Sometimes I have no desire to ever write here again.

It’s true. Blogger burn out, I have it. I know burn out exists because to be perfectly honest, about 50% of all of the blogs I use to read don’t post regularly any more, and when they do they share little, if anything. I see more and more sponsored posts, people being accused of oversharing or ignoring the rights of their children for the sole purpose of making money. People looking for an identifiable “brand” from me, when in fact my brand is me….. and I can’t share all that is “me” in this space.

WHY? Why can’t I share everything I’d want to? Because the reality is, unlike some bloggers, I have a career outside of blogging that will be directly impacted by blogging personal information. It sounds stupid but it is my reality. At the end of the day, I am a therapist, not a blogger.

So why even say anything here? Because of what blogging has brought me. Friends (real ones not “what can I get from you because we are internet friends”), support in doing something I never thought possible, understanding during difficult times, and advice when it was welcomed (and even when it wasn’t, providing an opportunity to self-reflect). I love all of the positive things blogging has brought me. I’m headed out tonight to reconnect with some bloggers and perhaps get a renewed perspective. In the meantime, I’m going to take a break from this space.

These days mark the two year anniversary of the death of Ronan Thompson…. Together you helped me raise $500 dollars for the Ronan Thompson Foundation but truth be told I’d raise a million more if I could. No mother should have to lose her baby boy.

In honor of Ronan, wear purple this weekend. As Mama Maya asks, “Do something outside your comfort zone,” I will answer. Running 17k today and not complaining about a thing. Hugging HJ. Do something today, something tomorrow.

]]> http://www.hjunderway.com/2013/05/11/purple-everywhere-always/feed/ 1 http://www.hjunderway.com/2013/05/11/purple-everywhere-always/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HjUnderway/~3/l9IOf_H45gI/ http://www.hjunderway.com/2013/05/10/vacationfromhell-not-really/#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 05:00:16 +0000 MommaExpat http://www.hjunderway.com/?p=2997 We’re back in Paris, having arrived late on Monday and my lack of posting can be contributed to thousands of loads of laundry and playing the drying rack shuffle game. See also: a.) my husband is off from work for the week b.) my son is home from school. Who knew preparing three meals a day for two weeks could be so time-consuming? All kidding aside, I CANNOT WAIT for next Monday. Don’t get me wrong, I love my little family unit, but this vacation coupled with the monthly affliction that is womanhood is making for a grumpy momma. So how did our Croatian seaside getaway start? By being robbed on the RER in Paris. On the way to the airport.

En route to the airport, Joshua’s wallet was stolen. From his front pocket. No small feat for a pickpocket, so props to you, the asshat that ruined the start of our vacation. With him he took a couple hundred in euros, all of my husband’s identification (minus his passport), our two international credit cards, and two bank cards. Standing in a backed up check-in line at the airport, I frantically called all of our peoples to get things cancelled and properly notified. The asshat managed to charge over 700 euros in less than 40 minutes.

We nearly missed our plane but luckily a Lufthansa representative came around with a card with our flight number on it, so they fast tracked us through check-in and then through security. Once we were airborne I realized that we had no working credit cards, and my husband had no driver’s license. That makes renting a car from anywhere a bit difficult. Avis laughed at us and referred us to Ivan, the local rental agency in Croatia. We paid in full in cash and said a prayer with Ivan that we wouldn’t get pulled over by the Croatian police. We then drove to our hotel three hours away…. which we had thought was only an hour and a half away. Oppies.

Trying to find our hotel in the dark also added on about two hours. So we left Paris at 8 a.m. and got to our hotel in Croatia by 10 p.m. Good times.

We bought this beer to split. The cashier at the gas station offered us glasses. We politely declined.

So what I learned on this trip:

1. If I thought my child was difficult in London, I was sadly mistaken.

2. If you buy a big beer at a gas station in Croatia, they offer to open it for you and will give you a cup.

3. If you drink and eat whatever you want, you will gain weight. Like 5 pounds in six days.

4. Don’t be afraid to call dibs on the couch since there’s not enough room in the bed for the three of you. Just don’t complain when you can barely walk because your back hurts so bad.

5. Croatian children in the neighborhood WILL enter your hotel room without asking.

6.  You can only take out $200 per day from the local ATM. It doesn’t matter that you need more to pay for your hotel room.

Slight aside: This trip had a rough start and was tough from time to time, but there were certainly some highlights. I’ll share those posts with you soon. For you French people, viva la Monday, and for everyone else, happy May!

We saw a lot….

