🐌 Slomad Sunday, May 2024 | Friendship & Discovering Audio Books | #109
🐌 Slomad Sunday, May 2024 | Friendship & Discovering Audio Books | #109
Making memories on the Mediterranean with friends
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🐚 Edition #109 from Girona, Spain. New readers, please start here 👈
ICYMI: The last edition was on using your free
Bon Dia!
Hello from Catalonia. I am here and around the general coast of Spain - from Palamos to Salou, the Costa Brava to the Costa Dorada, for a week.
Also, watch out, as I have discovered Audio Books, somewhat late to the party it would seem, but I am enjoying exploring this new way of digesting stories and finding new authors and genres. More on that later!
Affiliates corner: Here are some of the products and services that I rate: Digital Nomad Spain set-up Advice, Nomad Health Insurance from SafetyWing or from Genki - Insurance for Nomads, best mobile laptop stand from Nexstand Laptop Riser 10% off code: ROREMOTE10, for pet and house sitting visit TrustedHousesitters to get 25% off annual memberships use: ROREMOTE25 and for reliable Spanish Accounting and Business Advice via Entre Tramites.
Fostering Friendships
One of the many things I love about the remote work lifestyle is being able to make time for friends better. These last few days around Catalonia are an illustration of that. When you can pop your backpack on and take you mobile office with you, then meeting friends and fostering social connections is often easier.
During the week I got in my car to head to near Barcelona to spend some time with a friend there, we went for a lovely hike, had a meal together and hung out. I was en route to Girona to meet an old childhood friend from Ireland, someone I had not seen for over a year and whom I have known for about 40 years!
Both of my friends are parents, Mum’s in fact and life can be busy, full of competing priorities, so getting to spend quality time with their friends is needed but not always so easy.
The Irish Mum, was needed a break, the winter has been long and hard in the west of Ireland, with little light. When she told me she was going to book some flights, I suggested she arrive into Girona and fly out of Tarragona, giving me the chance to pick our destinations and locations, putting my Spanish local knowledge to good use.
I have written previously about using Booking.com with intent and care to get the best rates, using my “Genius level), but actually this time I found our lovely hotel direct lots cheaper. A pretty 3 star historic mill property, we started our stay with a couple of nights here, enjoying the warm hospitality, jacuzzi and fantastic buffet breakfast.
✍🏻 Notes: For regular updates and photos, see y’all on Substack Notes.
Over the coming days we will travel onto Tarragona and to one of my favourite beaches - so far - in Spain.
🌐 International News
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🌍 European News
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Want to move to Europe? Digital Nomad Visa’s overview
🔗 Link: Digital Nomad Spain set-up Advice, free consultation
🎧 What I have been listening to recently:
Whilst house-sitting in France recently (see below to access the full three part series on house-sitting) I decided to listen to more classical music and other genres. I basically got curious to look around my Spotify feeds and various sections.
It was then that I discovered that certain Audio Books were free to listen to with my Spotify Premium account. What a revelation!
For no particularly reason, other than I like the colour Yellow, I picked and clicked on Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang. Not only did I discover that audio stories are something I enjoy, I also realised I did not appreciate the talent and wonderful-ness of narrators. I devoured and binged the full audio book in less than two days…..
My next listen was very enjoyable, however not in such a quick amount of time. Over about a week, particularly when driving, I partook in My Year Of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh.
So, two audio books into my audio book library, I am still in trial and discovery mode. Curious and asking myself:
Would I have chosen to read books like this or is it simply of interest due to the novelty of new-ness?
What about you? Do you like to listen to audio books? Share below!
🎁 Slomad Sunday News Roundups & Freebies
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May the road rise to meet you,
love n light,
💚 Ro