Looking Back on my Year of Travel - From Bali to Melbourne, Boracay to the Greek Islands, London to New York City

Sunset in Seminyak, Bali

On my 24^th birthday last year I was standing on a beach in Seminyak, Bali when I made the monumental decision to move to London. It was something that I’ve always dreamed about – travelling around Europe, working overseas and making the most out of life. It was finally time to get out of my comfort zone and actually do it!

The London dream is shared by thousands of twentysomething girls. So I admit I don’t feel like I’m unique, as I am but just another girl working in Central London catching the Tube each day. Yet I still feel a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes I feel like pinching myself – that I actually moved all the way across the world with nothing but a 12 kilogram backpack!

A Western Australian sunset at Cottesloe Beach

A Melbournian start to 2010

Soaking my feet in Torquay, Victoria

I started the year in Melbourne, devouring a book about living and working in the UK whilst enjoying balmy summer evenings. I went jogging with my brother in the Royal Botanical Gardens, walked along the beach in St Kilda and spent quality time with my best friend drinking cocktails in secret laneway bars and having high tea.

A Filipino Getaway

Boracay's White Beach

Pagsanjan Falls

In April I embarked on, and survived, a group holiday to the Philippines. I was astounded by the beauty of Boracay – the white beaches with sand so fine that it’s used for day spa treatments, the fresh value for money seafood and crazy beach bars. Most of all, I was humbled by the generosity of my friends and their family in Manila.

Once my UK work visa came through and I quit my job there was no looking back! 

A European summer

Falling in love with Santorini

Octopus handing to dry in Paros

I’ve always wanted to ‘summer in Europe’. Landing in sticky, hot Athens the weather didn’t disappoint my travel buddy Kassie and I. We sailed around the Greek Islands, enjoying beautiful sunsets in Santorini and even hiked up the volcano. On the Amalfi coast we ate spoonfuls of gelato every day and then ventured to Rome to be immersed in history in the hidden churches discovering Michelangelo in the unlikeliest places. Paris meant plenty of macarons, an escape to Disneyland before we relaxed in Nice and gambled some Euros in Monaco. 

Sacre Coeur in Paris

Capri, Italy

Then I sailed the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia on a 7 day cruise. The scenery in Croatia is simply stunning – untouched national parks, pristine beaches and imposing mountains. My biggest feat was climbing to the top of a 16^th Century pirate fortress!

London -  a home away from home?

Serpentine bridge in Hyde Park

In London the holiday was officially over. I needed to get a flat and a job asap. In four weeks I traipsed all over London looking at 10 flats, meeting with recruiters and interviewing for jobs. How would you describe yourself in one word? Exhausted!

Time escapes you when you’re endlessly hunting and by sheer chance I ended up living in a hostel run by nuns. Despite the weekday lock out by 11pm it was the best experience of my life! It’s here where I met my ‘London family’. Having a support network is the most important thing you need when you arrive in a big city. Even though you never know who’s going to stay in London as the hellos and goodbyes are always constant, my friends ground me when the grey skies and cold causes bouts of homesickness.

Weekends away in the UK

It's exciting to be able to escape London for the weekend. I visited Edinburgh and was charmed by the amazing B&B we stayed at and then also drove around Inverness in one day! In Bath, I channeled Elizabeth Bennett and went to the thermae spa, browsed the charming Christmas markets and enjoyed eating a cinnamon butter Sally Lunn bun.

View from Edinburgh Castle

Bath Abbey at nightfall

I’m ending this year on a high in NYC with my brother Ryan – I survived my first blizzard and am looking forward to seeing the ball drop. 

This year has been a tough, challenging, emotional roller coaster. Travelling is always about big highs and lows. My biggest high this year is waking up every day in a new city, feeling like my next adventure in 2011 is just around the corner. 

A Christmas Mission in Perth, Western Australia

At the registration desk a small crowd has gathered in the summer heat.

“Chow family,” my father announced to the volunteer.

Shirley wore tinkering Christmas bell earrings, “Ok my dears, Mr and Mrs Chow are table hosts and Natasha - this is for you.”

She handed me an enormous blue t-shirt which proclaimed STEWARD.

A rainbow of balloons filled the marquee, tied to hundreds of plastic chairs. My mother placed her handmade Christmas tree compiled of gold gumnuts at the centre of the table.

After greeting guests of all ages, I brought out lunch trays of turkey, salad and mince pies. Crackers continually popped whilst a choir sang Jingle Bells.

Lynette was savouring her lunch when my mother surprised her handing her a present. She tore away the wrapping to reveal a handbag. All ten guests at the table cheered excitedly.

“Do you like it?” Mum asked.

“I love it, I haven’t had a present in years.” Tears began to roll down her cheeks. “Thank you so much!”

Lynette wrapped her arms around my mother tightly.

A motorbike roared to life outside the marquee. Santa had arrived on a Harley Davidson. He wore red shorts and sunglasses and greeted children with a hearty “Ho ho ho!”

