A European Odyssey

The European Odyssey

The aircraft interior was a bit dated. It felt comfortable the same way as your Grandmother’s house does, faded with a musty smell but you ignore it, opting instead for the familiarity. At least the air-conditioning was working while the seat recline was not. I get ahead of myself.

I and my better half were sitting in the Business (so called) class of a Boeing 777 aircraft belonging to the national airline, on the tarmac of the newly inaugurated airport of the capital city, waiting to commence our meticulously planned (I say so) grand European vacation. The plan had spectacularly backfired. My intention was to leave at least two weeks after the inauguration allowing the chaos and confusion to settle down, but delays had pushed the opening to just yesterday when the Prime Minister had cut the ribbon with much fanfare. The hastily opened Airport was a complete disaster on the first operational day. I will spare my readers the many hours of torture and fast forward to the point three and a half hours after boarding the plane when the Captain, with a distinct elation in his voice, announced that all formalities were complete and we were ready to depart. As the doors closed, a triumphant glance at my wife and I settled down in my seat to dream about the gourmet delights of Paris. I snapped out of my reverie when I realized that nothing was happening and my heart sank when the Captain announced that the Jetty connected to the aircraft was stuck preventing the plane from moving back. Another half an hour of anxiety, seeing our travel plans unraveling and to a hilarious sight of six people physically holding the jetty back from the aircraft surface so it could slide back, and we were airborne . Whew!

Wheels up and on our way, with the delightful cabin crew taking good care of us we come to the real purpose of this travelogue. Traveling is our passion and years of succumbing to the travel lust made me realize that a enjoyable vacation requires meticulous planning and I have honed it down to an art form.

Start planning early, list where you want to go and what you want to see. Ask your partner the same, scrap your list and you are ready to go. We decided on a European tour of cities that we had not visited earlier and that meant a visit to France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic and Netherlands. I will endeavor to take you along from beginning to end to prove that travel is easy, fun and a very healthy activity if done right.

The first part is obtaining the Schengen visa which allows you to visit various countries on your list. It is pretty straightforward and you don’t have to be a computer geek. All you need is basic knowledge to use online resources and most of the work can be done from the comfort of your home. With the visa in hand you get down to serious planning.

I use www.booking.com and www.airbnb.com for accommodation and as my preferred mode of travel in Europe is by train, I look for a suitable place closest to the main train station. It removes the hassle of costly airport transfers and you are always just a short local transit ride away from any point in the city. The great rail network allows you the freedom to travel anywhere at the time of your choice.

We had selected Paris, France as our entry point to Europe and keeping in mind our next train journey, I had booked a hotel just across the street from Gare du Nord. During the prolonged wait for departure at Islamabad Airport, with a sinking feeling, I realized that instead of a decent 7pm arrival at Paris, we would be landing past midnight and we might not have a hotel room when we do get to town. I used the Booking.com app on my phone to message the hotel about our late arrival, lo and behold, got a message from the hotel that our room would be waiting for us. What a relief. Thank God for these marvelous travel apps.

A very smooth eight hour flight and we could see the Paris lights twinkling below. Immigration and baggage collection was swift and smooth. I had already used the internet to browse the official Charles De Gaulle airport site to look at options for getting into Paris city. Train (RER) was the most convenient and the site had explained with photographs as how to transfer between terminals and buy tickets. A direct train to Gare du Nord, a very short walk to the hotel across from the train station and we were in our comfortable hotel room ready to start our adventures.

A good night’s sleep and we woke up to a glorious Paris sunshine. Equipped with our smart phones with the necessary apps ( Google maps, Paris Metro, RATP ) and wearing our walking shoes, we were ready to take on Paris. The first order of the day was to satisfy our hunger pangs. In Paris it is an easy task, just follow your nose to the wonderful aroma of fresh coffee to the many Boulangeries and street cafes for a scrumptious croissant to start your day. We walked across the street to Gare du Nord and bought a carnet (booklet ) of ten tickets which would enable us to travel all over Paris using its efficient and easy to use Metro network. Buying the carnet is an economical option, two people can do five trips and there is no expiry of the ticket so you can use it on a later date.

It was a day for museums, leisurely walks, historic sites and delicious food. We returned to our hotel exhausted but satiated with a good dose of art, culture and gastronomic indulgence.

A good night’s rest and we were ready for a trip to Versailles on the outskirts of Paris. Online resources were a great help in planning our day, from travel details to buying entry tickets to the attractions, and finding us the best places to eat. Here I would emphasize the importance of having a fast data connection. I use a UK sim which I can preload from my computer from anywhere. With an available balance I purchase a “ feel at home “ add-on which gives me a lot of calling minutes, text messages and a reasonable amount of data for as little as £10/- for a month. This access to the net is crucial for trouble free tourism.

Chateau Versailles is a classic French gem not to be missed. It is a convenient day trip from Paris, using the excellent network of Metro and regional trains. An early start helps you avoid the crowds. Buy your tickets online to avoid the lines and you are in for a memorable day. A forty five minute train ride and we were at Chateau Versailles just as the lines were beginning to form. With the online tickets we bypassed the crowds and entered to experience the glamour and glitz of French royalty. The grand architecture, immaculately laid out gardens and the Musical fountain show are an unforgettable experience.

Here I will list the various apps that I find very helpful during our travels.

Accommodations:

www.booking.com

www.airbnb.com

Maps & walking directions:

Google Maps

Maps.me

Citymapper

Transportation:

Uber

Lyft

Trainline EU