Join Kate as she travels around the world, to many different places, to see many different faces - including Europe, the United States, Asia and her homeland, Australia.
After getting ourselves stuck in snow, we finally made it to Stow-On-The-Wold, in the heartlands of the Cotswolds. While it was quiet, there was some activity around the village.
Cars here definitely had not moved for days.
Little craft shops were still trading, albeit slowly.
Sharp and large icicles had formed - very dangerous!
People struggling through the snow and icy conditions.
But the bakery was still selling warm fresh bread!
Cafes on the other hand were shut...
What usually would have been a beautiful street view was on that day a cold and slushy mess!
This village would have been so picturesque, yet the Boy and I didnt mind... it was still romantic.
Craft shops and cafes... closed.
Church..
The Boy showing how deep the snow is.
The day begins to leave us....
The drive back was beautiful....
And the sun came out to greet us, just as it was going down....
We stopped off for some afternoon tea at Chipping Norton.
We ate a beautiful afternoon tea at the Lygon Arms.
The main street of Chipping Norton.
Driving home at nightfall.
The coldest temperate I'd seen all holiday - Minus 5!!
When I was young, I dreamed of the Cotswolds. The romantic country lanes, the thatch roofs, the streams that ran between villages and under bridges.
Well, towards the end of our stay, I kindly asked the Boy to drive me to the Cotswolds. If I wasnt going to get romance in Venice or Florence, I was going to try for romance in the Cotswolds.
Romantic....well, there was nothing more romantic than me sitting in the drivers seat while the Boy pushed the shiny black Jaguar out of the snow. Yes, we became stuck in snow. On a couple of occasions. Nevertheless, we also saw some sights of England that we will never forget.
Snow, snow, and more snow.
People in the Cotswolds were so snow bound, they had not moved their cars in days, maybe weeks.
Villages were desolate.
Tractor drivers and snow ploughs were the only businesses running.
Many roads were inaccessible.
But it still made for beautiful photography.
It was like a soft white blanket, covering England....
Some people (and dogs) braved the weather.
But for the most part, no one was to be seen in many of the passing villages.
For the first time in a long time, I went home and cooked myself a proper dinner (as opposed to a bit of tuna salad).
I got a little too carried away with the pumpkin and made far too much of everything else, but thankfully most of it is good, clean veggies.
There are FIVE coloured veggies present, which is apparently the ideal healthy dinner.
There's also a bit of chicken there for some proper protein.
The Boy arrived the other day with salt and pepper which he pocketed from business class. I laughed at him at the time, but the salt and pepper sure have come in handy tonight!!!
Chicken, mushroom, potato (a wee bit because i'm apparently not meant to have carbs after 6pm), roasted peppers, asparagus and of course, way too much pumpkin!
Inspired by one of my favourite bloggers, Mel (http://melissacmorris.blogspot.com/), I decided that I would outline the vast number of trips I did this year, whether by plane, train, automobile, ferry or bus.
Here we go...
January 2009
Sydney to Melbourne for the Australian Open Tennis 2009
Melbourne to Sydney (return) - (2 flights)
March 2009
Sydney to Singapore to survey Singapore for living opportunities
Singapore to Sydney (return) - (2 flights)
Sydney to Melbourne for the Great Ocean Road Race
Melbourne to Sydney (return) - (2 flights) plus 500km driving.
April 2009
Sydney to Singapore to move to Singapore (total, 1 flight)
Singapore to Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia for work (total, 1 flight)
Kuala Lumpur to Malacca to meet Ruth (total, 1 bus)
Malacca to Singapore (return) (total, 1 bus)
May 2009
Singapore to Penang, Malaysia for holiday (1 flight)
Penang, Malaysia to Langkawi, Malaysia (1 ferry)
Langkawi, Malaysia to Penang, Malaysia (1 ferry)
Penang, Malaysia to Singapore (1 flight)
Singapore to Mersing, Malaysia (1 bus)
Mersing to Pulau Aur, Malaysia (1 ferry)
Pulau Aur, Malaysia to Mersing, Malaysia (1 ferry)
Mersing, Malaysia to Singapore (1 bus)
Singapore to Kuching, Borneo
Kuching, Borneo to Singapore (2 flights)
June 2009
Singapore to Hong Kong for work
Hong Kong to Singapore for work (2 flights)
Singapore – Johor Bahru (80km by bike)
1 horse ride
Johor Bahru to Singapore (by taxi after accident)
July 2009
Singapore to Sydney to return home (1 flight)
Sydney to Los Angeles (1 flight)
Los Angeles to New York (1 flight)
New York to Bahamas, Grand Turk, British West Indies (1 cruise liner and return)
New York to Los Angeles (1 flight)
Los Angeles to Sydney (1 flight)
Sydney to Melbourne (1 flight)
Melbourne to Sydney (1 flight)
Sydney to Singapore (1 flight)
August 2009
Singapore to Bintan, Indonesia (1 ferry)
Bintan, Indonesia to Singapore (1 ferry)
Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1 flight)
Kuala Kumpur, Malaysia (1 flight)
Singapore to Phuket, Thailand (1 flight)
Phuket, Thailand to Singapore (1 flight)
September 2009
Singapore to Bangkok, Thailand (1 flight)
Bangkok, Thailand to Singapore (1 flight)
Singapore to Cameron Highlands, Malaysia (1 bus)
Cameron Highlands, Malaysia to Singapore (1 bus)
Singapore to Pengarang, Malaysia (1 ferry)
Pengarang, Malaysia to Singapore (1 ferry)
October 2009
Singapore to Sydney to go home for holiday (1 flight)
Sydney to Singapore (1 flight)
Singapore to Bali, Indonesia (1 flight)
Bali, Indonesia to Singapore (1 flight)
November 2009
Singapore to HCMC, Vietnam (1 flight)
HCMC, Vietnam to Singapore (1 flight)
Singapore to Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia (1 flight)
Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia to Singapore (1 flight)
December 2009
Singapore to Sydney for Christmas (1 flight)
Sydney to London, England for work (1 flight)
London, England to Prague, Czech Republic for New Years (1 flight)
January 2010
Prague, Czech Republic to London, England (1 flight)
London, England to Singapore (1 flight)
Singapore to Bintan, Indonesia (1 ferry)
Bintan, Indonesia to Singapore (1 ferry)
The Final Tally **
41 flights
10 ferries
6 buses
1 cruise liner
1 long taxi journey
1 unforgettable horse ride.
** memory may have lapsed and a couple of journeys may have been missed out.
Kate is 30 years old, originally from Sydney Australia. She loves photography and travelling. She is an experienced corporate lawyer, but is taking some time out to experience the world. She loves her family dearly, including her two little nieces, Charlotte and Ella, and also loves her bike, a fully custom carbon fibre Kuota Kharma. She lives by the beach.
