YES PLEASE SANTA

HET BLAUWE HART VAN DELFT

The Blue Heart- Marcel Smink 

Delft, Netherlands was our fist stop, we toured the Royal Delft Earthenware museum and factory and walked around enjoying the beauty of Holland. Watch out for the Bicycles!

TELL HER...

WEIHNACHT SZAUBER MARKT

-CHRISTMAS MAGIC MARKETS
I'm off to soak up some seasonal spirit in some enchanting riverside towns and villages, with festive traditions dating back to the 12th century. Eeeek! 
I can't wait to find some lovely Christmas gifts for my family and friends. xoxo

REAL LOVE STORIES NEVER HAVE ENDINGS

EXPLORE THE WORLD

I know I will!

A SHORT ENGAGEMENT

Just like ours! The palace announced a date and venue today. What a beautiful place to get married.

Britain's Prince William will marry Kate Middleton on Friday, April 29, at Westminster Abbey in London, the royal family said Tuesday, ending a week of speculation about the date and venue.-CNN

Guess all we have to do now is wait for our invite. ;) xoxo

CHARLIE CHAPLIN

REMEMBER THESE?

PACKING FOR GERMANY, HOLLAND AND BELGIUM

I leave for the Christmas Market tour this week. By Friday I will be in a Christmas wonderland. Today is all about getting the laundry done and packing. Hmmm.. A Monday thrift store visit is in order. I would like to find the perfect funky Christmas sweater for my trip.
fingers crossed please!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND

LOVE IN MALTA

WINTER LOVE

BRILLIANT IDEA

We don't have a shoe closet in our home right now and I saw this and loved it!

ALBERT EINSTEIN

EVERYTHING CHRISTMAS

I can't wait to watch Love Actually this weekend when the girls of the North visit. I've started my Christmas wrapping and am feeling good about getting everything out on time this year,
finger's crossed!
I went to the mall a few weeks ago and they already had the skating rink and Santa's village up, too early! London Selfridge's and all of Oxford street was done in October, TOO EARLY!
 We are going to Spain this year for our Christmas holiday's but I still want to get a tree on the first day of December.  Husband knows only to well about my holiday excitement and is on board! hmm.. maybe not on board but willing to go with it. ;)

TIME TO GET THE WINTER SHEETS OUT!

JUST A DREAM

I heart Nelly!

INFINITY POOL

Don't go off the VERY deep end... Infinity pool 55 STOREYS above ground opens in Singapore in dazzling new £4b resort

 If you fancy a dip in this pool, you'll need a head for heights - it's 55 storey’s up!!
But swimming to the edge won't be quite as risky as it looks. While the water in the infinity pool seems to end in a sheer drop, it actually spills into a catchment area where it is pumped back into the main pool. At three times the length of an Olympic pool and 650ft up, it is the largest outdoor pool in the world at that height. It features in the impressive, boat-shaped 'SkyPark' perched atop the three towers that make up the world's most expensive hotel, the £4billion Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore. Don't look down: A guest swims in the infinity pool of the Skypark that tops the Marina Bay Sands hotel towers - 55 storey’s over the city of Singapore yesterday.

To infinity... and beyond! The pool stretches 150 meters, three times the length of an Olympic swimming pool The view over the side: An artist's impression shows the Skypark that tops the Marina Bay Sands hotel towers, including the infinity pool. The hotel, which has 2,560 rooms costing from £350 a night, was officially opened yesterday with a concert by Diana Ross. The Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, estimated to have cost £2billion when it opened in 2004, was previously the world's most expensive hotel. The infinity pool on the roof is in the 'SkyPark' which spans the three towers of the hotel. The platform itself is longer than the Eiffel tower laid down and is one of the largest of its kind in the world.
Infinity pools give the effect that the water extends to the horizon. In reality, the water spills over the edge into a catchment below, and is then pumped back into the pool. The pools have two circulation systems. The first functions like that of a regular pool, filtering and heating the water in the main pool. The second filters the water in the catch basin and returns it to the upper pool. The resort from across the bay. The three towers were based on a deck of cards, according to designer Moshe Safdie. Just enjoying the sun: Models pose in the pool for journalists at the grand opening yesterday.The opening celebrations also featured a death-defying relay. Seven teams of three participants each scaled the three towers before sprinting across the 340-metre long Sands SkyPark, where the infinity pool is located, to the finish line. The resort will employ 10,000 people directly and generate up to £48m each year. Entrance to the casino alone is nearly £50 a day - but an average of 25,000 people have visited the casino daily since its initial phased opening two months ago. Thomas Arasi, president and chief executive officer of the resort, said he expects to attract an astonishing 70,000 visitors a day once it is fully open.
It was due to open in 2009, but was delayed thanks to labor and material shortages, and funding problems due to the global financial crisis.

