60 15 - Month No. 5, 6, 7 & 8

I have been rather lax with the 60 tasks in 15 months challenge these past few months and have not been able to tick off too many tasks. But as it's been a few months since I last gave you an update I feel like it would be great to take a look at what's changed.
Since I have moved to the US in March, a few of the tasks I set for myself are no longer doable. I have not yet come up with new tasks for all the ones I had to discard, but decided to wait for a flash of inspiration and will continue working on the list then.

Soooo, these are the discarded tasks:
No 3. 15 visits to a sauna - no need for saunas in sunny California
No 5. censored
No 11. visit grandma 20 times - she's still in Austria
No 12. invite my family for a house warming party - not living in that apartment anymore
No 13. have a game night with my friends from the dance class
No 20. have a dinner/game night with my boyfriend's brothers - we had one, but could not squeeze the second one in before moving
No 24. declutter and organize my jewelry - I didn't take all of it with me
No 26. buy a carpet to go with the wing chair - don't live in that apartment anymore, won't be using the chair for quite some time
No 28. clean the doors in the apartment - did not make it before moving
No 30. finally plant spider plant cuttlings - hopefully they'll survive in their water glasses until I return next year
No 36. go 200 days without using my car - impossible in the US
No 44 + No 45. get at least 25 ects credits at university + work out digital filing system - obviously university has to wait for a few more years
No 50. visit London - will visit some other city
No 59. sort through my hand bags and sell/give away unused ones - I didn't take all of them with me

Now, let's talk about the tasks I finished.
First of all, I went to the opera with my mum to see Evita, that ticks off task No. 32. Just before we moved to the US, I managed to declutter and clean out our bathroom cabinet (No. 22) and wash all the windows in the apartment (No. 27). I felt like I had to do that as a colleague of ours was to move into our apartment while we are away.

I also went to eat a cupcake from Take the Cake (No. 40), but was disappointed because it wasn't anything like I expected it to be.

Once we got to the US we went to see a game of the San Francisco Giants, which I will count for task No. 31. We also already made a road trip to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, which finishes off task No. 52.

How are you doing working on your resolutions/tasks for 2015?

Xoxo, have a great week!

Approved!

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My visa has been approved and I will be flying over to the States next week. I am sooo excited!

Now it's time to start packing and deciding on what to take with me and what to leave behind. I am positive that this won't be too hard as there are so many amazing shops in the US that we don't have in Europe, so I will just "have" to go shopping to compensate. ;)

I am so excited about this opportunity to live a few months in the country of Carrie Bradshaw, Hollywood, Modern Family, Disneyland, Rory Gilmore, the Grand Canyon, James Dean, superlatives, Hawaii, Baywatch and sooooo many other things that burst into my head when I think of the US. Sorry for all the clichés, I know there is far more to a country than TV shows and a few land marks.

I'll try and let you know how everything is going, but I'm afraid that I'll only be able to post infrequently as there is so much new stuff I have to explore, find out and get used to.

Xoxo, wish me luck! ;)

USA - here I come!

Great changes are taking place this year! We’re moving to the US - only for a year, but I am sooo excited already and it’s getting more exciting by the hour :)

It’s been a blur of organizing stuff and getting ready for our first trip to the states before we actually move here in March. We are here in – not so sunny (for the time being) – California right now, finding an apartment, setting up bank accounts and all sorts of other stuff that has to be done.

Because of all that I haven’t been able to spend too much time on the 60 tasks  15 months challenge. However, my mum treated me to brunch during our Christmas holidays, so that starts off tasks no. 17.  The same goes for task no. 38, because I sorted through my nail polish collection and managed to throw out one bottle of nail polish and am planning on using up more. Although I didn’t have too much time, I read 5 books during the holidays and went to the beach last weekend.

Unfortunately, as we are going to the US I will not be able to go on with my university studies, so I will have to change the tasks related to that. I am also afraid, that I won’t be able to follow through with task no. 36, because I don’t think I can go so many days without using a car once we are in the US.

Anyway, I am excited and thrilled about this opportunity – I always wanted to live in the US for a while – and determined to make the very best of this year!

Xoxo, have a great w
eek!

Vacation wishlist

With spring fast approaching, it's time to think about where to travel for vacation. During winter I've been dreaming of going somewhere warm like Hawaii, Thailand, Greece, Vanuatu or Italy. I know I won't actually be going to Hawaii or Vanuatu this year, but there's always room for dreaming, right?

Hawaii source - Thailand source - Vanuatu source

Now that spring is actually here, I feel like I want to take at least one little sight seeing trip too and explore London or New York City - or maybe even both ;)

London source - New York City source

London has been one of my favorite cities ever since I've lived there for about three months when I was 16. It's such an amazing, fascinating metropolis with so much to do and explore. There is such a broad variety of shops, theatres, restaurants and museums, which gives you something new to discover every time you get there - no matter how many times you've already been there.

And New York - Sex and the City has been my city guide. I haven't yet made it to New York, but I'm curious and can't wait to visit the Big Apple.

Where would you like to go to this year?

Xoxo, have a nice first week of spring!

India, here I come

Travel route in India

Today I started my trip to my friend's wedding in - waaaaait for it - India! I never even had the wish to get to know more about India or even go there. It just didn't seem to be worthwile. Now, of course, I am so excited and can't wait to finally arrive in this fascinating country.

I've read a lot about India and am so curious to find out if everything turns out true. The friend I'm travelling with and I have never been to India or nearby before, so we decided on sticking to the "Golden Triangle" and visit Delhi, Agra and Jaipur before we head south for our friend's wedding that'll take place at a beautiful beach near Jaipur.

I have started another blog called "1001 Orte", which means 1001 places, derived from the very famous travellers book "1000 places to see before you die", where I will post my impressions. I decided to write this blog in German, so it'll be easier for my grandparents and other non-english speaking relatives to read. However, I've integrated a translate button, so all of you will be able to read about my adventures.

Let me know, have you ever been to India?

Xoxo, I'll be back in two weeks. In the meantime, see you guys over at the other blog!

Wise words

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RGRC Update #1

I was very busy working on the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge during my holidays - whilst doing some sightseeing in Paris and the South of France and enjoying a few days of sun, sea and beach in Croatia.

So, during these last couple of months I read about 2300 pages. Three books, that couldn't be more different if intended. "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell, an epic love story and famous classic, "The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America" by Erik Larson, which is a non-fiction book about the World Fair in Chicago in 1893 and "Lord of the Flies", a novel about a group of boys stuck on an uninhabited island.

All three books were very interesting to read and carried you off into a whole new world to explore. Now, that I'm finished with these books, I'm planning on reading these:

Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen - Sense and Sensibility
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby

Xoxo, have a great time reading!

Going South - Málaga & Córdoba

A couple of weeks ago I went on a trip to Málaga visiting my cousin, who spent an exchange semester there.

Málaga, in the very South of Spain and on the Costa del Sol is an amazing mediterranean little city, where everything is just a few minutes on foot. They've got two amazing palaces on a hill on the far side of the city, a beautiful cathedral and lots of wonderful shops.

Here are a few impressions of Málaga and Córdoba, where we spent a beautiful day wandering the city and sightseeing:

1 the harbor of Málaga 2 olive plantation 3 patio of the Mezquita de Córdoba 4 Plaza de Torros in Málaga 5&6 gardens in Málaga

1 overview of Málaga 2 patio in Córdoba 3&4 palaces in Córdoba 5 beach of Torremolinos

Where are you going this summer? Anything planned?

Xoxo, enjoy your holidays!!