destination europe - other stuff

8/7/2019 Destination Europe - Other Stuff

1/39

If you have been following my blog for a while youll know Im a huge tennis fan. Ive been to a

few tennis events around Europe including Wimbledon, the Paris Open, Italian Open and last year

was the first time I went to the French Open. If youre interested in going to Roland Garros, tickets

went on sale earlier today. I had a difficult time getting tickets last yearand this year I missed the

opening of the sale but got one of the last remaining tickets.

Im sure there is still time if you want to go and I highly recommend it if you love the sport and will

be in Paris in May.

You can book 2011 French Open tickets here but hurry because theyll sell out shortly.

Last year there were lots of questions about the etickets but this time I know to be patient as they

are not available to print until April or probably later because the Frenchies arent too organised (if

last year was anything to go by). Good luck!
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/french-open-2010-tickets/http://www.billetterie.fft.fr/http://www.billetterie.fft.fr/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/french-open-2010-tickets/


2/39

Those of you who follow me onTwitterwould know (or not?) that I have been in Australia for the

last 3 months. The plan was to spend time with my family, do some work/finance stuff, and to work

on my vitamin D levels. Im not joking about the vitamin D. Twenty years of staying out of the sun

(to avoid getting cancer and wrinkles) has resulted in me having ridiculously low levels vitamin D

to the point where its quite a surprise I dont have osteoporosis yet. If you dont know, vitamin D

deficiency can lead to many, many health problemsso go get some sun! So Ive been going to the beach 3-4 times a week and eating my lunch by the river

each day and 3 months later Im still seriously deficient.

On a side note, I am now very tanned except on my face where I cant bear to go darker so I look

kinda odd ie. not attractive at all.

After leaving Paris in November, just before all that snow hit, we headed to Tokyo for 4 days. I

didnt expect to like it but in fact I loved it! The city has such a great atmosphere, its vibrant and

energetic (can a city be energetic?), thefood was amazing, the people were so sweet and friendly,

even if no one seemed to speak a word of English, and it wasnt anywhere near as expensive as I

had expected. You can read aboutTokyo in autumnover at myVagabondtravel blog which you can

subscribe to here if you havent done so already.

Were heading to Singapore tomorrow as F only has a 3 month tourist visa so he has to leave the

country and then he can re-enter for another 3 months. I was going to send him there alone but he

almost cried at the thought of it so Ill be going with him, sweating like a pig in the humidity

(although its was 41 degrees and humid here in Perth today so its all the same really).

Not long after that well be heading to Sydney for a few weeks and then finally back home to Paris

in time for spring and the French Open.

Ill leave you with a couple of photos of my hometown, Perth.
http://twitter.com/destinationeuhttp://twitter.com/destinationeuhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100715172042.htmhttp://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/vitamin-d-deficiency-linked-to-cancer-20090729-e1mg.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/vitamin-d-deficiency-linked-to-cancer-20090729-e1mg.htmlhttp://www.bitesofpleasure.com/delicious-japanese-food/http://www.bitesofpleasure.com/delicious-japanese-food/http://www.vagabond.net.au/tokyo-in-autumn/http://www.vagabond.net.au/tokyo-in-autumn/http://www.vagabond.net.au/tokyo-in-autumn/http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/http://feeds.feedburner.com/vagabondauhttp://twitter.com/destinationeuhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100715172042.htmhttp://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/vitamin-d-deficiency-linked-to-cancer-20090729-e1mg.htmlhttp://www.bitesofpleasure.com/delicious-japanese-food/http://www.vagabond.net.au/tokyo-in-autumn/http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/http://feeds.feedburner.com/vagabondau


3/39

I was just reading Lonely Planets list of top 10 countries that didnt exist 20 years ago and was

thinking that the European countries mentioned are already some of my favourite places to visit in

Europe.

Czech RepublicIve been to Prague three times now and each time I fall in love with it just a little bit more. Its the

kind of place where you feel like you have stepped back in timeand it completely matches my

image of how a European city should be. If I could convince F that its a great place to live for a

while (and if it wasnt so damn cold) then Id move there in a heartbeat. Last year I also had a quick

look around Brno which is a nice little town where you can explore almost tourist free, unlike in the

centre of Prague where youd be lucky to run into a local.

I only made it to Bratislava for the first time last year and is one of the most laid back European

capitals Ive ever been to. Its adorable old town, unique white castle, tasty local beer, and super

friendly people made me want to stay much longer than the afternoon I did. Being able to visit a

fantastic walking city without being trampled by tourists (hello Prague!) was a lot of fun and I loved

every minute in Bratislava. Ill definitely return.

My trip to Bosnia and Herzegovinawas the biggest failure of a trip Ive ever had. I spent almost 4

hours on the bus from Dubrovnik to Mostar only to discover the only bus back that day was in 30

minutes. So all I saw of Mostar was the main street heading in to the city, the bus station, and the

main street heading out of the city. Yay! I did see enough to make me want to go back and these two

posts convinced me Sarajevo would be one of the highlights of the Balkans. Even though my day

trip didnt work out I was so happy to be somewhere so different from the rest of Europe.

Unfortunately I only drove through Montenegro, spent the night in Ulcinj and then left for Albania

first thing in the morning. From what I saw of Kotor, through the bus window, it looked beautiful,

as does Budva. There are a few other places in Montenegro I am dying to see, including everything

listed here. This is another country I felt right at home in even though I only stayed for a matter of

hours. Weird.

