Paris : The Lonely Planet Guide

The maps aren't very good but I still prefer Lonely Planet guides to the Rough Guides.

There are photos of me taken all in various tourist hotspots clutching these blue guide books. It can be embarassing when other people are on the same "walking tour" and you keep bumping into the same people.

(Walking tours are suggested routes with points of interest and historical background noted in the book. Very good for exploring cities....)

My Paris experience in summary:

• I know it's a cliche but why are French women so fucking thin? They live on croissants and fresh cream-filled pastries, cook everything with cheese and butter, and it's frites everywhere you look. Maybe they don't actually eat anything. Maybe it's all for tourists....

• I was so conflicted about my new handbag. Head: Spending money on material items will not make you truly happy. Self-esteem should not be based on owning over-priced "luxury" items. This is the sign of a vain, shallow and insecure personality. Heart (and all rest of body) : I have a hole that only that handbag can fill.

• A friendly "bonjour" goes a long way, even if you don't know any other French words.

• Eating out breakfast, lunch and dinner is really expensive.

• "Romantic" Paris is over-rated. One of our friends took his girlfriend to Paris for Valentine's Day. He had to warn her that he was not going to propose...or else she might have been expecting him to pop the question all weekend. Everytime he put his hand in his pocket she would have expected a little box to appear.... hahaha.