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Dave Ramsey made me wanna

So, for reasons I can no longer recall, I started to follow David Ramsey for Australians on Facebook.  I have a history of reading personal finance blogs, and whilst they often drive me insane (the content is very repetitive, and they all want to monetise… And a little ranty). This is how I’ve come to know the bible belt financial gospel guru.  Aside from books, he also has a podcast.  I do not listen to it.

I know the basics – there’s baby steps, and they are pretty darn simple and logical to me, a daugher of a banker

  1. Save a $1000 emergency fund
  2. Pay off consumer debts, start with the smallest debt and work through them.  AKA Debt snowball
  3. Save for (three to) six months of expenses
  4. Pay into your retirement fund at 15% of income
  5. Save for your children’s education
  6. PAY OFF YOUR MORTGAGE
  7. Spend/donate etc

That’s from memory… If I got it wrong, I’m not too fussed.  My post is about what reading all these posts have made me wonder…

How long would it take me to pay off my mortgage?

I kept turning the idea over in my head, and couldn’t work it out.  So I broke it down.

First I’d get my offset account to “fully paid up”.  For long term readers, you might recall that I go to this point with a previous lender.  I am onto my third lender – each time the fixed term component ‘matures’ I review the market and go for the lowest interest rate.  Cause..  loyalty gets you no where.  So I started with

  • ANZ (2 years, all fixed), then went to started in Dec 2011
  • Bankwest (3 years, 20% variable with offset, 80% fixed), and now I’m with
  • ING (2 years, 40% variable, 60% fixed) started in Jan 2017

When I looked at my regular ‘inputs’ to my offset account, I could work out roughly what goes in monthly, less what goes out monthly (namely, moving money out of offset to the two mortgage components), and a quarterly strata bill.  I did a calculation and found out I could do it 10 months.  Which was pretty darn close.  And then… I received an inheritance, quite unexpectedly (and I never count those sorts of things). And now I’m close to 6 months. (And I don’t plan to put all the inheritance onto the mortgage, I plan to purchase two ‘big ticket’ items which I see as heirlooms  – one is a gorgeous desk and the other is getting a ring made.  Cause… a paid of mortgage is great, but the two items will hold memories, and were things I was saving for before this unexpected windfall).  Let’s call that out – it would be January 2018! Wow.  By my birthday!

My place is NOT this pretty

And then, I looked what would happen if the same monthly amount *could* go onto the fixed mortgage month on month, knowing it can’t due to stupid rules.  That’s not the point – the point was to motivate myself with the timeline of when I could have it ALL paid off – and the answer was, that amount would take 2 years and seven months.   I was gobsmacked it was such a small duration of time.  You ‘buy’ 25 and 30 year mortgages!  And I’m talking about August 2020.

Of course, I don’t have a step 5 to fund of Dave Ramsey’s plan.  (And I’m at 12.5% +$50p/w on my retirement). And I’m at prime child rearing age, so I’d happily have this plan hijacked by having kids.  But each month I’m not pregnant (ha! I’m single!) is a month I could shoehorn some money into that mortgage and get closer to that end goal of NO MORTGAGE!

I dream of a garden like this (via)

Oh, and 2020 is a much mentioned year where I work.  Because politician Fred Nile got it written into law that if our company was sold (aka long term leased) there could be NO job reductions until 2020.  Well… provided there wasn’t an agreed forced redundancy policy introduced – and you can be sure our strong union will die fighting a forced redundancy policy.  But there’s this concept of job guarantees (when we have 3,570 employees, and Treasury did also say that could be certain types of contractors) until 2020.  And… well… No one knows where we are at relative to that magic 3,570.  To me, it doesn’t matter.  Working hard is what matters.  Take it a day at a time.  That being said, so many people say ‘well we won’t have jobs in 2020’.  I cannot think that far in front of me, there’s enough going on RIGHT NOW.  But, that some mythical 2020 is when I could have a mortgage paid off.  Imagine… I could be someone who takes in rent from my tenants (ha) and due to the rent differential, could live on the spoils.  Ha! It’s not a plan I conceive actually happening, but it’s fun to imagine!

