16-8-2015 London-Paris

16/8/2015 London-Paris

Little sleep the night before my Eurostar journey, but was already packed and had all maps/routes sorted. Up at 5.00 am, shifted my bags downstairs and had breakfast. I gave away my London maps, timetables, etc but packed a spare microwave dinner into my suitcase, just in case nothing was open at the Cite when I got there. The reception showed-up at about 6.00 am so I handed in my keys and headed off to the Bus 390 stand. I was early so had to wait a bit but was on my way around 7.00 am. The Bus took a while to get to St Pancras due to roadwork's/diversion; not a major delay and I had tons of time, so it was not a worry.

St Pancras was a case of "hurry up and wait"! I got through passport, security, boarding OK but then had to sit and wait for the train. We were finally called for boarding and the crush headed up the “travelator”, a moving inclined walkway. Because of the pack I tipped backwards onto the crowd behind, which was embarrassing to say the least. I scurried away to my seat, throwing the suitcase into the overhead rack and “sitting” on my backpack. As it turned out that was a very good tactic given the problems other groups had trying to find space for their luggage. [They had not realised their luggage would go with them rather than going into a cargo hold, as on an aircraft].

Three hours went by very quickly but I had time to walk three carriages back to the “dinning car” to buy a single trip ticket for the RER to take me from Gare du Nord to Cite Universitaire. So far so good. Gare du Nord however was another story. I had virtual “walked” the station using the Internet so had a basic idea of directions and landmarks, but it is big and very busy. I managed to follow the signs down two floors to the RER in the basement. I knew it was Line B I had to take (and not the platform saying "towards the airports"). I jumped on a train that seemed to be going in the right direction (along with half a million other passengers) and quickly checked the route map over the door. I had been right and the Cite was one of the intermediate stops on this line. Duly reached Cite stop, standing all the way, and exited the train station right opposite the entrance of the Cite International Universitaire. 15 minutes later I was signing in with security (no office staff) and getting my room key at the Maison des Provinces de France. Very nice big room but not air-conditioned. 

I had brought a towel (needed), but not cooking implements nor cutlery (also needed). There is a communal kitchen but you have to bring everything with you. I went looking for a supermarket but on a Sunday afternoon it was a forlorn hope. I had my microwave curry for lunch and a take-away taco for late dinner. I did manage to negotiate my TRAVIGO bus/metro/train pass at the RER station. This means for a week I have unlimited local travel

After dinner I searched my computer files (no Internet yet) for Paris bus information and decided a 67 bus should take me to the Paris NHM.