My family’s new Christmas tradition is volunteering at the Mission Australia luncheon in Perth. Christmas Day lunch is provided for hundreds of people – their simple Christmas wish is to have a welcoming meal in a safe place.


This post has been entered into the Grantourismo HomeAway Holiday Rentals travel blogging competition. www.holidayrentals.co.uk

Wanderlust Wednesday - Cottesloe Beach, Western Australia

Yesterday, I went for a walk by the beach with my dog. For anyone familiar with Cottesloe Beach in Perth, Western Australia, the beach in the above photos is at northern end, past the groyne.


Perth has 19 sandy white beaches stretching along the West coast. In winter they're pretty quiet apart from joggers, dog walkers and die-hard surfers. This may be the last stretch of endless beach I see for awhile as I'm imagining the European beaches I'm about to visit are going to be rather different.


The beach smelt strongly of salt and seaweed. Despite Perth's recent cold snap, it was mild and pleasant. No strong seabreeze. Just gentle waves rolling in from the Indian Ocean. Perfect for some quiet contemplation in my last week in Perth.


That's my beautiful chow chow Ruski standing tall below. He loves the beach, but he's the only dog that prefers the dunes and rocks over the water!

A Breakfast of Crepes and Eggs at Toast, East Perth

Toast was recently lauded by the STM as Perth's best breakfast spot. Always eager to try out a new breakfast menu, I visited Toast on a bright and sunny Thursday morning.


Toast is opposite the Royal Braisserie and has views over Claisebrook Cove. East Perth is a quiet nook, wall to wall with townhouses and apartment buildings and a small strip of shops and restaurants. 


Many patrons were enjoying the sunshine and seated at the outside tables. Funnily enough no one had nabbed the two sundeck lounges nearby the entrance! 


Toast's menu features the usual breakfast options such as big bacon and egg breakfasts, french toast, pancakes but it also specialises in crepes and unique "toasts". 


We sat al fresco and ordered lattes, the corn fritters with poached egg, avocado and hollandaise sauce and the rhubarb and raspberry crepes with almonds. 


Inside the cafe has a distinct retro feel. It's bright and airy with full length windows letting in the light. The counter is choc full of biscuits, cakes and slices - all very tempting and distracting you from what you had decided to order! The waitress accidentally overcharged me $2 but was apologetic enough when I queried this. 


At one of the nearby tables a beagle kept barking at its owner, obviously yearning for his own breakfast dish. Patrons were a mix of business people, tourists and people who had the luxury of having a leisurely breakfast...

The poached eggs were well done with just the right amount of yolk oozing from the centre. There was too much hollandaise sauce on the plate which was a bit overpowering. The fritters also had too much corn inside. Next time I would go for poached eggs on toast, easier to mop up the yolk with.

The crepes though were absolutely divine. They were thin and rolled up and mixed well with the raspberry and rhubarb compote. A dash of greek yoghurt or ice-cream would have complemented the crepes nicely.


Overall I would definitely come back for the crepes at Toast. Attention to detail could be improved but it makes for a nice breakfast spot in an area of Perth that's often under-visited. 

High Tea at Peninsula Tea Gardens, Tranby House

High tea is a fine art. A perfect balance of sweet, savoury and of course tea. In Perth high tea has become a popular weekend activity offered in select hotels and restaurants. 


The Peninsula Tea Gardens offers a relaxed, natural and rather historical setting for high tea. The tea rooms are set on the tranquil grounds of the historic Tranby House and Farm which was built in 1839. Tucked away in Maylands, the tea rooms are situated opposite Tranby House and overlook the Swan River.

We visited on a crisp winter's afternoon and opted for an outdoor table to soak in the sunshine. We ordered the Sweet Tea set, with Stockholm tea and the Peninsula Tea set, with Lovers Leap tea. Each came on a three-tiered stand with fresh, fluffy scones with jam and cream. The Sweet Tea had fruit as well as cakes and the Peninsula set had finger sandwiches instead of fruit. 

It's difficult to find cakes in Perth that aren't of the "cake box" variety. The cakes on the Sweet Tea set were dusted with icing sugar and very light with the right amount of sweetness. The cupcake was delightfully light made of a buttercake base and the little petit four when sliced had spongecake inside.


The total only came up to $33. Considering some places charge over $50 for one high tea set, this was incredible value for money. This was the best high tea experience in Perth I've ever had. 


One day, hopefully sometime soon, I'm aiming to do high tea at the Langham Hotel in London...

Traveling is about...Perseverance

View over the mountains from my airplane window from my flight from Manila to Caticlan

Yesterday I went for a massage and chose an "affirmation" beforehand. For cynics, this may sound a little like hooey. Swallowing my pessimism, I shuffled the cards and drew out Perseverance.

That's pretty meaningful, I admitted to my (massage) therapist before explaining my upcoming travels and goal of working overseas.

