Okay, this is the section where I reveal just how spoiled I am!
My bathroom: So far, this is what I miss the most. The shower here is a hand-held thing. You have to turn the water off and on throughout the process of washing yourself and shampooing your hair. And with the bathroom on the cold side here, it’s not fun! The water heater holds about 5 gallons of water and doesn’t continually reheat water as it’s used. After one shower, the next person has to wait awhile for his/her shower. It’s cold here now in the bathroom, but it will be hot in there in a few months.
My curling iron: I have a curling iron from Australia that works with the 220 electricity here. But I forgot that this iron doesn’t get as hot as the ones in the US so my hair is looking quite different than I’m used to; having a hard time getting used to my new look. Seems to me that with the higher current, 220 instead of 110, the iron would get hotter. Oh, well. A very short hair cut helps.
My bed: The beds here, even in expensive hotels, are very firm; the mattress (thinner than in the US) is placed on a “foundation” of a solid piece of wood or hard wooden slats. Miss my pillowtop mattress with the box springs underneath it!
My kitchen: won’t be able to bake any low gluten bread here or low gluten, low sugar cookies. On the positive side though – I’ll be spending much less time in the kitchen.
Big washing machine and dryer: The washing machine here works very well but is small so have to use it more often than the one I have back in the US. No dryer here so have to wait for clothes to air dry on the drying rack. This means you can only do one load a day because even that’s too many clothes for the drying rack! I’m used to getting the laundry done in one day.
Quiet Nights: Our apt. is on a busy city street and is on the first floor. There is lots of traffic almost all night long, not to mention the garbage truck that picks up the garbage 3 mornings a week at 5:30. We’re used to country noises like birds and crickets and the occasional dog barking.
Wireless Network: Only one person at a time can get online at our apt. So one of us is always waiting for the other one to finish what they’re doing online. We’re so spoiled…
Filtered Tap Water.
Central Heat and Air Conditioning.
Central Heat and Air Conditioning.
McDonald’s Senior Coffee with free refills! Coffee comes in a small cup and that’s all you get here in the restaurants and coffee bars. The McDonald’s here does give you a little bit larger cup, but no refills.
THINGS I DON’T MISS
Slow Drivers in the Passing Lane: In Europe, the passing lane is just that. It is used for passing only. As soon as you pass a vehicle, you return to the regular lane and leave the passing lane free for other vehicles.
Speed Limits: Although speed limits are posted on the highways, it appears they are only suggestions! Within city limits, the posted speed limits are not suggestions but strictly enforced.
Driving Everywhere: Our apt. is within walking distance of the city center. We can walk to bakeries, grocery stores, coffee bars, restaurants, the cinema, clothes shops, pharmacies, the farmer’s market and whatever else we might need while here. We only need the car if we want to leave Pula! Or to go to the other side of town where there is a big supermarket. But the smaller markets near us really have everything we need so we only need the supermarket when we feel the need to go to a big store! All this walking has the added benefit of providing exercise too, so it’s a win-win situation as far as I’m concerned.
