For thousands of years, the Maya civilisation ruled Mexico. Their cities, temples as well as fortifications dot the landscape, leaving us to wonder at an advanced ancient society whose secret as well as legend are the very bones of a nation.

In the far eastern spur of Mexico, almost touching the arm of Cuba, the Yucatan Peninsula hugs the southern Gulf as well as reaches into the Caribbean Sea.

This jungle-filled province is house to many thousands of relics the Maya built for their reign over Mexico as well as many of central America.

Here are two significant archaeological sites of the Yucatan we went to while in Mexico. when thriving cities of the Maya, now simply the white bones picked clean by time.

Zamá – the City of Dawn, Tulum

With the bright blue of the Caribbean sparkling next to us as well as the white gravel path crunching beneath our feet, we emerge from a low stone doorway.

It’s a doorway that, thousands of years before us, would have brought the Maya to their location of residence, their location of trade, their location of worship.

We are walking through history.

Beyond the doorway built into a three metre deep stone wall are the ruins of Tulum’s ancient Maya town as well as its clifftop citadel.

In fact, this wall as well as the imposing ‘El Castillo’ are where Tulum gets its name.

Tulum implies ‘palisade’ or ‘wall’ in Maya.

Roaming the archaeological avenues woven between stones as well as pillars of this ancient walled city, we totally fail to remember about the view across the sea that has captivated our interest up until now.

It’s not until we’re looking back across the cliffs to see the glimmering white sand of the Playa Ruinas that we when once again remember that this Mayan destroy is the only one if its kind to sit on the coast.

All other Maya ruins are tucked away in the dark confines of jungles.

Here, the squat yet stylish fort sits in the most striking of contrasts to the swirls of soft sand sifting through the gentle eddies of the Caribbean shores.

Built with nothing however the strength of Mayan hands so long ago, it’s an fascinating paradox that this age-old view has captivated so many on Instagram.

Cobá – the City of damaged Water

As we step aboard our rickshaw, I can only feel apologetic as well as grateful to the guy at the pedals. We’ve taken too long to get right here from Tulum as well as now we have to hurry our way through this incredible location of ancient culture.

Not that arriving early would assist that much though.

This city of Coba was – as well as still is – vast.

It would take a whole week to check out all the grey ruins of this mighty place. however in the warm of the ailing afternoon sun, we roll along the many white-pebbled sacbé – the pathways throughout the city – admiring as well as trying to comprehend the magnitude of this place.

There’s an unpolished beauty to Coba. It feels as it must have felt soon after the early explorers discovered these ruins. As the jungle parts, you’re welcomed as well as at the same time admonished by the scale of this spectacle.

No truer is this than when you very first see Ixmoja – Nohoch Mul as people call it.

What when would have been the grandest of all of the Maya temples in Mexico is now half shrouded to its shoulders by dense foliage. when side has crumbled, while the other, still with its renowned stepped pyramid shape, faces the afternoon sun.

This is the highest pyramid in Mexico and, incredibly, you’re allowed to climb to the top.

It’s a strenuous, frightening effort, with each tall yet shallow step threatening to pitch you backwards to the bottom. however at the top, you’re rewarded with drone-like views across the jungles.

Lumps sprout right here as well as there, as well as although they look like little mountains, we’re assured these are yet undiscovered monuments much like the one on which we now stand.

Directly west of Cobá, hidden by the horizon as well as the dense jungles, is Chichén Itzá – one of the seven Wonders of the contemporary World. as well as these two sites are joined by a direct path – an ancient sacbé.

You can still comply with the sacbé – if you have the time as well as skill. It’s said to be a pilgrimage like no other.

As we clamber carefully down the side of this manmade mountain, we see the tree line come down to satisfy us. It’s like sinking below the eco-friendly waves. as well as we get a sense of the loss of a civilisation – the departure of the way of kings.

Cobá gets its name from the five lakes that the city was built around. Cobá implies ‘Broken Water’ or ‘Chopped Water’.

Travel doesn’t end with a flight home

One thing we’ve learnt as we’ve been travelling is just since you’ve been to a destination doesn’t mean you ought to stop discovering about it.

And if anything, discovering out new things about a location you’ve went to takes you back there as well as elevates your memories ofyour time travelling.

Your new understanding combines with your memories to produce a fuller photo – to make sense of things you experienced.

Here are a 10 things we’ve learnt about the Maya of Mexico because we’ve been back:

1. Coba was one of the most significant Mayan cities. In its prime it would have had a population of around 50,000 people as well as covered an area of 27 square miles. For context, Manhattan is only 22 mile².

2. The largest pyramid at Coba – Ixmoja – is not only the tallest in the Yucatan however the whole of Mexico as well as the third tallest in the world. Ixmoja is likewise known as Nohoch Mul, which implies ‘great mound’ in Maya.

3. The ruins at Tulum are the only known existing Mayan buildings that are on the coast.

4. Over 4,000 archaeological sites have been discovered in the Yucatan Peninsula, however there are still potentially thousands more hidden in the heavy jungles of the region.

5. The Maya have been around for at least 5,000 years – roughly the same amount of time as the ancient Egyptians.

6. other ancient civilisations with similarly grand structures had the assist of animals to bring as well as move stone. The Maya had no beasts of burden – only the strength of their own hands.

7. The east coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula – the state of Quintana Roo – was one of the last strongholds of the Maya, who were only really totally controlled in the early 20th Century.

8. Quintana Roo was named after a prominent legislation guy Andres Quintana Roo, who was key to forming Mexico’s self-reliance from Spain in the early 1800s.

9. Cancun, the most significant town in the Yucatan Peninsula, is the easiest gateway to the Yucatan as well as Quintana Roo.

It’s likewise a celebration hotspot as well as little remains of the land’s history or heritage. Cancun implies ‘pit of vipers’ in the Mayan language. If you’re not into in the hedonism of spring break or the apparent ‘luxury’ of resort travel, this is not a location for you. I think the name is very fitting.

10. In the 19th Century, the Maya rose up against their Spanish oppressors as well as were, for a while, successful. It was the biggest as well as many recent victories of indigenous Americans as well as Mesoamericans to have been recorded.

One of the Maya we met, who was in his late 90s, talked about his father as well as grandfather fighting in battles with the Spanish. The Caste war went from 1847-1853, so longevity must run strong in his family!

I remember the stories he told us of tricking the Spanish soldiers by hiding in the trees as well as calling to their gods, which frightened the Spanish sufficient for the Maya to fight them to victory.

The Yucatan Peninsula as well as Quintana Roo were the last places of the Maya to capitulate to Mexican domination, which happened in the early 20th Century.

It is possibly no surprise that on the internet education is much more prominent than ever. For trainees as well as teachers, it represents discovering as well as earning respectively from the comfort of your own home. mentor English on the internet represents ones of the very best methods to accomplish this for many. 

NeONBRAND
Teaching English on the internet is now a significant market with numerous opportunities. In this article, we will show exactly how Filipinos can get started with their on the internet English mentor career. With whatever from accreditation to working as a freelancer, this guide might be the increase you requirement to get off the ground. 

