Getting around paris with public transports metro rer and velib

Aйroport Charles de Gaulle, (27kms from the city) is Paris main international airport receiving flights from the world over. Roissy Rail is the quickest way to the city. From there, you can take a free shuttle bus from the airport terminal to the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle RER (commuter rail) station. If you are arriving at the Aйroport d’Orly (16kms southwest of the city) which handles mostly domestic and European flights, your quickest option is the Orly Rail to the Left Bank. You can take a free shuttle bus to the Ponte de Rungis-Aиroport d'Orly RER station (C2 line) and get a train to the city. These trains run every 15 min.

Once in the City, then the games ain’t be easier! A piece of cake, so to say. The various lines, which make up France's railway system, all meet in the centre of Paris, at Chatelet-Les-Halles, the largest metropolitan station in the world. Paris' metropolitan is the best way to travel around the city. The system's 14 lines cover the whole of the Paris area. They say that no point in Paris is more than 500m from a stop. Free metro maps are available at all tourist information centres and metro stations. A single ticket anywhere on the metro and zone one on the RER is Ђ1.30 (2006) . A carnet of ten tickets is Ђ9.30 and works out cheaper (2006).

If you are there for any length of time buy a weekly Travel Card or monthly Carte Orange (Ђ15 in 2006). They are valid for travel on all forms of public transport and for unlimited rides. Avoid to be late at night at these stations: Chatelet, Chateau Rouge in Montmatre, Gare du Nord, Strasbourg-Saint Denis, Rиaumur-Sиbastopol and Montparnasse-Bienvenue.

Alternatively there’s the bus service which is also efficient and operates from 5:30am to 1am. Bus routes are indicated on the RATP maps (free from tourist agencies). Tickets can be bought from the driver but must be validated in the machine onboard. A night service called Noctambus operates after the underground from 1am till 5.50am with 18 lines terminating at Chвtelet.

Another interesting ecologic transport now available in Paris is the Velib, a newly implemented self-service "bicycle transit system". Considering that the city of Paris has over 371 km (230 miles) of cycling lanes, riding in Paris is simple and economic. Citizens and visitors are able to pick up and drop off bicycles throughout the city at 1451 locations.

There is a wide offer of up to 20,600 bikes with a Velib’ station approximately every 900 feet! Accessing the bikes couldn’t be easier also! Users can select a one-day card for 1 euro, a weekly card for 5 euros or an annual card for 29 euros. Once purchased the access card, riding for the first half-hour is free and a supplement of 1 euro will be charged for an additional half-hour, 2 euros for another 30-minutes and 4 euros for every addition half-hour after that. Example: a 25 minute trip = 0 euros, a 50 minute trip = 1 euro, an hour and 15-minute ride = 3 euros. In this way they wish to implement the use of the bike for little or brief journeys. To Try!

After a long day cycling or getting op-off buses and metro, you will be probably looking for a nice place to rest and a good place to have dinner. Regarding Paris accommodation, well there are many choices from budget to expencive ones. We believe there are some with a good price-quality ratio that can satisfy many travellers.

From the Blue Planet youth hostel, to a secret small studio in Place de Vichi, to boutique hotels offering colourful rooms, fresh ambience and private gardens where to enjoy breakfast. Prices range from 30-50 euros per person at Cecil hotel, Bac Saint Germain (in Latin quarter) or the Hotel du Parc Saint Charles. Taylor hotel, Des Artes hotel, Altona hotel, Mon Reve Hotel where they privilege amore familiar ambience and service.

For a typical French dinner you may try Chartier, an old metro station adapted to be a restaurant very nice and warm atmosphere. Frequented by locals and tourists. The food is good. Not excellent, but good and whatever you choose, it arrives in relatively generous portions in a matter of minutes. The list of wines is on the reasonable side of cheap. Be ready to wait as no reservations are taken ! (7, rue du Faubourg Montmartre; ph. +33 01.47.70.86.29. Open every day from 11:30am -3pm/ 6pm-10 pm).

