JET BLAST MAY CAUSE DEATH - Blown away at Maho Beach, St Maarten

Photo Credit: Bennyzheng Photography

An experience that blew me away. Literally. By blown away I mean fighting with all my might to keep vertical, squinting my eyes in the wind and shielding my face from the rocket sharp stabs as each grain of sand came pelting towards me. I’d anticipated it being quite a blast, not quite to this extent though. At no point did I expect to end up naked. I guess that’s what happens when you stand behind a 747 jumbo jet as it’s revving up to take off...

Sitting at the beach awaiting some planes

A few years back I was lucky to tag along on a weirdly exciting family adventure to the Caribbean. I call it weird because believe it or not it wasn’t the white sandy beaches, the clear waters nor the intrigue of island life that motivated booking the trip. It wasn’t even the allure of cruising with Royal Caribbeans latest and greatest ship to grace the waters- the Oasis of the Seas (though that was a well welcomed bonus!). We were actually traversing half way across the globe to sit at an airport and watch some planes come and go. Say what now? Yes. You read correctly. The one and only pull for my father booking the trip was the desire to sit on Maho beach and oogle at the jumbo jets as they made their journeys to and from Princess Juliana Airport in Sint Maarten.

What makes this beach special? 

Forget about quiet mornings, blissful sunsets or moseying about on the beach in peace. While the Caribbean is known for its quaint and peaceful beaches Maho beach is definitely the exception.  Why? Because it happens to lay a mere two car lengths away from the second busiest airport in the Eastern Caribbean. With a harrowing runway length of only 2180 meters in order for the jets to land they must swoop in at minimum altitude skimming right over Maho beach and casting an epic shadow over any beach goers. You can literally lay on the sand and through a rock up to the plane that’s how close they are. However I’d suggest against doing that.

For those brave enough it's probably your one and only chance to line yourself up behind a plane, dig your feet into the sand and feel the magnificent force being blasted from the rear.

If you’re lucky this may mean playing a serious game of tug of war with the wind or if you’re unlucky... (or luckier depending on your thrill seeking desires) it’ll be a quick trip straight out to sea. 

Need to see it to believe it?

Youtube is full of fantastically funny clips of tourists a-flyin' You can see one of my personal favourites here Plane vs Japanese Tourist. Be wary though taking on the force isn't for the faint hearted. Particularly that of the big name jumbos. There are a number of (almost humerous) large red warning signs stuck up along the fence warning and advising the potential for bodily harm or death via jet blast. Yes, death via jet blast. The beach has become quite a tourist destination in its own right with little Caribbean beach bars being opened up for business, some even sporting large arrival and departure signs to notify tourists exactly when to prep your panties for the show. One of the beach cafes I sat at went as far as broadcasting live radio transmissions that went between pilots and the control tower! 

The fun and games aren't just for tourists though – Look over to the sidelines of the beach or up along the apartments and I'm sure you'll find a collection of locals having a right old laugh watching on as the tourists are willingly or unwillingly blasted away.

How to get there?
Other than the obvious option of flying directly to the airport Saint Martin port is a typical port of call for many cruises making their way through the Eastern Caribbean. If you're already on the island there are a number of tours that run through Maho Beach though I'd suggest just getting a cab from the main port of Saint Martin and heading there yourself. A cab directly from the port to the planes will cost you around $8.

Photo credit: Mark Wippel

A word for the wise

Don’t wear a strapless dress to the beach that day. Being the thrill seeking anything-once traveller that I am there was no way I was missing this experience, even in my little yellow sundress. Mid blast, eyes squinted, sand pelting from all angles & holding on for dear life to my father’s arm I could feel my feet begin to lift off the floor. It all happened so quickly though within the next 3 seconds I fought, lifted, swung, fell & at some point during this sequence of movements... my dress flew off. I kid you not. I’m sure somewhere on the internet I’m actually a youtube sensation due to my naïve decision to wear a little strapless sundress for a day of taking on the ultimate blast of wind. If it wasn’t for my dad leaping quick smart to my rescue I would have ended up doing half naked cartwheels out to sea. Thankfully it wasn't quite that bad, much to the dismay of the two German tourists who had their camera glued to the scene... though I’m sure it was still a sight not to be missed. If somewhere in the big wide web there is footage out there... you're welcome youtube.

