Writing yesterday about my fear of getting sacked remained on my mind throughout the day ... especially after a very robust discussion with my boss. The last few years have been empowering on that front. It has felt like a safe environment to express my views, feel that I am heard and engage in healthy... Continue Reading →

I decided to put my own spin on Marry Me Chicken over the weekend and call it Marry Me Alana Chicken. Have you heard of the dish. According to legend it got its name because it’s so delicious that anyone who eats it will immediately want to propose marriage. The original recipe was developed in... Continue Reading →

Helloooo! I'm back from another whirlwind trip to Melbourne. After taking DD as my plus one to the US Consul General’s residence last week for dinner, we switched things up on Friday night - I was his plus one for a banquet at Flower Drum restaurant. He works for Melbourne-based company, which was celebrating a... Continue Reading →

You will never guess where DD and I went on Tuesday night ... the US Consul General’s private residence for dinner. I was VERY excited when I received the invitation, as only 30 guests were invited to the event, which was to support American craft distillers and their export aspirations. The host was the Distilled... Continue Reading →

We loved our holiday, but I wanted to give you a few pros and cons, just in case you are thinking about booking a Fijian cruise. Blue Lagoon offers three different cruise lengths: 3-day, 4-day or 7-day. We loved the 7-day cruise, but if you're short on time or nervous about spending too much time... Continue Reading →

Our last day aboard the Yasawa Princess was so memorable and wonderful. The sky was vivid blue, the ocean was aquamarine and the activities organised by the crew were fantastic. In the morning we visited Yasawa High School, where the guitar-strumming deputy principal greeted us on the beach while a group of his students sang... Continue Reading →

Normal blog transmissions will resume soon, just a few more holiday posts to go, bear with me … We ate a lazy breakfast on the back deck of the Yasawa Princess last Wednesday as we gazed at beautiful Blue Lagoon Beach, before hiking across the island to Lo's Tea House. Lo's is renowned for being... Continue Reading →

The days are blurring together. It’s hard to keep track as we sail from island to island in the Yasawas. I look back at photos on my phone and struggle to remember which day I took them. We spent day five of our cruise at Blue Lagoon Beach. THE Blue Lagoon Beach that served as... Continue Reading →

We woke on day four of our Blue Lagoon cruise at spectacular Wayalailai Beach, with a mountain backdrop reminiscent of a lush Hawaiian island. The FIFA World Cup final was playing on the big screen in the dining room, so I ducked to a lower deck with a glass of juice and a muffin to... Continue Reading →

We were feeling lazy on day three of our Blue Lagoon cruise and skipped the Sunday morning church service in Soso village. We curled up on an outdoor sofa with our books for a few hours instead. Forgive us! After lunch we were transferred to a deserted beach for a snorkelling trip, which was gorgeous,... Continue Reading →