| 
            
              | 100 in 1000 |  
              | 
Spend a week up a mountain learning to skiVisit Karoline's place in MoraviaHold a conversation in Czech (only)Drink 500ml of each of the following beers:
PilsnerStaroprammenBudvarVelke PopoviceU FlekuGambrinusKrusoviceRespond to at least one GOARN request (WHO and MSF are 
also acceptable)Travel across the AtlanticReturn to South AmericaRead a book to, or with, an impressionably aged childParticipate in one NanoWriMo Challenge and come within at least 10,000 words of the goal lengthHave my nose piercedHave my next tattoo drawnPurchase the perfect jeans (x 2 pairs)Attend a spin class 3 times a week for 8 consecutive weeksBake Viv's cheesecakeMake David's casserole Make David's Chicken Cashew-nut StirfryInvite 4 people who don't know one another too well to dinnerRide from Vienna to Venice on a motorbike (pillion acceptable, those less desirable)Attend a book group for at least two booksGo on a choir weekend (learn and perform difficult piece in two/three days)Visit Madame Tussaud's (in London)Take an architecture appreciation courseJoin an all-girl group and sing a soloPublish in a scientific journal (top two authors)Cook a duck or other 'waterfowl'.Locate the Al-Timimi's from Doha Veterinary PractiseHave a pedicureMaintain a Brazilian (ouch) for three months.Find a trustworthy Czech hairdresserTreat my inner-6-year-old twice a week (at least)Do the liver-cleansing diet properly (12 weeks)Don't eat out for one monthFind a flat and flatmatePurchase one Joseph sweaterPurchase one of the following pairs of 
designer shoes (they MUST also be COMFORTABLE, and be able to be worn with 4 
different outfits and 2 types of occasion): Jimmy Choos, Manolo Blahniks, 
Christian Louboutin (Ebay or 2nd hand are acceptable)Send 5 books to the booksphere and track them.
Go hangglidingRead 10 'classic' books (from 1001 Books to Read before you Die)
Moll FlandersEverything is illuminatedMadam BovaryZen & the Art of Motorcycle MaintainanceCatch-22OdysseusOn the Road 
Run (non-stop!) for 5kms outside (preferably in a street race thingy)Send Christmas Cards on timeMake a collage/mural out of street lights on my wallBuy a bed, build it, and sleep soundly in itGo to AfricaHost an 'event' (classified as and when)Organise a 30th Birthday PartyWear a costumeSing on stageBuy a painting that evokes memories of Prague (cannot involve queues!)Learn a god-damned card game that stays in my memory (other than fish/snap)See sunrise. Be sober. Have woken for it. Excludes months Nov-MarTake a walk and flip coins at each intersectionWin somethingDraft a willTake a roadtripGo to Italy alreadySea Kayak around Abel Tasman Park (NZ)Get plantsTake a train to another Eastern European Destination (accession countries are acceptable) alone preferably.Get UK to give me a provisional motorcyclists license and simultaneously get a 'card' license. Go SCUBA diving again - at least two dives lasting 30mins each. Go to a dentist. *sigh*Do a Czech Wine Trail. And live to tell the taleMake an 'outbreak emergency kit'. Go to bed prior to 11pm every night (inc weekends) for four consecutive weeks.Marvel over lack of tirednessDine at a Gordon Ramsey restaurant (or Nobu)- preferably for free. 
Bet on the nagsDo something for charity (applying and getting a 'red card' will count)Walk along the Champs ElyseeDo 100 sit ups in a rowDo 50 pressups (arms in tight)Make branston pickle (or nearest substitute)Cook something 'new' and 'adventurous' at least once a monthFind a mentorBe a mentorLearn what mentoring is all aboutMeet an online person in real lifeResist the flirt. Once. Just one night. It's okay if people don't immediately succumb to my natural charm. Really it is.Spend time at a spa (spa towns in the CR don't count)Send a care package to someoneGet a Tata Bojs CDTake a French/German/Dutch course and SPEAK THE DAMNED LANGUAGE WHEN I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY EVEN THOUGH IT MAKES ME SOUND 
LIKE AN IDIOT!Order new contact lenses. Make a list of things I take with me when I pack for different occasionsEat lobster. Prepared by someone else. Back up the blogPut everything onto an external hard driveFind a DDR mat and console and 'dance, I say dance!'�Go to the beach and lie on the warm sand. For an hour. (with sunscreen on, natch)Take and complete a course in either: Tango, Salsa or FlamencoJoin the Municipal Library of PragueMove to another country Go to a live concert of a band I actually likePay off debts (student loan excl.)Send thank you cards for every gift I receive (other than the gift of happiness, blah blah blah).Get an agent (literary or theatre)Go to a sports bar without cringing, by personal choiceRide a rollercoasterHold a snakeSpend a day wandering around a museum (not art gallery!) |  | 
              
                | 
                    
                    
                      | Baku Apartment Hunting |  
                      | Tuesday, 7 March 2006 |  
                      | We've just moved into a flat this evening. IT'S HUGE!!! My entire place at home fits into the lounge - easily. We've got parquet floors, chandeliers, the works. It includes all our linen, electricity, hot water, gas stove etc, for a mere US$80/day (which, when you compare living autonomously to the hotel which was US$100ish a day EACH, it's a lot more economical!). There are even three bedrooms AND a balcony that gets afternoon sun, overlooking the city and the Caspian sea. It's just amazing. The ONLY downside (thus far, we've only JUST moved in) is that our internet connectoin is the rather slow dialup - so it's a little painful!!! 
 Still, we've everything we need, and then some, so we're not complaining (yet!).
 
 And I've been totally put to shame by Andreas' amazing toiletries bag. It's about the same size as my little black makeup bag. Whereas my toiletries bag...well, let's just say I can take it OUT of my suitcase and not pay excess baggage charges!!! So I've got almost two thirds of the shelf in the bathroom...
 
 There's a washing machine (hoorah!) but it's rather old style. There's a washing basin on teh side, which you fill manually, tell it that you're washing something, and then it does it's spin thing. Essentially a top loader without a spindle. But then, rather incredibly, on the other side, is another, smaller toploader (approximately 20cm diameter) which is the spin dryer. We're both rather impressed...but doubt that we'll wash much more than underwear in it.
 
 So far, I've experienced both more variety and more exercise on this mission than in the entire two weeks of my last. We've been to an Azeri, Georgian AND a Persian restaurant so far for dinner. We've walked around a little bit, exploring (not too much, and only really at night apart from the interminable waiting for landlords outside buildings).
 
 Anyway, photos (taken by Andreas) are up. Work tomorrow - though it's international womans day. And now, it's time for baklava and coffee - to christen our flat. No christening in the 'normal' way, since Andreas and I BOTH go for men (and have been discussing the variants here in great depth!!!).
 |  
                      | posted by Nomes @ Tuesday, March 07, 2006   |  
                      |  |  |  |  |