Its a shame I only got to visit Prizren and not the rest of Kosovo because I hear there is much to see

in the rest of the country but Prizren was a great introduction to Europes newest country. Even

though its small its a lively city and all the cafes and restaurants were full to capacity for the entire

time I was there. The food was delicious, the people were so friendly I made about 5 friends in the 4

hours I was there, and it was ridiculously cheap. I


4/39

The other day I was calculating how many countries in Europe I have visited and was disappointed

to see its only 25. After more than 8 years living in Europe there is still so much to see.

One of my travel goals is to visit every country in Europe at least once. There is no real reason for

the goal, just that I think itll be fun to visit so many different places, to get a better understanding

of the various cultures, and of course to try all the unique cuisinesI dont think Ill reach that goal this year but the plan is to achieve it by 2012. Having the goal in

writing should be enough to push myself to reach the more distant places I have yet to visit. Ill

update this post as I visit each new country so I can cross them off my list

There are 47 countries I plan to visit. Yes, there might be a few other countries which are

technically considered as being in Europe but this is the list Im going with:

Albania

Andorra

Austria Belarus

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Kosovo

Latvia

Liechtenstein Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macedonia

Malta

Moldova

Monaco

Montenegro

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/albania/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/albania/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/andorra/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/andorra/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/austria/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/austria/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/belgium/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/belgium/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/bosnia-herzegovina/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/bosnia-herzegovina/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/croatia/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/croatia/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/czech-republic/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/czech-republic/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/france/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/france/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/germany/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/germany/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/greece/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/greece/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/hungary/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/hungary/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/italy/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/italy/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/kosovo/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/kosovo/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/luxembourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/luxembourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/monaco/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/monaco/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/montenegro/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/montenegro/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/the-netherlands/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/the-netherlands/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/poland/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/poland/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/albania/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/andorra/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/austria/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/belgium/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/bosnia-herzegovina/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/croatia/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/czech-republic/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/france/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/germany/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/greece/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/hungary/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/italy/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/kosovo/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/luxembourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/monaco/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/montenegro/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/the-netherlands/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/poland/


5/39

Russia

San Marino

Serbia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Vatican City
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/slovakia/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/slovakia/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/spain/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/spain/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/united-kingdom/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/united-kingdom/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/slovakia/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/spain/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/category/united-kingdom/


6/39

Everyones talking about the snow in Europe and the chaos its causing travellers. As a gesture to

help those stuck in the snow,Lonely Planet is offering 13 of their City Guides for free. Download

the iPhone apps in the next 48 hours and it wont cost you a cent.

The free guides are available for the following cities:

Amsterdam

Berlin

Copenhagen

Dublin

London

Moscow

Munich

Paris

Prague

St Petersburg

Stockholm

Vienna Warsaw

Ive got a number of these guides and they cover all the basic tourist information you need to get

you started in a new destination. Things to do, how to get around, maps, neighbourhoods, and a bit

of history on the city is all included. Download them now while you can.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/d/lonely-planet.phphttp://www.destinationeurope.com.au/d/lonely-planet.phphttp://inside-digital.blog.lonelyplanet.com/2010/12/21/stuck-in-a-european-city-download-our-iphone-apps-for-free/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/munich/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/munich/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/d/lonely-planet.phphttp://inside-digital.blog.lonelyplanet.com/2010/12/21/stuck-in-a-european-city-download-our-iphone-apps-for-free/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/munich/


7/39

As the end of year approaches, I thought Id do a quick roundup of my most popular blog posts of

2010 by page views. My favourites are the Paris park series I did back in spring when the tulips and

iris were in full bloom as well as the posts from my Balkans tour at the end of summer. Let me

know your favourites

New Years inAmsterdam Based on the number of views this post got, Im guessing Amsterdamis a very popular destination choice for New Years Eve. I love Amsterdam but I think the amateur

fireworks going off everywhere was a bit much for me.

I tried to get to as many of Paris parks as possible last spring so I could snap photos of the

incredible flower displays. The Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most popular parks in Paris and

I think spring is the best time of the year to visit. If you love irises, peonies, or roses then I

recommend the Parc de Bagatelle which is located right in the middle of the Bois de Boulogne on

the western side of the city. Popular with locals living in the lower 16th arrondissement of Paris

(like me), the Jardin des Serres dAuteuilis a great park if you want to get away from the hordes of

tourists in the centre of the city.

Vegemite in Paris a very important post for Aussies living in or visiting Paris

I loved visiting the Balkans in September this year. There is so much to see in the region. I cant

wait to go back next summer. I started by visiting Croatia, which was amazing. I dont know what

took me so long to get there. Bol on the island of Brac was one of the highlights of the trip. We then

headed to Albania and Kosovo (where my husband is from) where we enjoyed visiting Tirana

(maybe enjoyed is the wrong word) and Prizren.

Before leaving the cold European winter for sunny Australia, I did a quick trip around Central

Europe. Vienna is one of my favourite cities in the world so it was great to be back there and an

afternoon in cute Bratislava was relaxing and fun. We briefly visited Poland and Berlin before

heading back to Paris and then Perth where I am now.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/jardin-du-luxembourg-in-spring/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/parc-de-bagatelle-more-irises/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/jardin-des-serres-dauteuil/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/jardin-des-serres-dauteuil/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vegemite-in-paris/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bol/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/kosovo/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/tirana/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bratislava/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/jardin-du-luxembourg-in-spring/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/parc-de-bagatelle-more-irises/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/jardin-des-serres-dauteuil/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vegemite-in-paris/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bol/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/kosovo/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/tirana/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bratislava/


8/39

If you are reading this in a reader, please head over to my site Destination Europe and let me know

what you think of my new theme. Its still a work in progress (definitely need a new header) but I

think its much better than the old theme. Comments and constructive criticism appreciated!

