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So, I'm traveling to Paris in a couple weeks to handle a personal matter with my wife and mother-in-law. I'll be there for a week and it would be nice to have a couple phones. So I'm hoping that our group who country hop more often than I do have dealt with the problem we are trying to figure out.
The wife and I both have unlocked GSM smart phones (Nexus 5) that we could easily pop a pre-paid sim into and be on our way. What I'm wondering is, would it be easier to just buy a couple of burner phones at the airport and leave ours at home? I'm assuming they sell them there but I'm unsure of cost and hassle of a sim vs cost of a throw away phone. Never done it before.
Her mom wants to spend some time in the city alone, which given the reason I understand. I don't feel like we need phones, if we want to meet somewhere at six, look at a watch or clock and be there at six. She wants us to have phones so the two of us can do stuff while her mom is out and still allow communication if she needs, like if her mom gets lost.
Thoughts? I've lost the "We don't need phones." battle, not one worth fighting. I just want the easiest option for the money.
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Go to Luxembourg instead, its far nicer.
Just get a prepaid Orange SIM if you really have to visit that sad old whore that Paris is. You should be able to get one from any Tabac (red double ended cone stuck to the front of the shop. )
Its still a dump. A nasty, dirty, cramped place whose charm faded many decades ago.
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Yeah, we are heading to Paris to honor her father's last wishes. He and the mother-in-law lived there for a number of years for his work many decades ago when they first got married. So she has fond memories of it. So we do have to go there... I tried to get a lay-over in more interesting places, but a direct flight was found for less.
And thanks for the advice. 
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Be really careful of east European beggers/pick pockets ie women in head scarves with grotty kids. If you see them put you hand on your wallet, avoid eye contact and keep walking.
Watch out for being shaken down by the transport police. Keep your ticket stub till you get OUT of your destination station.
As for food, the Vietnamese is probably the best, the rest is crap/toxic: bad kebabs and the usual sad old French fayre that wasn't that exciting 30 years ago and hasn't evolved since.
Hotels? Best bet is to stay on the outside and train/tube it in. Its a tiny city, so it wont take long to get in by train, 20 mins probably.
Places to see? Well, the usual, if you must, my only recommendation is the Dali museum at Mont Matre.
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Munchies_Matt wrote: Go to Luxembourg instead, its far nicer.
Request: I need to go to Paris.
Advice: Go to Luxemburg instead.
You should work as a consultant.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Entropy isn't what it used to.
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Its only a few hours away. 
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Find somewhere with lots of tourists.
Mug some.
Use their phones.
If phones get blocked repeat process.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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Ah, yes, the "when in Paris..." technique.
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: "when in Paris..."
Ahem remember the KSS rule.
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Hey, come on, I refrained from saying "If I'm ever in Paris I hope I'm wearing a raincoat". Sheesh, touchy, touchy. 
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Funny 
Cheers,
विक्रम
"We have already been through this, I am not going to repeat myself." - fat_boy, in a global warming thread 
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That's part of the reason I don't want to take my phone. Mostly it is because I would enjoy not being able to be contacted by anyone. But it is a good idea, "Honey, your mom said she would call us in half an hour. We need to head to the Eiffel Tower and Louvre and find some other Amer... I mean tourist!"
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It's very easy to do these days.
Find a couple who are taking photos of each other on their phones in front of some landmark.
Offer to take a photo of them together.
Let them explain how to use the camera on their phone, line them up, leg it.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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Lose the wife and the mother-in-law. Sounds like a win, win.
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Well, the losing the mother-in-law should be easy. She wants time to wander alone and be to herself... the wife on the other hand, that might take some planning. Maybe if I get two phones, give one to each and suggest we each enjoy some time wandering, then they can call me when they want to meet up!
If I do it fast enough, they might not notice I only got two phones.
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Says it's a geocaching exercise and they need to find you.
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Thanks!
I've never actually used that site before so was assuming they just did the standard book/review/etc. crap most other sites did. Usually my travel is just in the states so my phone works so long as I have a signal, and I don't mind an adventure now and then. It helps that there isn't (as much) of a language barrier traveling here, but overseas I am at a significant disadvantage.
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RJOberg wrote: It helps that there isn't (as much) of a language barrier traveling here, but overseas I am at a significant disadvantage.
Everyone in Paris can speak English.
They won't.
But they can.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.
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You took the franglais right out of my mouth... 
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This is slightly out of date. Telecards still exist, but public phones tend to disappear, so finding somewhere where you can actually use them, and that still works, is getting complicated.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Entropy isn't what it used to.
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We do not have burner phones in France.
The three main carriers (Orange, Bouygues, SFR) have pre-paid SIM cards which are pretty easy to use, but they usually don't cover international out of EU and north Africa.
If you need phones to call yourselves locally, this is the way to go, easy, reliable. You will need to go to a store to put money on your account, though ( I mean this will not go online or ... using the phone).
If you need phones to call home, forget it.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Entropy isn't what it used to.
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So there are no phones I can buy for cheap, pre-paid phone time included, no paperwork or contracts needed, and then toss them when I'm done? Bleh.
This would be phones to call each other locally from one part of the city to another. Like if the wife and I are wandering the streets and her mom wants to meet up for lunch or what not. Or her mom was out and suddenly need company. So don't need to call home. If there was a worst case and I had to call back to the states, I assume I could find a place that has internet access and email/skype home with that. I think the hotel we booked has wireless available.
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Not so easy, but you can buy a cheap phone and a prepaid sim (Check here for instance, not complicated to understand IMO).
The prepaid sim card is the way to go if your phone can handle EU standards.
You have free wireless at McDonalds, and McDonalds everywhre in Paris.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Entropy isn't what it used to.
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