The Fun And Fabulous (Frivolity Included) (f)Adventures of PW and Kylie! Part 1: Barcelona

....so perhaps I'll update you another time on the passport misadventures (it arrived (miraculously?) on the morning of my flight...

But for now, let me introduce The Fun And Fabulous (Frivolity Included) (f)Adventures of PW and Kylie!

Part 1: Barcelona

We are sitting in the bus en route to Girona from Barcelona and have decided to utilize the time productively by updating our blogs with what has happened so far on the trip. For those of you new to our lives, Kylie (chaupair.blogspot.com) and PW (paywhen@blogspot.com) will be typing away furiously every free moment we have to bring you the details of this Spain/Portugal trip.

PW: Barcelona was every bit as beautiful as everyone claimed it to be... we saw beautiful beaches, the Gaudi buildings, met friendly people and had great weather.

Kylie: I will remember Barcelona as a time of clutching my bag and looking suspiciously at everyone. This follows many warnings of the people we met...because "everyone they knew" had been robbed in Barcelona.
I can't tell you how many happy feelings I had bike riding in the sunshine along the beach path. Somewhat marred by unwanted viewings of people who should have been wearing swimming suits.

PW: I had a new found appreciation for my Mandarin "skillz"... everywhere we went there were Chinese people - most of them clothing or food shop owners/workers. The first night I was able to order some lemon chicken and rice for us in Mandarin (although I failed to secure a reduction on the cost of our meal). Then there were the other times I was useful for communication purposes: finding out how much the sushi/wok place cost, translating prices and descriptions of goods for Kylie and delivering the bad news that the dress she wanted (which was marked 6.50) was actually 12 euros for her, since we did not look Spanish enough to get the lower price.

Kylie: Its true. She actually said the double price was for tourists. Sheesh.
It's been a while since I've been in a country that I have absolutely no language skills.
(Well I can say please and thank you. I do have lovely manners. See, Mum? I told you I'd grow up ok.)
But other than that? It's been fun playing a giant game of charades.
Favourite part of Barcelona? Definitely being too cheap to pay to go up to the roof of a Gaudi house. And instead somehow finding our way up to the rooftop of the neighbouring hotel. A much better view AND it involved a game of hide and seek with hotel workers and cleaners.
I love games.

PW: WHAT?!?! Kylie totally stole MY favourite moment... It's true, we were too cheap to pay entry to the attractions so had to come up with creative ways to see everything. However, I'm required to recount the event Kylie has mentioned in a more accurate manner (her memory is not what it used to be). Firstly, we were at Palau Güell, which is under re-construction, so NO ONE could see the whismical rooftop chimneys on the roof. Being able-bodied, curious and cheap, Kylie and I snuck stealthily (is that even a word?) into a nearby casino/hotel and headed straight for the rooftop. There, we scoured the premises and realized we could see directly onto the top of Gaudi's first masterpiece mansion from a certain vantage point on the roof of this hotel. The problem was that 3-4 workers were on the roof as well - we had to 007 our way over scattered pieces of building materials on the ground, get onto the terrace and take the photo without getting caught. We felt quite accomplished after successfully capturing the photo. My other favourite things: saving a cat stuck in the tree in the beautiful Jewish gardens; sneaking into the gas station to use the w/c, then trying to justify the toilet use by buying a 0.30 euro pack of cookies; seeing the street performers on La Rambla.

Kylie: Her 30 cent cookie purchase was made all the better when she tried to pay with a 50 Euro note. Needless to say, we were not their favourite sneaky toilet users of the night.
And seriously--cats do not, can not, and will not get stuck up in trees. And if they do-it's their own fault. It's just part of their evil plan to rule the world. If we had the baggage room PW would be carrying bags of cat food with her. She wants to make sure she is remembered among them if they succeed in world domination.

All in all, we enjoyed Barcelona! Especially the 1 euro McDonalds menu!!! See you next in Portugal!

I don't like Iceland Anymore

Dear Passport. I know you are lost. Lost and scared and alone. And you don't know where you are. I don't know where you are either. Somewhere between Australia and Switzerland.

Dear Volcano. I know you ate my passport. Or you scared away all the planes with the mail in them. Give me back my passport. I need it.
(Please, please, please come in the mail tomorrow.)

Dear Spain and Portugal. I really want to see you. Why do you always need to see my passport? I don't have mine. The Volcano ate it. Eyjafjallajökull. [Ay-yah-FYAH'-plah-yer-kuh-duhl] (just in case you were wondering)

With much love (for the passport & next week's countries), threats and bribes (for the volcano),
Kylie



Next up: Another visit to Mamma Mia and Many many many mysterious blue boxes floating around Zurich City.

