Roma

I have been dreaming of going to Rome since I was a little girl, no joke I would sit with an atlas on my lap and look at maps of the city and pretend I was there. I'm not sure what started my fascination with this city but I watch Sabrina Goes To Rome so many times I think I wore the tape out! You would think then with my anticipation of ticking something of my bucket list would mean I have my trip planned out perfectly. Well unfortunately I planned my time in this amazing place incredibly poorly. I was due to start a tour in Rome that took me all the way to Amsterdam and thinking that I would see all the sights of the city on the tour and therefore only gave myself a free day. I later found out I had to do most of the sightseeing on my own as the tour only included the Vatican before we were off to Venice. This resulted in a hectic day rushing around the city in an overwhelmed sate trying to soak in as much as Rome as possible. Devouring gelato and watching the swarming crowds by the Trevi Fountain, my first glimpse of the Colosseum and taking in the art, history and culture of the city are some of my most treasured memories. The only upside of a poorly planned trip is the promise to yourself that you will come back one day and do it right!  

Oh Lake Como!

On the recommendation of a very well travelled family member I took a day trip to Lake Como from Milan. I didn't quite know what to expect before I went but as soon as I got my first glimpse of Lake Como I knew I had fallen head over heels for it. The beauty of the lake, mountains and little Italian towns was surreal. At first I was going to take to ferry across from the small town my train stopped at to a larger and more well known spot on the lake. However the quaint little town of Varrena captured my heart and all plans to go else where completely feel apart. I simply wondered along the shore line for the day climbing up cobble stone passageways and stopping to dip my feet in the lake when I got tired. I am quite pleased with how my photos turned out considering I only had my Iphone to use. I made the biggest travel mistake of leaving my memory card in my laptop the night before so my nice new SLR camera was a useful as a brick, and felt like one in my bag as well, at least that is a mistake I won't make again! Unfortunately I didn't bump into George Clooney like i was hoping for but alas there is always next time because I know I will going back to Lake Como the next chance I get!

Duomo Milano

This is one of the most exciting post I've done on this blog to date. Going to Europe, especially Italy, is something I have dreamed off since I was a little girl. Despite my huge desire to come and explore this corner of the world I've never made it further than Asia. Having just graduated from University and as two of my very close friends are living in Italy I finally packed my bags and made my first journey to the other side of the world. Milan was my first stop and as any Australian fashion and internet lover I had to go straight to the Duomo and follow in the footsteps of the Aussie super bloggers Gary Pepper Girl and Tuula Vintage! I don't have enough words in my vocabulary to describe how impressive the Duomo is. It blows me away to think that this building with so much intricate detailing was built over 500 hundred years ago. I was itching to get to the rooftop so I fought through my jet lag, shock of the heat and the swarming crowds of tourist. I decided to get my cardio in and skip the elevator taking the 250 steps up to the rooftop. I'll be honest with you the next day my legs were pretty sore but it was well worth it! On the roof you are rewarded with spectacular views of the city and snowy alps, I still can't comprehend how it can be so hot and have snow sparkling in the distance. As well as this you can appreciate the finer details of the building much more than you can on the ground. An added bonus of the rooftop was that I was able to spot the nearest Zara store which I headed straight for once my feet were back on the ground. 

Outfit Heaven

I know I am completely and utterly behind the times here but recently I have be addicted to Polyvore. I thought I would share with you some of the looks I have created lately as an updated wish list/ insight into my current obsessions? Do you have a Polyvore account? If so please follow me because I love seeing other peoples creations.

xx 

Karen Walker Helter Skelter

After lusting over these babies for far to long I decided to take the plunge and purchase my first pair of designer sunglasses. I ordered them from Shopbop at American prices to help soften the blow to my pocket. However, once my shades arrived at my doorstep I feel instantly head over heels and the cost was never thought of again. I am the type of person who likes to have a collection of sunglasses and change them around with my mood but since I started wearing my Karen Walkers I can't bare to wear anything else. I'll admit the decision to upgrade my shades had nothing to do with quality and everything to do with style and design. That being said the quality of these sunglasses in comparison to the 'cheap' onces I used to wear is so noticeable I was surprised. The frames are sturdy with a firm yet comfortable fit and the lens is crisp, clear and gives my world a nice polarize effect. I might also add that I was very impressed with the shipping form Shopbob. It was free and fast my favorite qualities in online shopping! I have a feeling that my love affair with my Karen Walker Helter Skelters is one that will go the distance. Hey I think it might have even transformed me from a affordable sunglass colector into a one pair of investment frames kind of gal. 

Koh Phi Phi

I think it's safe to say that Koh Phi Phi is one of my favourite places in the world. Arriving in Phi Phi to a glorious sunset, after a week of non-stop tropical rain on Samui and Phangan, was an omen to how wonderful this stretch of the trip was going to be. I have never been so excited to see blue sky as I was waking up on our first morning here. We made up for the lack of sun by soaking in as much as possible. Kayaking, boat trips, private beaches, snorkelling, sun bathing and floating in crystal waters were among the activities we got up to. As well as ticking all the boxes for natural beauty the town of Koh Phi Phi Don is equally amazing. Due to it's small size no cars or motorcycles are allowed on the island. This leaves the town full of winding alley sized streets bustling with boutiques, markets, bars and restaurants. One morning we stumbled across a cafe called Phi Phi Bakery and were amazed to find the best coffee I have ever tasted in Asia. We came back here every morning for breakfast and found out that the owner lived in Melbourne for three years which explained a lot! After all it's hardly paradise for me with out expresso. If you only plan on having a small trip to Thailand or don't fancy moving around to much on vacation I would recommend Phi Phi as the place to go closely followed by Koh Samet.