Hi everyone and a very happy Thursday to you all. The sun is shining here in Northern Ireland after some horrendous stormy weather yesterday. I have been pretty quiet here in the blogging realm for a few weeks due to some family circumstances but I thought today would be as good a day as any to make a return, plus I love creating doors posts on a Thursday so it’s perfect timing.
I hope you have all been keeping well and adjusting to these seasonal changes wherever in the world you might be. I have been trying to keep an eye on other people’s blogs, as a means to stay in tune with what’s happening here but also for some light reading as a welcome distraction.
I hope you enjoy my selection of local doors from around Northern Ireland and please let me know if you have a favourite.
My personal favourite is number five. I love the colour of the door, the glass panels on either side, the arch around the door, the wreath on the door, I could go on and on and on. I just love this one. How about you?
This sunset was taken last week at my parents home in Banbridge, Northern Ireland. Although we didn’t see the sun actually set, I loved the colours of the sky as it was setting. I especially like the way the buildings become a silhouette against the skyline.
I hope you have all had a lovely weekend. This is now almost three weeks for us being home in Northern Ireland. Where does the time go??
Happy Friday everyone! Today’s flower of the day was spotted at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park when I was there last week. This flower really jumped out at me and I couldn’t believe it was another black eyed susan. You might remember I showed this flower last Friday but I feel that this flower looks very different from last weeks. Therefore, I thought it would be good to showcase this flower again. What do you think of this flower today? Does it look similar or different to my previous black eyed susan? I have placed the link to last week’s flower below my image.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another Doors of WordPress. This week I thought I would show case some more doors from Sydney, as it has now been two weeks since we left and it is never far from my mind.
This park is located in South Belfast and is a good walk from where I am staying at the moment. I have been here a couple of times and have always known it was famous for its many flowers and in particular its rose gardens. However, this was the first time I actually followed the map and purposefully looked for the attractions listed, such as the walled garden and Japanese garden. I also was not aware that there is a cafe here too, that was a welcome bonus. I will leave the official link for this park here so you can read a little history about this place and how it ended up being available to the public. https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/things-to-do/parks-and-open-spaces/a-z-parks/sir-thomas-and-lady-dixon-park
This park is great for walking around and taking in all its beauty, made even better with blue skies. We loved the Stables coffee shop and it was so lovely to be able to sit outside. This park is famous for its flowers, especially roses. The first image is from the walled garden. This is a very tranquil and serene space and I encourage everyone to visit if travelling in Northern Ireland.
I hope you enjoy reading about this wonderful park and please let me know if you have ever visited yourself.
My Friday flower of the day seen this week at Hillsborough Castle. How amazing are these? I love how they look like mini sunflowers and I also love the name, black eyed susan. Also can you see the little wasp on one of the flowers? These are super easy to look after and have even been known to be good for gardeners with brown thumbs (I love that saying!).
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of Doors of WordPress. I have been in Northern Ireland for just over one week now and have managed to spot a copious amount of doors. To be honest, I was nervous leaving Sydney and not seeing any more amazing doors, however, I am pleased to say, Northern Ireland has a fantastic array of doors that I am very much looking forward to showcasing. Have a look below and let me know if you have a favourite door or if you have been to any of the locations.
1 – Banbridge2 – Hillsborough 3 – Belfast City Centre4 – Banbridge5 – Belfast City Centre
Thanks for checking out my doors again this week. Have a great day everyone.
After our New Zealand holiday, we had another trip up our sleeves before heading home to Northern Ireland. Initially we were planning on Tasmania, however, New Zealand was freezing and Tasmania would be freezing too at this time of year. So we decided to cancel Tasmania and head somewhere hot. Bali had never really been on my agenda but it’s pretty close to Australia and a popular tourist destination. After some research online and speaking with friends, we settled on two locations to try, simply to break up the trip and have two different experiences. We opted for Ubud for the scenery and peacefulness, contrasting with Seminyak for the beaches and tourist vibe.
This was to be a relaxing holiday, lying by the pool and absorbing some much needed vitamin D. Normally I really dislike these types of holidays but I was fine on this occasion as we had just travelled quite a bit and packed up our whole life. Rest and relaxation was most definitely welcomed.
Arriving into Bali was a lengthy process with four different queues needing to be passed. Covid screening, obtaining and paying for your visa ($100 AU), immigration and declarations. I’m not going to lie, this was tough going after a long flight from Australia and we arrived late at night. By the time we passed immigration etc it was 12pm. Luckily we had pre booked a taxi and he was very kind to wait for us as we had another one hour drive to our hotel in Ubud. I felt so bad for the driver but he reassured me that this is the norm.
UBUD
Element Bali Ubud – this was our hotel in Ubud for 4 nights and to be honest, it was the highlight of the holiday. We are absolutely amazed by this hotel and how fantastic it was. The staff were unbelievably friendly and accommodating, everything was so clean, the food drinks were delicious, the location to town was pretty good and we loved the amenities. We used the spa, the gym and the pool and were so pleased with them all. I would definitely recommend staying here if you ever come to Ubud. You can check it out here for yourselves.
Things to see in Ubud : We hired a taxi to take us around the key sites of interest that we had been researching. The Monkey Temple is a huge tourist attraction but we don’t really have a love for monkeys so we avoided that one.
