iHerb favourites

It's been several years since I started shopping through iHerb, especially when it comes to various health foods, tea and organic beauty products.

Honestly, the fact that most of the products you get on iHerb are organic, and that it's a vegan's paradise, was never really my top reason for shopping there. It is, however, a very nice bonus and I have noted that especially the beauty products have made my hair and skin healthier than ever before.

The main reason for shopping at iherb, however, has been the low prices, quality and range of products you get access to. Over the years I have found some wonderful products and I thought I'd share some of my favourites with you guys! :)

Especially now that I've moved to Australia, I find that it's a great way of getting products delivered to my door that I can't really find here or that would cost a fortune otherwise. As long as you keep the weight of every parcel under 4 pounds (iHerb will easily show you how much everything weighs) it only cost $4-6 in shipping as well!

If you're a first time buyer and looking to try some of these amazing products - make sure to use the code AGA408 for up to $10 discount on your first order! :)

Yogi Tea
I absolutely love Yogi tea! As opposed to a lot of other tea you can actually taste what is says on the label, it's caffeine free and a great guilt-free treat at any time during the day!

My absolute favourite is Egyptian Licorice, but I also stock up on Chai Rooibos and Bedtime frequently.

Chocolove
How divine are these! My all time favourite is the Almonds & Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate, but Toffee & Almonds in Milk Chocolate is really yummy too! They're also great as a little something extra when giving a present, and everyone I've given them to have loved them!

Atkins Bars
I used to buy more of these when I lived in Norway, where one bar cost the same as five on iHerb, but they're good value when living in Australia too. I love Peanut Butter Cups and find that it's a nice little snack for when you're craving something sweet! Since they're not that big I don't feel as guilty afterwards either :)
 

Garlic Gold
I use the Italian Herb Nuggets for almost everything when cooking! This spice is wonderful sprinkled over salads, over cooked vegetables, on cheese-melts or over pasta. I usually add it to a dish as a finishing touch and love the flavour it adds!

Le Saunier de Camargue
I can't say enough how amazing this salt, Fleur De Sel, is! It's a bit expensive, but oh so worth every cent! I sprinkle it over dishes just before serving and it really brings out those extra flavours. It's also amazing on eggs, vegetables and over roasted potatoes!

Frontier Natural
I have a few of the spices from Frontier and love all of them! The Apple Pie Spice is just divine over desserts, oatmeal or even toast! I also have their Taco Seasoning and Ceylon Cinnamon (which is a bit sweeter than "regular" cinnamon) and they seem to disappear way to quickly! ;)


NuNaturals
One of my all-time favourites from iHerb is Vanilla Stevia! I have tried a few from different brands, and this is definitely the one I like the best. It's sweet, but with all that vanilla flavour you want. I add 4-5 drops to my tea, in coffee (especially good for home-made iced coffee), to pancake batter, in plain yoghurt and when baking!

Bell Plantation PB2
I have both the regular Powdered Peanut Butter and the Powdered Peanut Butter with Premium Chocolate and I LOVE both of them! Adding a couple of table spoons to your pancake mixture makes for divine peanut butter pancakes, it works especially well when making cookies, and can be added to smoothies, yoghurt and even ice cream! I love the stuff!

Walden Farms
Calorie Free Pancake Syrup that tastes good??? Yup! You heard me right! Totally guilt free and really, really yummy on top of pancakes (of course), waffles, ice-cream (though it looks a bit odd when it freezes), in yoghurt and probably good for baking as well.


Miracle Noodle
Honestly, I've only tried the Angel Hair Miracle Noodle once. I liked it, but haven't bought it again because I thought it was a bit of a hassle for cooking some noodles. However, they are totally calorie free, behaved like noodles and work really well in dishes where they're not the main ingredient.

Desert Essence
My absolute favourite brand for anything to do with my hair! I swear to their Red Raspberry Shampoo and Conditioner - it has made my hair so much healthier! And it smells divine! I use the 100% Pure Jojoba oil for styling my curls (just a little bit in your palms and then massage through your hair gently - be careful not to use too much though!), in addition to the Coconut Soft Curls Cream for when I want extra defined curls. I also LOVE the Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleansing Pads.

