Bruges at Night © Scott Liddell

A night shot in Bruges, the capital of West Flanders in Belgium. For more pictures by Scott Liddell, visit his website at www.scottliddell.com

Winter trek in the remote Jebel Sahro Mountains with The Adventure Company.

Written by The Adventure Company

So I had already discovered the stunning Atlas Mountains, and there is just something about the way of life in Morocco which made me gravitate back there again last December. This time I was in search of a Moroccan holiday with a sense of adventure and I wanted to find an area with a climate which lends itself to winter trekking; the lesser known Jebel Sahro Mountains seemed to come up trumps with excellent clear skies and warm days during the colder months. This remote and rocky Jebel Sahro Sahara Desert range lies south of the Atlas range but are very obviously a part of the Sahara Desert.

I wanted to have an activity holiday again and take some moderate exercise, so mountain walking is ideal; you get fresh mountain air and experience a unique way of life. The Jebel Sahro Mountain range is a totally different world; it is wild and rugged and a visually stunning treat for hikers. Going solo on an adventure holiday is right up my street, you get to meet like minded people and also experience a world with something quite special, a far cry from everyday life in London.

The 12 day trek I booked myself on was well organised with an excellent Berber guide, Mustapha, and his team of six young muleteers who helped us with the heavier baggage and had lots of experience running Morocco tours. I met up with the other 15 hikers in Marrakech and spent a day enjoying the bazaars and sights. The next day we drove across the Atlas range and then down into the Draa Valley to the starting point of the trek.

Our trek took us from the fertile Draa Valley, passing by the odd small village of red mud houses, irrigated fields, and date palms. We wound our way down dried up riverbeds and I was impressed by the Majestic towering pinnacles, and the Ridge of Fingers, an outcrop which looks like fingers with your hand pointing up.

There were many highlights; one that stands out had to be when we did the first of our “Grade C” mountain climbs. The climb and descent took just over nine hours and was well worth it. We were told that this would be more demanding than the rest of this moderate “Grade B” trek and when we reached the top of the Jebel Amlal (2447m) for a picnic lunch, the clouds cleared and we could see across to the snow covered peaks of the Atlas Mountains. The views were spectacular. We also climbed the Amalou n’Mansour, the highest mountain in the Jebel Sahro (2712 m), this was amazing.

We changed camping spots every day apart from in one valley where we spent two nights. The muleteers had the camp set up and had lovely meals waiting for us by the time we’d completed our daily walks. The food was good, especially the breakfast with steaming hot porridge, fresh breads served with cream cheese and fig jams. We ate our breakfasts and dinners in the “mess tent”, a small marquee with a plastic tablecloth in the middle, surrounded by cushions.

A useful tip to make the trek more comfortable is to buy a “Thermarest” chair; these are lightweight frames which fit around a folded sleeping mat to give back support, useful when you are sat cross legged for every meal! Another tip is to bring layers of clothing, a four seasons sleeping bag and insulated mat, as the nighttime temperatures quite often fell below zero. During the day just a T shirt was enough, the clear blue, sunny skies were perfect for trekking and the ideal backdrop for photographs. This was a trip that took us off the beaten track and revived us, leaving us all ready to face a new year.

The Adventure Company are adventure travel specialists that provide adventure holidays throughout the world including Morocco.

In Buddhist and Hindu philosophy, a person’s destiny in his next incarnation is determined by his actions. Everything he does will influence his future lives or reincarnations. Conscious actions carry more weight than the unconscious ones.

According to Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda, we create karma in four ways.

• through thoughts
• through words
• through actions that we perform ourselves
• through actions others do under our instructions

While I don’t know whether incarnations or past lives exist, I do believe in karma. All actions have effects, positive or negative, instant, gradual, or delayed. Broadly named the universal law of cause and effect, Karma essentially means that good things will happen to you if you do good things, and bad things will happen to you if you do bad things. Nothing complicated. What you contribute to the world and the lives of others comes back to you in some way.

Words and Actions

I have said many mean things to people close to me, especially as a teenager, but I’ve learned to act more respectful and less selfish. I’m pretty sure most of us have said or done things we’re not proud of. While I’ve never had any problems with saying exactly what I think, I’m incapable of lying. If I realize I’ve said something not entirely true I need to correct myself afterwards.