We have likewise partnered with world Tesol Academy to offer an online TESOL accreditation program for the lowest cost you will discover anywhere – $34 USD! We recognised exactly how terribly impacted numerous people around the world have been by the Covid / Coronavirus situation. So, we spent a great deal of time talking about with this excellent business exactly how they might come up with an affordable service to assist people pay for the chances that an on the internet TEFL / TESOL accreditation can bring.

Table of Contents

Get Certified
Writing your Resume
Getting Students
Starting a new Opportunity

Get Certified

An essential very first step to show you are a major TEFL teacher. fortunately there is no requirement for you to even leave the Philippines as the accreditation can all be completed online.

Thomas Lefebvre
The TEFL Org provides a range of on the internet programs tailored to satisfy the needs of private teachers, all of which are offered by a BAC (British Accreditation Council) as well as ODLQC (Open & distance discovering high quality Council) certified institution. lessons are self-paced which implies you can log on as well as discover whenever convenient. You will have your own personal tutor to mark your assignments as well as provide you comments as to where you can improve.

You will discover whatever from grammar as well as mentor methodologies to lesson planning as well as managing students’ behavior. You will likewise have the possibility to view videos as well as see genuine TEFL instructors in action. inspect out which TEFL program is best for you.

Remember that qualification is the most measurable method to notify a prospective employer or trainee that you have a solid base of mentor knowledge. believe of it as a shortcut towards telling them that you understand what you are doing.

Writing your Resume

A essential step for any type of TEFL instructor regardless of whether they apply for a classroom task or an on the internet English mentor position.

If you are not extremely experienced at applying for jobs, begin with the basics. This includes things like whether you ought to set out your work experience chronologically or thematically, formatting, exactly how to compose your introductory statement, etc. 

Bram Naus
Remember to proofread (spelling, grammar as well as punctuation errors will not look great for an English teacher!). keep in mind as well that your resume ought to tell a story of your qualifications as well as experience as well as why you are qualified for the job

Now let’s get into some TEFL specifics. listing your TEFL or other English mentor qualifications near the beginning of your CV together with your undergraduate BA degree (the latter is typically a demand or preference for English mentor positions). mention specifics that you discovered on your TEFL course. For example, if you completed a 120-hour on the internet course, specify that some parts of the program were to finish with grammar as well as others were to finish with lesson planning, etc.

If you are applying for a task that includes mentor young learners, tension what you discovered about mentor young learners. If you are applying for a task mentor company English, tension what you discovered about mentor company English. tailor your resume to the job.

When explaining your mentor experience, you ought to likewise be as particular as possible. Let’s state you worked in an English language training center mentor young learners. mention each part of your task such as lesson planning, preparing materials as well as classroom problems like exactly how you dealt with challenging students. This will tell your employer that you understand exactly how to handle your time as well as offer with challenging circumstances under pressure.

And for those without mentor experience, don’t worry! believe about any type of transferable skills you may have chosen up from other work or volunteering experiences. Let’s state you have volunteered as a youth sports coach. This might show an employer you are able to clearly provide directions to young people. Similarly, if you have worked in an office atmosphere as well as want to instruct company Englinull

My goodness, what a week it’s been! It’s taken us a surprisingly long time to recover from our trip to South Australia. The wine there’s just too good to say no to… as is the Adelaidean hospitality!

Not that we’re complaining, of course. everything we ate and drank in Adelaide was delicious and we’d encourage you to pay the City of Churches a visit if you haven’t been already.

We recovered just in time to get started on our plans for some very exciting last-minute travel that’s come up.

Yes, we might’ve eaten and drunk to excess on our trip to Adelaide, but now we’re not there, we can’t help think about all the delicious things we had. These char-siu pork sliders from The Pot Food & Wine’s amazing tasting menu were absolutely incredible.

Watch this space for more info on this cracking eatery. Can’t wait to share more photos and stories with you.

This evening, Mrs romance is having dinner with Steph from the lovely LipstickAndCake.com. They’re at The Gantry in Pier One at Walsh Bay here in Sydney to see what’s on offer on their new menu. Head chef Chris Irving has created dishes celebrating local growers and suppliers.

This winter salad looks fresh and wholesome, but there’s a lot more up for grabs beside salads. together with chef Irving’s creations, The Gantry has collaborated with Black star Pastry and and Swinging Bridge Winery from Orange, NSW.

It’s a guaranteed feast at The Gantry.

Today, Mrs romance is out and about in her official capacity as Hair Romance. She’s in la Biosthetique’s concept salon, Bauhaus Hair in Waterloo trying out a new hair treatment especially for curly hair.

Val is a curly hair expert. The products she’s teaching Mrs romance to use are going to give her the most amazing curls. If you have curls and want some great tips for keeping them looking amazing, keep an eye out over on HairRomance.com. Mrs R will be sharing what’s she’s learnt soon.

One cafe we do like to visit on a regular basis is the Paramount Coffee project in Surry Hills. Their coffee is good, their staff and awesome and their food is exceptional.

Today, Mrs romance and I had a deal of trouble to decide what to eat from the Paramount’s menu. In then end we’ve decided to pick 2 of the things we like the look of the most and share them. ordinarily I don’t deal well with sharing food, but this time I’m willing to make an exception.

This is the Cuban Torta – a soft bun with smoked chicken, pulled hock, dill pickle, jack cheese and garlic ranch sauce. We’ve also ordered the slow-roast pork with cheddar cheese and an incredible reduced marrow dipping sauce. It’s not as photogenic as the torta, but much tastier.

We’re so excited about what’s just happened! In under a week, we’ll be right here.

This is cable beach in one of Western Australia’s most northern coastal towns and a place Mrs romance and I have wanted to go to for years and years.

Even better than that, we’re heading to this paradise in order to catch a ship. It’s a ship owned by national Geographic, which travels around the world to beautiful, remote destinations. one of these voyages goes from Broome over the top of north-western Australia to Darwin in the northern Territory. The wild north-west!

We can’t wait to share all of the amazing sights we’re expecting with you. We fly out on Saturday and fly next Tuesday. quite a journey – especially as we’ve only had since last Thursday to prepare!

Today, Mrs romance and I have decided to make the most of the afternoon and have taken a trip to Bondi. We haven’t been to the beach in what feels like forever. It’s so good to be back.

The sea pool at Bondi Icebergs is always a special subject for photos. It’s even better when the sun’s out and there’s a good swell.

Another flashback to our time in Adelaide comes just in time for the weekend. one of our favourite places to spend an evening in Adelaide is here in the flying Trunk. It’s a cracking little bar in Goodwood south of the city.

This place has an amazing vibe, interesting decor, excellent cocktails and spirits – and let’s not forget the lovely staff.

The flying Trunk also runs cocktail making classes every week. You have to book as there’s only space for 5 or 6, but it’s well worth it. education + fun x alcohol = the perfect evening!

Here’s our full write-up on the flying Trunk, Adelaide.

This morning guess where we are? That’s right, we’re back in the Paramount Coffee Project. this time we’re catching up with our dear friends Glen and Barbs, and their adorable little girl.