Giovanni
Another favourite for hair and body. The L.A. Hold Hair Spritz is the best hair spray I've ever had! It gives a strong hold, but the hair stays natural and it's easy to comb through afterwards.

Alba Botanica
The best (and cheapest) sunscreen I've ever had is the Hawaiian Sunscreen SPF 45. It's easy to apply, absorbs quickly, water proof for 80 minutes and it has never failed to protect me! I even use it as a moisturizer sometimes. They also have an amazing shaving cream that I have become totally reliant on. The Papaya Mango Moisturizing Cream Shave ensures you never have a cut again! I've also used their Very Emolient Cream Shave and it's really good too.


The Mineral Terra Tints Lip Balm from Alba Botanica is also one of my favourites. I have it in the colour Blaze, which is a dark red, and I absolutely love it as an alternative to lipstick! It stays on well, cost next to nothing and moisturizes at the same time! Similarly, their Shimmering Natural Colour Gloss is really nice - although I don't wear it much if it's windy as my hair gets stuck in it!

Thayers
I use this rose water Original Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera as a make-up remover, to cleanse my skin in the morning before moisturizing or to refresh my skin during the day. It's so gentle, feels good on the skin, moisturizes gently and smells really nice.

Queen Helene
I have used this Mint Julep Masque for a while and it works really well. My skin feels nice and soft afterwards, and I've also noticed that it helps against black spots and my T-zone. Plus, it smells really nice!

Kiss my Face
I've heard a lot of good stuff about this brand and decided to get the Peppermint Foot Creme. It's amazing! I've used it with these Sustainable Moisture Socks from Eco Tools, whom I also love, with great success! Highly recommended for tired feet!




Madre Labs
I got this Nighttime Recovery Cream on one of iHerb's specials (only $11) and wish I remembered to put it on more often! It leaves my skin nice and soft and I always feel a bit fresher in the morning. I'm definitely going to try to use this more often in the future!




Nubian Heritage
I don't use this African Black Soap myself, but my boyfriend loves it! So does my father and any other male I know that's tried it. It has a really nice smell, moisturizes and also looks a bit manly ;) Great gift for any man in the house (or yourself!).

Badger Company
And last, but not least my dear friend the Anti-Bug Balm! Mosquitos love me and I get eaten up alive if I ever sit outside after dark - but this balm actually fixes all of that. It smells like lemon, easy to put on and is nice and soft on the skin. It is a bit like wearing a lemon moisturizer, but as far as anti-mosquito stuff goes it's the best repellant I've tried! And it's cute.


I do have a few more products that I love from iHerb as well, especially protein powder, phsyllium husk, almond flour and other stuff that I like to use for baking, but I don't bake that often anymore.

Update: For more favourites you can also read this blogpost!

Do you have any iHerb favourites that I should know about?

The five-hearted Iron Lady

Every Friday and Saturday morning something absolutely amazing happens in Brisbane. I could hardly believe it when I first heard that this Norwegian guy, Christian, had started the most wonderful business on the other side of the planet: Waffles! Five delicious hearts of perfect, lightly brown goodness covered in sweet brown cheese and raspberry jam. Can you even think of a better way to start the weekend?

The location does change a bit, but usually you'll find The Iron Ladies, as they've named their business, operating out of Two Trees in West End. They do the most delicious coffee that goes oh so well with these yummy waffles! Friendly staff, good atmosphere and just enough quirkiness.

Personally, I stay true to my Norwegian heritage and refuse to have my waffle with anything but brown cheese, jam or sour cream, but they do also serve up some pretty interesting and adventurous toppings. How about spicy pinapple, mango chutney, mint and cucumber raita? Or a waffle dog? Or maybe some peanut butter, banana and chocolate sauce? The menu changes every week and I even heard rumors of anchovies finding their way on top of one of the waffles once - although not with any great success. 

