16. Reach Size 36 again- and keeping it and Even dare to put a Bikini Photo on facebook

Some of u might Know me from better Times… Like carrying around some more Kilos with me. As this finally Works out As a real personal Blog there wont Be any secrets anymore anyway…. And Yes. There were 15 Kilos more around my hips and everywhere Else.
But finally i made it. Getting down more than 2 Sizes of my clothes – and u can believe me – asking the First Time in a shop for trousers in Size 36 again- made me nearly start crying.
When i decided to Change some Things in my Life – i think i already Mentioned some of the advice Books i Loved to Read – One Thing they Told and what really helped me was: just Act like this: As if your wish have already Become true.
Ok. I confess It was Not that easy to Change everything that fast/ but i knew i can do it and keep it/
I Loved chocolate and sweets already for my whole Life and Used it Not only for Little pleasure but more like a Substitute for everything was missing – and without thinking about it. And i Never did Sports regularly.
But when u get over 30 – Living like this is Not a good idea- and this Lifestyle made me even Sick. Eating so much Sugar, wheat, sweets, doing no Sports let a mean parasite grow in my Body what even longed for more sugar and sweets. And of course i was wondering Why i felt Bad – but kept living on like this – until it came to the final Crash down – nearly 1,5 years ago from now. I got really sick, Fat and depressive. Thats how Life sometimes goes. It Shows u the Black card. But such a Moment Gives u the possibilty to give up or to Change Things. I chose the Second Option. And Today i m greatful for this possibilty to change. Fight against the parasites, change Not only my Look with Loosing 15 Kilos, but also Change my inner Attitude with the „everything is possible“ Feeling and finally dare to make all the Things i Ever Wanted to come true.
Eating healthy, doing Sports, make my Dreams come true… This all means reaching Size 36 for me and keeping it. Keeping the positive Energy of my Life – that i finally got back. Keeping Size 36. CHECK! Never give this up again. Thats Why i can put a Bikini Foto Today on fb and don’t have to worry – although i m already over 30 🙂 – and like my
sister just Mentioned in her text message this morning: already 33!

15. Travelling without any Travel guide Books – Be Part of the amazing „wifi-app-using“ society

I was really thinking to take some Travel guides with me- but Because of weight restricions of ryan Air i had to Skip this Plan. Luckily i got to Know Bernard from Malta before my trip. He was Travelling through europe and working during travelling – and just equipped with an i phone. Actually the only Device we all Need nowadays. He told me that there is an app for absolutely everything u Need during travelling. I Never thougt about that before- but He was absolutely right.
Before i left i loaded down the tripwolf app which has Basic guides for free for nearly every Country or City. The Basic Version only Provided just some highlights, the Maps if u are online- but i was Not that much Time spending on One Place – this Information was enough for Me. And gave me a Quick Overview.
Another app was the spanish and Portugiesen Translator app – what gave me Kind of practice possibilties.
Of course i Used different travel Apps, Maps, City guides and the booking Apps for Hotels and Hostels or for air bnb- a private b&b Platform. The spanish Bus app alsa to Buy Tickets for Busses and of course all my Social Media Apps for fb, twitter, wordpress… And my New Favorite app and Social Media Device was instagram – where i can really easily make Pictures Looking professionell only with One Touch. I really love this. … U saw already Lots of my instagram Pictures;)
But Also weather Apps were Useful and the google Map could Even Tell me the timetables for the busses on Mallorca. And it was really true what google Map app told me.
And using whats app made it incredible easy to stay in contact with all People at Home or i just Met during my Trip.
Amazing/ travelling with only One Thing showing u were u are and what to do is just the Best and easiest Way to Travel. Especially As wifi is available everywhere and in spain and Portugal even on Long distance busses.

15. Finally discovered the easiest Way to travel and use wifi everywhere. Not carrying more in my backpack than a smartphone. CHECK!

See my apps and instagagram experiments below….

