Sunset in Lanaʻi.

Excited to share some images with you from my recent trip to Lana'i which also happens to be the smallest publicly accessible inhabited island in Hawaii. This was the first time we had all been to Hawaii and we were all so excited that we could barely wait! We made our way down from the hotel towards the beach and discovered that there wasn't a single soul in sight. The only movement was the gentle waves dancing along the pebbled shoreline. It was peaceful and serene. Looking back it was such a special moment that truly set the mood for the beginning of our trip in Lana'i. So appreciative to have been able to start 2015 with some of my favourite people and on such a  calming note. 

Photography: Li-Chi Pan & Li-Zen Pan

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Life's Too Short to Drink Bad Wine.

It's true that you do need to be somewhat into wine to truly appreciate Hunter Valley and its many vineyards. I attempted visiting the Hunter last year and was seriously bummed out when I learnt I had come in the wrong season. I decided that I needed to visit this region again with a full weekend itinerary at hand and what an absolute joy it was!  

There aren't many budget style accommodations in the Hunter region but the H Boutique was reasonably priced, nicely fitted out and in a great location. Couldn't fault it to be honest! 

Situated 4 minutes from our Hotel was the Hunter Valley gardens. Entry fee was $25 (student discounts don't apply). Was slightly shocked as I'd visited some of the most charming gardens in Paris all free of charge - So was a little surprised at how much they charged and I wouldn't say I would pay that again as some bits seemed slightly run down.. However, the best part of the gardens turned out to be the Storybook section where nursery rhyme characters were featured and I felt slightly nostalgic reliving some of my childhood memories and dreams. 

We had 8 wineries lined up on our itinerary and I was elated to learn that they were all within a five minute driving range of where we lived (winning)! Our first stop was at the Audrey Wilkinson. A five star absolute must when visiting the Hunter Region with its breathtaking views and picturesque location. First Creek Wines, Bimbadagen Estate and Tempus Two all had a fashionable collection of award winning wines for tasting too. I think it's quite suffice to say that I got quite tipsy from all the wine tasting that happened - but that's all part of the Hunter experience, no? ;)

 Hope you enjoy the photos!

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A Winter Wonderland.

This post is long overdue - however I've been busy settling down into my new life in Stuttgart! It's been a massive change for me as I discovered that all my classes are taught in German - but that's a story for another day - So my apologies! We decided collectively as a group of friends to rent two cars to explore the much famed Neuschwanstein Castle - a 19th century Romanesque Revival palace perched atop a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. It is very rare that you will have to travel more than a few hours before you can immerse yourself in a new culture and dive into a different world.

 The dreamy view of  Neuschwanstein Castle from Marien Brucke.

En-route to Neuschwanstein Castle I was also able to experience what it was like to be a seated passenger in the speeding car on the German Autobahn. Scary does not even begin to describe it. The Autobahn is perhaps the ultimate dream for anyone who has a love for speed and most of the world's serious drivers have heard of it and longed to have a shot at driving on this freeway with no speed limit.  

I always get teased by these very three boys that I take too many photographs - meanwhile... 

My amazing friend Haren - who always manages to capture the little moments. 

     

After visiting the Castle we drove to Lake Constance on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps. We quickly hurried back to the car after a few snapshots of the picturesque scenery to return the car! It was truly amazing being in a three-country-zone. Germany to the east, Switzerland to the west and Austria at the South. The view of the Swiss Alps from the German side was really such a pleasant experience. Can't wait to blog about more roadtrips in Europe. This is definitely not the last! 

    

Hope you all had a relaxing Easter weekend! On a side note i'd like to say a little thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read my first post! I've been wanting to start up a personal blog in what feels like forever! I am so grateful to have friends and followers on Instagram who've been so encouraging and supportive of this idea. I will try my best to update this page as often as I can. Stay tuned for more posts and do let me know your thoughts on the layout. I'm always open to change.

  

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