Ive decided to make Destination Europe all about travel and living as an expat and not so much my

personal blog. So all my movie review posts will now be over atWorld Movie Reviews (this blog is

just an excuse for me to watch more movies). All my food and cooking related posts will be over at

Bites of Pleasure (this blog is just an excuse for me to eat more food). All my fitness related postsare already over at my Fitness Blog (this blog was meant to be motivation for me to exercise more

but that didnt work).

As for any personal or off-topic stuff, I will no longer be posting that kind of thing. Not that I

posted much personal stuff anyway but Im going to keep it all business around here from now on
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/http://www.worldmoviereviews.org/http://www.worldmoviereviews.org/http://www.bitesofpleasure.com/http://www.fitnessweblog.com/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/http://www.worldmoviereviews.org/http://www.bitesofpleasure.com/http://www.fitnessweblog.com/


9/39

Just got back from seeing the Courtney Love / Hole concert here in Paris. Surprisingly, it was great

and Im glad I postponed my holiday so I could go. I had a spare ticket which I tried giving away

but it seems everyone I know hates Hole and Ms Love. In the end I sold it to a scalper for 10 euros,

making a 35 euro loss. I guess I shouldnt give up my day job.

It was more or less a best-of Hole with a couple of covers thrown including a cover ofPearl Jams

Jeremy. She said that Kurt had always claimed to hate them and that song but when she was 8

months pregnant she was listening to it and he admitted he loved the song. Who knows

The venue, the Bataclan, was great. Small, intimate, and a great sound but omg, it was bloody hot.

Like 50 degrees, can barely breath hot. Reminded me of one time at the Zenith when I just about

died from the heat.

I recorded most of the songs but being the super intelligent person that I am, I accidently deleted

most of them and those that I didnt were partially corrupted. FML
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/pearl-jam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/pearl-jam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/juanes-concert-in-paris/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/pearl-jam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/juanes-concert-in-paris/


10/39

If you live in Paris or Nice, Air Berlin have a special on for today and tomorrow where you can

book flights for 29 only, no extra fees. Flights are to Berlin,Dusseldorf, andViennaand you must

fly between October and December. These are bargain flights, not to be missed if you want to go

away later in the year. They had this same special on a couple of months ago and I booked flights to

Vienna and Berlin.

Vueling have some fairly cheap flights available now too. Fly to Rome or various Spanish cities

from 40 all inclusive.
http://www.airberlin.com/site/landingpages/jubelpreise.php?MARKT=FR&LANG=fra&et_cid=2810&et_lid=2135657&et_sub=jubelpreisehttp://www.airberlin.com/site/landingpages/jubelpreise.php?MARKT=FR&LANG=fra&et_cid=2810&et_lid=2135657&et_sub=jubelpreisehttp://www.destinationeurope.com.au/dusseldorf/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/dusseldorf/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.vueling.com/?language=ENhttp://www.airberlin.com/site/landingpages/jubelpreise.php?MARKT=FR&LANG=fra&et_cid=2810&et_lid=2135657&et_sub=jubelpreisehttp://www.airberlin.com/site/landingpages/jubelpreise.php?MARKT=FR&LANG=fra&et_cid=2810&et_lid=2135657&et_sub=jubelpreisehttp://www.destinationeurope.com.au/dusseldorf/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.vueling.com/?language=EN


11/39

Ive been a fan of Rolf Potts since I watched a videowhere he discusses vagabonding and long term

travel. Ive downloaded his book, Vagabonding, onto my Kindle and am looking forward to reading

that while lying on a beach in Dubrovniklater this week.

Rolfs latest adventure is the No Baggage Challenge. He is going to travel around the world in 6

weeks, without a single piece of luggage. Hell be carrying a few toiletries and a change of clothes

in the pockets of his jacket and cargo pants. I suppose the idea is that without any luggage, he can

just focus on the travel experience and not anything else. I think its a fun idea and wish I was gameenough to do it.

I think hes in Paris now so itll be interesting to see what he does here on his quick visit.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vagabond-lifestyle-video/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vagabond-lifestyle-video/http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/d/kindle.phphttp://www.destinationeurope.com.au/dubrovnik/http://www.rtwblog.com/http://www.rtwblog.com/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vagabond-lifestyle-video/http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/d/kindle.phphttp://www.destinationeurope.com.au/dubrovnik/http://www.rtwblog.com/


12/39

Ive resisted usingTwittersimply because I dont need another distraction in my life. However, it

might be a nice way to connect with new people and catch up with old friends, so if you want to

follow me, my twitter ID is destinationeu. If you follow me, let me know and Ill follow you right

back
http://twitter.com/destinationeuhttp://twitter.com/destinationeuhttp://twitter.com/destinationeuhttp://twitter.com/destinationeuhttp://twitter.com/destinationeu


13/39

I cant wait for Holes upcoming concert at Le Bataclan in Paris. Their concert in May was

cancelled so theyll now be playing on the 25th August. Ive never been to the Bataclan before but it

looks like an interesting, smaller venue near Oberkampf in the east of Paris. This will be my first

time seeing Hole and more than anything Ill be interested in seeing what Courtney Love wears!

Ive been following her blog, What Courtney Wore Today, and she is seriously into fashion!