When it comes to not paying for something, I’ve failed once — in London in 2007. Afterwards I got such bad conscience that I promised to return the next time I visited London to pay. If I recall correctly I had spent the day in Chelsea and was heading towards Victoria Station. As I walked along Elizabeth Street in Belgravia I caught sight of The Chocolate Society and couldn’t resist the temptation. Ten minutes and one chocolate smoothie later I glanced at the bill in front of me. £3.95. I looked around. Crowded. Almost ten people waiting in line. Only one employee. I can just walk out of here and leave the unpaid bill on the table and no one will ever notice. And that’s exactly what I did. I don’t know why I did it, but when I next travel to London I won’t leave without having stopped by The Chocolate Society.

All Celebrities Don’t Want Attention

Regardless of how big or small, or seemingly insignificant, our actions all play a role in karma. I remember one summer evening in Parga, Greece, about ten years ago. As we strolled along a cobble stoned street, far from the hustle and bustle by the harbor, I saw someone familiar in a nearby outdoor restaurant. A famous Swedish actor. Engaged in a conversation with a beautiful woman, he appeared oblivious of his surroundings. A week or so earlier I had read in a gossip magazine that you can send them your photos, which, depending on their importance, can earn you hundreds of dollars. Hence, a moment later I held my camera, ready to perpetuate my first paparazzi shot. I’m gonna earn so much on this!! Two seconds later. This is not especially nice. If he wanted people to recognize him, would he have picked this restaurant? He’s on vacation and obviously wants time away from the crowds. I doubt he’d be glad if he saw a picture of himself in Sweden’s leading gossip paper once he returned home. Even though I knew it was the right thing to do, I somewhat reluctantly put away my camera.

We’re All Equal

Karma when traveling is also about not having prejudices about people, staying away from any uncalled for judgmental behavior, not taking anyone or anything for granted, and treating everyone kindly. Regardless of who you are, what you work with, who you know, where you’ve been, and where you’re going, you’re worth the same as everyone else. None of us are more important than the other.

Reminds me of a story I read in a newsletter by Bob Burg:

It seems a formal and very fancy black-tie affair was being held at a major hotel which included a number of dignitaries. One of them, a United States Senator noticed that at his table setting there was only a single pat of butter next to his roll.

Dismissively, and with a wag of his index finger, he summoned the waiter. “Young man, bring me another pat of butter.”

A bit taken aback but having to feign politeness, the waiter replied, “I’m sorry sir, it’s only one pat of butter per setting.”

Annoyed, the important guest said, “I would like another one anyway; bring me another pat of butter.”

“I’m sorry” countered the waiter, “We’re a bit short tonight; it’s just one pat of butter per setting.”

Now totally put off and offended, the VIP demanded, “Young man, do you know who I am? I happen to be the senior senator from the state of New Jersey.”

To which, the waiter replied, “And, do you know who I am? I’m the guy who controls the butter.”

Helping Those in Need

While we’re all equal, some people are less fortunate than others. In a perfect world, everyone would live in peace and happiness but that’s not the case. You don’t need to donate thousands of dollars to charities and non-profits to make a difference. As I wrote in Blog Action Day Against Poverty from last year, you can help in many ways. Adopt/sponsor a child through Compassion International. Click on the link to feed the hungry on The Hunger Site every day. Play on freerice.com. Avoid overconsumption. Gather your friends to go door-to-door collecting canned foods for a soup kitchen. Publish pictures or videos about poverty on the Web to help fight ignorance. Volunteer at your local soup kitchen, or in a shelter for homeless. Volunteer abroad. (The possibilities for volunteering around the world are endless.) Support a charity organization in your country.

A single act of compassion may seem insignificant in the long run, but everything counts. Better to do something than nothing.

Mindful Spending

Just like helping others can give you good karma, how you spend your money also plays a part. And the more money you earn, the greater impact you can have by making positive contributions to support life on earth.

The chart below from the 7 Principles of Mindful Wealth by Mike Adams shows that you can spend and earn your money in two ways:

	MindLESS Spending	MindFUL Spending
MindFUL Earning	You take positive dollars and transform them into negative consumption.	You are in complete harmony with wealth. A powerful, positive force on the planet.
MindLESSEarning	You are a destructive, selfish force on the planet that contributes to harming life on our planet.	You try to compensate for the negative way you make money by giving a small amount of it away to “good causes.”

As you can see from this chart, true harmony with mindful wealth is only acheived if you both EARN and SPEND your money in a mindful way that protects and supports sustainable life. Covering just one side of this equation doesn’t cut it.