Whether you’re an aviation enthusiast, a thrill seeking tourist or just looking for another out of this world thing to gawk at, Maho Beach has it covered and is definitely an edition worth adding to your Caribbean adventures.
For another intriguing beach side phenomenon take a look at this bioluminescent plankton lighting up the shores of the Maldives!

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10 TIPS FOR THE VEGETERIAN/VEGAN TRAVELLER

I am indeed a vegetarian.
Or at least I was until recently when I made the decision to go completely vegan. :)
*Cue stereotype influenced mutter & responses*
Yes, I am fully aware I can be a pain to dine with, cook for or serve at a restaurant and I regularly have the golden phrase thrown at me
"BUT... BACON?". Before I begin enlightening you with my veg-happy tips let's clear that one up. Few vegetarians stop eating meat because they woke up one day and found themselves suddenly repulsed by the smell of fresh bacon & eggs. Personally my choices were motivated by ethical & compassionate reasons not because I no longer liked the taste of bacon!Being a vegetarian and on the road can prove to be challenging at times. Especially when navigating menus in another language, explaining you'd like a meal without meat to someone who speaks little English and the lack of time, space and utilities to prepare your own choice friendly meals. From my experiences here's my top ten tips for the travelling vegetarian/vegan.

1.       PRE ORDER
If you’re flying be sure to call the airline & pre-order your food. Too many times I’ve had my ready to go plate of almost-meat (I say almost meat. Sorry, have you seen those meals?) slapped down in front of me and ended up quietly nibbling on my bread roll & peanuts because I forgot to pre-order. Always pre-order. Airlines have many options you can opt for- veggies only, halal, vegan, no dairy, gluten free and a number of other pick and choose options.

2.       LEARN THE LINGO
Learn the golden phrases of the spoken language. ‘I don’t eat meat’ ‘with no meat’ ‘vegetable only’ ‘I am vegetarian’ I can’t speak Chinese though after repeating these lines on a daily basis I became quite the expert in insisting, demanding and ensuring there be ‘PU MAO RU’ in my meals. (I'm spelling this how I learnt to say it- apologies) Another handy hint is to have it written on a card in your wallet- especially if pronunciation of foreign languages isn't your forte.

3.       EXPLORE & EXPERIMENT!
Explore, enjoy and go crazy at the local food markets! Since living here in the Maldives 80% of my diet is currently fruit. I’m hoping the novelty wears off soon I know I can’t go on like this.. but for right now it's pretty great. If my body didn’t need anything else I would have no hesitation to live on tropical fruit and tropical fruit only. Enjoy what’s on offer at each destination, explore the weird and wonderful veggie displays down at the local fresh produce markets and taste the amazing fruits of the world!

4.       KEEP AN OPEN MIND OR CLOSE YOUR EYES.. 
While at those markets though another tip would be to avoid the meat sections. My reasons for not eating meat are ethical and compassionate. Walking around the market stalls of Asia and seeing all the animals displayed as they were, only cooked – was a little gut wrenching. Understand though different cultures hold different ethics, beliefs and ways of life when it comes to what they cook and how they cook it. You’ll just have to learn to turn the other way, accept it and know to avoid those areas.

5.       BE RESPECTFUL 
Don’t expect to be served on a silver platter. More often than not many big meat eating countries just don’t have a large number of vegetarians and therefor your request for a meatless meal may come as a shock, rude or inconsiderate (yes, believe it or not- it can come across as a symbol of negativity in some parts!) or at best they'll act like you’re just being a right pain in the a**. Get used to the occasional eye rolling or disapproving look as staff take back a meal with meat or attempt to prepare a custom meal without it.

6.      BE AWARE OF LOCAL COOKING PRACTICES 
 Be wary. Many meals although said to be meatless or vegetarian are still prepared in animal product to cook or add flavour. Even though the veggie plate consists of only veggies there’s a pretty high chance it’s covered in oyster sauce. (China, here's looking at you!)

7.       PACK YOUR OWN SNACKSNuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables & snack bars from the local supermarket all make for great pocket & bag friendly snacks to keep you going through the day. It's also a great way to save money! (Check out some further trips here)

8.       TWO HALVES MAKE A WHOLE- ORDER A FEW SIDES!
When there’s nothing on the menu take a look at what side dishes are on offer and make your own meal from a few of them. Fresh garden salad from the side of a hamburger, seasonal fruit from the dessert menu or a plate of veggies minus the accompanying steak all make for a delicious miss-matchy meal.