Now every time the doom and gloom mongers say ‘2020’ I will think about having no mortgage.  What fun!

Feel free to check in, in a few months.  Who knows, I might get seduced by international travel, and adjust this back a month or two… Let’s see.

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Plastic Free July 2017

I’m delighted to see friends, from different spheres of life, announcing their intentions on Plastic Free July! It warms my heart.  As this is a public blog, many of my friends know I have posted at length about my Zero Waste hopes and intentions!

So, what am I doing for Plastic Free July?

  1. Use it up challenge for moisturisers.  I have a handful of small containers (from flights or samples) of moisturiser.  I’m not a regular moisturiser user, so… there’s that! The idea is to get to one bottle, and then refill it (where, I haven’t sorted yet).
The use is up area. Notice anything Lucinda?

Ok a numbered list might have been overkill there!

Let’s revise what changes I’ve made since blogging (and for long term readers, it’s a check in and update on this post). It’s great to see progress in four years (items in italics)

This is what I have on me most days
  1. Joco glass cup for take away coffees daily, upgrading from plastic keep cups
  2. Glass bottle with silicone sleeve – a bit heavier than the steel one I lost, but pretty
  3. Bamboo cutlery – always in my handbag, to say no to single use packs.  It was a ‘gift with purchase’, which I’m thankful for 🙂
  4. Bamboo straw – a recent addition to the cutlery in my handbag.  Still mastering learning ‘when’ I might need to warn against a straw.
  5. Fold up shopping bag – also always in my handbag with 3 & 4
  6. Pyrex glass dishes with plastic lids – this removes almost all my need for cling film or similar disposable
  7. Hessian bags for grocery shopping (cough… or work out bag.  Nothing if not multi purpose)
  8. Deodorant – years ago I tried Lush and it’s so so, I also found a cardboard ‘pop top’ style deodorant, which is even poorer at odour control.  But these two are all I’m using currently
  9. Shampoo bar from Lush – I do re-use stockings with runs, to hold fragments together
  10. Lunette menstrual cup – not ideal I have two, but one seemed to cause bad smells
  11. Cotton buds with cardboard stems – so at least there’s a little less plastic
  12. Toothbrush – it’s bamboo with charcol bristles
Stylishly plastic free
  1. Bottle brushes – again, no plastic.  How often do I was my bottle? Not enough!
  2. Glass blender – I freecycled a plastic one, then bought second hand a glass one.  Small things, but all are minimal waste.

Things I need to work on:

  1. Toothpaste – or perhaps tooth powder.  I want something that works for travel as well as day to day.  So far, a powder has seemed a little ‘far gone’
  2. Conditioner – solids ones are a fail (from my trial), but I can either get a Lush bottle (you can return their containers – not clear if for refill or recycling) or refill at a bulk store
  3. Dental floss – I tried and failed with silk thread… SInce then, there’s a great company  in Germany who provide it in a glass vial, then Dental lace from the US
  4. Face wash – I have two.  One is the biggest I can get (Cetaphil) but the other was a purchase when I forgot to pack face wash
  5. Body wash – I have one that’s scented; another is an exfoliant
  6. Razors – one handle, and only replacing the head.  Perhaps when I’m through the blade heads, I should look at a plastic free option, but there’s a little fear.
  7. Freezer food – so, since I’ve been single, I’ve resulted in buying and eating meals ready-to-eat from the freezer.  They are cheap.  They have more vegetables than I’d otherwise be bothered with.  The containers are recyclable, but the soft plastic is often soiled and NOT recycled.  I’m icky that I’m this lazy.

