This year I rang in the new year with my blended family in Bali and I loved every bit of it.

It was so special having mum, dad, my sister, nephews, step mum and her kids altogether in a fabulous Seminyak villa over Christmas and New Year’s. How far our famiglia has come!

My plan was to relax and not do much at all – well as much as I could with my nephews around. The villa layout was perfect for this with rooms across separate buildings, an open living area and a generous sized pool its centrepiece.

A very relaxing stay at Villa Nicole

My mum and sister made sure the festive spirit followed us with decorations and games on Christmas day. We also enjoyed an in villa cooked breakfast and a lovely dinner at Ultimo altogether.

Christmas at our villa

Keeping the festiveness going at Ultimo

Apart from Christmas and relaxing, I couldn’t help adding a few activities in there and a bit of dancing on New Year’s Eve. We had a fun family day at Waterbom, I did a cooking class with my mum and sister in Ubud, enjoyed many massages and came home with a few new pieces of jewellery and homewares.

The cooking class experience took us past rice fields and the mansions of Ubud to a traditional morning market, a local home for coffee and Lesung Bali (the Balinese word for a morsel and presser) where our cooking class took place. We cooked six dishes including a bean salad, chicken satay, chicken meatball soup, fish omelette in bamboo leaf and tempeh curry with bumbu the base of the day. Dessert was a pandan crepe with coconut and palm sugar filling.

The morning market

Coffee and a fried cake in the ceremonial area of a local house

All set to cook at Lesung Bali cooking class

The dishes of our Balinese cooking class

So I’ve started the year off very well, but I also had an incredible 2025. It was another year of loving home life, visiting some of my favourite countries again in Canada and Vietnam, having the privilege of experiencing Sal Salis, being very content with myself and on my own but not giving up on love, and following through with starting my first novel.

A winter wonderland in Canada

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef

The novel is inspired by girl’s trips and dating in my 30s and I’ve just clocked over 50,000 words. I am hoping to finish the first draft in the next couple of months and move onto edits. A publishing deal this year would be the dream!

I spent a big chunk of energy planning and executing a kitchen, laundry and flooring renovation – so happy with the outcome and to have a dishwasher and soft closing cupboards again! I have to thank Pinterest for the inspiration and my dad for the tradesmen; I couldn’t have done it without you both! But renovating does get addictive so I’m already saving and planning for the next edition.

Very happy with my new coastal chic kitchen

The year started with my winter ski trip to Canada and the USA, where I didn’t quite master snowboarding but I was proud of my solo endeavours. I also explored new cities in Seattle, Whistler, Vancouver, Banff, Lake Louise (a lifelong dream) and visited my bestie in LA and my Canadian sister in Toronto.

Seattle’s bubble gum wall

Gave snowboarding my best effort in Whistler

Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver

I’ve never experienced cold like the minus 24 of Banff!

Pinch me moment in Lake Louise

Snow tubing with my Canadian sister in Toronto

In April, I had a nephew camping trip to Jurien Bay for a long weekend – sadly the only one for the year again but hopefully we can improve on that this year.

Exploring Green Head from Jurien Bay with my nephews

In May, I extended an Auckland work trip and went down to Queenstown for a long weekend. I put my solo travel hat back on and it was a lot of fun, I even ended up on a date unbeknown to me. In November I also extended a Vietnam work trip for a weekend and went to Sapa to hike and homestay. Work also took me to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Newcastle.

The beauty of Queenstown in fall

Hiking in Sapa

In June, I had my annual girl’s trip in Bali, this time staying in Canggu and getting out to explore Nusa Penida. I was back to Bali in July for my work husband’s 40^th – that’s right I went three times last year! Who have I become? Between the trips I had a cute house guest keeping me company for a few weeks – mum’s beautiful cat Kosta.

Exploring Nusa Penida with the girls

The cutest house guest

In September, I went to Brisbane to visit my bestie and caught up with other friends from my time living there. We went to Maleny for the night and I have never been in bed so early voluntarily! We enjoyed a Kenilworth pie and a stop at The Big Pineapple on our way back. In October, mum and I went to Albany and Denmark for her birthday weekend. We conquered some huge hikes and then celebrated with wining and wellness.

Gardners Falls in Maleny

The Big Pineapple

A lovely weekend in Denmark with mum

One of my all time favourite hikes in WA – Castle Rock in Porongurup

It was another wholesome year of Scarborough coastal adventures – beach dips, sunsets, salsa dancing, markets, bike rides, walks, nephew hangs, coffee dates and wining at my favourite wine bar Little Wave.

Beach dips at the local

Scarborough Sunset Markets

Lots of wining and dining at Little Wave

Mum and I did a couple of Perth hikes to train for our hiking weekend taking us to Bold Park, Mount Cooke (a difficult one to find the starting point) and Ellis Brook Valley Reserve. I added a few holiday romances, went to a few dating events (much of the same behaviour you find on the apps), and joined work’s social club committee as I may as well keep being social.

Bold Park in City Beach

The top of Mount Cooke

Ellis Brook Valley Reserve

Twinning at our social club Christmas in July event

It’s an exciting year ahead as it’s the year of 40 for me and many of my friends. I’ve booked my big 40^th wander to Africa which I’m both stoked and a little nervous about. There will be gorillas, safaris and beaches ending with a girl’s trip in Mauritius. I’m also still trying to get to the Philippines as I didn’t make it last year due to Vietnam, and excited to see what other wanders and celebrations the year brings me.

As mentioned above I’d love to finish my novel and start pitching. There’s a long road ahead and I really need to find a writing space and routine where I’m one hundred per cent focused. As it’s an expensive wander year, I will tackle smaller updates to my house like window coverings and landscaping.

Overall, I’m looking for more balance so I think quality over quantity when it comes to wanders and who I choose to spend my time with. Though I could never say no to my niece and nephews and pasta parties 🙂

Wishing everyone a fabulous 2026 and I hope to have my next wander to share with you soon.

Until then…

LWL xxx