Family Crashing in Our Bedroom

My cousin, her daughter and friend came to our side of the world from France. To keep costs down they stayed with my mum in her tiny 1 bedroom apartment and (only) one night at our slightly bigger home due to me having to go to work most days. We freshly washed the sheets and had them drying in the sunshine all day so that they could sleep in sunshine smelling sheets; a treat they don't get in Paris.

I tried to have my messy cluttered home cleaned up before they came for the sleepover - I forced myself the tidy up 30 minutes a night for about a week - but I'm a little piggy and have a bad bad habit of dropping stuff at the nearest point instead of where it belongs. So I tidied and dropped, tidied and dropped. Our home also has very limited storage space for our STUFF. (I've been watching The Block to get DIY renovation ideas.) So it looked better but was still not clutter free.

The Parisian girls slept in our beds, in our room while the 3 of us squatted the office/clutter room and squeezed in on a smallish mattress. Dolly even fell out of bed in our home camping trip - luckily it was a thin mattress on the ground.

We Happily Gave Up Our Beds

And We Slept Amongst Our Clutter

Cousin Love Makes it, Worth It.

Our neighbour Mr T lent us the mattress that we slept on, that way we didn't have to sleep on the ground. I was going to go out and purchase one as I will need a new mattress for a long term guest in the near future. However purchasing in a limited time frame and under pressure usually means a fantastic deal is passed by for an expensive choice. So I was happy to borrow and will search around for a new mattress/bed calmly in the few weeks.

Do you have guests come and stay? Where do you put them?

Inexpensive Home Help

The tourist season is on in our region again. So we are getting many requests from backpackers to sleep on our couch and have a meal in exchange for some work.

I ask for 3 hours work for what we offer. Our helpers J&J have just left us to discover Litchfield National Park where another person has accepted them for some gardening work. They stayed with us for 3 days and we really enjoyed their company.

Here are some of the jobs they did for us:

• Helped at the school for the Garden Working Bee.
• Cleaned the lounge fan.
• Washed up dishes.
• Helped with dinner.
• Cut back a bothersome fishtail tree in our backyard.
• Hang up laundry to dry.
• Put together a clothes rack.
• Played Dolls and Read books to Dolly.

All this stuff really helps me out as I am time poor and messy as there are so many things I want to do each day, get enough sleep and have time for The Rambling Expat and Dolly.

But Best of All they entertained us and played music with Dolly. I had my own band right here at home.

Dolly Examining the Song Words.

Dolly Playing Along with her Bongo Drum.

Dolly had the best time and loved it so much. My cheeks hurt from smiling and trying not to laugh. I Loved having them stay with us.

For those concerned about having strangers near their kids, I wish to point out even though I am a huge fan of HelpX and think it's a great way to travel and be part of a travelling community, I am still careful of who I choose to stay in my home or in who's home I stay in as a guest. I never give keys and I never leave Dolly out of my eyesight, not even for 1 minute with strangers. Dolly sleeps in the same room as us with her bed against ours or in our bed. We have lots of trinkets hanging on our bedroom door which make a racket when it is opened because she is a sleepwalker. When the time comes that she is in a room of her own we will no longer take strangers into our home.

Do you frugal travel or have your own musicians in your home?

Last Country on Our Holiday - Singapore

After Bali, France and Switzerland we headed back home to Oz. However we had a 23 hour wait in Singapore. At 1st I had thought we would spend it in the airport as it has great facilities; sleeping areas, restaurants, massage, fishponds, entertainment, a butterfly enclosure, playgrounds and even 3 free cinemas! However due to our exhaution from our lovely gastro we decided to get a cheap hotel.

I spoke with Hotel Information staff at the airport. I was given options in my price range. One looked okay at $60AUS but.. was in the red light district. In the past this would be no issue for me, now with Dolly I desire a cleaner bedroom then usual. I quietly asked if the sex workers and customers used the hotel rooms... Yes many of them did.

We decided to go for a small hotel in Little India at $80AUS a night. The hotel patrons were Indian families in Singapore for the shopping. And shopping they did! As they waited for taxi's for the airport to return to India their baggage was boxes and boxes of stuff! The only shopping we did was for fruit and a $5 box of tiny offering tea cups for Dolly. Dolly has a couple of Miniature Cups and a Serving Plate from Vietnam, a hand me down Porcelain Tea Pot from France and a little Jug I picked up in an op shop for 50 cents. So these were a great addition to her fragile collection.

