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Published: December 27th 2023
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Here we are with the last blog of 2023! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and the preparation for the big party of New Year Eve is going well!
Allow me to wish all of you a Happy New Year 2024 full of discoveries, close and far away from where you live. We only live one, so better be good and full of learning and sharing moments for 2024!
2023 on my side was a pivotal year, as I've now reached the milestone of the "half century". Not younger anymore, not sure even wiser, but better travelled, that's a fact! Imagine, this year, it has been 24 airlines, 27 countries...with few new one on my list. I know many here count the countries they have visited. I try to only stick to the official UN list...and I do count only the missing ones. So I can simply say, I've been fortunate that today I haven't visited 40 countries yet! Plan is to reduce this to 36 by the end of 2024! To answer the next question, I have no intention to visit 20 to 25 of the remaining on my list!
So here we are, the last blog of 2023! I spent few nights around Monaco. My lovely wife was supposed to have some work assignment next door for few days, so the idea was just to add few more days together. Work schedule changed, I had my flights, so I simply went. I actually spent the 2 first nights in Italy. Went to play golf North of Genoa in freezing but sunny conditions...and packed the car with few Christmas presents and a lot of goodies on the grocery site!
Next came the 2 nights "nearly" in Monaco. I write this as I was staying 150 meters from the border, but on the French side.
Back in March 2020, we were supposed to spend a night at the Fairmont. You remember that month? I received an email early morning while staying in Aix, telling me my flight on Turkish Airlines back to the Seychelles had been cancelled. We made a wise choice. Instead of driving to Monaco, we drove to Nice airport and board one of the last flights on Emirates back to home at the time in the Seychelles. What happened after this,
you all remember! Most of you got stuck at home by their local authorities, the Seychelles Government just closed the airport and port. No mask, nobody stuck at home...just no tomatoes or salad for 2 months...but all the bubbles we needed!
Back to the blog about Monaco! I left Bali with 23kgs as Checked-in bag....and 10kgs carry-on...and on my flight from Nice to Bali via Doha, I just had 48kgs checked-in plus a good 15kgs carry-on...let's bring on the Christmas spirit! And yes, I had a good laugh with the customs on arrival!
I've been few times in Monaco before, but always only for day trips. Being on my own, the plan was not to spurge on the restaurant sides! So I stay instead in a nice aparthotel, allowing me to cook my own meals and enjoy few glasses of wine, as well as some French television evenings!
First thing first, was to play the Monte-Carlo golf Club. The course is not per se on the land of Monaco...but it is right on top of it, landing some amazing sea as well Alps view. Superb welcome here, must be the winter
season on a sunny. Superb course too! Don't ask about the price of the green fee, this is Monaco! I rented club and shoot a decent 82! People here are so lovely and welcoming...I'm not sure this is valid everywhere in Monaco, but the golf world tend to be a different one. I even bumped into the wife of an old friend...small world!
I did spend a full morning exploring the "Rocher". No visit for me of the prince's castle, but rather of the Musee Oceanographique. This must be my fourth or fifth visit here, last one must have been over 20 years ago. Trust me, winter sunny days are amazing around here! I have to admit, I did pack in some additional shopping too. Point to myself, next time I need to visit in January once the sales are actually in full blow!
I admit, I didn't enter the Casino. I actually don't play. Well, I did 25 years ago in Las Vegas, won some and decided since that day that I've won over the casino system and therefore do not need to try my luck anymore.
Few interesting points
about this area. At least 20% of people walking the street do speak a Slavic language (Russian or Ukrainian)! A huge percentage of women do know how to dress around here...and guess, they are often part of the 20% above! Now the not so interesting point. Way too many young ladies love to smile at men with some grey hairs while walking alone the street. Well, the same young ladies should also not wear a make up more appropriate for a night club, right in the middle of the afternoon! Yes, Monaco is not that far off different from Dubai, sadly!
Hope you enjoy the last few blogs. I'm away from Bali for 2 days as I had to renew my very soon to be full passport. That also does happen! More shopping done. Ready for a good laugh, I'm flying back with 36 cans of ginger ale that we cannot find in Bali! Yes, I'm going to have another laughing moment with my friends from customs once back home.
You will not find pictures of our Christmas or New Year celebrations on Travelblog! I know, it's a holiday destination and we are spending
some time on the beach too...but for us it's simply home too!
Next blog, a short one in early March from a small and not so interesting country...on my way to more diving on a liveaboard for my 69th country dived...but that's in a few weeks! The current golf count is at only 59 countries! Smile!
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