Instead of the Cuban Torta, which has in fact been taken off the menu for now, I’ve ordered the BKE roll. Bacon, crispy kale and scrambled egg. It’s fantastic but not that pretty. Instead, here’s Mrs Romance’s smashed avocado on toast with feta cheese and a fried egg. I know, my stomach just gurgled too!

We are seriously excited about going to Broome in Western Australia. It doesn’t seem real. Tothink we’ll be right here in under a week. then on Tuesday we set sail. pretty much beside ourselves. It’s going to be a trip of a lifetime.

All credit to Y-Travel blog for this beautiful shot via their Instagram account.

What was your week and weekend like? What was your highlight? any amazing meals? A new place for a drink? tell us in the comments!

Images by Mr and Mrs romance via Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance, @HairRomance, @Christina.Butcher – Mrs R’s Insta account and @AngryBastard of course!

Whisky is one of those drinks people either like or hate. The difference is the people who dislike it just haven’t discovered their method to drink it yet. right here are 5 tip on exactly how to drink whisky to make everybody like what mark Twain called “liquid sunshine”.

When it comes to exactly how you drink whisky, there’s a great deal of snobbery as well as judging about what you drink with it.

Some state drinking whisky on its own is the only way. Others frown on anything however a bit water with it. Some state a single ice cube is exactly how to drink whisky.

I when asked a Scottish good friend of ours exactly how he takes his scotch as well as whether he has water with his whisky.

“Yes, of course,” he said. “I always have some water with my whisky – just in situation I get thirsty.”

As for Mrs Romance, she’s only now starting to appreciate whisky, so a bit ice as well as water is exactly how to drink whisky for her. as well as if you’re not sure which whisky to begin with, we’ve got some guidance for you on which whisky to select here, and if you’re after some top Australian whiskies to try, you’ll requirement to inspect out Black entrance Distillery as well as these others we love.

But why are there so many methods to drink whisky? Here’s a rundown of exactly how to drink whisky as well as the virtues of each one:

How to drink whisky – 5 methods to enjoy a nip of the great stuff

1. Neat / directly up

Some people believe this is the very best method to drink whisky – particularly costly single malts: nothing however the whisky in your glass at space temperature. This is experiencing the spirit in its purest form.

The only drawback to this is the whisky can seem a bit strong for people who aren’t utilized to drinking it like this. Also, some whiskies requirement a bit more assist with water (see below) to ‘open’ the flavours a little.

High high quality single malts like my favourite Lagavulin or Glenfiddich are excellent directly up.

2. With water

Adding a touch of water – only a few drops – is stated to open the whisky up as well as release oils, flavours as well as aromas from the drink. It likewise makes the whisky go a bit further!

Putting this much water in does not dilute the flavour as well as only reduces the alcohol material a little, which is a concern for some.

It’s a great concept to request a bit water on the side in a separate glass, as some bar personnel aren’t sure exactly how much to add. You can likewise keep the rest of the water to sip on if you get thirsty like our Scottish good friend does.

Good whisky bars will even provide you a special bit water jug or even a pipette for the water. adding water such as this to your drink is called a ‘water back’.

3. With ice / on the rocks

The drawback to taking your whisky neat or adding water is that the drink will be at space temperature. Although this is usually better, it’s not extremely refreshing.

Adding a single cube of ice will chill the whisky a bit as well as add the water you requirement to release the oils as well as aromas you want. The issue with ice is you can’t manage the amount of water you put in your whisky as easily.

4. Whisky stones

You put these stones (made of soapstone so they don’t scratch your glassware) in the freezer. The concept of whisky stones is you can chill your whisky without watering it down. You can then add water to your whisky as well this way.

The unfavorable to this is that as you drink, there’s a possibility of getting hit in the mouth with a chunk of stone. Not much fun.

5. Cocktails

Of course, if you’re in the mood for something a bit more complex than the whisky flavour alone, there are great deals of excellent whisky mixed drinks to try.

Some of my absolute favourite mixed drinks are ones made with whisky. The likes of Old Fashioneds, Manhattans as well as Boulevardiers are tasty if you’re looking for exactly how to drink whisky.

Do you have any type of tips on exactly how to drink whisky? What’s your favourite method to enjoy a great scotch? tell us in the comments!

It’s strange not having our buddies here. Last week, Mona as well as Brendan, who online in San Diego, were staying with us. It was a great deal of fun however they’ve since headed off on the next part of their trip, which means back to truth for us.

Mona has two favourite drinks: Amoretto sour as well as sparkling Shiraz. Thankfully she didn’t get to drink all of the stock we got in, so tonight – in tribute to Mona as well as Brendan of program – we’re cracking one of these to have with dinner!

And since neither me nor Mrs romance felt like cooking this evening, this is dinner: a few cheeses (a sharp cheddar, a chevre as well as Gorgonzola dolce), a capsicum as well as pine nut dip, as well as Mrs R’s favourite at the moment, a deconstructed butternut pumpkin salad. The recipe for this is by Beth from infant Mac as well as it’s delicious.

We woke up this morning to the saddest news. Robin Williams, the brightest star of the silver screen passed away. We can’t believe it. The film market as well as the world as a whole is a gloomier location now. rest in peace, Mr Williams.

One of my mates has just come back from an incredible three-week trip to Europe. He left me a set of secrets just in situation something went wrong with his apartment. It didn’t, however as a thank-you-anyway, he extremely generously brought me back a bottle of 12 year old Canadian Club whisky. It’s surprisingly smooth as well as makes a quite much perfect Old Fashioned.

Meanwhile, Mrs romance is tucking into a martini made with the gin Mona as well as Brendan brought over for her. It’s called Old Grove as well as it’s by Ballast Point, a regional craft distiller in San Diego. truly lovely stuff!

I’ve been delegated my own gadgets today, so as usual, I haven’t had lunch up until now: about 2:30pm. rather than go out, I’ve decided to knock together an old household meal my mum produced when I was young as well as we were poor. We didn’t have anything in the home apart from eggs, bread, cheese as well as beans.

She put it together in the type of a French toast cheese sandwich with beans on top. She let me name it too: The Sylvester. I had a dairy allergy when I was a kid, so my mum adapted the Sylvester; instead of cheese, she utilized ham. We called that the Tweety Pie… yeah, I was kinda into cartoons when I was a kid!

Anyway, it’s tasty as well as every forkful takes me right back to my childhood. funny exactly how food can do that, isn’t it?

Here we have our latest blog writer cocktail. In fact, we’ve made two variations this time. We’ve devoted this development to Steph from Lipstick as well as Cake – it was partly her concept after all!

These are the Popping candy Cocktails, as well as came to Steph in a jiffy while she was inventing new Wonka chocolate bar toppings with Mrs Romance.

On our site, we’ve got the L.A.C Choc-Nutty Popping candy Cocktail, while over on LipstickAndCake.com you’ll discover the L.A.C Strawberries & cream Popping candy mixed drink recipe.

