Weird (in a Good Way) Christmas

Christmas this year was weird. Not in a bad way....just weird. Strange, maybe....but only because it was SO different. But, for as weird as it was, it was also fun, relaxing and new.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I have never ben away from home and my family for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I knew I would miss home desperately during the holiday season, but had no idea how very much. BUT, as with many experiences this year, I not only survived the new experience but enjoyed it thoroughly due to my new "family of friends" in Sydney.


The holiday season coincides with my firm's 4th quarter, which is at the same time the most stressful and exciting time of the year. It's when we transact a fair amount of our annual business and where my team members see all their hard work across a calendar year culminate in all kinds of success. I just love it. This was my 14th fourth quarter with my firm, but this one felt different. The energy of my team was the same, but I am used to the days getting shorter and colder as we progress towards the end of the year. This year, we were coming into summer here in Sydney, so the days were exactly the opposite of what I have been used to. I realized how conditioned my body and mind are to associating this time of year with winter. I was all out of sorts. Luckily, I have found a terrific Pilates studio a block from my crib, so that really has saved me and helped keep my body in whack. :) 


This year, my team never gave up, worked their asses off, believed that hard work pays off and saw the fruits of their efforts. I couldn't be happier to have seen their personal pride with the accomplishments they had during our busiest time. It's why I do what I do, and made all the late nights and long days spent in the office while in Sydney pay off for me. My catchphrase for whenever a piece of business comes in is "Boom". Here's a pic of me and some of my "Boom-makers"!

Kate, Carly, Ben, me and Adrien

We've had rain essentially every day for the past 5 weeks. It's the wettest summer in Sydney in 15 years. Where are my weekend days at the beach? Where is my golden tan? Where did I put my sunglasses? These are all important questions I have been asking myself.  For Christmas, I listened non-stop to carols on my iPod and had small decorations in my crib. But otherwise, I actually wanted Christmas to be different than it is at home. My thinking was that if it was totally different, I would feel less sad - to be completely honest - about not being home with my family and Fletcher. The easiest way to make Christmas less familiar is to go the beach (especially given that we had 18 inches of snow last Christmas!). Well, with all the rain, my friends and I watched the weather carefully, day in and day out, for the Christmas Day forecast. We were pretty convinced we'd need a plan B in case it rained Christmas Day. But we didn't! Hooray!


Christmas Eve was spent at the home of my friends' Devin and Dawn. We grilled, had loads of prosecco and (I think) everyone enjoyed my stuffed mushrooms and twice-baked potatoes. We also watched "Elf", which I'd never seen! Christmas Day found us taxi'ing to the Bondi Orphanage (i.e., Muzza's house) for a Christmas Orphan's brunch. I made a pancetta and spinach strata that went quite well with the mimosas we had! Then our group of orphans (Bonner, Dawn, Devin, Tyler, Chris, Carly, Muzza, McKenna, Nips, Nick, Robbie and me) all went to the beach for a glorious day. The evening was spent back at Dawn and Devin's, where we drank wine, watched "Miracle on 34th Street" AND "It's a Wonderful Life" and played a mean game of Sorry.


Reflecting on Christmas and spending it away from home and with my "family of friends" in Sydney, I realized evermore that Christmas is about being with people you love and not at all about gifts and material things. I am very lucky that between the 5 Skype sessions I had with my family across a 36-hour period, I was able to spend the holiday with such wonderful (now lifelong) friends. Thanks Orphans - I adore you all!


Here are a few pictures from Christmas in Sydney:

Muzza, head of the Bondi Orphanage, making mulled wine

Amanda, Tyler and Dawn

We (me, Tyler, Dawn and Carly) had these paper crowns in our Christmas poppers.

Bondi Beach on Christmas Day - the sun was out!!

Until next time....
xoxo


p.s. My heart is with my friend Mary in Chicago.
p.s.s. Here is the requisite Skype picture of Fletcher and my parents from Christmas Eve! 

Giving Thanks

I absolutely love the holiday season. It's my favorite time of year....I love when the weather grows chilly (even cold...I love winter clothes), the leaves change colors and fall, football games, Christmas decorations and carols, and the memories that flood back when Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer or A Christmas Carol (the George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge version, of course) come on TV.  I relish each and every tradition and love the time spent with my family so much.  When I decided to move to Australia, one of the first things I wondered was what the holidays would be like "down under" and whether I would truly miss my version of the holiday season. I do, but am thankful to experience a new one. I'll tell you about it!


