"God travels always incognito" ~ Laurent Gounelle

Picture:Goodreads

I was really surprised by this book. I avoided it for a very long time assuming that it has to do with religion or something spiritual. An advice :never assume by the cover or in this case by the title.
This psychological work will make you know yourself better. It will show you how to face your fears and how to push yourself up from the bottom of your life. Even if you think and know that you are not so low, I still would recommend reading it. The author will lead you through the difficult path of knowing how to get what you want, how to be yourself and most importantly how not to let others influence your own wishes and life.
This book is full of helpful tips and wise words, worth taking into consideration when you look at your real existence. Take a minute and think over some of your every-day tasks and encounters. You will be surprised how much you withhold and miss from having a real life.

Lіfе іѕ nоt а thеоrу. І bеlіеvе оnlу іn thе роwеr оf рrоgrеѕѕ оn thе grоund ехреrіеnсе. Тhаt саn rеаllу сhаngе а реrѕоn. Еvеrуthіng еlѕе іѕ nоnѕеnѕе аnd іntеllесtuаl mаѕturbаtіоn."

I'm only not sure about the ending of the book. It gives a lot but you'll have to figure it out by yourself. 

"The most important things sometimes stay most unnoticed."

The whole story is a slow and meaningful way to becoming who you are and who you should really be, only the last few pages stream like being in the fast lane of life where you indeed need to make it on your own with fast steps.
Enjoy this book, don't skip a word and give yourself time to rationalize it.

Morocco: What you should know

After our trip to India, I've learned my lesson and prepared myself in advance, or at least with some knowledge about the country. This is probably the best tip to have in mind when travelling for the first to a country that is much different from your own: always get to know the place you plan to visit in advance. The best way to do it by personal blogs or personal reviews in places such as Tripadvisor. People's thoughts, advice and impressions will always help you be aware of the atmosphere you're about to meet.
There is of course no way to fully understand a country before visiting it but it is always better to know what to expect( every culture is unique and surprising).
What I got to know before coming to Morocco:
- Don't worry much how to get dressed. As an Islamic country the dress code and way of showing you and your emotions is a little bit different than the way in Europe for example. Although I saw many tourist with really short shorts and sleeves I would recommend to the ladies to consider something not very provocative, knee-long dresses or pants would be fine. Not that it's a problem to show a little more skin, but you'll save yourself the looks and laugh behind your back, as the locals don't miss a person to look at.
- Warm clothes. If you don't visit Morocco in summer you must have warm clothes. Despite the high temperatures, the wind is really cold. In March the locals were wearing pullovers or even their winter jackets. It wasn't so bad, but still make sure you have long sleeves and jackets, the nights are especially cold!
- Learn French. Just kidding. You don't need to learn a new language for your 1-2 week trip. Most of the people in the tourist areas speak English well enough. But if you plan a trip outside the big, crowded, noisy places you must have an offline french dictionary!
- Overall the big cities are safe,both for driving and walking.
What a learned while in Morocco:
- The hotels are a bit overrated. Don't be impressed by the beautiful pictures, but read the reviews, they are usually pretty much clear and true. Anything under 5-star hotels probably will disappoint you, but if you are on a budget the 3/4-star hotels will be fine.
- There are like hundreds of merchants on every street, trying to sell you something. Just say No or simply shake your head and avoid them, that will discourage them quickly not to follow you.
- Always bargain. The merchants would tell you some unbelievable prices as a starter, but then agree to what you say. Don't be afraid (or shy) to say ridiculously low prices, most of the stuff don't cost much anyway.The fastest way to get your souvenir for the price you want is to just leave. They'll call after you, hold you even to stay until they sell the product.
- Always wear cash, especially small banknotes. People there always expect a tip. Even if you bool an organized trip and prepay it, be sure that along the way you'll meet relatives/friends of your guide and they all will be expecting something in exchange for their "help", small tour or guidance.
- If you plan to go hiking/trekking be prepared in advance. Some paths are difficult to find on your own, there are tens of people waiting to help you (and of course to receive a 5€ tip)and it's honestly not so well marked. Read a lot in advance about the valleys or mountains you want to hike and make sure you have a reliable GPS navigation.
- The best way to travel: a rental car.
- When at a gas station, you should wait for a guy to refuel your car, pay him and don't bother to wait for a receipt. But that's only in the cities. When you are on a motorway /highway you should be able to pay with a credit card and receive a receipt. Shoot for the big gas companies, such as Shell, Total.

