Doors of WordPress V42

Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I thought I would show case some of my favourite doorways…minus the doors. Sometimes a doorway can be really quaint, even without the door and I have a few in my collection that I have not yet had the opportunity to show case.

These doorways were all taken in Sydney, Australia. Please do let me know if you have a favourite this week.

My favourite has to be number 6 from Woollahra as I just love the brick work and the colour of the stones. Every time I used to walk past this building, I would stop and appreciate its beauty.

Thanks for having a look at my doorways this week.

Wayne ✌🏽

March 30, 2023 18

Doors of WordPress V34

Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another glorious week of doors. I have been thinking of Sydney, Australia a lot this week, therefore, I think it would be good to show some more of my Sydney doors, even if it’s just for me to be able to reminisce. Please let me know if you have a favourite this week.

My personal favourite is the first one. It’s the colour for me, so bright and full of life. The panelling and transom window are great features and I also love the greenery and picket fence in the frame.

Thanks for taking a look and have a lovely end to your week.

Wayne ✌🏽

January 26, 2023 18

Doors of WordPress V31 – Best of 2022

Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors, the last one before Christmas. This week’s Thursday Doors challenge is to show your favourite doors of the year, thanks for that Dan, not an easy thing to do! I have chosen my top 8 doors of 2022, from Australia and NZ, all the way to here in Northern Ireland. I have ranked them in my order of preference, some have been shown already and some are newly featured. Please take a look and enjoy these magnificent doors and hats off to their owners for doing such a fantastic job.

Wayne ✌🏽

December 15, 2022 18

Doors of WordPress V27

Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I’m really missing Sydney and Australia so I thought I would showcase some more of my doors from Sydney, taken just before we left for our travels home.

My favourite this week is number 3 from The Rocks. I think these police doors are amazing and very welcoming for a police station. Do you have a favourite this week?

Thanks for checking out my doors. Have a great weekend guys. I will be at another wedding this weekend so won’t be online too much until next week.

Wayne ✌🏽

November 17, 2022 20

Sunday Sunset – Bondi

The sunset I am sharing today is from 12 weeks ago in Bondi, Sydney. You don’t actually see the sunset but the colours that were on show were absolutely stunning. I haven’t seen anything quite like the colour changes here of the sky anywhere else, from yellow to orange and then pink to lilac. I was just standing in the middle of the road, outside our friend’s apartment, in complete awe, as were many other locals.

I hope you enjoy the colours and have had a lovely relaxing weekend.

Wayne ✌🏽

October 23, 2022 12

Australia VS Northern Ireland

As I plan to move back home to Northern Ireland (at least for a few months) I thought it would be a good idea to reflect on both countries and delve into the pros and cons of living in each country. I had been thinking of these a lot over the past few months when trying to make a decision about where to live. As an expat, these are things we think about, pretty much on a daily basis, as sad as that sounds. In this post I will look at the pros and cons of Australia and in my next blog post I will look at Northern Ireland.

Australia Pros :

– The weather. It’s pretty much warm for most of the year. Winter here can be cold enough but only lasts for about three months give or take.

– The lifestyle. It’s very chilled out here in Australia, especially in Sydney where I live by the water. The sunshine makes people happy, the coastal walks, dining outdoors, exercising etc. I think just being outdoors is so good for our mental health and well-being.

– The opportunities. Australia is the land of opportunity. There is plenty of work available here and you can process quickly. Even the fact I have been teaching here has been a huge opportunity that I wouldn’t have been given back home.

– The money. The fact is, I earn a lot more as a nurse here than I ever will back home. That can be said for many jobs here. Yes the expense of living is much higher here but you can still manage to save money here and live a really fulfilling life.

– The health system. It is amazing here, with a mixture of public and private, it works really well. I feel so fortunate to be in a country with such a fantastic health system, unlike America where it costs a fortune and many people can’t afford or the NHS that is really struggling and has been for many years now.

– The activities. There is always something to do, especially in Sydney. There are an abundance of bars and restaurants, plenty of bush, beach and ocean walks, lots of experiences, seeing the sights and famous landmarks etc etc, I could go on forever here.

– The sheer size of Australia. There is also so much to see and do all over Australia, therefore, you don’t really ever need to leave Australia if you want to see somewhere new. I don’t think I realised how big Australia actually is until I lived here for some time. It is unbelievably huge with each state completely different from the next and offering so much that really is a feast for anyone living here.

