Day 8 – Saturday

Total cost: €686 ($749.20)
On our last day in Paris, my friend and I decided to go shopping. First, I went to grab toothpaste and gifts for my family from a French pharmacy. The total for Skinceuticals C E Ferulic serum, a French toothpaste, and a La Roche Posay sunscreen was €189.56 ($206.82), but after the VAT refund it was €166.85 ($182.05).

I had a free breakfast at my hostel and stopped for some iced coffee (€5.15, or $5.62), which is a rarity in Paris. Despite much hype on TikTok about the Parisian flea market scene, we unintentionally went to a few that focused on selling practical goods, like household supplies, rather than vintage clothes or designer gems. My friend did find vintage Yves Saint Laurent cufflinks, which I ended up purchasing after negotiating a €5 discount (they came out to €40, or $43.68, in the end).

We then hit up iconic Paris department stores like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, and also stopped for a crepe ($6.07). Then we went to Jellycat Patisserie, which served up cute stuffed toys like macaroons, madeleines, and eclairs. I snagged a few for my brother, a huge fan of the Jellycat series, for €49.88 ($54.42).

My friend and I split up, and I ran to Officine Universelle Buly 1803 in hopes of purchasing an engraved brush for my grandmother—to no avail since the line was too long and the engraving would take a day. Unfortunately I had a Flixbus to London to catch!

Demoralized, I got off at the République station, which I later learned is home to the fashionistas of France. I ran to Elevastor, a small boutique that sells iconic designers and up-and-coming brands making waves in the fashion scene. I purchased a Paloma Wool top for €84 ($91.79), which was a major discount.

I stumbled upon a vintage clothing pop-up shop run by Asian fashion and jewelry designers, and called my friend to join me. I found a vintage Christian Dior tank top that fit me perfectly for €98 (I negotiated down to €90, or $98.13), as well as a vintage Diesel baby tee for €27 ($29.44).

We walked around a bit to find a restaurant, and stumbled on Kubri, a Lebanese restaurant in Paris. Each and every dish was divine, from the hispi cabbage to roasted chicken. My meal came out to €31.50 ($34.37), and was worth every penny.

My friend and I attempted to catch our Flixbus at midnight by taking a Bolt from the restaurant back to our respective hostels and then to the Paris Saint Denis Université station, which cost €60.91 ($66.52). We missed our ride, of course, and had to book a new bus for €112.49, or $122.86. As soon as we left Paris behind, I considered my Olympics trip to be over and stopped tallying expenses, but unfortunately, the journey home hasn’t been smooth. Our wild, nine-hour bus ride included ferry rides, sudden passport stops, and lots of passengers with persistent coughs. When we finally arrived in London, I was exhausted and feeling a bit sick. I was planning to fly home from London, but my Delta flight was canceled at the last minute, and as of August 7, I’m still trying to figure out how to get back home. But despite all the mishaps that happened on this trip, I know these memories will stay with me forever.

How it all broke down

Upfront and travel costs: $2,390.36
Costs from the week: $1,745.41
Final total: $4,128.27
How much I spent compared to my original budget: $371.73 under budget