9.       CONSIDER TAKING VITAMINS OR SUPPLEMENTS 
Sometimes when traveling long term it’s really hard to muster getting all the essential vitamins & nutrients especially when you’re not cooking your own meals and getting in all the essentials you may be used to. Considering supplements could avoid dealing with total energy loss or other travel debilitating symptoms.

10.  HUNT DOWN THE LOCAL VEGETARIAN CUISINE
Splurge at one of the vegetarian restaurants! Sometimes it's worth spending a little extra. Not all, but most countries have at least one. I’ve picked up some pretty cool recipes and food ideas from fellow veggie-heads or stalls abroad!
An awesome website for hunting them down is www.happycow.net simply punch in the city or country you’re in – and voila! All your options are revealed via an in built google search. There’s also some great forum chats on the crem de la crem of animal friendly eateries abroad. Check them out!

Happy dining!

Do you have any tips, tricks or great vegetarian recipes? I'd love to hear them.

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THE LURE OF LUMINESCENCE - Bioluminescent plankton, Maldives

Photograph by Doug Perrine, Alamy        

A little bit of magic in the Maldives. I’ve heard stories of these mystical blue lights dancing around and gently lighting up the shores of Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives. Since recent shots of the phenomenon has graced news pages I've been sent a number of messages along the lines of ‘You need to see this while you’re living there!' At a glance it almost seems too cool to be true. Glow in the dark waves? Speckled dancing lights comparable to tiny blue fairies swimming along the shores of paradise? Surely it’s either a hoax or an incredibly rare occurrence that you’ll probably never get to see. These stories are no hoax nor are the photos a display of some serious editing skills. With all the recent hype and as I investigated further, seeing this phenomenon quickly became number one on my Maldivian bucket list of things to do and see while living here.

So what are they?
The blue lights are actually tiny marine microbes called phytoplankton. Not all but many of these plankton are known to be bioluminescent and give off the mesmerizing blue glow pictured above. On calm nights when the plankton are washed up onto shore they can be seen glowing bright in all their glory. It is said they are easier to spot during a full moon, throughout certain seasons or only on particular islands and only in the Maldives. I’d like to bust that myth. Not only can I find no evidence to support these claims though when asking a local to the Maldives I have been told they can regularly be seen at shore and that there doesn’t seem to be any real pattern to their presence other than a clear sky and fairly calm waters. Much like seeing the Northern Lights (another bucket list worthy item I was lucky to tick off while in Iceland) you either get lucky, or you don’t.

Let me paint a picture for you.
You make your way down the jetty completely in awe of the natural wonderland around you. With an endless dome above speckled with stars you watch as they gently glisten and shine dancing not just in the sky but as reflections amongst the calm gentle rock of the ocean below. You make it to the end and turn back swiftly glancing over to shore. Your jaw drops, you stand there staring in wonder at hundreds of tiny blue specks lining the beach like waves of dancing fireflies swimming and prancing within the water. Completely melting from the inside out you sit in the darkness being absorbed by the silence as you try to take in and capture the essence of what is currently before your eyes. Magic.
This is how I had hoped seeing this phenomenon would pan out.
In reality though, here’s what happened: On the way home from work last night I decided to take a detour and walk the long way home. As I work nights I have missed the plankton each time someone’s spotted them so tonight I decided to walk there in the wee hours anyway with my fingers crossed. Smart move Ashlea, because there on one section of the beach I could just make out a light blue glow coming from a handful of specks as I approached. It was them! In honesty it wasn’t a great night to see them. I could probably count on my hands how many clusters I saw- not quite the thousands upon thousands I was expecting. The lack of numbers didn't at all deter from the epic shades of awesome before my eyes. Seeing what I did was still enough to make me giddy. That feeling that twists the desire to travel, one that can only be ignited by foreign or other-worldly experiences and the feeling that makes you want to both immediately leave & see the rest of the world while equally wanting to freeze in the moment and never let it end.  They are magical, and something you really need to see to believe. They actually glow brighter when agitated so you can see them glitter as the waves roll over or in the sand from the footprints you leave with each step.

