Trying to get that perfect “money shot” with family and kids is an adventure in itself. Blinks, giggles, distractions everywhere… but somehow, those imperfect moments become the best CLICK: Oooops no one’s ready! CLICK: Tita Mari and Marion not looking at the camera. CLICK: Well everybody looks happy here, but Remi got hungry and a…
Tag: challenges
Travel Diary Kyoto – Day 8 (Part 2)
Jack and I continued our walk and reached the Kamo River. The Kamo River (鴨川, Kamo-gawa), runs through Kyoto and is a popular place for locals and visitors to wander, sit by the water, and enjoy a slower pace of the city. Enjoyed a lovely lunch overlooking the Kamo River. Honestly, it doesn’t get much…
A yellow rose in my backyard – 22
Rain on yellow rose, a quiet breath of light in the grey air. I am linking this to Floral Friday Challenge Debbie’s Six Word Saturday
Travel Diary in Kyoto – Day 8
Kyoto has this quiet charm that reveals itself in its little laneways—narrow paths lined with wooden houses, simple doors, and tiny details that feel like stepping back in time. Every turn seems to lead to a hidden shrine, a tea shop, or an old doorway that has its own story. It’s the kind of place…
Free Train Weekends in Melbourne
To celebrate the Metro Tunnel opening, public transport is free on weekends (that means trains, trams, buses — all across Victoria) from: 30 Nov 2025 through to 1 February 2026. So Jack and I grabbed the chance. We went down at the Melbourne Central Station and spotted something new. Along the walls are large-scale murals…
Travel Diary On the way to Kyoto – Day 7
Another long day of travelling awaited us, with around four hours on the bus ahead. We started the morning with an early breakfast, took a quick walk around the hotel grounds, and then began our journey toward Kyoto. It was one of those quiet travel days where you just settle into your seat and watch…
Travel Diary: On the way to Shizuoka – Day 6
Today’s tour from Tokyo to Shizuoka was a mostly relaxed one, spent largely on the bus as we made our way from one stop to the next. Altogether, we were on the road for about three hours. It is just enough time to sit back, enjoy the scenery drifting past the window, or even sneak…
Last Chance: South Island
Some South Island scenes I haven’t posted yet … or may have forgotten if I already did. Sharing them now before the year closes, for Tina’s Lens Artist Photo Challenge with the theme “Last Chance”. A last glimpse of autumn purple at NZ Alpine Lavender Farm. The South Island skies is always dramatic, vast, and…
Seated teddies hoping you’ll say hi
Three cute bears in the Shinsekai district of Osaka. For Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge and Debbie’s Six Word Saturday
Travel Diary Azubadai Hills – Day 5
Our main itinerary for today was to visit TeamLab Borderless, since we had a free day on our tour. So we took our time exploring the area before heading in on our designated entry time of 12 noon. Azabudai Hills is a modern shopping centre with a sleek architecture and High end shops inside. There…
Floral Friday – 21
At my sister in law’s garden. I am linking this to Floral Friday Challenge
Another visit to Hosier Lane
I hadn’t visited Hosier Lane in Melbourne’s CBD in what felt like forever. Somehow, it took Jack’s boss flying in from the Philippines to bring me back. As we walked through the laneway, I was reminded of why I used to love coming here … the colours, the chaos, the way the artwork changes every…
The Space Between
The space in between isn’t empty. It’s what gives everything else its shape. This week’s Monochrome Madness Challenge is hosted by Stupidity Hole, having the theme, THE SPACE BETWEEN. There’s something quietly powerful about the space in between. Between land and water, shadow and light, buildings and sky. It’s the gap where the canal meets the…
Holidays fun in two cities
Ann-Christine leads the Lens Artist Photo Challenge this week with the theme of Holiday Fun. Christmas has always been a happy occasion in my family, but now it feels a little bigger and a little brighter, shared across two places where my two kids are. Don’t get me wrong … I love Melbourne … but…
Tuesday Streetart: Window Shutters – 111
You probably know by now that I love sharing photos my kids send me from their adventures. This is from Tim and he thought of his mumma and sent me some great shots of murals in window shutters from Berlin. I am also linking this to Monday Window Challenge