1 – Seeing the rice fields. This was great to see how the farmers work the fields and grow their best prized crop.
2 – Tirta Empul Temple. A very busy temple for locals and tourists alike. This was built around a bubbling spring and is a fascinating place to see Hindu devotees purifying themselves by ways of ritual bathing.
3 – Sampling the Luwak coffee. This coffee is famous for its unusual methods of creation. The Luwak animal is a cat like creature that feeds on Luwak coffee beans (among other things). When they excrete the beans, the outer shell is removed to expose the inner bean, which in turn is used to make coffee. Seen as a delicacy, this was an honour to taste, alongside some really different and unusual tea and coffee varieties, such as avocado coffee and lemongrass tea.
4 – Saraswati Temple. This just looked amazing online so we really wanted to visit. It can be found in the heart of Ubud centre and was built to honour Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom and learning.
5 – Dinner at Chora. I found this restaurant on Instagram (the benefits of social media) and thought it looked interesting. It was fab! Great healthy food with a Mediterranean influence, fantastic service and a truly serene experience.
SEMINYAK
Aloft Bali Seminyak – We loved this hotel and it had such a great location. It’s a good distance from the town but you are in a quieter location and very close to the beaches. We would walk 5 minutes to the beach and then walk along for about 30 minutes to reach Seminyak town. The rooftop pool and bar was lovely with stunning ocean views, the hotel served up some great food and drinks, plus the staff again were so, so friendly here.
To be honest we didn’t do many tourist things here in Seminyak and we were happy just to relax. Also, I did have a case of Bali belly during the trip (a common occurrence here for Westerners with sensitive stomachs), I think from the water, so I was out of action for a couple of days with pretty bad stomach cramps. However, I can show you a few places that we enjoyed eating in when I felt better, asides from the hotel where the food was really delicious.
1 – Shelter Restaurant. Shelter is a contemporary Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurant located in the central part of beautiful Pererenan. The food was absolutely stunning and the service was exceptional. There was a great tropical vibe and the musical really set the scene, even the bathrooms were impressive. This was our favourite place to eat from the whole trip (maybe as it was also my birthday).
2 – Da Maria. This was a fantastic Italian restaurant actually on the same street as our hotel. It’s great when you can walk to the venue and we had heard great things about this place. Food was lovely and there is a real buzz in this place.
3 – Potato Head Bali Beach Club. This is a really cool place if you want to come and chill out for the day. We loved the food here also and it was just a short walk from our hotel via the beach before you get to Seminyak Village.
One thing you do have to do in Seminyak is watch the sunset from the beach. You can be anywhere on the beach but we found the sunset to be popular near our hotel. The actual beach is called Pantai Batu Belig. People come to just sit on the beach and take it all in, it actually reminded me of Ibiza sunsets.
That’s a wrap on my Bali trip. It’s a beautiful place with the most gorgeous people. This was a great trip for rest and relaxation before heading home to Northern Ireland. Follow my journey home and I aim to highlight the numerous places NI has to offer.
Thanks for taking a look at this Bali blog post and have a great week everyone.
Happy Sunday everyone. I hope you’re all having a good weekend whatever you’re doing. We are adjusting to life at home and catching up with family and friends. Today’s sunset picture was taken last week on our last evening in Bali. We were sitting at the rooftop bar at our hotel and we were fortunate to be able to witness this sunset. I love the colour of the sky and the way it contrasts with the dark and moody looking cloud coverage.
Happy Friday everyone. My flower of the day was taken in Bali. I was amazed to spot this as I have never seen anything like it before. It is a species of costus and is native to Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to my latest edition of Doors of WordPress. This week I want to show you some doors that I discovered last week on my holiday in Bali. I will also be completing my Bali blog and hopefully have that up in a few days. I arrived in Northern Ireland three days ago and am enjoying catching up with family and becoming acquainted to the local area but I will continue to blog whenever I have free time.
1 – Element Hotel Ubud2 – Ubud city centre3 – Taman Ayun Temple4 – Saraswati Temple Ubud5 – Kerobokan Kelod
You may or may not know but Bali is a Hindu island that is part of Indonesia which is predominantly Muslim. Therefore, you can see many, many temples in Bali where the people can practice Hinduism. I really admire the temples and their architecture, some of them are absolutely stunning with such intrinsic detail. Do you have a favourite door this week?
After Hobbiton, we drove for a couple of hours to reach our final destination of Auckland. We were here primarily to catch up with a good friend who lives here but also we were keen to see and experience what this city has to offer. I will highlight the places we managed to visit while in Auckland for three days.
1 – Cheltenham Beach
A beautiful beach with views of Rangitoto, a volcanic island off the coast of Auckland. It’s the youngest volcano in New Zealand being just 600 years old.
2 – Maungauika/North Head Historic Reserve
This stunning coastal walk takes you along the entrance to Auckland’s harbour. This site once belonged to the Māori people and then became a prominent defence base when threat of war was high. It’s interesting to see the tunnels here and you can even see the old disappearing guns that were very much ahead of their time. Look out to see breathtaking views of Auckland harbour and city.
3 – Takapuna Beach Path.
Take a stroll along Takapuna Beach, where you can see amazing views towards Rangitoto and Motutapu Islands and the Hauraki Gulf. I couldn’t help but smile at Minnehaha Avenue 😁.
4 – Wine tasting at The Hunting Lodge.
