MY EUROPE TRIP: PART TWO - NICE

MY EUROPE TRIP: PART TWO - NICE 

So let me pick up where I left off last time…

Paris…Yes. Paris. The City of Lights. I couldn’t get enough of that place. But finally, there came a time when I had to let go of it.

And my next destination was a small beach city sitting on the French Riviera – Nice. In case you don’t know, I am not expressing my emotion for that particular city. The name of that city is, in fact, Nice. And even though I may not have been as excited as I was for Paris, I absolutely loved beaches. I am wholeheartedly a beach person. Beaches over mountains anytime. And so far in my life, I had only ever been to Goa. Undoubtedly, I was ecstatic to say the least.

So there I was, in the morning, at Gare de Lyon, waiting for my train to arrive that would take me to Nice. The special thing about this journey was that my seat was actually booked for first class!

So, when the train arrived, I merrily went on my way with my big and stuffy suitcase, trying to find my compartment. When I entered the train, I was fascinated. They were very different to your normal long-distance trains that run throughout India. The doors were automated, there was a vending machine and a bar inside the train and there were designated spaces at the start of the compartment where you could keep your baggage.

So, I lifted up my suitcase, kept it on one of the shelves and sat on my seat. But a few moments later, I saw a few people arguing in French right next to me. One of them asked me in English what my seat number was. I showed them my ticket and they were confused for a moment. Then one of the others looked at my ticket and pointed out that I was indeed sitting on the correct seat number, but I was in the second class.

Oh, how I ran that day. You see, the train would only open it’s door for about 5 minutes or so and 5 minutes had already passed. The doors would be closing any minute and one dumb teenager was running around the carriage trying to find his suitcase. At that moment, my mind was like Doctor Strange’s in Avengers Infinity War. I had foreseen millions of futures in the next 5 minutes and in none of them was I succeeding.

I frantically ran out the carriage with my big suitcase and asked one of the officers where I could find the first class. Apparently it was way ahead and I had to cross at least 6-7 train carriages while the doors would close on me any moment. I rushed and I rushed as if my life depended on it. And I hoped to God that the doors would remain open for at least a few more minutes.

*fake drumroll noises 

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And they did. I reached in time and got into the correct compartment this time. I hastily rested my suitcase and sat on my allotted seat, heaving and puffing.

The rest of the train ride went without a hitch. We passed the beautiful French countryside. Vast fields of green, cattle being herded, and mountains in the distance. All of it was really mesmerizing. The little French villages looked so peaceful and enthralling from afar. It would probably be one’s dream to leave behind the stressful city life and move into one of these little cute hamlets. We also passed through the city of Cannes, which had me aimlessly look out the window, trying to find any celebrity just chilling out on the beach.

When we reached Nice, I was in total awe. It was certainly very different compared to all other cities I had ever been. It was bustling with people. It felt so vintage yet so modern. It didn’t feel like a coastal destination at all.

I whipped out my phone and typed in my hotel’s location. But, once again, much to my dismay, I hit another setback. My data was not working. It wasn’t as if I was out of data. I had been carefully using my internet and I had more than enough data left. But for some reason, I was unable to operate Google maps. Now, this was a problem. Had it been any other normal person they would probably think, “Oh that’s alright! I’ll just ask someone for directions!”

But this is me we are talking about. I could not talk to people?! I wondered what I would do. I looked at one of the benches and thought maybe I’d have to spend the night here since I obviously couldn't find my hotel.

Then, I snapped out of it and wracked my brains. I looked around and saw a tourist office. The only people who would be able to answer my questions were in that building. So, I mustered up some courage and went in there. I asked one of the people sitting behind the desk for directions and he gladly explained it to me. He was also kind enough to offer me a map. But I had accomplished a very major task that day and I was feeling very proud. And that ingenious sense of pride had blinded my foresight so much that I happily declined and went on my merry little way. I walked, feeling satisfied that I had been able to approach someone I did not know and ask them for directions. But little did I know that this was not going to be enough. I came to the street as the man had instructed me to but I could not find my hotel. I cursed myself for rejecting his pleas of offering me a free map and scratched my brain thinking what I’d do next.

Through some courage I asked another passerby for directions and they pointed me to a different street. I went there and got lost again. Funnily enough, this time I just wandered around the streets, hoping that by some miracle I’d just stumble upon the right landmark.

And thankfully, that is exactly what happened. I just accidentally reached the correct spot and found my hotel. I quickly checked in, went up the room and called my parents to let them know of my predicament. They were obviously stressed and tried calling the phone company to fix my mobile data issues.

And I felt Paris all over again. The same disdain and annoyance when I first stepped into my room and how I quickly decided to take a tour of the city to calm myself down. So, I did just the same thing at that moment. I grabbed my passport, my wallet, my keys and my phone and went out on my way to find a beach. And that was the best decision I made the entire day.