Shopping down under

The Australian shopping experience offers a vast range of both imported and locally-made goods.

Local products include the inevitable toy koalas, kangaroos and wombats. But many local fashion designers are making names for themselves. In tune with the laid back 'Down Under' lifestyle, Aussie designs tend to be more casual and comfortable than those from Europe. Notable local brands include Sass and Bide, Carla Zampatti, Jag, and Adele Palmer.

Locally-mined opals are one of the best buys in Australia but you really need to know what you're doing when shopping for any kind of gemstone.

And of course if you're after serious Aboriginal art or just a boomerang or didgeridoo, Australia's the place to go.

Shopping In Sydney

Downtown Sydney is home to the standard retails outlets. For department stores, the two major names are David Jones and Myer. David Jones is the largest, selling goods ranging from the latest fashions to designer furniture.

For more individual wares you have to head to Paddington, Glebe and Newtown, home to distinctive boutiques showcasing the threads of local designers, along with jumble shops and markets for penny-pinchers. Oxford Street is the domain of myriad fashionable clothing outlets featuring the creations of the city's most avant-garde designers.

A must visit is the Queen Victoria Building which houses a delightful Victorian shopping arcade offering four levels of male and female fashion items in 200 boutiques.

Shopping In Melbourne

Melbourne is acknowledged to be Australia's shopping capital. It is home to grand fashion houses, department stores, fascinating souvenir shops, and glorious arcades.

The arcades are one of Melbourne's treasures. The finest is the Block Arcade home to over 30 businesses such as the historic Hopetoun Tearooms. Another gem is the Royal Arcade and don't miss the massive Melbourne Central shopping complex between Latrobe and Lonsdale streets.

Other Melbourne shopping attractions include South Yarra featuring Australian fashions, and Toorak Road for high-priced, brand names such as Gucci.

For the more thrifty shopper, head to one of the thousands of retail shops and factory outlets. They're spread around Melbourne especially on Bridge Road and Swan Street. Here you can pick up designer clothes, perhaps last season's top picks, for just pennies on the dollar.

Shopping In Brisbane

Australia's third-largest city boasts a broad array of shopping outlets gracing its tropical landscape. Brisbane's shopping scene is centered on Queen Street Mall which houses around 500 retail outlets.

Queensland's own fashion creations are on sale at the Brisbane Arcade. The nearby Broadway on the Mall and MacArthur Central offer a wide range of gifts and accessories and designer labels and Swiss watches.

But for an authentic Brisbane shopping scene, you have to head to one of the city's many markets. Valley Markets is the place for alternative and retro fashion. It's open on weekends from 8 am to 4 pm On Friday nights, the South Bank Art and Craft Markets come to life with its stocks of handicrafts.

What to expect when you check in for your international flight

Prior to going to the airport.

Double check that you have everything packed especially your ticket and other travel documents. Call your airline to reconfirm your flight the day before you go. Check the weather at departing and arriving airports to see if there are any problems.

Arrange your transportation to the airport to get you there three hours before departure. Make sure that you have planned something to do to kill time. This could be having a meal or surfing the Internet on your laptop.

At the airport.

Find your airline and head for the check-in counter. If you have a first class ticket or a business class ticket, get in the shorter line.

Make sure that you have your ticket and your passport readily available. You will be required to have these to get your boarding pass.

Depending on the airport, they may screen your checked luggage before you get to check-in. Some airports do this after you get your boarding pass.

If you have not already made your seat selection, this is the time to do it. Check and see if an exit row seat is available especially if you have a long flight. You can also try to arrange for your seat on any additional legs of your flight. You may have to wait until you get to your connecting airport to do this.

If you have a frequent flier card, this is a good time to make sure that you will be credited for the flight. Have the check-in agent verify that your card is recorded.

Before you leave the area, make sure you have all of your belongings and your boarding pass or passes for any ongoing legs. Reconfirm your take-off time and your departure gate number.

Depending on how long it took you to check in, you should have some time to kill. You will still have to get through security which can take a few minutes or up to a Ѕ hour.

