Stop to smell the roses

This time of year is always so busy with christmas parties, last minute christmas shopping and catching up with friends before you all head off to spend time with your families. 

Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. This month I've been writing all my Christmas cards to friends and family while listening to my favourite Christmas carols (yes this includes Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber!) 

Christmas to me is all about family and creating memories together. This year we're camping in Denmark in the south west of Western Australia for a week with my family. You can imagine my excitement levels incorporating three of my favourite things - family, camping and Christmas! 

I'm looking forward to Christmas with a difference this year. We'll be doing daily fitness workouts with the whole family (that way I'll feel less guilty about how much I eat) and I'm looking forward to having a bit of fun together and being active at the same time. I'll also make some yummy smoothies for the family to enjoy, and I've reassured certain family members (I won't name names!) that they can add alcohol to theirs if they would prefer. 

This will be the perfect opportunity to sign off and not use Facebook as often as I normally do (which is a lot!). I want to be present in the moment and enjoy the special time with my family. As much as I love using Facebook for networking and to connect with friends all over the world, I'd like to take some time out and give my undivided attention to my family. 

Far too many of us are guilty of spending too much time with our faces buried in our phones or laptops - unfortunately it's just the way of life for most people these days. And I'll be the first to admit that I'm one of the worst at wasting too much time on Facebook. 

In February this year I had a month off Facebook and loved it. As much as I missed seeing what my friends were up to, it meant I had so much extra time on my hands for other things. 

The posts on my blog will be sporadic over the next six weeks because after Christmas we fly out to take on 5 countries in 5 weeks. I've got a few ideas on the go at the moment so I might post them over that time, but it will depend on Internet access and how much free time I have. If you don't hear from me until February, you now know why. 

This will be my last post for 2013 so I want to take this opportunity to wish you every happiness over the festive season and hope that you have a lovely time doing the things you love, with the people you love. 

The end of a year is the perfect time to look back and reflect on what you've achieved, how far you've come from the person you used to be, and what you want to achieve in 2014 to get closer to your goals for the future. 

I've made so many positive changes this year in lots of different areas of my life, and I look forward to developing further on those changes next year. I've ended unhealthy friendships with people from my past and created some amazing new friendships, I've achieved amazing results with my running and my fitness in general, and I've started towards a much healthier way of eating and nourishing my body. I feel more like 'me' than I've ever felt before because I'm living a happy and positive life. 

When I started this blog I had no idea of the direction it would take, or whether anybody would even enjoy reading it. I've had so many beautiful messages from people that love reading my posts and take advice from my writing to use in their own lives. I love sharing my stories with you all and look forward to continuing to do the same in 2014. Together we can move towards living the happiest life possible. 

Thank you for the support and encouragement you've given me since starting my blog. It's always scary starting something new, sharing personal aspects of my life and opening myself up to criticism, but your kind words have kept me motivated and inspired me to keep going. 

Something we should all do at the end of the year is set goals for the year ahead. I've got lots of goals which I'll share with you throughout the year as I take steps towards achieving them. I'd like each of you to write at least 3 goals for 2014, keep them in a safe place, somewhere you can easily access them so that you can refer back to them to make sure you're on the right track, and then start taking steps towards achieving your goals. Don't wait until tomorrow or the new year, start today!  

My 'New Years Resolution' this year is to improve on my time management. This will mean making more time to relax, including making time to start my scrap booking that I've been talking about for twelve months (my first step towards this will be to spend my scrap booking voucher that Scotty/Santa gave me last year) and just generally making a more even distribution of my time and how I spend it. Wish me luck! This is something I really struggle with so it won't be easy, but I'll be so grateful once I've mastered it! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

30 by 30

Which countries do you want to visit? 'All of them!' 

For about 10 years I've always said that I want to travel 'everywhere'. But up until now I'd never really put much thought into what that actually meant or how I'd make it happen. 

I travelled to my first new country when I was 17 - NZ. It was for my grandad's 80th birthday and we went for a family holiday. Since then I've spent 4 years living there and done many trips between NZ and Australia. 