Ive been listening to Holes new CD, Nobodys Daughter, over the last few weeks and I cant say

Im really loving it. Not like Live Through This which was one of my favourite CDs at the time itcame out. Im sure theyll play all my favourite songs anyway so it should be a good night.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bataclan_(theatre)http://whatcourtneyworetoday.com/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bataclan_(theatre)http://whatcourtneyworetoday.com/


14/39

I was soooo happy to find out a few months ago that Soundgarden have reunited after breaking up

around 12 years ago. They were my favourite, favourite, favourite band of the 90s and I had the

biggest crush on Chris Cornell, haha.

I think theyve played one or two small shows since they reunited but their big comeback date is

this Sunday at Lollapalooza in the US. I saw Soundgarden play in Perth many years ago and would

so love to see them again. If they tour in Europe Ive already decided Im going to follow them

around like a true stalker groupie chick.

Not sure if Chris Cornell is still living in Paris but I know he was for a while where is also has/had a

bar/restaurant/nightclub called Black Calvados. He also played a solo concert herea couple of years

ago which I sadly missed. Hopefully Ill get another chance to see him soon.
http://www.secretsofparis.com/latestdiningreviews/2007/7/8/bc-black-calavados.htmlhttp://www.secretsofparis.com/heathers-secret-blog/2007/5/14/tickets-still-available-for-chris-cornell-concert.htmlhttp://www.secretsofparis.com/heathers-secret-blog/2007/5/14/tickets-still-available-for-chris-cornell-concert.htmlhttp://www.secretsofparis.com/latestdiningreviews/2007/7/8/bc-black-calavados.htmlhttp://www.secretsofparis.com/heathers-secret-blog/2007/5/14/tickets-still-available-for-chris-cornell-concert.html


15/39

Im always on the lookout for a new place to live. Paris is great but Id love to live somewhere else

for a while. Its something F and I discuss on a regular basis but we have yet to agree on our next

destination. So it was interesting to read about 2010s most livable cities as rated perMonocle

magazine. Its a kind of quality of life ranking more so than the typical standard of living rating you

see published each year. It covers things like entertainment, restaurants, green space, and a few

other things.

The list for 2010:

1. Munich

2. Copenhagen

3. Zurich

4. Tokyo

5. Helsinki

6. Stockholm

7. Paris

8. Vienna

9. Melbourne

10.Madrid11.Berlin

12.Sydney

13.Honolulu

14.Fukuoka

15.Geneva

16.Vancouver

17.Barcelona

18.Oslo

19.Montreal

20.Auckland

21.Singapore22.Portland

23.Kyoto

24.Hamburg

25.Lisbon

Ive visited 16 of those cities and a number are on my shortlist of where I might like to live next.

Munich, Vienna, Madrid, Berlin, Sydney, Barcelona, and Lisbon are all possibilities although I have

yet to visit Lisbon so am not too sure about that one.

Sydney is out for now but Im sure Ill live there one day. Barcelona is probably out because I find

it to be quite seedy in places and I witnessed a couple of crimes last time I was there which turned

me off a bit. Other cities Im considering are Prague, Budapest, Seville, Rome, Split, and possibly

even somewhere in Albania.

Originally my plan was to spend a year in each of these cities but somehow I got distracted by little

Paris. I just cant seem to drag myself away from here at the moment.
http://www.psfk.com/2010/06/top-25-most-liveable-cities-2010.htmlhttp://www.monocle.com/35_promo/http://www.monocle.com/35_promo/http://www.escapefromamerica.com/2010/07/the-worlds-most-livable-cities/http://www.escapefromamerica.com/2010/07/the-worlds-most-livable-cities/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/madrid/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/madrid/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/madrid/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/munich/http://www.psfk.com/2010/06/top-25-most-liveable-cities-2010.htmlhttp://www.monocle.com/35_promo/http://www.monocle.com/35_promo/http://www.escapefromamerica.com/2010/07/the-worlds-most-livable-cities/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vienna/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/madrid/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/munich/


16/39

Many of my friends and family back in Australia comment on how lucky I am to be living France

and travelling around Europe. They often say how they would love to live the life I do but couldnt

possibly. Their reasons vary but none of them really make sense. There are no excuses. If you really

want to live a vagabonding lifestyle or become an expat, you can.

Here are the 7 most common excuses for not becoming an expat according to Escape From America

Magazine:

1) I couldnt possibly relocate at the moment because I have school-age children,

and I wouldnt want to upset their educational progress.

There are thousands of international schools spanning every continent and almost every

single nation in the world whats more, if you commit to a permanent move abroad

your child could well settle in to a local educational establishment. You may even

discover that they thrive in a new nation and through the medium of a new language.

2) Id love to retire abroad but I have a medical condition that restricts me.

Remember that there are doctors, hospitals, clinics and drug stores abroad! Whatsmore, healthcare and dentistry overseas can be anywhere up to 75% cheaper than in the

US for the same or even higher standards of care and medicine!

3) Im not ready to retire, I still need to earn an income so I couldnt possibly

expatriate.

According to a well-respected international survey of expatriates conducted by HSBC, a

leading bank of the world, expatriate professionals earn on average 25% more than their

peers back home.

4) Id love to move but Id miss my family too much.

Think about the fact that the technologically advanced age we live in means that you

can speak to people all over the world for free thanks to the likes of Skype.

