Home

Osaka: Dotonbori Day and Night

5 Comments / Home, Travel

We travelled on the Shinkansen, Japan’s bullet train, from Tokyo to Osaka as part of our Japan trip. Yes, friends, it’s time for another Japan travel recap, and this is the first part of our time in Osaka, starting with Dotonbori in the day and night. I was excited about going on the bullet train because, you know… It’s a bullet train. I’m not usually a fan of anything fast, so I Googled it once we were on board and felt better reading that it had an excellent safety record. I like a bit of reassurance before fast things. Not sure what the point of that was, really, because it’s not like I was going to get off the train. I would probably have just started praying hard instead. Without the bullet train, getting from Tokyo to Osaka can take around 6 to 10 hours, depending on how you travel. On the bullet train, it’s only about 2.5 to 3 hours, which is a pretty big difference! Once the bullet train left the station, picked up speed, and my ears popped a little, it was a strange sensation that’s hard to describe. You kind of got used to how fast everything was moving, and it didn’t really feel fast at all. I felt really lucky to experience it, as I had heard a lot about these amazing trains. We booked seats on the Mount Fuji side, so we had an excellent view of the spectacular Mount Fuji as we zoomed past. I took about a thousand photos and videos. It was so beautiful. Arriving in Osaka After arriving in Osaka, we made our way to Nishinari Ward, where we were staying. It was such a huge contrast to Tokyo, and it felt much calmer because it was residential. That’s one of the great things about staying in an Airbnb: you get to experience a more local side of the city. At first, I thought it was so quiet because it was a Sunday, but it stayed quiet the whole time we were there. One of the highlights (there were so many!) was exploring Dotonbori, a lively district full of food, neon lights and canals. It was about a 10 to 15-minute train ride from where we were staying in Nishinari Ward. It felt like a completely different side of Osaka, with so much energy and buzz. Osaka: Dotonbori Day and Night Dotonbori During the Day We went during the day first, and it was busy, but nothing like Akihabara in Tokyo. That was next-level sensory overload! In Dotonbori, we saw the river, the bridges, and the famous Glico running man. Dotonbori is full of huge, incredible food signs and displays everywhere. I took so many photos of giant crabs, octopus signs and oversized food displays attached to buildings. I didn’t know where to look because there was so much going on everywhere. It was amazing and like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It almost felt like a food-themed amusement park, which is the best way I can describe it. Dotonbori at Night The next time we visited Dotonbori was at night. All the signs were lit up, and the streets were even busier than during the day. We saw delicious food being prepared everywhere, and the smells were incredible. People were lining up for the famous takoyaki (small octopus-filled savoury balls, a famous Osaka street food), and there was just so much happening all around us. We tried a selection of takoyaki, and the good news is that they were exactly as good as Instagram said they would be! We also wandered through the nearby shopping streets. Including Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street. It felt like a long, covered street that just kept going and going, with shops everywhere and people moving constantly. It was a shopper’s dream, with every kind of brand you could think of. Dotonbori is full of energy at night. The good thing is that even with so many people, it didn’t feel overwhelming at all. In Osaka Dotonbori, both in the day and at night, it was incredibly busy. Like crazy busy! But even so, you could still walk freely, stop when you wanted, and just enjoy the moment. It was truly one of those “wow” places you have to experience.

Osaka: Dotonbori Day and Night Read More »

