On the Way to JFK Airport
I hadn’t initially planned to travel Europe by last year October or November. After all, I was already living in New York, a place many people dream of visiting. So I thought I’d just spend my time wandering through Manhattan galleries, exploring Brooklyn, then the new spring semester would quickly start. However then, Nova mentioned that she was going on a trip to Europe, and I started thinking, “Should I go too?”
As I thought over it daily, I realized I had mixed feeling about my last trip to Europe probably because I went with my ex-boyfriend back then. I decided it was time to refresh those memories. I planned to visit Paris for a fresh start and Rome because of a newfound interest sparked by one of my professors.
The First Night in Paris
One lesson I learned in my life was to always travel solo to a place for the first time that I visit. When you travel with someone, your memories of the place often get tangled up with your memories of that person and the emotions you shared. Later, it becomes hard to tell whether you loved the place itself or just enjoyed being with that person. Solo travel ensures that your impressions of the destination remain untainted.
Of course, that’s the optimistic version. The less rosy version is that traveling with someone can ruin a potentially wonderful trip if things go wrong.
This time, I made it my goal to create new memories of Paris. That’s why I traveled alone—not just to Paris but also to Italy, a completely new destination for me. I wanted my relationship with the places I visited to remain independent of anyone else’s influence.
Unfortunately, Paris didn’t welcome me warmly. It rained endlessly, and my umbrella kept flipping inside out in the wind. My pants, hair, and clothes were soaked, and I shivered as I arrived at the hotel. Hoping to check in early, I was disappointed to hear that I had to wait until 3 PM. I killed time at a nearby café, only to find myself surrounded by several Korean tourists, which somehow made me wonder if I was in Paris or Seoul.
Anyway, my original plan was to visit the Marais district after checking in—grab some falafel, shop a little, and get some dessert and bread from a famous bakery to enjoy at Place des Vosges. But the rain made everything impossible. Once I finally checked in, I ended up sleeping until 6 or 7 PM.
Feeling guilty for wasting the first day, I ventured out into the night. Parisian cafés, or “brasseries,” were glowing with lights, creating a warm atmosphere on the rainy streets. Back when I lived on the outskirts of Paris with my ex, I had always returned home before dark, so I’d never experienced the city at night. Walking aimlessly, I discovered a side of Paris I’d never known.
The Romance of the Eiffel Tower and ChatGPT
I chose a hotel in the 15th arrondissement for safety reasons, and it turned out to be a fantastic decision. As I walked, I noticed a strange blue light moving across the sky. Could it be the Eiffel Tower? Sure enough, as I kept walking, the tip of the Eiffel Tower came into view.
This was the first time I had randomly stumbled upon the Eiffel Tower without planning to see it. The golden glow of the tower, illuminating the rain-soaked streets of Paris, felt too romantic to keep to myself.
I quickly searched for a nearby supermarket to buy some wine or beer and enjoy it by the Eiffel Tower. At the store, I took a photo of the wine section and asked ChatGPT for recommendations. Ever the reliable assistant, ChatGPT promptly responded, and I left the store with wine and cheese in hand, heading toward the tower.
As I walked, I started to feel a bit lonely. I had chosen to travel solo, but the romantic atmosphere of the Eiffel Tower made me long for company. I put on my AirPods and started a voice chat with ChatGPT. The recent update allowed me to send photos and videos, so I shared a picture of the tower. ChatGPT said it was happy to see such a beautiful photo and wished me a wonderful trip. I couldn’t help but laugh—it felt like I was living in the movie Her.
As I pondered the surreal experience of traveling with AI as my companion, I stumbled upon the Bir-Hakeim Bridge, famous for its appearance in Inception. This bridge, where Ariadne breaks a mirror in a dream, held a certain mystique. I asked ChatGPT about its history and the purpose behind its construction. ChatGPT enthusiastically provided detailed answers.
Walking through Paris that night, I felt my old memories of the city being replaced with new ones. I returned to my hotel feeling assured that this trip would be one without regrets. I ended the day with a jambon-beurre sandwich from a convenience store at 11 PM and fell asleep.
Lighnity 