The other four countries I've visited so far are:

Fiji in 2008 for my 21st - I had planned to go with my girlfriend but she had to pull out so I decided to go by myself. It was an incredible trip and I met some great people from all over the world that I still keep in touch with through Facebook. I did an island hopping tour for 14 days which meant I got to see a lot of Fiji and experience a lot of their culture. Travelling alone meant I made the effort to socialise with other people but also got to spend time relaxing and reading my book on the beach. I was very spoilt on my birthday and everyone at the resort I was staying at sung me happy birthday at dinner and the owners gave me a bottle of wine. 

Indonesia in December 2011 - Scotty and I went to Bali for 4 nights. It was a couple of months after our wedding and our first ever holiday where we spent the whole time relaxing. Well, sort of. We still went snorkelling and white water rafting but the rest of the time was spent swimming in the pool, laying in the sun, eating, shopping and getting massages. We stayed down in Nusa Dua which is out of the hustle and bustle and a great place to relax. We'd like to go back to Bali one day to visit Ubud and other parts, but I'm stuck in my ways for now and don't like to go back to the same place until I've visited everywhere else! 

United States in April/May 2013 - this was our first big international trip. We went for four weeks and travelled to LA, Las Vegas, San Fran, San Diego and Alaska. The main purpose for the trip was to celebrate our aunty's 50th birthday and to attend a surprise wedding for our aunty and uncle. It was an incredible trip and we saw so many amazing places. We can't wait to go back and spend more time there. It's on my bucket list to visit every state in America.  

Thailand in September/October 2013 - Scotty and I travelled around northern and southern Thailand for 2 weeks this year. It was such an amazing holiday and we got to see so many different aspects of Thailand. Northern Thailand is definitely our favourite area, especially Chiang Mai and Pai and we'd love to spend some more time there at some stage. 

On 30 December Scotty and I fly out to Singapore for New Years Eve and then on to Malaysia, China, Hong Kong and Japan. I'm so excited to add those countries to my list and to experience the different cultures they each have to offer.

As you all know by now travelling is a huge passion of mine, so I've set myself a goal of visiting 30 countries by the time I turn 30. This will only be possible if our plans fall into place over the next couple of years - but I'll have to keep those to myself for the time being until they are finalised. 

One thing I can share that I am beyond excited about is ticking Canada off our list at the end of next year. We'll be heading over to have our first white christmas!! This will be like a dream come true for me! And Scotty can't wait to get to Alaska for a proper winter there. 

During the school holidays next year we're torn between wanting to visit new countries and wanting to visit some of the beautiful places Australia has to offer... Once we finally decide you'll be the first to know! 

But, it's not all about me. How many countries have each of you been to? Have you finished with your travelling, or are you just getting started? 

It's all about me

The last two weeks have been a bit different for me, but I've learnt a lot about myself and the importance of taking time out to relax. 

On 25 November we took some time out from our normal routine to travel to Brisbane and spend some quality time with family and friends before Christmas. 

Normally when I'm working on a new post I will start on a Monday afternoon and add to it all week, making changes and adding or deleting things as I go. I do a final check on Monday morning before posting it for you all to read. I usually have at least two or three drafts on the go at once because I think of an idea that might be better suited to posting another time, so I'll work on it when ideas come to me and then leave it for a later date. 

Over the last two weeks I haven't really been doing any writing, which means just a short post last week and now this post being a day later than I would usually post it. 

With Christmas fast approaching and lots of social commitments I've been focusing my attention on other important aspects of my life instead of writing. 

I've also been taking time to rest and relax this past week because I've felt as though I need it. It's been such a busy year and we have a very busy couple of months coming up with Christmas and our overseas adventure at the end of the month that I knew now was the right time to focus on getting in some rest. 

'Me time' can mean so many different things depending on each individual. It might mean sitting on the couch to watch your favourite program, going for a run, laying in the sun to read a book or attending a yoga or pilates class to enjoy some meditation... The list is endless. 

My 'me time' means all of those things and so much more. 

