Que Faire? To move or not to move...

Well, dear readers, I have to admit my heart has been a little heavy for almost a month now, and I know exactly why.
You see, I don't know quite what to do.

Upon my return to the Gold Coast, I have found that the 'Glitter Strip' (why this place is so called is totally beyond me, perhaps I should be nice and suggest it's because the ocean glitters in the sunshine, although we all know that is so not why...) has lost its sparkle in terms of property values.

This means that our house will sell for less than it would have done six months or a year ago, which is not good news for someone wishing to sell up, run away to another country and buy a house there. For another country, read France, in case you weren't sure... 

On the flip side, the aussie dollar is at pretty much an all time high and thrashing most other currencies, meaning the situation may balance out. 

So, do we pursue the dream and press on regardless, or play it safe and hang out on the GC Glitter Strip and wait for the next upturn? 

In other words, comparing like with like, do we swap this....

for this.....

or this.....

or this.....

or even this.....???

What do you think we should do? Any landslide opinons shall carry the day, and the final decision shall be binding. For better or for worse!!

In Transit - Seoul and Smiling!

One of my biggest gripes is the time it takes to travel from Australia to mostly anywhere else in the whole world.  Too long, that's how long it takes.
However, this time, my return trip to the land Down Under simply flew by, despite my dreading the whole thing with a fear akin to my Fear Of Drowning.


I had a stop over of 36 hours in Seoul, you see, and I thought this was going to be just awful, especially travelling by myself and especially with no hotel booked for said stop over etc. etc.

I managed the first leg of the Paris - Seoul journey quite well, simply by sobbing uncontrollably with grief at my departure, until I fell asleep exhausted (much to the delight of my fellow passengers and the entire air crew).  Tip - sob uncontrollably on flights, and - mysteriously - the occupied seat next to you becomes vacant, thus enhancing your air space....

Once in Seoul airport, I consulted the Information desk to secure a hotel for my 36 hour sojourn, and was swiftly booked into the Garden E'Zen Hotel Downtown, and dispatched thence in an International taxi (swish).

I baulked at the sight of said hotel, but was too exhausted to put up much resistance.

Nestled in an enclave of similar hotels, all named along similar lines, this hotel required no ID, a cash up front payment, no paperwork, gave out no keys, dispensed popcorn and condoms from a vending machine in the tiny reception and featured rooms with NO WARDROBE, a king size bed, gigantic spa bath, a Korean all-singing all-dancing bum washing toilet, free in-room internet, a 60 inch TV offering free porn, and, finally, abundant free toiletries. Well! How thoughtful! I was thrilled. I love popcorn, and who can turn their nose up at free toiletries?

Crashing out immediately (long haul flights and sobbing are pretty tiring) I slept for seven straight hours, and then, after availing myself of the spa bath and the toiletries, I ventured out into the Big City. 

It was lovely! I had as nice a time as a single female traveller with not a word of Korean to her vocabulary, nor a map or working mobile, could possibly have!  People were very polite, I was unique in my Western-ness, there were lots of fashionistas about, the streets were busy and bustling and I enjoyed my prowl around a district I was now realising was rather popular with young people, seemingly all in couples, without luggage, checking into motels direct from work - after a nice dinner, of course.

I followed some of these couples into the Pho Bay restaurant and, after pointing enthusiastically at a photo of a colourful bowl of noodles, was fullsomely fed for about seven bucks. 

 Next, a coffee!  I stumbled across the Coffee Bean Tree and, boy, was I happy! Coffee so good I returned the next day and photographed their offering. A perfect, delicious, finely tuned, crema-led latte that underlined in spades what I had been missing for the last four months. Heaven.

Back at the hotel, not that tired, I decided to check my e mails on the free internet. Percolating through the lift shaft into my room, the gasps, grunts, sighs, moans, plus a shrill virtuoso performance from one female I could only surmise was auditioning for "Gerbils on Helium Do Dallas", soon put paid to my ethernet aspirations, and I headed for more sleep in my ultra-comfort Korean bed.
 
Next day, fortified by marvellous coffee/bagel combo from Paris Baguette, a repeat visit to Coffee Bean Tree,  a visit to Hyundai department store, a vigorous window shop at Seoul airport's high-end duty free, and - and - being chatted up by a Korean business man with no English other than the words 'you', 'very bootful' and 'love motel', I bade farwell to Seoul. I'd thoroughly enjoyed myself. Felt invigorated and relaxed all at the same time.  Ingenue yet worldly. Look forward to returning. No, really! After all, I have the knowlege, the insider low-down, on the Seoul high-life-hotel-hot-spot + top coffee = who could ask for anything more??

Madame Folie regrets.....

It's been a little quiet on the Folie Madame front, and with good reason. Unless something really dramatic takes place within the next day or two, my time here is has run out - for now.

Unable to change my ticket to remain until August or beyond, I've been advised I'll have to buy an entirely new ticket altogether and, frankly, I'd rather do that when our permanent return to France takes place, all things coming together as planned, later this year.

 Thus, as my thoughts start straying towards the Antipodes and my imminent return there, I've been dwelling on the comparisons, differences, pros and cons of both countries. What am I going to miss most about France and what am Iooking forward to greeting again in Australia? Here are a few of my thoughts, with more to follow later - accompanied almost exclusively by my photos from France, due to the fact that, well, I've been here, mostly.....

Food - the food is better here, almost without exception, as befits a nation obsessed with fine food and quite unaware of the delights of a processed meat pie. French cheese is divine beyond the realm of dreaming, however, I do miss a bit of mature cheddar AND - it's a big AND - proper parmesan with Italian food. For some inexplicable reason, the French don't 'do' parmesan and put emmental/gruyere on their pasta. What on eartth?? Is this a strange Southern foible? Why no shaved parmigiana on Aubergine Parmigiana?? Can anyone French help me with this? I am also, needless to say, looking forward to a cup of coffee worthy of the name and a Red Thai Chicken Curry. 

Markets – every town in France, big or tiny, has a weekly market, and they are wonderful!  Genuine home grown products, local food and drink, hand made goods - most of the markets I attended were mercifully light on Made in China tat, featuring instead stuff from France itself, Italy, Spain, India, Africa. My favourite buy – a hand embroidered, lined, white linen dress, made in Italy for 39 euros =
miraculous!

Picpoul de Pinet – my wine of choice, perfectly delicious and quite inescapable as the vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see. Yes, I will enjoy again a NZ Marlborough sauvignon blanc, but there is nothing quite like walking into town through the vineyards that produced the pichet of wine accompanying lunch. I shall really miss that. 

Dogs - liberté, égalité, fraternité applies to dogs, too, in France.  As a dog lover it is just a delight to know that, upon our return, Roly and Pepper will come out for lunch or dinner with us (and sit in the restaurant), have a stroll around the shopping centre (yes, inside), go to the beach (any beach), travel on any bus, train or plane (yes, in the cabin), grab a burger at McDonald's, be untroubled by constant leash wearing or council registration - and penalites for insubordination! - and generally be accorded the concessions and priviledges appropriate to Man's Best Friend.  Australia won't ever adopt this policy. Ever.

Coming soon, People and Places, favourite memories......