You can bet your bottom dollar that they will come and visit and stay for prolonged

periods of time and embrace the life youve steeped yourself in very willingly. So,

youll be able to enjoy quality time with them very single year rather than you all taking

each other for granted when you see each other every day as you currently do!

5) I couldnt do what youve done, Id just be so lonely.

I have never had more friends in my life than since I have become an expat. Expats

stick together, and expatriate friendships forged from a common place of excitement

and adventure tinged with some trepidation are firm and lasting surviving distances of

thousands of miles when one or other in the friendship group relocates somewhere else!

So, no matter how many friends you think you have now, I can guarantee you will make

more friends, and in some instances much better friends, once you move abroad.

6) Im a patriot so I couldnt become an expatriate Id be turning my back on

my country.

Just because you love everything about your current country, if you still want to expand

your horizons and see more of the world, why shouldnt you move abroad? Not living
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vagabond-lifestyle-video/http://www.escapefromamerica.com/2010/06/stop-talking-about-becoming-an-expat-just-get-on-and-do-it/http://www.escapefromamerica.com/2010/06/stop-talking-about-becoming-an-expat-just-get-on-and-do-it/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/d/survey.phphttp://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vagabond-lifestyle-video/http://www.escapefromamerica.com/2010/06/stop-talking-about-becoming-an-expat-just-get-on-and-do-it/http://www.escapefromamerica.com/2010/06/stop-talking-about-becoming-an-expat-just-get-on-and-do-it/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/d/survey.php


17/39

in a country doesnt mean you have turned your back on it. Hell, Americans still have

to pay tax back to the good old US of A when they expatriate anyway, and how much

more love can you show your country than contributing to its tax coffers!

7) I have too many ties that I just cant sever so I cant move abroad.

This is the underlying restriction that really limits every single person, no matter whichexcuse they choose to voice about why they couldnt possibly move abroad. The ties

that bind us are an illusion you are not physically tied to any one object, commitment

or person, (unless youre kinky), but if you choose to think of yourself as being

restricted in life by your life, that is exactly what you will be. You will be restricted in

your choices, your opportunities, your happiness and your chances in lifeand the only

person placing those restrictions on you is you.

Im sure there are plenty of other reasons people come up with for not following their dreams of

moving abroad. Take action or stop complaining about your miserable lives, one or the other.

Some videos of my favourite Pearl Jam songs. Im still crazy happy after havingseen them live
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/pearl-jam-main-square-festival-arras/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/pearl-jam-main-square-festival-arras/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/pearl-jam-main-square-festival-arras/


18/39

I never ever, ever imagined I would see Pavement play live, especially not in Paris. Last nights

performance at the Zenith was brilliant! I think this is just a one off tour for them but fingers

crossed Ill see them again one day.

I filmed a few of their songs using my crappy camera which turned out, well, crappy, but Ive

posted them here anyway. Stereo, Range Life, Unfair, and Cut Your Hair:
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/pavement-zenith-may-7th/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/pavement-zenith-may-7th/


19/39

One of my favourite books in recent years is The Four Hour Work Weekby Tim Ferriss. He talks

about simplifying your life and focusing more on living rather working. So instead of working hard

your whole life until retirement and then being free to do what youve always wanted, he advocates

doing what youve always wanted right now because who knows, you might not even be around or

capable of doing things like travelling later in life.

This is one of the most motivational books Ive ever read and it made me move towards living my

dream instead of just dreaming. A big part of what Tim talks about is travelling. But not just goingon holiday for a week or two but spending months or even years exploring a region as well as living

as an expat to really learn about a country and its culture instead of just seeing the main touristy

sites everyone else sees.

Living in Europe is my dream and I love being in Paris and being able to visit another European

country with just a couple of hours of travel. Ive loved doing this for the last few years but I want

more now. I want to get off the beaten path and explore more unusual places. I want to go

backpacking around the Middle East. I want to spend a few months in Buenos Aires learning

Spanish. I want to visit the Galapagos Islands. I want to spend a few weeks on safari in Africa.

There are so many places to see and things to do.

Of course the problem with just packing up and going is money. But I work from home anyway so

all I need is my computer and internet access and I can still earn my living. The thing is, I want to

have a home to come back to. I cant keep paying rent here and pay all my travel expenses too. The

only solution I can see is to buy an apartment somewhere in Europe, for cash, which I can use as a

base and where I can leave all my stuff. No rent or mortgage to pay will give me the freedom to

travel for months at a time and live more of a vagabond lifestyle. I just have to figure out how and

where I can buy something with the little cash I have.

Ive been thinking a lot about all of this in recent months and today Iwatched this video by Rolf

Potts in which he discusses his lifestyle, which is exactly how I would like to live. I definitely

recommend watching it if you want a little inspiration.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307465357?ie=UTF8&tag=cheapwebtempl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307465357http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/02/25/rolf-potts-vagabonding-travel/http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/02/25/rolf-potts-vagabonding-travel/http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/02/25/rolf-potts-vagabonding-travel/http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307465357?ie=UTF8&tag=cheapwebtempl-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307465357http://www.vagabond.net.au/http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/02/25/rolf-potts-vagabonding-travel/http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/02/25/rolf-potts-vagabonding-travel/


20/39

Last month Ferbent and I celebrated the 10 year anniversary of our first meeting but today is the

anniversary of our first proper date. Well, if you count going to the pub and drinking a few beers

(which I havent drunk since, lol) a proper date. Any excuse to celebrate really!

