Gorgeous & Green

I just love these reusable shopping bags from Envirosax, in fact I have two already but may have to purchase a few more!  They fold up into a 10 x 4 cm pouch and fit right in my bag.

Planning my Aussie Roadtrip

After the cold weather chaos experienced in the Northern hemisphere this flast festive season (Dec '09), I have decided that this year's December MBA Summer break shall have to be taken in a slightly warmer climate.  The solution: an Aussie Road trip!  As Kristy is in Sydney and Bron in Melbourne, those two shall definitely have to be on my list.  This picture of Uluru inspired me to add that to my list.  Any other suggestions?

Rules for Life cont..

The second exerpt from my Rules for life:

• Always be judgmental, that’s why God gave you a brain. 
• It is better to watch a scene than to make one.
• Good dancers are usually good lovers.
• Nobody looks good in a tracksuit.
• The person, who snores the loudest, falls asleep first.
• Always leave 48 hours (24 are not enough) before you react to an insult. 
• Don’t ask difficult questions after 4pm on a Friday.
• Most blondes just act dumb to get away with murder. 
• Wait for the right guy, but in the meantime have a great time with all the wrong ones. 
• You only live once….

Picture from The lil bee

Happiness..

 

"Happiness isn't happiness unless there's a violin-playing goat." I just love this moment in the movie..

Courtesy of the Notting Hill movie and Bold Soul

Club VII

Club VII is a Wine appreciation club started 7.07 PM on 7/7/2009 with 7 founding members , drinking 7 wines that were at least 7 years old.  Why 7? The number seven, considered lucky and sacred by the ancient Greeks is also seen in the number of days in a week, the seven wonders of the world. A good omen perhaps.. although it is really just a gathering of like minded people who enjoy the fruits of Bacchus and who are great company.

We had a Sunday Savignion Blanc lunch this weekend.. a leisurely affair that started at 1pm and carried on through wine after wine and course after course.  And by the time the cheese board and Port emerged, it was dark.  The evening only eventually wound down at 10pm after a great afternoon of wine tasting and talking..

Time to hit the books..

MBA registration was on Friday and it took me back to the days of my undergraduate degree as we had to queue to have our photos taken for our student cards.  And yes, student discounts come with that.. however I doubt I'll be frequenting the Dros all for R25 off fish and chips.  How times have changed..  Speaking of change, campus attire forbids jeans, sneakers and shorts, so I'll definitely have to figure out a chic business casual wardrobe (about that new years resolution: 2010).  I'm doing my MBA at GIBS over the next two years and we received our first pile of books and assignments.. and lectures have not even started!  Talk about jumping into the deep end with both feet first..

Photograph courtesy of Barca.

Rules for life

For the 10 years between 1997 and 2007, I gathered a list of sayings, quotes and ideas that I compiled into a list of Rules for Life. Each week I'll share a few more..

• Live with passion.
• In victory you deserve champagne, in defeat you need it. 
  
• Make your life extraordinary! 
• No one can make you feel inferior without your consent (Elenor Roosevelt). 
• Not all who wander are lost, they’re just taking the long road home. 
• Life expands or contracts according to your courage. (Elenor Roosevelt). 
• Don’t be the moth, be the flame (Casanova). 
• Fortune favours the brave. 
• Don’t worry about tomorrow.  It will come, free of charge.
• I distrust camels and anyone else who can go for a week without a drink.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Wine drinking and cheese eating..

I have decided to plan a little get together with friends at my place before I disappear into the black hole (a.k.a my MBA).  Wine and cheese always go down a treat!

2010

Happy New Year!!! Are you making New Year's Resolutions?

Mine = Dress like a French woman. Read good books in bed. Make soups on Sunday nights. Try not to be too neurotic about work / MBA. Write thank-you notes. Hug more.  Take more photos.  Drink good wine.. and coffee for that matter. Go to a Game (2010 WC). Be happy..

Photo courtesy of Cup of Jo

Icehotel in Swedish Lapland

Shortly after arriving back from Oman, I was already getting excited for my next trip to the Icehotel in Swedish Lapland 9200km North of the Arctic circle). However news of a potential British Airways strike, which would impact my flight to London did send me into a bit of a tailspin. Luckily, the British courts rescued Christmas from the Unions! Dave, Iain, Gareth and I met up at Heathrow for our SAS charter flight to Kiruna in Sweden on the 29^th December. After a 5 hour delay at Heathrow, we arrived in blisteringly cold weather and transferred to Jukkasjarvi, 200km North of the Arctic circle, where the world famous Icehotel is situated. The Icehotel is constructed to a new design every winter as it melts back into the river Torne every spring.  This year was the 20th anniversary of the Icehotel!