So where can you really see them?
Believe it or not there has been sightings of these or similar luminescent species all over the world and paying a pretty penny for a trip to the Maldives is not your only option. Some unexpected shores gracing that list? Belgium, India, United Kingdom, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, America, The Caribbean and even back home in Australia!

Specific sightings in Australia: Gippsland Lakes, Cairns (Seen in 2008/2009) Jervis Bay NSW & as I understand a green variation has been seen at Batemans Bay.
Sightings in America:  Manasquan Beach- New Jersey, San Diego, Leucadia- California, Everglades, Cortez- Florida.

For those who are now sporting a little bit of a lure for luminescence here’s a cool page on some other natural, weird and wonderful things that glow in the night.

The detour may well become my new route home.

For some magic off shore & in the city check out my guide here on the Island capital- Male.

Photograph by Russ Taylor

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HANG ON, I'M READING! -Spanish Journal W3

I’ve come to the end of week three in my attempt to teach myself Spanish. I learned something interesting this week about language learning and it’s one of the top reasons I believe people give up. While sitting st my desk, stuck on an exercise in the TYS book I began feeling like I was never going to get anywhere. The dreaded thoughts came flooding in Had I even learnt anything so far? Is Spanish something I just can’t learn? Much less on my own? Maybe I should pack it in- I’m never going to learn anyway. While staring at the book, frustrated and feeling a little lost something dawned on me. I was READING! The questions I was so frustrated with as well as the paragraph I was so desperately hunting for answers within was completely written in Spanish. Something I hadn’t taken into account? Or possibly something I just wasn’t taking the time to notice nor appreciate. I WAS indeed getting somewhere and I HAD infact learnt something! So what if I was stuck on this section? Instead I should be grateful for the simple fact that I can actually read and understand enough in order to be frustrated with the questions.
I think when we’re learning a language it’s important to check back in with yourself and monitor your progress in some way. A chart or self-reflection of some sort, something to boost your motivation when it’s lacking.

Semana tres (week three) GOAL CHECKLIST

[x] Spend 30mins a day practicing

[x] Complete Teach Yourself Spanish Unit three
[x] Emotions
[  ] Learn a Spanish song
[x] Write a short letter in Spanish introducing myself & a reply letter
[x] Complete SENSEI app section: Date/time/numbers/time phrases

Resumen semanal (WEEKLY SUMMARY)

This week went pretty well actually, although I don’t feel like I ‘progressed’ very far I do feel 100% confident in retaining what I’ve been learning. I spent much of this week reviewing over and putting to use in different contexts what I’ve already learnt as well as doing further research in the best language learning methods.
Speaking to a native is definitely imperative when learning any language and I’m finding I retain words better when they’ve come up in conversation & I’ve needed to make the effort to look them up myself. That and actually forcing myself to construct small sentences (or attempt to) is giving me a better understanding of the correct sentence structure. There’s no better way to learn than make mistakes, right?

¿cómo lo hago -HOW DID I DO IT?

(Some of the resources I used or memory tricks)

·         Learning the emotions: Google images has some great pocket-friendly images worth printing and carrying around! I regularly whipped out my picture, folding it in half, and practicing whenever I could.

·         Anki flahscards Now using both the desktop & phone versions! Great for instant syncing on the go

·         TYS unit three & began unit four

·         I highly recommend the SENSEI app on your phone. (available on both Google play and Itunes- link for android users) Great little resource for practicing words on the go. It has a number of themed sections with built in phrases to learn and the option to practice with flashcards, a game of hangman, audio and a word list The hangman option is a great twist on the regular flashcards giving you better chance to learn a the correct spelling of a card and not just memorize and link word to word images.

·         I’m finding it helpful to write letters to myself and reply while trying to use not only the sentences I learnt as a phrase but use new words and give descriptions. Just going for it and attempting to express something has been challenging though good fun! Cross checking my letter with goggle translate afterwards has made learning correct structuring much easier.

Este es el fin de la semana tres!
Be sure to subscribe by email for updates on my progress or the tips I’ve uncovered each week.
New to the journey? See how it started HERE
Missed last week? Catch up HERE

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DITCH YOUR FRIENDS AND TRAVEL SOLO

Annecy, France. The chair of self discovery.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..” 