Most importantly though, this wonderful human being - Christian - also made me aware that the Swiss Gourmet in West End actually takes in, and sells, Norwegian brown cheese! :D Hooray!!! :D It cost a small fortune, but is worth every single cent!

If you haven't tried it yourself, I seriously suggest you change that situation asap. Just do it. I know you want to! Simply knowing that there is brown cheese available when and if I get a craving has brought great calmness into my life.

What is your favourite waffle topping?

Where thou art - that - is Home

Tigerpus

This weekend another piece of the "moving to Brisbane" puzzle came together as my partner and I moved into our very own little cottage. I love it! :D There is plenty of space for both us and the latest addition to our little family - Tigerpus!

Once we finally got power in the house (we moved in on the weekend and had to go 3 days without electricity) I could finally cook our very first meal in the new house - Norwegian style tomato soup! Haha.

I can't wait until we get everything settled and can just kick back on the balcony, and enjoy the sun overlooking our (very overgrown) garden with sunflowers and all! I even spotted some lorikeets in a tree nearby! :D

Our little cottage

I just love the style of the cottage, all the space and especially our back balcony! :)

Livingroom and kitchen

One of these bedrooms has become our very own little walk-in closet! It's a dream come true!

Bedrooms and bathroom

Unfortunately, moving house also means we'll be without Internet for the next 2-3 weeks as that takes some time to set up! :( So this is also my very first mobile blog post and it'll probably go a bit longer between posts... Hope it still looks OK! 

Have you got any exciting plans for the weekend? I'm thinking BBQ on the balcony! :D

Love is a fruit in season at all times

An absolutely gorgeous butterfly that swooped past
me as I was checking out the neigbourhood gardens

Coming from a cold climate like Norway there are a lot of surprises in store when moving to subtropical Australia. For me, one of those things has been all the amazing fruit, vegetables and herbs that grow so easily here in Brisbane! Having grown up with a passion for picking everything that could possibly be edible (basically meaning every berry I could find and a few mushrooms) you might say I have finally met my match.

I had a short walk around the block of our house today and the amount of - to me - exciting fruit, vegetables and herbs that literally hang over people's garden fences is astounding! Would it really be stealing when it's technically hanging onto the street? I'm starting to think that it might not, and that there would be absolutely no shame in picking a couple of ripe passion fruits, some branches of rosemary or a chilli or two as I pass by...? ;)

Here are some of the yummy things you'll find within a one block radius of our house (click on the images for larger pictures) :)

Passion fruit hanging over a fence

Gorgeous grapes almost ready to eat

Paw paw's in a tree just around the corner

Oranges growing in a nearby garden

Huge rosemary plants in our street

One of the pumpkins growing next door

A chilli hanging over the fence 

A chilli bush in the neighbour's garden

Anyone know what this
is? Pretty sure it's edible too!

I have SO many plans for my future garden now! To the despair of my partner, who will be the one tending for these yummy plants - as I've managed to kill every plant my "fingers of death" come in touch with... or maybe I should have just remembered to water them... ;)

What would be your top choices for your fruit/vegetable/herb garden?

Getting a Partner (Subclass 820) Visa!

Our application

On Tuesday last week I got the very happy news that my application for my Partner Visa had been approved and that I am now a Temporary Resident of Australia for 2 years (and after that I will get Permanent Residency)! :D Hooray!

It happened a lot faster than anticipated, as the average processing time is presently 13 months (!) and I got mine within 4 months. As our application was successful, with no need for an interview or any extra documents, I thought I'd share our outline for the Visa application and how we chose to do it. Maybe it will be of help to others struggling with their application or for those of you thinking of starting the process.

 I also have some various tips for moving to Australia on this page.

First, I'd like to add that the application itself took about 4 months (!) to compile and that there was a LOT of work involved. There was a lot of paperwork that needed to be sent from Norway and it took some time getting family and friends to do Statutory Declarations confirming that our relationship was genuine. In addition, selecting photos, Facebook screenshots and other evidence of us being together took some time in order for it to be presented the best way. And then there was the job of getting all of our evidence copied and certified by a JP - something that does take some time when you have over 100 pages they need to stamp and sign. Luckily we found a very helpful one in South Brisbane, which I would recommend very highly.

