No matter where in the world you travel, make sure to challenge yourself. Try a new activity, taste a different food dish, make an effort to speak to the locals, take a road less travelled. Just get out of your comfort zone and do things you didn’t think you could do.
A few days ago I read the post 50 Things I Learnt This Year at My Life With IT and became inspired to make my own list of some of the things I’ve learnt. So, here it is.
This year, I’ve learnt:
1. To live more in the moment.
2. To work smarter, not harder.
3. To get over my Starbucks coffee addiction.
4. To avoid time traps (like checking my email way too often or just surf the Internet without any specific reason).
5. That I feel better when I only eat vegan food.
6. To accept people as they are and not try changing them. The only person I can change is me.
7. To get rid of so called “energy takers” or “energy vampires”.
8. That the best way for me is to follow my heart and do what “feels right”, even if it’s not the most logical thing to do.
9. To travel lighter (I used to pack way too much clothes when travelling).
10. To see challenges as opportunities.
Some of all the zillion things I want to learn next year:
1. To speak French fluently.
2. To get better at Portuguese.
2. More HTML, so I can create my own blog and website.
3. PhotoReading.
4. Surfing.
5. Stepping out of my comfort zone more.
The Thinking Blog 1st anniversary giveaway is in its final round. From today you have five days to vote for the best Ruff PC review. My Fujitsu Siemens Amilo A1650G is quite worn out by now and a brand new water resistant laptop would have been a perfect Christmas present. Usually I’m pretty lucky when it comes to contests, but you can’t win them all.
I remember the first thing I ever won, a white cute teddy bear at the amusement park Liseberg when I was 7-years-old. I still have it in my room at home. In 9th grade I received 4000 SEK in an essay contest and a few weeks later I won a Greece guidebook for island lovers in a slogan contest.
In high school I won Adobe Photoshop in a photography contest, and in January 2006, I was lucky to get the runners up prize of Vega’s Winterboost containing Echinacea, Propolis and Vitamin C from Healthy Soul. A couple of months later I won two great books in Newbie-Writers memoir contest. In September the same year I won a fabulous Refresh and Revive Pamper Day at Nutfield Priory’s Health and Leisure Club in Surrey. This year I won a cool iPod shuffle thanks to Travel Rants blog-a-thon challenge.
I wonder who will take home this price. To place your vote, just go to The Thinking Blog.
Hanoi from the Sofitel © Neil Ta
A few years ago I had a dream about Hanoi, I knew where I was because I saw a sign saying Hanoi. I believe all dreams mean something and I remember I thought the dream must mean that I should travel there… although I didn’t even know anything about the city. I even went to the library to lend a book on how to learn Vietnamese. Later I realised the dream probably meant I will travel to Hanoi someday, not that I have to make it happen within the next few months. Below are some phrases I learnt before I decided to give up on this impulsive idea. But since then I have always been very curious about Hanoi, just as curious as I am about Bangkok, Sydney, Rio and Buenos Aires.
Hello (to an older man) = Ong
(to a younger man) = Anh
(to an old woman) = Ba
(to an older woman) = Chi
(to a younger lady) = Co
How are you? = Bac co Khoe Khong?
Well, thanks = Cam on binh thuong
Thank you = Cam on
Goodbye = Tam biet
Where’s the bathroom = Cau tieu o dau?
Yes = Da (ya in north)
No = Khong (khum)
Excuse me = Xin Toi
I want/need = Toi can/toi muon
I don’t dream about travelling especially often. Since my Hanoi dream I have only dreamt about Chile, that I was walking out from a hotel in East Village in New York a rainy spring day, and that I was meeting some friends in Finsbury Park in north London. I wonder what will be next. Maybe Australia. When I lived in London last year, my flatmate’s friend who is a palmist said that I will travel in Australia, and Brazil and Ecuador in the future. He also said I will be going to California and San Francisco for short periods. I remember he spoke about my past life as well. I doubt it, but according to him I was living on a vineyard in south France during the 1800th century, followed by a life as a painter near St. Petersburg in Russia. Who knows what’s true?
London has something for every taste, budget and personality. Exclusive shopping equals Bond Street, Sloane Street, Conduit Street and Burton Street, Jermyn Street is known as the gentlemen’s shopping strip, Beauchamp Place, Walton Street and Pont Street offer good boutiques for the ladies, and Kings Road is often considered as one of the trendiest places to shop. Chelsea is also less touristy than Oxford Street.
Walton Street, Fulham Road and Brompton Road near South Kensington tube station boast many individual designer shops and boutiques whilst Regent and Oxford Street have high street labels such as H&M and Top Shop, and large department stores like Selfridges. Oxford Street does have good shopping (especially Zara near Marble Arch), but I prefer Kensington High Street because the area is nicer and it’s usually less crowded.
One of my favourite places to shop is Ledbury Road and Westbourne Grove where you can find clothes by many young British designers. The most beautiful shop is, in my opinion, Paul Smith’s shop at Kensington Park Road near Notting Hill Gate. I also like the Mayfair area, especially Stella McCartney at 30 Bruton Street and Marc Jacobs at 24-25 Mount Street.
For more funky and hip street wear, go to Carnaby Street and Kingly Court in Soho. Kingly Court is located between Kingly Street and Carnaby Street and the nearest tube station is Oxford Circus.