There are many, many vineyards to check out in Auckland but we went with this one. We loved it and the beer paddle was a wee bonus.
5 – Sunset at Muriwai Beach.
Stunning sunset and the beach is made of black volcanic sand.
6 – Auckland Museum.
We always have to see the local museum when we visit a new city. This one was great if you’re interested to learn about Māori culture.
7 – Ponsonby.
This is a trendy area famous for its dining and shopping
There you have it! Our New Zealand trip has come to an end. What an amazing trip and so fortunate to have finally been able to visit after being in lockdown on and off for two years. I hope you enjoyed the journey and photographs from this truly epic country with the absolute friendliest of people. It’s a trip I will not forget in a hurry. Thank you all for showing an interest in my posts over the past couple of weeks, it really means a lot.
This was the perfect spot for us to stop and rest during our drive from Wellington to Auckland. As well as being a great location to stop, we had really wanted to visit here for a couple of reasons.
This area was created thousands of years ago by volcanic activity and sits at the southern end of Lake Rotorua, also formed from a volcanic explosion. Although the volcano hasn’t erupted since, there remains a lot of geothermal occurrences daily, which in turn creates geysers, hot springs and hot mud pools.
We really wanted to try the hot springs as well as seeing and learning about the traditional Māori people. In Rotorua you can find a living Māori village, there the people have been living for more than 700 years. You can have a tour of the village and witness how the people live.
Rotorua itself is a quaint little town with plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars. You will see many Māori people here which is really lovely to see. Another thing to note with this place is that it has a strong sulphur smell (think eggs) from the geysers which can be quite overwhelming if you’re not used to it but I’m so glad we were able to experience it.
Lake Rotorua Little hot springs everywhere. The smell here was intense. Love the architecture Great little pubPOLYNESIAN SPA GEOTHERMAL HOT SPRINGS AND THERAPIES – Absolutely stunning private pools with stunning views. After our own time here we were able to enjoy a fresh juice and head to the public pools. These were still quite exclusive so not too many people allowed in at one time which was great. There are a few different pools you can try with varying temperatures. Personally, I loved the 40 degree Celsius pool, the warmer the better for me 🥵.Welcome to the Māori village 😊Amazing to see how the Māori people use the hot springs for cooking. This water is 80 – 100 degrees Celsius. People still bathe here to this day. Sadly they only bathe very early in the morning and late in the afternoon as tours occur during the day. Traditional cooking methods in the ground. Used to cook Kai (food).Hot springs everywhere Geysers spurt here daily
Such an amazing place and we thanked the tour guide for an awesome opportunity to see how the Māori people continue to live to this day and aim to keep their traditions alive in the 21st century.
I hope you enjoyed a little insight to Rotorua. This is a definite pit stop if ever travelling from Wellington to Auckland. We made one more stop on our way to Auckland, can any of you guess where it was? I am really excited to show you all later this week.
Watching the sunset from our hotel in Ubud during the week. The glass walkway was stunning and really adds to the image. We couldn’t really see below as it was dark but the sunset was truly magical. This hotel Element Bali Ubud was out of this world and I will write more about that in my future Bali blog 🍃.
We had flown to Wellington from Christchurch and thank goodness we were able to. The weather had been bad for weeks with heavy downpours. Many flights had been cancelled but fortunately for us, our flight made it across the water to the North Island. It was exciting to depart the South Island and have new experiences of the north. We also really wanted to see Wellington as it is the capital of New Zealand. We stayed here only for one night and would then hire a car and drive up the island to our final destination of Auckland.
As we were only here for one day, I will show you my highlights of the city and what we were able to squeeze in. We really enjoyed Wellington and we were extremely blessed to have good weather (mostly).
1 – Staying in the QT Wellington. This hotel chain is one of my favourites. We have stayed in three others before so we kind of knew what to expect. They’re a little more pricey but we thought if we’re only here for one day, why not treat ourselves to a nice hotel. This one in Wellington I think has been the best QT so far. Extremely quirky and we loved the art throughout the building. I would totally recommend staying here if you visit Wellington.
2 – Take a walk along Lambton Harbour. This is situated just beside the museum and it’s beautiful just to walk along the water front. This eventually leads onto Wellington Harbour.
3 – Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This museum was on our doorstep so we had to check it out. Such a great place to learn about NZ and for us the highlight was the Gallipoli: The Scale of our War exhibition. You can find more information here. This unique exhibition tells the story of the Gallipoli campaign in World War I through the eyes and words of eight ordinary New Zealanders who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances. The people are recreated as larger than life models, really bringing it home what these people went through. An extraordinary exhibition and extremely moving.
4 – Wellington Cable Car. You can find this in the city centre and takes you to a great height up a mountain to see great panoramic views of Wellington. You can also see the Botanical Gardens there too that are really worth a visit.
The little rain didn’t stop us. Being from Ireland we are well used to some wet conditions 🤣
5 – Take a walk through the city centre. There’s lots of character in this city, funky shops and great pieces of street art.
6 – Dinner at Mr Go’s. This Asian fusion restaurant is really quirky and serves delicious small plates perfect for sharing. There is such a good vibe here.
Thanks for taking a look at my Wellington blog and I hope you are inspired to maybe visit or even just enjoyed looking at some photographs of this amazing city. We would then head towards Auckland and make a couple of stops on the way. Next stop where we were staying is Rotorua, blog coming very soon 😊.
