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The Hardest Goodbye
I have said a lot of goodbyes this week. Some people are very casual about it and in this day and age with the internet, email and the genius that is skype, that is understandable. Some people are very emotional. But one of the hardest goodbyes I have had to say so far was to my girls. My girls are my two cats Sultan and Saba. They have been a daily part of my life for years and already, I miss them. Sultan is seven and a half and has lived with me for seven of those years. She was a street cat in Turkey and I fell in love…
Strolling on the Via Dell Amore in Cinque Terre
Walks along stunning and rugged coastline are a popular activity in Cinque Terre. Walking, along with atmospheric olive groves and beautiful countryside attract endless visitors to the Italian Riviera. No walk is more famous than the Via Dell Amore and unlike some other local walks, and unless this is your first foray off the sofa for a while, it is easy peasey, so nobody should miss out. So, where is it? There are walks connecting each of the five villages in the area and some of them are more challenging than others, so it is important to make sure you get the right one. The Via Dell Amore is the…
The Chaos of finishing a chapter of your life
My life has had many chapters so I am excited about starting a new one, but at the same time my current chapter is racing along at full speed. Rather than imagine I am keeping up, I feel like I am being hurled along with it. Deciding to let my property while I’m overseas was a good decision, but it has created SO much to do ahead of my departure. I am filtering through cupboards and trying to throw out as much as possible, taking down shelves, painting walls and fixing things I didn’t even know were broken. I have also had to talk to my mortgage provider, pick through…
The Caves of Nerja
Discovered by a bunch of intrepid Spanish youths in 1959, the caves of Nerja are an impressive find. They are believed to be about 5 million years old. I enjoy a good cave, but don’t think I have ever visited any caves as enormous as these. Human remains, rock art and various tools have been found in the caves. Some serious time has been spent researching the articles found and it is believed the caves were occupied as long ago as the Bronze age, by early humans and their animals. You enter through a small building-like foyer by the ticket office and descend down a staircase. At the bottom of…
30 and scheming
I’ve never been one to worry about numbers and how old I am or the age of the people around me. I care about people and experiences. Numbers don’t interest me greatly and never have. My next birthday though makes me 30, which along with turning 18 and 21, is a landmark birthday in life and I have to admit that it made me think. I thought about all the things I want to do, places I want to visit and things I want to see. Given that my birthday is tomorrow, I’m a bit late to start making a list of things to do before I’m 30, but I…
Spanish Supermarket Giggles
Having arrived in Spain late last night, there was nothing much in the flat to eat today, so a foray to the supermercado was a priority. A foreign supermarket always interests me. I enjoy exploring daily norms overseas, not to mention having a giggle at some of the strange and sometimes unfortunate names given to some of the products. Here are a few such amusements I came across today: The washing powder called ‘Colon’ (above) was too funny. What inspired that name I wonder? Actually, I hate to think. Call me immature but yes, I find a brand of biscuits called ‘Bimbo’ amusing And ‘Bonka’ coffee was just a bit…
How to keep low cost carrier costs low
Low cost carriers are everywhere these days but how low are their costs really? We’ve all seen the adverts for flights that cost less than getting to the airport. But have you ever actually managed to pull it off? Read on for my tips on how to keep travelling on low cost carriers as inexpensive as possible. Book as far ahead as possible The later you leave it before travelling, the more your seat is going to cost. Lower availability makes the remaining seats more desirable (I use the term loosely) so wherever possible book your seats as far ahead as you can. Understand the refund / change costs If…
A drink in Marrakech
The souk of Marrakech is a huge sprawling, hot, dusty and confusing place. It is a fantastic web of little streets and alleyways where each shop seems to only be 1m wide and every inch of the inside is covered in merchandise. We saw shops selling metal-work, leather, jewellery, random electronics, clothes, shoes and food. There was so much going on in the souk that after a frantic morning exploring it my friend and I felt the need to seek out some peace and we settled in a cafe high above Marrakech’s main square for a drink and a bit of people-watching. The main square is called Place Djema el…
The travel plan I’ve been keeping secret for so long
I have been keeping a secret for so long that it almost feels like it is not real and I have imagined the whole thing. I have had this plan squirreled away in the back of my mind for about a year now and I am very excited to reveal it. First though, I must point out that some of you already know about this. This is not another big secret (how many can a girl have?) but the one you already know. In fairness, this has been a pretty badly kept secret. My family have known about it for a while and a few close friends too. I have…
London Commuting
“There’s nowt as funny as folk.” That’s a phrase my grandfather used a lot and he’s right. London is definitely the place to be if people-watching is your thing. London seems to be a magnet to such a variety of people and lots of the interesting ones you encounter on the buses. I was inspired to write this post yesterday. Whilst waiting for a bus on the Strand, I was approached by a chap whose hand was smeared in blood. He innocently asked me directions to Waterloo, as if nothing was unusual. The blood made this a bit scarier than the sleeping smelly old tramp who, one day on the…