In addition to the outline below, we also wrote a short statement for every section, explaining the following evidence and what we were in fact presenting (keeping in mind that the Case Officer can only make a decision out of what we tell her and how the various documents are actually to be seen). We also made sure to refer to the various sections in our own Statutory Declarations (short, and only where appropriate) in order to make it easy to make the connections between the history of our relationship and the evidence we were presenting. 

Three things that were of great help to us throughout the process was 1) The Australian Forum of Immigration, 2) Grant Williams' blog and 3) this template for our own Statutory Declarations (unfortunately you have to pay to download it from that site, but you can also just view and copy by hand). Also, it's crucial that you read through the entire booklet for partner migration.

This is what was included in our Partner Visa application:
(make sure you use the latest forms as updated on www.immi.gov.au)

1. THE APPLICANT
- Form 47SP
- Birth certificate (certified copy)
- Passport (certified copy incl. all stamped pages)
- Form 80
- Australian Federal Police Check Report (original)
- Norwegian Police Check Report (original)
- Bank Statements from Norwegian bank (showing savings, certified)
- Medical Examination (sealed envelope)
- Two passport photos of Applicant (certified)

2. THE SPONSOR
- Form 40SP
- Birth Certificate (certified copy)
- Passport (certified copy)
- Letter from employer on total length of employment (certified copy)
- Letter from employer on salary from 2010 (certified copy)
- Tax assessment notice 2012 (certified copy)
- Australian Federal Police Check Report (original)
- Two passport photos of Sponsor (certified)

3. PROOF OF DE-FACTO RELATIONSHIP
- Partner Registration Certificate (certified copy)

History of the Relationship
- Applicant’s Statutory Declaration (signed and witnessed)
- Sponsor’s Statutory Declaration (signed and witnessed)

Nature of the Household
- Current lease agreement (certified copy)
- Letters, bills etc. addressed to applicant/sponsor at current address (certified copies)

Evidence of the Financial Aspect
- Proof of joint bank accounts (certified copies)
- Joint accounts’ bank statements (certified copies)
- Applicant’s bank statements (certified copies)
- Sponsor’s bank statements (certified copies)
- Confirmation letters from Telstra, AGL, Origin etc. showing both have access to the accounts (certified copies)
- Invoices in both names (certified copies)

Social aspect of the relationship
- 2 Form 888 from Australian citizens (witnessed / certified copy of passport)
- 2 Form 888 from Non-Australian citizens, living in Australia (witnessed / certified copy of passport)
- Evidence of joint travels (original photos and e-mail receipts)
- Facebook wall posts (originals)
- Photographs (originals)
- Cinema tickets (e-mail receipts, originals)
- Tickets to concerts (e-mail receipts, originals)
- Coupons to restaurants (e-mail receipts, originals)
- Joint memberships (certified copies)

Nature of commitment to each other 
- Overview of Facebook relationship between Applicant and Sponsor (original)
- Private Facebook messages (originals)
- Evidence of Sponsor listed as Applicant’s emergency contact (certified copy)
- Drawing Sponsor made for Applicant (certified copy)
- Cards to and from each other, and our families (certified copies)
- Post card to Applicant/Sponsor from Applicant's parents (certified copy)
- Wedding invitation to Applicant/Sponsor from Sponsor's friend (certified copy)

If you have any questions and think I might be able to help, just ask. I'd be glad to help others through this very long and difficult process! :)

Haloumi Day :D

So much yummy food! :)

Finally it's here again! The Paniyiri Greek Festival in West End! <3 Two days of munching on perfectly cooked Haloumi, tender chicken skewers and deliciously sweet honey puffs! Mmmmm. Not to mention the Peloponnesian Princess, the world's largest zorba and a great fireworks display every night at 8pm! :)

If you didn't make it yesterday, be sure to stop by for some Greek festivities today! There is still time for some traditional Greek plate smashing, to join the olive eating competition or even try some grape stomping! There is also an after-party today where you can dance to Greek tunes long into the night! :)

We didn't end up going on any of the rides, but there were some really nice ones this year for those of you who enjoy the Tivoli as well! The Greek sure know how to arrange a proper festival!