Happy Friday everyone. This flower was seen in the garden here at our hotel in Bali where we are vacationing for a few days before heading back to Ireland. I will continue to work on my New Zealand blogs over the coming days and hopefully share my Bali experience also 😊.
Aphrodite’s Phalaenopsis
“Aphrodite’s phalaenopsis is an orchid hailing from Taiwan and the Philippines. It is an epiphyte, which are sometimes called ‘air plants’ because they grow on trees or other objects, and get all the nutrients they need from debris that drops from the air onto those hosts. The delicate yet striking appearance of this flower has inspired the alternative common name of Goddess of Fertility” (Picture This, 2022).
We took a day trip here from Queenstown. It is the one place everyone asked about whether we would be visiting or not when in Queenstown. I’m really glad that we did take the trip here, even if it was a long day. We booked a coach trip (you can do this at the tourist information office in town) and it lasted the whole day. It’s more than 12 hours to drive there, take a boat tour through Milford Sound and then the drive back. It’s a big day but really worth seeing, especially if you may never return here again.
Miford Sound is a fiord, carved by glaciers during the ice ages. It really is captivating and I don’t think I have ever seen anywhere quite like it. The scenery is out of this world, no matter what the weather and if you’re lucky you may be able to spot some dolphins, seals and penguins that call this place home. We were fortunate to have seen seals sunbathing and dolphins that followed our boat back into the dock.
Even the journey to Milford Sound is spectacular and we were able to make a few pit stops to take some photographs. I will show you a couple of our stops and then show you some snaps of the magnificent Milford Sound.
First stop was Garston for a coffee fix. Be aware, skimmed milk here is called trim. So when you order 2 skim flat whites, they will be called 2 trims. We had no idea when the lady was calling out our orders! Our next stop was in Te Anau where we could grab some food and supplies if needed. Beside the store was an Alpaca farm where you could also feed them. They were real characters to say the least with their own unique hair styles 🤣. Stunning scenery from Te AnauMirror Lakes – we stopped here to take in the views. Out of this world. Fiordland National Park – this was our final stop before reaching our destination. We were fortunate to spot a Kea, the world’s only alpine parrot. Look at how well it camouflages against the mountains. Milford Sound – After about 5 hours, we reached our destination for a boat ride through the mountains. Honestly I don’t have enough words to describe how magnificent this place is. I hope the photos can do some justice. We loved it. The waterfalls, mountains, the colours, the serenity and the wildlife all made this place really stand out. It was totally worth the long drive to get there. That’s a bucket list item ticked off for sure ✅.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog post and I hope it inspired you to maybe visit for yourself one day.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to yet another weekly post featuring some more of my favourite doors. This week’s edition follows on from last week’s doors in New Zealand. I have some more to show case from this amazing country and next week I have some extra special doors to show you as it will be my twentieth edition of Doors of WordPress! Let me know if you have a favourite door this week 😊.
This place was a no brainer for me. It’s in close proximity to Queenstown and I had heard that this town was extremely quaint and full of character. Winner winner chicken dinner! We took the number 2 bus and were there 45 minutes later, however, if you travel by car it’s only about 20 minutes.
This church was the first building we had seen on arrival to Arrowtown. I love its craftsmanship.
I didn’t know much about the history of the town but that’s ok as they have a museum to provide you with some interesting information. I was already aware that Arrowtown was a good mining town and home to many European and Chinese immigrants who had settled to make their fortune.
Many of the architecture remains intact and the buildings are beautiful to look at. The whole street is very photogenic and there is a stunning river and walkway alongside, which is where the gold had been found many years ago.
I loved the old stores and a walk by the river is truly magical. Our last stop was for lunch at The Fork & Tap.
Thanks for reading guys and I hope I have been able to show you the beauty of Arrowtown. Please let me know if anyone has ever been there.
When you say to people you are travelling to New Zealand, they will pretty much always ask “Are you going to Queenstown?”. I didn’t really understand why but now that I have travelled there, I totally get it. This place was the highlight of NZ for us. The scenery is just out of this world and made even more special as we were here in winter. The snow peaked mountains were absolutely stunning and you just can’t quite take it all in.
The flight into Queenstown is breathtaking and you won’t be able to peel your eyes away from the window. As soon as you arrive at the airport you will be blown away by the epic scenery and become lost in the magic of Queenstown.
We caught the number one bus from the airport into Queenstown which takes about 10 – 15 minutes. It’s a very easy ride and luckily for us it stopped just before the town at our hotel, The Ramada. We loved our stay here, great proximity to the town, beautiful scenery all around, very friendly staff, lovely hotel and the breakfast was open until 11.30 and you simply pay for what you order (this was a real novelty for us as you usually pay a hefty amount for a buffet breakfast and they often close early in other places I have been).
For us, Queenstown was all about the scenery and using it as a base to see other places close by. We took the number two bus to the quaint little Arrowtown. We also took a coach trip to Milford Sound. I will post a little blog about these two places after this but these were the two places we most wanted to see. The scenery itself in Queenstown is beautiful and it’s really lovely just taking a stroll through the town and having a look at all the shops, restaurants and bars. There is a lovely walkway that passed the back of our hotel to the town that takes you along the side of Lake Wakatipu. It was beautiful and can also take you to the town via Queenstown Gardens.