14. Become a Social Media Expert And learn to use all my Electronic Devices

As i m just too old for the Generation x and Not so well educated in all this Social Media stuff it took me really some effort to learn and handle it. Ok. Facebook i Managed – but Used it just for connecting with People i already knew.
While After while i discovered many other advantages of fb. For Example travling last Year in the USA – Posted where we were – and suddenly an old schoolfriend wrote to me that we should visit them – As we were only 5 hours Away from Ann arbor, Michigan. So we did and this Part of the Trip worked out As One of the Best parts at all – because we didnt expect it.
And still…. If u are an international Person fb is just Great to stay Connected worldwide. Anyway everybody Knows it and Most of the People use it. I have to say thanks to my College Lukas and our Cool Social Media advisor for noho – Philipp – from whom i got even a Special Education how to use fb properly and what Things i should Be Aware of – it s even more fun.
Sure. U noticed already. I don’t use it only for private but also to promote our Noho hangover drink. And give all my friends the chance to prevent hangover 😉
But Facebook is not the only Device. Just before I left I even started my twitter acount via verenanoho – but not yet absolutely into that topic. Still space to improve… And maybe u have noticed – I m here on vacation – I also need some time to do new adventures to write about.
Yes. To Write about. Thats actually the topic. My Blog concerning the Countdown… Actually until Tomorrow- to my 33 th birthday.
The idea with the Blog was Born a week before i Left – but the blog i created just the night before i Left/ As i needed some hours to learn to handle wordpress- this was actually the reason Why there was nö Time Left to check the bus Times to Bratislava again and i nearly missed my Plane. Remember …?
Anyway…. I still think that it was wörth it… At least i had my first Story right from the beginning.
And i have to confess i really started to like writing like this during my Travel Trips on Bus or plane.
And One more Great Thing is… To See how many People are reading my Stories. During the Start it were immediately 150 – and duringwhlile it depended on The posts and how Often i Posted news.
I recogniced a really Big interest on the topic „Fall in love with Portugiese….“. Yes. It was shoes. But still itseemed u Liked it.
Even Today i could See nearly 150 People visiting my Blog. Thanks for that. At least i Know there is a reason Why i m writing. And i appreciate Lot of Friends reading it.
But i guess now u want Know what will Happen if the countdown ends Tomorrow and what is this all about….
As i m only equipped with an iPod and a smartphone – writing Takes me some time. But this workes still pretty good As i can Carry around everywhere and with wifi be online nearly all Time.
Fact is: there are still some points on my List missing. To get the regular list Completed – the last One will Be 20. But there will be a special at 21. A kind of travel tips with dos and donts. And as i was travelling 22 days: point 22 will be a great surprise for all of you. Concerning the numbers 11-22-33/
So…. I Hope u stay Tuned…. And keep on Reading. until point 22!
Love from Mallorca: on the picture below you can See me working on my Blog…. Really hard work Today 😉

13. Do a morning run during sunrise on the Beach of Mallorca

Actually i just told you that i had to Buy a Watch .. because As everybody Knows Times just Passes Faster during vacation than during working. And thats why we have to use the day even earlier. As a very clever Boss at a discount supermarket chain – I don’t want to say the name loud – already told me years ago: the day has 25 hours if u get up one hour earlier.
So I followed this advice today. Weather is great here – but hot of course – and the only time to do sports is early in the morning or late in the evening. So I chose the morning today. Put out my running shoes and did what all trendy people have to do at a age up to 30 – to keep in shape. Running on the beAch. As I m already traveling for more than 2 weeks I skipped my gym, my yoga and any other Sports. And u know… Being over 30 means Lot of physical diseases if u don’t Care…. Especially when u are On vacation eating, drinking, sleeping less and carrying a backpack that is getting heavier all the Time… Althogh i Sent already some Things Home… But u Know – there had to fit in Portwine in Porto, the Nice New Dress from Porto As well, now i had the Great idea with the Air matress for matress surfing – what was so much fun – and this Water matress Thing is just a must have on the Island – so i had to take it and of course it fit somehow in the backpack…. So – you might understand now how the backpck gets heavier all time and Why my back is hurting.
However/.. This fact finally Forces me to do some Sports/ starting with the Great Run during sunrise, Yoga on the Beach afterwards and swimming in the afternoon.
After all this is a Great chance that i arrive back Home Kind of relaxed.
13. Finally did this Morning run on the Beach and follow the Rules of being fit and trendy on Mallorca. CHECK!