Pink Hair, A Red Convertible & An Icelandic Volcano

This week I took to heart Climb Every Mountain and climbed a giant giant mountain.
Bigger than any I've climbed before.
It took a sturdy pair of snow shoes, some pulling from a good friend (Thanks Aline!) and 7 1/2 hours.
Yeah - I'm pretty happy.




Spring is really coming. We even had Sechseläuten yesterday.
After spending the last week up in the mountains, I am amazed at the colour everywhere. It even smells like Spring.
I went for a walk yesterday and ended up having a little nap in the garden at a Church nearby with a beautiful view.
There's something a little different about waking up from a sleep and realizing you're sleeping amongst 100-year old graves. At least I woke up - more than I can say from those sleeping next to me.

2 more sleeps until Mamma Mia! What? You think I've seen it enough times?! Pfssht!

Next week it's off to Spain. I'm pretty excited about this because 1.) the beach, and 2.) after Spain we are going to Portugal and here I can eat Portuguese Custard Tarts. This will be the fulfillment of a lifelong (well at least 3-year-long) dream.

That is, if this Icelandic volcano decides to sit still for a while. Please, Eyjafjallajökull, don't ruin my plans. It's ironic that it has caused so much havoc, and we really can't see a thing from down here below.
I think I have 12 flights planned for the next few weeks so I'm quite at the mercy of a Volcano whose name I can't even pronounce!

In other unfortunate news, I have pink hair. Actually somehow a mix between red, pink, and purple. I was trying for dark brown with a slight auburn tinge. How did I end up with pink?!

And, in other cool news, I got to be driven around the Swiss Alps in a red convertible on the weekend (Thanks Sandro & Pam!) How.Very.Cool.

"Please Don't Steal Me" - The Desperate Plea of a Pink Bike

I know many of you are waiting with baited breath for news of the PB (Pink Bike).

After first trying to get it onto a bus 1. without the driver seeing it (not easy, pretty much impossible) REFUSED and 2. casually pretending there wasn't a problem REFUSED, I stashed it behind a church. Sacred ground and all that. Please don't get stolen.

The girls and I went home, we had dinner and I put them to bed. Still not sure how I was going to retrieve the PB. I had visions of walking into town and then riding back (a feat that would have taken all night - SO NOT happening!) So I called the lovely neighbours, and with my desperate pleading they agreed to drive me into town and pick up the PB.

I felt like a thief, creeping around the church grounds in the dark and putting a random bike in the back of the car.

The black clothing and balaclava I was wearing probably only fueled people's suspicions. Hey, I was cold.

PB is now home safe and sound. It had better be used, pinkness and all!

Eau-La-La!

I'm staying at the moment in a beautiful Alpine village about 15 minutes from a popular Ski Village and we're tucked away up in the mountains.

NickNat have gone to Venice for a few days and TayAbs&George and I are hanging out at home.

Saturday the 11th April. I've promised the girls a visit to the Pool

The girls are I make a crazy run for the bus. It only goes once an hour so we really want to make this one.
We have to change buses and then get off at the Supermarket to buy lunch and copious amounts of Easter chocolate. Yes, yes, Easter was last weekend, but who can say no to half-price chocolate!?

We get back on the bus and ride it til the end. Our mission? To buy a bike at the one-day bike sale for Nat. I'm dubious. I know nothing about bikes, and I don't even own a bike at this stage of my life (due to selling it to my Dad several years ago when I needed money).

Apparently everyone in Switzerland also wants to attend this bike sale. We join the long line to enter the shed.

When the doors open, we are pushed along in the throng of the crowd to rows of shiny bikes. It's doubtful that there's enough bikes for all buyers and so the race is on.

I fight off a few people with my handbag and use my Swiss angry words to warn off potential interest in the bikes I'm interested in. But then I turn into an angel as I help a fallen victim who was trying out her new bike.

I lose the girls several times but together we find a [hopefully] good buy. It's unfortunately pink but otherwise we agree.

After finally making it through the purchase line we step outside and start to walk toward bus stop. It's time to go to the promised pool but first, the bus. I'm rejected on the bus with the bike and so the girls go without me and I use some pedal power.

Upon arriving at the pool [wittily and appropriately called Eau-La-La - although the pool people probably should be informed that we are in the German part of Switzerland, and not the French part], I am faced with what to do with the bike. Since I cannot take it swimming with us, I hesitantly leave it outside, unlocked. Eeeek.