Let’s not forget Harrods and Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, or Liberty on 210-220 Regent Street near Oxford Circus. The clothes for women are designed by, for example, Vivienne Westwood, Acne, Marc Jacobs, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten and Hussein Chalayan. Although I rarely can afford everything I want to buy, it’s a lot of fun to just browse through the designs and try on different outfits. No one says you can’t try, but not buy! What I like most about Liberty is the ground floor where they sell all my favourite skincare labels - Aveda, REN, the French brand Nuxe and Kiehl’s - and fragrances from Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs, Agent Provocateur, Kenzo, Paul Smith and Comme de Garcons. Apart from this Liberty also sells nice scented candles in different shapes and colours, perfect to brighten up your room a cold winter day.
Nick Vaux, marketing intern at Truphone, shares some great and useful information with us today. Read on to see what he has to say about their new Facebook application:
Truphone, a new type of mobile operator that gives you free and low-cost calls on your mobile, have released a unique application for Facebook that allows Facebook friends to call each other for free.
The ‘Call Me’ button is a great if you’re travelling because it allows you to keep in contact with your friends and family from anywhere in the world for free and is available to all Facebook users. You can set the button to ring your:
- US cellphone
- US landline
- Other world landline (choice from 40 countries worldwide)
Anyone can use it - simply set up an account on Facebook, and add the application to your profile. Your Facebook friends can then call your phone for free.
http://apps.facebook.com/truphone
Making a call is simple: if your Facebook friends add the Call Me Button to their wall, they go onto your friends profile, click on their ‘Call Me’ button, and you’ll be connected to your friend’s phone of choice. That’s it!
You can also add the Truphone Call Me button into your Facebook email attachments , on wall postings or on Facebook groups and discussions groups.
If you do have any questions, check out our page: www.truphone.com/facebook, watch our video or visit the mobilevoipforum.
Visit http://www.truphone.com/ to find more on how you can save money on your mobile.
In November, I wrote about the Big Giveaway by The Thinking Blog and from today you have 5 days left to Vote For the best Ruff PC Review. The entry with highest votes will win a spanking new RuffBook Tech. So read through the entries, pick a favourite and place your vote.
Anyhow, since it’s Christmas time I’ll wish you a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année!
¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo!
Schöni Wienachte und e Guets Neus Jahr!
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo!
Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Ετος
Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo!
Souksaan wan Christmas Sawatdii Pimaï
If you happen to spend the holidays abroad, check out Translations of Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in many languages and impress the locals with your new language skills.
Columbus Circle © Kevin De Ridder
The Columbus Circus mall is located just across Central Park. The Shops at Columbus Circle range from fashion and accessories to health and beauty, books and food. I’m pretty sure you can find a favourite. I can recommend:
AVEDA - Terrific hair and skin products made out of green ingredients. Many samples to try.
Face Stockholm - This Swedish cosmetics company sells high quality products made from only natural ingredients. Very helpful staff!
Crabtree & Evelyn - Luxurious bath and body care, fragrances, accessories and gourmet foods.
Elixir Juice Bar - Delicious smoothies and tasty nutritious wraps, salads and soups.
Jamba Juice - Smoothies and freshly squeezed juices of fresh pure ingredients.
Whole Foods Market - Their organic quality food is outstanding, and the buffet is a dream for vegetarians.
Borders - Books, music, movies and a café in the same store must be one of the best combinations ever.
Enjoy the second part of our Spanish slang blog post.
Dar en la diana = To get something right
¡La moto va de escándalo! = This bike goes like a dream!
La tarta está de muerte = This cake is incredible
¡Estoy que peto! = I’m totally full up!
Lo hago en un pispás = I’ll do that in a flash
¡Eres un pesado! = You are a total pain!
Me mola mogollón = That is soooo cool
Ese chico es un zumbado = That guy is crazy
Nos hemos zampado todo = We’ve eaten the lot!
Ya era hora! = It was about time
Donde hay confianza da asco = Familiarity breeds contempt
En boca cerrada no entran moscas = Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut
¡Te voy a dar! = You’re going to get it!
¡No me des más la lata! = Leave me in peace!
Más majo que la mar salada = Incredibly nice
People visiting New York City will most likely sooner or later come to Times Square around 42nd and 47th Street. Before I came to Times Square I knew it was a famous theatre district, but I honestly didn’t know so much more than that.
Although the safety is much better today than before 9/11, keep your wallet and other valuable belongings in a safe place to avoid pickpockets. And don’t get fooled by the photographers who assure you a great picture of you with Times Square in the background. The results don’t turn out half as good as their example photos. So bring your own camera and take the pictures yourself.
I’d say skip the souvenir shops around Times Square and listen to free music in the spacious Virgin Megastore instead. Afterwards, I would recommend Asian food from Ruby Foo’s or drop by the family friendly Carmine’s for an Italian meal.
During our stay in NYC, we chose to see the Broadway musical Aida. If you rather watch the latest movie from Hollywood you won’t be disappointed either.
One of my favorite shops on Times Square is Quicksilver, I like watching the different takes on surf- and snowboard sessions on the huge screen above the store.
For happenings and things to do around Times Square, check out the online issue of Times Square or visit The Official Website of Times Square.