Champagne, chocolates, and red roses Perfect for celebrating!
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/10-year-anniversary/http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/pubsandbars/the-pride-of-paddington-info-12864.htmlhttp://www.destinationeurope.com.au/10-year-anniversary/http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/pubsandbars/the-pride-of-paddington-info-12864.html


21/39

Even though my bread machine cant seem to cook anything without blowing a fuse, I am still able

to make dough. This was my first attempt at pizza using the bread maker.

I didnt have any mozzarella so had to substitute French Brie but hey, it worked out ok.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/back-to-the-boulangerie/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bread-maker/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/back-to-the-boulangerie/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bread-maker/


22/39

If anyone is a bit partial to crappy American TV shows, as I am, then you might be interested to

know that season 7 ofProject Runway started 3 weeks ago.

The new season ofThe Amazing Race will be starting on February 14 andANTM on March 3.

I would fail at procrastinating if it wasnt for these shows.

In related news, Desperate Housewives, Law and Order, and Law and Order SVU all seem to be on

a break
http://www.surfthechannel.com/show/2292.htmlhttp://www.surfthechannel.com/show/2291.htmlhttp://www.surfthechannel.com/show/9.htmlhttp://www.surfthechannel.com/show/9.htmlhttp://www.surfthechannel.com/show/2292.htmlhttp://www.surfthechannel.com/show/2291.htmlhttp://www.surfthechannel.com/show/9.html


23/39

Today is the 10 year anniversary of when F and I first met. I never imagined that on a weekend trip

to London I would meet an Albanian refugee and have un coup de foudre! Stranger things havehappened I suppose.

We celebrated today by enjoying Pierre Marcolini chocolates

I also cant believe that its been just over 10 years since I first moved to Paris. Time flies when

youre having fun!
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/belgian-chocolates/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/belgian-chocolates/


24/39

I do think New Years resolutions are kinda pointless because obviously you want to be working

towards your goals all year round, not just starting January 1st. Having said that, there are a number

of things Im working on and plan to achieve sooner rather than later. Heres a few of them:

Work less. For the last few years Ive worked 6 days a week, usually only taking Fridays off work.

My basic routine has been to get out of bed, turn on the computer, work until 4 or 5pm, go the gym,

have dinner, work until I go to bed. Not exactly a balanced lifestyle. What I would like is to take 2

days off per week and not work in the evenings. Not much chance of achieving this to be honest

Travel more. More than anything, I love to travel. 2009 was a fairly quiet and disappointing year

for me as far as travel was concerned, visiting the following places:

Perth

Cologne

Frankfurt

Wiesbaden

London Aix-en-Provence

Antibes

Cannes

Monte Carlo

Brussels

Amsterdam

Travel plans for 2010:

Helsinki

Tallinn

Riga

Vilnius

Krakow

Prague

Budapest

Bratislava

Lisbon

Seville

Cairo

Petra

?

Get to know my quartierbetter. I hardly ever go to my local boucherie orfromagerie or sit in thelocal cafes. I want that to change. There a many cafes and restaurants in the area and I want to try

them all.

Get to know Paris better. I have spent many, many hours walking aimlessly around Paris but there

is still so much I havent seen.

Visit more museums. Museums are free on the first Sunday of every month so its about time I

took advantage of that.

Eat out more often. I know there are loads of great restaurants in Paris, its just that Ive hadtrouble finding them. The plan is to eat out at least once per week, trying a different resto each time.

Focus. Making a living with internet marketing can be tough. The industry is very volatile meaning
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/frankfurt/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/frankfurt/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/monte-carlo/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/monte-carlo/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bratislava/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bratislava/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/frankfurt/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/monte-carlo/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bratislava/


25/39

my income has been up and down like crazy over the last year or so. Ive tried just about everything

to make money online with some successes and even more failures. I think its about time I

specialised in 1 or 2 areas and stop trying so many different things.

Buy a car. I desperately want to buy aFiat 500. 2010 will be the end of the metro for me

Get out of this apartment. I dont want to rent in Paris anymore so I want to either buy my own

apartment here or leave France altogether and live somewhere cheaper.
http://www.fiat.fr/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll/FIAT_FRANCE/showroom/showroomModel.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2004671383.1260910033@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadejdfkdhilcefecejgdfkhdfjh.0&modelKey=150http://www.fiat.fr/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll/FIAT_FRANCE/showroom/showroomModel.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2004671383.1260910033@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadejdfkdhilcefecejgdfkhdfjh.0&modelKey=150http://www.fiat.fr/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll/FIAT_FRANCE/showroom/showroomModel.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2004671383.1260910033@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadejdfkdhilcefecejgdfkhdfjh.0&modelKey=150http://www.fiat.fr/cgi-bin/pbrand.dll/FIAT_FRANCE/showroom/showroomModel.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2004671383.1260910033@@@@&BV_EngineID=cccdadejdfkdhilcefecejgdfkhdfjh.0&modelKey=150


26/39

December is a really quiet month for me, work wise. Im actually kind of lost without any work to

do Ive seen seen 3 movies this week already and read 2 books but now I dont know

what to do.

I would have gone away earlier but F had a few dentist appointments so we couldnt go anywhere. I

do have one last trip planned before the end of the year though. Three days in Brussels, startingBoxing Day and then 4 days in Amsterdam for the New Year. Ive been to both a couple of times

before but that was 7 or 8 years ago. Will be interesting to see how they have changed, if at all.