Organic and Vegan Living

If you want to support life on earth and bring good karma into your life, I believe that eating organic and vegan is the optimal choice. The  nature is least affected by a vegan diet, which gives the lowest amount of nitrogen, methane and ammoniac, and requires the smallest amount of energy to produce. The statistic that it takes ten times more fossil fuel to produce a meat-based diet than a plant-based one led the United Nations to declare “Raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined.” Eating meat leads to a waste of resources, a larger energy consumption, water pollution, and forest devastation.

To produce 1 kg wheat in the Western world, about 250 liter water is required. 1kg soya protein requires 2000 liter water.1 kg meat requires 25,000 liter water. And 1 kg beef protein requires 100,000 liter water.

While I don’t think everyone would ever eat only vegan, it would undoubtedly serve the environment. If you eat organic as well, you’ll avoid food sprayed with chemicals, which are damaging to the atmosphere, the soil, and our bodies. Before turning 14, I had no idea about all this. I loved meat. Grilled beef steak with potato wedges and béarnaise sauce was the best food I knew. Or spaghetti with minced meat sauce. Or spiced lamb steak. Or bacon and fried eggs. Or mashed potatoes with meatballs and lingonberry jam. Or hotdogs with ketchup and mustard. Or fried codfish with cooked potatoes. Or spaghetti carbonara. Or chicken thighs. If I would listen to nothing more than my sense of taste I would keep eating animal flesh.

At 13 or so I started questioning everything I ate. Until then I didn’t think of meat as dead animals. I thought of it as food. Everyone ate it. It was natural. Tradition. Culture. But once I learned more about the food industry and how cruel we treat animals, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. I didn’t want to contribute to the suffering and exploitation of other beings, to the most violent industry in the world.

If animals have legs, they want to walk. If they have wings, they want to fly. If they would have had a choice, they wouldn’t choose to end up on our dinner plates. They would want to live. Pigs, for example, are slaughtered at six months. Their natural lifespan is 6-15 years. Chickens are slaughtered at six weeks. Their natural lifespan is seven years. Factory-farmed dairy cows live 5-6 years. Their natural lifespan is 20 years.

I’ve been a vegan on and off since 2002 and haven’t drunken cow milk more than a few times in the last two to three years. I can’t deny that I like the taste of diary products. Especially Brie cheese (on sandwiches), Feta cheese (in salads) and whipped cream (on chocolate cake). But when I started listening to the Vegetarian Food for Thought podcast by vegan and animal activist Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, I realized I no longer want to eat diary, partly because hardly any animals raised for human consumption — whether for their eggs or milk — escape the horrors of slaughter.

Now, my intention is to eat only vegan food. I want to put ethics and love before my taste buds and tradition. I don’t expect everyone to understand or agree with my food choices, but this is my truth and I want to live by it.

Others often ask whether vegan food gives you enough vitamins. Of course. Look at professional triathlete and vegan Brendan Brazier. When I eat vegan food I feel healthier. My skin gets clearer and I have more energy and mental clarity. And I don’t feel like I miss out on anything because there are so many vegan substitutes available, like tofu, tempeh and non diary cheese. And whoever said good vegan cakes or desserts don’t exist, has probably never heard about Babycakes or Pure Food and Wine in NYC.

Locals of Santa Monica and Venice Beach on What Organic Means to Them

If you eat vegan, good. If you eat organic as well, all the better. And consider local, family-run restaurants rather than fast food chains whenever possible. Apart from this, you can do lots of other things to bring good karma into your life when traveling.

Lending a Hand to Other Travelers

Let’s say you walk in a city you’re fairly familiar with when you spot a tourist who can’t seem to find his way, despite his large, unfolded map. What to do? Help of course. Same thing if someone asks you for directions. Even if you’re new to the city, or a certain neighborhood, give it your best shot.

If you’re out sightseeing when it starts raining, offer your spare umbrella to someone who needs it. If someone gets to a parking spot at the same time as you do, let them have it. If you notice that a parking meter has run out of time, put a quarter or two in. When you travel by bus, subway or train, give up your seat to someone elderly. If you see a group of young students taking pictures, suggest taking their group photo. When you’ve finished reading your newspaper or magazine on the bus/subway/train/plane, offer it to someone nearby. If someone in the store has fewer groceries than you, or seems to be in a hurry, let them go in front of you.  When you catch sight of someone with a nice jacket/scarf/hair cut/, give him, or her, a sincere compliment.

If all else fails, a smile often goes a long way.

