Hill walks

Hill walks

Adam and I are now on our way back to Australia after the most wonderful month in England, celebrating our wedding and spending time with friends and family in our U.K. home of Malvern, Worcestershire.

One of my favourite parts of living in Malvern was the town’s proximity to the Malvern Hills and I probably spent hundreds of hours rambling upon them during our 15 months in England. Quite a few of the guests at our wedding spent time in Malvern with us prior to the big day and I was thrilled to be able to share the hills with them…

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The wedding: through my eyes

The wedding: through my eyes

It’s often said that your wedding day is one of the happiest moments of your life and I can safely say, that very much was the case for me. Adam and I have been married for just over a week now and I’m still smiling at the absolute perfection the day was.

It was over in a flash, but ever so lovely – to be surrounded by so many friends and family from both England and Australia was truly a gift.

The first of what I’m sure will be hundreds of professional photographs have started coming through (and I’ll share those soon!), but I thought today I might show you the wedding through my eyes…

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The farm shop

The farm shop

One of the lovely things about being back in England is having the opportunity to visit the dozens of farm shops that surround Malvern.

Farm shops are usually independently run and generally sell locally grown produce and meat as well as baked goods, pantry staples like honey and preserves, as well as regional beers and ciders.  They’re like tiny little farmer’s markets dotted all over the countryside and if you love your food, they’re an utter joy to nose around…

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The last of the autumn apples

The last of the autumn apples

I utterly fell in love with the Great British tradition of ‘going for a walk’ while I lived in England and as soon as I arrived back Worcestershire, I was busting to get back outdoors once more.

A few days ago, on a particularly mild and somewhat sunny afternoon, I pulled on my sturdy walking boots, donned my waterproof jacket and set out on slow ramble…

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The suitcase guide: England

The suitcase guide: England

Adam and I fly out this weekend for our wedding in England.  We’ll be away for four weeks and while we’re both excited about our big day, we’re also thrilled to be heading back to Worcestershire to see friends and family and just spend time in our ‘English home’.

I like to take my time when I’m packing for a lengthy holiday: writing out an initial packing list, then mulling over it and refining it, so I’ve made sure I’ve got everything I need.   Like previous trips, I always try and put together a mini capsule wardrobe – a small collection of good quality basics that I can mix and match easily…

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The Nimmie-Caira

The Nimmie-Caira

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to travel to an 86,000 hectare wetland in western New South Wales, on assignment with a colleague at work.  The Nimmie-Caira is a vast area of floodplain that was formerly farmed, at the very end of the Murrumbidgee River system.  Its restoration back to  a natural wetland is a divisive project under Australia’s controversial Murray Darling Basin Plan.

Personal politics aside (there are both supporters and detractors of the project), it was was an amazing day I wanted to share with you a little part of the country that often gets forgotten… Continue reading “The Nimmie-Caira”

What I pack in my carry-on luggage

What I pack in my carry-on luggage

It’s just over a week until Adam and I travel to the U.K. for our wedding.  We’re both working virtually right up until our departure date, so lists are starting to be written up, to make it easier for when we begin to pack.

I’ll be taking all my wedding related items (dress, shoes etc.) in my carry-on luggage as I definitely don’t want to risk being separated from them! This will be the first international flight I take with such precious cargo, but normally I have a fairly set packing regime for my carry-on when it comes to long-haul flights…

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What I wear on a long-haul flight

What I wear on a long-haul flight

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel quite a lot in my life. Exploring new places both locally and further afield is something I’ve loved doing ever since I was a child and it’s a passion both Adam and I share and plan to continue to pursue through our lives.

The reality of travel though, particularly when you live in Australia, is that you’ll often be sat in an airplane seat for hours, sometimes even days to get to your destination.  When you’ve got a 22+ hour commute on your hands, it’s vital you’re dressed appropriately.  After quite a few long-haul flights (and another in two and a half weeks), I thought I would share my go to combination for lengthy plane trips…

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Packing for an English autumn

Packing for an English autumn

In the months leading up to my move to England, I spent hours and hours reading and researching about what sorts of things I should pack. A lot of Australia doesn’t experience four proper seasons a year, so the concept of having both a summer and winter wardrobe is a little foreign. I was due to arrive in mid-autumn, and while I had some years of living in an area with a distinct winter and summer, I still was nervous about how I would cope with the U.K.’s much talked about ever-changing weather.

Two years on and back on Australian soil, I’m a lot more aware of what English weather is really like. It’s less than four weeks until Adam and I fly back to England for our wedding and going into this trip, I’m much more confident about what I’ll need on hand…

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