{Fashion} Fridays

Here's a little hair inspiration for a Friday. I always try and be a little more adventurous with my hair, and am slowly but surely trying out a lot more styles. It takes a lot of practice though.

Cup of Jo has some of the best hair tutorials out there. Definitely worth a visit.

And I love this double braid on Sincerely Kinsey!

Photos from Cupcakes and Cashmere, The Glamourai, A Beautiful Mess, What I Wore, Sincerley Jules and Sincerley Kinsey.

Under The Water

Just before leaving on our around-the-world adventure I bought an underwater camera case for my camera. I've only tested it out once so far, but hope to use it many more times as we travel across the globe.

I can't help but be completely and utterly inspired by these wonderful underwater shots:

[Photos sourced from here.]

Keeping Fit While Traveling

Up until now, this hasn't been a real thing. We might have been walking off a lot of our big meals during all our cross-city far-reaching sightseeing walks, but for the most part, holidays and weight control/loss is not a real thing.

And shame, you really do go out there with the best intentions. You carry running shoes across whole continents. But let's not be silly - who really wants to exercise while on holiday? The whole point of holiday is late night dinners rolling into late morning lie-ins, rolling into afternoons on the beach.

I think we actually did pretty good in Europe with all our walking. That's what being cheap gets you - a little bit of balance, and a lot a calorie burning post-meal as you stomp your way across town.

And who can beat that?

But now, now it's not so much about holidays anymore. Yes, we may still be on holiday for a while yet, but we're on our way back to real life.

And real life means not looking like an oompa-loompa.

So, running shoes are out - I refuse to carry them all the way across another continent. It's just not feasible. They take up a helluva lot of space - space that could be used for clothes.

But if you can't fit into those clothes because you look like an ompa-loompa then what is the point?

Really.

I'm putting my running shoes on as I type (it's tricky, but a work-out of its own).

And just now - I'll be sweaty and hot and gross, but I'll feel so much better.

And the space those running shoes take up in my suitcase will finally be justified.

[Photo from the interweb]

New York, New York

New York...mmm...New York. What can I say? It's New York. It's almost as if those two words say it all. 

We're staying out in the Queens area - it's nice being in the suburbs, away from the complete crazy of Manhattan. So, we've spent a couple of days exploring the local shops and restaurants, and a little bit of time in the big city itself. We've only been here for a few days and it already feels like a whirlwind. So here's a bit of a recap:

Day One

Arrive. Unpack. Freshen up.

Drive around the neighbourhood with our good friend and host, Kimon. Feast on lip-smackingly good Greek food. Buy groceries. Head home. Crash. Jet lag.

Day Two

Wake up. Relax. Unpack some more. Shower. Hit the streets.

Check the prices at the laundromat. Buy an umbrella for Husband. Get caught in a torrential downpour. Run to the nearest restaurant. It's empty, but it smells good.

Antonio's. Pizza for me, pasta for Husband. Superb.

Hit the streets, post-rain. Walk down the main road. Buy more groceries. Find out about cellphone contracts. Buy metro cards. Walk down to the park, to the pool, to the river.

Walk back to the house.

Evening in. Husband makes us healthy chicken salad. Bliss.

Day Three

Wake up. Relax. Watch 'True Blood'. We're on holiday right?

Quick lunch at home. Hit the streets. Drop off laundry. Catch the bus. To the metro.

Catch the metro. To Manhattan.

Get off the metro, walk up the stairs. Times Square. Walk through Times Square. Everything is so big. And flashy. Wow.

Walk to Central Park. Buy a hot dog. Eat a hot dog. Yummy. Walk through Central Park. Watch some baseball. Walk out of Central Park. Go to the Apple store, and FAO Schwartz. Play the Big Piano.

Walk down 5th Avenue. Gawk at the stores. Get on the metro. Sweltering hot outside. Shivering cold inside. Jet lag.

Get out the metro. Walk through the West Village. Breathe.

Restaurant. Cafe Cluny. I read about it here. Sit. Husband tipsy after one Sweet Julep Tea. We eat. Trout for him, tuna burger for me. Out of this world. Melt in the mouth. I want ten more. Peach pie with buttermilk ice-cream. What? Too good to be true.

Walk to metro. Get on metro. Jet lag. Nearly fall asleep on ride home. 

Restaurants In Review:

Aliada Restaurant
2919 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106
(718) 932-2240

Antonio's
76-08 21st Ave, East Elmhurst, NY 11370
(718) 728-9200

Cafe Cluny

284 West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014 (212) 255-6900

Tuesday {Past Explorations}

The last time I was in New York, I was eight, and it was snowing. There were streets lit with Christmas lights, shop windows abounding with holiday gifts, and a big ice rink with gliding skaters. I remember it like a movie. A hazy movie, and a cold one. We had to keep nipping into shops to get out of the cold as we did a fair amount of walking around this small town.

