The Difference a Day Makes

Arriving back home to London after an utterly amazing holiday with my beloved family in Sydney, I began to unpack. Sydney & London: Polar opposites ~ in time, in weather, in pace.

Just a few days ago, the contents of my bag looked like this.

Complete with all my summer essentials:

Sunglasses
Sunscreen {yes, Mum...I always wear it}
iPod
Journal & pens
Bikini & beach towel
Frangipani fragrance ~ yummo
A good, happy summer book 
A camera of course
Plasters for blisters
Waterproof mascara

As I sadly unpacked my bags full of summer goodness, I began to repack my handbag with my wonderful winter woolies. I must admit, there may have been a tear shed during this transition, but generally speaking, it was fairly seamless. So just 24 hours later, the contents of my bag now look like this.

Complete with all my necessities to get my London groove back:
My i friends ~ namely, Phone & Pod
Oyster card & tube map
Car key
House keys
Gloves
Scarf
Umbrella
Tissues
Chapstick
Antibacterial hand sanitiser
Gucci perfume
Life in the UK test practice questions {yep that's right, it's study time again for me, the little red passport beckons}

So here I am, getting reacquainted with my bag {and my life} back in London. I'm looking forward to seeing what this year holds ~ wondering how many bags I will need to pack and unpack over the course of this year, wondering what beautiful new friends I will meet along the way, wondering what different countries I will be lucky enough to travel through, wondering what amazing things are going to happen in the lives of those I love. I wonder...

Little Lost Bag

So, last week, en route to a night out, I accidentally got myself into Christmas present buying mode. Two hours and several beautifully festive and overflowing shopping bags later, I decided to check my bags into the cloak room for me to collect later that evening. Well that was the plan anyway.

In typical Amy style, the night ended and I happily went on my way merry little way, with the cloak room ticket silently sitting in my back pocket. Mid transit home I jumped up, shrieked, froze and then sat back down. And despite being particularly comical for the fellow passengers, I was one sad little shopper girl.

I made some calls (actually my beautiful friends made some calls) and discovered that all unclaimed items in the cloak room were packed away in road cases until the following weekend. 

So what's a girl to do? Wait a whole week in the hope that her lovely little Christmas presents are still in the cloak room or count the cost and enter into, once again, a Christmas shopping frenzy? 

I waited in hope.

Unfortunately, I waited in vain.

My little Christmas parcels were Absent Without Official Leave.

So, with only 4 days before I fly home for Christmas, I have got some serious shopping to do. I tried to replicate most of the items that I had bought, but some were just impossible to find again. I even resorted to good old Mr Google to help me out. To my absolute joy, I discovered the most precious little online company. They stock some of the sweetest gift ideas ever. (I know, quite strong of a sentiment, but stay with me on this one).

These cutesy personalised bags are simply adorable. Perfect for storing your knitting all you fabulous Sisterhood girls out there.

Now, I am not entirely sure what a 'shirt collar stiffener' actually does, but I'm pretty sure that if I was a dad, I would love one of these.

Little munchkins are certainly not forgotten on this site. There are so many toys and gifts for the little ones including this darling Bunny in a Box.

And one more gift just for fun. 

Ah, my shopping dilemmas now resolved and maybe, just maybe, I might have even been converted to the ways of the savvy online shopper. So, if you are time poor this Christmas, or like some people we know, unable to hold onto their purchases, get online and see what's out there.

And you never know, my lovely little shopping bags may turn up one of these days and there will be more gifts to give. 

Oh, how I love Christmas Time x 

There's No Place Like Home

It is certainly true when they say that there's no place like home. 

Photo

I have been thinking a lot about home lately. I have been meticulously counting down the days until I fly to my gorgeous homeland once again. There is nothing sweeter than landing in your home town. Every time I fly into Sydney, I start singing (to myself, you'll be pleased to note) I still call Australia home. And as the Harbour Bridge and Opera House come into view, I can't help but smile. Walking through Kingsford Smith Airport, I always love hearing the thick, lovely Australian accents over the pa system and then I say to myself 'Oh, how I miss this place'. I miss the familiarity, I miss the bronzed faces, I miss the sweet sunshiny days and most of all, I miss my beautiful, ever expanding family and lovely friends.

But what happens when you have made another country 'home' for the past 7 years? What happens then? Where is home?

For the first few years, each time I left Sydney, I pretty much burst into tears post customs and then generally cried all the way until Singapore. I know, I felt sorry for those blessed with seats next to mine too. They often offered me a Kleenex and patted me on the back and told me it was going to be ok. Bless those sweet, random travelling friends. One flight, I was even offered a children's colouring book and snack box. This amuses me to no end now.

Now, thankfully so, I have mastered the art of composure. Well mostly. The tears certainly don't flow as profusely as years ago, but I must admit, they do still flow - now I cry when I leave London as well. Over the past few years, London has become my home too. I now get that same excitement flying into London as I do when I fly into Sydney 〜  I am however yet to find an English theme song to sing though, so all suggestions welcome;)

So truth be told, I have 2 homes. Both so tender to my heart in so many ways. London and Sydney will always be a part of who I am. Sydney, I will love you forever. My dear, sweet family and friends will always mean that Sydney is home for me. But London, you have somehow, without me knowing it, stolen my heart. I have learnt to adore the wintertime in this place and even, dare I say, love the magic that is a white Christmas. I do believe however, that this love for London is predominately indebted to my faithful, beautiful, amazing friends. Friends from all over the world who have also made London their home. Friends who have made this city come alive and friends who have become like family, in my little home away from home. 

How blessed am I to have two homes. I am one lucky little lady xx