So, it's now summertime here. It's rainy but each week, more and more days are filled with clear blue skies and sun. The days are getting longer, and summer clothes and sandals are now on regular rotation from my closet.  That in and of itself is strange - it's December. It should be cold! It gets stranger as more Christmas decorations go up. Without Thanksgiving here, the tinsel and trees were up in mid-November!


Thanksgiving came and went here just like any other day. My Mom asked me if I was at least going out to dinner, but no, I had Pilates and fell asleep without even eating dinner! The next day, while at work on Friday, I skyped with my entire family after they enjoyed my mom's delicious feast. I admit.....I wanted to cry. I just miss them all so much. BUT.....I am damn lucky. I have made such wonderful friends here that I feel as if I have a new "family of friends". And with them, I have now enjoyed two Thanksgivings!


The first was at Amanda's house. There were about 40-50 of us! The beauty of it was that while there were a few Americans there, we also had a token Brit, a lovely South African and about 40 Aussies who have come to love Thanksgiving! We all were meant to bring something, but they don't have the same ingredients here. For example, turkeys are hard to come by. They have to be pre-ordered and are mucho expensivo. And no cornbread, pumpkin pie filling or wild rice! Mom had sent ingredients for her delicious rice dressing but alas, the box was caught in customs so I had to improvise the night before our Thanksgiving. I made a delicious sage/sausage/bread stuffing, my famous stuffed mushrooms, roasted veggies and a horseradish dip. We ate, enjoyed (lots of) beer, played the traditional American college game of beer pong (which more than one Aussie can't help calling "beer ping pong") and watched NFL games via my slingbox. Amanda's turkey was divine, and the day was all-around great fun. Special thanks to Amanda, Dawn, Devin, Nipul, Muzza, Jason, Robbie, RIch and Kath for a great day.

This is Drummer, the dog Amanda is fostering. He's so sweet. 

My sage/sausage/bread stuffing!

My friend Dawn and me! 

Dawn, Nipul and me....with the traditional Thanksgiving jello shot.

Fast forward one more week, and I had another Thanksgiving (yesterday) at my dear dear friends Tim and Amanda's (i.e., TMac and Manders) house. As luck would have it, TMac proposed to Manders the day prior, so we had a lot to celebrate! Amanda made wonderful food (I made the mushrooms and roasted veggies again) and Tim made yummy cranberry margaritas, and gathered a host of folks they know from their time living in London and Sydney. There were Brits, Aussies, Frenchies and Americans. After eating, we all went around and said what we were thankful for. We all agreed that we are thankful for change, and not being too afraid to make it. And we are thankful for our family of friends. Thank you to TMac, Manders, Carly, Ben, Nipul, Kate and James for an awesome day.

TMac and Manders!

It's hard to be away from home, especially during the holidays. But I am so lucky to have met all these great people who will be lifelong friends of mine. I am thankful for the support of my friends and family back home. And of course for Fletcher, because he's awesome.


And thanks to all of you who read my blog! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, wherever you are!


Until next time...xoxo


p.s. Hey Bondi Chat - I love you all.

Aerial Yoga. Yes, It's True.

Spring has sprung in Sydney, and while it was never bitterly cold this winter, it's quite nice now to be outside and enjoy all the city has to offer.  As I have mentioned, Sydney is built for its temperate climate. With the cafes, beautiful beaches, and amazing areas to hike and walk, it's certainly the type of place where it's more fun to be outside than inside.


Last weekend, to take advantage of a beautiful Sunday, my friends (Carly and Tyler) and I walked from our neighborhood of Potts Point to Bondi Beach. The walk was great - about 6 km with a few hills. Once we got to the beach, we met up with our friends Tim and Amanda. A big storm was brewing, so we HAD to get frozen yogurt and wait it out. Yummy!


Later, while it thundered and poured rain, I was reading a magazine and came across something completely new to me - aerial or anti-gravity yoga. I googled it, studied up and decided I had to try it. I absolutely love yoga, so this really piqued my interest. And, I am all about stepping outside my comfort zone and trying new things while here (and hopefully when I move home too!). Aerial yoga was founded several years ago by Christopher Harrison, a former professional dancer and performance artist, in NYC. It's essentially a combination of pilates and yoga, with moves done while suspended in the air by a large silk hammock. It uses the benefits of yoga with the compression of gravity to allow your body and its own weight to work for itself.


