TRAVEL ADVICE: Packing Light

The importance of packing light on a long trip cannot be overemphasized, and although this may seem easy, it can be surprisingly difficult to pack effectively. Use this short post as a guide on your next long trip. 

The first time I travelled internationally, I found the whole "packing" thing very confusing. Figuring out what to bring on a trip was a complete nightmare.

Me packing on a trip to Maui: 
Let’s start with the bare essentials: iPod, toothbrush, a couple of extra pairs of shoes, my WiFi modem, a glue stick in case I need to glue stuff, the surfboard can go carry on, some cutlery in case it’s not provided, and my dishwasher to wash the cutlery. Oh and clothes. And a swimsuit. And toothpaste because what use is a toothbrush without toothpaste. Of course I gotta fit in with the locals so I should bring my flower lei. Made from good quality plastic flowers! This is getting to be a lot of stuff. So I go onto one of those travel advice forums. “Pack items for every situation.” Well, done that. “Consider any unexpected locations or conditions.” Hmm. Maybe the laundry machine should come along too... 

Luckily, I've gotten a little better at packing (and also a little less random). Here are some tips for travelling light that you might find useful on your next trip. Some of it's pretty obvious, but I hope it at least helps a little.

Hand-to-makeup-bag comparison
(or at least how big it should be).

1) Never check your baggage. A good limit is 20 pounds in a 9" x 22" x 14" carry-on-size bag (it'll fit in your airplane's overhead bin). For many people who haven't travelled much, this is a radical concept: "What? That's the size of my makeup bag!" But besides being more expensive, checking baggage will make it more likely to get broken, lost or stolen. With a smaller bag, last-minute changes in hotel and flight plans become simpler. You can have access to your bag at all times, and when you arrive you can charge past all the annoyed people waiting for their checked bag...that may have just got put on the wrong plane to Mongolia. 

This is what I mean by
"small day bag".

2) Packing light isn't just about saving time or money-- it's also about your travelling lifestyle. Too much luggage marks you as a typical tourist, and you'll walk with it more than you think. Before flying to Europe, give yourself a test. Pack up completely, go into the city you live in, and practice being a tourist for an hour. If you didn't enjoy your experience, stagger home and thin out your luggage.

Corral your cables in a small pouch
so they won't strangle your speakers.

3) Bring one bag; a small day bag is optional. A large backpack or duffel bag is great because you can compress it into a small space, unlike a hard suitcase. They can fit more than you think! A very small purse or shoulder bag can be a good idea if you're going on day trips and need space for a water bottle, money, phone for selfies, etc. but this should only hold a few essentials. Don't make it into a second large bag, and only bring this if you have to. The more you bring, the more stuff you have to keep track of.

Hopefully that helped you with what bags to bring.. However, I haven't actually given you any tips on packing effectively. (This is my personal experience, so don't trust it too much.) Here we go: 

Absolutely NO hardcover books
(use eBooks when travelling).

1) Wearing is not carrying. Stuff your pockets, have on layers and a jacket. Pack your flip-flops and wear your boots. 

Rolled (top); folded (middle)
and crunched (bottom)

2) Black holes are so compact that light cannot escape their gravity. Your bag should function on a similar principle. Folded is smaller than stuffed. Folded and rolled: smaller still.
3) The value of each item increases exponentially with each function. For example, a frisbee can be strategically packed on the outside of your bag to protect breakables in addition to its international friend-making potential.  It can also be used as a cutting board, plate, bowl, fan, and a dry place to sit. A towel could be used as a changing room, a bag, a sunshade, a blanket, or even a giraffe excluder (roll lengthwise and stuff under door). 

One accessory can be great,
but notice I said one.

4) Magic of three. Three pairs of socks. Three shirts. Wash one, wear one, dry one. Choose quick-dry cotton-poly blends that handle wrinkles well. (Note: You won't need as many pants as shirts because they don't need to be washed as often. For example, if you pack 3 shirts, only bring 2 pairs of pants.)