This is one of my favourite festivals in Brisbane, possibly clouded by my love for cheese and that perfectly grilled and chewy haloumi! <3 Yay for Haloumi Day!

What did you do this weekend?

"Ja Vi Elsker" 17th of May!

Hurra hurra hurra!

What better way to return to Australia, than to celebrate Norway's National Day with about 1000 other Norwegians and friends from all over QLD and beyond? :)

I was a bit sad that I wouldn't be in Norway for the 17th of May, even though I couldn't wait to get back to Australia. Luckily, the biggest Norwegian celebration in the Southern hemisphere actually takes place in Brisbane! :D

My boyfriend was happy to join in and shout "Hurra!!!" with me as we paraded through the streets of Brisbane by police escort this morning - following a marching band playing Norway's National Anthem and other traditional songs celebrating our country and it's people. I was a bit surprised by the range of feelings that rushed through me and almost brought me to tears as I chimed in on "Ja Vi Elsker" with hundreds of other Norwegian expats. It has been an emotional week returning to Brisbane and it felt surprisingly nice to celebrate our National Day with so many other Norwegians :)

We continued by listening to a long and tiresome speech about Norway, our traditions and the history of our National Day (which in itself is a tradition), followed by feasting on hot-dogs and waffles with brown cheese! :D <3 To absolutely no surprise most of the Norwegians were busy standing in line for beer and wine... hehe. I suspect there will be a LOT of drunk Norwegians roaming the streets of Brisbane tonight!

17th of May in Brisbane

It has been a very nice day! :D And I even got to buy some O'Boy from the store Swedish Goodies that I wrote about in another post - and that had taken the trip to Brisbane for the occation! :) Yay!

Oh, and speaking of nice things - did you know that I've gotten a kitten!?! :D This amazing little furball is named Tigerpus and she has melted my heart completely! It was love at first meow!

Tigerpus! <3

Isn't she just adorable? She has adjusted very quickly to her new home and is such an active, inquisitive little thing. I can't get enough of her! :) <3 (I think it's a her, at least, hehe)

Bye, bye Norway...

Sword in Stone - a monument to
The Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872

I've spent a couple of wonderful days in Norway prior to leaving, and luckily got to experience the very beginning of spring. It's such a magical time, as flowers pop up among the leaves everywhere and all the trees start to turn green <3 The temperature even reached a scorching 20 degrees on Tuesday! :O The sun has been shining until 8pm, champagne has been had and we even got to fire up the BBQ before I left. Bliss!

I still have a lot of mixed emotions about leaving, but I have absolutely no doubt that this is what I want. So now it's time to say goodbye to fjords, trolls and beautiful mountains, to moose, wolves and squirrels and to cold, crisp air, looong summer days and norwegian cheese <3 You will be missed!

BUT I'm also starting to get really, really excited about returning to Brisbane - and tomorrow I'll be on my way!!! :D Wohoo! It'll be a long plane ride, with an 18 hour layover in Bangkok, but soon I'll be back in the Sunshine State soaking up as much Vitamin D as possible! And finally I'll be back in the arms of my man! :D <3 It all feels a bit surreal, but Sssstraya here I come!

My last few days in Norway <3

5 days, 5 hours, and 5 minutes!

