- Nothing is free in France, including WiFi, toilets with seats (or toilet access at all). Spending $20 bucks at a cafe is the best way to find a nice toilet.
- The French can be exceedingly nice. I went through security for my Paris departure with my wife’s boarding pass while unknowingly holding mine in my bag. She was back at the ticket counter getting our large group through. This could have become a monumental hassle and security red alert. It was handled rationally, politely, and reasonably by the French airport authority staff. TSA they are not. Vive la France. I take back 49% of all the nasty things I’ve ever said about them.
- Heathrow Terminal 5 is OK - neither as good or as bad as you might have heard. It’s a great spot if you want to spend $600 on perfume or see an Italian supercar spinning on a turntable. Finding a bottle of water is a bit harder.
- No review any time soon on the Rick Steves bag. My creature-of-habit brother-in-law couldn’t let go of his eBags Weekender Convertible.
- A rarely-mentioned reason to go light/one-bag is the paucity of elevators in most of the world outside the US. A 40-pound rolling bag up five flights of stairs is miserable and many are destroyed as their owners thunk-thunk-thunk them down. A cheap rolling bag is always one curb or staircase from destruction.
NC10 ON THE TGV - The high-speed TGV is cool and comfortable, but boarding one with a lot of luggage is not. A small carryon is also a must if you want to keep your bag nearby since the overhead rack on the TGV is not too spacious. And the TGV is double decked - another reason not to have a large or heavy bag.
- I wouldn’t want a larger computer than the 10-inch netbook for plane or train. The tray tables in coach are just too small for anything else unless you like using your screen at less than 90 degrees (see photo).
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