"ADELINEMMC" adelinemmc's Profile

a Frenchwoman in London

In exile in London for the last 18 years, I have developed a strange dual personality.

I am French so when at home in London, I moan about public transports, the cost of living, the English stiff upper-lip syndrome and the lack of decent baguette, moutarde or cornichons

London has been my home for so long that when I am in France, I feel very foreign now and moan about the idiocy of French administration, TV programes that are dubbed instead of being subtitled and the lack of a decent curry.

What I need is a floating house in the middle of the Channel!!!

Diving the Maldives: Nov 09, Feb 11, March 12

A lovely manta ray

For my first time in the Maldives I booked a diving cruise out of Kuredu. What I did not realise is that the itinerary included one of the largest mantas congregations in the world at Baa Atoll.

We had two magic dives with 50 or so mantas flying everywhere, and a whale shark to complete the picture. Later in the week in Raa Atoll we floated anchored in the current as 30 white and black tip sharks circled the reef.

This trip was pricey but well worth it. I enjoyed every single one of the 1260 minutes I spent underwater (OK, maybe not the few minutes right after a mantis schrimp pinched my finger on a night dive).

The second trip was going the classic route around Male, Ari etc atolls. Saw less mantas but did more channel dives than in the North Atoll. Lovely weather too.

Third time was in the Southern Atolls. Lots of channel dives, a fantastic whale shark encounters and countless problems with Sri Lankan Airlines.

I booked before the coup and will wait until the political situation veers back towards democracy to visit again.

The Red Sea: Marsa Alam October 2008

A dugong

For the record, she says slightly smug, I saw a dugong and it was amazing!

South America June to August 2005

The beautiful High Andes of Peru

We spend two months in Peru and Bolivia (with a quick visit to North Chile).

After a couple of days in Lima we went to Pisco to visit the Paracas islands and as a bonus saw Tambo Colorado.

We travelled mostly in the high Andes, spending the first two weeks in areas not usually visited by tourists: Huancayo, Huancavelica, Ayacucho and Andahuaylas.

Then we did the 'classics': Cusco, Machu Picchu. Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca before crossing into Bolivia. We stayed in La Paz a bit then travelled south to Uyuni. A 4X4 took us to the famous salt flats and into Chile.

After a short stay in San Pedro de Atacama we crossed back into Peru via Tacna, then back to the 'Gringo Trail' with Arequipa anda trek in the Colca canyon, Nazca and its Lines, Ica and Huacachina, then back to Lima for our flight home.

What a trip! Unforgettable is all I can say.
Been trying to upload tips and bits since then but time is always short!

One thing though: the amount of rubbish lying around everywhere is shocking! I know we're talking poor countries where the priority is to survive first, then worry about other things than the environment but still. Rubbish is everywhere from remote Andean villages to small coastal towns and it's a shame. If you visit, do not throw your garbage in the streets like the locals and try to find a bin to put it.

Djibouti Oct/Nov 2006

The Devil

Djibouti pages now up and running.

Photos and tips available. Just go to my Djibouti page there: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/93b78/ddb/

The French Riviera - Often!

La Corniche D

It's not all poodles and Brigitte Bardot! Neither is it all concrete and commercialism.

You can still find beautiful villages perched on a hill, little beaches and breathtaking landscapes on the Riviera.

Then there's the markets, the olive oil, the peaches, the fresh fish, the lavender, need I say more?

What I like:

David Bowie: Perfection incarnate

-David Bowie
-Food, esp. French, Thai and Japanese
-Cooking (see above)
-Amelie Mauresmo
-Bandes dessinées
-Scuba diving
-Travelling
-Trekking (a bit)
-Cycling to work so I don't have to depend on the crap London tube system
-Summer
-Skiing

What I don't like:

Fennel: the Root of All Evil

-Celery
-Fennel
-Dentists
-Coffee
-People walking slowly
-Stupid men and their stupid wars
-Binge drinking (to be observed every Fri & Sat night throughout the UK!)

Intro Updated Apr 12, 2012
Report Abuse

Personal Pages (2)

1 - 2 of 2

Comments (10)

- Driving from Lima to Cusco via Huancayo and Abacay<\/a>\'. Great info..thank you very much :)" data-reportAbuseItemOnPageDetails="Comment #1, ID=10050860" data-anchorFragment="?showComment=10050860#comments" data-reportURL="http://members.virtualtourist.com/members/reportAbuse/" data-contentTitle="Thanks for your answer to \'Driving from Lima to Cusco via Huancayo and Abacay<\/a>\'. Great info..thank you very much :)" data-photoURL="" data-commentAuthor="geometer http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/172b88/" data-authorName="geometer" data-authorProfileURL="http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/172b88/">Report abuse
geometer Apr 11, 2013 at 7:46 PM

Thanks for your answer to 'Driving from Lima to Cusco via Huancayo and Abacay'. Great info..thank you very much :)
- Report abuse
  adelinemmc Apr 12, 2013 at 12:56 AM
  
  Thanks! If you need more tips, PM me, that part of my trip was really fantastic!
Reply
- Report abuse
Regina1965 Nov 26, 2012 at 9:39 AM

So you are living in London? Then I might be able to help you in person. I have been here for 4 weeks and won´t leave for Iceland until mid December.
Reply
- Report abuse
lamsterz Aug 9, 2012 at 4:06 AM

muy feliz cumple! a viajar!
Reply
- Report abuse
Donna_in_India Jul 19, 2009 at 7:01 PM

Have a very happy birthday! Great photos on your HP!
Reply
- Report abuse
vinc_bilb Feb 11, 2008 at 5:31 AM

Hello, yr quest "..in Grenoble, is it la Bastide or la bastille? I say Bastille!" You're right. The "bastide" is approximatively a big farm (south of France). Bastille came from bastion (citadel, fortress), so, also in .. Paris (french revolution) Rgds
Reply
- Report abuse
angiebabe Jan 25, 2008 at 6:51 AM

Hey some great travels & pics here!what a life eh - between France and London!a nomad like a lot of us!all the best.Bowie I saw at NZs biggest concert ever back then!&i totally into yr dislike list only I do like coffee and celery - the rest drive me mad!
Reply
- Report abuse
bijo69 Jun 5, 2007 at 6:53 AM

Lol...root of all evil! I can't stand that stuff aswell.
Reply
- Report abuse
ursa9 Feb 17, 2007 at 9:15 AM

Hi, great pages! I hope to visit Peru some day too. Greetings from Slovenia, Ursa
Reply
- Report abuse
BluBluBlu Aug 10, 2006 at 2:43 AM

Hiya! Cant beat Mr B! Have you heard the Seu Jorge cd? Love the comment on 'slow walkers'...Blu
Reply
- Report abuse
elpariente Jul 8, 2006 at 9:22 AM

Your pages of perú and Bolivia are very interesting. They will help me to prepair my next travel