I dont have anything booked after Amsterdam so I might travel around the Netherlands a bit,

maybe to Maastricht and somewhere else. Well see

Hope everyone has a great New Year!
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/brussels/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/brussels/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/amsterdam/


27/39

Since writing this stupid brilliant post on how to kill yourself, Ive been getting around 20 visitors

per day looking for a quick way to put an end to things.

So Id just like to say a quick hello to all my suicidal visitors! Hope you enjoy my blog!
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/how-to-kill-yourself-in-3-easy-steps/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/how-to-kill-yourself-in-3-easy-steps/


28/39

My 6 week working holiday in Australia is long over and since being back in Europe Ive made

short trips to Aix en Provence and Frankfurt. Next week Im heading toAntibes for a week by the

beach which for me means a quick swim in the morning followed by hours of exploring the

surrounding towns. No coming back to Paris burnt like a crisp for me.

I have a number of half written posts which will be completed and posted sometime this year so

stay tuned!
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/aix-en-provence/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/frankfurt/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/antibes/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/antibes/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/aix-en-provence/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/frankfurt/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/antibes/


29/39

Step 1:

Place a ceramic casserole dish on your vitro-ceramic hotplate.

Step 2:

Turn the heat on high.

Step 3:

Wait for the casserole dish to explode and a deadly shard of ceramic to slice through a major artery.Bonus Tip:

If by pure dumb luck you are still alive, be sure to avoid jamming your finger in the cupboard door

while trying to get a band aid.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/still-alive/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/still-alive/


30/39

A few days ago I transferred my blogger site to its own domain, hosted on a shared Aussie host. I

host a number of sites with them and they have one of the best reputations for hosting but today I

was not so happy.

The server has been crashing over the last few days and apparently its all due to my post on photos

of Paris. It seems everybody loves Paris and the page got over 7,000 visitors and 12,000 page views

yesterday. Thanks Stumbleupon!

So my wonderful host decided to suspend the site without any warning or notice whatsoever. I only

found out when I went to submit a new post. I believe they could have just throttled the bandwidth

but to suspend it was going a bit far I think, but it was really the lack of notice that bothered me

more that anything.

After being down for most of the day they decided to give me back my site and apologised for not

contacting me about what was going on.

Ive now installed WP Super Cache which should prevent any problems in the future. Fingers

crossed.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/photos-of-paris/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/photos-of-paris/http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/photos-of-paris/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/photos-of-paris/http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache/


31/39

Ive had the domain name Destination Europe for quite some time so Ive finally decided to put it to

good use and have transferred my blogger blog to my own domain.

Ive still got to add a blogroll, fix the categories, and create a header image. Not sure what to do

with the header. I could put some of my travel photos up but Im not much of a photographer. Well

see
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/


32/39

I stopped by WH Smith yesterday to stock up on a few English language books and magazines. I

know its expensive but I cant resist.

I also did do a bit of reading while I was there and came across a book on cancer fighting foods.

While these kind of books normally annoy me and most of the foods mentioned are already well

known for their health benefits, I did think it was worth noting the top cancer fighting foods, at least

as a reminder.

broccoli and the entire brassica family

orange vegetables which contain carotenoids such as carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato,

beetroot etc

tomatoes for lycopene especially important to reduce the risk of prostrate cancer

berries such as strawberries and raspberries important to get organic berries not only to

avoid toxins but they taste so much better

pomegranates something I only recently tried for the first time

citrus

mushrooms

herbs and spices chocolate the 70% cocoa variety not the high sugar variety

Then of course there are two very important drinks:

green tea

red wine

Plus

vitamin D extremely important in fighting cancer

selenium which is found naturally in organic vegetables but not in conventionally grown

foods

omega 3 I get my daily dose by taking supplements probiotics can apparently reduce the risk of colon cancer

Foods which didnt get a mention:

potatoes

baguettes

Nutella

RedBull

Whats up with that?
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/strawberries/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bull/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bull/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/strawberries/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/bull/


33/39

I dont recall why I stopped buying my vitamins online but after seeing the high prices and lack of

choice here in Paris, not to mention certain communication problems, Ive gone back to buying in

bulk online.

As an example of the price difference, I paid around 3 euros in my local pharmacy for 30 folic acid

tablets. At Healthy Direct, you get 360 tablets for 6 euros! Same kind of thing for multi vitamins

where online you can get 360 tablets for 18 euros or so. Bargain!

I got some other stuff too which I know you cant get here so I cant wait for everything to arrive.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/cest-vrai/http://www.healthydirect.com/http://www.healthydirect.com/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/cest-vrai/http://www.healthydirect.com/


34/39

For some reason its difficult to buy vitamins here in France. You can get them from parapharmacies

or pharmacies (no I dont know what the difference is) but you dont get a whole lot of choice and

theyre super expensive. I used to buy my vitamins in bulk from the UK but the last couple of times

I have bought them here.

I was looking for folic acid and the regular place I go to had sold out so the guy sent me next door

to the pharmacy. This is how the conversation went (translated into English because I do speak

French, ya know):

Me: Hello, Im looking for some folic acid.

Stupid Pharmacist: Yes.

Me: Um, do you have any?

Stupid Pharmacist: Yes.

Me: Well Id like to buy some.

Stupid Pharmacist: Oh, ok. What do you want it for?

Me: Um, to take once a day???

Stupid Pharmacist: Have you taken it before?

Me: Yes, for years.

Stupid Pharmacist: We have 400mcg and 500mcg but I cant advise you on which is best becauseyou havent told me why you want it.

Me: Grrr.

Me: It significantly reduces the risk of having a child with birth defects.

