Staying home but reading abroad

It's summer in Europe and my Instagram feed is filled with photos of people eating ice cream along the banks of the Seine, daffodils in the English countryside, and waves crashing on pebbly Italian beaches. Oh how I wish I could be there! Spring and summer in Europe are magical seasons where the sky is always blue, the days go on forever, and a cold beer is the perfect way to end a day where you have walked and walked and walked.

Unfortunately work commitments and lack of funds mean that the closest I will get to Europe this year will be a croissant at my local bakery, but in the meantime I am travelling the world in my imagination and going back through my collection of travel books.

If you've never discovered the genre, you are in for a treat. Travel books let you explore new places through the eyes of the author for much less than the cost of a plane ticket - all while snuggled comfortably under your doona. You won't loose your passport, get blisters, or suffer from jet lag (unless you stay up all night reading). You can revisit favourite places, or discover locations you'd never normally visit. So pack your bag, fasten your seatbelt and browse through my top 10 travel books.

A year in Provence - Peter Mayle

Do not read this book on an empty stomach. This account of Englishman Peter Mayle's first year living and renovating a house in Provence in the early 80's is full of hearty country meals, young vino and good olive oil. Warm, quirky characters and plenty of humorous moments - all set amidst the sublime Provincial countryside - make for an entertaining stroll through the seasons. I have always loved this book - but even more so after visiting the region a few years ago and tasting the magic of Provence for myself. There really is nowhere else like it.

Rule number 5: no sex on the bus - Brian Thacker

This account of an Aussie's experiences as a tour guide in a double-decker bus crossing Europe is just gold. I started reading it on a flight from Barcaldine to Brisbane, sitting in the very back row of the plane and laughing so much that people down the aisle turned to see what was so funny. From hilarious observations about Aussies abroad to crazy anecdotes about how to survive 35 days on the road as an impoverished tour guide, it's the easiest trip you'll ever take.

Paris letters - Janice MacLeod

This was my book of 2015. Copywriter Janice MacLeod realised that she needed a major break from the corporate world, so she challenged herself to make changes to her life and save enough money for a year's sabbatical. She set off on her trip, planning to travel around the world - except that in Paris she fell in love and decided to stay.  But the story doesn't end there. The joy of discovering her new home town and the love of a good man gave Janice the idea to create painted story letters of Paris that became a worldwide hit.

Lunch in Paris - Elizabeth Bard

A love story. In Paris. With recipes. What's not to love? And then read Picnic in Provence if you want to know what happened next.

My life in France - Julia Child and Louis Prud'homme

Yes, there is a French theme here.

Before Julia Child, became Julia Child, she and her husband Paul moved to France where he had a job at the American embassy. They fell in love with the city, it's people, and the food; and Julia found her passion in food and cooking. Yes, this is the story of what led to the creation of "Mastering the art of French cooking" but it's also a beautiful account of France from the 1940's to the 70's and a joyous tale of love, friendship, cooking and eating.

Vroom with a view - Peter Moore

In the year that he turned 40, Peter Moore bought a Vespa made in the year off his birth and drove it from Milan to Rome. 'Sophia' took him on a journey of discovery around Italy, where he travelled the prettier back roads and got to know the locals as they admired - and occasionally helped him repair - his fabulous Vespa. 

Lights,camera, travel - Lonely Planet series

We always imagine that the rich and famous don't experience travel the way that we do. But really, every tourist shares similar experiences.  This collection of travel tales from people like Alec Baldwin, Richard E Grant, and Sandra Bernhard is really entertaining. My favourite tale is from Anthony Edwards, who bought a plane with his wife and spent a year travelling the globe with their 4 children, two pilots and a school teacher. Amazing and heart warming.

My family and other animals - Gerard Durrell

My mum bought me this when I was about 15, so it was probably the first travel book I ever read. Gerald Durrell's tale of his time living in Corfu with his family and a host of animals is a light and humorous read - a picture perfect view into a simpler life.

Antarctica on a plate - Alexa Thomson

Alexa Thompson needed a change in her life, so she gave up her corporate job and applied to be a cook in the coldest place on earth. This isn't always a glamorous tale - and I don't think that I could have done it - but it was a fascinating view into a world most of us won't ever see.

Bill Bryson

There are too many lovely Bill Bryson books out there to name just one and he is certainly one of the most well known travel writers in the genre. A journalist from Iowa, Bill set out for Europe after college and ended up in London. I get the feeling he's probably a pretty quiet bloke, but he doesn't miss much and his dry humour translates his experiences beautifully wherever he goes. My most recent re-read has been 'A walk in the woods' and I've just bought 'The road to little Dribbling'. If you haven't read him before and don't know where to start - 'Notes from a small island' is probably a good place.