Australia Cons :

– The weather. As much as I love the weather here, it can also be a negative for Australia, especially the past three years. The bush fires are becoming more aggressive, wiping out so much land and killing millions of animal species. 2019 was horrific, so I dread to think how the next bush fires will be. Then we have the other extreme, flooding. The last two years we have had the La Niña weather event, bringing catastrophic amounts of rainfall. This is also predicted to last well into next year. The only silver lining with the rain is that it prevents the bush fires. I feel also with global warming, that the weather here, sadly, will be seeing more and more extremes of weather disasters.

– The distance. Personally, this is my biggest issue. It never used to bother me before covid. I always felt that if I needed to be home, I could always hop on a flight and be home within 24 hours. However, since being in lockdown, we haven’t been home in over three years. We suddenly feel very far from home. We are literally at the other side of the word. With lockdowns, it appeared to the outside world that Australia was very much cut off from everywhere else in the world. Family and friends are very important to me and if I can’t see them, that’s a big problem.

In conclusion, you can see I have many more pros than cons. I absolutely love Australia and its people. It is a magnificent country with lots to do and great opportunities but I don’t have my family here. I feel extremely far away and for that reason, I will be going home for a few months to see how it goes.

Keep an eye on my next blog post where I will write about the pros and cons of Northern Ireland. Thanks for reading everyone and have a pleasant day.

Wayne ✌🏽

July 17, 2022 17

WordPress Monthly Word Prompt – PLAY

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.

Have a great weekend folks.

Wayne ✌🏽

July 16, 2022 4

FOTD – Tall Kangaroo Paw

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 😊

Have a great weekend everyone.

Wayne ✌🏽

July 15, 2022 8

Doors of WordPress V16

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.

Please let me know and thanks again for reading.

Wayne ✌🏽

July 14, 2022 29

Gym Junkie…who me?!

Never in a million years did I think I would become a lover of the gym. Yes I have been many times in my life but never on a regular basis. I always thought, maybe if I can stick it out with the gym for a few months, I will somehow get the gym bug…and guess what… I certainly did. It actually works. I had heard if you do something every day for 30 days, you can become devoted to that something. When I joined my gym Signature Fitness here in Bondi Junction, it was for a 30 day challenge. There were lots of us that joined together and we were participating in small group classes, working out in a combination of strength training and conditioning/sweat/high intensity training classes. I loved the classes from day 1 and I think when I started to see results, that became my drive to keep going. Always being a skinny guy, I was delighted to see results, even after a few weeks. Not huge results to anyone else but for me, it was impeccable.

Why did I love this gym so much? I think the fact that there is a coach telling us what to do in every single class. This was unbelievably beneficial for me as I almost didn’t have to think, just do what I was being shown. You didn’t have to worry about being bored either and thinking “what will I do today?”.

The coach would go through the programme with us and show us how to perform each exercise. If we weren’t doing the manoeuvre correctly, the coach would teach us the correct method so that we were getting the most out of the exercise and also not injuring ourselves. Furthermore, the fact that we had to book in online for every class, almost meant that we HAD to attend, so missing a class was not an option for me. I liked that accountability factor and that feeling of “you can’t back out now!”.

I loved and still love the small group training classes. There are just the right amount of people in the class so as not to intimidate but also the right amount to be able to converse and make friends. Every class could differ. You could have 10 people in the busiest class or just 2 people in a quieter class. If you were lucky/unlucky you could even end up with a PT session (lucky as you have the sole attention of the PT but also unlucky as you would have nowhere to hide!).

This gym is a safe space for learning and growing. There are no intimidating characters i.e. “muscle marys” taking over the weights section and there are no mirrors so there is no time for posing and hogging of the equipment. Everyone is extremely friendly, supportive and encouraging, constantly pushing each other to be the best versions of themselves. There is also some friendly competition, especially when we have the conditioning/sweat/high intensity classes 😅.

You meet the best characters, in this gym especially. I have made some amazing life long friends, who not only enriched my gym experiences but also had a huge impact on my social life and employment opportunities. I would say most of us love to come to the gym to train obviously but also to see our friends, catch up with each other and have a laugh whilst being in a “relaxed” environment, albeit extremely sweaty and red faced 🥵.

Other benefits of joining this gym are:

– weekly body fat scans

– monthly programme changes (great for changing things up and challenging your body)

– nutritional advice

– health education and training

– weekly check-ins with your own assigned coach

– challenges that can include the whole gym and help keep you motivated and accountable

– social events (great to see other members NOT in their gym gear and just fun to catch up outside of the gym setting and let your hair down.