Healthy Work Lunch Ideas:Simple Lunches on the Go

6 Comments / Health and Well Being, Home, Recipes

Packing My Lunch Every Day Hi friends, it’s time to link up with Adrienne, Dara, Joanne and Jen to share all about our go-to lunches. I work full-time as an early childhood educator, and I pack my lunch for work every single day, so I like to have a few healthy work lunch ideas ready to go. Our preschool is located on a quiet suburban street. There is nowhere close by to buy food, and that’s actually totally ok with me. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to resist cafes or fast food places with delicious options right at my doorstep. The temptation would be too great, and the expense would be too crazy. Healthy Work Lunch Ideas My Go-To Healthy Work Lunch Ideas I love eating fresh fruit, and in summer I kind of live on salads for lunch. Although there have definitely been plenty of times during my lunch break when I’ve stared at yet another salad and wished it would turn into a Big Mac. But overall, salads really are my go-to. They must have protein, though. Egg, tuna, chicken or beef (usually any leftover protein from the night before dinner) are usually my pick. I also try to remember to add cheese because salads without cheese just feel a little bit sad to me. Earlier this year, I discovered crispy rice tuna avocado bowls. For a while, they were constantly on my lunch menu, and then I paused. Writing this is actually making me think I should start making them again soon because they really are delicious. Winter Lunches Once the weather gets colder, I switch to soups. I’ll make a big batch and freeze portions so I can just grab one. Easy peasy. Future me is always very grateful when I do this. The Fridge Sweep Lunch Some days, though, lunch is just a fridge sweep. I put random leftovers and bits and pieces into my lunch container. Whatever needs using up is the go. It’s also a win because it avoids food waste, which I’m always trying to be more mindful of. My husband, being a chef, has a radar for anything in the fridge that needs to be eaten, especially anything close to its best-before or use-by date. Let’s not even talk about the milk. Yikes! Avocado, Always! I’m also very loyal to avocado. It’s good for cholesterol and works with so many easy lunch options. I love it on sourdough with tomato and fetta or simply on toast with Vegemite. Making Lunch Feel More Intentional This year, I decided I wanted to do nicer things for myself, and one of those things was putting more intention into my lunches. I kind of got into a rut over the last few years, where I would just grab whatever and put it into any plastic container. When my kids were in school, I would lovingly prepare their lunches, and they would have their lunch bags in their current preferred pop culture theme. The last lunch bag I ever bought was BMO from Adventure Time. Sometimes I’d also add a funny note. At the beginning of this year, when motivation was at its peak, I thought, “Why don’t I do something nice for myself?” So I asked for a proper pretty lunch bag, matching utensils, and a drink tumbler with a straw for Christmas. I love using them every day. When I pack my lunch, I don’t write myself notes because that would be weird, but I do like having things that make my lunch feel a little more special. These healthy work lunch ideas are nothing earth-shattering, but I enjoy them. Who doesn’t love a good lunch on a busy day? For me, food is always a highlight of my workday😋

Healthy Work Lunch Ideas:Simple Lunches on the Go Read More »

Tokyo Dome Baseball Game

6 Comments / Home, Travel

A night at Tokyo Dome watching a live baseball game ended up being one of the absolute highlights of our trip to Japan. So today I’m sharing all about it, thanks so much for stopping by 😊 Tokyo Dome Baseball Experience Before we left Sydney, we had a loose itinerary with plenty of ideas of what we wanted to see. But the only things we locked in were DisneySea, Tokyo Disneyland, and tickets to watch the Yomiuri Giants vs the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. And it turned out to be a winning trifecta! When I told friends we were going to a baseball game and how excited I was, I got a few surprised looks. And truly, who could blame them? I’m not exactly the most sporty person on the planet. But my family are. In fact, my cousins, who we travelled with, love baseball. They play all year round, coach younger teams, and referee as well. So while I don’t play sport (please don’t throw me a ball, I’ll just duck), I do enjoy a good game of pretty much any sport (no boxing though). I get right into the spirit like any die-hard fan. Inside Tokyo Dome The minute we walked into Tokyo Dome, we felt it straight away. The energy was incredible, with thousands of people, but it was so organised, completely in sync and almost calm. One of the things that stood out on our trip was how good the Japanese people are at organising large crowds to move quickly, calmly and efficiently. It was truly impressive. Our Tickets and Seats My cousin, the amazing trip organiser, got us the best tickets through KKday, and we had the perfect seats. And there was so much to see, I didn’t know where to look! The Atmosphere and Crowds First up, there was the cheering, which was completely next level. It wasn’t just random shouting, no way. It was coordinated chants, songs, trumpets and clapping, with whole sections moving together like they had been rehearsing for years. I think I spent just as much time watching the crowd as I did the actual game because it was that fascinating. The Food at Tokyo Dome Then there was the food, and it wasn’t just soggy chips and hot dogs. Although there’s nothing wrong with chips and hot dogs, I do love those too. But the menu was impressive with bento boxes, fried chicken, rice, beef dishes, and curry. Real proper meals, like something you’d find in a restaurant rather than a stadium. The sweets were also really good. I had ice cream and some kind of doughnut-style treat. So Yum! Beer Girls Then there were the beer girls running, yes running, up and down all those stairs through the stands, selling drinks and snacks as they went. They carried huge beer kegs on their backs and somehow managed to pour and serve drinks while weaving through packed rows of seats. It was incredible to watch. And they were so sweet and friendly too, always smiling and making it look effortless, even though I’m sure it was an intense job. I kept thinking how unbelievably fit they must have been. Half Time Entertainment The half-time entertainment was a hoot! There were people dressed as sushi doing a proper “ready, set, go” race… and the sushi roll won. I’m still laughing, thinking about it. A Night To Remember What surprised me most during this Tokyo Dome baseball game experience was how respectful everything felt. So many people, so much passion, but no chaos. No pushing, no aggression, no booing (except maybe from us… oops!). The Tokyo Dome baseball experience was truly a night we’ll never forget. It’s gone down as one of the biggest highlights of our trip. And all of this is from someone who doesn’t fully understand all the baseball rules. But of course, now I’m well and truly a Giants fan for life! If you are planning a trip to Japan, add a Tokyo Dome baseball game to your list. Even if you are not sporty. Especially if you are not sporty!

