What Was New:
September 2005
1 September
Break for the border
"The bus was the typical Mexican bus, with an interesting notice above each window seat requesting you didn't store pigs in the webbing that formed the overhead luggage rack. It was OK, apparently, to stick them on the roof rack and there were several goats tied down on top." Bob Fretwell follows in the footsteps of the "wetbacks" - more closely than he intended...
The Journey Continues - Mexicali to San Diego
2 September
The Great Escape
"At least once a day I wonder how I and my young family ended up here. Life has changed completely. At times it feels frightening, and I wonder if our move was too impulsive, mad and stupid. But at the same time I realise it's exciting and that we only live once (allegedly) - so why not?" Mark Eastwood of CostaBlancaUncovered.com with a personal view of how he came to make the break...
What made me up sticks?
Photo of the Week
"I needed a photo for some local advertising for my computer repair/networking business. This photo was taken on the kitchen counter with the aid of a ballpoint pen spring and some Blu Tack."
Help!
3 September
Nice mountains and it's cheap
"Being an expat from Blighty and now running a bed-and-breakfast just outside Pitesti for about 18 months, I've had the pleasure of sampling most of the delights the way of life has to offer here..." Alex Campbell takes a wry look at life in Romania!
Life the Romanian Way
4 September
A Taste of Australian Wine
"Imagine tilting an empty glass and pouring... down the side runs a frothy liquid, vivid purple in colour with violet and purple froth. Roaring out of the glass comes the smell of blackcurrants, blackberries, chocolate, cherries, strawberries and more." Derided thirty years ago, Aussie sparkling reds have since come into their own. Gavin Trott of the Australian Wine Centre reports.
Sparkling Reds
5 September
Splash it all over...
"It is different from the usual fiesta arrangements we have suffered (sorry, enjoyed) as they have yet another 'tradition'... that of the water fight! This happens, so I'm told, every year and no respect is given to dress, age, sex or infirmity. EVERY person gets wet (and I mean WET!)." Bob Fretwell throws himself into the celebrations at his new home town's annual fiesta.
Feria at Sierra de Yeguas
6 September
Holiday home from home...
"Renting a villa is a brilliant alternative to staying in a hotel, especially if there are a few of you. There are many plus-points to consider." Mark Eastwood of CostaBlancaUncovered.com looks at the benefits of choosing a villa rather than a hotel as a temporary base in Spain.
Don't Stay in a Hotel - Rent a Villa!
8 September
Jobs and Jeepneys
Looking for work in the Philippines? Why not check out our new jobfeed?
Expat Jobs - Philippines
9 September
The happiest day of your life?
"The bride and groom don't have the luxury of disappearing before everyone else like they do in Britain. They're there for the duration. More fool them for having planned the thing like that in the first place. I don't know how they manage to cope." Jayne reports on the excruciating torture that is the Portuguese wedding...
Weddings in Portugal
Photo of the Week
"This is Anil, one of the coolies from Delhi's Sarojini market. When you arrive at the market you're immediately swamped by a dozen or so children offering to carry your purchases for you for ten rupees - about 13p. It's a very precarious existence for them."
Anil
13 September
Dos cervezas, por favor...
"The bottom line is that if you are moving to Spain and looking for work you might as well not bother if you don't learn the language. If you are a tourist then obviously you don't have to learn the language, you will get by, but learning a few basic words or expressions will actually add to the enjoyment of your holiday as you delight the locals (and yourself)." Mark Eastwood of CostaBlancaUncovered.com with some sound advice on language learning.
How to Learn Spanish Quickly and Easily
14 September
Cross-cultural confusion!
"Over two-thirds of the effectiveness of negotiation is determined by non-verbal communication. Gestures and facial expressions can communicate diverse emotions and attitudes. They are, however, often misleading due to the marked cultural differences in the use and interpretation of nonverbal cues." Read Professor Manie Spoersma's guide on how to avoid cross-cultural misunderstandings.
Negotiation Across Cultural Boundaries
16 September
Photo of the Week
"This South African farrier used to travel most of the year - including up into Botswana, where I photographed him with my trusty old AE-1."
An old craft
20 September
Living in the Land of Smiles
"I discovered that things were very different in Thailand in terms of land or property purchase. First of all, I wasn't allowed to buy land." Henry Jiminez negotiates his way through the Thailand property buying labyrinth...
Buying Property in Thailand: Culture Shock!
23 September
Photo of the Week
"An oldie from Blighty... Actually, Marnhull in Dorset." We've been keeping this one back to mark the official beginning of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere:
On the road to Autumn
24 September
Clark's Caledonia
"Bored now, Prince Shuggie tossed the paperback onto the cheap plastic table. Like he cared that cheap plastic tables were banned. He'd inherited it from his grandfather. It was his legacy." In a short story, Mike Clark presents his nightmare vision of a re-run of the "Forty-Five" Rebellion - three centuries on...
The Twenty Forty-Five
26 September
You can't take it with you...
Despite the familiar fictional stereotypes, inheritance tax doesn't just affect bloated capitalists or weak-chinned nobles - the threshold is comparable to the price of a modest family home. Read JustTax's guide and find out how, even if you can't take it with you, you can make sure it goes where you want it to...
Inheritance Tax
30 September
Photo of the Week
"This was taken on the Toyota 1,000km Desert Race 2002 - boneshaker and car wrecker - in the Kalahari Desert. It is quite normal for two-thirds of the pack to drop out, most of them on the first day."
Kicking up the dirt!
Post to del.icio.us
