Mission 1: The Europe Tour

It's the same for anyone when they start a new job. At least, its been my experience in the last two.

Lunch time.

For those first couple of days you have to fend for yourself. Sure, there are times when you're welcomed along for the ride, but until they truly know you they don't want to get too close.

A lot of reading gets done in these situations. And i drink too much Starbucks.

Also, the morning and evening commute promotes a shitload of reading.

"Life Nomadic" is mentioned in my "about" section. It was during a lunch hour a couple of months ago when i decided it sounded fantastic.

I would make money on the move via the internet, graphic design and web design mostly, and use the profits to work my way around the world.

At 22 and i've only seen 5% of our planet, and even that is mostly touristy hotels and beaches. I am in no way ungrateful for the amazing holidays i've had, but its time to explore further. Plus, in Europe, i can pretty much bounce around for as long as i like!

So here is the plan!

I sat down and attempted to work it out using Microsoft word, a fuck-ton of travel-related apps and an interactive map on the Hard Rock website.

My aim is to leave for Paris on July 12th 2010, and then change city every three days.

List:

1. Paris

2. Amsterdam

3. Cologne

4. Munich

5. Berlin

6. Copenhagen

7. Gothenburg

8. Oslo

9. Stockholm

10. Warsaw

11. Krakow

12. Prague

13. Bucharest

14. Athens

15. Malta

16. Rome

17. Venice

18. Mallorca

19. Barcelona

20. Madrid

21. Marbella

22. Lisbon

So thats the plan!!

If you are up for traveling in July 2010 for around two months, then get in Contact!!

Either call me on 07949 186358 or email

Cardiff

Instead of using the tired old bloggers way of showing photos, i thought i'd show you our cardiff trip through the medium of the comic strip (and expressive dance).

(Click to enlarge pics)

New York

We went to New York two years in a row. A few weeks before christmas 2006 and 2007. In the back of my mind, i was aware of the mission, but at the time we were purely looking for somewhere to eat. I think we were about 2 blocks away and could have easily settled for a T.G.Is.

Incidently, the next night in 2007 we went to a restaurant about a block down from the hard rock called Maxies, which i think can only refer to the size of their food. Whilst a little pricey (it is in Times Square), i ordered a "sandwich" and was presented with about four weeks worth of meat, salad and bread.

I think the New York Hard Rock is the only one of the cafes so far i didn't make a conscious effort to get to.

It is for the poor reason above that i can't find any pictures of the inside. Obviously, i could use google and find some pictures, but i think that would somehow defeat the object of this blog.

As you enter the cafe, you go down a staircase and turn right in to a basement area, with the service desk and bar on the left. The first time we went there was a queue of maybe 200 people to get in.

I would urge you if heading to this particular restaurant, to invest in All Access membership to guarantee seating at the next available table. It around £15 for what i understand is lifetime membership. Plus you get a load of discounts/point system stuff etc (free pin or teddy as well...)

I realise i sounded a bit like an advert for a second there!

The restaurant has a stage-like area, which i assume does gigs, i will have to check this, but whilst we were there this area was adorned with Beatles merch from their later, Sgt. Pepper years.

My brother is a big Kiss fan, so was pleased we got a table surrounded by their stuff. There was also debate over who does a better version of "Life is a Highway", Tom Cochrane or Rascal Flatts.

Anyone who know me knows that i am in love with the City of New York and so i will definitely be back to this Hard Rock a number of times in the future. I will, of course, then add photos.

Until then, you will be wanting proof! And here it is.....in the form of a Glass....

Hard Rock Cafe

Times Square

1501 Broadway,

New York, NY,

United States‎

(212) 343-3355‎

Manchester

The above picture was taken from a shitty Motorola camera-phone in 2007.

Its the only picture i have of Hard Rock Manchester.

When i'm next in manchester, or when i've been to all the other Hard Rocks, I will go back and take some better photos.

Whichever comes first.

