Bonjour les amis!

Or, hi friends!

You know I haven't abandoned you, right?

This has been my last week living in Bordeaux, and after dropping my laptop off at a friend's house for safekeeping on Tuesday I haven't really felt up for the challenge of blogging on an iPad. If anyone has some tricks/good apps for this I'm all (Minnie Mouse) ears!


So this chapter of living in France is ending, which means a new one is just beginning: at least three months of travel. So far the only things I have planned are Japan (I leave Tuesday!), Copenhagen, Scotland, London and (back to) Iceland.

Between these trips I'd like to pop back to Bordeaux, travel though Europe more (Germany, Krakow, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Istanbul) and perhaps check out Quebec late summer.


Maybe this year I'll even get two summers?! Hope to keep you updated on my adventures, but also hoping you'll forgive me somewhat if I don't.


With love,
Le chat aux paillettes.

Daily Outfit: Green Wall

I really like murs végétals, particularly if they're in the wonderful city of Avignon where my friends live!

Daily Outfit: Set for Sushi

Glaring into the sun as Bordeaux continues to chill... (this photo is a few weeks old now!)

Wednesday Wrap-up

Why hello hello there! You're looking great, did you know that? This warm weather must be treating you well. So charming.

It's been a ridiculously big week. Whenever is it not though, here at Sequin Cat HQ?
(Remember my last attempt at a Wrap-up?!)

Trying (and somewhat succeeding) at learning basic Icelandic.

Does anybody else find they can only keep track of their activities by reviewing photos on their phone? What oh what did I use to do with a hardy nugget Nokia... (loved it. Deeply.)

Sushi, my long-lost friend! Edinburgh airport, en route to Reykjavik.

So, onwards with the update.

Look at these handsome creatures!

Last Wednesday I had some early classes before dominating my to-do list and getting everything ready for another departure. After packing, I headed off to my friend's birthday dinner - lovely!

Thursday afternoon: Reykjavik bound (again)!

No, I didn't wear the Minnie Mouse ears on the plane. Yes, I should have. So happy to be back in Iceland!

I didn't stick around in the capital for long this time; we jumped in the car for a five hour drive north. The landscapes blew my mind as usual.

On the top of a mountain overlooking the petite town of Akureyri I foolishly thought it'd be a good idea to make a snowball with my bare hands. In -11C weather. Ouch.

Saturday was one of the more surreal (but most excellent) days I've had in a while.

It started with Icelandic weightlifting...

continued with a visit to the Christmas store.....

This is Gryla. She's kind of a bitch.

Reminded me of my reindeer ride in Tromso!

Open every day of the year... except Christmas.

and was rounded off by a beer in a bar in a barn. Where I got freaked out by the cows.

Everything here was automated! Hay distributor, back scratcher, poop collector, milking machine. No humans in sight (although we did spot a cat. It was a good day.)

Sheer terror.

Altogether odd!
That evening, my lasagna, red wine and selection of French cheeses went down a treat with the locals.

It's vegetarian, I promise!

(I provided tasting notes. Such a Frenchy.)

A Sunday Snow Storm! Unable to leave, we decided to drive through the mountains to a (mostly frozen) waterfall. Sensible!

After the snow storm.

Can you tell from my facial expression that I'm being pelted with ice shards?!

Warming ourselves at a bookshop café.

Look at this adorable curry hut!

Saturdays are lolly days in Iceland - it's half price! On a Sunday, this rainbow aisle was conspicuously empty.

Monday was all about distance. Driving for hours back to Reykjavik, and then I hopped on a plane to Edinburgh, arriving around midnight for a quick sleep before a final plane back to Bordeaux Tuesday morning. Despite being exhausted, I still rallied myself to go out for dinner, drinks, and live music with friends. Now that's commitment!

Slippery, snowy roads. In April!

Sunny Edinburgh as viewed from the top of a double-decker bus on the way back to the airport, Tuesday morning.

Two of my teachers having a jam.

Which brings us to here, friends! Wednesday yet again. I've laid (relatively) low today: skyping my parents, hour-long run, making fruit salad, sending parcels at the post office, picking up a bicycle I won (?!), signing paperwork at school, cider in the sun with a friend, checking out the new library, dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant, meeting another friend for a goodbye drink. Yes, this is me on a low-key day. Here's hoping I get lots done tomorrow: I leave for Japan in less than two weeks! And I have nothing organised....

Daily Outfit: Business Cat

I always think it's fun to wear a (non-traditional) suit. Previous incarnations include the sequin suit, velvet suit and royal blue suit.

You can't see, but I'm wearing a Snow White badge on my blazer.

Where in the World is Sequin Cat?

Another weekend, another adventure.

Thought I'd better justify this week's absence.

Last weekend was Rome, now I'm here again (Iceland, for those of you playing at home).

My facebook friends are questioning whether I might be a super spy. Maybe. Would I tell you if I were?

NASA, you are amazing, despite what the American government thinks.

With the biggest solar flare for 2013 yet appearing on Wednesday, perhaps I might even get lucky and see some Northern Lights again!

Hope to touch base again when I'm back in Bordeaux.

Daily Outfit: All the Layers

Come on winter. This is just getting ridiculous. You've had your turn.

Daily Outfit: One Day

To match today's post!

One Day

I haven't done a photo every hour post on here for a while, and thought it might be nice to share what a "typical" day is like here for me in Bordeaux. Let's be honest though, life is anything but typical right now!

08:45 - Arrive at school via bike-sharing

09:00 - International Trade class. We roleplay and I mark them on their negotiation skills as well as linguistic capabilities

11:00 - Conversation class with the seniors

12:00 - Lunch conversation class in the canteen with five older students

13:00 - More seniors!

14:00 - Make a whole class try Vegemite. Stay with them to watch An Inconvenient Truth

16:05 - My locker. Time for some green tea

16:40 - Pop out to post some postcards. Love the dog poo (so, so stinky)

17:00 - Last class for the day. Arrange pens in colour order

18:00 - Ride home

18:10 - Stop by the river to enjoy the beautiful sunshine. Bump into friends.

18:20 - Safely back home!

19:00 - Quickly read through incoming post and have a quick bite to eat

20:20 - At the cinema for a preview of an Australian road-trip film

21:50 - Presentation by the directors and producer after

22:15 - Finally free!

22:20 - Which of these is going to take me home?

22:35 - Home safe again! Good night!

I really like looking at these kind of posts by other bloggers. Did you enjoy an insight into one of my working days? Of course, weekends normally involve red wine, travel and going out for dinner. I hope to feature one of those soon!