Things that are acceptable passes for me

  1. Band aids
  2. Medication or painkillers in blister packs
  3. Ear plugs – I use them for SO long, but they are foam which isn’t recyclable
  4. Storage of bulk items (flours etc) as they aren’t heated, and 2kg of rice is heavy without ALSO storing it in glass
  5. Dish sponges – still cut in half to use one for longer. Though I could retry natural alternatives or options

Finally, some things are just building habits.  Things like:

  • preparing to grocery shop, so taking your bags
  • thinking to take a Joco cup for a coffee, or having a sit down coffee
  • storing cutlery, fabric serviette and a straw in my handbag with a fold up shopping bag
  • planning to refill certain items from a bulk store
  • planning when and where to drop off compost at community gardens with compost bins. Thankfully there’s one near the library I go to
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June summary

The other day, my mobile phone recharged (yes, I’m on prepay) and I realised a month had flown by since i got back from Europe.  I spent a week or two after returning recovering from mild but lingering cold.  Work gobbled me up, however, these summary posts remind me, that’s not ALL that happened!

Culture

I started thinking I’d done nothing, but then I found photos of a band I went to with my brother.  Simon doesn’t know them, but enjoyed them, and said more than once that he couldn’t believe I like this genre of music.  Shrugs.  They sung a cover of a song I love too – a cover that they adjust the words to, and make EVEN better!

Thundamental concert – Blue Mountain’s born and bred

I also had my turn of doing flowers for the church.  There was a funeral, right after I did it, and I had requests for the colours and flowers.  I hope they were happy!  In any case, I was proud of the outcome.

Church flowers, for a funeral

Romance

We should rename this section “photos I took of food when I ate out”, because none of the following were at ‘dates’!  I’ve really slowed down from dating.  Some of this is due to focusing more on my fitness.  But also, you get fatigued with profile reading and become very judgemental.  So instead, here’s snippets of a breakfast with friends, a great cafe near my parents, so I spent the night at their house.  Actually, three Friday nights I stayed with my parents, once for the flowers, once for this brunch and once to take them to the airport on Saturday morning.

German pancakes

I have a lovely friend who I met at church who also lives locally, and when he’s in town we catch up for coffee or breakfast prior.

Thia French toast

Work

I have settled back into a groove – the week or two post holidays I was clearly revitalised and much more perky and upbeat than some around me.  It’s worn off a little, but I’ve worked long hours again this week – really trying to take some load off my team, but also preparing to hit the ground running in the new financial year with all the ambitious targets and programs.  So much so, I left work late on Friday 30th June, and was mighty angry at my boss <- it was NOT his fault, but being angry at myself was not fun :p

Health

I did  it – I joined F45.  I did a week’s trial and attended three classes, and still did my usual 2 Barre tone classes.  It’s around $580 for a 3 month membership, and I feel this is a timeline I can commit to.  I paid upfront, as I HATE automatic deductions and all the rules to cease the deductions.  And, to be totally hypocritical, I do happily pay $35 per week for two classes at Barre Body, and sometimes miss weeks due to illness.  Seems sometimes, the ‘cost per class’ I can stomach!?

I also did a special Barre class on the 30th, and was late, which was by candlelight.  I thought it would be darker, with the light dimmer more, but alas no.  Still, it was a different teacher and routine/style to usual so that was a mix up from usually doing F45 on Fridays and Barre on Saturday.

Bought

Shopping haul – pillow protectors, suction hooks, a moisture absorbing egg and candle making items
  • Candle wicks – to remake candles from leftover wax
  • Suction hooks to hang coats – sadly didn’t work on our loggia tiles, but the internal bifold glass is a winner!
  • Moisture absorbing ‘egg’ – ceramic with material inside that can be microwaved and reused!  An impulse purchase
New jacket
  • Marcs cropped Lani wool jacket – $100 off spot sale, so $179.95
  • White bra from Target
  • Wooden shelf and hardware to ‘expand’ storage in my pantry
  • Cancer council sunglasses – replacing the pair left overseas
  • Cancer council lip balm – an impulse purchase
  • Two pairs of runners – one pair for high impact, blue and pretty, one pair for lower impact, black and great for long walks
First work out done with the new runners
  • New (second hand) bed frame.  The Ikea Malm fell apart when I moved, and I made do, but it creaked and felt on it’s last legs.  I wanted a padded head so I could sit up and read, or blog.  $175!
  • The Ikea bed

    The new bed head, and the existing (hacked) ledge

Between paying for the F45 membership, and these little shopping moments, I feel quite cash poor.  Hopefully in coming weeks and months, it’ll feel better having prepaid the workouts at least.

