, and sometimes trim them so they don’t take up too much real estate space on the postcard :-)
I always write FROM: beside the label, and TO: on the address of the friend it’s going to. Sometimes I’ll even draw a circle around the address of the recipient so it stands out more, or if I have coloured pens or highighters, I’ll use those too.
I have another travel tip for RETURN ADDRESS LABELS which you can read here >>
Got tips to share? Click the ADD A COMMENT link below to get started! Thanks!
08/29/09 by Paris-France | Tourist Tips | 2 Comments »
I love sending postcards when I’m travelling, and today’s travel tip for sending postcards is going to make it easy for you – and it has two parts.
Travel Tip for Sending Postcards #1
Before you leave home on your big adventure to Paris (or Sydney, Suez, Scandinavia or Sarawak), type up the names and addresses of people you’d like to write to – straight onto a sticky label or address label layout on your computer.
Simply print this onto the sticky labels, and take it with you.
You can even use labels with images, or add your own.
Depending on how long you’re travelling, you might like to duplicate some of the names etc to create more than one label per person.
If you haven’t used all the labels by the time you get back home, you can use them to send birthday cards, Christmas cards etc – an added bonus :-)
Travel Tip for Sending Postcards #2
Now I don’t know if anyone else will think this is a good idea, but I ALWAYS take sticky labels with me which have my HOME details printed on them. I can use these on the postcards [making sure to trim them and write FROM so the postman won’t get confused :-) ] and I can also give them to people I meet along the way … I always carry a notebook so I can put their stickers straight into my book and make a note of the date and place we met.
Of course these days many people have smartphones, so they can use Apps to share their details – but my tip is a bit more “old school” :-)
Read more about my Travel Tip for postcard address using sticky labels here >>
Do you have your own travel tip for sending postcards?
I’d love to hear it, post a message and I’ll put it on this page :-)
08/29/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
Today’s travel tip is to buy inexpensive tourist scarves from your destination – you’ll see them everywhere, and they’ll be very inexpensive, easy to pack, and very light in your baggage.
Here are a few top travel tips for using these scarves
Use the scarves:
- to wrap gifts for your friends and family over the coming year. It’s such an unusual – and inexpensive – way to use a scarf, and your friends and family will love it!
- to make inexpensive cushion covers for yourself, or for others. All you have to do is put two scarves together, sew around three sides, and turn right side out. Iron. Put a cushion insert inside, and stitch up the last seam. If you’re very good at sewing, you can add a zipper or velcro closure. Perfect!
- as placemats
- to cover books
- to make a bedspread – yes! Depending on the size of your bed, you’ll need 3 or 4 scarves across the bed, times 4-5 scarves in length, so a total of 12-20+ scarves. You could even add a nice silky backing to it and turn it into a duvet.
Have fun! Keep your eyes peeled for other inexpensive tourist items you can use in many different ways.
If you have a tip, I’d love to hear it! Simply click the ADD A COMMENT link below to send me a message.
Bon voyage!
Teena
08/27/09 by Paris-France | Blog, Tourist Tips | No Comments »
This travel Tip is about maps from your holiday destination, like Paris.
Something I love to do is save my travel maps from my adventures, and use them for lots of things when I get home.
One of my favourite things to do with the travel maps is to use them as WRAPPING PAPER for gifts throughout the coming year. My friends love getting presents wrapped up in a map of Paris (or Prague or Peru, wherever you’ve been).
It’s simple, it’s free, and your friends will have fun picking out places on the map.
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