Until last month, there was only one studio in all of Australia that offered this type of yoga....until last month! As luck would have it, the second studio in the country offering aerial yoga opened in late September in Redfern, a cute village in Sydney only 4 subway stops from my 'hood. I called and signed up for a workshop that took place today at House of Yoga Redfern.


Wow, what a great and cool experience! The studio is just beautiful. It has wide open rooms, overlooks a park and had nice cool breezes flowing through it. The workshop was 2.5 hours long. for the first hour, we learned the core fundamental moves and became acclimated to moving in the hammock. The last 60-90 minutes were spent going through more new moves and an hour long class led by our awesome instructor, Holly. WHAT A WORKOUT! I even surprised myself with what I could do and was instantly hooked. The hammock really allows you to get deep in the movements but also fully supports you while you flip and twist. At the end, you cocoon yourself in the hammock and lay motionless, suspended in the air. Unreal. Here are a few snaps of the studio. Maybe next time I can ask someone to snap a photo of me while I hang upside down!

The aerial yoga studio 

My hammock

I can't wait to go again. I am glad I took the chance to try something new today. It was really fun.


Until next time
xoxo


p.s. The 'Hoos won today! Wahoowa! I hear my eldest nephew Jack went to the game with my parents. So fun....I was sad to not be there with them.


p.s.s. Spring is here - the days are getting longer, the weather warmer and flip flops have replaced my black J Crew flats as my daily footwear for my walk to work. However, since there is no Thanksgiving here, there is no built-in indicator in the calendar to signal when it's acceptable to start focusing on the Christmas holiday. It's in full swing here and it's only early November. Proof is below....I am sure I will get a small tree, but at the same time am buying my absolute favorite flowers (peonies) too, which are only available in the springtime. Seems so strange to me!

Christmas is Coming! This was the new display at my neighborhood florist this weekend.

While it is strange for it be getting warmer while Christmas is approaching, I am taking advantage of peonies, my favorite flower, being available due to the springtime weather.

Aussie-isms Part Three

Well, folks. I have really only been working non-stop and recovering from a bad case of bronchitis lately, so there aren't many interesting things to report. Luckily, I have been continuing to keep a log of "aussie-isms" I hear along the way that either make me pause, laugh hysterically or ask 5 follow-up questions to truly understand what they mean. Enjoy. I do.


The first set is a mix of sayings or phrases from either Australia or New Zealand. Many of these I picked up while learning about rugby given the Rugby World Cup was kicking off when I had to visit Auckland, NZ on business last month.

• Esky (in Oz) or Chilly Bin (in NZ) - cooler to keep drinks or food cold. "Grab the chilly bin, throw in some beers and let's go!"
• Barrack - cheer for or root for. "I barrack for the All-Blacks!"
• Root - have intercourse with. "I root for/with the All-Blacks" does not mean the same thing in Australia as it does in the US. Learned that one mistakenly.
• Up's and Under's - food poisoning. I think this is used just in NZ because I learned it there while reading an article about South Africa beating NZ in the Rugby World Cup years ago and no one in Oz knew what it meant. "Oh no, I think I have the up's and under's!!" You can probably figure out why it's called this.

Now for more of a random mix of Australian phrases, words and the like involving the word "crack":

• Cracker or Bonza - awesome. "That's a cracker footy match."
• Crack Up - hilarious. "That's a crack-up of a movie.
• Cracked it - get mad at. "I cracked it at her over that latest antic."
• Cracked the sads - upset. "I cracked the sads today because I am homesick.

Okay, one last round of randoms:

• Dummy - pacifier. "I need the dummy for the crying baby."
• Catching my Train - to fancy or like someone. "He's really catching my train."
• Chunder - vomit. "I bet he chunders tonight after all that wine!"
• Offside - be on someone's bad side. "He's offsides to me after his latest misstep."
• Arvo - afternoon. "Let's meet for a glass of wine this arvo."
• Yakka - work. "Gotta yakka today even though I'd rather be at the beach

Dad and Hilary, study up for your trip in January!!
Until next time....xoxo

A Great Visit from Two Great Friends, and Two Great Days on the Great Ocean Road

Wow...that's a lot of GREATs. But they are all so deserved. In early October, I was lucky to have my first visitors to Australia since I moved here in March - my great friends Tammy Gordon and Mary Carlson! T and M made the looooong journey here at the end of the 3rd quarter, and since I am all work all the time during that time of the year, they started in Byron Bay (in Queensland) for some hiking, surfing and touring.

