La vie est pleine de petits bonheurs

Translated means 'life is full of little pleasures'. It's one of the phrases I discovered on my recent trip to France, one of the phrases that I loved. And one which elegantly sums up my lovely little break in Limoges.

When you only have a few days away, it's important to make the most of them. To me on this trip it didn't mean see as much of the country in as short a time as possible, rather it meant relax and enjoy the French way of life for a few days. I learnt some new phrases, practiced my French, ate lots of croissants, cheese, duck and mergeuz (some amazing spicy sausages), and drank lots of coffee and red wine.

Sure, we did some more active things than just eat, drink and attempt to speak French. We visited Etang Saint-Estèphe, a wonderful lake with a beautiful beach, and la Grotte de Villars, some stunning caves with prehistoric drawings inside; we even had our own back garden Olympics, with giant Jenga, Boules and Badminton. But it was the combination of lots of little things that made the trip truly wonderful.

Just out of interest, here's another French proverb I came across, which I enjoyed:

'It's the tone that makes the song.' Or as we say: it's not what you do, it's the way you do it. Alors...

Family, we all need one

Over the past few weeks, for many good reasons, I've been spending a lot of time with my family.

 

I've always been aware how much my family have done for me - over the years I've racked up some debt to them, and I don't just mean the couple of hundred I still owe my Mum from my travels! But going away, and events since I've returned, have brought in to sharp contrast how short I've fallen when it comes to showing my appreciation.

 

But I am beyond grateful for having this wonderful bunch of people I can always depend on, no matter what, and now I'm making the best of everyday by enjoying their company and investing my time in truly appreciating them for all that they are. They're not perfect - after all, who is? - but they're mine, and I love them.

 

So here comes my words of 'wisdom': whoever your family is, whatever you call them (relatives or not), make sure those who are most important to you realise that they are, and enjoy the time you have with them, because it may not last forever.

 

Measuring in Friends

Having just spent Thanksgiving with my family in Los Angeles, and as the first leg of our trip nears the end, it got me thinking about all the people we have met whilst we've been in North America. People who have made our journey so memorable.

Whilst we have been in the States, we've reconnected with old childhood friends, caught up with family, been joined by mates from home, and met a whole host of new people. From my second cousin who I'd never met before, to our tour guide in Mexico, the Frat boys in Florida, to our West Brom friends made in Vegas; these are the people that have made our trip so amazing. 

As Tim Cahill said:

I have been lucky enough to share my experiences over the past three months with three fabulous people, and I'm quite devastated our little family is being torn apart tomorrow as Danielle departs for New York. But I realise how fortunate we are to have met so many great people, from all over the world along the way. Here's to making more friends Down Under!