12. Buy a Watch again: but only to Be on Time

The Trip started with a nearly Missed Plane and me in spain working with my inner Austrian watch. But Never really wearing a real Watch because usually sitting in Front of the Computer anyway. But finally when i got here Times started to Feel different.

As i described before i had to adopt to the Southern mentality and this Way of living. But After some days in spain during my conversion to Be spanish and wearing no watch – it appeared that i didnt either knew anymore what Day it was nor what Date and during the Day i had of course no Feeling for Time anyway. Although this a really good sign when u are on vacation that u just Loose your Feeling for Time – this started to work out for me really badly. As i had a pretty tight schedule – and was Not able to live exactly like the spanish. I will shortly explain Why:
First of all – all rooms i stayed were so Hot that i latest got up at 8 or 9 because i was just Not able to Sleep. I had fruits for breakfast early – but when i Met my spanish hosts- mostly 3 hours later – i was Offered breakfast at 12. The Day went on with Sightseeing for me, some working for the spanish, then Lunch at 16.00, Shopping, Sightseeing or planning my Trip for me, Siesta for the spanish. Then ICE cream for me, already drinking Sangria for the First Time and preparing for going out early at maybe 23.00 for Dinner. And then to the club or Disco where the Party Starts at 2.00 in the morning. Ok. Then Coming Home at around 5 and of course for me getting up at latest 9 because it was too Hot or i did sightseeing or i already had to Travel on.
So… For me the days were in comparison to the days of spanish days pretty Long and Nights pretty Short – and although i learned to give Things just the Time they needed… There was only One Thing missing for me – the spanish siesta – that Makes spanish People work like Party machines all night Long every Day. Letting Things go like this was Nice – but Not Long to Bear for me like this. So finally i decided to buy a watch again and Even to wear it/ being Aware of the fact that there is actually less time to Loose when u are on vacation/ and thats definitely a good reason Why to wear One. For this Case i bought a really Nice One from mallorcian Design- See on the picture below.
12. Wear a Watch when Time is really worthy. CHECK!

11. Arriving at Mallorca with no plans at all – or: expect nothing and get everything

When I arrived 2 weeks ago in Spain I thought that I already was really cool and relaxed As i didnt Plan anything exept my First Host. See …. Thats the Point- i already knew where to go, at least i knew something about spain and some places i Wanted to visit.
But i recognized really fast that i had to adopt to the spanish Way of living.
People here say about themselves that they are lazy and just think about the Next step when the Next step is already there. That was actually a Habit that i couldnt Share from the First Moment. Of course i loaded down some travel guides, City Maps, Bus schedules…. Eyerything. Booked Tickets in Advance and looked at least for a Place to stay or the Next City to visit.
Like i Said… Things changed pretty fast. It was always really Hot here and the Heat Makes you tired and lazy…. But still it took me some Time… To adopt.
While After while i just let Things go and took the surprises the days brought me. I Stopped planning and downloDing Apps for Bus Tickets. I did it the spanish Way: just get there, take the Next Bus to any Destination and See what will Happen. Finally i made the Konversion to the spanish and portugese Way.
3 days ago i arrived in mallorca and this was the only Thing i knew. The plane to Palma de Mallorca. And there i was. Planning the Next step when the Next step had already arrived. Ok… So what to do… Arrived at the airport – no plan at all. Heading to the Center with the Next bus was A good idea… When i recognized that Palma was Not a Village but a City with 500.000 Living there and tousends of tourists… And Main Season and obviously everything absolutely fully Booked. Great! I didnt think about that. So i just walked with my backpack to the Center hoping for a Solution.by accident i found a hostel in the center with One bed available with 3 other Girls from australia and russia. I took it. Actually i Wanted to stay 2 Nights – but sleeping in a 10 m² Room with 3 other Girls on the 3 rd Etage in the absolutely Hot Center of Palma with 40 degrees and All Space on the Floor covered with clothes and shoes from the backpacks…no Way ! I m absolutely too old for this shit! I had to spend As less Time As possible in that Room. So my roommate and me decided to go out- and voila : a famous dj from Ibiza rocked the Disco hotspot in Palma called titos and of course we went there. Dancing with hundreds of Young People! Having Fun, watching Nice gogo dancers Bodys and an aircondition.