Each cup has a different image.

Pretty when removed from all the kitch and glitz in the over flowing shop.

Has now become a new addition to Dolly's fragile tea set collection.

I'm so glad we got ourselves a hotel because we were still sick and weak. And my whooping cough was really getting me down. We made it out of the hotel for a couple of hours to wander and have dinner. This is what we had (Yes another food pic...)

Quick Indian Dinner Served on Eco "Green" Banana Leaves

I love Indian food, but I was just too sick to eat. I had 3 bites and that was it. They were closing when we arrived for dinner but they kindly served us and boiled an egg for Dolly. We drank bottled water and Coke to try and ease our stomach bugs. The staff that served us spoke no English (Singapore is an English speaking country) and we saw people bedding down in the street when we returned to the hotel. Little India is very different to the rest of modern bustling Singapore and the food was super cheap. I love the area, it feels more relaxed then the rest of the busy city.

The Rambling Expat Had No Problem Eating.

Then We Went to Switzerland

During our holiday in France we popped over the border to Switzerland for 1 night to see my ex-employers and the girl I once nannied :-)

We caught a train on a super discount because we were travelling with Dolly. It's part of a program that the French govt encourage people to travel with children so they get a chance to see and learn. Once in Switzerland my ex-employer had someone pick us up at the station and took us to a gorgeous Hotel Krafft on the Rhine in Basel. My ex-boss also picked up the cost of hotel and meals.

I Love Swiss Simplicity.

I was so thrilled to catch up with them. And the girl has now become a stunning young woman. Brought up wealthy with everything she wants and yet she is kind, gracious and thoughtful. I am so proud of her and have missed her a great deal over the past 15 years years.

My ex-employers met us in the evening for a delicious dinner in the hotel restaurant. This was perfect because Dolly and The Rambling Expat got tired and were able to go to bed while I stayed on and chatted for another hour. Eventually they left me and I may not see them for quite a few years. I stood on the cold dark street waving them off, feeling very sad.

View From the Balcony.

However not only did they treat us to the hotel and meals but also slipped 500 Euros into my hand!!! This paid for our 3 France-Switzerland return tickets and much more. A gift I was very grateful for. Due to such a gift and the kindness of friends and family we were able to keep our entire trip costs down and not use my Credit Card once. I actually returned home with money in my purse which can go to other necessities of life and contribute to my early retirement..

Anyway, moving on... the Hotel Krafft follows some green principals. No cute little bottles of shampoo, the food is mostly organic, the hand towels in the restaurant bathroom are cloth and are washed and reused. This made me feel very happy.

Big Bottles of Products (no minis')

The decor was simple and stunning. Each floor had a bookshelf with glasses, water, tea, apples, books and games and also a table with computer and free internet access. The hotel also gave a free 2 day tram pass each. Which we used to return to the train station for our departure. As we left the hotel we were asked if we wanted a taxi, which we decline to their total amazement! I explained we were traveling on a backpackers budget and only afforded their gorgeous hotel because my ex-Boss paid. The tram was only a 3 to 5 minute walk away and went to the station. So no changes or difficulty.

Bookshelf full of goodies.

View of Our Tram Line to the Train Station from our Balcony - just a skip away..

It was a long trip just for a dinner meet up, but wonderful to see the family I had lived with for 2 years anyhow. Also staying in a hotel room 1 night, just the 3 of us... allowed us to regroup as a family. And with the generous money gift I was able to budget for other items in our life.

Food in France

I totally tortured myself working on this post. My mouth is salivating and my stomach rumbling. Each photo was more and more torture and the nectarines are just not satisfying enough! Be warned.. if you love food your mouth may salivate....

Glorious food we ate in our friends and family homes and 1 inexpensive restaurant. Unfortunately we were so sick in our last 5 days in Paris that we couldn't stomach much. And this occurred after we had purchased about 10 different variety of cheese at Lidle. Cheese that I can't get or that cost the earth here in the tropical north. So we ate none in those last days - boohoo :-(

In Lyon one of my favourite dishes was Hare with Chestnuts and Green Salad. The salad has a delicate mild taste in France. The leaves are softer. I don't know if it's a different type of lettuce then in Australia or if it's the growing conditions, but I'm always amazed at the taste difference.

