The journey ahead

Disclosure: All my photos were taken on my iPhone!

My favourite photo this week was taken in La Roche Bernard, France. We spent a week exploring the country, towns, beaches and nature. It was lovely.

So my favourite pic this week...

Why I love this photo? 

Because it makes me dream. 

The road and the bridge makes me think of being on the road, going to new places to discover and explore.

Taking this photo makes me laugh. I spent so long taking photos from the edge of the bridge because of all the cars but it never looked right to me. Instead, I waited and waited and waited for a quiet moment to take the photo.

I ran into the middle of the road while my Frenchy watched out for cars.

I love the symmetry in the photo and putting it in black and white let's the mind imagine the colours.

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Things to do in London

My recent adventure... In a nutshell :)

London is a BIG city!

There is so much to see and do here. Behind every corner there is something new to discover.  

When you come to London, you'll definitely want to tick off the big tourist attractions, The London Eye, Big Ben, Hyde Park, Trafalgar Square and of course... Buckingham Palace. 

If you are lucky, you may be there for the changing of the guards! If not, you can simply take pictures of them through the gate, like I did! After staring at the Palace and taking many pictures, it's nice to take a stroll towards St James Park.

If you are afraid of birds, this may not be the best place for you, but if you can handle them, you'll see many ducks, swans, pigeons and you'll definitely see some squirrel! I was lucky to see this cute little duckling! It made my day... Isn't he cute?

After you walk through the park, you'll end up, just a short stroll from Westminster. Here you'll find the Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and of course, the London Eye. 

Walking along the Pier during sunset is simply beautiful. There are many places you can stop for coffee and cake, or a sneaky drink. You may be lucky and hear some talented buskers!

And finally, you can't be in London and not go to the Warner Brother's Harry Potter Tour. Growing up, I loved (and still do) Harry Potter. I've read the books many, many times and watched the movies countless amounts!

You'll need many hours and comfortable shoes to explore everything this city has to offer... And I haven't even scraped the surface!

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The power of shoes

Just the other day, I remember looking down at my shoes and thinking, how far I have come wearing these shoes. As a person I have evolved, matured and progressed. I never thought travelling would hold so many life lessons and experiences.

Once upon a time, a not so long ago time, I was a shoe addict. I am not at all cured of this addiction, I have simply found a way to tame it. For the passed 6 months, I have worn the same ONE pair of shoes almost every, single day. For me, this is a rarity. I have over 200 pairs of shoes in my wardrobe back home, some of them never being worn. So for me to wear the same pair of shoes around the world is astonishing.

Upon reflection of my 6 months away, I realised that my trusty, once white trainers have carried me to so many places. I have been to Singapore, Paris, Angers, Moliets, Vannes, Nantes, Nivillac, Montpellier, Toulouse, Argeles, Barcelona, back to Toulouse and Paris again. They also carried me to Munich and now London. They are a well loved and well travelled pair of trainers!

My value for shoes has now increased immensely. Once upon a time I was attracted to the way a shoe looked. The way I felt when I wore them, how sexy they were and of course, who made them. But now I look at my shoes as an investment. They protect my feet from the harsh environments and they are comfortable and durable for exploring different places. I have run up and down many stairs, carrying my heavy suitcase. I have dragged my suitcase up and down many cobbled streets, run into many rain puddles (thank you London for the miserable welcome!) and even climbed some mountains wearing them. 

My now mud covered trainers hold the story of my travel.

What's your shoe story?

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Upcoming:

Check back on Friday for my #UltimateVegasOutfit

A year in review

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have a very wonderful and prosperous 2016!

Welcome to my first post of the year... And I thought I would kick it off with a review and reflection of last year! It's better late than never, right?

2015 was a big year for me! My shoe collection took a hit as I jetted off from the land of Oz to Europe with my Frenchy. I have learnt many life lessons, experienced the highs and lows of travelling and I have seen some wonderful places.

So what were my highlights for the year?

Firstly, I collaborated with a close friend of mine to produce a series of popular shoe posts.

Images ny Jordan Swioklo of Precision Film Editing services

Together we had so much fun, many outfit changes and locations to showcase my latest and favourite shoes! During my time away, it has made me miss my shoe collection and I love to review these photoshoots frequently! 

A little leopard never hurt nobody

Hello Sailor

Block it out

Foxi and Fabulous

Arm candy

Fullforce

Autumn is here

It's a jungle out there

Next I prepared myself and planned my travel into the unknown!

The 6 must have shoes for travelling overseas was one of the most popular posts and well read posts from all around the world! 

For the remainder of the year, I got to travel and explore France. I got to experience French food, the french language and explore nearing countries. Read My Travel Diary to see where I've been on this amazing journey.

Finally, I finished the year off in London. Experiencing, exploring and working in this wonderful city. For more information from London, head to my London series for everything I have discovered so far.

2015 was an eventful year for me and I look forward to see what 2016 has to bring!

What was the highlight of your 2015?

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My true passion

My true passion lies in the pages of Vogue magazine.

The glossy pages have me coveting the latest designer fashion, falling head over heels for the most beautiful shoes and dreaming of the moment I can afford the luxury.

