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Lycamobile review: prepaid SIM card in France
Back for a big month in France and not wanting to switch my Free mobile subscription to the €20 plan, I’m on the lookout for a prepaid SIM card offer. Last time I had a Lebara SIM card which I was satisfied with. To try another solution, this time I opted for Lycamobile. I ordered my SIM card online for free, with delivery to my mailbox within a few days. It’s also possible to buy one at tobacconists, phone shops, or even in supermarkets, as I happened to see at the checkout of an Auchan. Having ordered a free SIM card without credit, it’s completely useless when inserted into the…
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Receiving SMS online with SMS Expat (+ promo code)
If you’d like to sign up for SMS Expat, use the promo code TDM5C Travelers quickly ask themselves: what’s the best way to keep receiving SMS while abroad? This is mainly an administrative consideration, since receiving SMS is hardly used for anything other than getting validation codes from banks or other apps. The solution I use is to have a subscription Free Mobile : the rate is ultra-competitive, €2/month. However, there are a few drawbacks: SMS cannot be viewed online; you must insert the SIM card into a phone (which requires having a second phone, or having a dual-SIM phone, or swapping SIM cards every time you’re expecting an SMS—not…
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My Current Favorites [December 2021]: My Favorite Books about Japan
After spending months reading books that were a bit too political and too business-oriented, I wanted to find some lightness again, a bit of travel through novels or autobiographies. Here is my list of books about Japan that I really enjoyed. Some were read a few years ago, and I revisit certain passages from time to time. Memoirs of a Geisha I don’t know when my passion for geishas started; I’ve read quite a few books about geishas, the most glamorous and artistic women in Japan. They are not courtesans but artists: they excel in singing, dancing, musical instruments, and also in the art of conversation. I found two books…
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My Current Favorites [November 2021]: Christmas Gift Ideas
We’re spending Christmas in France this year, so I took advantage of our trip to buy myself some gifts, ones I can only find or receive in France or Europe. As usual, this post is not NOT sponsored. I bought everything with my own money Paper cutouts by Emi Hazlett This year, I decided to focus on the work of artisans and artists. For a long time, since I enjoy making things myself, I supported them only by buying their books, courses, DIY kits… but never the actual artwork. This year, for the first time, I decided to buy a piece by artist Emi Hazlett I discovered her work on…
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Turkey: How to get an HES code (for foreigners)
The HES code is a sort of Turkish “health pass” : a QR code you’ll need for sightseeing, taking public transport, going to restaurants (in theory, the only place we were asked for it was at the hotel), … Unlike in France, the QR code isn’t used to check that you’re vaccinated or have a recent negative PCR test. It’s used to track you. If someone tests positive, this tracking allows authorities to contact everyone they’ve crossed paths with to get tested. The process for getting an HES code is fairly simple, but there’s one catch: you need a Turkish SIM card (see our article on the subject). Once you…