Views from the back of the Ramada. We took the walk into the town. It takes about 30 minutes and the views are out of this world. Lake Wakatipu The town is very picturesque.
A few people have been asking about food recommendations so I thought I would run through a quick list for you :
⁃ Joe’s Garage – perfect for breakfast
⁃ Stratosfare – this is the restaurant on top of the huge mountain. Take the gondola up to the top for spectacular views of Queenstown. It’s a buffet dinner with plenty to choose from.
Taking the gondola 🚠. Stunning views to and from the restaurant.
⁃ Surreal Bar & Restaurant – nice pub grub and home cooking. All the staff appeared to be Irish too 😊.
⁃ Flame (need to book) – we actually couldn’t go here as it was fully booked. My advice would be to book ahead ( for most restaurants actually, as they get pretty busy and there are very few staff here at the moment due to the pandemic).
⁃ Bombay Palace – perfect little spot for some Indian food. We loved it.
⁃ Boardwalk – PIER Restaurant – this is just at the pier (funny enough). Beautiful views to watch the world go by and they have heat lamps for dining al fresco.
Seafood chowder and a glass of rosé 😋
⁃ Paddy Gaddy – Southeast Asian – the food here was stunning. It’s an Asian fusion type restaurant with a real vibe.
⁃ Margos Mexican – another one you would need to book. This looked awesome but there was no space the night that we tried. Definitely looks worth a visit if you like Mexican food.
– The Pig and Whistle – we loved this place for drinks, either sitting inside or out.
– The Speight’s Ale House – lovely quaint little pub with the best toasty fire.
That’s my lot for Queenstown. Such an amazing place that you have to see for yourself. We only had 4 days here but that was actually perfect for us as we weren’t skiing or participating in any winter sports (not our cup of tea). Should that be your thing, you will love this place even more!
Thanks for reading and I will have a couple of blog posts for Arrowtown and Milford Sound coming.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to yet another weekly post featuring some more of my favourite doors. This week’s edition comes from New Zealand. I’m still on my travels but I want to show case some doors from my travels that I have seen so far. Let me know if you have a favourite 😊.
I have seen some lovely doors here in NZ, although sadly not many residential doors. Let me know if you have a favourite and I will be sure to keep an eye for more doors on my travels.
Tonight’s sunset from Stratosfare, the skyline gondola restaurant in Queenstown 🌅. You can see the colour change on the mountain tops and the reflecting water.
First stop on our New Zealand trip was Christchurch. We stayed here for two nights before moving on to Queenstown.
I hadn’t heard too many positive things about Christchurch sadly, therefore I had no expectations. I know it had been hit by a pretty big earthquake a few years ago and there had been a couple of mass shooting incidents a couple of years ago that were pretty bad. However, we wanted to see this city for ourselves and it’s a good gateway to the south of the South Island.
Christchurch is situated in the South Island. You can disregard all those flags, these were some of my points of interest for our trip.
I am really glad we decided to stay in Christchurch as it is an amazing city with lots of culture, art, has a vibrant hospitality scene and the warmest and friendliest people. It does have a sense of still recovering from its recent troubles and it was pretty quiet here, perhaps as it’s winter also but we really enjoyed our short time here. There was plenty to see and discover and I’m sure we only managed to scratch the surface.
Absolutely stunning art and murals. It really reminded me of Melbourne but more spacious and less congested. You have to check out New Regent Street Precinct. Lots of boutique shops and quirky eateries. This is a very popular street in Christchurch and it’s Spanish design is a feast for the eyes. There is so much to take in. Christchurch Central City has it all. Funky shops, quaint laneways, lovely scenic walks and the trams are pretty cool. Everything is basically within walking distance and the buses to the airport are very easy to navigate. Of course we managed to find a great Irish pub, The Little Fiddle ☘️
If you have the chance to travel to New Zealand, be sure to check out Christchurch too. It’s a beautiful city with lots of heart and character.
Thanks for taking a look at my post. Next post will be from Queenstown 🙌🏼.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to yet another weekly post featuring some more of my favourite doors in Sydney. I am currently sitting at the airport in Christchurch so thought I would use my time to show case some more of my saved doors. I look forward to showing some doors from my New Zealand travels soon, all depending on whether I can find some, here’s hoping.
Take a look below and let me know if you have a favourite.
1 – Bexley2 – Kogerah3 – Double Bay4 – Paddington5 – Kogerah (I just like the train doors here and the fact you can see my shadow).
My absolute favourite door has to be number three. I really like the door and the window design but it’s the steps up to the door and the surrounding greenery that make this door stand out for me. I also love how the autumn leaves add some colour and character to the doorway. What is your favourite this week?
July’s monthly word prompt seems pretty apt for me this month. I have just wrapped up work in both of my jobs and moved out of my apartment. From today, I am work free and no more moving furniture. Hallelujah and time to play.
Today we listened to a little jazz band with lunch in Homestead at Centennial Park. I had never been here before in the whole five years I have been coming to this park. Isn’t it amazing to discover new things right on your doorstep. Mulled wine, the perfect winter warmer 🤗Rounded off with some peppermint tea. Loved it.
Happy Friday everyone. Check out my flower of the day below. I think it’s amazing and I love the name! It actually does look like a little kangaroo paw.