The pool is wonderful. There's something amazing about swimming outside in a heated pool, in cool weather, with snowy mountains all around. I selfishly plant myself at the water massage section and settle in for the long haul. Life is tough.

The girls come and go [it's hard for them to choose whether to use the water slide or the massaging jets] and a little British girl hears us speaking English. When she finds out we are Australian, she proudly shouts to her Mum that she can understand Australian.

I am strangely watched constantly by an older woman who is wearing so much gold jewelry in the pool I wonder she doesn't sink. Her carefully made-up face and string of pearls stick out amongst us normal people, who don't wear enough jewelry in the pool to start a shop.

I am relieved to find the bike still there when we leave. We are on a race against time to 1. get to the grocery shop before it closes and 2. get the last bus back to our village.

I am rejected again on the bus with the bike and so decide to hide it behind the church so conveniently placed near the bus stop. Please don't get stolen, I plead with it. I've invested too much of my day with you.

The girls are I make the made dash around the shop and then jump on our first bus just in time. We're lugging bags of groceries, swimwear and also the copious amounts of chocolate. Which, I'm positive will be in tiny pieces by the time we get home.

We arrive home, 7 buses later and minus a bike.

Mission somewhat accomplished.

Me Me Me

I am drinking tea.
I am applying for uni.
I am thinking about A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. SO GOOD.
I have so many wonderful friends.
I am so excited about up-coming trips.
I have too many flights booked here, there and everywhere, to count.
I am alone in the mountains...with 4 little girls. Well, in a nice house in the mountains.
I am currently loving lattes, fresh peppermint tea, and kirsch liquor filled chocolates.
I am anticipating spring so much, and enjoying the glimpses given.
I am thankful for so many things.



I found my pros and cons list of Options for 2009. I had to laugh in disbelief when I read the Cons for Au Pairing/Living OS:
Lonely? Boring? No Friends?
I don't think I've felt any of those things this year. At all. I'm so glad I didn't listen to my negative possibilities.
I laugh in the face of my 2008 self. :)
When I'm reminded of the fears of the unknown I've had before, it gives me so much confidence for the future unknown.

Which brings me to a quote from A Million Miles [Donald Miller] (it's really worth the read! - and I'll probably quote from it more than a time or two!)

Before I realized we were supposed to fight fear, I thought of fear as a subtle suggestion in our subconscious designed to keep us safe, or more important, keep us from getting humiliated. And I guess it serves that purpose.
But fear isn’t only a guide to keep us safe; it’s also a manipulative emotion that can trick us into living a boring life.

I am drinking tea. And I am thankful.

Kissing BigFoot

So today I went skiing.

I know, I know. I dislike skiing and all that, but we had the most fabulous snowfall last night and the season is nearly finished, and the sun was so sunny when I woke up this morning, that I kind of got emotionally tricked into it.

I'd been wanting to try out a set of skis, called BigFoot. Let's just say they were created around '90 and, well, never really took off. But they're about half the size of normal skis, with toes on the end! and I thought perhaps I could pretend I was rollerblading down some Alps. You know, as you do.

I took regular skis up the gondola as well, to keep at the top, in case BigFoot and I didn't get on so well. And slowly, but surely, I made it down. I didn't love them, especially when I realized you can fall flat on your face with them (kind of impossible with normal skis).
But, we will remain acquaintances. At the very least, I made myself laugh all day with my BigFoots and my 80's ski jacket. Watch out people, here comes a blast from the past.




At 4:30PM I remembered about those skis I'd left up the top. And, as they weren't coming down by themselves, I headed toward the Gondola.
I was *um* using somebody else's ticket to go back up. Somebody else's with their photo ID, but, hey, I was just quickly going up and back and they never check the tickets.

I nervously got on the first gondola, wearing dark glasses and trying to act cool.
I got halfway, where you have to change gondolas, and the second gondola didn't seem to be running. I hung around the entrance, looking for another option besides walking all the way to the top and a man offered to let me in through another entrance (main one was closed) and I was very thankful.

I was the only passenger and feeling a little nervous (remember, NOT my photo on the ID) and so I made some conversation with the operators, a couple of young-ish guys. English with an Australian accent in Switzerland - always a plus. BUT they wanted to check my ticket. Thankful for my dark glasses, I cooly gave them the photo ID ticket with someone else's photo.