Wise words from a wise man. I could sit here and tell you countless reasons solo travel triumphs over group travel (in most cases). There's nothing greater than discovering yourself while discovering the world. Here's the top ten reasons I believe everyone should go it alone - at least once in your life.

1. MEET MORE PEOPLE
‘Solo travel means countless hours of being alone’. This is a myth. In fact it’s quite the opposite of true. Yes, sometimes you will be alone though typically most of that time is spent in transit or because you never made the effort to leave your room. When you’re flying solo you are just that – solo. Because of this you won’t be meeting anyone unless you get out there and find them! When you realize this and start playing an active part in creating a social life abroad you’ll find there’s a huge amount of likeminded and interesting people in the same boat who are willing to wander, explore or party with you. I’ve met far more people on solo trips than I ever have when traveling with friends or family. This is generally because when you’re traveling in a group you tend to stick within your bubble. If you are apart of one of these bubbles and hoping to meet other international travelers (By meet I don’t mean dance with and exchange small talk, I mean end up sitting with and discussing the philosophy of the world all night while learning about their fears, dreams and plans) I’d suggest bursting that bubble by spending less time reminiscing with your friends and more time interacting with others and steering conversation away from the 'us' and into the 'you, where, why'.

2. SEE MORE THINGS

       Ever miss out on something on your list because you were deep in conversation and passed it by? This is another reason traveling solo is wonderful. Since you’re not going to be distracted by the person walking alongside you you’ll end up seeing more, taking more in and noticing the little things you otherwise wouldn’t have.

3. GO WHERE YOU WANT & WHEN YOU WANT

The number one perk of solo travel? You're the boss! When traveling in a group chances are what you want to see, how to get there, what’s important and how you should spend your time and or money will greatly differ. When you’re alone, not only do you create the must see list but you also direct yourself around 100% of the time. This means no more time wasted on discussing what to see rather than seeing it, no more 'give and take' thus missing out on the shops you wanted to visit or skipping breakfast because your friend took too long to get ready. If you want to sit for hours on end on a chair in awe of the Alps- do it and enjoy it, you’re on your time!

4. BE WHOEVER YOU WANT TO BE

       It’s a pretty cool feeling to be somewhere in the world where no one knows your name much less who you are, where you’ve come from or where you’re going. Relish in that. Explore new places, meet new people and let them see the real you. This I believe is one of the reasons why friends met in transit are some of the most genuine and honest people you’ll ever meet- all they have to go on is what you show them.

5.   LEARN MORE ABOUT YOURSELF

I’m not going to summarize this one. It’s an experience one can only understand after time spent on the road alone. A discovery well worth making.

6. TAKE MORE PHOTOS. TAKE BETTER PHOTOS

I’m the first to admit I can be incredibly anal when it comes to photography. Due to this I’ve missed out on a number of potentially awesome snaps because my fed up friend has hurried me along or I chose not to go back and reshoot the otherwise crooked photo I snapped in a hurry while running for the train. Going back to being the boss of your journeys you have all the time in the world to wander, notice, line up, prepare, snap and shoot away! All without getting on anyone’s nerves.

7. GO WITH YOUR INSTINCT

Basic travel advice 101. Go with your gut. Sometimes though what your gut is telling you differs from what your travel companion believes. When traveling solo you should and can follow your instincts.

8. FACE YOUR FEARS
Traveling alone will force you to experience or do things you otherwise wouldn’t choose to. Without the safety in numbers and having the option to ask someone else to do it for you, you’ll learn of strengths you never knew you had and find yourself coming home with a new found independence and an 'I can handle anything' attitude.

9.   FIND INNER PEACE
This was a big one for me. I never realised just how unsettled I was within myself. Always in need to be constantly entertained, talked to, inspired, distracted or just noticed. I spent very little time if any, on my own. I can actually pinpoint the exact moment in my travels that this inner peace first touched me. I was sitting on a chair in Annecy, France. (That chair I mentioned in number three & the top picture of this post) Just sitting there, waiting. To be fair, waiting isn’t the right word because I wasn’t actually waiting for anything. I had nowhere to be, no one to see and essentially nothing really to do. So why did it feel like I was waiting? I believe in the age of social media we rely far too heavily on outer things to bring us inner fulfillness when really it should come from the inside and spill out onto our outside world. I thought a lot about that as I reflected on my life, my past, my future, where I’d been, who I’d met, the amazing things I was currently seeing and then even deeper into the who am and I am where am I going. I ended up sitting on that chair with myself, for roughly five and a half hours. It was on that chair at that moment I made the decision to start getting to know myself, learning to like myself and becoming my own best friend.