Tammy and me at Opera Bar

After meeting me in Sydney, we (aka The Trifecta) embarked on a two-day extravaganza to see some of my favorite Sydney sites. We started with a snack at my neighborhood haunt, LL's, and were able to catch the end of my friends Jake and Grady's gig. We were then off to Circular Quay to take in the gorgeous views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. After sharing a lovely bottle of Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (SSB to the locals), we went to a delicious dinner at Jimmy Lik's in my 'hood.

Sunset at the Harbour Bridge

Mary and Tammy at Bronte Beach

The next day, we were up early and had a wonderful brunch at Swell in Bronte Beach. I had the most delicious truffle-infused poached eggs, and of course a skim flat white (+1 sugar!). T, M and I then hiked the ocean walk from Bronte to the famous Bondi beach, and stopped off at Iceberg's for a beer (or two)! We then headed to the historic area of Sydney called The Rocks, and had a few beers at the Lord Nelson Pub, which is the oldest pub brewery in Sydney. Dinner that night at Fratelli Paradiso topped off a chilly but awesome day.

Mary and me at Iceberg's Bondi 

I then had to go back to work (sigh) so while T and M explored Sydney, I met them for more over-the-top, yummy dinners at favorite local haunts -- Billy Kwong's in Surry Hills (the crispy duck was to die for) and China Doll in Woolloomooloo. Let me say this....there was a dare. It wasn't a double dog dare, but it was a dare nonetheless. I may or may not have eaten (well, no chewing was involved...just swallowing) a fish eye. What the hell!? A free dessert was on the line and we really enjoyed those sweets.

Towards the end of last week, we all headed to Melbourne, which is south of Sydney and a completely different city. There is an ongoing debate in Australia as to whether Sydney or Melbourne is the better city. Both are swanky, metropolitan and home to major corporations. But they are very different. Melbourne is more European-inspired and is known for its art, fashion and restaurants. Continuing on in our food fascination, we took the advice of almost everyone I asked and headed straight to a late Thursday night dinner at Gingerboy. OH. MY. GOD. I am still dreaming about the duck leg curry. I also ate what can only be described as strange. I put a whole egg, without the shell, but lightly fried just enough for the breading to provide a tad bit of structure, into my mouth, bit down and after a bit of gagging, enjoyed. Strange, but good. And life is all about the experience.


For the next two days, we embarked on what was one of the best journeys of my life. Have you ever driven the PCH? Well, times it by 10 (at least) and there you have the Great Ocean Road. The GOR is a 151-mile stretch of road that traverses southeastern Australia, with views of the Bass Strait and Southern Ocean. The road was built by soldiers returning from WWI as a war memorial, hence at almost every stop there is a "lest we forget" plaque honoring those who have fallen. While driving the Road, you hug cliff edges, travel through a rainforest and speed through hilly farms. It is most notable for its sandstone and limestone formations, which were naturally formed (and continue to evolve) from the rough salt seawater crashing against the coastline for millions of years.


We rented a car(!) and I must applaud Mary and Tammy for their insane driving skills. There were really only a few times when one of us would calmly mention to the driver that she was on the incorrect side of the road or should brake a bit earlier in the turns. (Actually, I was encouraging no braking!) It's hard to put a two-day adventure with two of your best friends along the most beautiful stretch of road in the world into words. What moved me was how majestic the views were, and how loud the crashing waves were. Together, the view and sound made the experience so damn amazing. Pictures capture 1% of the beauty - tops. Everyone should witness this once in their lifetime. 


