I’m Jordyn, one of the founders of PointsForDeparture.com.  I’m here because I love to travel and this is a great opportunity to use that love to do something else I love; write.  I hope to do both frequently so I can share what I learn with our readers.  Please read my bio on the About Us page.

As a kid, I always dreamed about seeing the world. I grew up travelling frequently with my parents and will always be thankful for those opportunities. One of the places that intrigued me to no end is Paris. So, when my dad and I began to brainstorm places we could go to for less than 48 hours, Paris was at the top of my list. Due to the unpredictable nature of travelling standby, we really didn’t know where we’d end up. It all depended on where we could get the best seats. We planned to go in December, around Christmas-time. I crossed my fingers for Paris and hoped that our flight plans matched up, though Zurich and Madrid were also possibilities.

We flew to Newark and waited in a Business Class lounge for a few hours, my dad watching flights for the best opportunity.  We had lounge access thanks to a credit card he has allowing lounge access at airports around the world.  The lounge was something that I had always been curious about. Those fancy, metallic doors seemed so exclusive and alluring- it was exciting to finally go in and see what was inside. Beyond those doors were dozens of couches and chairs, fancy candy in jars, and a food and drink selection. This was just what I needed in the midst of this travel adventure.

We relaxed for a few hours, and thankfully I was able to connect to the lounge’s WiFi to continue watching Entourage. We finally headed over to our gate, and when we got there, it was so packed we couldn’t even see the door to the jetway. We ended up flying to Brussels, and then we’d take a train to Paris. The flight to Brussels was very full- except for business class. It was nerve wracking waiting for this plane. I was concerned that if we didn’t get on this one, our short trip would be ruined. Eventually, we got on the plane and got to relax in our business class seats.

Sitting in business class made me feel super important. Not that any of the other people on the plane cared, but it was definitely a cool experience. The flight attendants were super attentive to our needs and brought me a special crew meal when I told them I was unable to eat either choice of meal because I’m a vegetarian.

On the flight, I watched an entire season of Big Little Lies. (Great show with strong female characters!! Highly recommend!!) The flight finally took off around 10 p.m. ET, which was perfect timing for me to fall asleep for a decent sleep. When we landed, it was morning. Waking up on the plane is always an exciting experience. It’s amazing to wake up somewhere different from where you fell asleep especially in a comfortable lie-flat seat of business class.

Brussels was a great place to be in, even if I was only in the airport and train station. The train went past the city, and we were able to see the amazing architecture the city has to offer on our way out. The train was one of those super-fast trains. It took us from Brussels to Paris in less than 2 hours.

When we got to Paris, we headed to our hotel in an Uber. The roads in Paris were confusing, and it took us a while to find our Uber in the crowded street. Our hotel was the quaintest, most interesting hotel I’ve ever been in. It was modern but with antique features. It was perfect. The workers were so sweet and helpful, as well.

One of my favorite things to do is shop. Normally, I’m a fan of online shopping because I’m lazy and would rather not go to a store if I don’t need to. But when I travel, it’s a different story. Shopping while travelling is one of my favorite things to do. I love acquiring items- whether it be clothing, accessories or chachkies. They always remind me of who I was at that point in time of travelling and what I found important. I like being able to revert back to that mindset of where I was and who I was when I bought it.

Things I recommend seeing in Paris:

• Louvre: How could you not want to see the Mona Lisa in real life?! Make sure you have your camera out and ready before you even walk into that exhibit- it gets crazy!
• Eiffel Tower: This is an obvious one. You know why you need to go to the Eiffel Tower. If you go on the hour, you can see it twinkle and light up for 5 minutes. It’s truly magical!
• Grocery stores: You might not need to go buy food, but seriously consider checking out local groceries. It’s so interesting to see the difference between Parisian groceries and the ones we are used to. Also- they have great snacks that anyone will appreciate as a souvenir.
• Maison Georges Larnicol: Honestly the best dessert shop I’ve been to. I’m pretty biased towards chocolate (it’s my favorite) but this was the best chocolate I’ve ever had. They had chocolate art that actually blew me away. Another great thing to bring back as a souvenir!

Although I wasn’t in Paris for long, we still saw a lot of really interesting and inspiring things. It was so surreal to see all the things I’ve learned about in the past in real life. This is why if you have the opportunity to travel, even if it’s for a shorter time than you’d like- go for it! You may never get chances like that again.

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