The thing I remember most of all was making a giant snowball while we walked. I added to it a little bit at a time, and would leave it outside in a potplant whenever we went into a shop. I think my mom said I even took it on the subway, but I don't remember that part.

This time we'll be in New York in summer, but I may just have to revisit this beautiful city in the winter, so that I can make another gigantic snowball to carry around town. I'm afraid this time I might get much stranger looks from passers-by than I did when I was eight.

You Promised...

Ok, friends, family, peeps, all y'all that promised lists and list of places and people to visit in New York (and anywhere else in America for that matter), now is the time.

Email, FB, leave a comment, sms, snail mail, signal fire, what's app - whatever you do, just get them to us. Pronto.

You promised.

I Have To Pinch Myself

It seems unreal, entirely strange. It's hard to wrap my brain around it. This whole journey was something we talked about for so long, something that was planned, and scheduled, and re-scheduled.

A trip, a holiday, a change of life.

Sometimes I thought it would never happen. Sometimes the paperwork, the effort, the money and the time - it just seemed like too much. There seemed to be so many barriers, so many tears, so many disagreements and frustrations. It was a mountain to climb to get here today. A mountain with many footfalls, many trip-ups, many hills.

And now? Now it's actually happening. Now I'm here, living each moment to the fullest, breathing in each experience, filling my lungs with all the living, because this is life right? This exploration, this adventure, this need-to-see-more-do-more-be-more.

The final goal? There isn't one. Because this isn't an adventure that comes to an end. This isn't something that has a final destination, because it is a life, a whole lifetime of exploration.

We've been on this journey for a while now.

Nearly seven weeks ago we left Johannesburg and explored Europe for four weeks (London, St Jean de Luz, Salema, Barcelona, Paris and Edinburgh - see the full journey here). Then I spent two weeks in London, which was just full of amazing experiences.

And now? Well, now we're in New York.

Stay tuned.

A Big Apple

You'll never guess where we are now.

Two Weeks in London

It's the little moments that made up my two weeks in London. Husband was back in South Africa for work, and I was lucky enough to be staying in Wimbledon with his wonderful cousin and her family. I got to really explore London, and see parts of it that I had missed before.

And it was the little moments that all came together to make those two weeks so wondrous.

Like drinking champagne mid-shopping trip, watched by security guards who worry your shopping trolley might be a 'health and safety' risk.

Like visiting friends across town for lunches, markets and brunches.

And the maps and trains and buses that get you there. And independence. Be anywhere you like, in one of the busiest, biggest cities in the world. With the snap of your fingers.

Like the Tower.

The tube. The swirling pull. The difference between day and night. Day is quieter, singular passengers rushing, rushing, rushing. Night is noisy. Friends and groups and people, relaxed and invigorated, going home from dinner, or off to a party.

The clankety-clank of that tube.

The people watching. People have never been quite as interesting.

Sightseeing with the perfect host (and now friend for life). One who is full of enthusiasm and interest for fun new things to do. One with scrummy snacks, and similar tastes in food and shops and markets. The ultimate partner in crime.

*Also good for: making dinner together, pouring great glasses of wine, sharing lunch, and late nights in front of the TV. Ace!

The markets. The mass of people and products and sweet-smelling food. The endless temptation. Trawling each one for the best buy, the most scrumptious meal and the best fashion steal.

Enjoying mouth-watering sushi feasts on nights-in. The best soft shell crab rolls I've ever tasted.

The captivating Natural History Museum.

The Olympic fever. Everyone went a little Olympic mad - there were fans on the tubes, and conversations in the park and endless games and matches on the TV, everywhere you went.

The weather, ah, the weather. The glorious sunshine, the long, long days, the stifling humidity. The very few days of rain. It wasn't what I was expecting. I had imagined long grey stormy days, which just leave you feeling moody...and wet. But it was the opposite.Two weeks was really fast, surprisingly so. Gone, in a blink.

Thank you London, for blue skies and sunny smiles, for good times and the best of friends.

Our Journey So Far: Europe

This is where we've been, and what we've done:

On 11 July 2012 we left Johannesburg, South Africa. We then spent the next month in Europe.

We did:

4 days in London, England

[aeroplane]

7 days in St Jean de Luz, France

[overnight train]

5 days in Salema, Portugal

[aeroplane]

2.5 days in Barcelona, Spain

[aeroplane]

2.5 days in Paris, France

[eurostar]

2.5 days in London, England

[train]

2 days in Edinburgh, Scotland

[train]

2 weeks in London, England

Wow. When I look back at it like that it really shows how much of a whirlwind we've been on.

And Husband had it even worse - while I was in London for two weeks, he jumped on yet another plane and went back to Johannesburg, South Africa for work. That's two extra flights for him.

But at least it means he got to bring back a whole extra suitcase of stuff for us! And when I say stuff, I mostly mean clothes. Yesssssss.

And now. Now we're on an aeroplane. Yes, right now (I may have written this post in advance - yes, you caught me out).

