We LOVE Skype!

I have one word to say and it's SKYPE. We love it. It has been fantastic and an absolute god send for us to keep in touch with friends and family from all over the world. With video skype, you feel like you can have the best of both worlds - being able to travel but also to see and talk to your loved ones in person. My 2 nieces are under 3 months so I get to see them grow up so to speak!

I remember when I first backpacked to Europe over 12 years ago and internet/ email was just starting to take hold. Now, I can't imagine being without it though nothing beats receiving a letter/ postcard in the mail that someone has taken the time to write and send.

Speaking of which, the very talented Fiona at Cartolina Cards has created an app for the iphone which I think combines the best of both worlds.

Images from iTunes

Mother Nature Knows Best!!

How gorgeous are these colours & textures? We're surrounded by orchids and foliage everywhere in our hotel - it's beautiful. I have already created some paintings in my mind........now I just need to find somewhere to paint!

Buy first, think later!

I have no idea what I was thinking but I bought some paintings today whilst walking around Chiang Mai. I stumbled across this gallery, saw these paintings and just had to have them. Not just 1 but 3, even though we have no home to hang them and we sold most of our belongings before we left!

Have you bought anything on a whim that you just had to have even though it is so inappropriate?

The Chedi

The ONLY place to stay in Chiang Mai is The Chedi hotel. Ideally situated by the river, the hotel is stunning and the service is exceptional! As soon as you walk in, there is a sense of peace and tranquility. We love it here so much, this is our 2nd stay.

Dragonflies

I've been photographing dragonflies as reference for future paintings. They're such magical creatures and very curious. I had a couple fly onto my arm.

Holiday Reading!

At the airport (on my way to Chiang Mai), I couldn't resist buying some of my favourite magazines showing the latest fabric/ wallpaper collections from Europe. Even though I haven't painted for the past month, my mind is never too far away from thinking about that next painting or new design.

Clean Up Your Act!

My blog is all happy & inspiring things but I have to say something negative today. One of the things I have been absolutely appalled at is the number of foreign tourists I have seen litter the beaches here in Thailand. IT IS DISGUSTING!! I have seen people smoke whilst they're heading in for a swim then throw their butts into the sea, burying their butts into the sand and throwing away firework sticks when they've finished with them. I know it's not everyone but it has been happening more often than not.

Can we please show some respect to not only the environment but to the Thai people too?

Surin Beach - image from TwinPalms.

Function and Beauty

While we were in Phuket, we found these huge earthenware urns filled with water and the prettiest flowers/ plant life - looks like it could be one of my paintings, right? Apparently, they attract mosquitoes so the fish can eat them. 

Missing in Action!

Sorry for the lack of blogging - I've been stuck at our beach for the past few days!

View from the top!

I think we must have a secret sense for discovering luxury....we were driving around the beautiful area of Kata Beach/ Kata Noi and we quite by accident stumbled upon a newish development of condos called The Heights.

I can see us living here! I wish.....

My Favourite Snack

This is my favourite thing to eat at the moment - Fresh Mango with Sticky Rice and Coconut Milk. It only costs $1 and it's fresh, healthy and perfect for the balmy weather here!

Phuket

I have been here in Phuket for just over a week now and slowly starting to unwind. I think when the hardest thing you do each day is deciding which massage to have or where to go out for dinner......things are good, right? I always love coming to Asia as I get very inspired by the greenery, textures and colour. All perfect inspiration for a new set of paintings (when I get settled). We're off house hunting this week.

More Koi....

I just remembered I forgot to show you my very latest painting I did in Australia....

from looking at all these koi in Shanghai we saw at YuYuan Gardens.

See if you can spot the turtle.

Yu Gardens

The Yu Yuan Garden is a must visit if you come to Shanghai. Situated in the Old City, it is considered to be one of the finest Classical Chinese Gardens. Set over 2 acres, the gardens are divided into 6 general areas in the Suzhou Style with rockeries, amazing 100 year old magnolia and gingko trees set amongst zigzag walkways, pagodas, koi ponds and surrounded with dragon walls. It was very peaceful and tranquil considering it is in the heart of the city.

World Expo - Pt 2.

The China Pavilion was massive!

It was really quite awe inspiring!

The UK Pavilion was covered in fibre optic filaments

Inside the African Pavilion

A Tile from Tunisia

Batik Fabrics on display in the Indonesian Pavilion

Everything was on such a huge scale!

Israeli Pavilion

The Chile Pavilion featured beautiful wooden panelling

I come from a Land

Down Under!

World Expo - Pt 1.

The main reason we came to Shanghai was to visit the World Expo. It was quite extraordinary – we were one of 450,000 people who visited today (and in 35 C heat too!). My last Expo visit was back in 1988 when it was in Brisbane, Australia. I loved visiting all the pavilions as a kid and getting my expo passport stamped by the different countries. This time, visiting as an adult (& international traveller), it seemed dare I say -  it a bit less relevant for us.  Mainly, because I have had the firsthand opportunity to visit and work in various countries around the world.

It definitely makes me appreciate how lucky we are in the ‘west’. I still thoroughly enjoyed Expo – just watching the 'locals' come from all over China. It's so great for them to be able to see and be exposed to the different countries of the world. Though they didn’t seem that interested in reading much of the info; they appeared to be more focused on getting their photos taken in different pavilions and getting their Expo passports stamped. We're all the same even though we're from different cultures. The queues averaged about 3 – 4 hrs long but the longest we queued was about 30 mins. Obviously we didn’t go to all of them – probably about 10 in total. 

The China Pavilion was massive but you needed to get a ticket at the gates just to get in as there were just so many people. I loved the Denmark one - they even shipped over the Little Mermaid from Copenhagen. And we loved the Australian one too including all the cultural cringe! It was very cleverly pitched to the Chinese and they loved it.

The Expo Mascot "Haibao" which means treasure of the sea.

The Danish Pavilion with a bike track

The Pavilion spiralled around the Little Mermaid

Spanish Pavilion

was covered with hand weaved wicker

Inside was a multi media interactive show about spanish life

Inside the Czech Pavilion

The Rwanda Pavilion - this is the closest he'll probably ever get a gorilla.