Both are tasty as well as great deals of fun too, with the popping candy crackling on your tongue as well as down your throat while you enjoy the drinks themselves. They’re a truly fantastic alternate to a dinner celebration dessert.

We’re getting our hot beverage repair today at two great Eggs Cafe in Surry Hills. I’m likewise having my favourite Goats on toast breakfast while we’re here, however first: coffee. extremely important.

This has been a surprisingly constructive productive Saturday for once. as well as it’s ending appears like being even better. We’re at the golden Age Cinema as well as Bar in Surry Hills tonight. We such as this location since they’ve got a appropriate bar here, you can take your drinks to the screen as well as they show absolute classics too.

Tonight I’m having the rye sour (right) as well as Mrs R has gone for the negroni (left, with the huge iceberg in it). as well as we’re both right here to watch what turns out to be (unintentionally) one of the funniest James Bond films in the franchise: Goldfinger.

The crowd at the golden Age is totally different to that of most cinemas. Everyone’s got a drink in their hand, we’re all there for a laugh. It’s the only cinema I’ve ever been to where I don’t begin blowing fuses when people talk during the film. somehow it doesn’t seem to matter right here (cocktails helping?). Also, when there’s dialogue, everybody shuts as much as listen.

Anyway, stand-out moments in Goldfinger:

Oddjob Frisbee-ing his hat as well as cutting off a marble statue’s head

The nerve gas that knocks out numerous soldiers around Fort Knox even before it gets to them

Goldfinger’s speech about exactly how much he likes gold (easy to see where Goldmember got his lines from)

And of course, Bond’s terry-toweling onesie.

Great stuff – here’s our evaluation of the golden Age Cinema as well as Bar!

Today, we’re utilizing a wintery Sundayof what it’s supposed to be for: rugging up, drinking hot chocolate as well as getting a bit of blogging done. as well as watching old faves on the TV. just completed Bedknobs as well as Broomsticks as well as about to begin The Princess Bride!

The only method to squander a great weekend!

What food takes you right back to your childhood? Who’s your favourite Bond? What’s your traditional movie of option when you’re tucked up at home? tell us in the comments… as well as have a lovely week!

Images by Mr as well as Mrs romance via Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance, @HairRomance as well as of program @AngryBastard!

We always love to hear from people who love to travel. and when those people are – like us – travelling together with the one they love, we are even more excited. talking travel with likeminded wanderers is one of our favourite things.

So you can imagine how we felt when Tiarra and Chris from Our Food Adventures asked us to be on their podcast channel.

Chris and Tiarra are an awesome couple who run their travel site out of Denver, Colorado. They love talking everything travel, everything food and of course a bit of romance in between.

And if you’re looking for some hot local tips on Denver, let these guys show you round their hometown.

Since April 2018, Tiarra and Chris have been publishing their conversations here on their site, and you can listen on your phone here. There are some fascinating people with inspiring stories of their journeys around the world here. and with Chris and Tiarra hosting, the conversation’s fun, witty and very engaging. plus their dog Koji is the cutest.

We decided to talk to Tiarra and Chris about our time in Cuba in 2014. Back then it was certainly a path less trodden – and while it still is today, tourism has definitely got a deeper footprint there than when we first visited.

On the episode, we also shared some of our tips for travelling with your partner and how to maintain your relationship while you’re on the road. The potential for arguments always goes up a bit, doesn’t it?

Most interesting for us listening back on the podcast now is that – since the interview, we’ve been back to Cuba. The changes in the 4 years between our first visit and our return are astonishing.

The best news is the food’s so much better.

In the interview, we lament the bland food and the lack of range in Cuba. but when we went back there, we found everything – literally everything – was better. In fact, we didn’t have a bad meal while we were there the 2nd time.

It drove us to offer this official apology to Cuba.

And here’s a link to our library on Cuba stories.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy our interview and subscribe to Chris and Tiarra’s channel Our Food Adventures here.

Do you have a favourite travel podcast you listen to? What destination would you talk about if Tiarra and Chris were to interview you? tell us in the comments below!

When it concerns seafood, it doesn’t get much much better than at well-known chef Rick Stein’s restaurant in Bannisters by the Sea on the South coastline of new South Wales. however star aside, what makes this restaurant special?

In 2009, famed British chef Rick Stein as well as his beautiful other half Sarah opened the doors to their very first ever restaurant outside the UK. however they selected neither the bright lights of Sydney nor the trendy streets of Melbourne for their venue.

Instead, just over 3 hours south of Sydney, you’ll discover Rick Stein’s eminent seafood restaurant in the quite bit seaside town of Mollymook, NSW.

It’s part of Bannisters by the Sea, a beautifully renovated retreat-style hotel, as well as the two together offer the ideal service to those hunting for a charming break from the city.

Christina as well as I were lucky sufficient to stay at Bannisters by the Sea as well as dine at Rick Stein’s to celebrate our anniversary. To state that our time right here was the maker of memories is an understatement.

You can checked out our full evaluation of Bannisters by the Sea here.

What’s so great about Rick Stein at Bannisters?

I didn’t understand what to expect when I very first walked with the doors to Rick Stein at Bannisters. Of course, I understood I’d be having tasty seafood, however we’re lucky to be blessed with great deals of outstanding food in Australia.

What I wasn’t expecting was the total bundle that this restaurant provides that makes it so popular.

Rick Stein’s at Bannisters is type of the ideal storm in restaurant terms. It ticks so numerous boxes:

Stunning location? Tick.

Superb food as well as service? Tick.

Somewhere beautiful to stay after dinner? Tick.

And of course, its owner is Rick Stein – one of the few likeable well-known chefs.

So it’s no surprise that whenever you look for where to eat anywhere around the South coastline of NSW, Rick Stein’s in Mollymook always comes up.

Obviously, it does go even more than that. quickly one of the very best seafood restaurants in the country, Rick Stein’s has a location in all the top listings just since it’s just that good.

What about the food?

Rick Stein values simplicity in cooking, as well as it’s clearly a cornerstone of this restaurant. however it’s simplicity with skill that makes the difference.

Entrée

My entrée of scallops was an outstanding example of this well-honed skill of simplicity. four beautifully plump shellfish grilled completely in coriander butter, served with crunchy toasted hazelnuts: easy yet skilfully done.

I should admit I wasn’t sure about the seaweed garnish in between as well as under the shells. I tried eating some, however I believe it was just to keep the scallops in one location as they left the kitchen. bit embarrassed about that actually!

Christina’s entrée of spanner crab with a wakame, cucumber as well as dashi salad with a wasabi mayo on the other hand was much much more complex in its make-up. However, in each of its separate parts it was still simple, utilizing few components to achieve maximum flavour.

The crab was tender as well as delicious, as well as the wasabi mayonnaise had a fantastic bite to it. The Japanese influence of this meal shows off the skills at work in the kitchen. as well as its easy yet quite design is like having a bento box on your plate.

Mains

As our mains came out, one more essential aspect is on show that Rick Stein holds dear: the generosity of the kitchen.

These aren’t small, annoyingly dainty dishes that will expense the earth as well as leave you needing a snack later. They’re hearty yet at the exact same time elegant. It’s a difficult balance to achieve.