Highlights for me include:
- lunch at Kafe Kaos in Lorne on day one
- what seemed like 16 stops at the chemists
- seeing wild koalas hanging in trees as we drove through the rainforest
- witnessing the magic of the 12 Apostles - virtually alone on the clifftop with whipping winds, crashing waves, and the most heavenly view - and the beach below the Gibson Steps at sunset
- the freezing cold lighthouse visit & the observations of surfers at Bells Beach
- Loch Ard Gorge and the Razorback, the Grotto and the Gibson Steps
- the self-portaits of the Trifecta taken at every stop with my iPhone (RIP Steve Jobs)

Tammy, Mary and our wheels

Me @ the 12 Apostles

Me on the beach in a foggy sunset - Gibson Steps

Gog and Magog

A majestic sunset at the 12 Apostles 

Razorback at Loch Ard Gorge 

One of the wild koalas we happened upon in the rainforest

The Trifecta

After two days driving on the left, we returned to Melbourne for a casual and yummy dinner at Cumulus, Inc. A 5 am wake-up call took us to the airport for a flight to Sydney, where we said farewell (for now). I went to work and the dashing duo skedaddled to start their long flights back to the States.


I can't thank Tammy and Mary enough for coming to visit me. While it was wonderful to show my dear friends around my new hometown, I also loved sharing new experiences with them. I think I can speak for The Trifecta when I say that we had the trip of a lifetime.


Until next time...
xoxo


p.s. This morning I saw an itinerary for a January visit from my sister Hilary and my Dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are no words to describe my excitement.

Aussie-ism's Part Deux

Shortly after I moved to Australia, I wrote a blog post about some of the funny sayings I have heard. Since then, whenever I hear new ones, I have tried to remember them so I could write another blog post. Here are the latest:

• Crook - sick or ill. "Sorry boss, I am crook today. See you tomorrow."
• Under the Pump - a lot of work to do against a fast-approaching deadline. "Look mate, I would love to talk but am really under the pump."
• Cheeky - funny or silly. "Yeah he was cute and kind of cheeky."
• Flat Out  - busy. "I'd love to go to the pub but am just flat out at the moment."
• I Reckon - I figure.... "I reckon I need another coffee. I haven't had one in the last 20 minutes."
• No Dramas - used interchangeably with "no worries", a personal favorite. "I know you just made a huge mistake, but no dramas."
• How you going? - How are you doing? I still don't know where we are going, but I say this ALL the time now. They also will say "How are you traveling?".
• Bloke - guy or man. "yeah, look, he's a good bloke."
• Good on ye - good for you. "You won that game of Words with Friends? Good on ye!"

I love these. I hear them all the time and they are becoming part of my vernacular.


On the food front, I have had to learn some basics as well. One funny thing I've learned is that they are almost offended when they see you stir sugar in your coffee once they've made it for you. They'd MUCH prefer to prepare the coffee with the sugar stirred in by them. Don't ask me why...but if you don't order "plus 1 sugar" and have them stir it in while they make it, they will say something to you like "you know I could have added that in. Remember that for next time." So weird. But they take their coffee so seriously that I don't mess with that and now order my "plus 1" in advance.  Last thing you ever want to do is offend your Aussie barista. 


Also, important to know the following when viewing an Aussie menu:


Tasty Cheese - you'll actually see this on menus. It's a type of cheese, which I find hilarious. It's Australia's version of American cheese, but is actually a mild cheddar.


Capcisum - red or green pepper. It's in everything.


Prawn - shrimp.  If you say "pad thai with shrimp", they look at you like you have 6 heads. you have to say prawn.


Lettuce - there are all kinds of lettuce. "Cos" is your general leafy green lettuce. "Rocket" is arugula. "Iceberg" is iceberg.


Bacon - you've heard me talk about this before. I LOVE bacon. But bacon here is a slab of ham grilled briefly in a pan.  You'll see "CRISPY Bacon" on menus, and that is their attempt to placate all the Americans who miss American bacon. But it's still that same slab of ham just cooked longer in the pan. Do not fall for it...even crispy bacon isn't the bacon you know and love, and will miss desperately.


Tomato Sauce - ketchup. It's of course pronounced "toe-maah-toe". Again, you might as well have 6 heads if you ask for ketchup.


Lastly, I am starting to get used to the side dishes offered for breakfast/brunch. Your choices are: baked beans (not like American baked beans, more tomato-sauce based), avocado, mushrooms, toast or premier toast (premier is fancier, I suppose. To me, toast is toast.), pumpkin (cubes of butternut squash) or hash browns (which look and taste like McDs hash browns).


Until next time, xoxo


p.s. I am going to start a beach chair business. Let me know if you'd like to invest. At Bondi Beach last weekend, there were thousands of people and NOT ONE beach chair. Everyone sits on towels and blankets. I still don't know why but I will ask around and report back. This seems so silly to me....Chairs rule.

