Finally the day had arrived, I was to have Emilie and Bouba for dinner at my apartment. It is hardly a good idea to feed the French, French food and knowing Bouba enjoys a spicy meal, I would cook a Malaysian Lamb Curry with potatoes. It is a relatively simple dish and I …
Late nights in Paris are fun and since meeting people, especially Georgie, the way I do things and the things I do, have changed, since I first arrived in Paris. However, I do get pangs of guilt for not being out and about, taking photos and seeing museums. Today I decided …
Georgie and I had a lunch date today, of all places at the Gare de Lyon train station, Paris. Big international train stations can be exciting, hectic and sometimes dodgy places. People are rushing to catch their train, travellers with backpacks or suitcases, businessmen on mobile phones, checking their watches. They can also attract, the homeless, …
Today, being Sunday, started out pretty much like most days. Breakfast, although I don’t remember the seagulls, maybe they weren’t around today or maybe, I am familiar with the sounds of my neighbourhood. Red Skyped me from Australia and against my protests, insisted on a video call. Her, with an evening Cointreau and me, with …
New Years Eve in Paris is a big occasion. A lot of Parisians spend it at home with a big feast, some gather in front of the Notre Dame, some pack the Champs-Élysées, others, take a bottle of champagne and stand on one of the many bridges. The shops close early and most are closed New Years …
The morning started out as usual, breakfast to the sound of seagulls, a call to British Airways call centre in Spain. An email arrived, to inform they still can’t find the luggage, fill out the attached form. No attachment. I think monkeys are running that company. After wasting more time talking to someone who has …
No PJ’s, no hot water bottle but three doonas later I slept like a baby – well until the wee hours at least. But hey jetlag does that to you. I could already sense a routine coming on. I got up to what felt like the middle of the night, in the dark and dead …
Having no luggage, feels like no ‘baggage’. I remember only too well, traveling around in my 20’s with just one bag and it is liberating. I have a secret wish that they don’t find the suitcase, even although there are things in there I don’t want to lose. What it did mean though, was no …