Tall Kangaroo Paw – Native to Western Australia, spotted in Bronte on one of my walks 😊
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to yet another weekly post featuring some more of my favourite doors in Sydney. Luckily I still have quite a few to share before I move back to Ireland. Have a look below and let me know if you have a favourite this week.
This is a tough one for me this week but I think number 4 just pipped at the post. I love the red door with its doorknob and letterbox but I also love the whole setting with the window to the side. The plants and flowers really add to the quaint and homely aesthetic. What do you think? I also love numbers 2 and 3, the former for its vibrant colour and the latter for its unique appearance of blending into the wall and the little step.
Happy Friday everyone. Today I want to share with you these amazing flowers. The Bigleaf Hydrangeas I’m showing today are part of the decor of one of my favourite restaurants in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. The Chiswick in Woollahra offers a plant to plate experience where many of their ingredients are grown in their own garden. I love the outside setting, with a rustic, quaint and countryside feel.
I think the Bigleaf Hydrangeas really add to the ambiance of this amazing restaurant. You can spot them hanging from the outdoor roof in a variety of colours.
Enjoy your Friday and have a lovely weekend everyone.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to yet another weekly post featuring some more of my favourite doors in Sydney.
With all the rain we have been having lately, it’s great to be able to look back at photographs that make you smile, back to when we had sunnier days. There have been no new doors spotted this week due to the wet conditions and also me working a lot this week but that’s ok as my collection is pretty big at the moment.
Take a look at my chosen doors for this week and see if you have a favourite.
I like all of these but I am really drawn to number 4. I love the door for its colour and carvings but I also love the hallway to the door and the little lantern hanging outside.
What are your thoughts? Do you have a favourite and if so, what are the reasons? I’m always intrigued to hear other people’s perspectives.
Healthy is looking after ourselves and trying our best to maintain our health. I’m sure most of us know what we have to do to be healthy, ie. having a healthy diet, exercising, reduce alcohol consumption, no smoking etc. etc. I know it’s not always easy to do these things. Life can often get in the way and there are also additional factors at play, for example, our environmental, social, mental, emotional and physical elements that can limit or affect our lifestyle choices. We just have to do the best we can. Your health is your wealth. I appreciate this more than ever since becoming a nurse.
Is being obsessive about someone or something a good thing?
Personally, I don’t think it’s a good thing. Yes it’s great to be focused and determined but it can be a fine line between that and becoming obsessive. I have seen this with training at the gym and people becoming so fixated on results, what they eat etc. to the point of being unhealthy, both mentally and physically.
Being obsessive with a person can really affect your mental health and you may make poor decisions as a result. It is also not good for the person being obsessed over.
After a disagreement with your significant other, do you initiate the makeup conversation or wait for your signature other to do it?
Thankfully I can disagree with my partner about anything and it never results in an argument. Therefore, we never have to have a makeup conversation. I’m very lucky that we’re both pretty relaxed and carefree.
Have you ever done something incredibly embarrassing in front of a huge crowd?
I remember being a teenager in high school. We were practicing the high jump and instead of jumping gracefully over the pole, I jumped straight into the right stand holding the pole up. It was extremely embarrassing and actually quite painful. I had to limp away with my tail between my legs. Not my finest hour and needless to say, I didn’t become a high jump professional 🙈.
What’s your sweetest memory from childhood?
Helping to look after my baby sisters.
Why can’t I get a tan like this anymore?! 🤣
Thanks for reading and have a great week everyone!
Happy Friday everyone. It’s a wet one here in Sydney and apparently we are expecting a months rain in the next five days. Something to look forward too. Anyway, I spotted these amazing flowers on my walk a couple of days ago and was really mesmerised. The flowers come from the Matchstick Plant and it’s clear to see why, as the flowers look like they are made up of numerous little matchsticks, with a different colour for the head of the stick, just like a matchstick. How cool is that? Have a look for yourself below 👇🏼
How amazing are these 😍This is such a pretty flower. This plant originated from southern Brazil and is often used for landscaping and gardens.
Have a great day everyone and I hope you all have a lovely weekend.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to yet another weekly post featuring some more of my favourite doors in Sydney. I went on the biggest walk along the coast yesterday from Bondi to Maroubra and back and just by chance, stumbled across a few amazing doors. Let me know which ones stand out for you.
1 – Bondi 2 – Bronte3 – South Coogee4 – Maroubra 5 – Queens Park
I actually love all of these doors so it’s extremely difficult to pick a favourite. Number one is certainly my least favourite simply because it’s an outside door and pretty simple compared to the other more majestic looking doors. I love the colour of number two but doors three to five I think are stunning, especially with the additional features in the door vicinity. What do you think? Do you have a favourite this week?
A beautiful sunset this evening at Henry Deane, Barangaroo, after an amazing day with the bestest friends. Having glasses of wine with this backdrop, you couldn’t beat it 😍
What is your Saturday morning ritual? I work quite a lot of Saturdays, especially in the afternoons but I do have my Saturday morning routine, even if I’m working later in the day or not. I just happen to enjoy my routine even more when I know I’m not working later in the day.
I love to kick off the day with a gym session. A little lie in until about 8am and then hit a gym class. It may be tough at the time and you may wonder during the class “why did I come here? or “why do I do this to myself?” but believe me, you always feel better afterwards and are sure to have a spring in your step. It’s a great way to start the day and kick off your weekend.
