Shoes!

Have arrived home to rainy Melbourne...with the promise of a warm and tropical summer

Unpacking my bag has been an experience in itself, sorting my way through months of purchases resulted in a heaped lump on my bed

These were my favourite shoes bought on my trip- all surprisingly from the United States

Plus my very own version of the Alexander Wang 'Diego' bag, amazingly reproduced by my leather tailor in Bali

(I really should be putting together my resume to find a job right now, but that's just boring!)

Beautiful Bali Beach

So often in Bali I get so caught up in pool politics that I forget how great spending a day at the beach really is.

People watching is my main delight (much missed at a small hotel), as people of all shapes, sizes, ages and swimsuits parade themselves along the Legian beach front- the budgie smuggler is unfortunately still the bathing suit of choice for many European men.

But I also love the endless stream of sellers, peddling everything from sarongs to tattoos to sand-splattered pedicures...and the assumption that if you are buying something from one person, you'll definitely want another persons product too, even if it's a sailboat-shaped kite fit for Sydney Mardi gras!

Bag bonanza!

No holiday to Bali is complete without the mandatory trip to the leather man to get that dream bag or jacket I can't afford copied for a fraction of the price

Here is round 1, number 2 will be ready in a couple of days

Quite happy with the results if I do say so...

Max attack!

My boyfriend hates maxi dresses...so naturally I find myself subconsciously drawn to them.

Latest in the collection is this lace Shakuhachi number, bought from the Shakuhachi store here in Seminyak, Bali...so much Australian fashion gets made on this tiny island that it's only fitting that there be a whole store for the brand.

I have a lace fetish, so naturally this one caught my eye, and i love the asymmetric hemline, which I think saves it from looking too much like a nightie.

I'm thinking strappy sandals for day...maybe buckled wedges for night...

Goodbye USA

After 6 months we're on the home stretch of what has been an amazing viewing of the world we live in.

And while I'm looking forward to seeing family and friends again and being able to unpack my bag for longer than 2 weeks, it's sad to think that i'll probably never get to do anything like this again.

America: here's to your super super cheap prices, uproariously unhealthy food and friendly, welcoming people.

A couple of snaps from our time in southern California...Hollywood, Laguna Beach, San Diago

Ticker-Tape

Everything is bigger in America

And nothing is more evident than in celebration

We were in San Francisco when the SF Giants won the baseball world series

It was nuts!

stocking up

One of the best things about America is the incredibly cheap makeup...and as a result I have stocked up

I figured that having a couple of the same items can't hurt...who wants to pay $72 for a NARS bronzer when you can get it for $30!

Go Australian dollar!!