My roasted blue eye trevalla was a considerable serving, beautifully cooked best down to its crispy skin. It came with mussels steamed in an unctuous broth with chickpeas, capsicum as well as thyme. There were likewise pieces of chorizo, which added that bit of warm to choose the mussels.

It was an accomplished meal as well as made me concern less about not ordering the vaunted Bannisters fish pie… I believe we’ll have to make a return journey for that.

Christina’s primary was most likely the only thing on the menu that would provide me food envy. At our server’s recommendation, she purchased the Sri Lankan Huon salmon curry.

My goodness.

Apart from anything else it made me want to go to Sri Lanka immediately… possibly after stealing much more of Christina’s main!

The thick half-darne cut of salmon was tender as well as full of sufficient flavour to play well with the rich curry sauce. The sauce itself was extremely well-balanced, hitting sweet, sour, spicy as well as umami bullseyes.

Christina’s meal came with a house-made mango chutney that would put many curry homes to shame, as well as a chapati-style naan.

It was an outstanding dish.

And if you want one more example of the kitchen’s generosity, when it came timeto purchase dessert, we just couldn’t do it. We were full.

The components of a restaurant

If you look at Rick Stein at Bannisters like a recipe for one of his dishes, you can see the ‘ingredients’ as well as see exactly how they’re applied.

As Rick would have it, there aren’t numerous ingredients. however each product is exquisitely chosen, adroitly used as well as commonly rare:

Simplicity with skill, generosity, freshness as well as passion. That’s what makes Rick Stein at Bannisters so good.

Does it expense the earth to eat at Rick Stein’s?

Obviously, if you purchase sufficient lobster thermidor, you’ll add some zeros. as well as there are wines on the listing that may make your bank manager frown, however it doesn’t have to be an exorbitant evening here.

We had two courses, an outstanding glass of red wine each as well as coffees at the end. We thought about dessert however were as well full, which shows the generosity of the servings.

Including a tip, the expense was under $240, which – for a restaurant of such (deserved) star as well as notoriety – I believed was quite reasonable.

And finest of all, we only had a quick walk back to our space as well as the comfort of our king-size.

Rick Stein at Bannisters

Bannisters by the Sea
191 Mitchell Parade
Mollymook NSW 2539

bannisters.com.au

But why so far from the huge smoke?

If you believe about it, Mollymook makes sense. The majority of Rick’s UK restaurants are out of London as well as near the coast, where – I believe you’ll agree – many seafood comes from.

Add to that Sarah’s nostalgia for Mollymook, the town where she as well as her household would come for their holidays, as well as the fishing port of Ulladulla on the doorstep… ideal sense.

Where next?

Almost as far north from Sydney as Mollymook is south, Rick Stein’s Port Stephens restaurant opened in 2018. This restaurant is likewise embedded in a Bannisters hotel – the third in the Bannisters line to open.

In signature Rick Stein style, this restaurant is parked on one more spectacular shoreline in a part of new South Wales commonly overlooked by city folk.

Port Stephens as well as close-by Newcastle likewise have a thriving fishing industry, which fits Mr Stein best down to his Dover soles.

We’re huge fans of Port Stephens as well as go up there all the time. In fact, we’ve got a great deal of stories about the Port Stephens area, like our necessary guide. It’s a lovely part of the world as well as a ideal in shape for this iteration of the Stein-Bannisters duet.

But it seems it doesn’t truly matter which Rick Stein restaurant you visit. You’re always guaranteed gain access to to that magic formula of simplicity with skill, generosity, freshness as well as passion, as well as many most likely a blissful ocean view as well.

We dined at Rick Stein at Bannisters as guests of Bannisters by the Sea.

It’s been a hectic however spectacular past couple of weeks for us at romance HQ. As you may have seen, we’ve been checking out the lovely Malaysian specify of Sabah in northern Borneo. since we’ve got so much to show you from our trip to the Land below the Winds, we haven’t included the normal travel recap section in this week’s IG Edition.

So sit back as well as take pleasure in as we take you on a journey from populated city to eco-friendly mangrove regions, from virgin rainforests to the excellent waters of the Celebes Sea.

We begin our journey to Borneo – after a fairly simple flight from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah’s funding city – with a look round our hotel.

The Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu is completely found for checking out Kota Kinabalu – or KK as everybody phone calls it. plus it’s got this lovely rooftop pool as well as bar dealing with west. The sunsets right here at KK are understood for their appeal as well as tonight appears like it’s going to make great on that promise!

Just across the street from our hotel is the waterfront markets. These are regional markets selling mainly food – though there is a part of it that likewise offers locally made handicrafts too. Of course, we’re a lot more thinking about the food as well as the people it draws in.

I have no concept exactly how this person is basting the grill in this head, however it’s all for a great cause. Not only does it make the food taste amazing, it likewise brings the locals in for their dinner just after nightfall.

You can’t get much fresher than this. The waterfront market offers the fish it gets from fishermen that pull up out front to the kitchens additionally back in the market who then cook everything up. The fish right here is outstanding as are the (terrifyingly big) prawns.

We just desire we had longer right here to truly sink our teeth into the the location – actually as well as figuratively!

Today, we’re inspecting out exactly how to make standard batik art. There’s a programme run by college Yayasan Sabah to provide regional disenfranchised youth a possibility to discover a trade that’s still in keeping with their customs however that will likewise provide them service skills to survive.

These batiks are exceptionally difficult to make though these young artists make it look so easy. You begin with a metal stylus of hot bee’s wax as well as draw in the lines of your design. You then utilize ink as well as water to colour in. The wax stops the colours from blending as well as the water produces outstanding depth.

These students, who are studying under a regional master craftsman, have 6 months to discover the trade. If they pass, they then go on to an ‘incubation period’ where they discover things like fundamental accounting, service administration as well as marketing. They’re then kept on retainer for a additionally 6 months before passing the program with a recognised qualification.

It’s an outstanding effort as well as a unusual look of a government job working well for native cultures. visitors can come right here as well as discover about batiks, try their hand at it as well as likewise get a few of the locally made handicrafts in the shop above.

This is in a building adjacent to the oddly shaped Tun Mustapha Tower 20 minutes north of KK.

One of those unusual moments you catch that truly tells of what the people in KK are like.

Today, we’re at the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. The 1.5kms of boardwalks with the mangroves shows an crucial ecosystem that’s been ignored for far as well long.

The NGO Sabah Wetlands Conservation society has done some excellent work turning this from a somewhat forgotten bird sanctuary to a location of conservation, training, tourism as well as research. There is a little charge to go into (about AUD$5), however it’s a unusual possibility to see a thriving ecosystem in the heart of Sabah’s capital.

This morning, we’re up on the water checking out Gaya Island just off the coastline of KK. This is the greatest island on this side of Sabah, so it makes sense that ‘gaya’ indicates ‘big’ in the regional tribe’s language.