Promenade Des Anglais. The most famous beach in Nice. Let me describe the scene for you.

Vast blue waters of the ocean, the sun shimmering in the dusky sky at 5 PM, the rays of light reflecting the waters of the Blue and reaching my eyes. There were all different kinds of people spaced out around me, chattering and laughing. The sky, as blue as it gets, glowing and complimenting the evening bliss. The wind, so gentle yet unfaltering, caressing my face. The beach itself was not sandy but rocky. It was covered with small pebbles, perfect in shape. Around me, the city was bustling with life and many bars and clubs were playing music.

Here is a small clip from my Instagram story from that day:

Suffice to say, Nice was nice (pun not intended). The food here was also really delicious. I had some kebabs in one of the restaurants and I absolutely licked the plate clean. Not literally of course.

The next day I’d say that my outfit too was matching with the Nice festivities. I was wearing a blue cotton collared t shirt, with white shorts and white slippers. Since it was a beach destination I was expecting to go into the water and maybe swim around a bit. But unfortunately, much to my dismay, that day the weather did not support me. It was a very gloomy day with no signs of the sun anywhere. Hence, the water was really cold. I decided it was best to just roam around the city and click some pictures.

Nice felt like a very advanced version of Goa. It had multicoloured villas all around but at the same time there were malls and casinos too. But I think a more fitting description of it would be a film set. Yes. To me, most of the times while roaming around the streets I felt like it was a film set. Everything felt as if it was artificially modified to give the feel of a real place. As if, if you saw a building in front of you and if you tried to go inside you’d find out that it’s just a cardboard piece. It also didn’t help the fact that no building in Nice looked bigger than 5 stories.

The best place to visit though was Castle Hill. It was a small sightseeing fort erected on a hill where you could view the entire city of Nice. That was fun. There was even a big market called as Cours Saleya, right in between the city centre where people were selling all kinds of fruits and ornaments.

Overall, my experience in Nice may not have been as good as Paris, but I made the most of it. I came on 7^th June in the evening, went sightseeing on the 8^th and left on 9^th for Italy. Do check out the next part!

MY EUROPE TRIP: PART ONE - PARIS

 MY EUROPE TRIP: PART ONE - PARIS

Dreams do come true.

When you work hard, pray hard, and give your best during your worst, dreams do come true.

I was just another face amongst the lakhs of students who gave competitive exams for engineering admissions after 12^th. And like most of them, I too had struggled with all the JEE PYQs and boards practicals. Somehow, I managed through all of it and did alright. But during that entire tedious process, I had convinced my parents that when all of it would end, they would send me on an international holiday, alone. Thankfully, they agreed.

And so, when the time came to decide upon a country for my vacation, I decided upon a continent. Europe. Obviously, my dear parents were shocked and asked me to pick another country like Singapore or Turkey. Something which is small and easy enough to navigate. But since childhood I’ve always wanted to visit two of my favourite cities – New York and Paris. Now, getting a USA visa in 2024 was a next to impossible task. So, the next best thing was Europe. i.e. a Schengen visa.

Surprisingly, my parents agreed after some convincing. And so, I was on my way merrily, alone, 18 years of age, my first time going outside Mumbai without any adult supervision. No pressure. 

Almost every other person who got to know about this little escapade of mine had warned me a dozen times about all the different difficulties and dangers a lone traveller would have to face. Friends, relatives, cousins, teachers, colleagues of my dad, colleagues of my mom, doctors, and many others. But I stuck to my gun. I never thought of backing out. I was determined to make this trip whatsoever!

Getting a visa was not a very arduous task. Neither were getting the tickets.

And so, on 3^rd June at 4 AM in the morning, I was sitting on a flight at the Mumbai International airport, waiting to take off. It felt…weird. Like something that I had never expected to happen. Something unusual. Since the past two years had I been awake at 4 AM, it was either to study or to workout. But this time, I was on an airplane and was about to head to Paris. You know that feeling, when something grand is about to happen in your life and all the days leading up to that event you felt giddy and excited? But on the day of the actual event, you feel…A feeling that is indescribable. That is what I felt. And there I was, buckling up my seat belt as the airplane took off. My first stop was Abu Dhabi, where I had to change my flights.

I reached Abu Dhabi in the morning at around 6 AM or so. The airport was empty. Not many people could be seen.

I soon found my gate and sat there in anticipation. My next flight would take me to one of the cities of my dreams. Paris. My first stop.

The moment when I landed in Paris, I checked my mobile phone to see whether my data was working or not. That was one of the most important highlights of my trip. I could never lose 3 things. My phone, my credit card and my passport. In fact, I even carried a small sling-pouch given to me by a very lovely acquaintance of mine. I kept my passport in it and carried it everywhere.

Nevertheless, my mobile data was working just fine, and I messaged my parents that I was safe and sound.