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Update, June 15th: To me, apart from all the above points, traveling with good karma also means boycotting products tested on animals and only using natural products that are good for you and the environment. So I always buy natural toothpaste (love aloe vera toothpaste from urtekram.dk), and natural deodorant, sunscreen, lotion, cleaning products and washing powder. You are what you eat, but also what you wear and use.

Every day, people book cheap flights to London. About 30, 000 Swedes are currently living in the British Capital. As mentioned in my previous post Finding a Job in London, I stayed at a hostel in Earl’s Court during my first two days. After that I checked into a hotel in the same area, then St Christopher’s Inn near London Bridge, then a hotel in South Kensington, and lastly Smart Hyde Park Inn in Bayswater. I didn’t know much about London at the time and wanted to move around in the beginning so I could get a feel for the neighborhoods.

Where to Find a Place to Live?

I recommend Flats & Houses for Rent on Gumtree, where you can filter your search depending on property type, number of bedrooms, private or agency, and whether you want to live north or south of the river. There’s also a section for House Swap and Flats & Houses to rent. Other sites worth a visit include: flat-share.com, findaproperty.com, loot.com, homesandproperty.co.uk, net-lettings.co.uk, hotproperty.co.uk, and London flats/houses on Craigslist.

If you’re not concerned about the cost and prefer to live in luxury, there are several luxury serviced apartments available such as Cheval Group and One Thirty Queens Gate.

Since I wanted to get to know other Swedes and preferred to share a flat rather than living on my own, I mostly looked for rooms via the ‘for rent’ section on londonsvenskar.com, a website aimed to Swedish people living and working in London.

Where You Live vs. Who You Live With

The two girls who lived in the first flat I looked at near Edgware Road were super friendly. When I came over they offered me soda and home-baked brownies. We talked for almost an hour. They were great. I wish I could say the same about the flat. I felt the same thing when visiting two other flats by Edgware Road. Sometimes, where you live matters more than who you live with.

Somewhere Else than Edgware Road

During my fourth visit to a flat near Edgware Road, the guy who wanted to rent out his room excused himself about the mess once we got inside. I wouldn’t have lived there if I had gotten paid for it. Three rooms; two of them with two beds, one with four beds. One guy slept on the sofa in the living room. Twenty to thirty pairs of shoes in the hallway. One stained wall-to-wall carpet. No furniture in the living room except for a sofa and a table. One small TV. In the kitchen, several rows of dirty dishes. Discolored walls. Stuffy air. Not a pleasant smell. It wouldn’t have surprised me if the flat had had roaches, rats and bed bugs as well.

How people could voluntarily live like that, in an unclean and overcrowded flat, I found difficult to understand. This probably wasn’t the standard of all flats near Edgware Road, but I had gotten enough and set my sights on another area.

The Importance of Replying Early

The fifth flat I looked at had a terrific location only a minute from Lancaster Gate, minimalist interior, a great view over London, and affordable rent. If I had replied to the ad earlier I might have gotten the room. The five Swedish girls living there told me that about thirty people had already showed their interest.

Lesson learned: if you see an ad you find interesting, call or email at once before it gets taken by someone else. Don’t wait.

Bayswater and Notting Hill

A friend said that Bayswater was a great living area. Central. Fairly cheap. Close to Hyde Park. I went to look at a ground floor flat along Queensborough Terrace, only meters to the park. The three Swedes living there were great, the place was rather small yet cosy, the location nothing to complain about, and the rent only £325 a month. But because the room consisted of a bunk bed and no wardrobes whatsoever I couldn’t help but wonder where I would keep all my clothes and shoes.

The seventh ad I answered led me to Notting Hill. Once I stepped into the main hallway, saw the ornamented mirror by the stairs and felt the smell of newly painted walls, I knew I would live there. I had made up my mind before even having seen the place or met my future roommate.

Once inside I fell in love with the surprisingly high ceilings and the French balcony. Not spacious in any way. But cozy. Two beds, a TV on top of a bench, a small table of wood near the kitchenette, two chairs and two wardrobes. Luckily I was the first one there and did not hesitate.

I loved my new home on Linden Gardens, a quiet terraced house street only a few minutes from Notting Hill Gate, and couldn’t have hoped for a better or more centrally located place at that price.

Don’t Make Demands

My roommate had plans to rent a single room in another neighborhood before I moved in and once she found a place, I wanted to find a new great roommate. The first girl who came had her mp3 player on while she talked to us. She talked nonstop.

“I work nine to five and when I come home I want peace and quiet so I can sit in front of the TV and eat chips and candy and RELAX. I do NOT want to be disturbed.”