10.  PROVE THEM WRONG AND DO SO IN STYLE
To finish off the list, I add these words. To all the people that ever said I couldn’t do it, to all the ums and ahs about whether or not I’d actually go much less pull it off and to all the bets on how many days before I was on a plane coming home. Fast forward a few years later & I’m still exploring, inspiring, being inspired, discovering, learning, meeting and enjoying the incredible people and places this world has on offer. Prove them wrong. You CAN travel solo, you CAN have a completely awe inspiring and amazing time, you WILL enjoy it and it WILL change you in ways you never dreamed of. 

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STARS COME & GO BUT SOY SAUCE IS FOREVER: Spanish Journal W2

"Stars come and go but soy sauce is forever."-The line I've created to overcome my initial issue with having two versions of "I am" in Spanish.

Me llama Ashlea. Quien es usted?
De dónde es ustedes? Soy Australiana- yo vivo en las Maldivas. Tego vientedos años. Encantada!
Success! I can say with a grin I’ve reached my mini conversation goal this week & can now introduce myself and ask where someone's from. Translation (here’s hoping I actually got it right) Hello! My name is Ashlea, who are you? Where are you from? I am Australian, I am living in the Maldives. I’m 22 years old. Nice to meet you! 

Semana dos (week two) GOAL CHECKLIST

[  ] Spend 30mins a day practicing

[x] Complete Teach Yourself Spanish Unit one
[x] Numbers 20 – 100
[x] Be able to introduce myself
[x] Pronouns (I, we, you, they are)
[x] Make a new Spanish friend
BONUS-[x] Ended up learning some colours and animals this week tambien! (also)

Resumen semanal (WEEKLY SUMMARY)

Bum bow… didn’t quite reach my study time goal though I did manage to do a little something every day. I ended up spending more time researching programs and pages on learning Spanish than actually using or learning with them. I did indeed make a Spanish friend though! One of the perks of long term travel or life abroad is meeting and making friends from all over the world. After a hopeful facebook post and a refer-a-friend situation I was introduced to my new Spanish friend. A friend of mine saw my post and put me in touch with her friend who is Spanish & currently learning English. Perfecto! We plan to help each other on our quest for mastering one another’s language. The hardest part this week? To be or to be. Soy vs Estoy.

¿cómo lo hago -HOW DID I DO IT?

(Some of the resources I used or memory tricks)

·        Soy vs estoy. Having two forms of ‘I am’ was a new concept and a little hard to wrap my head around. From the research I did though & to my current understanding soy is used to express things of permanence for eg I am tall or I am Australian whereas estoy is used to express things ‘in the moment’ or events of non-permanence for example I am happy or I am at the movies. A little line I’m using to remember this? Stars come and go (Estos sounding a little like stars) but SOY sauce is forever. I’m finding word play helps new phrases and concepts stick a little better in my mind and the weirder the line the higher chance I remember. Another example of this was when learning the French word for fish -poisson (pronounced pwa-son). I remembered fish over any other animal to begin with because I don’t like nor eat fish- fish to me are poison.

·        Teach Yourself Spanish Unit one / two

·        http://spanish.typeit.org/ The site I’ve been using to type correctly to my Spanish amigo.

·        Learnt 20 new vocab words from a Childrens ‘turn & learn’ picture book by writing on the back of each page the spanish word.

That marks the end of week two! – Habla próxima semana!
Be sure to subscribe by email for updates on my progress or check out some other posts.
New to the journey? See how it started here. Missed last weeks post? Check out week one here.

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LESSONS IN LUXEMBOURG - A terrible way to save money

The worst way I ever saved money and the crazy road trip that eventuated from it.

Elbows, knees and converses to the head. The dull tension brought about from the power struggle as you gently wrestle for space, the soft tingling of pins and needles as your limbs go numb and the unpleasant aftermath as they painfully wake from kicking the door or someone else while trying to stretch it out. This was the result of my money saving quest gone wrong. Sleeping in a car is never comfortable nor easy, much less when there’s three of you doing it in the back of a 2.5 seater Volvo and you're parked in the middle of a city you just arrived in.