Ditch the jewellery and hair
flowers when travelling
 (especially if you're a guy).

5) Bring clothes that work easily with your other clothes, instead of packing a different outfit for each day. It's surprising how much space you can save this way. (And when I say clothes that match, I don't mean a neon pink shirt with orange zebra stripes.)
6) Be logical. Really consider each item. Don't just ask yourself "Will I use this?" but instead, "Will I use these fins enough to feel good about hauling them over the Swiss Alps?" Think in terms of what items you can do without-- not what will be handy on your trip. 

Don't bring random clothing
that doesn't work with your
other articles, as shown above. 

7) If all else fails, buy your way out. Rather than carry a whole trip's supply of toiletries, take enough to get started and look forward to running out of toothpaste in Bulgaria. Then you have the perfect excuse to go into a Bulgarian department store, shop around, and pick up something you think might be toothpaste. And if you still can't find the item you need, ask yourself how half a billion Europeans can live without it.

Buy your way out!

Well, I hope these tips help you with packing for your next trip. Just remember that in the end, you can't travel heavy, happy and cheap. Pick two.


And don't forget to leave room for souvenirs! :)

One of the World's Highest Bridges: Miallu Viaduct

I know, I know. Another stupid bridge. Yes, I want you to go see a bridge. Actually, this bridge is pretty awesome. And besides the bridge itself, there are lots of other great things to see around this area, including the town of Miallu and the Tarn Gorges. This is the Miallu Viaduct.

First of all, let's clear up the pronunciation difficulties. It is not MEE-ow Viaduct. It is not The Viaduct of Cats. It's also not the mee-AH-loo Viaduct. If you tell your friends in the French town of Servian that you are going to visit the mee-AH-loo Viaduct, they will just look at you quizzically and wonder where you learned your (bad) French. Trust me, I've done that before. Pronounce it: mey-AU.
Okay. With that out of the way...

The Miallu Viaduct is a 394,000,000-Euro bridge that spans the valley of the River Tarn in southern France. It was built so people living on one side of the valley could get to work in places like Clermont-Ferrand (on the other side) more quickly. It bypasses Miallu completely, so why it's called the Miallu Viaduct I have no idea. Before the bridge was constructed, everyone had to drive into the valley and back up the other side, causing traffic jams in the middle. (It must have been a really annoying problem if they spent almost 400 million euros on it.)

You won't get this cool a view... unless you take a helicopter. Photo credits to www.wikipedia.org

 Anyway, this bridge is a fabulous architectural wonder. If you're less than a couple hours away from it, I would highly recommend going there. But the question I'm answering is "Is it better to to view the views from on top of the Miallu Viaduct, or drive into the valley and see the viaduct, but not be able to look down into the valley?"
The answer is surprising, but not once you've driven over the viaduct.

First, let's define where the Viaduct actually is. The nearest large city is Montpellier, which it is about an hour drive north of. I could say it's in the centre of southern France, if that helps.
*note* There is currently construction about 20 minutes from the viaduct on the A75.

My Experience

The awesome view of the viaduct in the bottom of
the Miallu Valley.

When I visited the Miallu Viaduct with my family, we incorporated it into a day trip with a visit to the Tarn gorges and the nearby towns. Coming from the south, we drove along the E11 and turned off at the visitor centre to hang out and get some cool posters. After that, we drove into the valley on the D41A (this will make more sense when you see the map) and were able to get some good views of the viaduct. There's a really nice viewpoint right at the bottom of the valley where you can pull over and get out of your car, looking up at the bridge. After that, we drove back up the other side, on the D41. We passed Miallu and followed the D809 along the banks of the river. There are several nice towns along here; Aguessac, Compeyre, La Cresse, Rivière-sur-Tarn, Le Rozier, Les Vignes, and others. (By the way, if you stop in Les Vignes, there's a restaurant with a beautiful view over the river... just don't order the chèvre salad.) After having lunch in Les Vignes, we drove around the Tarn Gorges. There are several great viewpoints, and if you can stomach the bumpy road, there's much beauty to be discovered in this region of France. On the way back, we got out of Miallu via the D911 instead of the D41. This road took us a few minutes north until we found a complicated traffic circle that got us onto the A75, going south. (It's hard to find other roads that get you onto this highway, most of them go under the viaduct.) This is where we went through the toll booth and got onto the viaduct.

