Life in Metro

All the luxuries in Netherlands, which comes with calling it home now, didn't provide me with many opportunities to live a life in-out metro, but now I do as Paris is not that kind to me.

Well actually metro life is quite interesting and with my part-time hobby of observing people it gets even more interesting. (Yes, I know may be Interesting only to me!)

So my people-observing skills made me do some statistical analysis on people travelling in the metro in peak hours ...

- 60% of them are reading something, it can be anything… book, newspaper or just something on their mobiles. Yes, even when there isn't enough space to stand or breathe properly, they are just reading.

- 29.99% of them are just staring in the blank with their earphones ON. Don't think they are looking at you, they are not. May be they are trying to recall visuals relative to what's ringing in their ears.

- 0.01% of them are noticing ... ok may be it's just me, noticing what they are upto!

Metros are so packed sometimes specially at office peak hours that there are people pressed against doors and...

- 95% of them looks like lost in the crowd.

- 4% of them are looking at themselves in the glass of doors and windows, just checking themselves out in general.

- 1% of them are checking themselves out in the glass thinking it’s a mirror and same time giving a nice smile to self. Yes, no kidding.

I actually checked out if they were giving smile to someone besides reflecting in mirror or some acquaintance but no, it was a nice, warm, constant smile to own-self. Well I thought it is good, isn't it? If no one else, atleast your own-self deserves a nice smile from your self!

Too much of statistics, which noone might be interested reading in, so may be I should scribble down something useful to others as well? As I am already writing about metros, obviously choice is something metro.

- First of all avoid pick hours if you are just there for tourist purpose, you can let those office travelers have a break from your ohh-wow-Paris-sooo-nice look.

- You can buy a day pass from air-port/ tourist info which allows you to travel unlimited using metro/tram/bus. When we visited Paris first time we had that, we bought that from airport ticket window. But I haven't seen that option at the Metro stations in the city, so it is advisable you buy it from there without thinking you can always buy that later if you feel a need for it.

I love the network connection in Paris, travelling is indeed very easy.

- If you haven't got those day passes, you can buy ballet of 10 / 20 tickets from any metro station to avoid standing every time in the queue for ticket.

I have noticed some problems with that though, sometimes when you have put tickets in your wallet or near phone or something, it doesn't work. Initially I used to throw away them getting irritated.

It is irritating that you have a ticket in hand, you try to enter the door and it gives you a beep with access denied! And then you have to search other ticket in you pocket while there are people pushing you from behind to move on.

So just from experience I keep two tickets in hand and in the case one doesn't work. This problem I only face when I have bought 10 tickets ballet never with individual tickets but then if you have a valid ticket and no access, you can always go and ask at ticket counter and they will check your ticket and let you enter or will just renew the time-stamp on your ticket if that's the issue. But is convenient in a way time-saver (of course not when it doesn’t work) and most of the time there is always a queue at ticket windows or machines.

Easy thing is to buy from some small metro station as it won’t be that crowded, smart huh? ;)

Ok enough metro. I am back to home over the weekend and time for some luxuries.

Have a nice weekend everyone.