i have been travelling with a 120/240 hot water jug with several plug adapters for years. once i just used an immersion heater but now i have a jug, a melita filter, filter papers and coffee and a small spoon. i also bring tea bags and some dried soup incase i am feeling ill. i also like to travel with one of those travel mugs with a handle and a top that opens and closes. in great britain, all is supplied for you except a good grade of coffee and since i do not drink the instant provided, i bring along my strong expresso. i always look at the coffees offerred in the supermarket and buy the local expresso just to bring home. i would not wait to purchase your travel jug in paris. i would think that a travel/luggage store would have one. just be sure that it is 240 voltage, which i am sure that it would be and that it has a plug for paris. one hint- the adapters that are attached to the plugs do not always make a tight fit. when you pull the plug out, the adapter stays in the wall plug. i now use some black electrical tape to bind the adapter to the kettle cord. if you put the coffee and filter papers in the jug, it should not take up much room. i take my big mug on the plane and use it since i hate those styro and plastic airplane drinking utensils.

it you purchase fresh fruit, some local pastery, and lay out your coffee stuff the nite before, just roll out of bed in the morn, switch on the water and pour through the plastic filter and voila- hot coffee.

when i was in wales last fall, there was absolutely no electrical outlet in the room and when i called for help, they brought me a thermos of boiling water, which i kept until the morning. not perfect but it was fine.

bettina from jerusalem