Here's a map of the Miallu area. NOTE: Highways D992 and the E11 (aka big orange line) do not intersect
(the D992 goes under the viaduct). Also, the D911 and E11 meet up farther north.  

MY AMAZING JOURNEY ACROSS THE VIADUCT...
Was surprisingly dumb. Well, no. It felt cool, but all you can see are the 3m- tall plastic barriers and the huge suspension lines as you pass under them. Had I not known that the viaduct existed, I would have been thinking, "oh hey why'd they stick these stupid poles here on this random stretch of highway...?" The change is almost unnoticeable.

So to answer your question... By all means, driving into the valley is the best way to see the viaduct.  It also gives you a great opportunity to discover the Tarn Gorges, instead of just driving over the viaduct, past the town of Miallu, then turning around and going back. Actually, don't even bother with the bridge unless you have to. However, if you are planning a trip to the South of France, you might want to keep reading for some more tips about how to spend your day at the viaduct.

If you turn around and look out the back of the car window
after crossing the viaduct, this is what you'll see.

My Advice
1a) If you are staying close to the Miallu Viaduct: Devote one day just to exploring the valley and the viaduct, and come back for a more thorough trip around the Tarn Gorges.
1b) If you aren't staying close to the Miallu Viaduct: Get up early, and spend the day exploring the viaduct, the Tarn Gorges, and the surrounding towns and villages.
2) Going into the valley is essential, going over the bridge is not. It's fascinating to go into the valley where you'll be able to really appreciate the huge viaduct. If you're in a rush to get back to the town you're staying in and want to say you've been on the bridge, you can go over, but there will be nothing to see except at the very end after you've crossed the viaduct (see picture at left).
3) Make sure you go to the visitor centre (if you want to buy that overpriced plastic Miallu Viaduct placemat on your wish list!). Actually, most of the things in the visitor centre are really nice, and you can look at models of the viaduct and watch a short movie about how it was built. It's a great learning experience, a lookout gives you great views of the viaduct, and most importantly... there are bathrooms.

Drive up one side of the Tarn Gorges for this spectacular view. 

4) Visit the towns! In France, it's not enough to be a tourist; you have to immerse yourself in the French lifestyle and culture. Go for a swim in the Tarn Gorges, eat at a restaurant beside the river, go on a hike, and talk with the locals (we got an awesome beach ball from a restaurant owner in Les Vignes). Don't just go to the Miallu area to see a big bridge, you have to enjoy it.
5) Don't stress over food. Bring breakfast in the car, and when you get to the Tarn gorges, park your car where there's a nice view and eat your squassionts (squashed croissants, a reference to my time in Paris). It gets very hot in the summer, so bring along LOTS of water. For lunch, eat at one of the local towns along the gorges. For dinner, buy a baguette (or whatever) from a café and eat it in the car.

Well, I hope this helps you if you ever find yourself in the south of France with a day to spare. And if it wasn't useful at all and you're never going to go see the viaduct, well, you just read three pages of me ranting about overpriced placemats in the visitor centre. Which is okay, too.

Transportation Around Paris

By this point, you've probably read several posts about the various attractions in Paris, France. However, you need to know the various options available for travelling around the city, and
this post will list their convenience, cost, and fun-ness.

#1: Walking:      Cost: None      Convenience: 3/5        Fun? Depends where you are in the city
Pros- Walking is great exercise, and there's way more to see travelling on foot than underground in a Metro station. It's very inexpensive (you just have to eat more food/fuel!) and you can be mentally lazy and not have to worry about which stop to get off at. Some areas of Paris are better than others, of course, but walking is a great way to really appreciate the city.
Cons- It's sloooow. And if you're in Paris during a rainstorm (which isn't exactly uncommon), you're not going to have much fun in the forty-five minutes it takes you to get from the Louvre to the Luxembourg Gardens. So it's easy, but not always convenient or fast due to weather issues. And you also have to not trip over any natural wildlife (aka pigeons).