That is how long it's left until I arrive back in Brisbane! The wait is finally coming to an end, all my things are packed and I even managed to bring along a treasure or two reminding me of my childhood home and beautiful Norway! <3

Bergen during early spring

Isn't it weird though - I've been in Norway for 3 months and it's only now that I'm about to leave I suddenly get an extreme craving for everything Norwegian! Brown cheese, komler, rømmegrøt, Norwegian rice porridge, waffles and smoked sausage that are all prepared and cooked just a bit different to everywhere else! Not to mention paprika flavoured chips (why does this not exist in Australia?) and delicious milk chocolate that melts on your tongue (with a complimentary fairy tale inside the wrapping!) :) I've been drinking ice cold water from the tap like there was no tomorrow and am suddenly finding trolls and fjords SO much more exciting than before. And the milk. Delicious, cold Norwegian milk that makes you strong and healthy, like our very own Mr. Melk!

It must be the realization that I actually don't know exactly when I'll be back. When I look out through my window onto great mountains, the still fresh water lake marking an end to one of the best salmon rivers in Norway, and the forest where I must have built a gazillion huts when I was a child, I know that I will miss it. I will miss my friends here and I will miss my family. And it's sort of ironic, because all the time I've been back I've been missing Australia, my partner and my friends there - and just counting the days to my return.

I guess I still feel like I have so much left to do, see and experience in Australia, and it might very well be that I'll end up living there permanently. It's just now that I'm about to leave and go do all that, that I'm also filled with sorrow, because I truly love Norway and everyone I will be leaving behind. But then I remind myself that it's not like I'll never be back! And that it's worth it! I would regret it forever if I did not take the leap to see where it takes me. And, of course, being back in the arms of the love of my life, where I know life will always be just a bit brighter! <3

Did you see the album I posted on my Norway page? You should! :)

Sleep is a symptom of caffeine deprivation

So while I'm sitting here in cold and rainy Norway (spring has yet to arrive, although I saw a crocus peeping through some brown leaves the other day!) I can't help but dream of the Brisbane winter, which to me is like a really, really lovely Norwegian summer! ;) I'm soon to finally set foot in this wonderful city again, and since it'll be getting "colder" it will be even more enjoyable to sit down at a café for a nice cup of cappuccino, or a chai latte. Both are favourites of mine!

During the past year I've found a few favourite spots for that strong, but well rounded cappuccino, or spiced chai latte (also simply referred to as chai tea a few places, even though it's mixed with milk), so I thought I'd share them with you guys! :) I also love it when I find somewhere to bring a good book, or where I can do some innocent people-watching while sipping into a cup of goodness. Again, West End is a favourite of mine so most of the places are in that area.

I've already mentioned The Gunshop Café in another post, and I really do love their cappuccino. A big test for me is to see if they can still get that velvety taste even with skim milk, and The Gunshop passed it with flying colours. I've also had their chai latte, which I thought was really nice and served in an original manner (photo). It's always a plus when the chai comes in a small teapot and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I do prefer it just a bit more spiced though. Sitting along the sidewalk in front of the café also makes for a great people-watching spot, and if you just want to relax with a book or magaizne their backyard is perfect.

One of the best cappuccino's I've had was at Cantina in Highgate Hill. My opinion on where to get the best cappuccino does change a bit, but I remember being pleasantly surprised and uttering the words "best cappuccino ever" a couple of times I've been there. It's strong and tasty just the way I like it, but with that velvety, rich touch. They also do a heavenly breakfast served until 2pm, so if you haven't been there yet I strongly recommend it. I've also found the staff very attentive and pleasant, and I love sitting outside in the mornings sun watching life pass by.

Another place that serves a really good cappuccino is Eros in West End. It's not quite as strong as I would like it, but it's relatively cheap and I like sitting inside near the window. There's not a lot of seating, but somehow it still never feels cramped, which is nice. They also make some delicious salads and it's definitely one of THE spots to go for sweet desserts. I always manage to fill up on breakfast/lunch though, so I seldom have enough room for sweets. The owner and staff are very attentive, and I like that the chef himself serves the dishes he makes (this is probably a result of limited space, though). Whatever I've asked for they've always managed to accomodate.