Tokyo Dome Baseball Game Read More »

Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland Recap

7 Comments / Home

Hi friends, and welcome back. I’m so glad you’re here. Today I’m taking you through our days at Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland, sharing the highlights, the rides, what felt a little unexpected, and everything in between. Let’s go! Ok, I didn’t in a million years expect to wear my Minnie ears two years in a row. When I packed them away after our trip to the USA, I thought waaaahhhh, that’s probably it for a while. So pulling them out again for this trip was such a bonus. Tokyo DisneySea DisneySea Arrival DisneySea was the first Disney park we visited in Tokyo. We arrived at 8.30 am before it opened, and as you can see in the photos, the lines were already crazy long. No surprises, though, because luckily, YouTube travel vlogs had already prepared me for it. Even with the crowds, everything moved so efficiently that we were inside in just under an hour. That’s pretty amazing, right? Walking Around DisneySea DisneySea is huge. We did a lot of walking that day. My Apple Watch said around 22,000 steps. My husband’s Samsung said closer to 32,000. So I’m going to call it somewhere in the middle and just say it was a very big walking day. Would you believe I hadn’t actually registered that DisneySea is right next to the water? It wasn’t until we were walking along and one of my cousins pointed out the “tsunami wall.” I thought they were joking, but nope, it’s true. Well, I’m not sure it’s actually a tsunami wall. My cousin was probably just trying to scare me, which isn’t hard, haha. It’s more just coastal protection because it’s built on reclaimed land along Tokyo Bay. The Details Everywhere The park itself is incredibly detailed, but I was so excited and in the moment that I didn’t fully register everything as I was going through it. Now I’m looking back at the photos and sitting down to calmly write the recaps. I’m having a lot of “ahhhh” moments. Back then, it was all “wow”. There were carvings, statues and really intricate design elements everywhere. All themed around a harbour and sea exploration idea. Tower of Terror Our first ride at DisneySea was the Tower of Terror. Back in California Disneyland, the original Tower of Terror was turned into Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, which was so fun! The drops were so scary, but because the ride blasted out 80s tunes, I couldn’t care less. I’m a big scaredy cat, always, but play me 80s music and I might even jump out of a plane (only kidding, no way would I do that). This was the original scary Tower of Terror, so I was a bit nervous going in. But all the storytelling before the ride was in Japanese, so I didn’t really know what was going on. That was actually a good thing because I didn’t feel as scared anymore. Rapunzel and Fantasy Springs We went on Journey to the Center of the Earth, Peter Pan and Rapunzel, which was so beautiful. We missed Anna and Elsa. The wait time was around two hours, and the fast passes sold out so quickly, so sadly we missed out (a good excuse to go back, right?) Snacks and Food Oh yes, I should also share about the food at DisneySea. We stopped for snacks throughout the day, which was kind of unusual for me because I’m normally way too excited to eat properly in places like this. But the variety was just too tempting, and oh my goodness, there was so much to choose from! The popcorn flavours alone were things like garlic shrimp, soy sauce and butter, caramel, curry and black pepper. I didn’t try them all, but they all sounded so interesting. All the walking definitely made me hungry. It was also so much cheaper than what we paid in the US. I remember a hot dog meal (hot dog, chips and a drink) at Disneyland California being around 16 to 18 US dollars, roughly 24 to 27 AUD, which was enough to kill our appetite for anything else, haha. More Photos from the Day The rest of the photos are from our day at DisneySea, in no particular order. Such a fun day at DisneySea. Now onto Tokyo Disneyland. Tokyo Disneyland Rainy Day at Disneyland It rained all day long. It was on and off but strong enough that we were in ponchos for the whole day. After a while, it was so bad it was actually funny, and we just had no choice but to accept it. I packed away my Minnie ears and pulled on my cap so I wouldn’t scare the park with the state of my hair. The downside was that all the stage shows, parades and fireworks got cancelled. But the upside to this torrential day was that we didn’t have to wait to get on rides or pay for Disney Premier Access. Always got to look on the bright side! The Rides The Baymax ride was so fun! The whole ride was just so happy with all the lights, music, and the cast members dancing along. Just like at DisneySea, the cast members were so friendly. They were waving and smiling all day long! The Beauty and the Beast ride was that beautiful, I cried. Even the Jungle Cruise ride, which was all in Japanese, was so fun because the guide was so enthusiastic. I had no idea what she was saying, but it didn’t matter. And It’s a Small World will always have a special place in my heart, even though my family thought it was too tame. By the time I went on Splash Mountain, it didn’t even matter how wet we got because we were already soaked anyway. The first time I rode it, I fully hid under my poncho. I was not brave at all. The second time, I had no choice. One of Sam’s friends, Takame,

Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland Recap Read More »

Friday Favourites

5 Comments / Friday Favourites, Home

Hi friends, it’s time to reflect on the week and share some of the things that made it good. Welcome back to Friday Favourites! 1 On Tuesday (Monday was a public holiday), I went back to work after being off for 4 weeks. I can’t say that going back to work is a favourite because it’s so nice to have time off. But I felt pretty ok about it and wasn’t dreading it or anything like that. It was actually nice to be up early for my walk to work. This night owl has been enjoying very late nights and majorly lazy mornings! As I shared on Wednesday, the weather has been great, and even though we are knocking on winter’s door, it’s actually been very warm during the day. Tuesday morning looked like this. So pretty with the sun shining through the trees, right? And this is this afternoon. 2 This week, I went to the physio and actually dealt with something I’d been putting off. Go me! I’ll share more about this in another post, but it’s all about me and my bad habit of clenching my jaw (ugh). I’m forever avoiding dealing with health things, so this feels like a win. 3 Mid-week churro treat was a highlight. 4 This little dog scares the life out of me on my walks to and from work when she barks at me. She’s small, but she’s ferocious. I usually spot her in the distance when her owner is taking her out for a walk, so I’m prepared for her very clear intentions of wanting to attack me as I walk past. The owner has to hold her back! But when she’s sometimes in her front yard, she catches me off guard, and it’s kind of embarrassing how high I jump. Not this week. This week I was ready, and I didn’t jump when she came at me. Haha. 5 Some of my preschool friends missed me while I was away. I’ve been getting drawings and paintings as gifts over the last couple of days, along with sweet words like “Miss Ruth, I missed you.” It kind of turns into a domino effect. A couple of friends say it, and then the others join in and want to give me something too. One of my preschool friends asked our very funny classroom teacher to write me a message on one of the paintings. Can you guess which part was the friend’s and which part was added by her? That’s a wrap on this week’s Friday Favourites. Hope you all had a good one too.

Friday Favourites Read More »

What’s Up Wednesday April 2026

3 Comments / Home, What's Up Wednesday

Hi friends, I hope you’re having a great day. I’m time for the April edition of What’s Up Wednesday. Thanks so much for being here. WHAT WE’RE EATING THIS WEEK My meal planning has gone out the window, and I’m just winging it every day. But so far so good, and now that the new season of MasterChef is on, I’m more inspired. Not that I make anything nearly as creative as they do. But still, I like watching it as I cook. Anyway, back to what we’re eating this week. So far, I’ve made Mediterranean chicken, and we’ve had plenty for leftovers. We aren’t fussy at my house, and we are more than happy to eat the same meal two nights in a row. I did make a big pot of hearty soup just for me to take to work for lunch, and I have divided it up and frozen it. I like my soups thick and chunky with plenty of chicken and vegetables. This time I made it with some soup mix, and it has beans and barley, which makes it extra filling. It’s a nice change from the summer salads that I was taking to work during the hotter months. Although we haven’t really hit any autumn weather, soup is a nice change from salad and tuna on repeat. My son’s friend’s family owns a farm where they raise cattle for beef, and they generously gave us some meat, so we’ve been eating more red meat than usual. I think I’m rambling now. There is clearly no plan here. WHAT I’M REMINISCING ABOUT Trip planning! I’m not in a funk like I was when we got back from our USA trip, but I am missing that excitement of planning a trip and counting down the days. That’s one of the best parts! WHAT I’M LOVING It’s autumn, but it’s still so warm, and I sure do love warm weather. I’ve probably gone and jinxed everything now, and next week it will be cold, and I’ll be complaining. I wonder what the weather forecast is. I’m too scared to look! WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO We are all coming down from the high of our trip to Singapore and Japan. It’s back to work for all of us, and it’s always a bit of a shock coming back to reality. If you’d like to catch up on the trip recaps I’ve done so far, you can find them here and here. WHAT I’M DREADING Nothing I can think of, which makes me very thankful. Well, I guess there is one tiny thing. I’ve shared before that I’m not great with anything medical. Yes, I do the essential lady check-ups (ugh), but I tend to put off other things. I’ve got a referral for a blood test, and it’s been a few years since my last one. I should probably check things like cholesterol, but the last time my white blood cell count was a bit low, I immediately thought the worst. The doctor said everything was fine, and I was probably just run down or fighting an infection. But after that, I kind of went, “Who needs this kind of negativity?” And I haven’t gone back. So I’m trying to get myself together and just do it. I’m not even scared of needles; it’s more the results. And I know putting it off is silly, but here we are. WHAT I’M WATCHING I went to see Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you must! I loved it so much, I want to go back again. I had to hold myself back from jumping out of my seat and dancing—it was that good! WHAT I’M LISTENING TO Michael Jackson hits! Mama say mama sa mama coo sa – wooooo! WHAT I’M WEARING Autumn layers! I have been starting the day with a denim jacket or light jumper, and then, as it’s still lovely and warm during the day, I peel off a layer, and it’s back to T-shirts. Yay! WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND Zero plans WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH I was just saying to a friend today that May is usually a very quiet month. Well, she actually said that, and I agreed. But it turns out there are a few things happening. First up, one of our friends from our monthly Monday catch-ups is organising girls’ adventures, and we’re kicking off the first one on the 9th of May with a trip to Manly. Then we have a work dinner on the 22nd. I’m having some friends over on one of the weekends, I think it’s my turn to host cousin connect, and there’s Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May. It’s nice to have a few things to look forward to in May. Well, at the risk of sounding repetitive, I’ll say what I always say. I can’t believe how fast the time is flying! It’s already time to say goodbye to April. It was a great month, and I’m sad to see it go. But fingers crossed, May is good to all of us. See you on Friday. Linking up with Shay