#2: Metro      Cost: 1,70 Euro      Convenience: 5/5   Fun? The first time, at least.

This is a typical Paris Metro train.  

Pros- It's probably the most efficient way to get yourself around Paris, certainly for the price. The trains are always on time, and you can save money by paying about 13,70 Euros for a 10-pack, which I recommend. The ticket is effective until you leave the Metro, so you could ride around underground for a whole day and only pay 1,70 Euros. It's also super fun to take the Metro into Paris, because you're underground coming into the city and suddenly pop up right amongst the amazing architecture, just blocks away from some national landmark. You don't have to walk far to find a station, because they're almost everywhere in central Paris.
Cons- Not super interesting once you've been riding it for an hour, so try to incorporate Metro-ing with walking around the city, since all you're seeing is the inside of a tunnel. You don't really get much exercise (except for climbing the stairs...) But overall, it's definitely the most convenient form of transportation in Paris.
TIP: If you've seen the sights of Paris, this is a fun way to discover even more. Walk to a random Metro station. Pick a line and roll a pair of dice to see how many stations you go before getting off. Explore that area, then walk to a different station and choose a different line to go on. Take it in the opposite direction. Go aboveground and explore. Repeat.

*scroll down for Metro Map*


#3: RER      Cost: Can vary      Convenience: 4.5/5      Fun? Sorta

At the Gare du Lyon, you can take SNCF trains or the TJV
outside of the city as well as change RER or Metro trains. 

Pros- This is a sort of suburban line that goes further outside the city, although it has several stops in central Paris and in some cases may be more convenient (it is faster and has fewer stops than the Metro lines). You can use a Metro ticket on these, but only in the central part of the city. If you are travelling to other zones (farther out of the city) you'll need to pay more for a separate RER ticket. If you're coming to Paris from the CDG or Orly airport, you'll take the RER into Paris.
Cons- Just like the Metro, it's only aboveground in the suburbs of Paris, and just when it gets interesting the RER trains go underground. You're better off to use the Metro system in central Paris, because it'll be easier to find a stop. Tickets can be a little on the expensive side if you're outside of the city centre. You also don't get much exercise on the RER (although you could run up and down the train if you wanted to).

As you can see, the Paris Metro/RER system is very complex...

#4: Bus      Cost: 2 Euro        Convenience: 3.5/5      Fun? Until there's the inevitable traffic jam
Pros- For short rides, travelling aboveground is definitely more entertaining, and you can also familiarize yourself with the city if you look around. You can use Metro tickets for the bus, but you can't transfer from a Metro to a bus using the same ticket. Packs of ten are available for 13,30 Euros. I'd recommend it if you're going to be on the bus a lot.

             Two-digit numbers mark Paris city buses, 

             three-digit numbers mark suburban buses.

Cons- You need to get another ticket every 90 minutes, which can be annoying if you're riding for a long time. Traffic jams can help you learn the French curse words pretty quickly (just listen to everyone when you get stuck in the middle of the city). They're slower than the Metro, although useful during bad weather.
Bus Lines Outside Paris: The Roissybus runs from the CDG airport to central Paris, but I do not recommend it. You get no view, and it's really frustrating when there's a traffic jam. It takes about an hour and a half to get to Paris from the airport, and I'd recommend going on the RER instead. (Tickets from CDG to Paris cost 10 Euros per person...Mon dieu!)


