I have moved!

A new country, a new blog!
I've moved here

xoxo

1000 places to see before you die

I bought this book today, after a lazy afternoon browsing in Borders post lunch:



Have to say that it is an ok read at most. The book gives you a good indication of where to go in each continent. However, you run the risk of reducing your travels down to a grocery list though, rather than going off the beaten track as it happens from time to time, finding absolute gems in the process - which to me, is the beauty of travel!

The author, Patricia Schultz is also quite a travel snob, choosing the more expensive way to see a place and listing loads of 5 star hotels, for example Hotel De Crillon in Paris and the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok.

I mean come on la....I admit whilst I cant do without some comforts when I travel (hotel toilets is one of them - they have to be presentable), its just not practical putting up in places I mentioned above.

But it did inspire me to come up with my own list of places I want to visit -- in Europe at least (for obvious reasons!) over the next year or two..no, not before I die, cos that is just too depressing! They are:

1. Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland - made up of 40 000 volcanic columns (each a foot or so across) created by volcanic eruptions 60 million years ago!

2. Vienna - damn shameful for a classical music fan and pianist to admit that she has yet to pay homage to the masters!

3. Champagne, France - enough said! I love my bubbly! *smacks lips*

4. Greece (Santorini, Crete, Athens, Hydra etc etc) - I might meet a Greek God there.... ahhhh

5. Lake Como, Italy - better yet, I might meet George Clooney! I hear that he has an estate there...

6. Castle District, Czech Republic

7. Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia - apparently, it will take approximately nine years to cast even a brief glance at each of the museum's 150 000 works on display (and thats only FIVE percent of the museum's collection in its 1000 rooms!)

8. Santa's village in Lapland, Finland - still a kid at heart, wanting to believe in Santa :)

9. The Ice Hotel, Sweden - built every November, completely out of ice and snow. Brrr...

10. Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland

Welcome Sasha!

Some of you may remember that we welcomed a new addition into our family back in September 2007. A beautiful cream coloured bundle of joy called Fudge.

He is doing well and has been a great companion whenever Ad is out of town. However, he has been moaning about being a little lonely recently, especially how he doesnt get the entire other side of the bed to himself whenever Ad is back. Hence, we decided to give in to his plea for a companion and new room today. Fudge was moved to the second room and we also hereby proudly announce the arrival of Sasha :)



Date of birth: 15th January 2008
Height: 38 centimeters
Weight: 255 grams
Fur colour: Pink
Eye colour: Brown

Everyone, say "awwww" at how happy they are...



I came back a few minutes later to find Fudge in a rather compromising position.....*sigh*



By the way, Sasha got her slack dress-sense from er....me. PJs and fluffy hello kitty slippers. Gawd!

My life as the nouveau tai-tai

Ad sent me those flowers on my last day at work last Friday with the most touching message:

"Last day at work, who would have thought? Although you said you've had enough of the nonsense at (insert current company name), I must thank you for making this tough decision. It demonstrated the amount that you've placed in us..."

Those flowers cheered me up a little because I was feeling a little glum and lost on my last day at work. Yup, after years of being in the corporate rat race, I made the decision to leave it for a bit. You heard me right! Miss Cannot-Sit-Still-Control-Freak-Type-A is taking a break!

It is the most difficult decision I've ever made in my life - to give up my financial independence and what I've achieved so far in order for us to relocate to Europe for Ad's new job posting. I've also been assured that there is no urgency to look for another job immediately. In nicer terms, tai-tai-dom.

Today was my first day as the nouveau tai-tai - it started out great. I woke up feeling so smug about not having to fight the rush traffic to get into work and deal with idiots. Met a journalist for a leisurely lunch and spent the rest of the arvo browsing in bookshops and oh yes, I decided to throw the "window" out of shopping, after feeling so miserable leaving the first initial few shops buying nothing.

But by 5pm, an hour before I was due to pick Adrian up from work, I was ready to call my boss to beg for my job back. It finally hit me that I was NOT on leave but actually jobless. Argh.

I have to admit that whilst it is nice to shop under non-crowded conditions, tai-tais need not worry about depleting bank accounts when they just bought a top, or feel guilty having to account for their spending. Nor do they have to think super hard before walking away from a gorgeous Coach bag they saw in the shop's window.

I think I got gypped. I need a supp card.

*WAILS*

Achmed, the dead terrorist

Check this out - its just too funny!!!



I KILL YOU!!!!! hee hee