It likewise indicates ‘proud beauty’, which I believe likewise fits well. This island, which is house to three resorts, likewise has its own miniature rainforest on it. This picture is from the one of the primary jetties of Gaya Island Resort, who likewise has citizen naturalist as well as conservationist Justin Juhun working here.

The work Justin is doing to bring back necessary aspects to the island, like its mangroves, is fascinating. We’re lucky sufficient to have a quick trip with the rainforest with Justin on tracks he himself has formed. It’s beautiful, mysterious as well as truly eye-opening exactly how much nature there is right here – even on this small piece of land.

The grounds of Gaya Island resort are stunning. We desire we might stay right here longer, however even a day trip right here has shown us what the rest of Sabah has to offer.

One of the services they offer right here at Gaya Island resort is a personal picnic lunch on the beach round the corner. It’s a quite special thing to do – though you have to keep an eye on your food. The cheeky citizen bearded pig Bacchus as well as his simian mates will do their finest to take your food.

Bacchus you can quickly chase away, however the long-tailed macaques are far less bothered, so be warned!

This beach is easily accessible by a 45-minute hike along one of Justin’s tracks with the jungle… or a quick (free) boat tender from the primary resort.

Our trip back to the mainland is brightened up by this lovely sunset over Gaya Island. You can see exactly how much forest is on this 1400 hectare island just 10 minutes from the busting streets of KK.

And we’re up in the air again. this time around we’re heading for the world-renowned Danum Valley. even KK locals are pleased when we tell them where we’re going. We can’t wait to get there as well as experience a few of the most crucial jungle in the world as well as one of the last natural habitats of the wild orang-utan.

After a 2-hour bumping drive along unsealed roads into the forest, we’re lastly here. This lovely tree marks the begin of the true main forest, untouched as well as growing for 150 million years. look at the size of this monster!

Danum Valley is a conservation area the Malaysian government has agreed to enable visitors into. It’s still difficult to see though; permissions are run by the Borneo Rainforest Lodge as well as Borneo Nature Tours. You have to be staying at the Lodge to find right here as they no longer enable day-trippers.

For the cost of your stay, you get a lot more than just a room. Your entrance charge to park, your own guide, all meals as well as transfers in as well as out of the park are included. as well as believe me, you’ll requirement as well as thoroughly take pleasure in all of these things!

Danum Valley as well as the area you can check out is only about 15 hectares of over 1,000,000 hectares of secured jungle. You only get an concept of exactly how much there is to discover about this wonderful location when you’ve spent a day trekking with this outstanding environment.

This troupe of redleaf monkeys are more than delighted for us to enjoy them only a few metres down the road from our space in the lodge. There’s just wildlife anywhere here!

One of the most prominent parts of Danum Valley is the canopy walk. This network of bridges spans massive trees as well as provides you outstanding views of the forest from as much as 30m up. To provide you some scale, can you see our guide Paul behind me?

Deep into the jungle we go along a few of the most lovely walking tracks. All the method we’re surrounded by these spectacular trees.

Looking down from the greatest point of the treetop walk, you realise exactly how thick the rainforest is. You can’t even see the ground for a lot of of the way. That’s Paul you can see down there on the lower path.

The plants right here in the Borneo jungle are amazing. This is elephant ear plant grows leaves so huge you might quickly shelter under them.

We’re lucky to area this person as we’re driving out of the jungle. This is a pig-tailed macaque, as well as he’s rather the poser!

Some jungle fundamentals I believed I’d show you – besides leech socks, hiking boots as well as lots of water, don’t fail to remember your passport, Olympus OM-D E-M5 mark II cam with 12-40 zoom lens, iphone 6, great binoculars as well as Jord wooden watch!

I phone call this my jungle trendy collection!

Our space at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge is surprisingly luxurious. We’re in one of the newest villas – one of only three they’ve been enabled to establish on the land here. What a great task they’ve done. The other spaces are completely comfortable, however if you’re here, you may also get the very best room!

Danum Valley is a prominent honeymoon destination as well as it’s remove why: so much natural appeal provided so well. The guides as well as hospitality personnel right here are superb. as well as for a bit extra, you can likewise have a personal lunch ideal on the banks of the lovely Danum River that flows round the residential property as well as on with the jungle.

The food right here is likewise top draw.

It’s our last morning right here in Danum Valley as well as the lodge has pulled out its last stop for us: this personal breakfast with our guide as well as now great good friend Paul. We’re truly not looking ahead to leaving the jungle – something I never believed I’d say. however this truly is an extraordinary part of the world as well as somewhere I desire everybody might see at least once.

Just being right here has made Mrs romance as well as I both so much a lot more conscious of the atmosphere as well as what the world most likely appeared like for millions of years before we came along as well as cocked everything up.

Having stated that, the level of high-end offered right here at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge shows that you don’t necessarily have to jeopardize comfort for believing green! Yes, this is our own personal infinity plunge pool overlooking a few of the most crucial rainforest in the world.

See high-end as well as environmentalism all in one!

By the way, indeed we did see orang utans while we were here, however we didn’t get any type of great pictures of them. however that’s okay – the memory of seeing these lovely animals in the wild – delighted in their own habitat without danger of assault or deforestation – will stay with us a long time.

It’s a long drive from the forest all the method to the see however lastly we’re here: from the port town of Semporna on a high-speed boat transfer 45 minutes into the Cebeles Sea to Mataking Island.

Yes, this is the water we see as we pull as much as the jetty, as well as no, we can’t believe it either!

Mataking is an fascinating island. It only has the one resort on it – the aptly named Mataking Island Resort. The rental property we’re in is on the eastern side of the island, which is about as far away from the primary resort as you can get. If it’s romance as well as peace you want, these are the spaces you must go for. better to the resort isn’t as nice, the spaces aren’t as new (ours was developed in Feb 2016) as well as there’s a lot more noise.

The resort seems to have been developed mostly for diving lovers – the exceptional snorkelling just off the beach is definitely testament to that – as well as a lot more just recently there seems to be a focus on households as well as groups of friends. The primary bar in the evening becomes a karaoke hotspot as well as there are lots of youngsters running about, which makes this a great area for household holidays.

On the northern idea of Mataking Island is this bit sand bar that emerges at low tide to link the small tree-covered island in the distance. It’s such a lovely spot. Oddly, the water on the ideal is truly rather hot while the water on the left is great as well as refreshing. The fish seem to like the cooler water – as well as I don’t blame them.

The groups of snorkelers congregating near the sand bar behind me tells us there’s absolutely plenty to see underneath the waves here.

Before the karaoke starts up, we discover a peaceful table to perch on as well as get hold of an ice chilly beer. There is lots of chance for romance on Mataking – you do have to get your timing ideal though. as well as if you’re not into diving, you may get a bit tired right here even though the snorkelling is that great as well as the water hurts your brain it’s that lovely to look at.

—

Well, this is the end of our IG edition for this week, however that doesn’t indicate it’s the end of the protection from our trip – not by a long shot. the most lovely as well as charming area we went to is still yet to come, so make sure you’re complying with along on Instagram… or you can just hang on till next Monday for our IG Edition.