#5: Taxi      Cost: A lot       Convenience: 4.5/5      Fun? Not when you see the price meter

One of the taxi stations along the Champs-Elysées

Pros- The Parisian taxis are safe and reliable, and you can catch a taxi by hailing one on the street or going to a street corner taxi station where they queue. Available taxis have a long white light on the roof. There are over 15,000 taxis in Paris, so finding one is usually not a problem. They are certainly very convenient, and if you're tired and don't want to memorize the Metro map, are a good idea.
Cons- However, taxis in Paris are super expensive because of the traffic, and unless you have to get somewhere urgently or are very tired, I wouldn't pay the extravagant taxi fees. I would not call for a taxi, because they charge for the distance travelled to pick you up. (I learned this the hard way...) Use the Metro/RER/Bus unless you want to treat yourself.

#6: Driving   Cost: n/a      Convenience: 1/5      Fun? If you're driving it's not fun...

Traffic jams aren't exactly uncommon in Paris...

Okay. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR CAR IN CENTRAL PARIS. The parking is impossible, driving can be a terror in the city, and if you want to park on the street it costs 2 Euro an hour and you're limited to two hours. Underground lots are even more expensive. Car rentals are expensive and it's going to take you forever to get where you need to go, because there are so many cars in central Paris. If you do bring your car (which you shouldn't have), park it outside the city and forget about it. Take the Metro, bus, or ANYTHING else but DO. NOT. DRIVE. A. CAR. IN. PARIS.

#7: Biking    Cost: Varies    Convenience: 3.5/5     Fun? YES!

One of the Vélib bike stations in Paris.

Pros- The city of Paris operates the Vélib bicycle rental program using three-speed bikes which you can pick up at stations or "service points" scattered around the city. You can pick up a bike at any Vélib station and turn it in at any other. The prices are affordable (1,70 Euro per day, and 1-4 Euros per half hour depending on how long the trip is). You need to get an account and money will be taken out if you damage the bike or return it overtime. You have to be 14 or older to use a bike. These are great exercise, and are faster than walking.
Cons- Although a great way to see the city, the bikes aren't super fast. Use them mainly for cruising around, because they won't get you across the city very quickly compared to the Metro. You do need a credit card with a microchip to use the bikes, but this is not usually a problem for us Canadians.


#8: Ferries    Cost: 15 Euro/day   Convenience: 3/5    Fun? Definitely.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It's the Batobus!

Pros- Batobus is a ferry service on the river Seine that makes eight stops on a circular route in the central city: The Eiffel Tower, the Musée D'Orsay, Saint Germain des Prés, Notre Dame, the Jardin des Plantes, the Hotel de Ville, the Louvre, and the Champs-Elysées. It's a great way to see the city without memorizing bus routes, and it departs daily at 25 minutes intervals from 10:00AM to 7:00 PM. Once you buy a ticket, you can use it for the whole day regardless of how many time you get on and off.
Cons- Although fun, the Batobus only stops at locations on the river Seine, meaning you'll have
to find another transportation method to get to and from your hotel, unless it's right on the water. It also doesn't run in January, so plan accordingly (although it's unlikely you'll be in Paris at that time). I found the Batobus to be a bit touristy because it only visits the main attractions, but the views are stunning.

Here's a map of the Batobus route. It makes eight stops at major attractions along the river Seine. 

Overall, each method of transportation has its pros and cons, and you need to decide which one works for you. Remember to memorize your routes before you go somewhere, because opening a map and trying to figure out where you are will definitely make you a target for pickpockets. If you've lost you're way, downloading the Paris Metro app on your phone will make you less conspicuous, but don't let anyone see which pocket you put your phone in.

Most reliable: Taxi
Most convenient: Metro/RER
Most scenic: Ferries/Biking
Worst way you could possibly drag yourself around the city: Driving

This is just a brief summary, so I'd recommend checking THIS LINK for useful information should you actually be going to Paris. Have fun!


Other useful websites: 

Paris Metro:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Métro

Paris RER:
 http://parisbytrain.com/paris-rer/

Bus Map: http://www.ratp.fr/informer/pdf/orienter/f_plan.phpnompdf=bus_paris&loc=reseaux&fm=pdf

Vélib Website: (in French)
http://en.velib.paris.fr

Batobus Website: (in French)
http://www.batobus.com