Half way past drunk and in the wee hours of the morning myself and a few friends were looking over a map and discussing our upcoming travel plans when someone pointed out this little teeny country crammed in between Belgium, Germany and France. Luxembourg. After going round the table and realising none of us actually knew anything about it (in a group of expat friends alike- it was VERY rare no one had anything to say). Why had we never heard of it? Nor really even noticed it hiding there on the map? After doing a little research on the city and discovering the people of Luxembourg were called Luxembourgers and that they did in fact speak Luxembourgish it was settled that we absolutely had the go there. We all happened to have the weekend off together, something that was a rare to never occurrence. So we packed a few bags set an alarm and hit the sack. The plan? Wake up, hire a car, drive to Luxembourg (stopping in Belgium for waffles… of course) spend the night there then head to Germany the next day, spend the last night there, hit the road and be back in Holland on time for work on Monday. The only problem with this great plan was we were all dirt poor. We managed to pull together enough to hire the car and pay for gas. With no money left over we had the brilliant idea to cut costs and skip out on accommodation altogether. We have a car, it’s just for the weekend- let’s make our money well spent & sleep in it!

Three days, three countries, a car and a basket full of food. In theory sleeping in a car in a bid to avoid hotel costs seems like an awesome idea. Yeah, not so much. What I should have considered: where do you plan to park the car? Cars don't come with the privacy and comfort of a hotel room with walls, windows with curtains, a door or a bathroom. Trying to Sleep in a car parked in the middle of a city on a Saturday night is actually a very stupid thing to do as we came to understand. With the cities night life all out and about or heading home, peering eyes and drunken stares were coming at us left right and center. It seemed all the creepies where out this particular night which only added to the intensity of those stares and glares. To be fair I don't blame anyone for staring though, we probably creeped them out far more than they did us.  I'm sure they were all wondering why on earth a Czech guy and two Aussie girls were crammed into the back of a Volvo playing human Jenga for hours on end on a Friday night. Well why were you parked in the middle of the city, you ask? This brings me to lesson two. Delve a little deeper into the motto 'don't drink and drive' and some solid advice to add onto to it would be don't drive to another country, park your car someplace stupid, drink, return and be unable to move it. Especially if your car is currently hosting you as a hotel on wheels. Consider your surroundings.

After hours of shuffling around in the car we eventually gave up on the tedious task of getting comfy and decided it would be a better idea to go and sleep in the park. We happened to have parked right alongside the biggest and most amazing park in Luxembourg. Complete with giant tipi structures, tunnels, swings and a fully sized ship- it seemed more like a playground or adults rather than tikes. We spent the vast majority of the night playing in the park, building makeshift beds in the tipi structures, being creeped out by passer byes or noises, returning to the security of a locked car, making numerous attempts to get comfy in said car only to begin the endless shuffle and fight for space again. With the daylight brought the reality that no one was getting any sleep that night- so instead we locked up the car and headed off to explore.

I must say, we couldn't have been in a better place to spend the early hours wandering. The early bird really does get the worm, right? This was lesson three. I've been told for years by the early risers how beautiful and refreshing a morning walk can be and that I should be spending more time out in the sunshine than inside asleep. Mornings have never agreed with me and it wasn't until I experienced this particular one in Luxembourg that my opinion on the matter changed. Walking around the near-bare streets, breathing the smell of fresh morning air and watching the world come to life as the sun  gently kissed my surroundings. It wasn't until that tranquil and idyllic morning, probably while sitting in the silent sun, eating the berries I'd just picked from the tree I was beneath that I truly experienced the morning hours for what they are, or can be.

The people - the Volvo - the places. *Please ignore the heinous orange die job I'm rocking in these photos.

Other than opting to be more of a morning person and less of a night owl the main advice I can pass on from this lesson is consider ALL consequences and options when trying to save a quick buck. Really think about if it's going to be worth it. Know when to save and when to splurge. (Check out my post here to read more about when to spend)
I’m all for cutting costs wherever possible though in hindsight – this probably wasn’t the brightest idea we’ve had. If I was to do it again (& let’s be honest, I probably would) I’d either make the splurge for a hostel OR I’d upgrade my hotel on wheels – opting for a van or at minimum a bigger car with tinted windows.

For some money saving tips that WON'T leave you sleeping in a car, check out my post Eke out your euro.