Read

  • The bricks that built this house – Kate Tempest.  Very disappointing, I have NO idea why I read it to completion
  • Innocent – Scott Turow – a great author, I really feel like you get to know the characters but without making it long, and a compelling story that isn’t predictable.

Looking ahead to July, I hope to continue on the 5 weekly work outs, trying Dry July with a friend, and rewarding ourselves for those two feats with a fancy dinner at The Bridge Room.

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May Summary

Sunset in Heidelberg

Culture:

There was bucket loads of culture this month, given I spent two weeks in four other countries!  I won’t reiterate what’s in countless posts (you can click on the travel category on the right to get them all in one place, or select a country).

Films on the plane

  • Passengers
  • Fences
  • Collateral Beauty

Wanted to watch

  • Loving
  • Manchester by the Sea
  • I, Daniel Blake
  • Jackie
  • Lion
  • Split

Romance:

With the travel, the meeting of new people slowed *right* down, but that isn’t to say I didn’t keep in contact with a few new people and a few people from previous months.

Work:

My role was backfilled by someone of my choosing, and he did a GREAT job.  We were in email contact from time to time, as I like a daily check and file of emails whilst travelling.  I find that this keeps ‘on top of things’ rather than having a whole day back at work just sorting emails out.

I continue to ponder the future of my company, and my place within it.  I feel like I’m no longer growing and learning, as much as I’m otherwise enjoying things.  I’m not sure how or what would challenge me.  Food for thought!

Health:

My fitness has dropped right off, with travelling.  It might be nice to assume I did a lot of walking, but I think more days than not were largely sedentary.  I did hike a glacier, and ride 7km in Heidelberg between the wedding and the reception.  I had initiated contact prior to coming home from holidays with a F45 studio, and hoped to go my first weekend back, but have been knocked over with a cold.

Bought:

Gifts

  • mints for Mum in a tin with Modrian’s famous block painting from the Netherlands
  • a skein of Icelandic teal wool for a cousin
  • my favourite children’s book as a gift for a pregnant friend

Clothing etc

  • two black long sleeved tops from Lululemon for my trip (one is about to be eBayed as it served it’s purpose whilst away, and I know I won’t chose to wear it day to day)
  • eight pairs of knickers for the imminent trip
  • two second hand clutches – to store and corral items whilst travelling.  One is blush pink pleather, the other is dark purple silk.  Both served their purpose exceedingly well!
  • a secondhand backpack for the travels

Other things

  • a picnic blanket/bag secondhand
  • two second hand novels for my trip – one was great, the other I intentionally left on a plane!
  • deodorant – in a cardboard ‘push’ tube – yay for no plastic
  • charging cable for my iPhone (it’s great, there’s LED lights to know when the item’s fully charged vs charging! No light means it’s not charging)

Read:

As I alluded to in the bought section, I had two books, one was great, and listed below, the other was a let down, and promptly forgotten!.  I also picked up a great book at a book swap, and am pleased to find the author has a number of other titles, which I’ve promptly added to my library ‘to read’ list.

  • Identical – Scott Turow – a great crime fiction, based loosely around an ancient Greek myth!
  • A Treacherous Paradise – Henning Mankell – bought second hand as a ‘Nordic’ fiction.  In the end, the female Swede spends most of her time in Mozambique, so a misdirect on the planned setting I’d hoped for, but still incredibly interesting commentary on race relations in the early 1900s

 

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Post Euro trip expenses

For my recent trip, I had a spreadsheet running in advance of departure, and it had pre trip expenditure.  As my trip unfolded, I was curious to see how my spending went, and so added things to the spreadsheet.

