I had an interesting chat with my friend today about decluttering. She said she’s been wanting to declutter for years but never knew where to start and how to start. She admitted that she’s realized that ‘stuff’ doesn’t make her happy anymore and she wants to get rid of most. It was a bit of a shock to hear that from her, to be honest as she’s one of the people who loves buying new stuff all the time, especially from charity and vintage shops. I couldn’t help but wonder what happened. What has made her want to downsize?  She said she’d be so stressed if she had to move away in 5 weeks and ..read more

If you’re in Faro, you cannot miss an opportunity to explore Ria Formosa National Park. Ria Formosa is a vast lagoon system that stretches for 60 km along the coast of the eastern Algarve, serving as a transitional area between land and sea. I’ve chosen to stay at Praia de Faro for a long weekend, as I needed to be somewhere tranquil and relaxing. Golden Beach Guest House looked exactly that. Saturday morning was the perfect time to go on a little hike around Ria Formosa – and it definitely did not disappoint! Happy Exploring!   ..read more

I spent most of this weekend in Vondelpark, running, reading, strolling through, looking up and around in awe, appreciating this absolute beauty on my doorstep. I’ve never been here in autumn before. Never knew how breathtakingly gorgeous it looks this time of the year. Autumn has never been my favourite season. Seeing the trees going bare and leaves falling to ground – always made me feel a little bit sad. But this time around, I have rather different feelings about it. The feeling of optimism, change and positivity that lies ahead. Especially because of the year we’re having. I still can’t b ..read more

What’s better than discovering a city from its waters? Especially in a beautiful city like Amsterdam! Last Sunday I went to a 2-hour Standup Paddleboarding tour along Amsterdam canals and the river Amstel. If you love being on the water, then standup paddleboarding or SUP is fun and enjoyable. While paddling through, we passed bridges, beautiful townhouses and famous museums. If you’re pondering whether or not to try SUP in Amsterdam – here are a few things to know: WHEN TO GO PADDLING IN AMSTERDAM? The best season to go out paddle boarding in the Netherlands is April till October. If you’re ..read more

I love Norway. I fell in love with this Nordic country over 10 years ago when I first visited it. I’ve been back a couple of times since then and I would go back a hundred times over. Last summer I spent a long weekend in the Stavanger region of Rogaland. It’s a beautiful town surrounded by jaw-dropping fjords and mountains. Despite is reputation as the oil capital of Norway, Stavanger has a lot to offer tourists. From iconic hikes and fjords to a stroll around the charming harbour, there are so many things to do in Stavanger, and I feel as I’ve only scratched the surface. Here are the best t ..read more

I’m writing this post almost a year later after visiting Stavanger. Going through my photos this morning, I realized that I’ve spoken a lot about my hike to Kjeragbolten but never shared any photos from Stavanger. Last summer, I spent a day in Stavanger drinking copious amount of coffee in cosy little Scandi cafes, visit a few museums and just wander around the city. Stavanger is very small, and I was a little surprised to read that it’s the 4th biggest city in Norway. Well, I guess as someone who was born and raised in a big city and lived in London for half her life, all of the Norwegian ci ..read more

I love to read about simple living and minimalism. Reading about other people’s stories always inspires me and motivates me to remain mindful and own less. Over the last few years, I’ve read a lot of blogs and books about decluttering and simplifying your life and in this post, I want to share the ones that are my absolute favourites. I have read all of them more than once. If you’re looking to simplify your life and live more intentionally, these books on minimalism and simple living are the best place to begin.   The joy of less by Francine Jay           ..read more

Summer is just around the corner. Although I didn’t move to Amsterdam for the weather, with so many sunny days in the last 2 months, I can’t say spring has been disappointing. I’ve gotten so used to seeing clear blue skies and sunshine every day now. Very spoilt. Having lived in Amsterdam for just over six months now, I thought it would be useful to write about my first impressions as a newcomer for those thinking about moving to Amsterdam so they know what to expect. No, you don’t need Dutch to survive but here are more things that I discovered… 1 – Amsterdam is a big city but feels like a v ..read more

Today marks 6 months of living in Amsterdam. The time has flown by! Feels like I’ve moved here yesterday but it’s been 6 months already. Yes, it’s a little milestone and I’m going to celebrate it by having a drink in Vondelpark later. Today I’m also launching a new ‘expat life’ series on my blog dedicated to living in Amsterdam and my observations and experiences in the Netherlands. I’m quite excited about the next six months! I’ve decided to write this post to remind myself why I moved to Amsterdam and to reflect on the past 6 months of living here. Why I Moved to Amsterdam The Happiness Pro ..read more

It’s no secret that Stockholm is one of my favourite cities. I’ve been there a couple of times and no visit had a lack of fika. What is fika? If you’ve never heard of this Swedish concept, let me tell you one thing: fika is much more than having coffee. To fika is to take a break from the daily grind and relax with a cup of coffee and a sweet treat.  It is a social phenomenon, a legitimate reason to set aside a moment for quality time. Accompanying sweets are crucial. Cinnamon buns, cakes, cookies, even open-faced sandwiches would be a passable fika delight. You can fika at home, or ..read more