The Eiffel Tower

Instead of crawling up the stairs like I did with FMF, Courtney and I took the elevator. We may or may not have gotten into a line cutting war with a bunch of obnoxious teenagers, and dodged a pile of vomit. What made this trip different than the other ten thousand is that there was a fair going on and I scored a cheap but beautiful scarf.

*Travel tip: instead of waiting in the line that’s directly in front of the Eiffel Tower, use the line that’s in the back. It’s always shorter.

The Louvre

Everyone should go to the Louvre at least one time in their life. I’ve had my fill (please don’t tell Daisy that) and would be happy only showing people the pyramids and saying “Okay, there you go.” However this was HJ’s chance to see the museum with someone who had never gone before and would see it as he did. So I mommed up and went.

*Travel Tip: If museums aren’t your thing, skip the Louvre, grab a Laduree macaroon, and sit outside by the waters of the pyramids. The view is stunning and you can head to one of the many attractions in the area instead of being inside for three one thousand hours. 

The Tuileries, Love Lock Bridge, and Notre Dame

The walk from the Tuileries to the “love lock bridge” is easy and a good stopping point before heading to Notre Dame. There are several fake bridges in Paris, so be sure you have the original, Pont des Arts. We had a beautiful spring Parisian day when we made the journey, which of course fed our need for ice cream in the Tuileries.

*Travel Tip: If you plan on locking your love on the bridge, buy yours ahead of time and don’t pay for the overpriced ones being hocked at the bridge. If you decide to go to the top of Notre Dame, do that first (early in the AM to avoid large crowds and long lines) and make your way to the Tuileries afterwards.

Le Marais

We didn’t spend a ton of time in the Marais because I’m not super familiar with the area. Send me your travel tips please!

Montmatre & Sacre Coeur

I’ve been here so many times before and love the stark difference in the feel of the area. The Basilica is amazing but the street art and painters that frequent the area are truly beautiful.

*Travel tip: When you walk down the stairs in front of the church, be sure not to fall prey to a pick pocketer or someone trying to sell you something. Look straight ahead and keep moving.

The Gardens

Luxembourg, Parc Monceau, the Bois…. spend some time in a Paris garden, especially when visiting in the spring and summer.

*Travel tips: Don’t hit up the Bois at night, it’s well-known for it’s after hours indiscretions. 

Shopping

Luckily two of the most standard places to shop in Paris, Galleries Lafayette and the Champs Elysees have places where you can get a great view of the city. Special thanks to ExpatEdna for her tip about going to the top of the Galleries for a great view, because it was wonderful. I also like the top of the Arc de Triomphe, where you can see for miles and miles all that is Paris. P.S. It’s windy up there!

So those are a few of my favs…. what are yours?? And don’t forget to show me your chachkies!!

I ran a 10K in Regent’s Park on Sunday the 3rd and had a delightful evening with former New England-turned world traveler blogger Veronica at The Kensington Wine Room. It’s fun and weird how interconnected the world is and how I probably should have met Veronica a long time ago, either in Massachusetts or at BlogHer’12. We called it an early night because I had to be up and at a tube station to catch my bus. My bus to Stonehenge.

I spent a lot of time researching tour companies that bused tourists like me from London to Stonehenge, scrolling through all of the TripAdvisor recommendations before spotting The English Bus Day Tour. I booked it immediately after I saw that not only would we see Stonehenge but also Bath. I, like many, had a fascination with Jane Austen for many years, reading book after book, and of course watching the BBC version of Pride & Prejudice like 10 times. (That is the only true version in my eyes… all ten hours of it).

I walked into the bus tour not expecting much. A friend had actually told me how disappointed she was with Stonehenge and therefore I set the bar low.  Chris, owner and sole operator of The English Bus Tour blew away all of my expectations and would have done so if the bar had been set very high. I loved seeing Stonehenge, learning about the history, seeing firsthand one of the most beautiful cities in all of England, and of course if I could tell you about the AMAZING secret places we went to on our way home, I would. But I can’t. I promised.

I loved this trip so much I asked Chris to do a Q&A with me. I love the idea of one person taking on a dream and succeeding, and Chris has done just that.

So Chris, who is the man (and woman) behind the bus?

We are an incredibly small business – just me (Chris) and my fiancee Jen. I used to do everything myself, but Jen joined me last year and together we are a great team. Sometimes it gets hard to distinguish between home life and work life, but generally we love working together and it allows us to spend lots of time together with a shared goal. I run most of the tours myself – I love getting out and meeting people from all walks of life, from a huge range of countries and cultures but with one thing in common – their passion for travel.