While we were in Brisbane I took a step back from exercising and eating healthy 24/7 and enjoyed eating chocolate if I felt like it, or having dessert after a meal out. I still walked lots but I didn't do any other exercise and really just took some time to relax. It's always harder to do your normal workouts and stick to your normal eating habits when you're on holidays, so I took the chance to be a bit more flexible. 

We had a busy week visiting family and friends and being tourists around Brisbane. I wanted to make the most of the quality family time we were having so I didn't want to take away from that by putting time aside for my blog. Whenever we're with family it usually means late nights and early mornings so that we can make the most of our time together. 

Once we arrived home I wanted to continue with my relaxed routine leading up to Christmas. I went back to my healthy eating, but I'm still having some time off from the gym and just doing workouts at home and enjoying walking in the beautiful sunshine. 

It's so important to take time out each day from your busy routine to just relax. It might be for 5 minutes or for 30 minutes, but make sure you have some 'me time' every day. It might be as simple as sitting down and taking a few deep breaths in and out and clearing your mind of everything that's buzzing around in your head for a few short minutes. This will make you feel calmer and more relaxed and you will be in a better frame of mind to take on the rest of your day. 

Last term I was far too busy and never took time to relax. I would work in the morning, go straight to the gym or for a run (or both), get home and have lunch (or meet a friend for lunch) then quickly shower and get ready for work at 3pm. I also had to fit in catch ups with friends, visiting my sister and nieces and having quality time with Scotty. I literally wouldn't stop from the minute I woke up to the time I went to sleep.

This term I've cut down on my training so that I've had time to enjoy other things. But of course this hasn't meant being any less busy, my time has just been transferred and re-prioritised. I've tried to make more time for relaxing and having some 'me time', but I'm still trying to master that. 

As our days get busier leading up to Christmas I want you all to try and take at least 5 minutes each day to do something that you find relaxing. Look after yourself first so that you are feeling fresh and ready to take on the festive season. Of course this isn't just something you should do when you're busy or leading up to a busy time in your life, it is something you should do every day, all year round. 

Training for Life

People often ask me what I'm training for... Sometimes I can answer them with the name of a race coming up, but that's not always the case. There doesn't need to be a race or event that you're training for, train for life. 

Living a healthy lifestyle and making fitness part of your everyday life means you will always be working towards being fitter and healthier than you were yesterday.

Even on our recent trip to Brisbane where I went slightly crazy with the lack of quality and increase in quantity of food that I consumed I still made sure I was having a relatively balanced diet on a daily basis and doing some form of exercise each day (mostly walking). 

Exercising not only makes you fitter and healthier which enables you to participate in more activities, it also helps with your mental health which makes for a happier life. 

Something I posted recently on my Instagram page talked about training all year round and not waiting until summer before deciding that you want to have the perfect bikini body. If you want to look great during the summer, you need to workout during the winter. Looking good and feeling great is only one of many reasons you should exercise, but for a lot of people it is the biggest motivation. And that's fine, find what it is that motivates you to live a healthy lifestyle and use that as inspiration on a daily basis to make healthy choices. 

This is just a short post because I took time out last week to focus on another aspect of my life as well as spending quality time with my family and friends in Brisbane. 

It's always exciting finding new blogs that share the same opinions on certain subjects that I do. I'll leave you with the following link which I saw on Facebook the other day which provides one person's insight into her thoughts on 'training for life'.  

Things-i-want-my-daughter-to-know-about-working-out

Sooner or later we all run out of time

"That's on my bucket list" is something I say quite often, but in reality I've never taken the time to sit down and actually write a list. 

A bucket list is something that will be forever growing and changing, as you get older, or as your priorities change, you'll cross some things off and think of new things to add. 

But if you don't start somewhere you might never start, and time will pass you by without you having experienced any of the things you wanted to do. 

So, here's the beginning of my list. It was hard to try to narrow my lifelong dreams down into a manageable list, but I've started by breaking them up into categories. There are some things I'll be able to cross off over the next couple of years and others that will take many years to accomplish. By starting now, and starting while I'm young, I'm giving myself the best chance possible to fulfil my dreams. 