Old Friends in a New Place

Ah, Singapore. Just before and for several days after my trip to Thailand, I spent time working in Singapore. Our firm opened the Sydney office within which I work four years ago, and our Singapore office over a year ago. Given our focus on rapidly expanding our business into Asia, my boss Christy elected to hold our annual leadership offsite in our Singapore office. It was a great few days. But let me take a step back, as I have an emotional history with this island city/state.


For those who do not know much about this fascinating place, I'll provide a bit of history. Singapore is derived from the malaysian word Singapura, or Lion City. It was first settled in the 2nd century AD but existed in obscurity until 1816 when Thomas Stamford Raffles landed and signed a treaty with the ruler on behalf of the East India Trading Company to establish it as a British trading post. It passed between British and Japanese hands a few times before declaring independence in 1963. Under independent power, it rapidly developed as one of the most advanced powerhouse economies of Asia. Singapore now has some 5 million residents, over half of Chinese, Malay or Indian descent. Over a third of residents actively practice Buddhism. It has 4 official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. The World Bank has rated Singapore as the easiest place in the world to do business. Lastly, it has a rainforest climate with no distinctive seasons. In other words, it is HOT and HUMID every day of the year!!


My emotional history with this city/state dates back to 2003. I was visiting Australia on business, and then had a week in Singapore for more business. I was excited to make my first trip to Asia, and experience a completely different business culture at such a young age. From the Sydney airport before my 9-hour flight to Singapore, I called my sister Hilary and learned that my beloved grandmother "Sparkie" had passed away.  I can't begin to describe the sadness I felt....Sparkie was an amazing woman - independent, cultured, a world-traveler and SO chic. I adored her. In tears, I boarded my flight to Singapore, cried the entire way, and then in a haze worked for a week in Singapore. I took time to visit the Chinese markets, the national orchid gardens and the designer shops, all in ode to my grandmother who loved her Asian travels.  I left Singapore with a heavy heart, and sad memories.


My return was much happier. One of the reasons is because there are many of my favorite colleagues who have led the founding and development of our Asian business - Melissa, Jake, Jonathan, Tasneen, Saagar, Barlow, Michelle, Laura, Joel.  So through a lot of long working days, I was able to enjoy fabulous dinners and catch-up's with old and dear friends. Day one was a visit to Melissa and Sean's home to finally meet Miss Cricket (Charlotte Louise Bailey). What an adorable and happy child! My first night was an outdoors dinner at PS Cafe @ Harding with Michelle Kerner. Night Two was dinner at the Jackson Plan - a British gastropub with delicious cocktails - in Duxton Hill with Laura Foster and Joel Whitaker. The final night was a yummy, fancy dinner with our leadership team at 1 Altitude, with amazing top floor views of all of Singapore. 

The Singapore cityscape from way up high! 

Team Dinner

Our CEB office building...1 Raffles Place

Interestingly, Singapore has changed so much since I was last there, which was fortunate in that it helped me avoid sad memories and make happy new ones. There are American brands everywhere! The women are so fashionable with sky high heels and pencil skirts. The food is amazing, from the food stalls to the high-end restaurants. And the business is fascinating.


One last thing about Singapore that I find to be so charming is how centered it is around food. So much so that when someone intends to ask you how you are doing, they say "Have you eaten yet?"  It truly means 'how are you?', which in their mind equates to whether or not you have eaten recently. Hey Pops, reminds me of you! :)


I feel lucky to have a great group of friends in a place so far and different from home. I can't wait to return and see them again. Jake, Barlow and Saagar, that means an authentic Singa night out with you!


Until next time...xoxo

A Tale of Two Cities - Part II - Bangkok

In my last post, I highlighted the serenity of Koh Samui. In this post, I will tell you a bit about the one day I spent in Bangkok, which could not be more different from Koh Samui but is just as fascinating. 


Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, and as such is its largest urban city. Known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, it means the "city of angels". The actual background for the word BANGKOK is unknown. Bang is the word used by the Thai for a town situated on a river. Kok is unknown in origin but is thought to perhaps be a flavor of the word Koh, which as we now know means Island. 