Looking back at last week I:

• got my UK work visa approved
• handed in my resignation from my place of employment for the last three years
• made meaningful contacts in preparation for working in the UK
• finalised acommodation for my 5 week European summer holiday
• agreed to spend Christmas in NYC with my brother

All of those things, no matter how big or small, are an accomplishment or steps to achieving something major. 

I know for a 20-something, giving up work and your normal daily-life for travel seems frivolous. Friends and colleagues may look at you enviously or think you're insane. Sometimes I think maybe I am a little crazy to give up my friends, my work, my security blanket of home-life.

Yet traveling in itself is a mean feat. It requires saving money and sacrificing shopping/socialising, hours of planning and organising and leaving behind the familiar comforts of home and stepping into the great unknown.

Things I thought I'd never do? I'm selling belongings that I love and forgetting all sentimentality. I'm asking strangers for help with professional contacts and networking everywhere I go. I'm savouring things I take for granted in my home-town of Perth.

The perseverance continues... and I'm perfectly fine with that. 

St Mary's Cathedral, Perth

St Mary's Cathedral is the only Catholic cathedral in Perth. I recently celebrated Easter with my family here and it holds a lot of memories from my childhood.

Recently renovated, the Cathedral is beautiful, with its mix of old and new interiors. Back in the day, the Cathedral used to be dark and musty inside. It's now completely opened up, with windows overlooking the grounds and Royal Perth Hospital across the road. The stained glass windows are captivating when illuminated by autumn sunlight.


St Mary's Cathedral
Victoria Square
Perth, Western Australia

Top 5 Small Bars in Perth...with the best cocktails

Change in Perth is a rarity. So when new liquor licencing laws allowed small bars to open, a wave of inner city bars breathed life into laneways and places in Perth that I never knew even existed. Yes, this idea came from Melbourne. But Perth's small bars though are much easier to find and usually don't involve walking up several flights of stairs...

In my current state of saving for travel I've attempted to cut back on the cocktails. Alas, this can be a difficult venture on a Friday evening in the city...

My five top bars for cocktail o'clock are as follows:

1. helvetica

Chandeliers light the path of Helvetica Lane off Howard Street in the CBD. Around the corner the nicest door bitch ever greets you - and actually apologises if you have to wait. Helvetica has style even before you step into the bar. The unique thing about Helvetica is that you can select a bottle of scotch and return to drink from it each time you visit. But this is a post about cocktails, not scotch.

Helvetica's cocktails are rather masculine. The summer cocktail list features a number of gin or rum drinks which have sour notes. The Snake Eye is a stand-out...must be the maraschino liqueur!

2. 399

399 has no cocktail list. The bartenders will shake up any concoction you want. They'll even give you a little umbrella if you're really nice. On the night we visited though they were out of lychees. I love lychee martinis. That's okay though, we requested a shake-up of pineapple juice and a dash of spirits. The end result was sweet and delicate and rather dark from the Chambord.

Regardless of the cocktails, 399's blaring jazz music, cozy booths and a friendly crowd is sure to draw you back for another round of drinks and tapas.

3. Wolfe Lane

This bar attracts the suit set. Slick interiors and a New York City skyline mural exudes sophistication. Apparently the glasses here are made the old fashioned way. This doesn't mean much to me, except that maybe the cocktails taste better in them. Cocktails are a little bit on the more expensive side here...They start at $17 and end at $35. A pomegranate martini set me back $18 - it was large, strong and had definite kick.

Despite the sophistication, Wolfe Lane is, for the most part, unpretentious and has cheerful lads and laddesses to chat to.

4. 1907

1907 is cool. Literally. The air conditioning is always on high in this basement level cocktail bar. Probably to keep the crowd from fogging up the mirrors. Dark and mysterious, 1907 is all Old Hollywood. A seasonal cocktail list presents classic options with contemporary twists. The service can be a bit hit-or-miss here, but the sugary sweet passionfruit cocktail is divine.

PS. Ladies, it would be wise to wear a frock.

5. Anadaluz

Anadaluz has a traditional cocktail menu but the real decisions lies in what to order from the tapas menu. My favourites are the melt in your mouth scallops and pork cheeks and the orange and vanilla marshmellows for dessert. I prefer to indulge in a smooth champagne based cocktail to complement the food and a bellini is a refreshing accompaniment. On the actual menu though, an apple and vanilla martini is a must.


Let me know if you have a favourite cocktail at one of these bars!

In the Wild Wild West

What happens in Perth when it doesn't rain for 120 days? It pours. The Premier declared yesterday's sudden hailstorm as a natural disaster! Roads were flooded, traffic lights were out, trees and branches fell across the streets. Some homes have been without power for over 24 hours!

The following is a photolog of my drive home from work yesterday.

Hailstones in the carpark.

Darkness at 5 pm in Northbridge.

Splashing through near my street.

Drive through the floodwater.

The rainbow of calm after the storm.