Salad with a vinegrette of oil, vinegar and garlic.

Preserved Hare purchased from a farm via catalogue.

Our friend Jean Charles used to run a restaurant so his cooking skills are pretty amazing. He prepared a sauce of artichoke hearts with prawns and scallops, placed on a bed of fettucini and garnished with bacon wrapped asparagus. 

He purchases his artichokes when they are in season, cleans, chops and freezes them ready to prepare off season. Frugal and wise.

Dinner is Served.

Delicious and Mouth Watering

Our lovely Ex CouchSurfing guests Florence and Cyril cooked many amazing dishes for us. The night before this shot, Florence had offered Dolly cook with her the next day. The first words of the day from Dolly were "Is Florence awake now so we can cook".

They made a Galette De Roi - a traditional cake in France eaten in homage to the 3 kings that gave gifts to baby Jesus. This is one of my all time favourite cakes. We ate 6 of them whilst in France. Inside the layers is a hidden porcelain charm. The person who finds it, is the King or Queen for the day and receive a golden paper crown. Small children hide under the table and call out who each portion is for.

Making of the Galette De Roi.

Dolly under the table getting ready to call the portions out.

Golden, Crispy, Soft, Buttery and Warm! In other words Divine!!!

We Purchased pre-prepared snails at Lidle. They were so cheap it was beyond belief. I took advantage of one of my favourite dishes. I sometimes make them in Oz - but the cost is pretty high.

Quick Lunch before heading out. Escargot - Snails.

More food at Florence and Cyril's! Cyril makes handmade (not machine) bread most days. Here is a gorgeous snack of Tasty Bread and Homemade Terrine from Florence's sister.

Heavenly Snack.

Every lunchtime my cousin races home from her full time job and cooks for her 2 teenage children and herself. This allows her to eat properly at lunch and dinner time. I think this would stress me out. But Food is a serious issue with the French. You wont see people eating a sandwich at home. Here she prepared and cooked 2 different types of quiches in the space of 30 minutes!

Fast Food, Fast Cooking.

1 in the oven, 1 more to go.

On our last few days the 3 of us were so sick with gastro we could barely move. The Rambling Expats family drove many hours to Paris to see us for a couple of hours! They were going to take us out for lunch at a nearby restaurant. However we were so sick I spent the day in the bathroom puking and The Rambling Expat in the loo. Our poor family was left to order pizza and had very little of our company. The local Italian Pizzaria's pizza's smelt so good - but we stayed right away as our flights were only 48 hours away. Once our family left, the 3 of us collapsed into bed together and slept for 16 hours!

Italian Pizza.

We did make it to 2 restaurant stops during our trip. And one was my favourite from my youthful days. We headed to Barbes in Paris - the Arab / North African area near the red light district. I ordered my favourite Couscous dish. A lot of people don't like the area because it's rough and there are many pickpockets. But I don't have much to steal and it used to be my old stomping ground. So I say live a little and enjoy the inexpensive delights it has to offer!

One of my all time favourite dishes - Moroccan Cous Cous.

Florence and Cyril also cooked up a Oriental (Moroccan?) chicken dish which was cooked in a Moroccan Clay Cooking Pot. Lots of lovely flavours with the herbs and spices. I've never cooked in a clay pot - it's on my To Do One Day List.

Moroccan Style Cooking.

So is your mouth watering yet??? Isn't food wonderful!?!?!? Hope you enjoyed a tour of some of the dishes we enjoyed in France during our trip. Of course we ate way more then this - everyday was a burst of flavours. But I was busy eating and not taking photo's :-)

Our Frugal Holiday In France

Our trip to France in December and January was an exciting adventure of reconnecting with family and friends. Dolly was thrilled to meet cousins as we don't have much family in Australia.

Cousin Love.

We kept things frugal as we stayed with family and friends and enjoyed their warm hospitality and FANTASTIC FOOD!!! Some places we stayed 1 or 2 nights and others more.

Lyon - The Rambling Expat's Aunt Cooking Rabbit.

Paris - My Cousin rushes home each lunchtime to cook and eat - making Goats Cheese Quiche.

Paris - My Godmother gave up her lovely mezzanine bedroom for us, with view on Sacre Coeur!

Lyon - The Rambling Expat's childhood friend cooked up a storm for us and gave internet time.