And if you don’t depend on yourself to remember, I’ve got an even much better choice for you. By subscribing to our newsletter, I email you weekly with a summary of what we’ve been speaking about over the last 7 days.

Sign as much as our complimentary membership service here.

So next week we’ll have the concluding part of our trip to Borneo as well as you’ll see the return of our prominent travel recap section too.

Hope you have a excellent week as well as we’ll see you once again soon.

Images by Mr as well as Mrs romance by means of Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance

This is a extremely special post. It’s the very first collaborative short article we’ve ever had on our site! Some remarkable blog writers from our travel neighborhood have joined together to chat about their travel collections. What do we gather during our adventures abroad? Wondering what’s in our backpacks after each country we visit? right here are some answers:

The world D:

We tend to gather one product from each country we visit. We either ship it house if we are on the road for a while or pack it in our suitcase to restore with us. We like to purchase larger products like statues or drums rather than bit trinkets. That method they can can ended up being a good piece of art for our non-existent house. best now we have many of our travel products on screen at my parent’s house. right here are a couple of products we have out in my parent’s basement from Bali to Jordan as well as Kenya to Mongolia. All are locally purchased as well as all have a bit story behind them to add to our memories.

– Deb & Dave of The world D

Nomadic Samuel:

Over the years I’ve ended up being less materialistic than in the past.  Travel has taught me numerous lessons; one of the biggest being that it’s difficult on the back to bring around a heavy load.  With that being said, I’ve just recently realized I have a quirky attraction to distinct as well as cool t-shirts.  While going to Malacca, Malaysia I discovered a brilliantly colored Orangutan home painted in neon colors.  To state it stuck out like a sore thumb would be an understatement.  As I ventured inside, I discovered the regional Malaysian artist Charles Cham, was selling a plethora of different individually developed tee shirts in bright neon colors.  One in specific caught my attention; it had an huge orangutan deal with as the primary outline with screaming loud eco-friendly as the predominant color.  I couldn’t just purchase one.  I ended up going out of the store with 5 different tee shirts which rendered my ‘other t-shirts’ instantaneously obsolete.

– Sam of Nomadic Samuel

That Backpacker

When it concerns collecting souvenirs, I have a thing for scarves. solid shades or with patterns, bright colours or soft tones, silk or cashmere, I gather them all. I didn’t recognize I had such a huge thing for scarves up until one of my trainees in Korea asked me, “Teacher, why you always wear scarf?” Part of the reason that I like collecting scarves is that I can wear them practically year round, plus they make excellent mementos for household as well as friends. The picture I included shows just exactly how numerous scarves I have handled to gather over the past 4 months in Southeast Asia…but it’s okay, they’re not all for me!

– Audrey of That Backpacker

eTramping:

As a budget plan traveler, I try not to spend as well much money on souvenirs. However, I like to treat myself with vibrant bracelets which include appeals from my adventures. Currently, I have a collection of much more than 100 different bracelets I bought in different countries I travelled to, from Paris, Rome to Beijing as well as Siem Reap. Every single bracelet brings back fantastic memories which I will cherish forever. My preferred one is a beautiful wooden bracelet I purchased in Lhasa, the funding city of Tibet. It has been handcrafted as well as painted with five common for Tibetan religious beliefs colors – blue symbolizes sky, eco-friendly air, red fire, white water as well as yellow earth. I commonly provide some bracelets to my finest good friends as a gift if they truly like it.

– Agness of eTramping

Global Grasshopper:

We try as well as gather something that represents the country although many of the time this has are available in the type of a small, adorable toy! Tokyo is quickly the very best location for this type of collection as well as our preferred ‘kawaii’ has certainly come from there. gray likewise collects leaflets as well as examples of a country’s graphic style style – excellent motivation for his design.

– Becky & gray of Global Grasshopper

Traveling Canucks:

We very first started collecting masks when we resided in Malaysia back in 2004. because then, our collection has grown to over 40 masks. many of the masks were bought at street markets, with our preferred masks coming from Costa Rica, Peru as well as Italy.

-Cam & Nicole of traveling Canucks

Mostly Victoria:

Up up until just recently our travels were always vacations (as numerous as we might capture into our years annual leave allowance). We might shop us much aswe liked & if we really desired it, we’d just pay the additional weight at the airport to fly it home. But now that we are “backpackers” or at least we are travelling with a backpack (I’m not so sure that we are fully qualified as “proper backpackers” just yet!). This has required me to be much more disciplined – I know that if I purchase something – I have to bring it around with me! So I started to gather bracelets – I get one (inexpensive!) bracelet per destination. It abates my ‘need to shop’ as well as yet they are little sufficient to pack away easily. Though, in reality, I just wear them so it takes up no additional space at all! I’ve likewise recently started to gather flowers – I ‘press’ them in the back of my journal where they will dry out during our trip. a few of these will be added to my scrap-book, some will be connected to my “Wanderlust Board” – a huge pinboard in our dining space back home.

– Victoria of MostlyVictoria.

The professional Vagabond:

I’ve ended up being a minimalist over the past few years. practically whatever I own can be stuffed into 2 backpacks. So collecting travel souvenirs is not a concern of mine. however other than photographs, I do gather something from each country. Paper money. I’ve been to 13 countries so far (I travel extremely slowly) as well as have saved some currency from each. except Panama, since they really utilize us currency. My preferred expense is one that’s no longer in circulation. A $100 Cordoba note from Nicaragua that’s been stamped with a new denomination of $100,000 Cordobas. After the Nicaraguan revolution, inflation jumped as much as 400% and the government just stamped its old currency with new values.

– Matt of The Expert Vagabond

A enthusiasm as well as A Passport:

Do I gather anything in particular, no.  But I gather photos as well as memories. Instead of overloading our house up with chotchkies (which I dislike with a passion), I cherish my photos as well as utilize my preferred ones to make picture books. I always make sure to purchase the exact same size, as well as now we have a good little collection of books on our coffee table.  Friends as well as household like going with them, and it’s perfect, partially since I like showing off the beautiful pictures from our trip, and since the picture book does the narration. now I don’t requirement to tell the same stories over as well as over! ?

– Jessica of A enthusiasm as well as A Passport 

A Cruising Couple

If there is one thing that makes us weak at the knees, grabbing our wallets before we’ve had time to believe over the practicalities, it is artwork. anywhere we travel, we always try to discover one piece of authentic artwork. We have oil paintings from Paris, Batik from Indonesia, calligraphy from Taiwan-and those are just a few of our favorites! These pieces of art may not be practical best now, however someday we hope to have a worldly display, a pointer of our preferred locations as well as an exhibition of our travels. We likewise like motivating as well as promoting regional artists!

– Dan & Casey of A Cruising Couple

Last, however not least…

Goats On The Road:

During our very first 2 long trips, we purchased a souvenir that would represent each culture we had been to – a sheesha pipe from the middle East, a lovely painting from Africa as well as wooden statues as well as bowls from SE Asia. I utilized to likewise gather a shot glass (and fill it with sand from the beach) from each country as well as Nick would purchase a T-shirt. We’ve because realized that since we don’t have a home, there’s no point in storing all of our mementos in a box back in Canada! So, now I gather a bracelet from each country (just a affordable one that I wear all the time), a badge with the country flag on it as well as one piece of paper money – badges as well as paper don’t evaluate anything! Nick collects a coin from each country we go to, which evaluates a bit bit, however not as well much. These are our preferred mementos!