You can spend time at the airport shops, do some duty free shopping, or get a bite to eat. Most airports have wireless access so you can surf the net and check email before you go.

If you don’t have anything to read on your long flight, you may want to pick up a magazine or paperback. I also recommend having some sort of snack to bring on the plane just in case the airline meal isn’t up to par.

Checking in for your international flight doesn’t have to be painful if your prepare properly.

How to fight jet jag

One of the worst parts of air travel is dealing with jet lag. Most people attempt to avoid it like the plague, with little success. Hopefully, though, reading this article will help you stop jet lag before it starts.

Jet lag, simply defined, is fatigue and disorientation caused by extensive air travel that crosses a number of time zones. In addition to fatigue and disorientation, you can experience other symptoms with jet lag. One symptom you can experience is broken sleep once you reach your destination. Like a newborn baby, your body may confuse your days and nights. It could take days to readjust your body to the new time zone. If you're on a vacation, this could completely change your plans. If you're traveling for business, this could make business impossible. Another symptom you could experience is confusion and fuzziness. This could make you less aware of your surroundings, which could cause safety issues in an unfamiliar location. You might also experience dehydration with jet lag. This can make you more susceptible to illness, which can ruin any vacation or business trip.

There are a number of tactics for dealing with jet lag. First, before you ever leave the airport is one of the most important times to deal with jet lag. Make sure everything you need to take care of is dealt with in the manner it should be. This can help improve your mood and emotions. Stress can only contribute to jet lag, as can exhaustion. Being tired or having a hangover can make this worse. Be sure to get lots of exercise, too. This can help you to avoid sickness, and it can help your body adjust to the time changes you will be facing. If you do get ill, like with the flu or a cold, it might be a good idea to postpone the trip as long as possible. If you must, though, be sure to bring medications along to treat your illness, as it can be difficult to find those medications once you have reached your destination.

You may want to consider both which way you are flying and what time of day you are flying. There are a number of old tales that say it is better to fly east or west or that it is better to fly during the day or during the night. It is only a matter of personal preference as to which works best for you.

Drinking plenty of fluids is a good way to avoid dehydration. As dehydration sets in, the blood capacity is lessened, and the ability of your blood to carry oxygen is depressed. If dehydration continues long enough, it can cause a dip in blood pressure, along with dizziness, nausea, or fainting. Essentially these are the same symptoms as heat exhaustion. Continuing past this point may cause heat stroke. If heat stroke occurs during dehydration, the body temperature rises. During heat stroke, the body no longer sweats. Serious consequences like seizure, coma, and death can be the result of untreated heat stroke because not only does the blood carry oxygen to muscles, it also carries it to the brain and other vital organs. Symptoms of dehydration include thirst, infrequent urination, fatigue, and dry skin. It is best to drink as many fluids as possible.

You might also consider some sleeping aids while you are traveling to prevent jet lag. If you must rely on medication, do so only under the advice of a doctor. Otherwise, try things like blindfolds, soothing music, ear plugs, or blow up pillows that airlines offer. You might even consider taking your shoes off on the plane for maximum comfort.

One final thing that can help you with jet lag is to get plenty of exercise before, during, and after the flight. Running and other exercise are the ways of helping the body cope with the stresses it is facing. Even if you have to do some simple plane exercises, you too can combat the jet lag. Some plane exercises include holding your carry on bag as close to your body as possible at a ninety degree angle. Do a few bicep curls. That should give you a good workout. If you can, balance the bag on your ankles and do a few leg lifts. Try a simple walk around the cabin. It might be difficult, but if nothing else, it should help you to stretch your legs. You can also try placing the palms of your hands together. Push as hard as you can and hold the position as long as possible. Then try grabbing the nearest book. Hold your arms out flat with the book on top. Hold the position as long as you can. Rest for a few minutes and then repeat. Finally, stretch each muscle of your body any way you can. One important thing to note as you try your exercises is to be respectful of the passengers around you.