GETAWAY CAMPER

The perfect getaway camper after the wedding why not road trip!

FOUR PERCENT FRIDAY

 Always give 100% at work: 

13% Monday; 
22% Tuesday; 

26% Wednesday; 
35% Thursday; 

4% Friday.

REMEMBER

don't just remember on Nov,11th

GOING BACK TO BRISTOL

I am heading home in the morning after another fab trip. It's going to be very cold! We took the Big Red Bus tour today around the Northern part of Malta and stopped for a few glasses of wine in Golden Bay. We got back to Saint Julian's and went out for our last meal all together at Kandels, great Maltives food! I am looking forward to getting back home to spend time with Steve but enjoyed my time with the some great people we met at the Malti Hostel and of course the girls! xoxo

SOLO SPA DAY

I woke up late caught some sun on the rooftop patio and treated myself to a Le Meridian Spa date. I feel relaxed, rejuvenated and  ready for our Great Big Bus Tour tomorrow! I always like to do a city bus tour if they have it. It's usually inexpensive £15 in Malta and you get to learn a lot of history. I met an older Maltese couple in the pool today and they got me excited about coming back again this time with Husband. They told me about their summer celebrations and I think June would be an excellent time to come back.  Although Malta is a very small Island there is so much to see here and the beauty is breathtaking. Tomorrow is our last full day here.
 I can't wait to post some pictures. :)

Loving Life Being Christy xoxo

MALTA

We are staying at the Hostel Malti and it is great! Candace met us at the airport the other day and we took a 1940's bus to our hostel. Basically a home with a beautiful rooftop terrace (book early because there are only 3 rooms & free internet). The weather has been about 21C each day and perfect for summer dresses but not tanning on the beach. We haven't gone swimming yet but are hoping to get a snorkel trip in. Candace & Andrea are good sidekicks but seem to have so much more young energy than I do. Candace has once again put her amazing navigational talent into action and Andrea brings the most amazing smile wherever she goes!  Flip flops are getting to me. You would think after almost 3 weeks of sun I would be used to the thong! Malta thoughts: Sooo many cats roaming the city; thumbs down on the sunsets but thumbs up on the views; great tours; 100 over 50 on the plane and last but not least amazing people! I feel blessed to be able to  be married and still get to spend time travelling with the girls. A few people to mention- Roberto- Rob Grose I would love to shrink this Aussie and put him in my back pocket he was born in the middle of a banana picking community, you get it now right? Nathan Cassidy "The Butcher" Butch Cassidy is super cool and always has something articulate to say.
The girls from Barcelona.. hmmmm... Dodgy but nice!  I'm loving Malta and I love that Daddy Walker has been here back in his early Navy days. Pictures to come...

PS.  My husband rocks!

SEE YOU IN SEVEN DAYS!!!

10 Female Packing Tips.....

1 Make up removing toiletries

There is nothing better than coming back “home” (to the hostel) after a long night out in a strange city, just wiping your face once to get rid of all the make-up, and going to bed. Ditch the liquid stuff and go for the toiletries: they’re practical, weigh less, take up less space, and they won’t get confiscated at any airport during your trip!