Oh, The Burrow. They do a good cappuccino - it doesn't make my tastebuds explode with delight, but it most certainly does the job. What they do make, however, is an absolutely heavenly iced coffee with ice-cream! We normally don't put ice-cream in our iced coffee in Norway, but this is a treat I most certainly can get used to. The Burrow offers cozy and relaxed seating upstairs, and I've spent quite a few hours up there with my books while trying to make my iced coffee last for as long as possible ;) They also do a really good breakfast, which actually blew me away a bit the first time I was there, as I was not expecting anything out of the ordinary. You can take a sneak peak at their signature dish, The Alice, here. Overall I find it a great place to just sit and relax, they also offer free WiFi and the staff is very pleasant.

The Banana Lounge in West End opened not too long ago and was a great improvement to the previous café, in my opinion. They focus on vegetarian/vegan food, but also serve a really nice chai latte worth a mention! It came in a small glass, but I thought the dried banana piece in on the spoon was a really nice touch. It was tasty too! The chai had just the right amount of spice, tea and milk and is definitely among my top 5. Unique to The Banana Lounge they also give you the option of Soy-, Rice-, Oat- and Almond-milk which is great for anyone struggling with food-allergies. And if you have a sweet-tooth they even serve an amazing chai spiced carrot cake! Yummy.

In my opinion, you can't really say you love chai latte without having set foot at Cafe Wrapture! Apart from serving the most scrumptious wraps on Earth (Seriously! Go eat there! Now!) Wrapture also serves an absolutely devine chai latte, in a seperate teapot, just the way I like it. It's a little pot of spiced heaven, perfectly balanced! And just right for a bit of a chilly day. The café also has a cozy little space in front where you can sit and relax (but be prepared, you'll have to fight for those seats!) and they really do seem to know their tea (I noticed a lot of other exciting varieties I have yet to try)!

There truly is nothing like taking a sip of a really good cappuccino or chai, lean back, relax and just savour the moment. What is your best caffeine moment?

"Only one thing is certain about coffee... Wherever it is grown, sold, brewed, and consumed, there will be lively controversy, strong opinions, and good conversation." - Mark Pendergrast

My whole life into a 20kg suitcase

That feeling of utter despair when the pile of clothes, shoes, books and other stuff almost reaches the ceiling... and you have one medium sized suitcase to fit it all into... *sigh*. If you're going for a week's holiday this is usually a good thing, as it forces you to rethink what you'll actually be needing. When you're moving to another continent, however, it's just hopeless! I've already spent a year in Australia, but then I had no plans for how long I was going to stay or where I was going afterwards. This time it's different.

Embracing my new home ;)

And this is why, even though I leave for Australia in little more than a week, I have not yet packed a single item. It's not only the pain of realizing I probably won't need that gorgeous red winter coat I spent years searching for (as I'm moving to a city where the winter temperature might reach a freezing +10 at night). It's also the idea of leaving behind the tea-cups I've collected from different countries I've travelled to, that piece of art i dragged all the way from Tunisia, or the wind-chime I finally decided on after running around for hours in a store in Lanzarote testing each and single one to make sure the one I got had that perfect sound. I know they're just things, and I'll find plenty of new stuff to fill my home with in Australia. But they're also memories. Little treasures from my past that remind me of all the good times I've had. That warm feeling of being surrounded by things you love and that make you feel at home, I guess. And now they're just stowed away into little cardboard boxes, where they'll probably stay for years to come.

I'm flying to Australia with Thai Airways, which are great - I find their flights comfortable, the food is nice (considering it's airplane food) and the service is good. However, they only allow you to bring 1 piece of luggage at 20kg - no exceptions. I called them once, to check if there was absolutely no way I could bring another suitcase for an extra fee, and was told that there actually was, but that fee was $1200. That's the cost my ticket! So naturally it's not really an option.

I'll just have to pick a few pieces, I guess, that I think will survive the long flight and that aren't too heavy. So at least I'll have a few things to remind me of home and all the great adventures I've had with everyone there :) <3 It's just so incredibly hard!

What would you choose to bring if you could only bring one suitcase and you were moving to another continent?

(I am also allowed hand-luggage, of course, and I'll be sending a few boxes of clothes etc. by post, but it still amounts to very little compared to everything I'd like to take with me)