A tip: don’t make any demands before you move in. In fact, there’s no need to make any demands at all. Sharing a place with others is all about giving and taking.

Talk About Yourself and Ask Questions

The second girl, a Brit in her mid twenties, arrived in training clothes and running shoes. A complete opposite to the first girl. She told us she usually ran home from work to get some exercise. We talked for a bit and agreed to get in touch later. In the end, we chose another girl but those who talked about themselves so we could get to know them a bit stood a much better chance.

Of course, you don’t need to talk about yourself or ask any questions. But you’re likely not the only person interested in a certain place and you want to make a good impression.

Options

Everyone has different preferences. What’s heaven to someone can be hell to someone else. To me, my own house sounds incredibly appealing, as does staying long-term in a hotel or live in a serviced apartment. But expensive. When it comes to living on my own versus sharing a place with others I’m about 60/40. The list below were my preferences for an apartment.

Musts:

• Central
• Wi-Fi access
• Near a park
• Near a tube station and/or bus station
• Not too big, not too small

Preferably:

• All bills included in the rent
• Near a Fresh & Wild or Planet Organic, favorite food stores
• Large bed
• Minimalist interior
• No wall-to-wall carpet

Bonus:

• Great neighbours
• Balcony or access to roof top terrace and/or garden
• Newly refurbished

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One last thing, if you’re looking for great advice on living and working in London, do check out Moving to London Video Travel Guide.

Manu Chau has traveled the world and Barcelona became his adopted hometown.

Manu Chao – Rumba De Barcelona

Tavola, Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill

In November, 2005, I made my second trip to London. Apart from a one-way flight from Stockholm Skavsta Airport to London Stanstead and two nights at a hostel in Earl’s Court I didn’t know where I would live and work, or how long I would stay. My preliminary plan was to find a job and an apartment as soon as possible. Since I had spent my first London stay earlier the same year in a luxurious hotel room at MyHotel Bloomsbury I thought it would only do me good to stay in a hostel this time. At least for a couple of days.

After two to three weeks of job hunting, I learnt some things that are applicable no matter if you’re looking for a job in London or any other city.

Decide What You Don’t Want

First, decide what you under no circumstances want to work with. In my case, that included jobs at McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants (since they represent the complete opposite of what I believe in). And call centers. I’m not a big phone person and wouldn’t want to spend several hours a day talking on the phone.

Once you’ve ruled out your least favorite options, you can focus on what you do want.

What Would You Like to Work With?

To me, the answer to this question is (and always have been) “something fun”. I have never taken a job I didn’t enjoy in some way and I’ve never paid any attention to whether a job has ‘status’ or not. I won’t deny that I like a high salary, but I’d rather have a job I love and earn less than do something I dislike and earn more. As I see it, if my heart isn’t in it, if something is not meaningful, there’s no point in doing it.

Before traveling to London I knew I wanted to work at a café, restaurant or bar, mostly because it seemed fun and I had never done it before. So that was what I set out to do.

How Long Can You Live Without an Income?

How fast do you need to find a new job in order to get by? Depending on your current financial situation, this can be anything from one day to several months. I set my sights on getting a job within three weeks.

Course of Action

You can register at online job sites and take care of all applications via Internet. Many people who’ve arrived in London use recruitment agencies. Keep in mind they will take a percentage of your future salary. Since I wasn’t looking for any office jobs and often prefer to do things on my own, I printed out lots of copies of my CV and headed out to find potential employers.

Whenever walking past a place I found interesting, I went inside, introduced myself, asked to speak to the manager, if possible, and handed over my CV if they were in need of new staff.

Have the Right Attitude

What attitude you have makes a huge difference. An abundance mind-set goes a long way. Having a scarcity approach does not. Imagine the city is full of employers looking to hire someone like you. Once you meet a potential employer, being open, friendly and outgoing are some of the things that matter most.

While I’d never lie about my qualifications, I usually say I’m a quick learner whenever I don’t have any previous experience for a specific job. Hopefully this shows I’m positive, motivated and enjoy learning new things.

Quantity Beats Quality

When it comes to seeking jobs, quantity is better than quality. Apply for as many jobs as possible rather than putting all your efforts into one choice. No matter how much you’d love that job. Better to have other options to fall back on.

I wanted a job at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club but never heard back from them. My interview at Sweaty Betty in Soho didn’t result in anything either. After working an afternoon at a lunch restaurant near Paddington Station the owner said I didn’t live up to her standards. (Apparently I did the dishes too slowly.) I also applied for a job as a receptionist at a hostel in Bayswater, but wasn’t even called for an interview.

