our trip to PNG

After 7 years away, I went back to Alotau in PNG, where I lived for 6 years, initially as a volunteer with Australian Volunteers International. I took the girls to meet their Bubus (grandparents) and the rest of their extended family, and we stayed in the village in Milne Bay. What a wonderful adventure. I hadn't realised how much I missed PNG and my friends up there.

I am so, so grateful that my girls have an exposure to a life that is different to the one that we lead here in Canberra - that they understand that not everyone in the world turns on a switch for light or opens a fridge for food, or has a bath or shower at their house. I am thankful that they have had more exposure to their culture than they can get here, and I am indebted that they will have a loving, accepting place that they can run to when they are older if they ever need to.

The girls had a fantastic time running around with their cousins, bathing in the river, buying food at the market, learning to speak tok pisin and meeting lots of people. Hopefully I can take them back every few years and it isn't so long before I return again.

Holiday time

Wonderful summer holidays. Great Christmas; time with far away friends; beach holiday....bliss.

Weekend at Solar Springs - BLISS!

I spent the last weekend at Solar Springs Health Retreat with my friend Bron. It was a major treat that I could ill afford, but I thought it may help me avoid falling apart. What a fantastic investment in myself. I had some pampering treatments as well as a natropath visit with a Bioimpedance Analysis. The food was devine, the setting gorgeous, and the activities and treatments wonderful. Highly recommended. I am now on a bit of a mission to eat more healthily and take off some of the weight that has crept on over the last 12 months. My BIA had me at least 12 kg overweight and aging at 38 (I am 35).

Sara and Josh's wedding and holiday in South Australia

We had a wonderful family holiday in South Australia when my cousin Sara got married recently at Horseshoe Bay in Port Elliot, about an hour south of Adelaide.

First, we got the plane from Sydney with my sister Kat and her partner Andrew:


We stayed in a great holiday house that Mum and Dad arranged for us in Port Elliot. It was lots of fun staying with Mum and Dad and my sisters again. Unfortunately my youngest sister was unable to get time of work, so she didn't make it for the fun. South Australia was SO hot - going through the longest number of days over 35deg temperatures ever recorded.
relaxing with Honey at the house

Sara and Josh had a gorgeous wedding in the gardens overlooking the beach at Horseshoe Bay. What a stunning bride! It was SO wonderful to see a couple so in love and so full of happiness. The reception was fabulous with lots of great food, great music and great people. It was so great to catch up with family that I hadn't seen for ages.

me and Dad Monique, Katrina and me

with Oma

We spent some time at the beach and did some mooching around, and also visted some great wineries in the Maclaren Vale.
kat and Andrew at a winerymum and dad wine tasting

with cousin Nicole

The only downside of the trip was that I had a shocking hair experience. I went to a hairdresser asking for my foils to be touched up, and I came out totally blonde. Yikes - not my style, but I just go with the flow. It is actually amazing how much like my Mum I look with blonde hair.