Travel date: 15 October 2008
Was only a short 4 hours journey from Doha, and touched down at Paris Charles de Gaulle at 1.30pm. First checkpoint is after the entrance to airport, merely checking on passport. Then further to the front, another checkpoint to stamp passport. Noticed we're the few oriental Asians in the line.
The most interesting feature of CDG is the long, but bouncy travellator from checkpoint to baggage claim counter. It felt like going through a tunnel, and it could be an underground passageway linking 2 terminals. Baggage claim was a slow thing, and there are only 2 lines running. Was a bit frightened because the screen showed all bags have been released but mine was not to be seen.
After getting the bag, the next important thing we did was to hide money in body pouch hanged around the neck (resting on the chest). With so many warnings on pickpocketing danger, this should be the correct thing to do though it's a bit troublesome. It made the T-shirt bulky on the front, so hid it by wearing a jacket.
Then, its off to Paris city centre by RER commuter train and metro. First, have to move out of T1 to T2 by aerotrain. From T2 to Gare du Nord (city centre), the ticket cost E8.40. We also got the T-10 tickets, valid for 10 rides of public transport for E11.40, averaging E1.14. Better option than individual ticket that cost E1.60.
GDN is one of the main station interfacing commuter train, metro and bus, serving the northern side. We changed from RER line B (blue) to metro line 8 (yellow). The same ticket was usable after exiting RER. Noticed that Paris has many different nationalities, other than Caucasians. Got 'help' when we were switching lines, but chose to ignore. Don't believe the help was genuine.
Our target station was Ledru Rollin in line 5 (purple). Before that, we had to switch line at Bastille, a station that is strategic but made everyone walk far to switch line. After 1 hour journey from CDG, we reached our destination; AIJ hostel (Auberge Internationale des Jeunes) located 10 min walk from LR metro.
> Ledru Rollin metro
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