Travel

1. Travel to every country in the world 

2. Celebrate a white christmas

3. Visit every state in America

4. Go on a safari in Africa

5. Trek to Everest Base Camp

Adventure

1. Go skydiving with my Mumma

2. Take a ride in a helicopter

3. Swim with dolphins when I'm pregnant

4. Ride a camel

5. Fly in a hot air balloon

Running

1. Complete a 100km race

2. Run the Rim to Rim to Rim (Grand Canyon)

3. Compete in an ultra with Scotty as a team

4. Complete a multi stage race

5. Compete in a race with my Mumma 

Miscellaneous 

1. Plant a tree

2. Attend a spiritual retreat

3. Attend a new cooking class each year

4. Learn to play a song on the guitar

5. Volunteer in a third world country

While I was creating my list I thought it would be fun to look online to see what other people had included in their lists. It was such a nice feeling to see that I have already done many of the things that other people want to do. 

I try to make the most out of every day, and I'm always thinking of new things I can do or experience to keep life as interesting and exciting as possible. 

I love looking back on each week or month or year and saying 'Wow, we did so much, and had so much fun along the way!' 

I'd like to set a challenge for you all - to write at least five things on your own bucket list this week that you'd like to do in your lifetime. I'd love to hear what some of them are!

Graduation... And then what?

With the Year 12's graduating last week I thought it would be a good time to discuss what happens after Year 12, if you even make it that far. 

As most of you will now know after following my blog, I left school when I was 15, half way through Year 10. After having six months off I moved to Karratha and signed up to a program through the high school and TAFE to complete Year 11 and 12 while also completing a Certificate II in Travel and Tourism. 

This was a fantastic program which wasn't as structured as the normal high school and had a lot more freedom. It also included working one day a week at Harvey World Travel (this soon included working Thursday nights and Saturdays in my own time which I was very grateful for). 

We studied at the TAFE as opposed to the high school which made me feel 'so grown up'. I was the only white girl in a class of aboriginals which I really enjoyed - I learnt a lot from them and it gave me much more appreciation for their culture and their lifestyle. 

After completing the course I had officially graduated from Year 11 and 12 and it was time to enter the big wide world. 

But did I need to finish Year 12 before entering the big wide world? Could I have started work after leaving in Year 10? Or should I have been going on to university? 

Those are all questions that have very complex answers. Yes, I could've tried getting a job straight out of Year 10, but it would have only allowed me to get a small minority of jobs unless I was willing to do some form of further education. Another option could have been to start an apprenticeship. Back then it would've been easier than it is now to obtain an apprenticeship, as these days they are not as easy to come by. 

Apprenticeships are a fantastic option if you can obtain one - you have on the job training and earn an income while you are studying and learning a trade. Some people leave school after Year 10 to start an apprenticeship as early as possible, while others either finish Year 12 first or decide later in life that they want to start an apprenticeship, perhaps deciding on a new career path. 

There are many jobs that require university degrees which is a path that many people take. Unfortunately these days there are far too many people that study hard for years at university only to graduate and then realise that there are too many graduates and not enough jobs on offer. Or they complete a degree only to decide that the path they have chosen isn't what they really want to do. 

Something many people do after completing Year 12 is take a gap year. This could involve either heading off overseas and travelling for 12 months, or taking a break and working part time before starting university or getting into a full time job in their chosen field. 

For me, well I finished Year 12 and got my Certificate II in Travel and Tourism. I had no intention of going to university, I didn't know what I wanted to do as a career so it wasn't a path I wanted to go down. I had part time waitressing jobs while I was at school and then when I left school I did a lot of bar work before moving to New Zealand where I started working in a law firm. I'd worked for a short period at a law firm in Esperance when I was about 18 and had completed a Certificate II in Business Administration, but that was my only real experience. 

After temping for a short period I started at a law firm which I ended up staying at for four years. This was by far the longest job I had ever had. As you might be realising, I like things to be fun and interesting, and if they're not, then I change them. Working at the same firm for four years was a big step for me, and it was only because my life outside of work was so new and exciting (new country, new relationship, new adventures) that I was happy staying in the same place. 

