It´s All Too Confusing!

I´m waiting for Kyle to finish his shower & can´t get onto the sights I need so will add an update.
Yes, that was a shower, we couldn´t handle ourselves any longer so took a rather expensive hostel for 2 days while we sort stuff out about getting back to UK which is proving to be rather difficult at present.
It´s more expensive here than in France & we were told Spain is cheaper, we keep getting the bum end of peoples´ recomendations, I wonder what that´s all about?
Anyway we´ll finally get our smelly washing done, if the lady that we can´t understand comes back, she said she´d organise it, I certainly can´t cope with sleeping with it in the room, it´s that bad!
And we may even get to meet & chat to some different people if we´re lucky. I reckon we´re both going a bit nutty after 2 months of each others company.
It´s a very confusing city here & we keep getting lost & driving in circles & the road signs & traffic lights are crazy, I just want to get out of the city where it´s easier & I can drive slower.
Saw a couple of guys washing out of the drinking fountain this morning where we had found a place to sleep for the night, & thought that might be Kyle & I if we didn´t find this place. We´re doing alright with our sleeping spots though, usually just drive around until we find a nice place, usually by the coast somewhere, & most places are set up for campervans & caravan holiday makers & you´re allowed to be there, & they´re usually pretty full, especially campervans, they´re a big thing in France.
Well Kyle is clean & happy, now it´s my turn.
Until another Day, take care all XXXXX

ONE GOOD THING ABOUT EUROPE!

"not baguettes again" the daily chore


typical Parisian street

They sure know how to make a good coffee.
and that coffee addiction that was cured(don't believe her she's lying) is now back in full force and she's lovin it.

Now in Spain

We hit the North coast of Spain which was magnificent driving along the coast cliffs & little towns & are now in Bilbo Bilbao, where the increadible museum is by Guggenheim with amazing architecture & some fantastic art, but the building really is something to see! You may remember it was in one of those pictures from the leaflets out of the age last year, (the world form the air with fantastic photos from all over the world), anyway we had no idea we were in the area & it just popped up in front of us, I love it when that sort of stuff happens, complete surprise & a treasure of an experience. There were only a couple of art pieces that took our breath & imagination away, again much Religious artifacts & paintings & then some contempoary stuff that just leaves you wondering? But the building itself was worth the visit, not a straight line anywhere except the floor, covered in titanium that shimmers & the whole place has a feel of the sea & fish.
I reckon that´s where they got the design for Federation Square, very similar concept with the building structure visible & being able to look through glass & sections of the building.
The food here is quite different lots of little tapas, (small portions of fancy foods) that sit along the bar, usually uncovered, no prices on anything & we have no idea what we´re ordering or how it´s done so it´s quite funny to watch us stumble our way through each country & culture & situation.
Still going well but Kyle´s missing the pool table as they don´t seem to play in France or Spain & I think he´s looking forward to going back to England where he can play & talk to others for a change!
have no idea what we´re doing from here, I have to go back to England for a second, which is good news but a bit of a pity as it cuts into our budget & travel destinations, but as long as the outcome is wothwhile then that will be good.
Spain was quite different driving into with baskets of hanging flowers in the streets & many high rised apartments, one after the other, all on top of each other:
It´s much harder to get around as we know no Spanish, at least in France my high school French helped a little!
Sighning off

What I´ve discovered about the French!!!