Lyon - Great Company (Family) and Great Food (Rabbit and Chest Nuts).

We tried to replenish people fridges if there was the possibility of time, accessibility and shops. Sorry to those we did not - come to Australia and we will return the favour :-)

Lyon - Tourism in the supermarket - The (seafood?) section - Frog Legs on the left.

Lyon - Enjoying part of the cheese selection in the Supermarket with my Brother (not) In Law.

Paris - I Discovered Lidl - So Inexpensive!!!! Bought pre-packed snails too! Yum.

Lyon - Gift for Host, Marie Antoinette is not the only one who Loves Patisserie.

If you don't have family and friends in France do look at Helpx and CouchSurfing. I highly recommend both for inexpensive accommodation, great local knowledge and a "community" way to travel. There are many other similar sites but these are the ones our household uses.

Reims - Stayed with our former CouchSurfing Guest, as they were back in France - Now friends for life.

We used public transport to get around; buses, metro, trains and trams and we learnt to ask about cheaper options. Counter staff are a wealth of information and know the good deals which may not be obvious or advertised. Asking saved us a lot of Euros as; different times, travelling with a child or buying 10 tickets, all meant special rates and discounts.

Paris - Public Transport Tickets; RER, Metro and Buses.

France - Easy Train Travel.

We didn't shop for much useless stuff but instead spent our money on experiences for Dolly which we also enjoyed.

My only purchase was a handbag which was 25 Euros after being reduced by 50% and it's already falling apart. I purchased 6 French children's books, 2 French DVDs for Dolly and 2 French CD's for myself. Other than that I had no interest in shopping which was different to my past life where I used to want to hit the shops in Paris and Lyons and shop till I dropped. I really wanted to browse some Op-Shops (Thrift Stores) and Flea Markets but never got the opportunity.

Come back soon as I will be posting shots of FOOD in France! And also some friends and family interiors. A interior designer friend in France has told me due to small spaces people must decorate not the square meter but the cubic meter. This was a light bulb moment for me.

24 hours in Bali.

Last December Dolly and I headed to Bali for 5 days before going to France with the Rambling Expat. It was cheaper for Dolly and I to take an earlier flight and spend 5 days in a Bali then it was to get the same flight as my partner. So we went off on our adventure with a very small amount of baggage that we planned to give away as we went.

All of our baggage on arrival.

I didn't book a room before leaving Australia and many of my friends thought I was taking a stressful risk with a small child. But I know there is always some place, some where available at the right price.

Once outside Denpasar airport I looked around for a middle man, which didn't take long. He showed us some expensive fancy hotels in his book that I declined and explained exactly what I wanted and our budget. My criteria was simple, clean, quiet, child friendly, away from the rowdy Kuta nightlife and no more then $25AUS a night. He found us the perfect Bed and Breakfast at "Bunut Garden".

Clean Room.

Off the street with lots of lush green plants.

Our own bathroom.

Verandah with 3 shrines near our room.

The room was perfect. Within a few minutes Dolly was excited to see a cat on the verandah, I went to check on her and promptly told her it was a monkey, my poor Dolly shocked at my unexpected news.. ran inside and hid behind the bed.

Our 1st morning in Bali, I found a small local restaurant with friendly staff. Dolly order pineapple pancakes and I had a Balinese dish of chicken, vegetables and rice. We shared a freshly made fruit juice and enjoyed each others company. Our meal cost roughly $5AUS... I love food :-)

Delicious Breakfast

The rains then poured from the sky flooding the roads up to out knees. I chatted to a local asking what I could do with Dolly for 6 hours before our lift came to take us to the mountains. She directed me to a indoor playground. Dolly had a fantastic time playing with Balinese and tourist kids. 3 girls on the outside had been hanging around game machines watching rich kids play, looking for tokens and tickets for about 4 hours. I couldn't bear it anymore and invited them inside the playground. They were sooooo excited, they couldn't stop smiling and hugging Dolly. At $4AUS a kid for a full day of play including socks, this to me is a good investment. Kids laughing and enjoying themselves is a glimmer of hope for the future.

Fun and Laughter.

Once the day was coming to an end our Couchsurfing Host Pat Jero arrived with his family and we headed to his lovely home high up in the mountains. There we spent 2 nights of sharing with this generous family.

Our Couch Surfing Hosts.