Warning: this goes on for a while. I’m recently returned from a solo trip, 10 days in Paris and 10 days in Amsterdam. BTW, I like winter travel for fewer fellow tourists and have done off season travel for decades. (I’m posting a separate Amsterdam trip report.)
I used to do solo travel almost exclusively because you know, I wasn’t sure I was one of those ‘tour’ people. But then I signed up for the RS Barcelona Madrid tour in 2014 with 2 extra days in Barcelona solo and another week in Madrid on my own at the end. I found it was a richer experience to have all the information from knowledgeable guides who could communicate so much about their country and answer any questions that come to you for the length of the tour and then at the end, be able to spend hours in art and history museums on my own.
That became my new travel model through 11 more RS tours, all but 2 were solo. But I was sort of coming to the end of my wish list of tours and decided to go back to a 3 weeks solo and city intensive trip. Through the years I have figured out that 3 weeks is about my sweet spot, longer than that leads to sensory overload and I start really missing my husband and I come home sort of frazzled. Ive been lucky enough to be traveling 2-3 times a year since Covid.
I did wonder how it would seem to be completely on my own again for that length of time. I’m pleased to find I slipped back into the solo experience just fine and enjoyed myself quite a bit.
Phone: I used Consumer Cellular international service and it worked great. This is the 3rd or 4th time with them overseas and I’ve been pleased every time. I’m extremely phone dependent for navigating and looking stuff up while I’m out and about, so it’s a huge relief to have something that works. I used 8GB and it cost $26.
Hotels: I stayed in Hotel Muguet in Paris. This is in the 7th and is a Pam recommendation and I really liked the hotel. Thank you, Pam! Very friendly, very safe and secure vibe. Always someone on the desk 24/7. I shamelessly dropped Pam’s name when I was checking in and the desk man definitely remembered her and gave me an upgraded room! I figured it was because of the association but I got upgraded in my Amsterdam hotel too so I think it is probably because it’s February and they are in offseason and I was staying 10 days, which surprised both desk people as they checked me in. I didn’t do their breakfast so can’t comment on that. I will definitely go back.
I don’t tend to eat at out at specific planned restaurants very much with the exception of Le Florimond, where I went twice. So good. I’ve been there 4 or 5 times over the years. I frequently would get a croque madame with tea in a cafe or quiche in a museum cafe for a late lunch and then buy a sandwich along the way to eat later.
I was in Paris Feb 2-12. I love Paris and it had been way too long since I was there. I told myself I would relax and walk a lot and spend hours in my favorite museums and that’s what I did. I got a Navigo easy pass for the metro. And it was easy to buy, to use and to reload. I bought the Carte Blanche pass, 52€, for the Orangerie and the Orsay. And I bought the year pass, 90€, Amis du Louvre.
Both of those lets you enter the museums without a timed entry. It really changes the way you think about going to museums. It’s not as sweet as the old days with the museum pass but it’s something I’ll do from now on when I go to Paris. I went to the Louvre 3 times, the Orangerie and the Orsay twice for each. I did NOT worry if the passes paid off or not, for the way I do museums having ‘free’ access is worth it to me. Very sweet to just walk in past the line when you decide to go.