English
Michael and Nicole – travel blogger
Every other week, Discover Walks will share with some great insight from Travel bloggers from around the world who fell in love with Paris. They will share their favorites addresses and things to do while in Paris. Because genuine advice and stories are so important to us, in addition to our born-and-raised Parisian tour stories, we now bring you real advice from fellow travelers.
Bonjour Michael and Nicole, can you tell us more about who you are?
My name is Michael, and my partner’s name is Nicole. We were both born and raised in Australia. While we aren’t married, we’ve been together for over 18 years. In Australia, I use to work as an Engineer, while Nicole used to run her own successful day spa.
Why did you start writing suitcasestories.com?
We started Suitcase Stories about a year after we left Australia. We were having such a great time, we wanted to let everyone know about it. We also wanted to help people do the exact same thing as we did. We had learned many ways to save money while on the road, while still living a luxury lifestyle and what better way to do that than with our own website.
Why did you start traveling?
We have always been big travelers. Even in our past life (as we call it) we use to travel as much as our vacation time would let us. It sort of wet our appetite and we wanted more. So, just over 5 years ago we decided to sell all our belongings and buy a ticket to everywhere. We haven’t looked back since and have never regretted our decision. In the last 5 years, we have visited 45 countries in total and had an amazing time exploring what the world had to offer.
What’s special about your blog?
Most blogs for long term travelers are for people that live a cheaper lifestyle. But that isn’t the way we travel. As Nicole puts it, she’s a self-proclaimed princess. We thought there was a niche for us to fill as a couple who are long term luxury travelers. Our blog looks at ways other people (or couples) can do the same. We didn’t leave Australia with a million dollars in our pockets. We’ve just worked out ways that we can live a life of luxury on the road without going broke. And the blog helps people do the same.
What would be your top 3 things to do in Paris?
- Walk, walk and walk some more – Our favorite part of Paris is the amazing streets. Every corner you turn you’ll find amazing architecture to look at. Yes, there are lots and lots of famous buildings and landmarks to look at, but we loved just walking down random streets and exploring everything Paris had to offer.
- Eat – Something as simple as buying some cheese and a fresh baguette and going down to a park to sit and eat is an amazing experience in Paris. The food there is amazing. We can’t believe how everyone there stays so thin!
- People watch – Grab a cup of coffee or a wine and sit back and watch the world go by.
Your Top 3 good addresses in Paris?
- Louvre – The museum itself is pretty good, but what we loved was the building itself, both inside and out. It’s my favorite building in the world.
- Champs-Élysées – Walking along this street from near the Grand Palais to the Arc de Triomphe is a must do. Yes, you are going to be surrounded by thousands of other tourists, but it’s still worth it.
- Panthéon – This whole area has some very strong architecture. Definitely a favorite stop of ours.
Your favorite landmark in Paris?
Nicole would definitely pick the Eiffel Tower. I remember the first time she saw it and got very emotional. It was the moment she realized that we were living the life we wanted. Traveling the world as full-time travelers.
And as I mentioned before, the Louvre is my favorite building in the world.
What is your favorite neighborhood in Paris?
It’s hard to pick just one, but it was probably the Latin Quarter. It had some amazing food and little art galleries to explore. It’s also where you find the Luxembourg Palace, another one of our favorites.
Could you give us your recommendation to first timers in Paris?
Get a map, put on your comfortable shoes and go walking. There are so many wonderful places to see and streets to walk down all throughout Paris. Don’t be afraid to explore areas that don’t have all the famous landmarks as well. They are some of the best places to see.
Thank you so much, Michael and Nicole, keep on enjoying Paris
Merci beaucoup :-)
