Living anywhere will mean that you have adventures in and around where you are living. In Paris, these seemed all very glamorous; however it is clear that in and around Melbourne is equally glamorous, albeit in a different way. I have often had people ask me for things to do close to the city, and here a a few things that we have done in the region of Melbourne.
Read MoreAlmost as quickly as it began, my time in Europe was coming to an end. My time in France was done and I had only a few days left in Germany. I did however have one weekend left and I had booked in a to visit a good friend whom I had met in Paris who now lived in Hamburg. Other than a recent trip to Berlin, I had not spent much time in the North of Germany. Moreover, there is not much (German) cultural overlap between Berlin and Hamburg, but I had heard many good things about the city. It often appears on list of "liveable" cities, basically meaning that they are excellent destinations for highly-paid expats usually at the cost of the local population, but that would not stop me from going and visiting my friend the expat and having a great time.
Read MoreIntegrating the time that I had spent in Germany, it was somewhat of a black spot on my record that I had not been to Berlin. I would say that it is not all that surprising, given my interests are in the outdoors and not generally in cities, but Berlin is cool. So cool in fact, that all the Bohemian people that I knew - and going to a fancy private school meant I knew plenty of them with much disposable income - had lived there at one point or another and said how it was the "most ah-mazing place". Floating my boat is more the city's importance as the a capital, especially during the Kingdom of Prussia. But perhaps the most persuasive element was that leaving Germany without ever having visited the capital, especially as most other people that visit Germany make Berlin stop number one, would be setting myself up for many fruitless conversations in the future. So with no expectations, I would head north for the weekend and hang out with the cool kids.
Read MoreI had some friends I wanted to visit in Köln, but as I had been there previously, I wanted to profit from being in the area and see something new. The nearby town of Aachen had always held great interest for me, so I formulated a plan to spend the Saturday there and then make my way to Köln on Sunday.
Read MoreParis and its surrounds provide no shortage of things to see and do. Indeed, this is my second post of things in and around Paris. In addition to the sights one might expect, I also visited the Musée Jacquemart-André, a beautiful residence showcasing the life collection of Édouard André and Nélie Jacquemart. I also took a trip to the fairy-tale Chateau de Pierrefonds and explored the medieval town at the end of the line, Provins. I later found out that Provins is an exceptionally popular place for grandparents to take their grandchildren, a trend that was well observed on my visit. But perhaps the greatest trip was saved for my last weekend in Paris: Versailles. Arriving bright and early I was surprised to see a line already formed some 30 minutes before opening, albeit quite a small one. Once the doors opened, I did not mess around and got to the front of the group, ensuring that I had every room in the palace to myself for at least a short time. I rushed though first in order to have the place to myself and take photos, but once I was done I went back to the start and took things more slowly. I loved every minute of my time in Paris and will sorely miss living there.
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