 
We jumped off the plane in Kiruna at -28C and hurried inside the airport as we were definately not dressed for those temperatures.  I must thank the Girls for the down jacket you gave me for Kilimanjaro - it was a lifesaver at those temperatures! After checking in, they supplied us with a much needed one-piece thermal suit, hat, gloves and boots! Many asked us why we were heading to the Arctic circle in winter when it is dark and cold, with only 3 hours of polar light each day. “To see the Northern lights”, I say!  Unfortunately, they were hidden behind the clouds for our entire stay and it's apparently been a bad season for the Northern Lights.  But now I have another reason to plan a trip to see them!  Not that I have ever needed an excuse..

For the first 3 nights we stayed in warm accommodation and our last night (after New Year’s Eve) was in the chilly ice hotel. The morning after we arrived, we clambered out of warm beds and explored our surroundings before joining our Husky Sledding Tour.

There are more dogs than people in Jukkasjarvi (1200 dogs to 800 people) and I loved the sled ride through quiet forest trails. Mush Mush! The scenery was breath taking: snow laden trees, frozen rivers blanketed in white and the moon rising on the horizon.  However it was freezing at -35C, regardless of the fact that I was sandwiched between the three guys for wind protection!  We stopped halfway to defrost  by a campfire and made a short stop for coffee and cinnamon buns ( frozen cinnamon buns, I might add) .. very necessary, I tell you!

On the way back to the Icehotel, Gareth gave Iain some reprieve from the cold and sat in front of the dog sled.  However his scarf had already frozen around his face and his eyelashes had little crystals forming at the ends!  When we reached camp, stiff and frozen as we were, I don't think any of us has run so fast for the warmth of our cabin!  Once we had returned our body temperatures to normal, we headed to our normal haunt: The Lobby bar, for hot chocolate and reindeer sandwiches.  Yum!

Later that evening, we hopped on snowmobiles and sped off across a frozen lake in search of the northern lights. It was freezing still at -37C and apparently the windchill from being on a snowmibile at speed would have take the temperature down to  approximately -60C!! Alas it was  still cloudy so we didn't get to see the infamous lights, however, we stopped for a traditional dinner  of Moose stew and some hot Ligonberry juice at a wilderness hut.  A The following day was slightly more relaxed as we geared up for New Years, although we did head off on horseback in search of moose and reindeer. Gareth was also determined to locate Santa’s daughter!  Alas, the latter was not to be.  Once at the stables, we harnessed and groomed our horses before setting off.  Mine was a gorgeous little pony called Brenna.  The guys nicknamed her the dwarf as she was slightly less of a steed than the rest.  She may not have been able to see out of her stall, but she was raring to go!  Guys should know it's not just size that counts.

That evening we counted down the final moments of 2009 as we indulged in port and champagne, had a gourmet dinner in the icehotel restaurant, snow fights, followed by drinks in our cabin and then vodka shots and live music in the Absolut Icebar.. and some interesting dancing to cheesy old tunes! Just before midnight the Grader symphony commenced, where a Swedish girl sang  to a background of grader ballet.  Although I think by this stage I had had a little too much champagne so fear I did not fully appreciate the finer artisitc merits of the Grader symphony. After midnight there was fireworks and wishing lanterns and I decided it was time to retire for the night and let the boys have some fun!  Too much champagne for me!  The next day we recovered from our hangovers... recovered from hangovers.. recovered from our hangovers.. and, oh yes,  explored the icehotel rooms and art suites which we were staying in that night. There was much talk as to who would win the bet and get to cuddle with me .. the joys of travelling with three men! 

The Icehotel is maintained at a chilly -5C and we had to strip down to a single layer of thermals, our boots and beanies and run the gauntlet (through the open air and into the hotel) with our sleeping bags which are fit to cope at temperatures of -50C.  Once we'd found our rooms, the race was on to get your boots off and get into your warm cocoon before you got too cold.  The sleeping bags zip right up to your chin leaving a small circle around your face to allow one to breathe.  I had a great nights' sleep and awoke with a start the next morning as one of the hotel staff bought us hot Ligonberry juice as a wake up call. A wonderful way to end an amazing holiday..

More pics on: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=369097&id=668845583&l=5ac62b2c75