Baja Bliss

Recently, it was our annual Baja pilgrimage. Just as everyone is going back to school, packing away the summer clothes, and getting back into the work groove after summer vacations, we are packing our surfboard bags and loading up on sunscreen for a family adventure.
I feel so blessed just to be able to take the time off, that we ALL are able to take the time off, and go hang out in the waves together. The best part is that they are not only my family, they are my best friends and some of the coolest people I know. What a lucky girl I am.
Back to the pilgrimage. This involves a really long drive, about 36 hours in fact. The destination is some property that my brothers bought a while back, property in the middle of the desert, property with world class waves out front. It’s an extreme environment. Extreme in its climate, in its plant life, in its inhabitants. Rattle snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, black widows, coyotes, badgers and more that I probably don’t even know about! However, watching a huge orange ball rise out of the ocean every morning, seeing the hundreds of pelicans and gulls fly their daily migration, and surfing alongside dolphins and sea turtles in crystal turquoise waters helps to overshadow the run-ins with the more disturbing creatures.
In saying that, after 2 1⁄2 weeks of desert life, I was ready for a hot shower and pedicure. I must be getting soft in my old age! Thank you guys, for such a special time. I treasure it.

Hong Kong Gone

I hit a wall. Not literally, of course, but exhaustion to the point where I could no longer get out of bed. Florence, Munich, London, Vancouver, Hong Kong… in 4 days. 5 flights, 5 different time zones, and not nearly enough sleep. It was inevitable, really. Perhaps it was 40 hours with no sleep, or maybe the last 13 hour flight, or the 33 degrees and 95% humidity… or maybe all the above. All I can be sure of is that in the 5 minutes before my 3 hour nap, my brain felt like mush, my eyes like sandpaper, my bones and muscles throbbed with fatigue, and my need for sleep was so intense that I would have sold my soul for a 20 minute catnap. Really, I was that exhausted.
Upon waking, I realized, hey, I’m in Hong Kong! And at once took to the streets to explore with renewed vigor that lasted about an hour before my body remembered I was still in a state of exhaustion and sent me right back to bed. In that short time, however, I did manage to find a market, one filled with fish heads, tables of beef and pork, fruit and veggies galore, jade trinkets, Calvin Klein knock-offs and many, many smiling faces (well, okay, they don't really seem to be smiling in these photos, but I was getting lots of smiles, I swear!).

Under the Umbrian Sun

To me, Umbria is a low-key version of Tuscany. It is still possible to find a medieval hilltop village without the overflowing tour buses, restaurants with no “touristico menu”, and vineyards that aren’t concerned with the wine tours. For me, the best part was the yellow fields of glowing sunflowers, dotting the countryside like a patchwork quilt. At the beginning of our Italy tour, I was told that this iconic symbol of wine country wasn’t yet in season, so it was a wonderful gift to see these stunning flowers on my last days!

It's a New Year!

It’s the beginning of a new year, and what does that mean? Well, in my book, a new year signifies a new beginning. A friend of mine has a tradition where he writes down things from the previous year that they want to let go of: bad experiences, relationships, negative emotions, and then they fold the paper into a boat, light the tip on fire, and sail it in the ocean. Not only is it a symbolic release, but in letting go of the past, it helps us to look forward. I’ve always thought goal setting is so important. How else can this universe conspire to give you what you want if you don’t ask for it? And…. a little hard work helps, too! So, if you haven’t already, take 5 minutes to sit and write down (yes, write it down!) your goals for the year, relating to career and finances, health, love and relationships, spirituality and whatever else you desire. Be honest, be realistic and aim high!
I was recently in Sydney, Melbourne and the best part... a road trip along the Great Ocean Road. Wow! The landscape was spectacular! Rugged, red cliffs, pasture that went on forever, and historic villages on the shores carved by wild seas and fierce winds. It was a photographer’s dream...

These are bathing boxes in Brighton Beach, Melbourne, that were built in the 40's for people spending the day at the beach. They are now heritage listed and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to own one.

The Opera House cost $102 million to build. It was 10 years behind schedule and $95 million over-budget.

The Great Ocean Road stretches over 300km with some of the most spectacular coastal regions with huge cliffs, raging surf, tranquil bays, lush rainforests and fascinating wildlife.

Formed over thousands of years by the action of the sea, only eight of the original 12 Apostles remain.