What we do know is that Bangkok began as an integral port and trading community due to its location on the Chao Phraya River. For four centuries until the late 1700's, it was ruled over by the Ayutthaya Kingdom (the precursor to modern Thailand). It was taken over by the Burmese, and due to its strategic location, served for many years as a buffer zone between French and British colonials. In recent years, under the rule of several monarchs (one named Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua.....seriously) all under the Chakri dynasty, it has become vastly modernized while still maintaining its ancient heritage. Interspersed amongst massively tall skyscrapers and modern urban amenities are hundreds of Buddhist temples and ancient palaces like Wat Arun and the Grand Palace. I love the mix of modern and antiquity.


The flight from Koh Samui was a bit delayed, but a relatively easy hour-long journey to Bangkok. The Bangkok airport is HUGE and quite modern, having just been built in the past few years. It certainly signals when you arrive that Bangkok is a force to be reckoned with...it means business. Though arriving late on Friday night, I woke early the next day to take full advantage of the city!


We started by hopping the (very modern) subway and then a fast-as-heck river boat to the Grand Palace. The interesting part of the story is that we had a small adventure (some may call it a detour) before entering the palace. In short, we were "took took" by a "tuk tuk". Allow me to explain. Fresh off the friendliness of the Thai people in Koh Samui, we city gals let our guards down and immediately fell for the story told to us by an official-looking gentleman (well, he was in a uniform) outside of the Grand Palace. It went something like the Grand Palace was closed for 2 hours while the monks prayed, so we should go see the Standing Buddha, which is only open 1 day a year and today happened to be that day! And, oh look, here's a nice tuk-tuk (a small motorized scooter that seats 3 passengers) driver who is available who can take you straight there! How nice of them!!

Our river boat - the thing can haul!

3 city girls take a tuk-tuk ride.... 

I need one of these tuk-tuk's for Sydney

What we realized mid-way through was that it was a total scam. We indeed saw the Standing Buddha, but learned it is open all the time. But when our tuk-tuk driver took us to a jewelry store, we discovered the scam and that she was actually paid by shopowners to drive unsuspecting tourists to their stores in exchange for petrol. After finagling her to drive us back to the Palace, we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. The grounds were beautiful, the buildings ornate and the Emerald Buddha (only about a foot tall, made entirely of carved emerald, sitting atop an ornate, gold-encrusted structure about 40 feet tall) mesmerizing.


The Grand Palace has, until recently, served as the primary residence of the Thai monarchy since 1782. It is a vast series of intricately appointed buildings and temples. To enter, you must have your arms and legs covered, and as you explore the grounds, you are required at times to remove your shoes. The opulence of the Grand Palace is nearly indescribable, as is its beauty. 

One of the many statuettes at the Palace 

Moi, a la the Grand Palace. I bought the dress for $5 just outside so I had something to cover my arms and legs.

So charming! Each were actually about 6 feet tall.

A different type of statuette at the Palace

From there, we grabbed a real taxi (ahem) to a hidden gem of a restaurant called Chote Chitr recommended by my friend Christian as the best Thai food in Bangkok. Indeed it was. It was a tiny hole-in-the-wall cafe with only 5 tables, an aggressive Thai female owner named Tim and by God the most delicious food. My favorites were the spicy papaya salad, curried jumbo prawns and steamed fish in banana leaves. YUM!! There was a bit of drama while there, but I'll leave it to my friends to chuckle about the whirlwind we had, as well as my insistence on staying put while we tried to locate a lost camera, a massive swing and someone in Australia, all while enjoying the delicious cuisine. :) The rest of the day was spent traversing the city and walking through the local markets. 

Me at Chote Chitr - thanks Christian!

A classic street vendor offering (that I actually could identify)

After a quick shower and a mission to keep going despite absolute exhaustion, we headed out to enjoy an incredible view of the sprawling urban landscape of Bangkok high atop the 63rd floor of the open air SkyBar. While the wind was whipping furiously in the warm air of the evening, I enjoyed a glass of bubbly and amazing views! We then went to a famous Bangkok restaurant called the Blue Elephant. The menu was so cool. It had 3 sections - one for food inspired by the past, one for the present and another for the future. I chose the past, and did not regret it. Delicious!!

At the Blue Elephant

As I collapsed into bed after such an adventurous day, I reflected on the city of Bangkok and how different it is from Koh Samui. It's busy, dirty and enterprising. It's full of markets, big Asian business and traffic. It's loud and imposing. It's also fascinating, and much like Koh Samui, is filled with Thai people who are genuinely friendly and happy to have you enjoy their city.