Travel Diary First Day of Tour – Day 4
So today, our tour officially began. We finally met our tour mates, and they all seemed like such a happy, easygoing bunch. It already feels like the start of a fun trip. First stop is the Meiji Shrine. I walked into Meiji Shrine through its huge wooden gate, and suddenly Tokyo felt far away. The…
Ladies Only Bench
These are the ‘Ladies Only’ seats outside St Paul’s Cathedral on Swanston Street — a small relic of old Melbourne. Once a designated resting spot for women in the early 1900s, they now quietly remind us of how public spaces have evolved. To be honest, I’d never really noticed the signage myself until we were…
A little Ornament
Every year when I take this out of the box, I’m instantly brought back to that Christmas market in the UK where I found it. The handwritten names, Mum, Dad, Tim, and Pat … make it feel even more special. It’s one of those little ornaments that carries a whole story with it. I am…
Asakusa & its Doors
As I wandered through Asakusa, I found myself slowing down for something most people probably walk past without a second thought—the doors. Unlike the ornate temples or the colourful bustle of shopping Streets, the doors here are simple, clean, and almost understated. Some are plain wooden panels softened by age, others are neatly painted with…
Travel Diary in Asakusa – Day 3
It was our third day in Tokyo, and we took the train around 9am. Since it was a public holiday, I wasn’t too worried about it being crowded. We took 2 trains and a bit of walking to reach Nakamise Street. Walking through Nakamise Street felt like stepping into a long, living hallway of colours,…
Windows & Murals in a School
Passed by St Joseph’s Primary School in Northcote on our way to dinner at a Vietnamese Restaurant. My eyes were caught by the simple B&W line drawing on the brick wall. And then there is the round window and the window of a tiny street library. I am linking these to Monday Window Challenge
Travel Diary in Shibuya & Shinjuku – Day 2
Right after breakfast on Day 2 in Tokyo, we were off again, heading straight for Shibuya. It is busy, loud, and buzzing with its own kind of magic. And just outside Shibuya Station, we found the famous Hachikō statue. I’ve seen it in photos countless times, but standing there in the middle of all the…
Coffee time at Nakazakicho
A great place to rest after an hour of walking… coffee time. This area is Nakazakicho in Osaka, famous for its high concentration of unique and stylish cafes. For Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge For Jude’s Bench Anniversary
Shadows from shifting leaves
It has been a month of shadows and light and everything in between. I haven’t joined daily but have tried my best. Thanks Becky for a fun November of Square Shadows. Here is my last entry for the last day of November. An artist sketching on the street, catching the soft November shadows… eyes that…
Winged Moments
This week, Beth leads us with a beautiful challenge with the theme of Wings There’s something magical about wings—whether they belong to birds just about to take flight or appear as colorful public art on a city wall. Real wings remind me of that quiet moment before freedom, when a bird pauses, gathers its strength,…
Late afternoon sun
The late afternoon sun filtered through the windows, casting November shadows across the empty chairs and marble floor… quiet, warm, and a little nostalgic.
Floral Friday – 20
And just like that, the Christmas flowers have returned. Spotted this beauty in The Block, one of Melbourne’s charming heritage arcades. For Floral Friday Challenge
Doors from Ginza to Shibuya
We went from Ginza to Shibuya by train, and of course I was busy taking photos of the doors and every quirky little detail. Japan does this to you haha I am linking this to Dan’s Thursday Door Challenge. And of course Jack had to go through the doors of the famous Tower Records to…
Travel Diary in Roppongi – Day 1 (Part 2)
Our first day in Tokyo wasn’t over yet, but my last post was getting a little long—so here’s the continuation. We hopped on a train to Roppongi, known for its artsy vibe, and ended up arriving earlier than our booking to a Museum. Perfect excuse for lunch. We found a spot at Mohri Salvatore, with…
Shadows of Beams & of Little People
Some shadows cast for Becky’s November Shadows taken at the Sou Fujimoto’s exhibit at the Mori Museum