Working as a personal legal assistant doesn't require a tertiary education, it is something that you learn on the job and luckily for me, as somebody that had little previous experience, the firm was willing to give me a chance . Companies like that can be hard to come by unfortunately, so I was very grateful for the opportunity. 

I studied for two years to obtain my Legal Executive Diploma. I didn't complete the final year as we moved to Australia and the qualifications didn't carry over. The knowledge I acquired in the two years helped immensely in my job, so I wasn't too bothered that I didn't complete the final year.  

Once arriving in Australia I worked for another 20 months at a law firm before deciding office work wasn't for me. 

I changed to my current job as a boarding supervisor at a boarding house and it is something I love. I love the interaction with the kids and love that there is something different happening every day. The job didn't require any qualifications which meant I could leave the law firm and start at my new position straight away. I was given the position based on my personality and willingness to learn a new role. 

Unless you know the path you want to go down in life, you might not know what you want to do after Year 12. Or you might continue on to obtain other qualifications or experience in a job and then change careers down the track. 

Life is a mystery, you never know where you'll end up or what you'll end up doing. Base your decisions on the information you have at the time and what your passions are. Those passions or goals may very well change two or three or more times before you find what you want to do, and that's ok. You might decide what you want to do with your life and stick with that same career until you retire - if it's something you love, then go for it!

I know I won't be in this job forever, but for now it suits our lifestyle and gives us the opportunity to travel together on school holidays, and at the moment that is our main priority - a career might come later...

Blues at Bridgetown #Take12Trips

The second weekend in November is host to the annual blues festival in Bridgetown, a small country town in the south west of Western Australia. 

When we lived in Boyup Brook we'd go to the Blues at Bridgetown with mum - I was only young so I don't remember how many times we went, but I have memories of going and having a great time dancing in the streets to the live music.

Mum had been saying for months that she'd like to go again this year and when her friend said she'd get her a ticket for her birthday she was really excited. She told us that she'd love us to come if we were free. I was really excited because it was something we hadn't done together in about 15 years. 

The time flew by, as it seems to these days, and the blues weekend was upon us. It just so happened that it fell on the same weekend that Beyonce was playing in Perth, so I said to mum that I'd drive down and meet her in Boyup Brook (mum and another four friends were staying there for the weekend with the friend who had bought mum the ticket). 

Beyonce came on really late (it was worth it, she put on an amazing show) which meant that I didn't get to bed until after 1am. I had to be up and out the door by 7.30am at the latest so it didn't allow much time to sleep. 

I arrived in Boyup Brook just on 10.30am and once everyone was ready we drove into Bridgetown. 

It was a nice warm day and there were lots of people around enjoying themselves. It was the 21st Annual Blues at Bridgetown which was fun to be part of. We spent the day looking at the markets and listening to bands at a few different venues around the place. They had some great stalls to look at with lots of locals selling their products. And there was a stage with local bands playing near the markets which made for great entertainment. 

They have stages set up at a few of the pubs around town and also have other marquees and stages set up with bands playing all weekend. The pubs and some of the stages are free to go to, but some of the bigger stages require a ticket. When we arrived we had to swap my ticket for a wristband which gave me access to all the stages. 

You can either buy a ticket for the whole weekend or just a day, depending on how long you are staying. You also buy drink tickets for any drinks, including water and non-alcoholic drinks so that you can redeem them at the bar. The drinks were all pretty reasonably priced and they had a good variety. This was a really efficient way of selling drinks at the bar and there were never any queues which was nice. I'm curious as to how much money was spent on drink tickets that were never actually used though...

The bands were all really good and played some great songs. It was so nice sitting in the sun and spending time with mum and our friends while we were listening to the live music. There were people up the front dancing, others in chairs under the marquee and then some (including us) enjoying the sunshine, while sitting in the shade, out to the side of the stage. 

After a great day we decided to head back to Boyup Brook to get changed and have dinner before heading back in for the night. I'm glad we did because the temperature dropped dramatically so it was a good idea to rug up for the night. And lucky for me one of our friends is the same height and shoe size as me because in my rush to pack I hadn't packed a warm jacket or any other shoes besides jandals, and we learnt that you couldn't wear those in the pubs after 5pm. 