I look forward to returning soon. One day was not nearly enough.
Until next time....xoxo

A Tale of Two Cities - Part I

One of the reasons I was looking forward to moving to Australia was to take advantage of the "close" proximity I'd have to places I'd always wanted to visit. (I say "close" with a hint of sarcasm because Australia is far from everything. EVERYTHING. But I am getting used to 8-9 hour flights being considered short.) As such, I decided to take full advantage of a business trip to Singapore by using the weekend in between to travel to Thailand, a destination I have ALWAYS dreamed of visiting.

The next series of blog posts will be around a theme of A Tale of Two Cities....this first post will highlight my trip to the mountainous beach island of Koh Samui, while the next will focus on its exact opposite - Bangkok.

Koh Samui Beach

Koh Samui is located in the Gulf of Siam and is the second largest island in Thailand. They believe it was first inhabited by fisherman 15 centuries ago. The terrain is beautiful with mountain peaks, jutting limestone, thick jungles and white sandy beaches. It is surrounded by 60 other islands that make up the Ang Thong Marine National Park. The inhabitants survived for many years on fishery and coconut tree farming, but now most work in tourism. Buddhism is the major religion, but southern Thailand is a melting pot of people inclusive of Buddhists, Thai Chinese, Muslims and traditional sea-faring gypsies. Everyone I met was peaceful, friendly and kind. While the word "ko" means island in Thai, it remains a mystery as to what "samui" means. Many think is derives from the Malay word Saboey, which means "safe haven". I can attest that it is indeed that.

One of the views from the Four Seasons

The beach at the Four Seasons 

I decided to treat myself and spend the 2 days I had staying at the Four Seasons. I have never before - and will likely never again - experience a more beautiful or luxurious setting. The pictures will never do it justice. The rooms were actually mountainside villas, each with a private plunge pool, large porch and incredible views of the ocean and neighboring islands. Everywhere I looked I saw fresh, brightly colored flowers, gecko lizards and smiling Thai faces. I was greeted at every turn with a "Sa-wat-ee-ka", which means hello in Thai. And the food was absolutely incredible.

The spa rooms were similar...to get to my private spa villa (I can't believe I am even saying that...but it's true), I traversed up and down many many stairs, which took me into a jungle along the side of the mountain with views, once again, overlooking the sea. My treatment involved a Thai massage (where the lady stands over you on the table and proceeds to stretch you here to there and everywhere in between) and then a deep pressure point massage using a handful of muslin local oil/herbs which were gathered into a muslin-covered ball, heated to a high temperature and then rubbed into my sore muscles. Thanks to my friend Stephanie for the recommendation for what was quite simply the BEST. MASSAGE. OF. MY. ENTIRE. LIFETIME. SO. FAR. Another highlight was an early morning yoga session, done on a platform perched atop limestone rocks overlooking the beach with a cool morning sea breeze cooling us off. It was intense (ladies in the class compared the pain in one pose to that of childbirth!!), but amazing and I felt ready to go for the rest of the day.

My personal spa villa

Spa treatment preparations

One evening, we headed into 'town', which is called Bo Phut (and Fisherman's Village) and had traditional Thai cuisine at a restaurant called Starfish & Coffee. The curried lobster was by far my highlight; it was perfect, Delicious food enjoyed under the stars with the salty breeze off the water on a gorgeous Thai night. We topped it off with delicious gelato. Indeed, it was probably the best gelato in Koh Samui. But just maybe.

What I loved most was the peaceful beach setting. The sand was cool and smooth, and the water was warm like bathwater but crystal clear. When I looked out at the next island over, I saw layers and layers of endless blue sea and gorgeous reef. And again, the Thai are so charming. I loved when they would deliver ice water and move the umbrella to give me some "shadow" from the sun. I challenged myself and for the first time tried paddleboarding. Needless to say, I AM ADDICTED. I absolutely loved it; I saw colorful fish, beautiful reef and amazing scenery from atop the board, and couldn't have been happier.

Me on the beach in Koh Samui 

Me & my mad paddleboarding skills

All in all, a wonderfully relaxing time with friendly people, amazing food and utterly gorgeous scenery. In other words....heaven.


Until next time...(Bangkok adventures!)
xoxo