Or what, is my guess.... It doesn't matter what US airport I'm in, I get pulled aside for the special searches.

could be the way I dress...

could be that I travel without luggage -- just a backpack as carry-on...

could be that I'm a lumpy old lady, and they think my lumpy thighs and saggy breasts are really bags full of drugs...

who knows! I asked one of the TSA workers about it, but the answer he gave me was an absolute fabrication, as there were many others in the line who fit the description he gave, but none of them was pulled out of line for special treatment.

Meantime, I've never been singled out in any airport outside of the US for special security search.

Why that, Babette?

Is it, because you're coming from Hawaii, or what?

I live in Hawai'i

So, about 9-1/2 hour flight time to Newark (and a 6-hour time difference). Then the flight to Paris with the added time difference.

This was the shortest, most direct scheduling I could come up with -- meaning that I fly directly from my island to Newark, rather than flying first to Honolulu.

ETA -- the layover in Newark is actually 5-1/2 hours, but I need to schedule time to get through security... so I figure about 4 hours to walk around.

(I always get pulled aside for "special treatment" at security )

BBabette, This sounds to me like a very long flight. I am not shure where you are comming for, but a flight from Anywhere in the US should not take this long, especially if you only have a 4 hr layover in one place (in Newark). It sounds to me like an unusual scheduling.

BP Chuck

Merci beaucoup, Sam -- that's about 600 m from where I'll be staying

I can't put my finger on the email address but there's a group of serious walkers that give out info through The Abbey (English/Canadian) bookstore near place St. Michele. You might contact the store for more info at:

The Abbey
29 rue de la Parchemenerie
Paris 5eme
(01) 46 33 16 24

I am taking a plane -- or two, anyway -- I leave home early on Monday evening and arrive Paris Wednesday morning, with only a four-hour layover in Newark.

So, my first day in Paris, I'll be looking something like this --

On the other hand if you are traveling halfway arond the world, normally most people take a plane, I know I would! and I am not even considered normal by some people!


BP Chuck

I've traveled to the Far East from NY and the same two weeks doesn't seem like a short vacation.

Ah, but when one is traveling halfway round the world to get to a destination, two weeks on-site seems very brief

Actually, neither Fontainebleau nor Versailles are on my itinerary for this trip. Instead, I'd prefer to take the RER out to Crouy-sur-Ourcq and see the 14th-century donjon, then walk to Coulombs-en-Valois to see the 17th-century eglise and ancien lavoir. The circuit given in the guide is 18 km, round-trip, which leaves me plenty of time to spend at the sites as well as stopping for lunch.

It might help to know that I'm a primarily a solo wilderness backpacker -- in the last 15 or more years, only four of my vacations have not been out to the wilderness -- too much city stuff makes me bonkers

BBabbette, You are really trying to combine two things: the hiking (or walking) and sightseeing. I think going out to thos places (such as Fontaibleu) is really a waste of time to accomplish this. If you want to do just "standard walking" (for the physical bebefits) why waste all that time to get to the sights. jus step out of the place where you are staing, and you can walk and walk by some really nice stores. or you can walk in a closeby park, an get all the walking in you want! than appoint a time in your shedule, and visit some of the seights, maybe by car, bus, etc.

BP Chuck

P.S. I do agree with Al, today a 2 week "vacation" in Paris is not a short vacation.

Two weeks in Paris = a short trip ???? Wow. lucky you. Only goes to prove that everything in life is relative.

Could be either. Very close or then not... but still walkable. I'd expect some signs for direction and distance, especially for the latter.

But, it's definitely a recommendation for something not to miss while there.
Could be a farm selling its fresh flowers and veggies, an auberge (inn), could be a ruin, a castle, a small lake or river, a spot with a great view, etc.

Thanks for the response. This is a short trip to Paris -- only two weeks -- so I'll be doing only day-hiking. My next trip to France will be much longer, and I plan on doing a great deal of hiking.

I am not familiar with the books, but I have hiked some of the larger loops in the forest of Fontainbleau, all about 12 km in length. I would assume that you would see the sights from the trail, since there would be signs pointing to trail splits, and the signs would highlight anything special to see. I have never hiked, but have heard that the forest of Compiegne has some nice trails.

Any walkers posting here?

I have six of the FFRP guides -- all of them for around Ile de France (e.g., Val d'Oise, Seine-et-Marne, etc.) -- I have a question:

In the books, where it says A Voir: en chemin... does that really mean that the route goes right by the sites? or does one have to keep eyes peeled for a side trail to the noted sites?

I'm really looking forward to taking some of these walks. I'm finding the written directions a bit... gratuitous (?)... definitely much more detailed than any hiking guides written for trips anywhere in the US.