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ABC, 123 & WORKING OUT THE PLAN: Spanish Journal W1

Hola, mis amigos!
I’ve come to the end of week one for my latest challenge: Teach myself Spanish in the Maldives. (Read about how it started by following the link)
First and foremost can we just take a moment to absorb the fact that it’s actually been a week since Fin de año? A week since I was sitting on a rock watching the fireworks and welcoming the New Year out here in the middle of the sea. How time flies. So far so good with sticking to my NYS resolutions! How’s everyone else done? As promised, here is my weekly language update & progression.

Semana uno (week one) GOAL CHECKLIST
[x] Spend 30mins a day practicing
[x] Read online resources and guides on teaching yourself a language
[x] Learn a Spanish preschool song
[x] Make flashcards & use daily
[x] Be able to recite the alphabet
[x] Count to 20
[x] The basics; Greetings
[x] Days of the week
[  ] Months of the year
[x] Time words (Year, day, yesterday, last week, tonight etc)

Resumen semanal (WEEKLY SUMMARY)
I feel like the week went well! 9/10 checked off the list – not too shabby! I haven’t ticked off months of the year yet as I am only just getting around to them tonight.
It’s incredibly daunting when you begin to learn a language. I’ve been speaking English for 22 years and I’m still learning new words here and there. Yes, it’s intimidating to start from scratch and it’s incredibly odd to read, hear and recite (something you’ve done all your life) though this time in a completely foreign way. However I’m finding when I let myself be intrigued by the ambiguity rather than let it deter me, the unknown can be really exciting! This is one of the main factors I’ve taken into account this time around (unlike my French learning) I have changed my mindset. I found myself regularly frustrated before when I felt I’d learnt so much and yet couldn’t understand the French News Channel when I flicked it on. How to fix the problem this time? STOP SETTING UNREALISTIC GOALS. I was incredibly naive to think that after a month or so of 30min practice here and there I’d be able to fully understand each and every segment of the news in French, much less spoken at the fast & frank speed of a native French speaker. This time I’ll be setting small and simple goals and not let the frustration of not being fluent immediately get the better of me. How crazy is that? I actually found myself regularly annoyed that I had not reached fluency all the while not really trying nor putting in the time to ever do so.

¿cómo lo hago -HOW DID I DO IT?
(Some of the resources I used or memory tricks)

• To start off with I jumped on Google and copied down the basics- the alphabet, vowels, numbers and greetings with a second list explaining how to pronounce each word.
• I hit two birds with one stone when I learnt the days of the week (Los dias de la samana) through a childrens song. I found a great one on youtube to the tune of the Adams Family! Ask me any time of the week what day it is- and I’ll now be able to tell you. (Possibly after a little sing along, *da na na na, click, click*)
• To help assist in remembering the numbers I carried around a piece of paper to refer to if I got stuck & would count in my head. I’d count as I took steps, folded laundry, typed or basically anything that could be counted… I counted.
• I used the TEACH YOURSELF SPANISH program to learn the basics of pronunciation, be introduced to simple grammar rules, the alphabet and basic greetings. I didn’t spend as much time on this as I’d hoped, though I’m hoping if I ease into it and make learning the basics as fun as possible there will be less chance of becoming bored with my learning.
• I made a flashcard for all the new words I learnt as well as greeting phrases. I ended up carrying them around and whenever I had a moment to myself at work or while walking around I got them out & practiced. 
• To prep myself I've also downloaded a bunch of apps on my phone. (Duolingo, Sensei, Translate, Learn Spanish Free) I'm LOVING Duolingo and Sensei. They have catchy little games and actividads to assist your learning as well as fun ways to introduce new words and concepts. (I have a a samsung running android so you'll find these apps in the Google Play store. I'm sure you apple heads can find them on itunes also.

That marks the end of semana uno! (week one)
The goals next week? Numbers 20-100, Pronouns & articles (I, we, you, this, the, that) I’m going to also start setting a weekly conversation goal so bit by bit I can hold small conversations on various topics right from the start. I also plan to make a Spanish speaking friend on the net somewhere to help assist me as a language partner. If you speak Spanish or are learning English and would like to be that friend, get in touch & let me know! Gracias, hasta la próxima vez!

Some study in the sun esta tarde. (this afternoon) 

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