It was a long moment: look at me, look at the photo, back at me and back at the photo. But I think my Australian accent distracted well, and I was let aboard, the only passenger.

Up we went. Me and my private gondola operator. Knowing I spoke English, he chatted and asked to sit next to me. I couldn't say no, I was sitting on the only seat.

After a couple of minutes , he asked my name, and I introduced myself as Kylie.

I immediately wanted to stuff the name back into my mouth. Kylie? My ticket said Natalie!

I am NOT good at this someone else's ID thing. I've had too much practice introducing myself as Kylie.

He held out his hand to shake mine and introduce himself and then leaned in for the introductory kiss on the cheek. Uh, I thought to myself. This is the downside to living in Europe. So much kissing people you don't know.

I pulled away but he held tight to my hand and reminded me that this was Switzerland.

Damn you Switzerland. You with your THREE kisses. And YOU, sleazy operator guy. Learn the difference between cheek and almost my mouth. Ew.

After the third very deliberate kiss, I pulled away and slid along to the edge edge edge of my side of the seat. Who makes these things so small!? My nervousness about the ID kept me chatting (shut up, will you!) and I chatted my way out of the gondola to avoid further physical contact with Mr Sleaze.

Switzerland protocol or not, I was not kissing him goodbye three times.

Dear Swiss, I Will Miss...

Dear Swiss,
I will miss you.

I will miss you sweeping the road with a dustpan and brush. Yessir, that would be cleaning your bitumen roads with a dustpan and brush.

I will miss your children going on and on in Swiss German to me as I smile and nod.

I will miss getting a foot of snow in about 3 hours [today], and you coming along in the minutes afterward with your snow plow.

I will miss your whole Kindergarten class coming to your house to pick you up on your birthday. All coming up the road with their stick horses and Pringle cans aka drums. Singing.

I will miss eating the most amazing Zopf breads in the world.

I will miss the wide and luxurious chocolate choices I have at my fingertips...in my mouth...right now. Ah.

Love Kylie, who had all these Swiss things happen today.

Gum Anyone? Fresh Yeast?

I'm on the train and I'm lugging around a giant handbag. Full of stuff.
At least I'm prepared...with:

3 books
4 blocks of chocolate
1 pair of gloves
2 bottles of deodorant (this does NOT mean anything)
1 hairbrush
1 comb
1 journal
1 phone book
2 wallets
1 new tube of toothpaste
1 pill bottle (good rhythm for when i walk)
1 cube of fresh yeast (yes, indeed. don't ask)
2 pens
1 million pieces of scrap paper
1 pair of sunglasses, broken (is it any wonder, being shaken and squashed in this thing!?)
1 packet of throat lozenges
1 iPod
1 bottle of moisturizer
2 packets of chewing gum
1 set of broadway tickets, used (unfortunately)
1 NYC map
55 cents

No joke, I am prepared to: walk NYC with music in my ears, sporting cracked sunglasses, chewing an awful lot of gum whilst simultaneously sucking throat lozenges and scoffing chocolate, brushing my hair and applying, yes, an awful lot of deodorant, and baking some fresh bread. I can also read a book, whilst journalling about this experience. I'll have to think about what to do with my 55cents...

What I Would Do If I Had No Money

This Blog is Entitled: What I Would Do If I Had No Money.

Wait - I don't have any money.

In that case, I want to tell you what I've done with no money. A little over one year ago, I arrived in Switzerland with, well, about $500. I'd bought a plane ticket and signed up for a new family.

(Nothing wrong with the old one, by the way. Hey, guys!)

I've since spent that $500 - most likely all on Swiss chocolate (Hey, Lindt!) and a number of other monetary chunks that arrived in my bank account courtesy of the Swiss family (Hey, Swiss fam! - wait, I hope you are NOT reading this).

Now, I want to make it clear that I did work for the money. Some people have mistakenly assumed that I've been on holidays for the last year (Hey guys! Nope!)

But, one vacuum fades into the next and I can make beds in my sleep now (1.3 seconds) and I'm now at the end of a year that I only started with $500.

$500 + Bed-making + Vacuuming + a whole bunch of other work =

The most amazing year in Switzerland. And a whole lot of other places. Travel & Adventure & Having to step outside of myself to be able to see everything a bit clearer. New friends & the chance to be a part of this whole other world.

And 7,000 photos. I am NEVER going to be able to sort through all of that.

Pretty sweet deal eh? All of that on $500+...

Perhaps I should title this blog: How I survived in Switzerland (home of the most expensive Big Mac in the world) on $500.