Next, I was supposed to navigate my way through the Paris transport and reach my Airbnb which was nestled near the city centre, far away from the airport. This is when I hit a setback. How do I get a ticket, which train do I catch and which station do I get-off? I obviously couldn’t take a taxi as it would cost me close to 50 euros (around 4000 rupees). My father had given me pages of instructions on which train to take and where to get off, but I still had to find a ticket counter at the airport.

Through some dumb luck I got a ticket and figured out which train to board. I reached a subway station and then looked at the map, which did not correlate to whatever instructions my father had written for me. At that moment I actually just stood in the middle of the station looking here and there for a miracle to happen. Since always, I have had a problem with talking to strangers. Nothing had changed 18 years later.

Thankfully though, I snapped out of it and asked a woman for directions. She was very polite and as a matter of fact, stopped where she was going and went with me to the correct platform. Had that woman not helped me, I would have been stranded on a random station in Paris.

When I finally reached my destination (La Muette metro station), my Airbnb was not very far away. The host was warm and welcoming but when I saw the room, I was shocked. The Airbnb room that I had booked for myself could put Mumbai houses to shame. I swore then and there that I would never complain how small the houses in Mumbai are. Because that apartment in Paris was smaller than your average chawl. I kid you not when I say that this apartment was not even the size of a normal hall in a chawl system. It was insufficiently miniscule.

And at that moment, I had had enough. I was tired from the long journey, I was annoyed that I couldn’t navigate my way through the metro and I was irritated after seeing such a small apartment. I decided that I needed to focus on why I came here. I came here to see the Eiffel Tower. It was close to 4 PM and it was the perfect time to go and visit the Seine and sit near La Tour Eiffel.

And so, I grabbed my jacket, I stuffed my keys in my pocket, took my passport and set a destination for the Eiffel Tower on Google maps. I stepped outside into the cold evening weather and started walking. Roaming around in the little beautiful Parisian neighbourhoods, so quiet and cozy, it felt good. I calmed down a bit.

Then, something happened that I would never forget. A memory that will be etched into my mind forever. I saw the map and it said, 15 minutes to reach the destination. Naturally, I was not expecting to see the Eiffel Tower for the next 15 minutes. But, I then came about a corner and turned left from the edge of a building and stopped in my tracks.

Right in front of me I saw what I came here to see. The Eiffel Tower. Standing tall and wide and like a mesmerizing giant. Shining in the evening sun. Its tip, proud and perfervid. I took a moment to catch my breath. I had only ever seen its photos. But to see it in front of me, my eyes, taking in that phenomenal beauty. I realized why French was considered the most romantic language in the world.  

All of my irritation washed away when I saw the monument. And it was certainly much bigger than I expected it to be.

 

And so, I slowly got accustomed to Paris. I won’t lie but Paris was certainly the best part of my trip. No other city could give me the joy that The City of Lights gave me.

I even adapted to the Paris metro sooner than I expected. The good thing about this city was that any tourist spot that you wished to visit was very easily accessible. There was certainly a metro station nearby and the bus would take you anywhere you wanted to. I visited L’Arc De Triomphe, Montmartre, The Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg gardens and whatnot.

Although there is one thing that if I were to tell the reader, you would probably be upset with me. I never tried any Parisian food. All I did was go into either McDonald’s or Burger King and get a fillet-o-fish burger with some fries and a coke. Yes, call me stupid but I guess I did not have the heart to try something new. You have to understand one thing about me. This was the first time I ever left Mumbai all alone and this was a place where people refrain from speaking in English. And I already am super introverted. Thus I never dared to go into a restaurant and ask the waitress, “mon cher, quel est le spécial d'aujourd'hui?” The only time I ever tried something Parisian was a crêpe at the edge of Notre Dame (it was good).

I am proud to say one thing though. Paris is exactly what you would expect it to be and, in some cases, better than your expectations. It is exactly how it is advertised. Although it is considered a relatively unsafe city, I did not feel unsafe at any point of time at any place. I even dared to venture out at 11 PM in the night and I had nothing to worry about. Maybe the Parisian people are not very friendly, but I certainly did not have any problems with anyone.

Undeniably, it has a very romantic vibe and I could see it. There were couples everywhere professing their love for each other in all kinds of ways. I even saw a marriage proposal at the banks of the Seine.

If I were to say something negative about this place then it could be that every other person that you pass by on the street would be smoking. A lot of people smoke there, although I observed this practice in all other cities too. And another thing that you would want to watch out for are hawkers. They are not to be trusted and not to be messed with. The best strategy is to just ignore them and act as if they don’t exist. Hawkers are very prominent especially near the tourist areas.

But overall, Paris stole my heart. I would love to stay there for a longer period. The highlight about my stay was that every night, no matter how tired I would be, I’d visit the Eiffel Tower. I even climbed up the stairs. I took the cheapest ticket to the summit (11 euros) and climbed my way through the tower. It is definitely worth it.

Paris est belle. It is exactly how it is shown in the media and much more.