Oops

So I went to Bali for Kia Ora Magazine and came back, and then went to Oamaru also for Kia Ora Magazine and also came back.

In between, there has been a heap of deadlines and renovation of the new house and all the other usual twists and turns of life. Apologies to the three people who are still reading this blog.

But here are some pics of the Bali media trip where we stayed at the ever glorious Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay and then Alila Villas Uluwatu (both of which I stayed at last year for a story). This time we also ventured to Canguu where we stayed at the fantastic Hotel Tugu Bali, a traditional Balinese hotel which is charmingly old school, an oasis among the sometimes chaos of Batu Bolong Beach. If you're headed to Canguu, then I would definitely recommend it.

         

Bali bound

For the second time in just over a year, I will spend a week in Bali for a magazine. It was supposed to be Lombok but then the devastating quakes happened last month and, not surprisingly, that media trip was pulled.

But am looking forward to returning to Bali tomorrow - just hope the quakes there this week have also abated. Wish me luck!

Today's visual is of one of the gorgy resorts I will be staying at - Alila Villa Uluwatu. Be still, my beating heart.

    

Lesser known river cruise destinations

My story about his was in last Sunday's Sunday Star Times (click here to read).

Sadly, I haven't done all of these but hopefully soon...

 
Pic Credit: Stuff NZ)

Kapiti and Palmerston North

Kept it local for the October issue of Kia Ora Magazine, the Air NZ inflight magazine, with a story on my new hood, the Kapiti Coast (click here to read) and one on the best places to eat and drink in Palmy (click here to read).

San Francisco - an Edible Excursion

Playing catch up but this ran a week or so ago, my story of the food walking tour of SF's Ferry Building I did recently (click here to read).

Bora Bora

So last week I spent six nights in Bora Bora, the French Polynesian idyll that's as nice to say as it is to visit.

Of course it was for work. And I was on my own (not so much fun in honeymoon central). And it rained most days (but it was bath-water warm and didn't last very long). And, don't hate me, but I got to stay at four amazing resorts for a magazine story - Four Seasons Bora Bora, the St Regis Bora Bora, Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa and Conrad Bora Bora Nui.

I was sooo spoiled but, of course, loved every minute of it. Now I have to go back to cooking and cleaning for myself (and generally deal with the trauma of not having a butler or five star service).

But when I'm scrubbing the toilet, I can always look at these pictures and be transported back to paradise.

Now I just have to write the bleeding story....

          

What I did last week

So Macau. There was great food, amazing architecture, some giant pandas, casinos, 30+ degree heat and oh so many delicious pastel de nata (Portuguese egg tarts).

It was a fun media trip and now I just have to write the story - in between moving house (yup, we sold the Mt Vic place and have moved into our 16 acre lifestyle block in Otaki - sorry to spring that on you, but more about that later).

In the meantime, here's some visual evidence of last week.