FinallY we avoided so stay in the Hot Room very successfully until 5 o clock on the Morning. After 2 hours of sweating Sleep i decided already to go on a City Trip As i couldnt Sleep anyway and tried to get some Coffee. What was pretty hard at 7.30 in a spanish City… Actually impossible.
Anyway this was the Time where i decided that the Next step arrived and i had to Change Plans immedeatly and leave the City also immediately. So did i.
I decided to join Katja – my russian roommate and we went to the North of Mallorca with One of the nicest beaches i ve ever Seen. Had Great Fun with Big waves doing Air matress surfing and having absolutely delicious Fish on the beach. The Place where we stayed was Called cala rajada and Little Bit like Paradise.
So finally i Discovered Paradise with Nice Company with doing it the spanish Way.
11. Do the Next step just when it arrives and when u expect nothing you get everything. CHECK!

10. Drinking portwine in porto and inhaling portuguese history

As a winemakers daughter I had to come to Porto of course and I was really lucky that I met davide- a young entrepreneur who worked many years in the wine business and opens his own wine store soon.
He took me to some famous winemakers where we could taste really great portwines. He explained me the procedure of portwine and that there is a mixture with a special brandy that the wine finally gets 20%. We tasted different maturity like 3, 6 and 10 years old. But as a local he knew the wineseller behind the bar and we were lucky to taste a wine from the year 1952. He just told me hat we better not know he price of tasting even one glass of such exclusive wine. And although I prefer white wines -tasting this great red portwines directly in porto felt somehow special.
Actually this was also the last station in Portugal and I have to say …I didn’t only fall in love with portugese shoes and the portwine… I really got a little crush on this country with its special people and amazing flair.
discovered a new country that I fell in love with. did so many great things there. Did everything I could within 8 days. CHECK!

9. Fall in love with portugese shoes, buy four pairs and send them on a parcel to Vienna

all men who don’t have strong nervs should stop reading now. Thanks. What u are going to read now could be even more a reason for not getting married at all.
Actually the story of my new love started when I was in Lisbon. I only wanted to go for a walk in the city and just inhaled the flair of the people and the atmosphere. The only problem was that on my way every second shop was a shoe shop. So …. I didn’t get really far. Instead of exploring the city I just got mad and nearly neurotic that I had to enter every shoe shop I saw. You have to know that portugal is very good in shoe production and that a lot of factories are located in the north of the country. They have a really cool design, made of fine leather and for austrian conditions really cheap. So I hope u can understand this addiction that suddenly came up beside my rational brain part. these were too many good reasons to try every crazy shoe I liked..and the worst of all…as so many fitted very well I decided to take four pairs all in different colours and style. One shiny silver sandal for partying, one green sandals for casual, one blue comfortable but high with cork bottom and one absolutely crzazy high one in black that makes me 18 cm taller and that’s perfect for the coming wedding from sabsi and matthias.
I guess u are curious now.. But I forgot to take pictures of all of them – but u can see the nice sandales below. The rest follows later in combination with the fancy dress I bought for the wedding as well – but in Porto.
As I told u…becAuse of missing space in my backpack – some of them are already on their way to vienna. But I will stay still some time ….
Actually a life mission for me. Buy on every trip I do at least one pair of shoes. This time even four . CHECK!

