After a quick day in Christchurch, Wednesday we drove three hours to The Southern Alps; actually I say 3 hours but in fact it was much longer as we stopped to tour cute little towns that grew smaller and smaller the further we moved into a more isolated part of this beautiful country. Lake Tekapo, …
It’s Wednesday evening here and I am finally having a chance to catch my breath. It’s been all go go go since arriving Monday night. My flight was delayed 3 hours out of Sydney so I didn’t arrive in New Zealand until 3am. Thank heavens Brenda was still willing to come to the airport and …
Ok, well let’s see how this goes….. I am now 48 hours into the flying portion of this trip halfway around the world so I will push my tired, jet lagged self into what is hopefully an engaging and interesting blog post…. Where to start….? Ok, let’s begin with where I am now and that …
It’s just before 7:30 in the morning here and I have a few minutes before I make my way to the airport so dashing off a quick hello. The goodbyes were tough but mercifully short; the train pulled into the station as soon as we walking on to the platform. Is there anything sadder than …
I know, I know! I said there’d be no post today but isn’t it always the way that when you can sleep in (until 7) these are the days you wake up even earlier (6). Put this post in the “under promise, over delivery” category. After Baby Nina tucked in last night I joined Em …
Long before airlines started losing checked bags en masse I became a carry on only traveler. Packing light for a trip has become normal to me. (Don’t ask me on a road trip though; with no fear of space constraints or luggage getting lost I can fill up a vehicle like no one can!) I love …
The first time I came to France for 3 months I went home to work. That was super easy; it got me back into the swing of life at home, I was moving into a new role with all sorts of learnings and I was closing in on retirement. The 2nd time, last mid-Aug to …
Some of you have asked me to explain how the visa process works for long stay access to France so here goes. Perhaps you too have your own European adventure being dreamed about……Bear in mind I have been figuring this out as I go, and there’s been some stumbles, including the fact that I somehow …
Some blogging experts recommend you stick to a posting calendar; you know, one where you look ahead a month and say- ‘Ok (in my case), Mondays I will do a mixture, Wednesdays my companions will know I always do life in France, Fridays I will talk about the feelings attached to being an unburdened nomad …
I have a pretty good command of the English language and yet am unsure if I can string together the right words to describe the beauty and simplicity of last nights celebration of Alain’s 64th birthday. I will do my best. First of all a brief family tree. Annie and Denis are Francois’ parents. Alain …