Glacial lagoon

I prepaid all my tours in Iceland, with Extreme Iceland, which was

The above cost just shy of 90,000ISK which converted to about $1,100 AUD.  I would say it was money incredibly well spent, if not a little pricey when I was paying.  For every tour, I had door to door transfers/collections in great vehicles with wifi. I really couldn’t have asked for much more.  Meals weren’t included, but many stops were provided and advice (ie buy now, pricier or less choice later).  When I combine the Iceland activities to the other holiday activities, such as the tulip gardens entry fee as well as the entry to Oradour-sur-Glane,  activities end up being 17% of the money spent.

Little twingo – my first car hiring experience solo

Travel costs include the flights to Europe, which were the cheapest I have ever seen them at $1,300 return.  They was Sydney > Doha > Amsterdam then Paris > Doha > Sydney in May.  As I mentioned in another post, I took the opportunity to upgrade the Doha > Sydney leg, and even still, the total flight cost was below what I have come to expect for this journey.  When I include the costs of two days of car hire, tolls and petrol, as well as a few ICE/TGV trains in Germany and France, my total for travel comes in at 50% of my costs.

Chic Icelandic hostel

Accommodation varied between countries

  • Netherlands: AirBnB  ~$75 per night
  • Iceland: Hostels ~$70 per night
  • Germany: AirBnB ~$70 per night
  • France: chain budget hotels & private room in hostel ~$85/$55

Without this blog, I’d not have noticed that I cam in around $70-75 AUD most nights.  I can say that my AirBnB experiences were all great! The locations were wonderful, the hosts helpful and in most cases, breakfast happened to be covered, which I LOVE!  The last night in Paris was in a hostel that I knew well and was well located for an early departure.  I’m sad I missed their breakfast, as it’s worth every cent.  Accommodation came in at 15% of my spend.

Then one has two cheeses with two meats in a square pizza

All that’s left is cash purchases and meals, and for what I can itemise and best guess, feeding myself was 13% of costs.  That leaves only about 5% either unaccounted for or not in these broad categories.

I didn’t set a budget for this holiday, so I can’t comment on how my spend compared to that!  What I can say is that I think I am content with what I spent, for what I saw and experienced.  What I’ve really noticed is the shift away from ‘shopping’ styled holidays, where I replenish my wardrobe with stores that aren’t in Australia, to a greater focus on seeing the things I’ve longed to see.  This also helps with luggage and transit 🙂

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Last minute upgrade

Right after arriving in Amsterdam, Qatar Airways emailed with an offer to upgrade on either return sector of my flights.  Well timed – send that email when the pain of long haul is FRESH!  So I decided to take up the offer for the 14 hour flight from Doha to Sydney.  Overall, adding this upgrade STILL made my total fare less than what I usually spend to fly to Europe (given it was May, it was cheaper than July/August or around Christmas/New Year when I’ve travelled in the past).

Army planes at Charles de Gaulle – there were a STACK of men in the terminal in uniform and clearly travelling

Doha lounge

Never been SO happy to see a shower – I woke at 5.30am in Paris and skipped a shower, knowing I could get one in the lounge in Doha
This cannot even compare to my hostel sink the night before!
Oh what a shower! Though, I couldn’t get it cold enough!
Lounge area with refelctive pool
Lounge meal – from self serve buffet
The day’s cocktail, something with honey
Lounge desserts
Date cake post tongs. I really think some one needs to let Qatar know about cake slices (the utensil)
Another section of seats in the HUGE lounge
Section of the lounge known as the ‘Grill’ for sandwiches (and OF COURSE drinks)

Now, on the plane!!

Exited selfie – double chin at no extra cost
Honestly, no one needs a screen this big on a plane
The green stickers near the bottom, MIddle Eastern modesty
Delicious biryani for dinner
A hazelnut and caramel tart with some port before sleep time
Sorry it’s blurry – this is the ‘bar’ for Business class…
Blurry selfie of me in the complimentary PJs
A pre landing sweet snack… cause… why not?

I was well and truly getting a cold, and so my sleep was restless but I can ONLY imagine how much worse I may have felt elsewhere in the plane.

