he went to paris, lookin for answers…

So my journey to Le Web begins with a plea – does anyone know where I can find the apple store in Paris? I looked on the Apple website yesterday but couldn’t find the address. I even phoned the UK Apple phone number and was put through to a Californian customer services guy who – I’m not joking – asked “what state is that in?” when I asked him if there was an Apple store in Paris. When I expressed some shock at this I could almost see his shoulders shrug as he said, “well, I’ve never been to France”. A vague address for the Apple store and the name of the nearest Metro station would do.

Having missed the last train home from London last night following the BBC Backstage Christmas party, where I met Chris to pick up a microphone but not a fiddly little digital audio recorder or the huge hanging around the neck thing (think big desk top cassette recorder circa 1985), Matt and I got a taxi and got home at 3.15am. To say I’m a bit tired is an understatement.

Three hours and 47 minutes later I was up and in the shower then, with wet hair, walked the frozen 500 meters to St. Albans station. Although I arrived before 8am there were engineering works so trains, usually every few minutes, were few and far between. Finally, the 08.28 arrived at 08.35. To make matters worse, the fast train to West Hampstead that I’m sitting on appears to have become an all stations slow train. Don’t these people realise that I have to make the hour long journey to the Eurostar terminal at Waterloo in less than an hour or they won’t let me board?!

Graham’s been in touch this morning to tell me he’s setting off from Toulouse and has an extra two pin macbook pro electrical lead. The only other people awake that I’m aware is the group of Poles behind me talking about finding work (“praca, praca”) on their way into London from Luton Airport, the group of golfers I saw on the golf course in St. Albans where the Ryder Cup was started, and the woman sitting across from me damaging her hearing with bass I don’t recognise.

So I’m off to Paris for Le Web… maybe.

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10.46 GMT: The Eurostar trundled slowly out of London but now that we’re on the new high speed line it really moves. I’m not sure what’s up with my phone but photos I took during this morning’s journey are slowly arriving at flickr. No wifi on the train or I’d post a few here. I might do that later if I can find some wifi in Paris.

10.55: Ashford International, Kent. This will be my last post until I get to Paris. It seems odd that there isn’t any wi-fi on the Eurostar given it’s status as a sort of higher-class-than-the-usual-cattlecars status. The French guy sitting by me sounded quite annoyed when, after prying his mobile from his ear long enough to ask me if there was wifi for his PSP, I told him there is no wi-fi. Note to Eurostar: I’m bored on this train. I would very much like wi-fi.

11.04: About to go into the Chunnel…

16:00 CET: I’m finally, after an hour long taxi ride down traffic clogged streets, at my hotel. I’ve got the wifi up and running. Not much else to report – I need to get out and see something.

16:23: Was getting changed in my room in the Sofitel, which overlooks a busy heliport – go figure – and a member of staff managed to open the door, walk straight in, set down some chocolates and turn to head out the door before I even managed to blurt out an “excusem wah?”. Needless to say, when she did catch a glimpse of me in my giraffe patterned boxers she sort of jumped embarrassedly. Didn’t say anything, but did jump.

I need help finding an ExtremeMac Micro Memo Audio Recorder in Paris. Today. Apparently Apple Stores here are called Apple Centre IC – and I’ve found one but the person who answered doesn’t speak English and I don’t speak French. This is their telephone number: 01.44.78.26.26

17:05: Have made contact with Graham and will meet him for dinner and a wander around. As I looked out my window to watch another helicopter land I spotted an outdoor water slide – with people on it. In the middle of December when it’s 3c / 37f.

Midnight, Paris: Graham and I tried unsuccesfully to walk North up the Seine from my hotel to the Eiffel tower but were defeated by horrendously bad urban planning which meant roads blocked our way. Nevermind, we went to eat local instead. He’ll probably blog about our meal on Noodlepie by the time read this. He had snails and steak with chips, I had some sort of potato thing with an omelette. I get the feeling I’m going to eat lots of omelettes as I’m possibly the only living vegetarian in Paris.

Where am I know? Well, it certainly sounds like I’m at a 10 year reunion of First Tuesday. There are people all over the bar I’m sitting in at my hotel, which is right next to the conference venue, talking about “value added services”, “ad revenue sharing”, “limited opportunities remaining for first mover advantage” and “targetting the mom and pop audience, diversifying, and ensuring you’re in the right place when it tips”.

I sincerely hope the conference is like the chat Graham and I had over dinner about citizen journalism, transparency, blogging and story-telling – and all sorts of non-media topics – rather than full of people trying to flog their latest greatest web 2.0 spin machine.