I loved the gym for all these reasons. I can’t even put into words how much this gym has changed my life for the better. Not only do I feel better physically but also mentally, socially and psychologically. Sometimes I look at my progress pictures and can’t always see a big difference but the confidence in myself has grown tenfold. I wouldn’t have taken my top off easily in the past without fear and worry of judgement but now I really couldn’t care and I am much more confident in myself and proud of my achievements.

2018 VS 2022 – not sure if there’s a huge difference but I think my face says it all. I definitely feel more confident.

Don’t be afraid to join a gym, we all have to start somewhere and you honestly will feel so much better for it. You never regret a workout!! If you live in Bondi or nearby, be sure to check out Signature Fitness. I have tried many gyms in the past and have never found one as good as this one 😊.

Thanks for taking the time to read. I just wanted to share my gym experience with you all.

Wayne ✌🏽

#gymjunkie #tuesdaythoughts

July 12, 2022 22

FOTD – Bigleaf Hydrangea

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.

Wayne ✌🏽

July 8, 2022 19

Doors of WordPress V15

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.

Thanks for reading and take care.

Wayne ✌🏽

July 7, 2022 41

FOTD – Matchstick Plant

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 👇🏼

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.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 30, 2022 24

Doors of WordPress V14

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.

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?

Wayne ✌🏽

June 29, 2022 16

Saturday morning rituals

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.

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.

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.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 25, 2022 28

FOTD – Orchid Canna

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 😍.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 24, 2022 21

Sunday Sunset – Robertson Park

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.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 19, 2022 10

FOTD – Tea Rose

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.

Thanks for reading guys and have a lovely Friday.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 17, 2022 6

Wordless Wednesday – Dog in thought

June 14, 2022 12

FOTD – Golden Dewdrops

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 Vinci quote – “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.

Have a great weekend everyone and take care.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 10, 2022 14

Wordless Wednesday – Centennial Park

June 7, 2022 6

Sunday Sunrise 🌅 – Bronte

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 😊.

Enjoy your day guys.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 5, 2022 4

FOTD – Poinsettia

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.

Wayne ✌🏽

June 3, 2022 4

Doors of WordPress V10 🎉🎉

Welcome to my tenth edition of Doors Of WordPress. I love creating these posts and it has really fuelled my love of doors even further.

When I started these posts featuring doors, I had no idea that doors were so popular on WordPress. I soon found other like minded bloggers posting about doors in a feature called Thursday Doors. Perhaps that’s why I love to post my doors on a Thursday. If you want to check out other doors and join a community of door lovers, feel free to check out the amazing No Facilities by host Dan.

Please see below my doors for this week along with their locations and my reasons for liking them.

1 – Woollahra

This door reminds me of Dracula or does anyone else remember Count Duckula?

2 – Paddington

You can’t beat a red door, am I right?

3 – Paddington

I know technically you can’t see the door but I love the external door and everything about the setting, the colour, the style, the plants etc.

4 – Double Bay

I love this door and the fact that the house looks like it is part of the tree, almost like a secret house. The door has wooden panels on it, presumably to make it blend in with the tree and create a natural aesthetic.

5 – Randwick

I love the simplicity of these doors and the colour but for me it’s the floral wreath that makes it pop! Perfect for a gelato shop.

I saved a few of these purposely for my tenth edition and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Please let me know if you have a favourite.

Have a great day and take care,

Wayne ✌🏽

June 2, 2022 18

FOTD – Mexican Sunflower

Happy Friday everyone. Today’s flower is the Mexican Sunflower. Named so, as it originates from Mexico and is a member of the sunflower family. This was spotted on my walk to Coogee in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. I couldn’t help but love the bright yellow. It is so cheerful and brings a smile to your face (mine at least 😃).

All the best everyone and have a great weekend.

Wayne ✌🏽

May 27, 2022 4

Doors of WordPress V9

Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to my latest edition of Doors of WordPress. I am further showcasing doors from my neighbourhood in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. They were all spotted on my daily walks 👣 . I hope you enjoy looking and please let me know if you have a favourite.

2 – Waverley (two for the price of one here)

I think number five is my personal favourite. I used to find it really strange that doors here in the eastern suburbs have an exterior security door. I thought maybe the areas were unsafe and prone to burglaries. However, I have noticed that this is a very common practice here and most doors will have this external door. It must be simply a security thing, so you can leave your front door open for air but have the security of the exterior door 🤷🏼‍♂️.

Thanks for taking a look at my doors!

Wayne ✌🏽

May 26, 2022 20

Sunday Sunset – Bondi Beach

2018 Bondi Beach. This was taken at Icebergs restaurant. It’s a beautiful spot to see the sun set and the skies often turn beautiful colours. With my partner at one of my favourite places.