Stupid Pharmacist: Cest vrai?

Me: Grrr

Me: Also, some studies have shown that it can reduce the risk of certain diseases such as

Alzheimers and Parkinsons.

Stupid Pharmacist: ???

As I leave with my tiny box of tablets I hear her asking the other pharmacist:

Stupid Pharmacist: Why would someone take folic acid?Pharmacist with a Brain: It reduces the risk of having a child with birth defects.

Stupid Pharmacist: Cest vrai?
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vitamins/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/vitamins/


35/39

I wasnt really that interested in Facebookwhen I first stumbled upon it but now Im kinda hooked.

Im back in contact with friends I havent seen in over 15 years which is pretty amazing, I think.

Im now chatting with people I havent seen since primary school! Its kinda weird but fun.

Its also a great way to meet new people. Ive met a couple of Aussies who are also living in Paris, a

Moroccan guy who lives just down the road who I met through the Neighbourhood application and

a French guy who is now my gym buddy.

Add me as a friend if you like and we can chat.
http://www.facebook.com/destinationeuropehttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=549550336http://www.facebook.com/destinationeuropehttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=549550336


36/39

Im not really interested in the European tradition of taking one month off a year to go sit on the

beach somewhere. For starters, I cant take one month off from work. I work for myself and my

marketing campaigns need fairly constant monitoring. I can take a few days off or even a week but

a month is out of the question.

Secondly, I cant think of anything worse than sitting on a beach or visiting just one place for a

month. How boring! I like to visit cities where I can walk around the old streets, visiting cafes and

little shops, learning about the history of the city and the people. Thats my idea of a holiday andthats why I like to live in Europe.

Three or 4 days is generally enough to visit one city although a week is better for great cities like

Rome or Sydney and a lifetime is possibly not enough for the best city of them all - Paris. So over

the next couple of months I have booked a few short city trips. I took advantage of the discount

tickets on offer on the new TGV Est and have tickets for:

Luxembourg

Strasbourg

Stuttgart

Then Im supposed to be going back to Australia for a visit but I havent booked that as I reallydont want to go. My parents have offered me their frequent flyer points to book the trip so its not

going to cost me anything so I cant use lack of funds as a reason not to go. I suppose if I got a job I

wouldnt be able to take time off. Do I really want to take that drastic action?
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/luxembourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/luxembourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/strasbourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/strasbourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/stuttgart/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/stuttgart/http://www.voyages-sncf.com/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/luxembourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/strasbourg/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/stuttgart/


37/39

I know I havent posted for ages. Nothing has been going particularly well here in France; more

bureaucratic problems as usual plus Ive been super busy with work. Ive been adding a lot of

content to my sites in preparation for Christmas so will hopefully have a few more sales than usual

this month.

I think in January Ill be able to relax a bit more and start exploring Paris again.

So, what are Evian, Badoit, and Vichy famous for?The reason I ask is because someone found my site by entering that into Google and it made me

laugh out loud. In fact, Im still sniggering. Maybe its not funny at all and Im just in a strange

mood. In that persons defence I suppose if youve never been to France you wouldnt know the

answer. Then again, who has never heard of Evian, at least?

Of course the answer is. mineral water.

No doubt the next person visitingAussie in France will be happy to find a quick answer to that

question.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/aussie-in-france/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/aussie-in-france/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/aussie-in-france/


38/39

The Juanes concert is on tonight and I cant wait. I havent been to a concert in years, which is

further proof that Im getting old. The only problem I foresee is that the place is going to be full of

screaming girls. Ill have to control myself so I dont become one of them!

I get to pick up my new digital camera today, yay! The postman came with it yesterday during the 5

minutes when I left the house typical. Now Ill have to queue at the post office to get it.

The less exciting thing I have to do today is wash my clothes. Its driving me crazy not having awashing machine. Im going to have to lug 3 loads of washing to the local laundromat in 37 degree

heat. Really looking forward to that. That probably explains why Im writing useless posts on my

blog anything to get out of doing the washing!
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/juanes/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/juanes/


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I hired a car last weekend for my trip to the French Grand Prix and was surprised at just how fuel

efficient it was. The car was a Renault Clio Diesel and I did almost 700 kilometres on a little over

half a tank. I think I used something like 33 litres which cost me exactly 40 euros. I guess I dont

really know that that is fuel efficient but when I moved house the petrol for the van cost me twice

that. Yeah I know you cant compare a van full of furniture and a little diesel Renault but I was

pleasantly surprised that I didnt have to break the bank to do a little touring around the country.

Now I know when I go on holiday in August I wont have to worry too much about how much Imgoing to spend on petrol.

I do keep in mind my fuel consumption when driving and try to following these fuel efficient

driving tip

Ferbents cousin Shyqo died yesterday after a 3 year battle with cancer. He was only 36 years old

and leaves behind his wife and 2 young children. Ferbent was very close to him and is

understandably very upset. He died in hospital in Greece and the funeral will be today at 3pm. I

dont know how they managed to arrange everything so quickly and why the did it so quickly

(tradition orreligion, Im not sure which) but it was too quick for Ferbent. He really wanted to go to

the funeral but it was impossible to get a flight on such short notice. He was going to go anywayand arrive after the funeral but now has decided against it. We will probably go to Albania in a

couple of months to visit his relatives instead. He was a really nice guy, he will be missed.
http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/french-grand-prix-f1/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/greece/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/religion/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/french-grand-prix-f1/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/greece/http://www.destinationeurope.com.au/religion/

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