I have this passion for travel too, which is why I started the business, and which I think helps me to connect with our customers, and from the feedback we get from our tours, it seems to work! Jen runs the office, answering all customer inquiries  keeping me on the straight and narrow and generally keeping the business going. I couldn’t manage without her, and she couldn’t manage without me. The fact that it is our business means that customer service and satisfaction is the number 1 goal for us. Making sure every single one of our customers has an amazing day with us is challenging, but is ultimately the only goal – without customer satisfaction, what have you got – not a lot, so we are always striving to be the best, and offer the best.

How was the tour company started?

After a year or so in a depressing sales job, I thought long and hard about the things I love – people, travelling and driving… and how I could combine them in my dream job. I have always wanted to be my own boss, and so I took the plunge in 2007 – having previously worked in Japan as a TEFL teacher, I already had the basics and started teaching English as a foreign language in London to give me the backbones to start a business that would essentially be a mobile classroom. The business model has evolved since then, and we now focus on the tourist market, but the main bits of the business – taking people to see the best bits of our wonderful country – have stayed the same – and I am thrilled to have taken thousands of happy customers to see the sights that they had previously only dreamed of! It took a lot of determination, hard work and financial risk to start the business, but I am so glad I did. The hard work pays off when we hear that our customers have had a great day – it makes it all worthwhile!

What’s your favorite tour and why?

Probably our signature Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places tour. I love the fact that the secret places have become a bit of an institution, with not a single person (so far!!) willing to reveal where they are. I think our customers feel like they have been let into a big secret (and a wonderful one at that) and that they are part of The English Bus after having been on a tour with us. That is a brilliant feeling, and the fact that our secrets have not yet been spilled is even better! Although I went to Stonehenge about 100 times last year, each time it’s different, and I never get sick of visiting. The people I take are always different, the weather conditions, lighting and atmosphere is always changing – how could I get bored of it?? The mysteries that surround Stonehenge still have us all baffled, and it’s amazing that my office is a prehistoric site surrounded by mystified, awestruck people. I’m very lucky!!

The best (and worst) thing about operating the tour company?

The best bits – there’s so many! The freedom to work to our own schedule is amazing, but with it comes a 24-7 responsibility and it is often difficult to switch off and ignore the emails that ping through at 3am!

Your favorite place you’ve traveled to and why? A place you’d like to see?

Melbourne in Australia. When Jen and I were getting back together (we were together at University, but broke up for 7 years), Jen lived in Australia, and I went over there to get her back. Not only is it a culturally exciting place, with great weather, but it has a sentimental pull for me too. We recently did a road trip across the west and south of America, to try and get an idea of where many of our customers come from, and we absolutely loved it. The scenery and landscape is so diverse, even within the same state, and for someone who is born and bred in a country the same size as North Carolina, the distances we could travel were phenomenal!

As for a place I would like to see – it is impossible to narrow it down to one. There is a list as long as my arm for the places that are next. But on the shortlist – Iceland, Norway, Sri Lanka, Vietnam… to name but a few. The world is enormous, and yet made so accessible with the luxuries of air travel – I want to see it all!

Weirdest thing that’s ever happened on a tour?

For a company the size of ours, to get a Hollywood A Lister (in the form of Mila Kunis) on tour with us was a very exciting day. We cherish every single person that comes on tour with us, and treat everybody the same, but I have to say that we were a little starstruck the day Hollywood came to Stonehenge with us!

Remember this post?

Well we’re gearing up for a whole lot of travel over the next three months, and I want to collect some knick knacks for your house. You know, so they can collect some dust on your shelves too.

In order to play, you must like HJ Underway’s Facebook page, and post a picture there of some chachkies you have from your travels. I want to see some bad tee shirts, stuffed animals, perhaps a fine ceramic piece? I know you have at least ONE thing in your home from your travels, even if those travels are to the next town over. The contest is open to anyone in the world who reads this post and likes HJ Underway’s Facebook page. You must share your chachkie photo prior to May 30th at 9:00 p.m. EST.

The winner will be picked by an expert knick knacker…. my mom! She has agreed to be an unbiased chachkie winner selector, and will look through the entries. The winner will be announced on Monday, June 3rd, 2013.

So what will you win? The Jacki chachkie sampler; a post card, shot glass, magnet and Hard Rock Cafe glass from one or more of our upcoming destinations.

Let’s go, show me your chachkies!

Image via the lovely Lindsey Kent of PictoursParis

Monday evening I did a kid swap at the metro with my husband and headed into Paris to meet up with 120+ people to run in honor of those affected by the attacks at the Boston Marathon. I needed to run, to be with people who have inspired me to move since starting my own running journey in September. I needed to sing, to smile, to yell “BOSTON!!!” because I needed to take back the happy feelings and separate them from the fear.