We arrived back in Bridgetown at about 9pm and went back to one of the main marquees to listen to the music there. Every band we heard was fantastic, they were all very talented. 

By 12am the last band was finishing up and it was time to head home. People had been gradually leaving all night so there was no big rush of people which was nice. 

I was so glad I went down and spent the time with mum. We always have such fun together and spending time with family and especially my mum is so important to me.

A challenge for you all... Over the next two months I'd like you all to call a family member and make plans to catch up. It can be a quick coffee, a long lunch or a weekend away. Whatever it is, plan it, and then do it! 

What better way to complete another trip in my challenge to #Take12Trips than by spending time with my favourite girl in the world. 

Surprise Island Getaway #Take12Trips

Trying out our new GoPro

The first day of November was the perfect chance to take my trip for the month for my #Take12Trips challenge. And what better trip to take than one I didn't have to plan and one that was a complete surprise. 

Scotty had been planning all week and seemed to have everything under control. On Thursday night (31 October) he gave me a list of what I needed to pack. He had typed it up and included photos of us together - so much thought had gone into it, I was really impressed. It was hard packing without knowing where we were going, but Scotty told me what I did and didn't need. 

He also gave me a list of food we'd need to take and I went to the shops to get everything on the Thursday.

On the Friday morning I finished packing and organised all the food into the esky. Scotty said we could only take the esky, our big dry bag and a backpack each. I started wondering where we must be going if we were restricted to what we could take - I thought maybe we had to carry our luggage but couldn't figure out what we'd be doing with the esky and everything he'd secretly put into the dry bag. 

Scotty said we needed to leave by 10.15am so it was a busy morning of packing and then we were off. 

When I got into the car there was an itinerary sitting on the dash that Scotty had made (he'd thought of everything!). I opened it with anticipation and saw that we were off to Rottnest. I was so excited because we'd never been before but have always wanted to go. Scotty had listed lots of places we could visit and things we could do. He'd packed our snorkels, fishing rod, bikes and everything we'd need for the weekend. 

We drove to the B Shed in Fremantle where we were leaving from. It was hard trying to find a park that didn't restrict us to 3 hours. Scotty ended up dropping me off with our luggage and heading off to find a park. It was only $13 for the weekend which was great. 

We handed over our luggage and paid the $2 per bag for them to take our big dry bag and esky to the campground for us once we arrived on the island. This is a great service, but keep in mind that it can take up to 2 hours for them to drop your things off to where you are staying. 

The ferry ride was really quick, only 25 minutes (makes you wonder why they charge so much). But I must admit, it was a lot nicer than the ferry we'd caught in Thailand!! 

The rest of the day was spent riding around and exploring the island. Scotty managed to get a puncture after about 5 minutes of being there which was less than ideal. Luckily they have a fantastic bike hire shop which also sell new tubes and have all the tools to change a tyre. I loved being able to ride around and not have to worry about cars. 

Once our luggage was delivered we set up our tent at the campground. We had a great site looking out to the lighthouse. I was a bit paranoid about snakes after a friend had said there were heaps around, but luckily we didn't see any all weekend. We did see a few big lizards though! 

It was really fun being able to ride our bikes to the pub and it was a cool sight seeing all the bikes lined up out the front. They have a fantastic alfresco area at the pub where you can enjoy a drink in the sunshine looking out to the ocean. 

We cooked our meals on the BBQ at the campground. It was a really basic set-up with just a few BBQ's and sinks. They had power outlets which could be used for charging cameras etc or if you'd brought a toaster or anything like that from home you'd be able to plug it in. There were picnic tables to sit on that people could move around the campground if they wanted. There were only about 4 other tents on the Friday night but by Saturday afternoon there were about three times as many. 

Saturday was spent running, exploring, snorkelling, swimming and fishing. It was so peaceful! I felt so relaxed that I fell asleep on the beach... twice! The whole weekend felt like we'd been away for ages and as though we were a million miles from home (until you looked out onto the horizon and saw Perth in the distance). 