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US Bucket list trip

This post takes a few points from my 2017 Bucket list and groups them together… Nothing’s booked yet, but it’s another way of gathering my thoughts and things that could be grouped together. I also drafted a post for a trip to Scandinavia (in case that also accidently posts!)

Travel experiences

8. Go to the super bowl | Minneapolis, US  (early Feb 2018)

via

10. Go to (the original) Mardi Gras| New Orleans USA (mid Feb) – weekend prior to is February 9- 13 see site http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/mardi1.html

20. Take a SoulCycle Class

  • 111 West Wacker, Chicago, IL 60601
  • 2549 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77019
  • 12 in Los Angeles

General experiences

9. Build a bonfire and make S’mores

I feel like S’mores a summer tradition, but a fire in winter seems right to me!

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Clermont Ferrard – Lyon – Paris

Golden light selfie

Today was the start of the journey home.  Once again, I stayed in a budget chain hotel (ACE) in Clermont Ferrard, which is located just off the major highway, but also had a cluster of chain restaurants nearby (and coupons in the foyer to get a reduction on the bill – something I forgot the night previously).  I continue to get painfully full from delicious meals – at this Pizza restraunt, I had a ginger cocktail followed by a square pizza with camembert, some sort of dried meat, bacon cubes, onion and potato.  Amazingly good.  Followed it by a tiramisu made with speculoos, which is a spiced biscuit from the Netherlands or Belgium which often accompanies a coffee.

First, one drinks
Then one has two cheeses with two meats in a square pizza
Then you go Italian with a Belgian twist for desert

I forgot to set an alarm, but naturally woke at 8.30am (well and also 1am and 6am, but… you know…).  I enjoyed the 6E90 breakfast, almost identical to the day before – a large mug of hot chocolate, a yoghurt and two pastries.  When in France, right?  The buttery lightness of pain au chocolate and croissants is amazing when it’s done right!  Then back in the car.

For this leg of the journey, I decided to try taking the toll roads (or paege).  It cut a considerable amount of time from my journey (the GPS had been configured to remember ‘no tolls roads’ so it took some playing around to reverse that idea).  The initial projections were a four hour travel time, which would have had me returning the hire car after the 13h15 agreed.

The toll roads are wonderful – still spectacular scenery, but foot down and that’s about it – no roundabouts.  There’s at least two lanes everywhere, and three in areas where it’s hilly (so the trucks can take a slow lane).   There’s also a collection of tunnels, which are impressive too.  Overall, road rules and sensible driving abound.  Everyone stays right unless overtaking.  I’m not sure if it was forgetfulness or the rules, but many people leave the indicator ‘on’ whilst in the fast lane overtaking.  Generally speaking, there was little predatory behaviour, like following closely, though one Ferrari driver had a moment that saw me give him eye contact to say “your impatience will not see me cut in front of a large truck until I deem it safe”.

Approach to a large tunnel!

There was horrendous congestion on the approach to Lyon, and I worked hard with first and second gear, and didn’t one stall!  I did change lanes once or twice, and in hindsight, far right was the best (for the future turn, but also for traffic flows!).  I also, unexpectedly had an additional toll for using the city’s ring road. I haven’t a CLUE what the cost was, and just merrily inserted my card.  Devil may care… or… there’s really no backing out.

When bluetooth audio won’t work, and the 130kmh makes the ambient noise incredible, one keeps a podcast audible like this..

Once within Lyon ‘walls’, I had an easy enough drive, although the final turn was left, across two lanes of traffic, two tram lines, and then there were pedestrians crossing (or talking on their mobile and making me anxious whilst I straddled tram lines).  In the end, dilly dallying mobile phone man was ignored, and I proceeded. Car back! Safely!

It was a few blocks in the baking sun to the train station, which seemed to have increased the armed military presence.  I sat down for a little while to decompress after buying my ticket, and then grabbed some lunch (Starbucks… cause the French chain Paul had unbelievable lines). Then I boarded my train – not without a pushy women trying to cut the line in front of me, to realise.. wrong carriage.  I did say excuse me in French, but she may not be French.  Shame.  Seriously, forming an orderly queue is something most in France and Germany can master… tourists too!