Be proactive and get your CV out to as many employers as you can.

How Long  Will You Stay?

In the midst of my job hunting, I was called for an interview at Godiva where I had stopped by to leave my CV and speak with the owner a couple days earlier. As a true chocolate lover, what could be better than working with and around chocolate all day? But since a six-month contract was obligatory for all new employees, I turned down the offer (after seriously considering it) because I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to stay in London for as long as half a year.

I later learned from a friend that regardless of how long you plan to live in London, say to employers that you will stay forever.

Should You Accept the First Job Offer?

During one of my first days in the city, I met up with another Swede at her work in Mayfair. The preceding day I had replied to her room to let ad and while I checked out her room, she told me her boss needed a new bartender.

I looked around the place. Dim-lighted environment, a long bar table, suit-clad men smoking cigars while conversing quietly.

After a “hello”, a handshake, and a glance at my CV, my friend’s boss, a woman in her early thirties, asked about my previous experience.

“I’ve never worked in a bar before. But I’m a quick learner.”

“Ok. You’ll get the job. You’ll learn.”

“Really? That was fast.” I didn’t mean to say that out aloud.

“Don’t you want it?”

Did I? Shall I take the first job I’m offered? This job is ok. But I must be able to get something better.

So I continued looking.

If you get a great job at once, by all means, take it. Just don’t take an average job out of fear you’ll never find another one when you deep down know you’re worth something better. I liken it to relationships. I would never get into a relationship with someone who’s only OK. It has to be the right person. And, in a way, the same goes for jobs.

Does Work Atmosphere and Location Matter?

To me, the atmosphere matters a lot. The feeling I get when I walk inside, the energy in the place — positive or negative. After a week or so in London I went to a restaurant on Notting Hill Gate. The owner took my CV and told me to come back the same afternoon for an hour to see if I had what it took for the job. In the end, I didn’t take it because the look of the place was so depressing. Too dark and gloomy.  Spending hour after hour in a dull restaurant like that did not seem especially appealing.

As for location, some people want walking distance to their jobs while others don’t mind commuting. I wanted to find a job as near my flat as possible, preferably less than 15 minutes on the tube. I got a job at the health food store Holland & Barrett (they’re all over London) but since it was located pretty far from where I lived I decided to go for something else.

Just Because You Love a Place Doesn’t Mean You Should Work There

I applied for a job at both Planet Organic and Fresh & Wild. And I considered applying for a job at H&M as well. And Body Shop. And a smoothie bar. But then I realized, just because I love a place doesn’t mean I should work there. Loving a place and loving it so much that you want to work there are two entirely different things.

Use Your Contacts

If you have family, relatives or friends in the city you move to, check with them to see whether they know someone or something. If you don’t know anyone, keep your eyes and ears open and don’t hesitate to strike up conversations with strangers at cafés, stores or markets.

While deciding on what veggie lunch sandwich to buy at Luscious Organic on Kensington High Street one day, I heard something very familiar. Swedish. I eavesdropped on the two forty-something women for a minute and learned their favorite London restaurant needed new staff. I turned around and introduced myself. They couldn’t have been friendlier. They even drew me a map (because neither of us had one at the time) and pointed out the exact location of the restaurant. I went there with my CV the same day and spoke to the owner who offered me a two-week try-out period.

How to Decide When You Have Several Options

In the end, I had three jobs I could see myself in. Waitress/barista at a café near Carnaby Street in Soho. Sales assistant at Quiksilver. And waitress at a restaurant in South Kensington. I opted for the latter.

At first I had no idea what to choose since I wanted all the jobs. But after listing pros and cons for each job, I saw everything clearer and making a decision no longer appeared difficult.

Notte Sento, a short film made with 4500+ still photographs, brilliantly captures a magical chance encounter between an Italian man and a girl who misses her train to Milan and is set to spend the night in Rome.

Starring: Debora Antonaci, Andrea Mauri
Screenplay By: Stefano Gianfreda, Maurizio de Benedictis
Directed By: Daniele Napolitano
Produced By: CUT/Urban Team
Original music: Rocco Centrella

Shot with a Canon EOS 30D camera.
Funded by the Seagate Creative Fund in 2008.

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As you can see I’m in a video mood. More text-based posts (including finding a job in London, finding a place to live in London, and karma when traveling) will come soon.