2 Fashionable black flats

You can never go wrong with a good pair of cute black flats. They go with everything, you can wear them with or without tights, with pants, skirts or dresses, day or night! Plus, they are way more comfortable than taking heels: imagine getting caught at 5 am, after (quite) a few drinks in any old European city with oh-so-beautiful cobblestone streets… You will either take those heels off and walk home barefoot crying in pain, or you will have wished you brought flats!

3 Refreshing toiletries

No time to shower? No excuse for not smelling your best even after a 17 hour train ride. These little miracles will keep you to stay as clean and fresh as possible even in the most smelly situations. They also work wonders if that train runs out of toilet paper.

4 Basic Female Supplies

For a girl, there is nothing worse than being caught unprepared by your Aunt’s Flo’s “special monthly visit”. Bring at least supplies for the first day, so you can make sure to comfortably find a pharmacy at your next destination.

5 Bikini

Yes, you read it. A bikini. Whether you are travelling during the summer or during the winter you never know when you’ll need it. I learned this a couple of weeks ago in Budapest when I missed out on one of the main attractions of the city, the thermal baths, just because I was unprepared. Besides, if worse comes to worse, you may use it as underwear when you run out of it.

6 Tights Instead of Pants

Fashion is on your side this season! Cute tights are totally in right now, and they are a female backpacker’s dream: when for space and weight reasons you usually have to limit yourself to a couple of pair of pants, now you can carry quite a few pairs of tights! You can buy them in all textures and colors, combine them with skirts and shorts, use them as a pyjama, layer them on if it’s cold, and have a different look almost every day. Also, you don’t have to bring as many socks, and if you run out of underwear it’s not such a huge deal.

7 The little back dress, travelling version

A little black dress is a must have in any girls’ wardrobe, and there is no excuse for not taking one even if you go backpacking. At night, people will not even notice you are living out of your backpack even if you hit the fanciest nightclubs, and during the day you can dress it down with some tights, flats and a sweater on top.

8 Over-sized sweater

Also a must have for this season, you can dress it up with a belt and tights, or use it as sleeping attire at night.

9 Neutral combinable colours

Imperative when travelling! It will enable to fit as many different “outfits” as possible in your backpack, and you can avoid getting bored of looking like you are wearing the same clothes all the time in the pictures you send back home. My favourites are black and grey, with a few touches or red or white accessories.

10 A manageable haircut

Ditch your high-maintenance haircut and pull an Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday: get a cute, easily manageable haircut that requires little care. You might love your fashionable hairstyle now, but after you have to keep up with it at hostel bathrooms and night trains for a few weeks, you will begin to hate it. And besides, it will never look as good while travelling, and all those hair products and accessories will weigh you down. Finally you will end up running out of hair products or throwing them away and opting to wear a hat the rest of your trip.
by Carla Avenia Koency

I have actually learned a lot from the few backpacking trips I've done in Europe, although I still pack my suitcase like this when I have the opportunity, I have learned to scale down on short trips and only bring the essentials. I'm all packed. Can't wait to meet up with the girls tomorrow and begin our adventure in Malta!

 See you in 7 days! xoxo

LOVE IN THE CITY

Dutch designer Anke Weiss found in Dezeen 

NEW DRESS A DAY

365 Days. 365 New Outfits. 365 Dollars. I found out about the amazingly gifted and talented fashionista, Marisa Lynch through E news and goggled her. Check her out here Marisa Lynch if you enjoy fashion, sewing & thrifting.

Marisa makes me want to run out and take a sewing class. Inspired to blog her talent by the movie Julie & Julia she's now has an amazing following and surely has inspired others to find their inner seamstress. Clifton has some amazing thrift shops and I've had, many great thrift day finds, since moving here. Time to catch up on Marisa's blog!

LAST MINUTE BOOKING

PINCH, PUNCH, FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH

I had never heard this until Connor said it a few months ago. I love it!
I taught him "punch bug, no returns"

My first car was a white 69 bug. She was shiny on the outside but very rusted underneath.When she was running we had great times.. This is probably what she looks like now.

Welcome, November!