If you live in Germany, you probably work in Germany. Unless you relish living in the woods and foraging for berries, you probably need a job so that you don’t have to do just that. Work is paramount in Germany and the Germans take their professions quite seriously. This makes perfect sense when one thinks … Read more
I can honestly say that October was one of the most fun filled months of the year for me, my man and Farty Barty the cat! We are a very strong rugby family, so when England went out of the world cup in the first round, my man was very depressed. However, having lived in … Read more
We don’t do Hallowe’en here in the Morvan. In 10 years at Maré le Bas I have never opened the door to a troupe of trick-or-treaters. The shops are full of pumpkins, but we cook with them rather than hollowing them out to make lanterns. French pumpkin soup is one of the glories of autumn … Read more
As an expat in South Africa, life is pretty good. I can afford to join a good gym, we have someone clean our house and do all our ironing. We eat out every week, often more. We can buy very good wine for a fraction of what we would pay for it in the UK. … Read more
Being a Brit living in America is full of surprises, and you never know where the next one will come from. I was alone in the house the other day and became aware of the sound of water running. It was one of those things that slowly crept into the consciousness, and eventually surfaced as … Read more
Recently I stumbled across an article originally printed in The Siberian Times. With a headline like, “Drive from Europe to the U.S.” who wouldn’t’ be intrigued? Earlier this year, the president of Russian Railways proposed an enormous undertaking; a road that would link Alaska with Russia across the Bering Sea. Wouldn’t that be fantastic? I … Read more
The other day I read a very sensible post by a seasoned traveler, giving advice on what to take and what to omit when flying long haul. Unfortunately, the first item on the list prompted a response that many of us might have had – “Oh yeah, when travelling on your own maybe”. Let me … Read more
It’s been said that if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. This was once true but, in today’s age of U.S. for-profit healthcare and it’s skyrocketing costs, it would now be more accurate to say that if you do have your health, you probably have nothing. Everyone at some point has some … Read more
Just after dark I heard the first scream. It was distant, barely there, drifting in through the cottage window, mingling with the sound of wind and ocean. “It’s just the wind.” I said the words out loud to the large, empty room. In another couple hours I would hear it again, and hear the knocking. … Read more
It’s already almost halfway through October (where does the time go?) and in order to get myself through the thought of another London winter, I’m starting to set my sights on the holidays. With Canada’s Thanksgiving just gone, America’s Thanksgiving in late November, Halloween at the end of October, and then Christmas and New Year’s, … Read more