Up shit creek.

You won't believe how dumb I am.

I showed up in Paris without having made reservations first.

Duh duh duh.

I found a pretty nice hotel but it's about three times what I was planning to pay per night, and I think they can only put me up for one night.

All the time I was looking for it, strangers were coming up to me and offering help and I was just afraid of them....

as for my French... well, people are talking to me in English. But I made the hotel reservation in 99% French.

But, looking at the IBN booking network, it seems that I don't really have anywhere else I can go for the next few nights, at least in Paris.

I'm half-considering just booking a random room in some random city in France, and taking the train there tomorrow. But then I'd miss Paris.

I don't know about Paris, though. I'm afraid to walk into any of these restaurants. If I walk into one of those places with the English menus, I'm a loser tourist with a neon sign pointed to my wallet. If I walk into anywhere else, I have to come face-to-face with my linguistic inadequacy.

So here I sit in this Internet café with a British keyboard set to American layout. I have a warm bed for one night.

Two things worked for my favor today: first, I was able to find the hotel without getting lost in the Metro or on the streets. Second, on the train, I met a Parisian woman, and I have her phone number. I doubt she'll let me crasher chez elle, but it's not as if I'm completely and utterly alone.

Also, I have you guys. Right?

Any advice would be appreciated. I'm just exhausted.

(no subject)

The upside is that the hotel I am staying at now is called the Hotel Amelie, on 5 rue de Amelie. And it's like right by the Eiffel Tower, I think. Haven't been there yet. Maybe I should just go and see it at night.

Don't have my camera; thieves can smell vulnerability and I likely reek of it.