Konichiwa to the Land of the Rising Sun

And so the countdown nears its goal, another 6 more days and the hubs and I will be in the land of the rising sun! This long awaited holiday is finally coming and we are so looking forward to stuffing our faces silly with OISHI! Osaka and Kyoto cuisine. Not to mention all the fabulous sightseeing and shopping that awaits!

Of course I'll be taking this opportunity to visit the bead shops there. I can't wait! *rubbing hands in glee* There is much more variety for bead stuff in Japan and the stuff sold there is really pretty (but with even more beautiful price tags! ;p)

Sayonara for now....

A little slice of heaven

Just got back from the Four Seasons Koh Samui. What can I say, but paradise found? Its a lovely resort set on an isolated steep cliff, perfect for that chill out, R&R holiday with a loved one. The hubs and I were there to attend a friend's wedding and I must say the wedding itself was absolutely beautiful! It certainly set a new benchmark for weddings, it was a romantic and dreamy beach wedding and thank goodness the weather held up.

This being my first resort holiday, I was not sure what to expect. Would I be bored? Well, the resort with its luxurious villas are designed with the level of comfort to enable you not to leave them at all! We basically holed ourselves in the villa/resort most of the days we were there. We had the choice to hang out in our own pool, laze on the huge daybed or even tan on our own deckchairs.

The most incredible thing of all? My brain completed switched off itself from my usual busy life and the world around. Not once during the stay did I think about anything related to my usual schedule back home. Not the fact that I was not going to bead, not the fact that I was missing my Sunday Jazz Ballet lessons, nor did I even think about the news in the financial markets. I was completely relaxed and chilled out. It felt wonderful. Sometimes, I guess less is really more.

Beautiful Barcelona

My maiden trip to Spain has taken my breath away. Wow, is all I can say. Barcelona is a fantastic city and I now understand why its a wildly popular destination of travellers to Europe. My trip can be described in one word - fabulous! I had a magnificent time exploring the sights, sounds and tastes of Barcelona, checking out its quaint little pedestrian lanes, walking around the Old City, getting culturally acquainted with its museums and galleries, admiring its fantastic and unique architecture (thanks to Gaudi!) and sampling its wonderful, heavily seafood-based cuisine. The days I spent independently sightseeing were the most fun, I absolutely relished the complete freedom and autonomy I had in creating my own travel itinerary and I was reminded of how much enjoyment I could derive from my own company. I was having so much fun even though I was moving around alone, hubs locked away in his day long seminars. But of cause, it was nice being able to return back to the hotel in the evenings and share details of the wonderful day I had with him.

Oh, and the weather was simply beautiful for winter, plenty of sunshine. Nothing tops Mediterranean climates. Oh boy, do I miss Perth!

And surprisingly, I did not miss my beads as much as I thought I would, till towards the end of my trip. Time to get the fingers working! I can't wait! :)