Always drive with the permitted speed. If the police stop you, always ask for proof that you broke the speed limit! 

Being completely honest, I was a little afraid and prejudiced toward this trip and the country, but I learned that if you are nice to people, aware of your surroundings and belongings, everything will be just fine. Just relax, enjoy the new adventure, absorb the atmosphere and collect great memories!

India: First experience

The most spontaneous trip we have ever did. Me and my husband were invited to a wedding in India and it took us about 2 months to think about it. Two weeks before the event we decided that we are doing it. We were actually going to India! It sounded so exotic and so far away, even a little bit scary, but we were all in.

First of all, you need to make sure you get a visa. Then you can start looking around for airplane tickets, although in our case we were pressed to change the order of events, because for such a destination you can't book last minute (price and probably no luck with available seats). It was pretty easy actually, because you can apply on-line and then get your visa within 2-3 work days. 

Vaccination: our doctor said that the obligatory ones are Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid and of course the basics like DT. There are also the Cholera, Malaria and Japanese Encephalitis, but if you are careful enough, and staying at 4 or 5-star hotels, you should be fine only with the first three. 

Packing? That's easy! It is always hot and all you need is some light linen clothes (preferably long-sleeved) and your flip-flops. Be careful though, the sun could be really strong, so don't forget your sun cream! Now the fun part of packing: make sure to have enough anti-bacterial soaps, wet wipes and whatever else that comes to mind when considering disinfection before eating. Unfortunately the hygiene there is poor and we were strongly advised avoiding drinking tap water as well as not to brush our teeth with anything else than bottled water.

Getting from A to B: Uber is your answer. If you by any chance have an Indian sim-card then you can also use the alternative called "Ola". 

Funny story: We went to see this (castle/temple) by the shore and had a good time, took some nice pictures but then... the Uber App crashed, so did our hopes to get home, too. There were no taxis, we could not get the Indian alternative "Ola" and we were just staying there looking like confused tourist which in India is equal to easy money. We were approached several times by a Rikshaw driver. [We of course, kindly rejected his offer to get us back to our hotel. The idea of travelling at approximately 30km/h on a highway with this traffic....And of course, was double the price.] After 30-40min and no luck with the app we had to get the deal. Best experience ever! Just imagine: highway, cars are flying around us with over 100km/h, we are moving at about 20-25km/h. Then, the Rikshaw suddenly stops in the left lane (oh yes, they drive England-like), middle of nowhere and we have not the tiniest clue what is happening. We are looking each other in horror for the next 30 seconds, while the driver gets out of the Rikshaw, opens his seat and gets out a... 2,5l Coca-Cola bottle full with something yellow-ish. Then he gets another, smaller bottle full with something 

green-ish. He mixes the two substances and... refuels. That was the moment we could breathe again and just enjoy the rest of the ride.

The traffic: There are no rules. At least none known to us in Europe. There are traffic lights, there are signs, there are zebras, but nobody cares very much about them. There are three lanes, well-marked with white stripes, but you actually can see 5-car lanes with small motorcycle lanes between them. You just drive and wait for the others to signal you if you are in their way. The cool part is that as funny and dangerous as it may sound to us, it somehow works, people don't get nervous and they are actually moving. Rarely would you stay long at jams.

Temples: better read or ask ow to proceed when entering a temple. Barefoot is a must for some and it is usually worth it.



India could be polluted, unorganized country but if you look at it more as a crazy, colorful place, you will be able to experience the real beauty of the country and its people.



P.S. I almost forgot...Do try coconut water from a street merchant... The best way to freshen up your hot day!

Skulduggery Series (Books 1-5)

Picture:Wikipedia

The first two words that come to mind: witty and funny. This story is not just wizards with sticks shouting in some incomprehensible language. You've got more than just spells and the cliché vampires and zombies. Every character is unique, with its own interesting abilities and personality. I find this series much more interesting than any other magic story. Every creature is being developed in a different way, being at the same time given not only good but also bad, sometimes reaching evil, features. 

Honestly, I read the first book three times, because I wouldn't take it seriously. To me it was just a children's book. But then I realized I was a child once too and I could identify myself with a young girl who would love to be part of something so unreal, dangerous, new and fun. 

