Last weekend, a hankering for popcorn and the urge to escape 90-degree temperatures drew me to the movie theater. Previews flashed, the protagonist triumphed, credits rolled and suddenly I found myself planning a trip to Paris.

The movie was Midnight in Paris, Woody Allens latest romantic comedy. Its a love story about an American traveler and his devotion to Paris more specifically, Paris in the rain … during the 1920s. Aside from the fantastical time traveling bits of the movie, most of Midnight in Paris could pass for a film sponsored by the French tourism board. A

Read full post…

Since we dropped our borrowed Le’Sharo motorhome off in Georgia, we’ve been homeless. Intentionally so.

We packed everything we thought we’d need for an indefinite time period into two backpacks and hopped on a train across country to continue our search for our next home on wheels.

It’s been a mixture of freeing, intimidating, frustrating and awesome.  Nothing is ever black and white, right?

Freeing

It is incredibly freeing to be able to move around with everything we need on our backs.  It give

Read full post…

“We are on track, and we are ready for the Games. I am very impressed with everything I have seen this afternoon. Seychelles is ready to welcome the athletes and officials to the Games village.”

President James Michel was speaking after visiting the Indian Ocean Games Village at Ile Perseverance this afternoon. He was welcomed by Designated Minister Mr. Vincent Meriton, who is the Chairman of the Organizing Commission of the Indian Ocean Island Games (Jeux des Iles de L’Ocean Indien-CJSOI). Also present during the visit were Mr. Denis Rose, Principal Secretary for Youth and Sports; Mr. Christian Lionnet, Principal Secretary Land Use and Housing; Mr. Antonio Gopal, Chairman of Seychelles Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (SOCGA) and chairman of COJI; Mr. Eric Arnephie, the Games Commissioner; and Mr. Colin Quatre, who is the Village Mayor.

President Michel visited the different areas of the village, which include an animation area for cultural performances, the kitchen and dining area, as well as viewing some the 286 houses allocated to the athletes, management, and officials of the Games.

“We need to recognize that the infrastructure like houses, the water desalination plant, and modern kitchen facility, are long-term investments that will benefit our national development for example, Seychellois families will be allocated with houses soon after the Games the kitchen will be used for producing meals for schools, and the water desalination plant will be used by the Ile Perseverance community.”

The Seychelles delegation, comprised of 340 athletes and officials, will be the first contingent out of the 1,800 coming from 7 Indian Ocean countries, to enter the Games Village on Monday, August 1 to participate in the 8th Indian Ocean Islands Games, which will held for the second time in Seychelles from August 5-14, 2011.

“I want to congratulate the Seychellois people, who have in recent months risen up to the occasion through their patriotism and generous contributions to ensure that the Games are a big win for Seychelles,” said the President.

President Michel thanked Minister Meriton and the Games organizing committee and everybody involved in the work for the Games for doing a good job in preparing the village and ensuring that all services are available in time for the Games.

“We have invested in the athletes and the development of our youth, in their training and sporting facilities at their disposition; now it is up the athletes to rise up to the occasion and to do their best for a victory for the people of Seychelles.”

The Games village forms part of a 2-billion-rupee project of the first phase of the Ile Perseverance Housing project, which is due to be completed in 2017.

A different Perspective of a classic London landmark Big Ben

The London Eye is a landmark that defines the cityscape.

The Painted Hall in the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich is a landmark not to be missed

Westminster Abbey. Can you

Read full post…

You’ve been overworked and underpaid all year — but after scrimping and saving for the past six months, it’s finally time to let your hair down on holiday.

And with sun, sex and sangria all waiting on the other side, you’re determined not to let anything or anyone ruin your overdue paradise escape.

Best go alone, then.

Whether it’s a girly getaway, family break or romantic couples retreat, research shows that two out of five holidaymakers are at each other’s throats by the time the plane touches back down on home soil.

Combined with blistering heat and copious cocktails, disagreements about where to go and what to do on tour have even caused 12% of couples to call it a day, according to the survey by holiday company Expedia.com.

For many sunseekers, it starts months in advance with tense discussion about where to go.

“Last year, I really wanted to go to Prague on holiday but my boyfriend was mad to go on a blowout holiday to Ibiza,” says Michelle (32), a school teacher from the midlands.

“We could only afford one or the other, so we tossed a coin and I won.

Read full post…