Hobby

18 October 2009- My latest hobby is coughing. I am quite good at it. It ranks high on the freak out level when I do it in public. Get offered lots of pastilles (cough drops). Still not sleeping so well and same for the husband next to me. Poor guy.
My real hobby of choice is travel. Duh, you should have figured with all that we do. I love the research for a good deal, best plan of attack and something off the beaten track to take in. With my coughing habit reducing my outdoor excursions, I did get around to booking our last trips of 2009.
We are off to Athens, Greece for 4 nights in November. Might be cool temperature wise but should be a budget trip to end all budget trips. I got us an apartment for 40 euros a night. It came highly recommended and it right in central Athens. I can't wait to see the rest of the Parthenon marbles (in Greece not London) and eat souvlaki everyday. Paying EasyJet for the bags so we can be sure to each bring back 20 kg of oil, olives and other goodies.
We are also going to Hollywood of Christmas markets: Strasbourg, France. Their website does sell the city as the capital of Christmas. I got a good deal on train, bad deal on hotel. We are staying in a shady one with not so good reviews. Oh well, we will drink plenty of vin chaud to forget about the lodging shortcomings. Plus it is a budget hotel in France. They are rarely worth high praise! That closes out our 2009 travels.
A few more dots on the map for Chad. He leaves for Uncle AL work in Moscow for the next two weeks (sad face on me) and a quick trip to Istanbul (not Constantinople).
We ushered our last visitors to the train station this morning. It was a surprise trip for the wife for their 9th anniversary. Hubby scored flights on points and accomodations with us so they blew most of their budget on souvenirs. Great guests who learned the bus system lickity split since I was out of commission. They had no fear, I sent them out with fairly explicit directions (their mission for the day) , mapbook and an emergency cell phone. They had lots of help from the French on the bus and everywhere, Busting that myth of rude French. Bon voyage back to the states and to their waiting children.
Next guest is a month away for Thanksgiving or as in France vingt-six Noviembre. Must examine the pantry for what US supplies we are in need of...
Sure to be plenty of posts with Chad being gone. I get bored real fast without my bald guy.