I love my current life. Travelling with my Frenchy is amazing. I love visiting and exploring new places and I love the life lessons that go with it. But sometimes, I wish I could settle back into my old life, surrounded by my 200 pairs of shoes, without the responsibilities.

But, I recently found a great way, I can have a taste of both worlds.

Before leaving France, I applied for a position as the Clothing Specialist for a busy London company. I was fortunate to be the successful candidate for the position. 

Now, every day at work, I get to meet and style new customers in the latest fashion, I get to learn about the fashion industry in one of the fashion capitals of the world and I get to do it all in a new city. On my way home from work, I stumble upon little London bars and restaurants, sample different cuisines and discover great places to shop in this big city.

So what do my duties include as a Clothing Specialist in London?

While I'm still in training for the Company, I style new and returning customers in luxurious, high quality fashion and accessories. I also get the privilege to see all the new products for the upcoming season, before we release them in stores. This means I get to create new outfits and style the latest fashions before they hit the streets.

The ultimate reward for me! :)

I'm still finding my way in the Company and developing my position, but for now it's a great way to be surrounded by fashion for one of London's biggest companies, while still exploring more of the world.

What is your true passion?

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Technology switch off

A few weeks ago I had a 48 hour trip to Nivillac. 

And it was amazingly relaxing, peaceful and completely technology free.

Like in earlier years, there is no internet or Wifi in Nivillac. It is a place for a relaxing weekend away with family, friends and loved ones.

I am happy to confess, I am a definite lover of Wifi. I love Instagram to check out the latest fashion trends, talking to my family in Australia via FaceTime and checking in with my friends over Facebook. But sometimes I do get caught up in the small screen and forget to switch off.

Which is why I loved my 48 hour technology free weekend.

So, what does one do without technology?

It's simple. Spend time with the people you love. I spent the weekend with my beautiful boyfriend and his family. We ate delicious food while sitting in front of an open fire and played board games.

I even took some time to read fiction novels and went for a beautiful walk in nature. What more can you want?

Remember, to take the time and switch off. 

Spend time with the 3 dimensional people around you.

Where my shoes took me: In the streets of Munich

I was lucky to experience Oktoberfest.

And it's based in one of the most beautiful cities I've ever visited.

* M U N I C H *

When I wasn't enjoying the festivities at Oktoberfest, I was exploring everything Munich had to offer.

I went on a city walking tour to see the city centre and learn some of the city's history.

We started in Marienplatz and walked around for 3 hours. We learnt how the city of Munich was built into the city it is today and the history of the people who built it. It was rather fascinating. 

Things to do in Munich:

• You definitely should enjoy some traditional beer in one of the many, many beer halls. If you are not much of a beer drinker, you'll get over it and learn to enjoy it! 
• After enjoying your beer, you should head to hans im glück for the most amazing burger!
• Walk through the parks and gardens to enjoy the nature and serenity
• You can climb the top of the church in the city centre for just 2 euros! You'll climb about 200-300 stairs but the view is worth it! 
• After climbing the many stairs, you can enjoy a German pretzel! I had two favourites, sugar pretzels for the morning and cheesy pretzels for an afternoon snack! Definitely worth the 1.80 euro!

One thing to know when travelling in Munich, no shops are open after midday on Saturday or all day on a Sunday! So don't leave grocery shopping to the weekend! We spent close to two hours walking around the city centre trying to find a shop to buy some toilet paper and chocolate! Weird combination right? :) We were lucky to discover a small convenience store at the train station.

If you have the chance to be in Munich during Oktoberfest, I highly recommend it but Munich is so beautiful to explore... Anytime of the year is a bonus.

Where my shoes took me: Oktoberfest

* O K T O B E R F E S T *

If this is something on your bucket list, you definitely need to put it at the top of the list right now! It is something you should experience at least once in your lifetime.

Millions of people from around the world flock to Munich to enjoy the beer and enjoy Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest 2015

You get to meet so many people, drink German beer and sample German cuisine.

At one point, I was sitting at a table full of people from France, Germany, Australia, America, Holland, Spain and England.

It was incredible.

I was in shock the first day I arrived in Munich.

Firstly, I couldn't get over how an entire city embraced the tradition. Getting off of the bus, it was like I stepped into a different century. Women were walking around in dirndls and men were wearing lederhosens.

After settling into Munich and our accomodation, we decided to check out the festival.

There were rides, food stalls and of course beer tents.

I went into a beer tent, with a crowd of thousands, singing along to German songs, drinking litres of beer and all having a good time. I was surprised to see so many people, all having a good time together.

I'm not a beer drinker. I've only tasted a few beers in my life but when at Oktoberfest, you have to try the beer, right? The beer was fresh, strong and ridiculously heavy. It was a workout in itself just to hold the beer.

If Oktoberfest is something you want to experience, you should plan 6-12 months in advance and reserve your table in a beer tent. The beer is nice to drink but the 1 litre steins gets heavy after holding it for only 5 minutes. Having a table makes it so much more enjoyable.

Oktoberfest Munich was a great experience and one that I will remember for a long time.