A few years ago, I discovered the wonderful world of house sitting and became addicted to Trusted Housesitter’s website and the daily email listing the newest available house sits. I created my profile, applied for tons of house sits, and finally got my first gig in Bristol, England. It opened the door to European house sitting […]
A New Life in Nice, France – One Year Later
One year ago today, I woke up in a friend’s guest bedroom in Nice. As I wiped the sleep from my tired eyes, I looked up at the ceiling trying to remember exactly where I was. After enduring a torturous month of house sitting in Guatemala, I felt a wave of relief wash over me […]
8 Things to do on an Alassio Holiday – the Italian Riviera
“…one of the loveliest town beaches I’ve seen in Italy. Its wide expanse of smooth sand is framed by typically Ligurian terracotta and green-shuttered ochre houses and sheltered from the wind by mountains to north and west.” This description from an article in The Guardian convinces me to plan my Alassio holiday! I had never […]
How to Apply for a French Long-Stay Visa – Part Deux
Last year I applied for a French long-stay visa and I really screwed it up! As a result of my stupidity, I was approved for only a nine-month visa in my one-year restricted passport. However, this long-stay visa also came with restrictions, the most important being it’s not eligible for “Cart de Sejour” – meaning the […]
On Anthony Bourdain and Illusions of a “Perfect Life”
I flew through the night and arrived the same day, winging my way from my new life in Nice to the familiarity of my previous life in Minnesota. I opened up Facebook to kill time while waiting for my ride from the airport, and it slaps me in the face: “Anthony Bourdain – RIP”. This one […]
Nice to Eze Village – a Fascinating Day Trip
Located just down the road from Nice is an enchanting medieval village perched high on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. As you look to the left from this “eagle’s nest”, you get a glimpse of Italy in the distance. To the right, the Rothschild’s estate stands out on Cap Ferrat and, beyond that, Mont […]
Cinque Terre Hiking Trails – Tips for Exploring the Italian Coastline
Many years ago, I visited Cinque Terre for the first time and I really screwed it up. I arrived in Italy with no real plan and ended up sleeping on a cold, hard bench in the Pisa train station while waiting for a midnight train to anywhere. This time, I vowed, I explore the beautiful […]
10 Cheap (and free) Things to do in Nice
“Cote d’Azur”. “The South of France”. “The French Riviera.” These descriptions of my new neighborhood just SOUND expensive and conjure up images of movie stars and fast cars. But since I’m not a movie star and live on a budget, I’ve found ways to cope with prices slightly higher than what I left behind in Taiwan. Last […]