I had the salmon as i was going through a sudo-vegetarian phase. It was awesome.

The waitress did that thing where they sit down at you table to chat and take your order. They should always do that in all restaurants.

Hard Rock Cafe Manchester

Unit 7-9, The Printworks
27 Withy Grove,

Manchester,

Lancashire

M4 2BS
+44 (0)161 831 6700

The List

Complete List of Hard Rock Cafes

So here is the list of all the Hard Rock Cafes in the world. I will tackle the hotels and the bar in malta as they pop up on my travels, and as such they're not on the list below. There are also some on there that aren't open at the time on writing, but are open soon! For the slower ones out there, the Cafes highlighted in Green are the ones i've been too.

Argentina	Buenos Aires
Aruba	Aruba
Australia	Surfers Paradise
Bahamas	Nassau
Bahrain	Bahrain
Brazil	Belo Horizonte
	Rio de Janeiro
Canada	Niagara Falls Canada
	Ottawa
	Toronto
Cayman Islands	Cayman Islands
China	Beijing
Colombia	Bogota
	Cartagena
Czech Republic	Prague
Denmark	Copenhagen
Dominican Republic	Punta Cana
	Santo Domingo
Egypt	Cairo
	Hurghada
	Sharm el Sheikh
England	London
	Manchester
Fiji	Fiji
France	Paris
Germany	Berlin
	Cologne
	Hamburg
	Munich
Greece	Athens
Guam	Guam
Hong Kong	Hong Kong
India	Bengaluru
	Hyderabad
	Mumbai
	New Delhi
	Pune
Indonesia	Bali
	Jakarta
Ireland	Dublin
Italy	Rome
	Venice
Jamaica	Ocho Rios
Japan	Fukuoka
	Nagoya
	Narita
	Osaka
	Osaka Universal
	Tokyo Roppongi
	Tokyo Uyeno Eki
	Yokohama
Kuwait	Kuwait
Lebanon	Beirut
Macau	Macau Hotel
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur
	Penang
Malta	Malta
Mexico	Acapulco
	Cabo San Lucas
	Cancun
	Costa Maya
	Cozumel
	Mexico City
	Puerto Vallarta
Netherlands	Amsterdam
Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan
Norway	Oslo
Panama	Panama
Philippines	Makati
Poland	Krakow
	Warsaw
Portugal	Lisbon
Puerto Rico	San Juan
Romania	Bucharest
Russia	Moscow
Scotland	Edinburgh
Singapore	Singapore
	Singapore Airport
Spain	Barcelona
	Madrid
	Mallorca
	Marbella
Sweden	Gothenburg
	Stockholm
Thailand	Bangkok
	Pattaya
	Phuket
United Arab Emirates	Dubai
United States	Atlanta
	Atlantic City
	Baltimore
	Biloxi
	Boston
	Chicago
	Cleveland
	Dallas
	Denver
	Destin
	Detroit
	Foxwoods
	Gatlinburg
	Hollywood CA
	Hollywood FL
	Honolulu
	Houston
	Indianapolis
	Key West
	Lake Tahoe
	Las Vegas
	Los Angeles
	Louisville
	Maui
	Memphis
	Miami
	Minneapolis
	Myrtle Beach
	Nashville
	New Orleans
	New York
	Niagara Falls USA
	Orlando
	Philadelphia
	Phoenix
	Pittsburgh
	San Antonio
	San Diego
	San Francisco
	Seattle
	St Louis
	Washington DC
	Yankee Stadium
Venezuela	Caracas
	Margarita
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City
Wales	Cardiff video

About

I have a life goal that involves going to every Hard Rock Cafe in the world.

There are many ways to follow my progress, i suggest subscribing to either this blog or the accompanying Youtube channel.

This "About" page will be updated in the future to give more info on the why's and the how's, but for now, i will leave you with this quote, which i found in an amazing book by Tynan;

“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.”

Jim Rohn

Thanks,

Mikey

Cardiff Video

Enjoy!