What’s Up Wednesday April 2026 Read More »

Tokyo Itinerary: City Highlights and Travel Recap

7 Comments / Home, Travel

Hi friends, happy Monday. It’s time for part two of our Japan trip recap, and today I’m covering our Tokyo itinerary. Our time in Tokyo included two days in the city on either side of DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland (but I’ll share all about those two amazing days separately in upcoming posts). I thought I would recap our Japan trip mostly by city rather than by day. Hopefully, this way it will be easier to follow, since we moved around quite a bit, packed in so many sights and experiences, and didn’t stay in one single place for long. So, let’s go to Tokyo 😊 Tokyo Itinerary: City Highlights and Travel Recap Ueno Park First stop on our very flexible Tokyo itinerary was Ueno Park. What a perfect way to start, because it was calm and exactly what we needed. Oh boy, I didn’t know it at the time, but over the days we spent there, my senses got a major workout in colourful, bustling Tokyo! How lucky were we to be there and catch the end of cherry blossom season? This was the first week when we saw a few of them — so pretty, aren’t they? By the second week, the blooms were mostly floating away in the wind. After that calm start, Tokyo quickly shifted gears as we made our way into busier parts of the city, including Shibuya. Onitsuka Tiger Before our trip, I made a mental wishlist of places I would love to visit. If I saw them, it was a bonus, and if I didn’t, that was all ok too. Visiting Onitsuka Tiger was one of them, but I didn’t want to waste time hunting for the store, especially knowing how busy it got. When I did spot it (I couldn’t believe my eyes!) I cleared it with the group and went in. I love travelling with my cousins, and one of the reasons we work so well is that we give each other time and space. We mostly stayed together on this trip, but occasionally we split up to visit places or do things we were individually interested in. If one of us spotted a place or shop we liked, we went in while the others did their own thing, then we met up again or dropped a location pin to find each other again. Inside the Store Experience It was crazy busy inside, with people trying on shoes and waiting to pay. The upstairs section, where they stocked the sneakers I wanted, had a queue for the cashier wrapped around about three times. It was nuts! Luckily, I already knew exactly what I wanted and in what size. Then the stars aligned, and I found a lovely sales assistant who helped me try them on and let me pay downstairs, where it wasn’t so busy. If that hadn’t happened, I would have had to wait well over an hour and probably wouldn’t have bought them. It was a total madhouse in there, full of tourists like me, all hoping to get their hands on a pair of iconic Onitsuka Tigers at a better price than I could ever find in Australia. I still can’t believe I got the pair I wanted — the same style Uma Thurman wore in Kill Bill. What a win! Shibuya Crossing Later, we ended up at the iconic Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest intersections in the world. We crossed the crossing a couple of times while we were there. On one of them, I saw my husband trying to get a photo, so I ran right into the middle and struck a pose. Bucket list wish ticked! I’m more on the reserved side (less so as I get older), and my family have said they can clearly see my mum comes out in me when we are overseas. She wasn’t reserved, she was a riot! Akihabara On another day in our Tokyo itinerary, we visited Akihabara, the district known for everything to do with anime, consoles, retro gaming, and Pokémon cards. Oh my goodness, the streets were lined with endless shops going up so many levels, absolutely packed with it all. The gacha machines were everywhere, and the choice was incredible! We also came across a whole mix of animal cafés, from cat cafés and reptile cafés to owl cafés and even hedgehog cafés. There were also so many maid cafés, where staff dress in costumes and create a playful, fantasy-like, over-the-top experience for guests. Outside almost every one I saw, there was a maid standing out front waving and trying to encourage people to come in. I was so curious because I’d read about them when we were doing our Tokyo itinerary, and truly, where else in the world do you see anything like that? I really wanted to go in, but we ran out of time. Friends in Tokyo Sam is so friendly, and I’m not just saying that because he’s my son; he really is. He met some Japanese students when they were living in Sydney last year, and they had since returned to Japan, so he got in contact with them before our trip. They spent a couple of days with us and were such lovely guys. This is them with Sam when it was time to say goodbye. They had travelled three hours just to meet us in Tokyo. Even though I had only known them briefly, I felt sad watching them leave. Don Quixote In this building is a shop called Don Quixote,and again it was on my mental Wishlist as I had seen it on Instagram. So in we went but what I did not know was how overwhelming it was going to be! Inside, there are rows and rows of everything you can think of. Souvenirs, keychains, shoes, bags, clothes, food, sweets, games, you name it, it’s there. The lighting is also quite strong, and the music is loud and constant, including the Don Quijote jingle on

