Tis Me Michelle

I almost had a day 4 in Paris… Almost! My flight was in the morning, so I got up pretty early. As one does, I immediately checked my phone and saw… My flight was cancelled!

I would have totally taken a flight in the evening to get myself a bonus day… But only my flight out of Paris was cancelled. I had a secondary flight from New York booked separately, and it became too complicated. After some back and forth with Delta, I eventually got another flight, earlier than my original flight. So that was that, I got up and ready to head out of one of my favorites cities…

This was not the trip I planned. I know it would have been an absolute blast with my cousin. It would have been a totally different vibe. I’d been to Paris three times before, but this was my first time solo. It kind of worked out, because I’ve always wanted my own time in Paris.

I would have planned a bit differently and definitely stayed longer if it was a solo trip from the get-go. I’m glad I changed up some of the plans, but also wished I had some more time to rearrange my plans. Initially I felt flustered. Ended up being a lovely short getaway. There were a couple main things I took away from this long weekend…

It’s become a joke with some of my friends that I go to a different city or country just to go on a walk…And there is truth to it. Wandering with no real agenda is some of my favorite moments. It made me realize I’d love to live in an accessible city. I don’t necessarily need to live in a busy, crazy city, even though Paris and NYC are the places I consider the most. Would be nice to be able easily walk to most places or have good public transit. For one, it forces you to go out and move, and I live a very sedantary life. I find myself much more present, whether it is being aware of my surroundings, taking in the sights, or people watching. And that’s how I discover those hidden gems, whether it’s a beautiful park or cute bakery. My favorite things on this trip were those random finds on my wandering walks.

To that point, I did do a few things here and there which were TikTok recommended or seemed popular. Some can be hits, yet I’ve had a lot of misses… And this is from someone who posts about their opinions regularly. What I’m trying to get better at is to follow my own lead. Along with the unplanned finds, my favorite parts of the trip is doing activities that I know are up my alley, verse the ‘must do’ that came off of someone elses list. I loved the jazz club experience and writing a letter to myself. Those activitiese may not be for everyone, but it was for me.

All to say, I give my honest opinions about the places I visit and the eat at. Traveling and eating are my favorite things to do, after all. It doesn’t mean it has to be yours. I do research before I go places, so I do take people’s opinions and recommendations into consideration. If you read mine, take what is actually of interest to you. Find the things you enjoy and do them. And leave room to explore. You just might find something better than you could have imagined.

Next up… UK 2025! Let me know in the comments if you liked this daily recap or if you like the highlights?