One of the main characters is a teenage girl, who goes through a huge transformation. At first she is just a little girl, not sure how to control or understand her powers, let alone the amazing new magical world she steps into. 

Picture:Goodreads

 At first everything is exciting and thrilling and cool. The idea to have a double, while being on the way to your next big adventure, would appeal to anybody, I'm sure. But very quickly things get serious and a little too dark: her chest had to be literally opened in order to lock her real wizardry name. Which is why I love this series. This is a good premise to turn each character into something a little bit more. Valkiria and Skulduggery are the main point around which the story develops and Valkiria as the new kid in town seems to grow a little too fast. Soon she gets more aware of the real world, missing her parents, friends meetings, boys attention. This leads to a mix up of her both worlds, which just takes the plot to a new level. Every time you think everything is over, there's nowhere more this could take you, the writer sends you to a new journey. 

There's so much happening in the first 5 books that I don't even want to try to tell you a bit. It is just impossible to describe each and every character, his powers and stories. You are on your own here. Let yourself get lost into the world of constant surprises, real fights, inflammable chasing and above all pure magical experience.

"The Address" by Fiona Davis

Picture: Amazon

This is the second book I read by this author. After The Dollhouse, I thought it could not get better but guess what, it got much better. There's everything in this novel, historical New York City, a secret to reveal, personal challenges to overcome and the best of all such emotional feelings, that make you feel exhausted, as if you got through them. In present days it is still difficult for people to show their feelings openly, imagine what was it like 200 years ago with the difference in the classes, the opinion on women's place, the etiquette which everybody had to consider and most of all having an affair with someone from the staff while being well-married. Despite all that two beautiful people, being almost constantly together, but divided by society's critical eye, can't help but fall in love and make it look so pure. After diving into the story and swimming through it like being in a wonderful dream, you can't help but feel betrayed at the end. You would think that what's happening is just unfair, too cruel and too real to be happening to them, to you. But eventually everything falls in the right place, Sara sacrifices herself in the name of the well being of her son, along with knowing that she doesn't have much time left, which justifies her decision of taking someone else's guilt. It's a lovely story of ambition, of creating the glamorous city of New York, of love and loss, of taking and giving.

"The Dollhouse" by Fiona Davis

Picture: Amazon

I wanted to read this book for so long that now I'm sorry I didn't do it earlier. The story is so well written, it takes you flawlessly through the two eras that it describes. Every character is so rich and well developed that it makes you feel a part of their own lives. The life of two women at the same place but at different times turns out to be a great plot for a touching story. Darby McLaughlin has a very exciting life, at least for the first couple of months of her life in New York. Her story is rich and full of emotions that you can't help it but to fall in love with her. Her first experience with the big city is am example if every woman who went through it too. Her first encounter with popular modeling girls is what every teenage girl feels when dealing with such people. Her first love, a boy so perfect that even makes you fall in love with him, is exactly what goes in every girl or woman's heart. ( Here, I have to admit, my eyes got watery at the end when their relationship came to reveal itself). Rose's story is almost similar but taking place almost 50 years later, although she already had her big and bad times in the Big Apple, she already had her big love, who, by the way, turned out to be a real politician. Once his interests became more important than love, love, as well as any compassion, ceased to exist. After all the failures that Rose went through, Darby's life was the thing that gave her hope and meaning to keep working, living and letting new feelings come into her life. And that's what I really loved in this book: its representation of women. Even though they were (and are) underestimated and supposed to know their place (always there for the man), these two women show the readers that you can achieve something good and positive, despite the difficulties. I don't have enough words to describe how this book makes you feel, you need to experience it and let yourself sink into every detail of it. P. S. I didn't forget Esme of course. This ambitious girl, always fighting for what she wants, will make you ignore all her imperfections and show you how a woman should strive to get what she needs and wishes.