Tokyo Itinerary: City Highlights and Travel Recap Read More »

Singapore on the Way to Japan and Back

7 Comments / Home, Travel

Hi friends, and happy Friday! Today I’m doing my first travel recap, and I thought I’d cover Singapore. We spent roughly 20 hours there on the way to Japan. And about 15 hours on the way back, I think that’s right. But I have to admit, the time difference and catching red-eye flights to and from our destinations had me all sorts of confused. Anyway, we definitely spent enough time to explore, discover and enjoy some amazing sights. We booked hotel rooms so we had somewhere to shower and leave our things, but sleep was not on our agenda. So, although we may have been walking zombies, we still made the most of every minute. So I thought today I would just share all about Singapore. Hope this makes sense. This is trip number two for our group of 7. Just like our USA trip, we travelled with my husband, younger son, and my cousin, her husband and their two teenage kids. The magnificent 7, haha. Singapore on the Way to Japan We “stayed” right near Changi Airport at YOTEL The room reminded me of a space capsule. Nice fluro lights, aye! We had a quick shower and changed into some cooler clothes because, oh my goodness, the humidity! I will never complain about the humidity we get here in Sydney again because Singapore is on a whole other level. Changi Airport sure is beautiful! It was bright and sunny, and our first stop was Gardens by the Bay. So far, so good, and my keratin-treated hair was working hard to stay relatively smooth in the overwhelming humidity. Then it got cloudier and cloudier. Until it started raining on and off for the rest of the day. We kept going and ended up in Chinatown street market. We actually met up with a friend of Sam’s who lives in Singapore but spent a year in Sydney, where he met Sam through mutual friends. He was a lovely guy and showed us around. I asked him if the humidity was always like this, and he said it felt pretty much like this all year round, which was one of the things he didn’t love about Singapore. He said he missed Australia. We had the most delicious Hainanese chicken rice right here at Tian Tian, where Anthony Bourdain also visited. After lunch, we kept exploring and found a shop dedicated to Tintin. I’m not quite sure how Tintin is associated with Singapore, but it was a great shop! Next stop–a visit to a temple. Then I found a shop that sold foldable rain hats, and I was very happy! That was a wrap on our first day in Singapore, and the next few photos are from our return trip after we had visited Japan. Singapore on Our Way Home We stayed at YOTEL, but this one was on Orchard Road, and in the foyer, there was a robot cleaner. I had to take a photo of it because its name was Yolanda. My cousin and I are related to an aunt called Yolanda, who was very strict, clean and tidy, so we thought it was funny. This time our group split up — some went to the pool, others had a business meeting, and Steve, Sam and I went to tick off Steve’s bucket list wish of eating Singapore chilli crab. According to Google, The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore served up one of the best chilli crab spots. Well, the crab was delicious, but I can’t say the staff were very friendly; they were a bit on the snobby side. But oh well, we had a lovely time. Now this was our first time eating a whole crab, and when they served it up, it looked amazing but very daunting. All I could think was how on earth we were going to eat this and not look like cave people. I started googling and searching YouTube frantically, and it confirmed what I suspected. You just had to go for it with your hands, sauce and all. Luckily, we were given aprons. But they failed to tell us about the gloves. When we arrived at the restaurant as eager beavers, we were the first customers. After a while, other diners came in, and we overheard the nicer waiter explaining to the couple next to us that they could use the gloves the restaurant supplied. Well, it was too late by then. We had sauce all over us, and Steve was tucking in like there was no tomorrow. And oh my goodness, we looked down and saw the gloves on our table still neatly in their packets. We had all assumed they were wet wipes. So messy, and look at the tablecloth! I felt better when I looked around, and everyone’s tablecloth looked the same. Phew! After lunch, we stopped to look at the view outside the restaurant. There was a dragon spouting water nearby, and it must have been famous because it was so crowded, with people filming themselves doing unusual things. I’m not sure what that was all about, so we moved a bit further away from the chaos and took some photos. Then we walked about 20 minutes to a waffle place. We went back to the hotel, where Steve had a nap, Sam went to the pool, and although I could have easily curled up and fallen asleep, I thought no way! Sleeping is for the plane; Singapore is for shopping. I raced out to find the nearest shopping centre. The shopping centre was called ION, and I had Google Maps guiding me. My sense of direction, even with Google Maps, is interesting. I was looking for Zara as I had seen a few people carrying Zara bags. Then I turned a corner and gasped out loud when I saw a Massimo Dutti shop! We don’t have them over here, and I’ve seen so many of their clothes on Instagram that I love. I had actually looked up the

