Paris, Day 1

Paris, Day 1

Walk to currency exchange. Wait 30 minutes because the man in front of you has issues with his bank. Tell the lady you want to exchange $200 US. She gives you $300 Euro and a $20 transaction fee... don't know how that happen.

Walk to information, ask how to get to hostel. Super fast explanation. Confused. Walk around airport. Can't figure out how to get downstairs. Buy train tickets. Get on thus train. Realize that a duffel bag was a really stupid idea. Wheels. Always wheels. Ride the train to Gud De Nord or something like that. Get off train. Can't figure out how to get up out of the stations. Realize that Kayla's huge bag with wheels does not work well on stairs. 

Nice man offers to help you carry bag. Then tries to put you in a taxi. No thank you. Walk around on the streets of PARIS! Find your hostel. Head downstairs. Put luggage into lockers since check in isn't until 2pm. Walk the streets of PARIS! It is lightly drizzling. Stop in Cafe and hang out. Walk to a huge church! Let me google that for ya. It is Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur Basilica and often simply Sacré-Cœur

It is beautiful! See merry go round at the bottom and ride it. Big mistake. Those things go in circles. Nasty. Offer to take a picture of two guys. Then somehow you end up in the picture with them. Multiple pictures with them. Interesting. African man then grabs your hand and starts tying a bracelet around your finger. Um, what is happening?! Look at sister. Sister looks at you. Um, okay. Scam. Hold onto money. Hold onto wallet and phone. Get out of there. Hike to top of hill. Overlook Paris. Gorgeous. So breath taking.

Enter church. Beautiful. Find toilet. Pee. Pink toilet paper. Smile. Smile again. Head back to Hostel- St. Christophers. Check in. It is huge and really nice! 2 bunk beds, privacy dividers, usb hubs, bathroom. Awesome. Lock up luggage in cage under bed and head out again.
Walk down street. Weird man you met in locker room comes up and asks you what's up, where are you going? Follow me, he says. I will show you a park. Um, okay.

Follow man holding bag of laundry and wearing pink purse through park. The man calls himself Bastain. Speaks broken English. He walks us through Paris. We follow. He says be back and comes back without the laundry. Then we walk around some more. Find a macaroon shop. Macaroon obsession begins. Speculoos macaroon. SAY WHAT! $8 eruo later and 2 Macaroons. Smile in pure ecstasy. Macaroon=heaven. Bastain walks us back to our hostel and K buys him a drink. I head upstairs. Open room. 2 men in the bunks. One word: Aussies. Leave room, go back to bar, tell Kayla it is very important that she comes back upstairs. Type under table: Aussie. Goodby Bastain. I knew she would be excited. Head back to room. Meet new roommates. They are on a 3 month travel adventure. Lay down, talk, post to Facebook, text peeps. Sleep. Oh sleep. How I have missed you.
Wake up. Someone grabs my foot. Turn around and the Aussie, in his chonies, is in my bed saying "Aussie cuddles." Um, hello. Good morning and no thank you. I mean I am all about Aussies but I just had a great weekend with a guy so no thank you Aussie man. Kick Aussie out and send to bed above me. Where K lies. ;) hehe.