January 27, 2010

Time for one of my favourite things, cocktails with Libby and Linda and Muddle Bar!

Mine, as always, a Grey Goose Martini. Yummm...

January 26, 2010

To celebrate Australia Day, I went out to the Poacher's Pantry, on the way to Murrumbateman in NSW, with my Mum, Peter, Jade, Manie and Sarah. We had a delicious lunch and yummy wine.

On the way there, we had to pass my husband's old hang gliding launch spot.

January 25, 2010

At the Australia Day Live concert, my new Godson Tommy and I had some time to get to know one another. He is adorable, and definitely 'australian made'

January 24, 2010

After an afternoon spent with my husband's family, the drive back home through Canberra. It's pretty hard not to enjoy the summer evenings here, when the heat has finally gone out of the sun.

And, just for fun, here's some of the locals who watched me stop to take a picture!

January 23, 2010

Drinks at Suburban with my BFF Indy!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE cocktails, and I love time with my girl even more!

January 22, 2010

The reason for this particular trip home was to meet my beautiful new nephew Tommy. So on my first morning at home, I couldn't wait to go and meet Tommy, his brother Will and his Mumma Chell for a coffee.





He is just as adorable as expected, and let us have a nice long coffee before he got hungry and ready for a nap!

January 21, 2010

So, still travelling. I made it to Darwing in the early hours of the morning. I would join staff travel again from here.

Two years ago today I lost my Dad to his 7 year battle with cancer. My life could not possibly be the same without him, as he was such a massive part of my world. I miss him everyday, and wish he could be here to see me finally having the kind of adventure he always wanted me to.

I went outside in Darwin to get some fresh (albeit insanely humid) air.

January 20, 2010

After missing several more flights, along with 30 other staff travellers, I took advice from my BFF and booked a flight like a normal person, on Jetstar! This is when I was sitting in the departure lounge waiting to board.

I was so tired by this stage, I couldn't tell you a single thing about my flight to Darwin. I was asleep before we took off, and woke up when we landed. :)

January 19, 2010

Staff travel can be the most awsome gift ever. And it can be an absolute drag. You pay a fantastic rate, but you have to travel standby. For the most part, you get on, but sometimes, you get stranded. After missing several flights in London (being totally full and oversold) I finally make it to Singapore. I was originally booked to travel via Hong Kong, rebooked to go via Bangkok when I couldn't get on the original flight, then rebooked again via Singapore when Bangkok started to look dicey. After the flight (business class, lovely as always) I arrived in Singapore to play the game all over again. Again the flights were heavily oversold, and I got stranded good and propper. After admitting defeat, I made it to my hastily arranged hotel, just before midnight.

January 18, 2010

I left Gryon today for a quick trip home to Australia. I am heading home to see some family, and meet my new nephew and Godson Tommy. We left Gryon at 4.30am for the drive to Geneva, where I flew to London for the start of an epic staff travel trip home. This is the view as we came in to land at a fogged out London Heathrow. We touched down less than five minutes later.

January 17, 2010

The night before I leave for Australia for a few weeks, so we all had a yummy roast pork and some great wine.

Renee and Joel also head back tomorrow, so we took the chance to have a photo of the girls altogether in Chalet Martin.

January 16, 2010

Today was my birthday! 29 years old today, so my husband Karl took me to lunch down the valley, and we went to a very cool bar called La Vache qui Vol (the cow that flys). This is the flying cow herself, just a little bit scary!

Lunch was fantastic, and drinks at the bar were brilliant. Jodi and Yannick came to join us for a few, and we had a very fun afternoon.

January 15, 2010

Renee and I popped into the Maison de Terroir in Gryon to pick up some apricotine supplies for my trip home to Australia. The shop is full of handmade local crafts and delicious things to eat and drink.

January 14, 2010

On my first morning in our new apartment, I set about unpacking our kitchen. And it was like Christmas all over again! I finally get to use my all time favourite kitchenware, Bison. Bison Australia is handmade and hand glazed ceramic kitchenware made in my home town of Canberra. The colours are exceptional, and they are always making new and beautiful things. Check them out at:

http://www.bisonhome.com/

January 13, 2010

A lunch date at our favourite hang out (for work and play!), Cookie in Barboleuse.

We ate far too much food, but it was all fantastic and the company was even better.

January 12, 2010

Some friends visiting from Australia made some scones this morning, and they were so delicious they were definitely worthy of photo of the day!

The scones were made by Renee, and were happily munched by Renee and her lovely and ever so new fiance (less than 24hrs!!!!) Joel, Lauren, Karl, myself and some backpackers who arrived at a very opportune time.

January 11, 2010

The drive up our little mountain is full of character! We come up through three or four beautiful little villages, on a small winding road. My favorite of the towns is Le Chene, because it is almost entirely made up of a winery (called the Domain du Chene) which spreads down the side of the mountain. Coming through several of the towns though, the buildings (built before cars made the trip up the mountain) are so close together two cars can't pass, despite it being a two-way road. It certainly makes the drive more interesting!!

January 10, 2010

I had a day off from working Reception, so I spent the day working with the boys on our new apartment. It is so close to be ready now, that the anticipation is killing me!!

This is the view from my new kitchen sink, showing the icy walk between the apartments and the hostel. We haven't had much of the 'big freeze' currently reported in Europe and the UK, but it is cold enough now that the moisture from the fog is crystalizing on the trees.

January 9, 2010

We spent the morning at the Ikea Knut Sale. The carpark was full by 9.05am, and inside was the expected pandemonium. Unfortunately though, the sale items were few and far between!

January 8, 2010

In Switzerland, it is all about the cows! Fortunately, I love cows.

This little guy came out with the Christmas decorations but I couldn't bring myself to put him away just yet.

January 7, 2010

Today I thought it was time to try a new bottle of red. This one is made just down the mountain from us in Ollon. It was delicious, another on a growing list of favourites!

January 6th, 2010

On my day off, Karl and I went to Chamonix for lunch and a spot of birthday shopping. While it was cloudy all of the way there, the sun came out in the end, and it was my first view of Mont Blanc. On the way back, we stopped in Martigny at a little Vespa dealership, so I could lament over my little red vespa left behind in Australia.

January 5th, 2010

An afternoon of skiing in between shifts on reception. And it turned into a spectacular day! This is at the top of Les Chaux at our local resort.

January 4, 2010

The view from the hostel, Chalet Martin, is usually one of endless mountain ranges, but on days like today we just see the cloud and the snow.

I drove up to Villars for a quick visit to the doctor this morning, and am pleased to say I am getting the hang of driving on the snow. I am very glad we decided on a 4WD car, and invested in winter tyres instead of chains!

January 3, 2010

On a quick shopping trip to Coop in Villars I came across my favourite flowers! They are adding some nice colour to the monochrome backdrop of the snow covered trees outside.

January 2, 2010

Fresh snow on the walk through Villars.

January 1, 2010

A couple of weeks ago, a friend presented a challenge. A small challenge, she said, take one photo, every day, for one year. It didn't sound that difficult, afterall we are both constantly taking photos.

Having never read anyone else's blog or, gulp, created one myself, I fear this could be more of a challenge than first thought.

So here it is, my first of what I hope to be 365 photos.

Gryon and the Dents du Midi

The view from our current home,

the Swiss Alps Retreat, Chalet Martin