Happy Sunday everyone. I hope you all have a lovely day.

Wayne ✌🏽

May 22, 2022 6

FOTD – Silky Oak

Happy Saturday everyone. Usually I post my flower of the day on a Friday as I always think of Friday Flowers. However, I was pretty beat after work last night so I thought I would leave it for this week.

However, I was doing my usual walk today after work around the eastern suburbs and spotted this amazing flower on my way home from Bronte Beach. Even though it is Saturday, I really wanted to share this one with you all. It is known as Silky Oak and it’s botanical name is Grevillea Robusta. The Silky Oak is an evergreen tree and the flowers appear from spring to summer, which is quite funny as here in Australia it is autumn going into winter. Go figure! I was fascinated as I don’t recall ever seeing this one before. Let me know what you think? Have you ever seen this flower before? It honestly put the biggest smile on my face when I spotted it. I love the bright orange colour and the long looking tentacles.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Wayne ✌🏽

April 30, 2022 8

Doors of WordPress V5

As it’s Thursday Doors today, courtesy of No Facilities, here are my latest offerings. I love walking around Sydney and finding new doors. I feel blessed to live somewhere with such an array of fine looking doors 😛. Have a look below and let me know which ones are your fave? 👇🏼

As you can see, many of my Sydney doors are from Woollahra. I love this suburb in the eastern suburbs and it’s right on my doorstep. It’s very quaint with lots of character and charm.

That’s me just finished work for the week. I am sitting on the train home, tired but delighted to be off for a few days. I hope you all have a lovely long weekend and if you celebrate Easter, enjoy the celebrations, enjoy your time with those nearest and dearest and treat yourself to some chocolates.

Take care everyone and thanks for checking out my selection of doors.

Wayne 🐣

April 14, 2022 24

Solo Sunday in Sydney 🙋🏼‍♂️

Today I am flying solo. I am off from work and the sun is finally shining in Sydney. It feels strange but exciting to see blue skies after having so much rain. I am dying to get out and about so I take myself off for a really long walk, wanting to soak up as much vitamin D as possible and to increase my step count for the week. I can’t do the Bondi to Coogee walk as it will be packed on a Sunday. So I decide to walk to Watson’s Bay via the residential streets, hoping to encounter as few people as possible. I pass Macquarie Lighthouse and from there I walk to Camp Cove, just past Watson’s Bay. It’s a little beach that is not as well know, unless you live here in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. I take the South Head heritage trail to Hornby Lighthouse and return to Watson’s Bay. Here I take the coastal walk from the Gap Lookout and return home via Rose Bay.

As well as being a beautiful walk and a good distance for gaining the steps, it also gives me the opportunity to take many photos, most of which I can add to my future posts for my Doors of WordPress and my Friday Flowers ☺️.

I hope you enjoy some of the scenic shots from today. This is my happy place. Walking in beautiful weather, with stunning scenery and the chance to see what I can photograph.

Camp Cove – a small beach with lots of charm and city views

Camp Cove kiosk – I love the quaintness of this kiosk and it was the perfect spot to stop for lunch

Views for days when you take the South Head heritage trail to the lighthouse

Walking from the Gap Lookout towards Bondi.

When I passed Macquarie Lighthouse again, I took the residential streets to Rose Bay and then home.

All in all, my walk was about 3.5 hours with a lunch stop. My feet are walked off me but I feel great for having done it and I can now put the feet up at home.

I hope you all are able to have a lovely Sunday wherever you are. Take care and keep safe,

Wayne ✌🏽

April 10, 2022 22

Doors of WordPress V3

My love of doors continues to thrive. I cannot wait to travel again and see doors from other countries too. However, I do love how Sydney has such an array of door types and fortunately for me, are all in my neighbourhood. If you are also a lover of doors, check out Thursday Doors here. You can take a look at my top 5 doors this week below 👇🏼.

Thanks for taking a look and stay safe guys,

Wayne ✌🏽

March 23, 2022 18

Bloganuary Day 13

I feel very lucky that I have the opportunity to live my ideal day many times a week or month living here in Australia, mainly due to the weather and lifestyle. Even if I am working, I will take the opportunity to carry out activities that I enjoy before or after work.

I will break down an ideal day for me if I am on my day off, that is, not working.

• Wake up after a good sleep about 6am. Make myself a coffee and walk/run to the gym for a strength workout at 7am. An hour later I will come home to shower.

