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Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It is already tomorrow in Australia.


Sometimes it's enough to just have a lay down on the grass and gaze up at the sky through the eucalypts. Australia is a lovely place to be, and everybody knows that Tasmania is the pearl in our oyster!

Which got me thinking. The other day I was on Facebook - you can find me here (I know, I know) - and I downloaded that little application that lets you pick top fives.

Now, I've always been partial to a list, whether it's the top ten pop songs that last for two minutes and forty two seconds (There She Goes or Whip it at number one),? or the three best Big M flavours (can't go past banana), I like making lists.

So the prospect of expending thirty seven seconds making yet another top five intrigues me. The other day I pondered the all important [read: not at all important] "Five places other than where I live now where I could live". I went with (in no particular order):
  1. Germany
  2. The Czech Republic
  3. Hungary
  4. Barbados
  5. Estonia

It was hard to leave out Finland, but all of those shootings of late, combined with a fear of jellied fish, put me off somewhat.

That got me thinking, where would you live if you couldn't live where you do? Does anyone share a desire to give Tallinn a go? Or maybe chow down on sausages in Nürnberg? Would you rather sit underneath a palm in Bridgetown?

Comments

smudgeon said…
1. Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein (Hanseatic League all the way!)
2. South Island, NZ
3. Chile
4. Russian Federation (St Petersburg in particular)
5. Bavaria

Number 1 & 5 motivated by beer, food, and pretty things, although 5 would require a hefty salary increase. 2 because I just went there & it was pretty schmick (although I understand I may be subjected to many sheep/Russell Crowe jokes by fellow Australians as a result). 3 because it sounds like almost the end of the earth. 4 because I'm determined to believe all of life's problems would be solved if I lived in Leningr....er, St Petersburg.

Spots 6-10 would be occupied by any of the Baltic States, Morocco, Scandanavia, or Honduras.
Unknown said…
The photo is stunning... I also added you on facebook.
yamini said…
Well, intriguing prospect to compile this list. Mine goes:

1) New York (fascinating place)
2) Pakistan (dangerous but close)
3) Switzerland (blame Indian movies and Yash Chopra for this one)
4) Someone's heart (I know, too sugary)
5) Hobart (coz then I would be close to Henry and Ez and can see them everyday in person, instead of just the pics)
USelaine said…
Tuscany impressed me as a good place, with climate much like our wine-growing region here, but with better architecture.

For a mild climate, Hawaii is tempting, but could not begin to sustain itself at current population levels if imports stopped. (Am I thinking too much about this?)

I've lived in Hungary, and endorse your selection of it. Cold as the devil some winters, and I missed any ocean exposure, but with enough money, that could be remedied.

I'd love to live in the City of San Francisco, it that's not too myopic of me. Tremendous variety in culture and geographic beauty.
USelaine said…
*if that's...
Babzy.B said…
Beautiful shot !
Tasmania sems a little paradise , i think i could live there !
Miles McClagan said…
Big M, man what a quandry of a drink. Do you select the more quixotic unusual flavours or the well drilled classics from the 80tys?

I'd say a good mix of Blue Heaven, Strawberry, Choc, Caramel and Choc Pine is a good starting point, but man it's tough!
Jim Klenke said…
Berlin, New York, Panama, Las Vegas, Hawaii.
Candie said…
Beautiful picture.

Too many to answer!
Kris McCracken said…
Me, I can't say I disagree with too many here (except NZ of course). I fear that actually visiting St Petersburg may ruin the mystique, however!
Kris McCracken said…
Uncertainhorizen, and I added you too.
Kris McCracken said…
Yamini, that's a pretty good list too, although I fear that New York is too busy for me!
Kris McCracken said…
Elaine, I like the sound of Hawaii too. Tuscany is filled with wealthy poms now though, isn't it?
Kris McCracken said…
Elaine, I knew what you meant.
Kris McCracken said…
Babzy, we go all right down here. With no exaggeration I can honestly say that we have the best produce of anywhere in the world, and some time ago scientists announced that the cleanest air in the world can be found in our fair state.
Kris McCracken said…
Miles, the choc pine seems to have eluded me. The strawberry Big M is often overlooked, but a classic.
Kris McCracken said…
Jim, Vegas? I'd be broke in a week! Too many fast cars and faster women!
yournotalone said…
Canada
Australia
India
Greenland
Siberia
Roddy said…
1.Burnie
2.Hobart
3.Only in a pinch, Launceston
Kris McCracken said…
Aigars, twenty five years ago I'd imagine you could have easily have found a way to live in Siberia!

I've always wanted to visit Nuuk in Greenland.
Kris McCracken said…
Roddy, what an imagination you have!
KL said…
Nature is lovely anywhere, be it the eucalyptus or pine or palm trees. I would live anywhere that is simply full of nature, especially with lots and lots of water bodies everywhere - menancing oceans, turbulent rivers, cascading waterfalls, silent lakes - everything should be there along with trees and some hills or mountains. All these things should be together, side by side so that I come out, and almost can see everyone of them. So, I think, Alaska and NZ would be the best places to live (unfortunately they don't allow people to live in such places - all natural forest or wild life protected). But saying that I would also like to live in Antarctica, the southern part of Argentina and Chile, the rainforest of Brazil or Ecuador, the savannah of Africa, those parts of Austria and Switzerland that have those lakes surrounded by mountains, Iceland (a top choice), Greenland (another topmost choice), Norway and Finland (because from pictures, they seem to have many such places). And, now seeing your pictures, perhaps Tasmania also :-).
KL said…
Do you have orkut account?
Kris McCracken said…
KL, Tasmania is known as The Natural State!
Kris McCracken said…
KL, I do have an Orkut account, but it is very bare...
Reyjr said…
1. Italy (the people are so similar to Filipinos in their warmth and hospitality)
2. France (or just to learn the language)
3. Scotland (it's like a fairy tale there, haha)
4. Japan (to see all their cool gadgets!)
5. South Africa ('coz I've never been!)
Kris McCracken said…
Reyjr, Italians are also very loud.

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