If there was a theme to the books I've chosen here, it's probably that they tell simple tales of everyday life in un-everyday locations. Misadventures and extreme activities are always entertaining, but travelling with all your possessions in one bag, being in a place where you don't speak the language, and experiencing different cultures and cuisines are things that every traveller can relate to - and maybe that's why we like reading about them so much.

If only you could get stamps in your passport for it.

So what are your favourite travel books?

Wednesdays and weekends

You know the feeling. It's been a looooong day. You're tired and hungry. All you want to do is put up your feet and ignore the world for half an hour to build up the strength to see you through the sessions of cooking / cleaning / homework / television you need to do before you can flop into bed. A lovely glass of wine would be just the ticket - but you had a few drinks last night.

In the interests of full disclosure, I should start by saying that I'm not really a big drinker. I've had periods where I've not drunk for weeks or months for various reasons without too much bother. If I had to choose between giving up coffee or alcohol, I'd choose alcohol. (I would NEVER give up coffee - please don't make me!)

But that said, I do enjoy a few glasses of cool rose. Or an icy cold beer on a hot summer day. Champagne, nibbles and chats with the girls? I'm there!

As I've got older I've found that I enjoy a drink a bit more than I did when I was in my 20's - I finally get what people were always talking about when they suggested having a glass of wine after a rubbish day. It's nice.

So what used to be one or two glasses on the weekend had started to creep up over the years to be one or two glasses a couple of times a week and on weekends. It wasn't a problem, but it didn' feel quite right to me. 

Australian Government guidelines recommend that healthy men and women should drink no more than 2 standard drinks on any day to reduce the lifetime risk of harm - and no more than 4 drinks on one occasion.

For me, drinking two glasses of wine every night would be just too much. It's not that it makes me drunk, but it takes my focus away from other things. I'm less likely to want to put effort into cooking and if I'm already tired it will be enough to make me fall asleep on the couch. I needed to find a balance that worked for me.

Enter my fabulous acupuncturist with some great advice. He loves a good glass of red and sometimes we chat about different wines we have enjoyed.  One day I mentioned that I didn't like to drink too often but found it hard to find a ritual that suited me and then he gave me the best drinking advice ever.

"I only drink on days starting with "W", he said.

I would have raised my head to stare at him except that I had half a dozen strategically placed pins in my neck, back and shoulders, so I resorted to a snigger.  But before I could point out the obvious, he explained: "I drink on Wednesdays and Weekends."

And you know what? It was great advice - that now totally works for me. It gives me something to look forward to in the midst of the working week but it also helps me keep things in check.Win, win.

Of course if I'm out at an event or its a special occassion, I go for it. But as a general rule, drinking on the 'W's" helps me see if I'm straying away from my comfort zone and I know I'm not creating a problem that might be harder to manage down the track.

What rules have you set for yourself around alcohol?

Seeing clearly

My annual eye exam came up recently so I took myself off to the Optometrist to get tested. I went to a new place because the last time I got glasses I paid the most exorbitant amount of money for the blasted things and I vowed that I would NEVER do it again. I mean honestly, I have good private health care. They are generous when it comes to glasses. The things are small and they aren’t made of gold.  I truly fail to see how a set of frames with an ultra-cool brand name on the side can cost as much as my last pair did. 

So, off I went to my appointment. Eye test was fine, my peepers are in good shape other than the fact that they just don’t see quite as well as they used to. I moved into the glasses area to make my selection and briefed the assistant about my requirements. 

For the look: “No frames that are too big, nothing cat’s eye or goggle-like. Nothing too funky – I’m not that cool. Don’t make me look ugly.” (Gotta try at least). 

For the price: “Not the cheap, two-pairs-for-one-low-price that are totally flimsy and break in a month. I want good quality, mid-range glasses that are sturdy and reliable. And not ugly.”

The team were friendly and helpful and dashed around holding a dizzying array of glasses up in front of my face. There were a dozen different shades, colours and styles to try and the team took my criticism of some of their choices quite well. (In hindsight, "Oh good God – are you mad?" might have been a bit harsh). 

We ended up with a plain blue pair and the girls at the cash register agreed that they were a good choice. I also asked to have the new prescription added into my old glasses so I’d have a second pair and it cost me extra - OF COURSE - but still not as much as I paid for them the first time. 

Fast forward a few weeks and I've had some time to get used to my new glasses. Overall I like them -  I’m seeing better and they work the way they should. There’s just one thing – they aren’t as good as my old ones.  While they aren’t completely flimsy, they are still a lot lighter and feel less sturdy than my original pair. I find I have to be careful when I take them off and fling them on my nightstand (yes, I do that) for fear of breaking them.  

Can it be that my old, trendy-branded, super expensive glasses were more expensive because they are actually better made and more reliable?  Could it be true that you have to pay the equivalent of the national debt of Bolivia to actually get a reliable, well-made pair of spectacles? Only time will tell how this new pair wear, but it’s going to be a purchase worth watching.

                              

                             I think the owl glasses holder that I bought in Paris like the new purchase.