Singapore on the Way to Japan and Back Read More »

Getting Ready for our Trip: Work, Lists and Flying Anxiety

7 Comments / Hello Monday, Home

Hi friends! It’s been a long minute since I’ve posted, but I’m very happy to be back today linking up with Holly and Sarah for Hello Monday. A Quick Update Wow, life sure got very busy during the last couple of weeks of March at work with writing Learning Outcome Summaries and parent-teacher interviews. Once that was all finished, I finally had the brain space to really start concentrating on getting ready for our trip to Singapore and Japan. Luckily, I took an extra week of leave before our trip so I could get organised. This was probably the best decision ever. While I was still working, I just couldn’t focus on anything except work. My brain doesn’t seem to multitask big things like work and trips. I need to compartmentalise them. It’s funny because I can handle the day-to-day things just fine. But when I’ve got something big coming up, everything else just takes a back seat. I end up needing to fully focus on one thing at a time. Am I the only one like this? Switching Off From Work Once my leave actually started, though, I had no trouble forgetting all about work. I flipped that switch and got straight into holiday mode, no worries at all. I was excited about going away, but at the same time, I was anxious about the flying part. Thankfully, this time I wasn’t as bad as I was for our trip to the USA in 2025, when I felt physically ill every time I thought about getting on a plane. Instead, I found myself getting anxious about why I wasn’t as anxious. Oh my goodness, this brain of mine! Flying Anxiety I’ve worked out that the anticipation of taking off is worse than the actual event. Once we’re in the air, I’m usually fine and just pretend I’m on a train, but that initial moment just freaks me out! The good news is that it all went well, and although I quietly cried at every take off, I didn’t on our return flight. I think by then we’d done three flights and I was too tired to be scared. Or maybe I was getting the hang of it. Go me! Trip Prep I made so many lists. Lists for what to pack, outfit possibilities, places to visit, what to eat, what not to forget, shopping lists, and lists to remember where I put my lists. You get the picture. I tried the Sudoku packing method, and while it looked and sounded great on Instagram (doesn’t everything?), I couldn’t stick to the three grids. I added another grid, and then another, so in the end, I guess my method was more crossword puzzle than Sudoku. Maths was never my favourite subject anyway. Staycation Before We Left We knew this holiday was going to be very full on and that we would be packing in as many sights as possible in 13 days. So Steve and I decided to do an overnight staycation in the city four days before we flew out. The Fullerton Hotel Sydney We stayed at the Fullerton Hotel Sydney in Martin Place, which was the perfect way to relax before we walked those daily gazillion steps. Haha, I had that song by The Proclaimers in my head on loop for most of the trip. “And I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more…” Well, we sure did! So it was a good thing we got to enjoy some calm, peaceful times in such a beautiful hotel. What a great view of the GPO Clock Tower. This was the view from our table at the restaurant. It reminded me of the concert hall scene from The Sound of Music, and I half expected the Von Trapp children to come out singing at any minute. More To Come I’ll be sharing a few travel recaps over the next few posts. I’ve also shared some photos and reels on Instagram. But I’m not great at keeping up with social media, so I’m still catching up on those. Better late than never, right? Haha. Thanks for reading today. I hope you have a lovely day, and I’ll be back soon with more. Happy Monday!