There are a few shops in a mall on the island, a bakery, general store, ice cream shop (my favourite!) and a couple of other cafes etc. They were always really busy during the day, but come 4pm it was all closed up and there wasn't a person in sight. By that stage most people were either hanging out at their accommodation or having a drink at the pub. The only shop still open was the general store which didn't close until 7pm. 

After dinner that night we went back down to the pub for a few hours and were lucky enough to be there on a night when they had a fantastic soul band playing. There were heaps of people around and everyone was having a great time dancing to the music. 

Sunday morning came around far too quickly and it was time to pack up. Our luggage was being collected at 8am so after a run we got everything organised. 

As much as I don't like going to big franchise cafes I had to give in on the island and go to Dome - it was the only place open early in the morning and Scotty needed his coffee fix for the day. 

The wind had picked up a lot so after coffee we just hung out on the grass in the sun waiting for the boat to arrive. We were leaving at 10.40am so we didn't have long to wait. 

We were pleasantly surprised at how easy it was getting off the ferry back in Fremantle and getting all of our things. And the car was still where we'd parked it so that was a bonus! 

Rottnest is a fantastic weekend destination and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short trip away. A warm weekend is definitely the best time to go because the beaches are beautiful and the whole weekend will be spent outdoors. It's a pretty expensive place to visit, but you can do things a bit cheaper by taking your own food, and if possible taking your own bikes and snorkelling gear. If you don't have your own, the option is there to hire them, plus lots of other things to keep you entertained. 

We loved camping, but if we were going to spend the extra money and stay in a cabin/chalet I would recommend Geordie Bay - it was stunning and the houses looked straight out onto the water, with the beach on your doorstep. In saying that, the beach was only 1 minute walk from our campsite too, so if you enjoy camping it's definitely the most economical way to go. 

Well, that's my second trip down in my challenge to #Take12Trips and I can't wait for the next one! The next few months are going to be filled with trips which I'm very excited about and I'm looking forward to being able to share some of them with you.

Ferry ride to Rottnest Island

Funky bike at the hire shop

Amazing ocean views

Amazing ocean views

Beach fishing

Healthy body, healthy mind

Up until I was 21 I would eat and drink whatever I liked and never did any exercise. I was lucky enough to stay the same weight so never gave any thought to what I was putting into my body. 

When I met Scotty and started running (if you haven't seen it already you can check out my post 'From couch to 42km') I still just ate whatever I wanted. I would always say 'It doesn't matter what I eat because I'll just burn it off anyway'. 

For years we thought we were eating relatively healthy, but we were far from it. We ate a pretty balanced diet with meat/chicken, veg, pasta etc but would treat ourselves a lot to fish and chips or pizza on the weekend. We thought just because we weren't having McDonald's or KFC it meant we were eating healthy. I always had a lot of sugar because I'd eat chocolate and lollies most days. 

Gradually as time went on I started thinking more about what I was eating and tried to cut out some of the takeaways but I still had a lot of sugar. 

As you'll see from my 'From couch to 42km' post my running has been very sporadic over the years and apart from a bit of cycling I didn't do much other exercise. We used to do lots of walking but that was directed more at weekend activities rather than for fitness. 

It wasn't until this year that I started taking my running seriously and competing in lots of races. In July we went to Tasmania for a two week holiday (you can read about this in my previous post 'Perception is a powerful thing') and I didn't do any running while we were away. I ate a lot of lollies and chocolate and really got into 'holiday mode'. 

When we got back from holidays I slowly got back into my running. I think it was good for my body/legs to have had a proper break while we were away after having such a busy six months of running. The only problem was that I continued eating a lot of chocolate. I was eating chocolate every day and most of the time it was late at night once we finished work. 

I think the trip to Tasmania was a real turning point in terms of my health and fitness, it really got me thinking. I wanted to start eating healthier and it was time to cut down on my sugar intake. 

So, for the month of August I had a sugar free month and completely cut chocolate, lollies and junk food out of my diet. It was hard to start with and I was craving sugar for the first week or so, but it gradually got easier. 

