What Was New: April 2006

3 April

Is mañana good enough for me?

"A failure to learn early on in your relationship with Spain that the more you push the incrementally more difficult your dealings will become, is a recipe for disaster. You cannot shout at a Spaniard and expect them to amend their stance – they won't. No matter how big your ego is, it will be totally deflated by a notary's cashier or a shop assistant – I know this from experience." Mark F R Wilkins looks at the longer-term lifestyle consequences of living in Spain.
Relocation, Relocation, Relocation 3 - Yes, but why Spain?

Pic of the Week

An ancient pick-up rusts gently outside an old garage in northern Georgia, USA.
Frozen in time

4 April

Happy 80th, Ma'am...

"For the Royal Mail stamps celebrating the Queen's 80th birthday, Bletchley Park Post Office is issuing a very special first day cover. The cover design to carry the new stamps on their first day of issue is by a young American who is the British Royal Family's biggest fan." Terry Mitchell of Bletchley Park Post Office previews the commemorative issue of a new set of Royal stamps...
American Designer for Queen's 80th Birthday Issue

5 April

A lifetime on the hips...

"Since I returned from Abu Dhabi, only slightly trimmer and more toned, I have managed to put on around six kilos in weight. Not surprising. I eat more in the winter and exercise less than I did in AD. But what I don't understand, is that despite a campaign of regular exercise combined with sensible eating and drinking for a whole year, there is no difference (except for some barely-perceptible toning). I have not lost even a pound and my waist is as wide as ever." Miranda Irving bewails the difficulties of keeping trim as the years pass.
How Not to Lose Weight

10 April

Pic of the Week

Gharb Parish Church on the Maltese island of Gozo.
Gharb Parish Church

11 April

Bright lights, big city...

"For some reason – mostly, I guess, due to the distortions of perception common to those who live in small villages – I had the impression that Sumbawa Besar would be a wonderland of shops, restaurants, hotels and perhaps even a bookstore. The reality is that it's the sleepy little capital city of a large, sleepy island. After an uneventful night at the Hotel Tambora with only one offer of a woman ('I'm married.' — 'It doesn't matter.' — 'It does if you know my wife.'), and a breakfast of toast and bitter coffee, I'm ready to head back to my little village of Sekongkang." Teacher Bruce Pohlmann describes life on the easy-going island of Sumbawa.
Sumbawa - Another kind of Paradise

13 April

Tragedy in Paradise

"Most Ouvéans still live in traditional thatched case (houses) and the beach is as dazzling as ever. On my first evening there, as I watched the red fireball set slowly across the lagoon, I felt a strong affinity with my previous visit. Yet something terrible had happened in my absence. On 5 May 1988, 300 French elite troops stormed a cave near Gossanah in northern Ouvéa to rescue 16 gendarmes captured two weeks earlier by Melanesian freedom fighters." David Stanley recaps the turbulent and, at times, bloody recent history of New Caledonia.
Return to Ouvéa

14 April

Don't let it rain on my parade!

"As the weather is unpredictable, so is the migration. Many people try to predict the whereabouts of the animals. If the rains are on time and last long enough then on past experience the predictions are accurate. However, in recent years the rains have not been on time or they have even failed, leaving some safari-makers with clients in the wrong area of the Serengeti. Solving this problem involves a little work on your part." Ian Williamson brings us some useful tips to ensure a successful Serengeti safari.
Booking a Serengeti Migration safari

17 April

Sounds good to me...

"Whether you miss the accents, the banter, or just the deep-dive information that only a local can bring you, podcasts can help you stay in touch with your homeland and soften bouts of homesickness." Are you into podcasting? Phil of SoccerShout tells how expats can enjoy a little slice of sound from home!
Podcasts let you stay in touch with home

Pic of the Week

Masks of Hindu gods and demons above a shop doorway in the centre of Kathmandu.
Gods and demons

18 April

"Are we nearly there yet?"

"Ever been driving along a motorway, seen a building, and wondered what it was? Wonder no more. Mike Jackson and his small team have trawled the lengths of three of Britain's longest motorways to find out for you!" Dave reviews Mike Jackson's innovative and lively Motorway Sights Guides.
Mad about Motorways!

20 April

Temptation beyond endurance!

Ever played Sudoku, the Japanese numbers puzzle based on logic? Now you can do it online with British Expat! Join in the puzzle craze that's been sweeping the UK for the last year. (Don't play it at work, though - you'll never get anything else done!)
British Expat Sudoku

21 April

Trevor and the Teutons

"Of course, not all regions mark the post-blossoming of spring by thrashing VfL Bochum 2-1 in front of 44,000 dancing maniacs. Some young 'Bürger' of Berlin have evolved their own style of making merry in May. As dusk prepares to descend, groups of young men gather in the streets of the district of Kreuzberg. When sufficiently provoked, they turn to the task of trashing cars, and employ a method of ignition not envisaged by the motor industry; the petrol bomb. If this happened in Munich, I'm convinced people would emerge from the surrounding houses, armed with sausages and steaks, and commence cooking." Trevor's thoughts turn to Germany's traditional Springtide celebrations, which also include football, beer and - oh no - German folk music...
Gathering Nuts in May

24 April

Take me to the top...

"Kilimanjaro starts on the dusty hot plains around Moshi town and then moves to the lush villages on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. From here you ascend through tropical rainforest, to alpine desert and finally to near-Arctic conditions at the summit. Many people fail because they are ill-equipped, and sometimes people die in attempting the climb." Hints from Ian Williamson on planning a climb up Africa's highest peak – Mount Kilimanjaro.
Planning the Kilimanjaro Climb

Pic of the Week

Two Maasai at sunset at a camp in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania.
The disappearing tribe

25 April

"I'm getting married in the morning..."

"Neither of us had been married before and we hadn't any real experience of wedding organisation but we're both reasonably intelligent and organised with straightforward tastes. We didn't want chocolate fountains, thrones and doves released on the announcement of our commitment – just a simple, informal ceremony in a nice location with food and drink laid on for a handful of family and friends. It couldn't be that difficult, could it?" Wrong! Louise Muzio with some handy advice – based on experience – on how to arrange a simple wedding in California.
Ten Top Tips for a Simple Wedding: California Style