And right through the palace they go

look how pretty he is

The French don´t use the toilet, that´s for sure! Everywhere we go there are no toilets, even in these huge amazing parklands they have all over the place, no toilet! We found ourselves in Bordeaux on the night of the ´Fete De La Musique´´, massive crowds, to crushing point at some stages, bands playing all over the city in alleys & outside cafes, but no public toilet anywhere. Many puddles of urine in every covered doorway & dark alley, (alright for you guys), but nowhere for us women to piss! And if you do happen upon a toilet in the street they´re often closed at 8pm, what´s with that? You don´t need a toilet after 8!
Hence I´ve mastered the art of covert pissing, only works if you have a ong dress on to disguise the fact that your undies are around your knees, but I´m getting good at it, what else is one supposed to do? Kyle just laughs at me, again!
They love their car horns & honk all day & you don´t dare pause a second after the lights turn green, they´re right onto you, impatient bastards!
And they really don´t like the Poms, as soon as you say your from Aus they talk & smile & help, it´s really quite amazing!
Well it´s turning into quite an adventure now as we´ve headed out of the city & into the little towns along the coast where no-one speaks any English, so we´re doing lots of pointing & driving in circles.
The car´s getting good use & so far we´ve driven 1,500 miles (2,400km), not bad. But whoever told me that everything is so close in Europe has something to answer for, so far we´ve seen France & it´s huge, none of this driving 3 countries in a day?
I think Kyle & I are starting to go mad after 2 months together, we´re quite batty now as we chat away to each other & sound like a couple of mad idiots bantering away about nothing.
I´ve come to realise how much I miss conversation as there´s no-one else to talk to except Kyle & only so much you can say to your traveling companion & son each day! So far we´ve not been meeting many other travelers or those that speak English to stike up a converstion with & God help the first one I find, they won´t be able to get away!
Sorry about the photo situation, so far haven´t found a computer that we can download onto, pity as we have some great photos to share, but as soon as we can we will.
Chat soon XXXXXX

Traveling the Countryside

We're now in Bordeaux, vine country, stretches for miles & miles, fields of grape vines, chateauxs, churches & the most amasing, ancient towns, & round-a-bouts!
Did the French invent the roundabout or do they just think they're fantastic? I'll be very happy to never see another one again, they are every few hundred yards but at least when you're lost you can keep going round in circles until you decide which direction to go in, & we've been doing our fair share of getting lost!
I'm loving the country roads & I don't have to go fast & can be a real tourist as I putt along checking it all out.
We had our first swim in the French seas & it was cold & refreshing, after so many hot days in Paris it was nice to have a swim. We found ourselves on another Island, Ile de Ré on the west coast near La Rochelle, full of ancient old forts & bunkers from the war.
The car's going well & usefull as we find ourselves running out of money, we sleep in the car & sneak into caravan parks for showers & to fill our water bottles, our diet of bagettes, ham & cheese is still sustaining us, with a bit of fruit in between & then we visit the fab patisseries but we've even found a supermarket that sells cheap wine to wash it all down with!
Our plans have changed slightly as an interview & trial day for a school has come up, so back to London before heading off to Germany where Kyle is very keen to check out.
We've decided it's too far & too fast to try & see any more than that at this point, so we're happy to see two countries reasonably well, even still it's pretty fast as there's so much. I've never done so much driving in all my life!!!
Choà for now, MAZZ & KYLE

Just a quick word from Kyle

Heard people are trying to contact me my e-mail is cheesy.special.k@hotmail.com

AND WE THOUGHT LONDON WAS EXPENSIVE!!!

We've managed to find our way around the maze & the language & the driving on the wrong side, all quite OK, amazing!!!
We've been doing all the touristy stuff, Eiffel tower, Arc de Triomph, Champs E'Lysees, Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame & it's all pretty fantastic, old, beautiful, busy, crowded & alive.
My feet are about to fall off, my legs are so tired & I don't recon I've lost any weight from it all, what's going on?
We've climbed so many steps but all worth it for the views of Paris, it is so huge, all the little streets running everywhere, if you don't stick to the main roads you're lost.
It's so expensive, I can't handle it guys, far more expensive than London because you're paying to see & do everything, (which must be done), but shit it eats into the budget in a big way. We've also not been able to get any freeloading so that adds to the cost. We're now sleeping in the car for our last couple of nights so that we can go to the Louvre & the D'Orsay.
It's also been stinking hot & Kyle & I can't wait to get to the beach, country & have a swim & relax, all this touristy stuff is so exhausting!
We've found fantastic little side streets full of cafés & restaurants that aren't too pricey, & I've sat in cafés along the siene & ate dinner by the river, all of which I've longed to do. We eat bagettes for breakfast, lunch & dinner because it's the cheapest, drink plenty of water from the free fountains around the city & occasionally buy a beer because I'm so hot!
We have to come back to do Disneyland, can't fit it in this trip but one wants to come back here as there's so much to see & do you could visit many times & still enjoy it & see new things. Maybe when Celina joins us?
Catch up in a few days, hope all is well at home XXXXXXX

In PARIS Finally!!!