Getting Ready for our Trip: Work, Lists and Flying Anxiety Read More »

My Watches, My Memories

5 Comments / Fashion Files, Home

After getting my new Swatch recently, I started thinking about all the watches I’ve owned over the years. Each one holds a special memory. Not just because they were all gifts from family, but also because they mark important phases in my life. They do more than tell the time (and show how late I’m running). Every watch has marked a special moment for me. So I thought I’d take you on a little museum tour of the watches that have ticked along with me over the years. Let’s go! My Watches, My Memories 1982 Casio My uncle bought me my first ever grown-up watch for Christmas way back in 1982. It was a Casio digital watch, and  I remember being super excited to own such a high-tech watch! Being a kid and not having to worry about confusing old-fashioned clock faces was also a bonus. I wore it everywhere for years… and then I lost it. It just disappeared, and I looked everywhere but couldn’t find it. One day, I was helping my mum defrost the old-fashioned freezer section in the fridge. There it was, right at the back. Go figure. Swatch By the time I was 15, Swatch watches were all the rage, and almost everyone at school had one. Fashion and trends ruled, so I said goodbye to my high-tech digital watch and happily went back to a traditional one. For my 15th birthday, my mum let me choose my very own Swatch, and I couldn’t have been more excited. If you’re from my era, the good old 80s, you might remember how colourful everything was. Neon and bold prints were everywhere. I remember standing at the Grace Bros counter trying to decide which Swatch to buy. There were so many to choose from! But even then, I preferred safer, neutral colours, so in the end I chose a grey one with colourful hands. Seiko I’ve owned my silver Seiko since I was 23, and more than 30 years later, it’s still my favourite watch. My mum gave it to me for Christmas all those years ago, and I’ve treasured it ever since. Wearing it feels like carrying a little piece of her with me. I’ve even attached a silver bracelet, a gift from another uncle, and I wear them together. I love how the watch feels on my wrist. It’s loose enough to be comfortable but secure enough that I never worry about losing it. Apple Watch I didn’t rush out to buy an Apple Watch when they first came out. I love new technology, but I usually only invest in it if I know it will make a real difference to my life. That turned out to be the case when my mum was living with us, and age was sadly catching up with her. There were times when she was home by herself, so to make sure she was safe, we got her a personal alarm that she wore around her neck on a lanyard. If she had a fall, it would automatically alert me through my mobile phone. The tricky part was that I wasn’t allowed to carry a mobile phone with me at work. So the perfect solution was an Apple Watch, which my husband bought for me. Any alerts could come straight to my wrist. It worked well, and I clearly remember the time my watch started buzzing to tell me that my mum had fallen, sending me into instant panic. Luckily, I live only a short three-minute drive away, so I raced home and found her completely safe. Phew! Turns out she’d had a moment and, annoyed at the alarm dangling around her neck, threw it onto the bed, setting it off. What a relief to see her perfectly okay, even if she was a bit miffed about the whole thing. 2026 Swatch In 2026, new child safety regulations mean we aren’t allowed to wear smart watches at work anymore. My Apple Watch had to retire. I was sad to say goodbye because I also liked seeing how many steps I got in each day, usually well over 10,000, because we really are on the go, go, go. Then, when my birthday came up, I was feeling nostalgic about my long-gone teen years. I decided the cure for nostalgia was to revisit a fun time and go all out with a colourful Swatch I never would have had the courage to pick back then. I was so shy, I didn’t even want to draw attention to my wrists! Bright, Bold and Beyond And now I’ve come full circle and am the happy owner of a very bright pink Swatch watch that my boys bought me. Picking a bright colour like this is a big deal for me. It kind of signals a new phase in my life, when I’m feeling braver and going outside my comfort zone. I’ve always played it safe, and while I’m not booking any bungee jumping experiences anytime soon, I know that since last year, I’ve been much more open to trying new things and embracing new adventures. I’ll always be on the reserved side, at least until I get to know someone, but I’m totally okay with drawing attention to my wrists now. And that sums up all the watches I’ve owned. These days, my bright pink Swatch is my everyday watch, the Seiko comes out for special occasions, and the Apple Watch is mostly a weekend watch. If I remember, I will sometimes wear it to and from work to track steps. Each one of my watches reminds me of a different time in my life, the people who gave it to me, and the moments that made it special. Wearing them now feels like I’m carrying a little piece of my past, my present, and a hint of the fun times and adventures ahead—yay! Who knew watches could be little time machines of memories?    

My Watches, My Memories Read More »