Sad to come back

I was in Europe between December 17 to January 1st last month. I had a BLAST! I wasn%26#39;t even thinking about coming back! I really enjoyed my trip. I was in Rome, Florence, Venice and then in Paris. I keep checking this web cam every day to view the Eiffel Tower and just to see the sky line in Paris and the way the clouds are shaped! It%26#39;s been 9 days since I got back and now I really want to go again! But I know I won%26#39;t be able to go for a couple years as I want to start a family soon and don%26#39;t want to get on the airplane with an infant. (On the way back this woman and her two kids were driving me completely mad with their crying and antics, kicking my chair with the fold down table over and over!)

Sad to come back mais c%26#39;est la vie!

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look up the post %26quot;post paris depression%26quot; and you%26#39;ll see that all of us who don%26#39;t live or own an apartment there are in exactly the same straights. at least on the forum you have company that loves the misery. :)

p.s. - most of us DO start planning our next trip as soon as we get home. I got back on the 2nd and am already working on a budget to stay a month in May 2007.

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WOW! i was thinking of doing the same thing--staying a month there. But it%26#39;s expensive!

My husband doesn%26#39;t get very attached to things or places. I, on the other hand, tend to get very attached. I visited Paris 2 years ago and then swore I%26#39;d go back in 2005 and that%26#39;s what I did. I find the city just fascinating. When I was there, it was very cold but I just wanted to take it all in.

Are you francophone? Do you speak French?

I won%26#39;t be able to get on a plane for a couple of years. minimum 4... C%26#39;est triste!

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it does not have to be so, lemon. Flying with kids is really not all that hard. I know there are some monsters out there (the parents are the real monsters), but most children on planes are at least, if not better, behaved than the other passengers.

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SourLemon, if you wait until your child is 4 then it could be years before you travel. I had three children each 4 years apart. I would not have been able to travel for 12 years!!

Badly behaved children are not limited to airplanes - you can find them in restaurants and churches and shops. You will also find some of the most well behaved children in airplanes as well.

For what its worth (3 kids aged 13, 9, 5) travel while your children are in nappies/diapers. It is far easier to find a spot to do a change than to find facilities when you have a 3 or 4 year old roaring %26quot;Mummy I need to go to the Bathroom NOW!!%26quot;

Lots of Europeans (Our family included) stay in family friendly camp sites in France. In these camps you have a wide range of nationalities, a wide range of accommodation, very good facilities and best of all Children%26#39;s Clubs where English speaking site reps will do activities with the children while you just relax. There are even some outside Paris close to Disney.

www.keycamp.co.uk or www.keycamp.ie

www.canvasholidays.com/

You can have kids and continue to have a life :O)

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Lemon - I speak very minimal French but I%26#39;m still learning. I read much better than I can understand spoken French especially when the person is speaking very fast. But I%26#39;ll keep taking classes, practicing, etc until I%26#39;m as fluent as possible. Eventually I%26#39;d love to live there, the only thing stopping me is (of course) financial constraints.

But everyone needs a dream, non? :)

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Hi SourLemon, just want to join the ranks with Justgrace. I too have the same story, just like so many others here at the TA Paris board. After my third trip in November I only became more obsessed with Paris. I have been studying French since my previous trip 1 1/2 years before and well, now I am hooked big time. I already have a one week trip planned in March and I too plan a one month trip in November of THIS year! My plan now is to take an immersion course at the Alliance Francais and rent an apartment for the month.

All I can say is ïf there is a will, there is a way. I have a family with husband of 21 years, kids 18 and 14. They support my dream to one day either have a second home in Paris or possibly escort tour groups over. They travel with me sometimes, but they can%26#39;t always.

Just continue to dream- dreams can become reality!

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I think my husband is tired of Europe...

I, on the other hand, cannot stop thinking about it. I%26#39;m not sure what the allure is... The lights, the buildings, the atmosphere, the people...? A combination of everything? So my spouse and I are different in that aspect. He wants to visit some other places... However, he did mention to me just now that we were in Venice two weeks ago! So I think he is experiencing some form of nostalgia!

Anyhoo, according to some of your posts, there is hope to travel with little tots. I better start planning! heheheh!!!!! I already have a destination in mind!

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As another francophile, I feel your sentiment! I was in Europe from Dec 12 - Dec 29, and even though it%26#39;s been almost 2 weeks, I%26#39;m still so depressed and lethargic. I think it%26#39;s because I don%26#39;t have firm plans for another trip. I am trying to rectify that.

I must tell you - don%26#39;t let having a child impact your dreams! I have an almost 5 year old and he has been my yearly companion. I feel for those people who have screaming kids (sometimes it is the parents%26#39; fault, but at others it can be just bad timing) - but knock on wood, we have been VERY lucky to have a quiet one on the plane. He complains a little on the descent (air pressure change), but a bottle did the trick in the past and now I have him yawn as a game.

I speak French fluently, and I%26#39;m seriously leaning towards sending my son to a French school where I live (lucky to have one!) That way, he and I can both go to Paris in the summers to %26quot;practice our French!%26quot;

Take care!

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gambader, why did you decide to leave France?

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You%26#39;ve got me excited about visiting Paris (my first trip will be this March) so I will get you excited about traveling with children. Our two have been flying and taking cross-country (US) driving trips with us since they were infants. We love exploring new places and people warm up to us more because of the kids. It%26#39;s allowed us to experience special things because natives want to share them with the children.

You%26#39;ve received some good advice about making sure that little ones%26#39; needs are met. As long as you%26#39;re receptive to their needs, you%26#39;ll get big dividends. Airplane pressure changes are a big concern - give them a bottle or sippy cup to drink as you take off and land. Bring lots of books to read to them on long plane flights and an IPod for them to listen to downloaded fun songs and stories isn%26#39;t a bad idea either. As they get a little older, a simple card deck goes a long way to ease boredom. And for heaven%26#39;s sake bring snacks. Crackers, apples, carrots, cheerios, juice....you%26#39;ll be just fine. And scope out in advance whether your hotel can recommend a babysitter. A lot of places do provide the service. Use it.

Can you tell us your most favorite things about Paris? What was the biggest surprise, best meal, etc.?