"Kafka on the Shore"~ Haruki Murakami

Beware the spoilers!
Recently I have decided to challenge myself by reading authors who I find overpraised. I was shocked by the wonderful writing style and insightful look of human nature by Khaled Hosseini. I laughed and cried a little with "A man called Uwe". Next stop was a book by Haruki Murakami because recently I have met many and many good reviews about his books. I was sure I would keep the good score with Haruki Murakami. Unfortunately, I never knew how wrong I was. I picked up this book from the library's shelf out of curiosity and the interesting title that grabbed my full attention (not that I have ever read anything by Kafka). I didn't know what to expect. But i never could expected this... Somewhere after the first 50 pages I was asking myself: "Are the three plot stories going to be tied up together and what could possibly happen?" Although the narrative was a little boring and at many times unnecessarily detailed, I was hooked. But that was for a very short time because just suddenly everything started to become weirder and weirder. The connected dream of Kafka with his alleged sister is one of the lamest "sex scenes" one has ever witnessed. It goes like this" No, don't. -"I cant stop, sorry". -"Ok, I understand, but you should know I don't like it"... And this continues for some time. Not that there could ever be a good rape scene, but instead of making you feel uncomfortable, angry, sad or whatever, it's just... slow and calm and makes you question your feelings. Not to mention the few same scenes with his alleged mother... Yes, one can look and find a deeper meaning and symbolism but you'll need to put a lot of effort. A book should not be like a schoolbook, where the teacher asks you: "What did the author mean?" and then you would need an hour to come up with something. Or if you do, it's wrong... If you can't understand the author and his ideas, why even bother to write so complicated? I will honestly admit that I didn't get the whole forest action at the end. I supposed what it probably should mean but... I didn't care anymore. I found it was really hard to understand, to analyze, to find some deep hidden meaning both spiritual or mythological. (After I finished the book, I had to google for an explanation of what I just read). Unfortunately, there wasn't a common theory that could have helped me. Every person's defiance was different and hypothetical what could this or that be. Which surprised me because even the big classics from Dickens, Dostojewski and others have some basic ideas and arguments on which readers agree or disagree. But not this book. Here every separate action/scene has like 5-6 different ideas. I find that a little disturbing because either the writer didn't present his ideas and meanings clearly or the readers didn't get the book. I'll give you a quick review (of course not in details) of what happens and how I saw everything.
 - A boy, whose mother and sister leave him at a very early age, decides to run away(nothing new or special)
- Still a teenager, he manages to travel alone and pay for hotels all by himself
- On the way, in a bus, he meets a girl and decides that she's his sister... Despite looking at her bare skin when she puts her head on his shoulder and tries to look further under her T-shirt."
- Decides to stay in a small town, far away from home. Loves to read and visits the library - there he meets a man at the front desk/the librarian, who later turns out to be a girl, but with other bodyparts... - The head librarian could be his mother, he wonders the same thing about almost every other woman he sees
- She comes to his room/dream as a 15-year-old girl, then as a grown up and makes love to him
- During the WWII a strange thing happens, in the woods with the kids, one of them doesn't wake up - Later he's able to talk to cats
- He gets to know about the "cat-hunter"
- A big dog leads him to this man's house, where he finds out hat his name is Johnny Walker, he's even dressed like him (why God , why??)
- Cat heads in the fridge, brutal description of cat murder... Again why, who needs that??
- Thankfully Kafka kills him but it turns out that he doesn't remember. Kafka did it, in his sleep but through the cat-talker
 - Now the police is searching for him, as an only relative to the dead. Yep, Johnny is Kafak's father...
- The cat-talker receives information about where to travel and what to do... From somewhere, somehow. He'll know when he's there and when he sees it(no idea what is the point here)
- Finally Kafka and his companion (a truck driver who left everything for him) find the library and Miss Saeki, who's been waiting for this meeting to... hold on... kill herself( oh, almost forgot:there is this mystery where she's been done for 15 years,  then reappeared in this town to die... But she decided to wait and meet this guy). At this point Kafka is in the cabin in the woods doing... I literally have no idea what
- The cat-talker dies, but I don't want to spoil it for you and I don't think I can describe what happened (it was really creepy) - oh, and there is an opening stone, to another world/dimension which the driver finds,! BUT! only thanks to Col. Sanders. But it's not easy. Before showing him where to find it, he must have sex with Colonel's best girl. A whole chapter about the lucky 3 times (why was that necessary?) - I won't give away what exactly happens to Kafka and the others at the end because everybody deserves his end of the story. If you have any suggestions, recommendations or ideas, please share. Probably I have to give Mr. Murakami another chance or is Kafka a good example of his work and writing style?