‘The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever” Jacques Cousteau
Mesmerised by these dreamy landscapes and the mystical energy swirling amongst the pastel sunset sky, forever spelled by the wonder and beauty of it all.
So grateful for this gift of life, to experience the simple things like watching a sunset, the smiles on my children’s faces, the warm embrace of my beloved.
“Dare to love yourselfas if you were a rainbowwith gold at both ends” Aberjhani
My family and I recently set out for some much needed retreat time to Bali with Luxury Retreats, and what we experienced was beyond all expectations. It was such an easy and seamless getaway from beginning to end. The concierge took care of every little detail, making this trip such a retreat for us all. As a mother juggling my own business, family, and rolling with the random curveballs that life has to offer, I am so very grateful when someone else takes over the reigns and plans the nitty gritty details. Luxury Retreats anticipated all our needs and created the perfect holiday for our family.
Our time at the Pandawa Cliff Estate was nothing short of total luxury. And absolute fun! The best part was having quality one on one time with our kids. Slow breakfasts with conversations about what adventures the day would bring, followed by frisby on the grass, tennis on the courts, pool time and more pool time, walks along the beach, silly games of Uno and fluffy favourites slots games, and so much amazing Balinese cuisine right there in our villa. Having our own personal chef cook all our meals, catering to our dietary needs/preferences, was just so wonderful. We all felt so well taken care of. This was truly a rejuvenating holiday for us, just as we intended it to be.
As you can see from these pictures our villa was beyond amazing. It’s definitely one of the best we’ve ever stayed in here in Bali. It was so spacious, light and luxuriously appointed, yet still maintained a homely feel, making it so comfortable and enjoyable for us. We stayed in the Rose Villa, which is one of 3 villas in the Pandawa Cliff Estate. You can even hire out all 3 villas and have the perfect destination wedding with all your friends and family, in total privacy and luxury. We were lucky enough to get a sneak peak of a wedding in one of the adjacent villas and it looked spectacular! It was a gorgeous balmy evening filled with loving vibes, twinkling lights, happy music and a magical finale of fireworks over the ocean.
One of my personal highlights of our stay was waking up each morning for the sunrise. I am the biggest fan of waking up with the sun anywhere in the world. It starts my day off perfectly and energises me in a way that extra sleep doesn’t. It’s worth the early wake up, trust me. Witnessing beauty like that, so transient, and always so unique, is a very special and indescribable experience.
We are so thankful to Luxury Retreats for our perfect family holiday. They have an incredible selection of villas across the world and the best service and expertise I’ve dealt with to date. I highly recommend them for your next vacation. Follow them here for travel inspiration from all over this beautiful world.
“You are the artist of your life, you are the author of your own story”
Every day I feel very blessed to live the life that I do. I am thankful for my beautiful tribe and all the angels who have played their part in the course of my life, guiding me, supporting me, reflecting love to me, as I create the life I’ve always dreamed of. Every day the dream changes a little as I learn and grow. I follow my joy, never quite knowing where that will take me. It’s such an exciting and empowering feeling knowing you can choose at any moment what you want to create and how you want to feel. You are the artist of your life, you are the author of your own story. Write the book that sparks your joy. Paint whatever beautiful painting your heart desires. Create the life of your dreams.
Here in Bali, in this quiet space, where clarity prevails, I gained a glimpse of the expansive ability of my mind. I felt the infinite possibilities of my imagination and all that I could create. I felt limitless. I realised at the crux of it all was a need to fully embrace myself for all my unique ways…to know I was already enough. To see myself with eyes of love and compassion, and feel the magic within. To remember I was special. That we all are. We are all amazing, and somehow we forget our beauty, our shining light. Even in the depths of despair and tragedy, never forget who you are. You have the power to decide who you are, what you want to be, and what you want to create in this life.
“Dream big with all the love and joy in your heart and pave the way for all the wondrous magic and miracles of life”
I’m so excited to share this photo shoot Bobby and I created in Hawaii for Billabong Australia for their January Fade to White collection. We had a whole day to play in the sunshine and salt water, soak up all the Aloha, as we explored the incredible northshore coastline. We felt so far removed from the world, in our own creative bubble. It was all so dreamy.
I’ve been floating in that bubble ever since and rather than looking to the next holiday, next break, next satisfying fulfilling distraction, my every day has become an ongoing stream of all that I love. It’s work and play all rolled into one. I don’t feel the need to escape my life, my work, my heartaches or my reality. I’m learning to simply be, accept all that comes, all that I create, love what is, and ride the wave. I’m thankful for each miraculous experience, even if it’s painful at times.
Hawaii definitely stole my heart and amplified my dreams to new heights. The energy of this land is just so magnetic and healing and brought so many insights to me simply be being there. I’m so grateful for my opportunities to travel and experience so much in this beautiful world.
You have blown me away. I can’t explain how beautiful you are in words. I look at your pristine beaches, roaring ocean and mysterious mountains and I cry over the immense beauty of it all. You are pure magic. One of the greatest energy spots I’ve visited on my time here on earth.
Mahalo.
Our recent wanderlust adventures took us to the fabled Northshore, on the idyllic island of Oahu. The tropical scents, the mouth watering food, the warm hearted people, the breathtaking landscape, the pulse and vitality that you can literally feel the moment you step off the plane….aahhhh let’s just say we found our island paradise and we are ready to pack our bags and move ;) There is something so raw about the immense waves at Northshore that open your heart allowing deeper connections to yourself, to nature and to all those around you. It was such a sensory and soul experience all in one.
My highlight was definitely hanging out at the Billabong House at Pipeline, acai bowl in hand, watching the incredible surfers riding those massive waves. I was in complete awe the entire time and I had to remind myself to breathe! It was one of the most inspirational experiences of my life. We were lucky enough to attend the Surfer Poll Awards and honour these amazing athletes that brave the power of the ocean. A few other awesome highlights – food truck stops along north shore for some of the best tacos and acai bowls of my life! Balmy sunsets at Turtle bay watching the surfers catch those last waves of the day. So many rejuvenating ocean swims in those magical turquoise waters. And pretty much every moment in between!
We seriously can’t thank Billabong Womens Australia enough for inviting us on one of the best trips of our lives. It is etched forever in our hearts and we are so grateful for all the belly laughs, dining and dancing, and above all the connections we made with you all. Nothing makes travelling better than meeting awesome people who open your heart up even more.
I’m still on cloud nine after an amazing midweek trip to Sydney, where I was lucky enough to meet a few of my all time favourite designers and inspirational women – Samantha Wills + Elizabeth and Isabella from Spell Designs. It really was a dream come true for me to connect with these lovely ladies and thank them in person for their endless inspiration. I’ve felt incredibly blessed throughout my blogging journey to work with authentic and genuine people, who also happen to design such beautiful jewellery, clothing and accessories.
I’m also incredibly thankful to my husband, Bobby Bense, for supporting me and taking care of our gorgeous children, while I galavant across country. It was a much needed time out for me, a moment of pause to enjoy all that I’ve created and celebrate with like hearted kindred souls.
Here is a little collection of pictures from the events I attended – Samantha Wills Pania Showcase and Spell Designs book launch, and hanging out at QT hotels with the lovely Suzie + Jenna from Turquoise Lane. I also managed to squeeze in a very last minute trip to Bondi just so I could get my feet in the sand ;)
Now I’m back and gearing up for the next adventure to one of my favourite holiday destinations ;)
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