Gym workout done and dusted 🙌🏼
Afterwards, I love to go out for a coffee and some breakfast. Nothing better than a good feed after a workout. This morning we were fortunate enough to be able to sit outdoors in the sunshine. It was a perfect winters day here in Sydney.
Saturday morning coffee ☕️
I normally then have to get ready for work but not today! Today I am heading into the city to meet some friends from home. Looking forward to catching up and having some beers in the sun.
What about you? What do you love to do on a Saturday morning or what is your normal routine? No matter what you do, I hope you enjoy your weekend.
Happy Friday everyone. I am delighted to finally have that Friday feeling and have a whole 2 days off this weekend 🤗. You can see my flower of the day below. They definitely suit my mood today 😊.
Today’s flower of the day is the stunning orchid canna, also known as canna lilies (however, not actually lilies). I see these all the time doing the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. They are dotted along the walkway, specifically when leaving Bondi at the beginning of the walk. These flowers always mesmerise me every time I see them, the bright colours, especially against the blue backdrop of the sky and sea 😍.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another weekly post featuring some more of my favourite doors in Sydney. Who knew one city could have SO many amazing doors and doorways. I feel so lucky to have an abundance of doors on my own doorstep. Let me know which one is your favourite. 👇🏼
It’s a hard one for me but I really love door number five. I know it’s not a door to a house but it’s a great door nonetheless. I love that we don’t know what is on the other side of the door, there is an air of mystery, almost like there could be a secret garden. I love the colour, its simplicity, the archway and the steps leading up to the door. What is your door favourite and why?
Thanks for reading everyone and hope you’re all well.
Monday morning here in Australia but it is still Father’s Day in the UK and Ireland. I just want to write a little blog post dedicated to my Dad. Not many words are needed when I show you a picture of us below. I have a great Dad, as I’m sure many do but I am simply grateful for his existence as I know many of my friends whose fathers are no longer with them.
I cannot wait to see my Dad this year after being away from home for over 3 years now thanks to covid. It’s such a long time not to see your family. I am so excited just to have a beer together, have a big hug, have interesting conversations and take some new photos together. It’s good to cherish those we care for and make as many memories together as we can.
This photo speaks volumes to me. This was my graduation day and my Dad is holding an umbrella so I do not get wet. It’s the little things in life 😊. I’m very grateful for his support, his guidance and the man I have become as a result.
Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you all are having a lovely weekend. Today’s sunset picture was taken in 2018 at Robertson Park, just beside the famous Watson’s Bay in the eastern suburbs of Sydney.
June’s monthly word prompt makes me think of an event I attended a couple of nights ago at the OPENing of the new Hijinx Hotel. This is not a hotel to stay overnight in, rather each room of the hotel has a challenge room where you have to partake in different activities with your friends.
Invited guests on the opening night had a red carpet entrance and were able to see first hand what the Hijinx Hotel has to offer. You can see some of my pictures below to get a feel of what is in store when you visit this funky hotel. We had an absolute ball at this event, made even more enjoyable by the fact that we are now learning to live with covid and returning to a new kind of normality. It was unbelievably refreshing to be out socialising again, meeting new people and experiencing new things to do in Sydney.
Red carpet entry with faux paparazzi I love the name of the hotel, very fun and mischievous Amazing to dress up and feel a real buzz!Frozen tequila drinksSome snacks and canapés on offerThere was such a vibe here and the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was happy, enjoying the new experiences and taking it all in. There was a lot happening, the music, the dancing and the feeling of being lost in an epic wonderland. We loved it from the very first moment we stepped into the hotel lobby.You can even play some golf at Holey Moley golf course within the hotel. You are always guaranteed some laughs throughout this mini course with its hilarious sets and unique designs. The paparazzi warming their bottoms. They were hilarious yet extremely professional 😉 staying in character for the entire evening. We loved the decor and props throughout the hotel. We were greeted by concierge and escorted to one of the challenge rooms. Ours was a mini basketball shootout, great fun and you fairly build up a sweat. This was a good laugh and your competitive side will be sure to surface 😜. We only had time for this one challenge room but there are a total of 15 to experience. I would definitely come back to check out the other rooms. They would be perfect for a night out with friends, work events or even a fun and unique way to celebrate a special occasion. The bar was amazing where you could grab a drink whilst waiting on the elevator to the challenge rooms or you can simply chat amongst yourselves or mingle with others. The energy here was so good and the staff were beyond friendly 😊😊So much fun to meet new people 🥰
There you have it. My fun night at the Hijinx Hotel and the opening night just so happened to coincide with my WordPress monthly word prompt 🙌🏼. I hope you also have the chance to partake in this month’s word challenge. I previously found it difficult to find the prompt but if you follow WordPress on Twitter, they will announce the monthly prompts there. Also, be sure to check out this amazing new venue if and when you happen to be in Sydney.
Happy Friday everyone. Hooray for the weekend…even if I am working tomorrow but let’s not dwell on that. For today’s flower of the day I am showcasing the tea rose. It’s basically an ornamental, garden rose and can have a variety of colours. When I discovered these yellow tea roses, it just so happened that I was matching with the colour on this particular day with my bright yellow jumper. You have to love yellow, such a bright and cheerful colour.