• I then love to have a good breakfast. Sometimes I will head out with my partner or I will meet friends for a catch-up over breakfast.

• After this, I love to go for a walk. Either along the coast, taking in the beaches of the eastern suburbs or around Centennial Park or even more so, a new place to walk. I love finding new spots to explore and taking many, many photographs. Maybe even go for a swim.

• Try to stop for lunch somewhere quaint or perhaps take a packed lunch. I am happy with either ☺️.

• Come home for a lovely home cooked meal and have a couple of glasses of wine or if I’m free in the evening, head out to meet friends for a few sociable drinks after having eaten.

• Finally, I would round the night off with a big cup of tea at home and have a reasonably early night, say 10 or 11pm. I am all about a good nights sleep.

This is my ideal day. Plain and simple.

Wayne ✌🏽

January 13, 2022 10

12 months and 12 photos (2021)

January

A new year and we started it with a trip to Hunter Valley! This place was amazing for their cheese & wine matching experience at Two Fat Blokes

February

Weekending in the Southern Highlands with friends. We were introduced to this venue Mount Ashby Estate and it was love at first sight. The Southern Highlands has become a firm favourite of ours to visit.

March

Trip to the Gold Coast, returning after 11 years. We stayed at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort. Stunning hotel and it was awesome to be back and see how the Gold Coast has changed over time.

April

Another great holiday in Queensland. This time was in Noosa for a special birthday ( 1 year later due to Covid) and a long overdue catch up with friends. What a fantastic town with so much to see and do.

May

Celebrating with my good friends for finally finishing our course that would enable us to teach nursing. I’m so glad I completed this and it was a highlight of the year to help me land a teaching job in nursing.

June

The Art Gallery of NSW. We loved this place and little did we know that another (much longer) lockdown was just around the corner.

July

Who was to know that this lockdown would last 4 months! We were limited to a 5km radius from where we lived. Thankfully we could go for daily walks in Centennial Park.

August

My first lockdown birthday and hopefully the last. My one wish was to see the sunrise at Bronte. It was really special 🌅. I’ve seen it many times but it never gets old.

September

Continuing with my daily workouts at home, maintaining my fitness and keeping my sanity.

October – After 107 days lockdown is over (for now). It was so nice to be able to leave our 5km radius and see Sydney come back to life. You always remember you live in Sydney when sitting at the Opera Bar ☺️

November

Getting out and about again. We’re still appreciating what Sydney has to offer. Here we attended the musical Come From Away at the Capitol Theatre. We love being in the theatre so this was a real treat.

December

Cheers to surviving 2021. A great day trip to Hunter Valley and a great wine tasting at Vinden Wines. It’s funny, I started the year in the Hunter and now seems fitting to complete the year here. The wine and many lockdown cocktails have certainly helped 😉

Thanks everyone for having a read. When you look back at the year, it actually wasn’t too bad. We still have our health and the hope that 2022 will be better. Stay safe and sane everyone.

Wayne ☺️

December 17, 2021 16

Jacaranda season 💜

For this post I want to simply show case these amazing trees here in Sydney. I have been a huge fan of Jacarandas since arriving in Australia over 4 years ago. I think it’s the colour of the trees that make them so special and the fact that I had never seen them before. The season starts around mid October until mid November and it really provides that sense of spring being in the air and a gentle reminder that it is almost summer here.

Although it’s easy to think of these trees being native to Australia, they are interestingly a tree originally from South America, predominantly Argentina. If you want some more info on this tree you can find more info here.

These trees, presumably because of their attractive purple/blueish colour have become increasingly popular with social media people, all vying for that perfect snap or selfie. This is great to see people taking such an interest (me included), however, it can prove difficult at times to take some pictures without any other people photo bombing 🙈.

I will show you some of my Jacarandas snaps over the last few years and where they were taken. The good thing is, there are lots of places that Jacarandas can be found 🙌🏼.

If you’re looking for a grove of Jacaranda trees, McDougall Street in Kirribilli is a popular spot for bloggers and social media people.

I think the trees found near Como Hotel in Como, NSW, are pretty special, as are those found at Hogben Park in Kogerah. If you’re simply looking for a random tree or two, you can see these in many different streets in and around Sydney. I see a lot of them where I live in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.

You can find them in lots of other Sydney suburbs, for example, Croydon.

I hope you all have the chance to see a Jacaranda this season and if not, at least you can see them here 🤗. Thanks for taking an interest in my love for the Jacaranda tree!!

Take care & stay safe,

Wayne ✌🏽

November 16, 2021 22