I’m running the Brussels 20K with an estimated 30,000 people next month. We’ll run in waves of 5,000 runners at a time. When I allow the fear inside, I want to stay home and avoid the feelings that reading thousands of tweets, newsfeeds, status updates and blog posts have filled inside my mind. I needed to bury the horrific images that linger when I close my eyes.

Running on Monday in honor of Boston did just that. I took hold of my fear. It’s mine, no one else’s. I saw friends, gave and accepted hugs, smiled, fought back tears, and ran.

Photo taken by the lovely Lindsey Kent of PictourParis, featuring my running buddy Greetings From The American Girl

A very special thank you to Bryan for organizing this amazing event, for Lindsey who took amazing photos, and to Bob’s Juice Bar, for the tasty juice they supplied.

The Ducks of Sandy Hook Elementary

Normally this is a six-word post (linking up with Toddler Summer), but I wanted to share with you all this amazing thing that a friend from the US shared with me.

From The Ducks Of Sandy Hook Elementary Facebook Page:

“I am assigned to the Sandy Hook School as the school based police officer. A donor had sent approximately 500 small rubber ducks, which the kids loved immensely. My counterpart and I spread them out everyday in the lobby of the school kids, and yes adults, take them to keep. The joy the ducks bring to everyone can not be put into words. We plan to keep buying ducks and placing them out everyday as long as the school is in use. Anyone that would like to help us with the purchasing of the ducks, your help is greatly appreciated. If you would like to send a monetary donation or order ducks contact me and I will provide an address. Everyone in the school enjoys the ducks and we never want to have to tell anyone we don’t have any to give them, child or adult.

DONATIONS: Call Oriental Trading 1-800-228-2269 to order and get free shipping, or send ducks and donations to:

Sandy Hook Ducks
261 S. Main St. #312
Newtown CT. 06470″

Courtney and I set out to find a Parisian duck to send to Sandy Hook Elementary but could only find this awesome USA duck, which we named “Uncle Sammy.” We took pictures of him at the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, and while walking around looking for the perfect photo opp, I found a 5 euro bill. We took it as a sign and we’ll be sending along Uncle Sammy, a donation, and the photos we snapped to Sandy Hook.

If you want to help, be sure to check out the Facebook page for more information.

There were some major highlights this trip, thanks to recommendations by Paris by Mouth as well as actually using Four Square to discover what was best nearby. First up was a mouth-watering fish burger (Courtney had an equally lovely and tasty chicken burger) at La Masion Mere, which we found by accident and we were pleasantly surprised:

Luckily, La Maison Mere is a two-minute walk away from Sugar Daze, so we headed over to see Cat and pick out some cupcakes to take home for desert:

We had a surprisingly tasty lunch at La Bucherie, which served up smoked salmon tartines with amazing views of the Cathedral:

And because sometimes social media is awesome, Courtney and I met up with an “internet stranger,” Michelle, who I met on Twitter a long time ago. We finally made it to Verjus to try out the amazing sandwiches everyone has been raving about. I accidentally ordered a Cuban, when in fact I wanted the chicken. But no worries, because that sandwich knocked my socks off! Coupled with a lemonade and two snicker-doodles and I was in heaven (and now I have to go back for the chicken):

And because no trip to Paris is complete without macaroons, we headed over to Laduree for a few to take home:

I certainly had my full of amazing Paris food this past week!

Where’s your favorite place to dine in Paris? I’m always looking for a good recommendation!

To be fair, you’re not suppose to picnic in the parc. In fact, there was a nice security officer at the gate informing people of this and reprimanding those trying to smuggle in bicycles. However once you actually get inside the parc, probably 100 families were picnicking all over, so we did as the French do and laid out our blanket and enjoyed our lunches.

After we finished eating, HJ ran after peacocks and blew bubbles, while the grownups took off their shoes and stretched out to soak up the sun. The peacock below was a bit of a show-off, shaking his feathers at HJ and anyone else who passed by. He literally was shaking for about 15 minutes before people started to get bored watching him and we made our way to look at the grottoes and the flowers.

The parc does confuse me sometimes…. because sometimes we have to pay the entry free, other times we don’t. Honestly though once the roses bloom, it’s worth it either way.

Practical information: Parc de Bagatelle is located within the Bois de Boulogne, closest metro is line 1 Pont de Neuilly, but from there it’s a long walk, FYI. Bus 43 brings you fairly close, from the stop it’s about a 5 minute walk to the parc entrance. Hours from 25 March 2013 to 30 August 2013: Monday through Sunday from 9:30 to 8:00 p.m.

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