30 Countries By The Age Of 30

I've reached my travel goal of visiting 30 countries by the age of 30! Woohoo!

 

Here they are listed in order:



                            Australia                                                      Vanuatu

 

                             Indonesia                                                    New Zealand

 

                             South Africa                                               Botswana 

 

                            Zambia                                                        Malaysia

 

                             England                                                      Ireland



 

                             The Netherlands                                         Germany  





                            

                             France                                                         Switzerland

 

                             Italy                                                            Greece

                             Vatican City                                               Monaco

                             Spain                                                           Thailand

                             Chile                                                           Argentina

                             Bolivia                                                        Peru

                             Ecuador                                                       Nicaragua

                             Costa Rica                                                  Panama

                             Turkey                                                        Croatia

 

 

What's your travel goal? 

Tony Robbins: LIVE

 

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. The anticipation is at an all-time high. The excitement in the room is palpable. After months of looking forward to this, and 1 ½ days gone at the National Achievers Congress, Tony Robbins is about to take the stage. He’s bouncing on a mini trampoline backstage as we speak, pumping himself up and getting himself into what he calls ‘Peak Performance mode’.  

The host announces, ‘It’s the man who needs no introduction...’ It’s happening! It’s really happening! My dream of seeing Tony Robbins LIVE is about to become a reality. I’m so excited for what’s to come, I can barely contain myself. There’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be right now. I clasp my hands together and stare intently at the stage. What was to be some of the best five hours of my life had begun – the learnings start NOW. 

 

 Tony walks out to everyone in the crowd standing and cheering. Tony’s booming voice and seemingly endless energy commands the room (of over 8,000 people!) like nothing I’ve ever seen. Tony seldom spends time on the stage and instead walks around the room, in a somewhat unconventional yet refreshing manner. Tony says to us, the audience: ‘You know when you’re exhausted, you’ve had no sleep at all, and suddenly BOOM! You’re awake all night. How many of you can remember a night like that? You’re about to have another one right now. Let’s do it!’ The type of night he described was the exact night I’d had the night before. I feel as if he's talking directly to me.  

We’re encouraged often throughout the afternoon/evening by Tony to be active instead of passive. We stand, we shout, we jump, we clap, we high-five, we dance! Boy do we dance! The room is electric. It truly is something else. After a short time my hands are red from clapping, my throat hurts from screaming, my arms are shaking with adrenaline, my eyes are sparkling with wonder and excitement, and my heart is truly happy. I FEEL ALIVE!

We engage with total strangers sitting next to us as if we’ve known them our whole lives. We share with them our hopes and dreams. We talk and we listen. Life techniques are taught and thought patterns questioned. I take notes at such a rapid rate I’m surprised they’re at all legible!  Answers to big life questions are answered, both by Tony and by myself. We scream, shout, jump, fist-pump and dance some more. We use more energy than I ever thought possible on an otherwise ordinary Tuesday afternoon.

By this point I’m really warming up, so I take my jacket off. In preparation for Tony’s arrival that day the air conditioning in the room was set to COLD FREEZING (and I’m from Canberra)! Now I can see why. I have a quick drink. I need to pee so badly I fear one more jump in the air could cause a situation... so I rush to the toilet. No joke, people (including myself) are RUNNING to the bathrooms. It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever been in a line at the ladies room that moved QUICKLY! No one wants to miss a moment of Tony Robbins LIVE. I make my way back to my seat.

Tony’s presence is that of a rockstar – everyone wants a piece of him. As he walks through the audience he high-fives some lucky audience members who unknowingly sat in just the right seats earlier this morning. As time goes on, I start to crave that connection for myself. I want to touch the hand of the big man (seriously, he’s really tall!) who has changed the lives of thousands of people and coached the likes of Oprah, Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana and Serena Williams, just to name a few. I want to high-five him or hold his hand for a moment and simply say thank you. At one point, he stands within mere metres of me. I’m so close, yet so far. I start to think maybe I will leave today feeling disappointed. The show is almost over and time is running out!

Tony then tells us: ‘Close your eyes and think of something you could feel really grateful for if you wanted to.’ The lights dim. I close my eyes. Immediately I see the faces of the people I love most smiling back at me - the faces of the most beautiful, kind, amazing people in this world. I feel overwhelmingly grateful to have them in my life. I realise they are all I need. I feel extremely comforted by this. Tears fall down my face, for I couldn’t stop them even if I tried. Emotion flows out of me like Niagara Falls in full swing. I let go. I feel it. I truly feel it. The lights come back on. I turn to the lady standing next to me. It seems I’m not the only one – she too is crying happy tears. We embrace. We connect. We exchange contact details.

Tony may not have touched my hand that day, but my god he touched my soul. He truly showed up for us. Tony Robbins, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

 

The Very Hungry Travel Bug

It all starts with this...a map and a dream. European Summer 2018 is looking good!

 

 

#Goals

New additions to my Vision Board....

 

...and a few new additions to my Hero Board...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The New Bohemians Handbook - Come Home To Good Vibes

 

 

I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I came across The Jungalow's Instagram page and Jungalow - A Bohemian Lifestyle blog recently. I just couldn't stop looking! I was excited to find photos (see below) of all the things that make my heart sing:

 

Plants - succulents, cacti and flowers✓

Books, books, books ✓

Bright colour in abundance✓

Textures and patterns✓

Crystals and rocks✓

String instruments ✓

Latin American blankets ✓

Aztec rugs ✓

Colourful cushions ✓

Bamboo baskets ✓

Hammocks ✓

White and wooden furniture✓

Light and airy atmosphere ✓

Hand- painted wood ✓

Watercolour and ink artwork✓

Painted pots, plates, mu and bowls ✓

Beautiful bedspreads ✓

 

In our home is a collection of all of the above!

 

 

  

Then I saw that the blog's founder Justina Blakenely had written a (second) book, and I just had to get my hands on a copy! With lots of vibrant photos of creatively decorated homes, it was lovely to look through. There is also loads of fun and practical design advice on how to make your home your 'spirit environment.'

 

My favourite piece of advice from Justina is 'De-clutter like a minimalist, decorate like a maximist.'

 

 

This beautiful leather ottoman (or 'the potato' as we like to call it) is the newest addition to our home... and surprise surprise, it's from ISHKA!

'Available in a range of vibrant colours to compliment any boho-chic abode, our stunning collection of genuine Moroccan leather ottomans come direct from the leather works of Marrakech. Handmade by skilled Moroccan artisans, these parachute-style ottomans feature a decorative central panel hand-embroidered with silk thread. Centuries-old techniques for curing and tanning leather were used to craft these stylish and comfortable ottomans that are sure to bring the magic of Morocco into the home for years to come!'

What Did Monday Ever Do To You?