As much as I loved the roses, particularly for their colour and placement, I also loved the architecture of this home and the white picket fence, which can be found in Centennial Park, Sydney.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another weekly post featuring some more of my favourite doors in Sydney. This week show cases doors that I discovered last weekend in Glebe, an inner-west suburb of Sydney. I hadn’t been here in donkeys so really wanted to revisit for a stroll and a coffee. The doors seen were an added bonus. Feel free to let me know which one you like the best. Some of the images you may have to zoom in as I really liked the whole setting or building as well as the door and wanted to include that.
1 2 34 5
Many thanks for checking out my doors again this week. Did you have a favourite by any chance? I love them all but I am really drawn to number 4, mainly because I love the architecture of the whole building. I do love the design, shape and colour of the door too. How about you?
Vivid Sydney is a yearly light show that is on display in many key parts of Sydney. You can find light displays around Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Barangaroo, Taronga Zoo, The Royal Botanical Gardens and many more spots around Sydney. You can find lots of information on the official website https://www.vividsydney.com with timings, locations and what’s on offer.
This year is a special Vivid as the last two years have been cancelled due to Covid, so every is very excited to witness the event. It truly is a spectacular show and a real feast for the eyes. It starts as soon as the sun sets, making the lights really stand out and the best thing about it, is that it’s a free event for everyone.
I would say the best time to visit is during the week as it becomes pretty busy at the weekends. Pick a location to start and spend some time walking around and to take it all in. There are food trucks around and plenty of portable toilets around Circular Quay and on the route to Barangaroo, which is great if you have a weak bladder like myself. You could head over after you have had your dinner or pick somewhere nearby for a bite to eat. We chose to eat at a Thai restaurant at Circular Quay and watch the sunset at the Sydney Opera House.
View of the Opera House from the left side of Circular Quay.
We really wanted to see the Opera House lighting up first before we started our walking light tour. We headed from Circular Quay around to Barangaroo and there were many light installations on the way. Many impressive buildings also have light shows depicting different stories and show case the distinctive areas of Sydney. These shows are pretty magical for children and the whole family.
We never had the chance to see the Royal Botanic Gardens but we will try this week to visit Vivid again before it finishes on the 18th June. Be sure to head down and visit if you’re living in Sydney and if you live abroad, you can check out the website or my pictures below 👇🏼🤗.
These pictures were all taken from Circular Quay through to Barangaroo via the Barangaroo Foreshore Walk and then on to Darling Harbour where we finished with a water light show.Sydney Opera House
Let me know if you have heard of Vivid, have ever been or plan to go in the future. It really is quite the spectacle, with locals and tourists really looking forward to this event every year.
Hi everyone. I hope you are all having a great Sunday. Today’s sunset was pictured last night when I was frequenting the Newport Arms Hotel. This is a beautiful spot for food and drinks in Newport, sitting outside by the water. There were plenty of heat lamps to keep everyone warm as it was a pretty chilly evening. As soon as the sun began to set, the sky was constantly changing colours. People were jumping up to take some pictures as it was really stunning.
The colours were spectacular and I love the little lamps in the image also. Beyond the trees lies the bay of Pittwater.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend guys and take care.
Happy Friday everyone. Boy, am I glad to reach the weekend this week, it’s been a long, cold one here in Sydney. We’re all looking forward to a long weekend here in Australia for the Queen’s birthday, which isn’t actually her real birthday, so I’m not sure why that is, nevertheless, I’m not complaining for an extra day off.
I am not, in fact, showcasing a flower today but rather, I am showing you the berries of this shrub. The Golden Dewdrop (what a fantastic name by the way!) and I happened to pass this last week when I was looking at some doors in Darlinghurst. The flowers are a blue colour but I didn’t happen to see these, just the berries. I was really pleasantly surprised to discover these, even though in Australia the Golden Dewdrop shrub is known for being a weed. To me, it looks beautiful. It reminds me of the Leonardo da Vinciquote – “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”. Let me know what you think?
Golden Dewdrops – I love the vibrant orange colour against the green of the leaves.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another edition of Doors of WordPress. I want to show you all some doors that I happened to stumble across last week in Darlinghurst, Sydney. I couldn’t believe my luck when I passed a couple of streets with the most amazing houses, featuring beautiful and colourful doors. It was a feast for the eyes!
1 2 3 4 5
Do you have a favourite this week? Mine has to be number five. I love the colour of the door with the yellow brick work.
Thanks for taking a look at my doors and take care.
Happy Sunday everyone. I have shown a lot of sunset pictures over the past few Sundays so I thought it was finally time to show you a sunrise snap. The eastern suburbs have the best sunrises, I guess because the sun rises in the east, therefore, we have a great view point. I hope you like the shot. This particular morning was a special one. I went for a sunrise swim with my cousin and we fortunate enough to see dolphins swimming in the distance. Truly spectacular 😊.
This poinsettia was discovered near my home in Bondi Junction, Sydney. It originates from Mexico and Central America and is today a very common decoration in the United States, specifically at Christmas time. This species is known for being a poisonous weed but also an ornamental flower. It just grabbed my attention with its striking colours and beauty. A classic example of how looks can be deceiving 😝.
Happy Friday everyone and I hope you all have a lovely weekend, whatever way you plan to spend it.
WrookieSchU 