I started looking into raw 'cooking' for some healthy snack options. I had no idea how many recipes there were out there, and how many people were trying the raw way of eating. 

I started posting raw food recipes on my Facebook page and was thrilled to hear from friends that they were trying them too. 

For the first time in my life I started reading the labels on food and this really changed the way I thought about food. I started eating a lot 'cleaner' which I really enjoyed because it was fun making things and experimenting with different foods. 

After my sugar free month was up my whole attitude towards sugar and junk food had changed. I wasn't craving sugar anymore and I always try to eat the healthiest food I can, with the very occasional treat. Even 'treats' to me aren't what they used to be. I used to love eating jam and cream donuts, but now I'd much rather whip up a raw treat so that I know exactly what's in it.

I trialled smoothies for a week which was fun and 'interesting'. Some weren't quite as nice as the others, but you're bound to get that when you're experimenting with flavours. They are a great snack (or meal replacement, depending on the ingredients). They are really healthy and full of nutrients. 

Another thing I did after returning from Tasmania was sign up to a gym for the first time in my life and started going to group fitness classes. I really enjoy them and go about 6 times a week. The gym I joined has classes which fit into my schedule perfectly. It's really important to make exercising as easy and accessible as possible to eliminate reasons not to do it. If you can incorporate exercise into your daily routine without being too rushed or busy, you are more likely to stick to it. Try running or cycling to work, or exercising in your lunch break. Exercising in the morning is always a great option because then you're done for the day and don't have the excuse of being tired or running out of time later on. 

I've now started a new Instagram page where I can post motivational pictures about eating healthy and exercising to encourage other followers to do the same. There's a huge network of people on Instagram that share recipes and motivational pictures each day and I'm really enjoying being part of it. 

Living a healthy life is a personal choice and it's a big commitment to make. At first it takes more time to plan and prepare meals, but once you start getting used to it, it becomes second nature. There are so many recipes available and a lot of the time you can experiment with different foods and flavours and create your own recipes. 

Living a healthy and active lifestyle has a direct link to your personal wellbeing. Eating the correct foods makes you feel good about yourself and has a positive impact on your health, and exercising releases endorphins which gives you more energy and makes you happier. This is great for your mental health. Next time you are feeling down or flat about something, try eating a healthy snack and then going for a walk or going to the gym, I can guarantee that you'll feel better afterwards. It might not solve the problem, but it will give you a happier perspective and help to clear your mind.  

On our recent holiday to Thailand I was so excited about finding alternative ways of exercising while we were away. The first hotel we stayed at in Bangkok had a gym and a pool which meant we could workout there. We also ran around Lumpini Park which is where a lot of people in Bangkok go to exercise. We went for a couple of runs in Chiang Mai, one in the jungle and one around the moat which was great. (Scotty went for a few others in the jungle with people he met while we were there). I didn't get to run in Pai or Phuket but I worked out in our room most days doing exercises I've learnt at the gym, just without the weights. And when we arrived on Phi Phi Island we were able to run on some great trails along the beach and up to an amazing lookout. 

I was determined not to stop exercising while we were away and I wanted to continue eating as healthy as possible too. After a couple of days I slipped back into old habits and had two days where I had chocolate and lollies. I instantly felt bad about it and got straight back to eating healthy after that. I know it's not a bad thing to have treats every now and then, but I didn't want being on holidays to be an excuse to eat junk. There was such amazing healthy food in Thailand, I didn't want to spoil it by having lollies or chocolate after my meal at night. I ate healthy for the rest of the trip and had a few treats along the way, but made sure I didn't get carried away. 

Eating healthy and eating the correct portion sizes is something I think about on a daily basis. Don't get me wrong, it's not something I obsess over, but I do want to live the healthiest life I can which requires thought and dedication. I'll often laugh to myself at how much my eating habits have changed and how funny it is that I used to think I was being healthy when I really wasn't. 

I hope that after reading this post it gives you a push in the right direction towards improving your health and fitness and a better understanding about how healthy eating and exercise can improve your outlook on life, in more ways than one.