We've made it after many years of dreaming I'm finally here. Wow it's crazy, can't read anything, have no idea where we are or where we're going or what we're doing or how to find out cause we can't speak or understand anything/one! Even the keyboard is different & confusing! Is it any surprise?
Ian you'd love these motorways, it's great not having to worry about your spead limit & cruising along as fast as you like, as long as you keep out of the way of those going much, much faster, & do they go fast, even the little old ladies tear down the road.
We took the 1am night boat from UK to Calais (as that was the cheapest), slept on the side of the road for a few hours (that's one good reason about having a car, it's our third night in it now & we're a bit smelly!!!) & then spead off down the motorway, me crying with excitement, joy & sheer amazement that I've finally made it.
We hit Paris in a mad frenzy as I missed the last petrol stop & we were now on empty, managed to turn off & find a gas station ($100 AUS to fill, FUCK!)
I then nearly had our first crash as I'm leaving, GREAT START!!!
So then I was stressed, lost, confused & flustered, but still we drove around in circles until we found somewhere to park & try & find out where we are & what we're doing & we're still struggling to do that!!!
Oh well the real adventure begins as we navigate foreign languages & places.
Any tips at this stage are greatly appreciated as we flounder our way around the maze!
Our little car we bought has turned out to be a good one, I'm amazed at myself & my ability to pick them, considering I know next to nothing about cars. It's comfy to sleep in thank goodness, plenty of room for our luggage without being under our feet, (as long as I don't fill up the gaps with crap), & hopfully cheap on petrol after our last fill-up, It's also great to have the freedom & convenience to get around.
Time's up, hope to be in Paris for 2 weeks, providing we can find some freeloaders to help us, then we'll head out into the country side. Let you know what it's all like Mim.
Choa for now XXXXX

European Adventures

Hi guys we're off to france tomorrow it's gonna be real exciting we got a car just the other day it's a greenish blue 1993 Vauxhall Astra no.L901 FGS, just so everyone knows in case we get into trouble and need help. we're in Folkstone now a little coastal town 10 mins away from the ferry(ti's a lot like a little tassie town) very quiet here and not much to do. found cheap accomodation last night, in the front seat of uor new car and was surprisingly comfortable. ohpe everyone else is doing well lots of love from Mazz & Kyle

In London Still

the famous double decker bus(we love them)

Amazing up close



Hi All,
We are still loving London & all our Freeloader hosts have been excellent, friendly & helpful, so that's a bonus. I've managed to catch up with Jeremy Fee (uni days & some acting together), so plan to lob at his place for a few more days while we car hunt.
Yes we're on the big car hunt, many cheap ones, it's just getting around to view them that's a bit hard, but reckon it's the best & cheapest way to get ourselves around.
London is so expensive, spent more money here in 2 weeks than in the whole time in Malaysia, & we're not doing much, lots of walking & a little bit of beer drinking. We were introduced to the cheapest pub meals around, £5.95 for 2 meals, so that's where we hang out, 'Whitherspoons', & they're all over the place.
The sun has come out & the jumper's off, so that's a bonus & I found 'Brick Lane Markets', now that's a fabulous & very colourful place, (left Kyle at home playing the computer, so he was happy), & I was in my element just walking around & looking at the variety & bizarrness of it all.
Waisted a morning at Buckingham Palace watching the changing of the guards, what pompus nonsense all that is!!! Took Kyle on his first pedal boat in Hyde Park, a little bit more time waisting & spent quite a bit of time in the free Museums & Galleries, excellent stuff but very sore feet!
I've been doing a bit of bus hoping as it's a good, cheap way to see around London & try to guage where one might live if one had to find somewhere in a few months.
I've had a few interviews with agencies & it sounds positive, & I'd be very disappointed if I can't get a job in this climate & with my skills, but right now it's more traveling & sightseeing to be had & enjoyed before I have to worry about serious & sensible stuff like working.
Photos are delayed until we find the right connections & it's also very hard to get good photos, the postcards do such a better job, so if you're lucky enough to get one please keep it for me for when I get back so I can add them to the scrap book, thanks. It's all a bit expensive so hope you don't expect too many & if anyone gets one from Kyle treasure it, it will be a rareity, I certainly can't get him to write any, even though I've bought them for him & even put stamps on them. That's got to be a boy thing for sure!!!
Hope you are well & happy, we are & I could certainly get used to this not working stuff! But that might mean going to India for 6 months to stretch the money out, which could be a very feasible option.
Love to all, Mazz & KyleXXXXXXX