Free wifi on board (for multiple devices!)
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On the road again

So, I’m alone again, which is a SURE FIRE way for me to write more (as I don’t get to speak as much!!)

Travel alone = selfies!

Today, was a travel day.  I got a 7am train from Heidelberg to Mannheim, then awaited a Mannheim > Strasbourg train (which was terminating in Paris-Est). I have only gushy good things to say about the latter train, a German high speed ICE train, it travelled up to 250kmh and the best bit for me was the free wifi (as mornings here are when Australia is awake).  That journey was only an hour.

This screen would then show the speed we were travelling at

It was like breathing sweeter air arriving in France.  Ok, I’m delusional – I did suddenly understand most of the announcements, but I was slow to prepare my bags and had ever so polite French people barging on board making it hard for me to disembark.  Of course, it was two charmany French gentlemen who eventually stemmed the flow.

Once on the platform – the obligatory French police office with a semi automatic weapon.  This has always been a visible thing in Paris, but I have no doubt they’ve redoubled security efforts in recent times, and I saw two army kitted, semi automatic wielding men in Lyon station too.

This was not the German. The screens are great for travellers to get an ETA, and the number of stops

Oh, not to jump ahead, but the train from Strasbourg terminates in Marseilles, but I took it to Lyon which seems like a local hub to hire a car and drive east toward Oradour-Sur-Glane.  And as may have been foreshadowed previously – there was NO wifi on board.  And two very loudly speaking germans were seat mates – and I still napped (and gave them side eyes when I didn’t.  True to stereotype, they were in socks and sandals too!).

Now, momentous milestone time I hired a car! Ok, so I’ve been in hire cars, but I’ve never driven one, certainly not as the sole responsible party.  I don’t think I even drove hire cars we got in the US last year, or in QLD the year prior.  And if it’s not enough I hired a car, I hired a manual (usually drive automatic) in a country that drives on the other side of the world.

Little twingo

I do wish, for comedic purposes, I’d filmed some of my early moments in the car.  At one stage Kate the GPS lady misguided me, and then says “Make a U turn when safe” and I chuckle and say out loud “I’m not French you know?”. Yes, Kate is speaking English, cause there’s only so much of a challenge I need at any one time!! The car was at the train station – so full on down town, one way streets.  Thank you Kate, you were an extra 16E per day, and it’s not a euro wasted there, let me assure you!

Yes a driving snap – but… Syrians. Heart aches

All in all, there’s a ton of things I’m thankful for

  • thanks Mum for buying the little bro a cheap manual to learn on (and… for me refreshing my 15 year old learners lessons in manual last year)
  • thank you France for the fine weather – can’t imagine adding pelting rain to the adventure
  • thank you GPS Kate, for your faultless directions… well except for roadwork
  • thank you Renault Twingo for both having a cute name, but also a little icon to say ‘hey silly, up a gear’ or ‘down a gear’
  • thank you for my stress/anxiety for somehow allowing me NOT PLANNING THIS PART, and driving til an arbitrary time (6pm) and finding a cheap hotel with a handful of nearby restaurants.  Charming – not so much, what I need – definitely!  Who knew I could do ‘unplanned’?
  • thank you random Aussie friends who are awake late, and chat to me when I need it – it’s nice to share the ‘I’m doing this now’ with someone… even if only virtually!

I should also say – I actually have no idea where I am.  I mean… I just turn when she said turn, and I set her to Limoges my destination. I did a few times think ‘are you sure honey’? As I was inclined to go via Clermont Ferrard.  I did go via Vichy and two Louis Vuitton offices or factories in the lovely countryside.  I any case, it’s ‘only’ a 2 hour drive to my planned destination tomorrow, and another night out and about before I need to return the car, so tomorrow can be less travel and more site seeing.

Hotel room with a view! For 52E a room, I’m happy as a clam