Wednesday 1 October 2025

Another sunny and crisp day for our departure to Paris and Jen to Copenhagen. Us by train and she by plane. Copenhagen is in high security mode for the NATO meeting about the Russian drone incursions and Paris is planning a strike day tomorrow.

We are on first class train tickets, arranged by Lady P online months ago, for €69 ea. Toady they’re €350 ea. We present to the DB premium lounge only to be turned away. “You only have €69 tickets!” Well, really. The other DB lounge around the corner is worth a crack and this time the door bitch doesn’t know what tickets we have, but they do say first class, and we get in. Just a quiet place to have a crap coffee, use a clean toilet and then board the Inter City Express for Paris.

Seven hours goes fairly quickly, with a few in our carriage also having a picnic lunch at their seat. Our cheese and biscuits are simple but tasty. Before passing through Strasbourg, we have a gin and tonic also at our table and the little black bag is a bit lighter.

Paris at Gare d’Est is quiet and the temperature is mild. Our nice taxi driver gets us to the 18e and our quiet apartment in rue du Simplon.

However, the security door key pad does not work. Our host Louis is, of course in Marseilles! Luckily, Martin from upstairs, a young, tall, good looking chap is going out, so we get into the foyer before other more radical options are considered. The door closes. The second door is locked. Before panic really sets in, we locate the lock box, get the fob and keys and finally get into the apartment. I don’t know who is more relieved, us or Louis.

Thursday 2 October 2025

Our home exchange apartment in the 18e is fairly basic and one might say, despite evidence of a girlfriend, very much a bachelor’s flat. There are six expensive guitars and a keyboard, TV and gaming consoles and a very basic kitchen. But, it does have a fridge and a washing machine and the shower is hot. The neighbourhood seems to be quite and residential, with a school opposite and we will explore more tomorrow.

After a very complicated and frustratingly French internet experience, we manage to download the SNCF and Navigo apps and buy some metro tickets. Paris, unlike most proper cities, doesn’t have a card tap to get on the trains etc. You have to use their app. Anyway, it worked. So, don’t lose your phone or let it go flat.

After a coffee and croissant on the pavement in the sun on the corner, we took the Metro back towards the 19e where we last stayed, so Lady P could go and see her waxing lady from 2024. The waxing lady of course remembered her and they made an appointment for tomorrow. And since we were in a nice precinct, we had lunch at a bistro, in the sun, on the street, watching the passing parade. On the way home, she booked another appointment. This time for a haircut and colour. Tomorrow will be a bar, restaurant, bar, café, bar sort of day for Flashy I reckon!

Friday 3 October 2025

Cold and wet. Lady P heads off on the Metro and Flashy wisely decides to guard the flat. Both hair and waxing satisfactorily completed by 6.30pm. Still cold and wet, so G n T at home.


Paris burger and steak
The apartment.
Basic kitchen.

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