Flying, again, to somewhere else in the world.

A Naked Prince

Aw, the Tower of London. The history. The sense of place.

Did you know that the queen and her gang still hang out there sometimes in the evenings? They host peeps over for banquets and balls. I really liked that. I'm glad that this beautiful historic place hasn't just become 'an attraction' to be overrun by tourists, like a rat-infested ship's kitchen.

I like the idea that at the end of the day, everyone gets kicked out, the royal cars drive in, and the queen jumps out and lets her hair down. Probably laughs with Harry about getting naked in Vegas, and tells him all about her wild days. 'Back in my day, before there was all this silly paparazzi...we used to have a real razz-ma-tazz,' she'll confide, tapping her nose, as one does when sharing insider information.

Shame. After all, it must be hard to be a prince, and famous, and rich, and somewhat good looking and never be allowed to get naked in Vegas.

The poor boy.

Anyway, the Tower of London. I visited it last week with my cousin Tracey. We got to see the crown jewels. They were very very sparkly. Unfortunately you're not allowed to take photos of them, probably because your camera will break from all the reflected light. Can you say, 'lots and lots of diamonds'?

Really.

We got to go into the chapel, where all these cool people are buried - like Anne Boleyn. They were the ones lucky enough to be beheaded inside the tower walls - rather than at the stocks in front of the tomato-throwing insult-roaring public. Can you say, 'humiliation'?

The tour guide decided I was to be the honourary Anne Boleyn for the day and chopped off my head, berating me for cringing. Apparently that's not what Anne would have done. Silly me.

I liked the ravens too. Those birds are cool. And big. I like that they have been there since forever too. 

I then wandered through the White Tower where they keep all the armour of every royal person ever. It's pretty cool though. I particularly liked the one made for the midget king. 

Ok, he wasn't a midget, he was just four years old. But still.

Anyway, Kate, I'd like to come to a banquet at the Tower. Also, I think we'd be the best of friends. I could come over to yours, we could get all dressed up, and then go let our hair down with the queen. Maybe she'd even let me try on some of her sparklies. So send through an invite any time you like Katie.

We can also have a big giggle about silly naked Harry and his crown jewels.

Anyone for Food?

As you can probably tell, we really like food. We really like taking pictures of food. A lot of people think this is a bit strange. But shame for them, they probably don't like food very much.

Shame.

I recently stumbled upon a website that completely agrees with us - staring at food is one of the best things ever. They even like to gawk at it.

And I can completely understand that.

Click here to gawk away, and for pages and pages of instantaneous food inspiration - complete with recipes and photo guides.

Let's start eating!

[All pictures from foodgawker]

Clankety-clank.

The chugging of the tube. The clankety-clank. Your body does the move-and-sway move-and-sway. The heat, flushed hot like I might throw up. Sticky hot, like too many people in a small moving tunnel. The wonderment; where might this one take me. The bristling-haired-chairs on short-skirted-legs. The people, every kind of person. All squashed into one little moving tunnel.

Clankety-clank.

Fashion {Fridays}

So I know I've mentioned this guy before - I'm a big fan, evidently. Not only did I wear this beautiful dress of his a few weeks ago, but I also wore this dress in London, and he just happened to make my wedding dress.

Really truly.

And now? Now he continues to wow the fashion world with his wondrous designs. Just take a look at these incredible underwater photos:

Well done Joel Janse van Vuuren, another breakthrough movement. More please!

[Photographer Ilse Moore, Art Director and Model Elsa Bleda and Makeup Artist Liezl Zene Oberholzer.]

Far From Friends

Traveling is one of those wonderful wonderful things that takes you all over the world. It's amazing to see and discover and live out in the big bad world, but I do miss my friends. There's no place like home right?

So I love this post I found the other day on Cup of Jo - the idea of phoning friends even for just a five minute conversation is just lovely. Sometimes just hearing a friendly voice, even to just quickly chat about the weather, a new hairstyle, or a bad day, is all you need.

And these days, with Skype, it really is the easiest thing ever.

[Photo from the interweb]

A Little Something New

There's nothing quite like a new little splash of colour to update your travel wardrobe. Here I am in Paris with my new sling bag (Gap), tennis shoes (H&M) and sunglasses (Barcelona souvenir store). Girls, you were all right - clothes are so much cheaper here than back home!

Edinburgh Performs!

Two weeks ago we were in Edinburgh, for the festival.

It was a beautiful city, packed with ancient buildings, piled on top of each other. It was also very very much alive - we had descended on it as the festival was in full swing - there were street performers everywhere, with stages and cabaret bars all across town. You couldn't walk anywhere without seeing a bit of the festival blooming out of the old buildings.

We were exceedingly lucky to be treated to the only two days of sunshine in seven years, which we completely soaked up as we'd been expecting cold weather. 

Here it is:

We were there to see Husband's good friend Charlie Baker take the stage doing stand-up, and boy, was he brilliant. He had us laughing our bums off!