8. Learning to dance Salsa, bachata and merengue from a Latino in One evening

His name was Manuel. From Columbia. We met in a Salsa bar.
A Story that Starts like this may sound interesting. Maybe it is.
The Day i landed in Málaga was a saturday. Of course Party time in España. And going out with some international People started really early… Already at 11.30 pm. After crashing some discos -where of course nobody Else was this early in the Night – we decided to enter One of the Local Salsa Bars. With no aircondition After a day with 38 degrees and Hot music. And at least already 5 People dancing at 12.30pm. That was a beginning. As i m a real austrian Girl – i count very well Songs in 3/4 and 4/4 Takt – and there is no Need to Move my hips like hell and offend my ischias nerv if i do this wrong. Thats why i Never really Liked to Dance Salsa. Because of my hip-moving-problem causing Ischias pain.
Anyway- now i m in spain and Things started to work out different. And As i watched the People Dancing all Kind of different Latin dances – just so easy and Even wearing Flip Flops- i thought to myself – i would. Love to Be able to Move my hips like this.
That wish was obviously Said out very loud – Because only 5 min later a Latin Guy asked me to Dance and insisted although i explained my hip-moving-Problem. Telling somebody NO in a salsa bar is obviously no Option.
This was the Start of my 3 hours Dancing lesson. Manuel – original from Columbia – i told you in the beginning – of course had the latin movements in His Blood and the Patience and Condition to teach me 3 different dances.
1. Salsa/ this was the hardest Dance – As i told you about the hips. But while After while and practicing One Hour i just could Switch somehow my Standard Dance brain off and just tried Not to count and only follow the Spirit of the Music. Still don’t Know how it worked out – but it did -thanks to Manuel.
2. Bachata: everything what came After Salsa was actually easy- because i was allowed to Count again: to the left: 1-2-3-kick and then to the right: 1-2-3-Kick. No Problem with that. But of course there was also a more difficult Part. Maybe u remember the scene in Dirty Dancing – where the wild and Crazy Dance teachers do the real dirty Dancing and Baby came there As an illegal guest while She was carrying the Melons. I Love her sentence. Exactly that was how i felt Dancing bachata – trying pretty hard to get out of my classical austrian Skin and Dance Dirty.i m Not sure if it really worked out – but manuel was really into this teaching Role and tried Even a 3 rd Dance:
3. Merengue: actually my Favorite One. Back to Dirty Dancing – maybe you know the scene where the Entertainment stuff is trying to get Action to the People – especially for the old Men and Ladies- so thats the One.
And this was really easy to learn. 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2. Right- Left. Right- Left. Always the same. Do this really fast. Move your hips of course. And for the Attitude in your Head- it was explained to me like this: Move like a soldier.
Thats the Story how i learned Dancing Salsa – and you Know what: no Ischias Problems yet. Nr. 8: Dance Salsa, bachata and merengue: CHECK!

7. Learning spanish during a busride

When i decided to do this Trip to spain i was Aware hat my spanish is Not existent. But i thought that on One hand my Basic Knowledge of Italian will help me and on the other Hand People will speak englisch in touristic places. That was actually a good thought – but didnt really work out like this. As i was Not Even Able to guess what People were telling me – and Spanish People Talk really fast and a Lot – and there was no Chance for me asking Basic Things … And maybe u remember – i m travelling alone, Nobody there to ASK – so i decided to learn spanish during my Busrides.
In the beginning i wrote about a Great Book that i Read and that Kind of changed my Life. Ok i Tell u now: its the 4-Hour-workweek from Tim ferris. And for those who didnt Read it and don’t even believe that there is a Way to learn spanish during a busride-Yes there is.! (u should Read the Book anyway!)
The language course from Michel Thomas Makes it possible. I didnt do it before – but As i recommended this to my Sister who learned at least Basic French two Weeks before She was moving there – i had the Proof that it Works. So i loaded down the Basic course spanish on my iPod and listened to it during my Busrides. Listening to this „course“ feels like sitting in a Class Room where two Average Students try to guess and remember and repeat New phrases like in a Dialog. Don’t Be surprised when you recognise that Michel Thomas – the language teacher – himself has a really Strange Accent. Anyway – listening to this course gave me the Feeling that i was really fast Learning – As the students in the Dialog pretend to Be really bad. listening to this Kind of language Learning may seem weird in the first Moment because its Not similar to any language courses and you learn the Language by Learning the tools how to convert your existing vocabulary into a New Frame.
And: this really works. Maybe u wont believe it – but yesterday i had the Luck to stay at a Place where the hosts only spoke spanish – and the Girl mimi was so Nice going out with me – Talking to me the whole day. We had so much Fun Talking spanish and spanglish. And Learning from each other New words.
7. So… After Learning spanish during my busride i m able now to Tell all Basic Things to People – and had Even good and Funny talks in spanglish. Finally learned spanish for travelling Level. CHECK!

Mimi y Verena comer tapas a Sevilla y ablar spanglish