-Dariece & Nick of Goats On The Road

There you have it. because many of us bring our lives on our backs, we’re all about things that evaluate extremely little! mementos as well as trinkets produce some excellent memories as well as are good to gather while abroad, however the very best mementos are the pictures we take as well as the memories we keep in our minds as well as in our hearts.

Do you gather anything from your travels? If so, what? If not,  why?! Leave a comment below.

Disclaimer:Goats On The road is an Amazon partner as well as likewise an affiliate for some other retailers. This implies we make commissions if you click links on our blog as well as purchase from those retailers.

As we enjoy September slip by like the stealthy month-cat she is, the stark horror that it’s getting to the last 100 days of the year dawns on us.

Really?! 100 day to Christmas? I am concerned. any type of day now I’ll be worrying since it’ll be Christmas Eve as well as I’ll’ve just started shopping.

Where’s that paper bag? Breathe… Right. feeling much better now – this week’s IG edition sees Mrs R as well as me going to a couple of fascinating introduces of things we’re looking ahead to telling you about, plus a few of our much-loved people’s birthdays – oddly all on the exact same day.

Not to mention our travel recap looking back at a few of our never-before-seen travel footage as well as ideas on these lovely destinations.

We hope you take pleasure in this week’s edition and, if you haven’t already, don’t fail to remember to indication as much as our complimentary regular newsletter I email to our members keeping you as much as date on our most current posts, competitions, giveaways as well as suff like that.

You can indication up ideal here!

Today, Mrs romance as well as I are at the lovely Chiswick restaurant in Woollahra in Sydney’s east. We’re right here to inspect out our good friends at Olympus’ new camera. as well as to eat exceptional food. however mainly the cam – honest!

Olympus has been establishing their mirrorless variety for many years now – we ourselves utilize OM-D E-M cameras for shooting as well as they’re amazing.

This is Olympus’ new E-PL8 Pen camera, which has some quite great functions as well as some extremely elegant completes too. We both like the tan leather look.

I believe my hands are a bit huge to utilize one of these appropriately (think Berk from Trapdoor), however for travel, celebrations as well as daily use, this is a quite great option.

Just a couple of the tasty morsels we’re enjoying at the Chiswick while we’re discovering a lot more about the new Olympus Pen camera. It’s the very first time I’ve been right here (unlike Mrs Romance, who seems to find right here all the time the method she’s talking!), however I hope it’s not the last!

These Olympus E-PL8 Pen cameras truly are extremely good. They’ve got so lots of of the features of the full-size OM-D cameras – including a extremely cool selfie flip-out screen function – in a system that’s lighter, smaller as well as a lot more streamline. extremely impressed. a lot of cameras this size are just those compact point-and-shoots, however this one’s got interchangeable lens abilities as well as everything. Hmm.

Quite enjoying the foliage of this Olympus launch! It’s interesting to be one of the very first people on Australia to hear about this excellent new bit camera, as well as to be at the Chiswick as well has me smiling!

Launch Number 2!

This evening we’re at the Australian Heritage hotel in the Rocks learning about the 12th annual Beer Fest celebration that’ll be happening in October.

Friday 14th to Sunday 16th October will see the Australian Heritage – one of Australia’s oldest pubs – offer over 30 different breweries from across Australia. There’ll be things like blind tastings, expos, brewer talks as well as brand new beers available, plus food stalls, in the pub as well as on the street outside too.

There’s a great deal of beer fun about to occur in October, as well as this is absolutely one to keep in mind.

Love the sky over Sydney this evening. It’s the evening of three of our good friends – one of whom is Mrs Romance’s sibling Mary! delighted birthday, Mary.

The other two – Paul as well as Dave – were really born in the exact same healthcare facility in the UK! They’ve satisfied however one of them lives in Australia, the other lives in a absolutely different part of the country to his birthplace in England. They only satisfied for the very first time at our wedding!

Today, we’re having a huge picnic celebration for Mary. exactly how lovely is it here? This is Bobbin Head park in Sydney’s north on the Hawksbury River. It rained a bit earlier however it’s cleared up well – as well as the rainbow the weather’s left is a genuine treat!

One of the very best parts of Mary’s birthday: the doughnuts! three significant boxes of these poor boys.

This week’s travel recap

Each week we go back in time over a few of our much-loved travel destinations utilizing never-before-seen pictures of our travels. Here’s where we’ve been looking back on this week.

If there’s one thing both Mrs romance as well as I do love, it’s a great gin martini. as well as what a method to surface up a weekend. Or begin one!

Love the styling at the Balcony Bar as well as Oyster Co in Byron Bay. as well as this indication they’ve got on the wall states it all!

The shores along the southern coastline of Cuba is so beautiful. however then that’s what you’d expect from the Caribbean, right? This is somewhere between the Bay of Pigs as well as Trinidad, as well as just back from this rocky shore is a cenote. A natural sinkhole in the rock full of fresh or brackish water. just ideal for a dip.

For a lot more about our time in the wonderful country, inspect out a lot more of our articles on Cuba here.

The Bacara resort in Santa Barbara, California is absolutely stunning. It’s a much-loved location to stay for a few of the world’s greatest names (we’re speaking Oprah as well as Michael Johnson level), so if it’s great sufficient for them…

Here’s our full evaluation of our time staying right here on the last days of our road trip down the west coastline of the US.

It’s difficult to put into words what it’s like to find that you’ve got your own personal pool that overlooks the ocean! Our rental property in the Aleenta Hua Hin resort in Thailand was precisely what we needed after a stressful few days in Bangkok. Yes, this is about as extravagant as you can get, however this resort is likewise beautifully eco-minded.

Check out exactly how the Aleenta has nailed the idea of eco-luxe right here in our review.

One thing I do like is a huge comfy hotel bed. particularly if they have either great deals of pillows or one truly firm one. That feeling of sinking into freshly laundered as well as somewhat starched hotel sheets as well as understanding that tomorrow night you’ll have a fresh set to do everything once again is just the best!

Our time in Cuba was so unforgettable. We’ve both wished to come right here for so long, the danger of it being an anticlimax was exceptionally high. However, this country – the greatest island in the Caribbean – truly delivered. cut off from the rest of the world so totally for so long, the culture of Cuba is beautifully preserved.

We were right here the week before whatever altered as well as Obama’s USA started warming up the connection with the Castro brothers. I don’t believe things will modification beyond recognition that quickly, however we’re both so pleased we got there before everything started.

For a lot more information on what we did, where we went, what it was like as well as exactly how you can do it too, inspect out our protection of this mysterious, lovely country.

We hope you’ve took pleasure in this week’s IG edition as well as that this week’s a great one for you. See you once again soon! 

Images by Mr as well as Mrs romance by means of Instagram: @MrAndMrsRomance