I am a sucker for mythology, especially the ones that come with a real cool story.

There is much wisdom and truth hidden in these ancient myths.

One of my favorites is the story about Persephone: Queen of the Underworld!

It is said that Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Zeus was abducted to the Underworld by Hades.

One minute she was picking Narcissus in a flowery meadow with her Nymph company and the next: the earth opened and the Lord of Darkness, Hades carried her off into the underworld.

Persephone, titled the goddess maiden of spring’s bounty, flowers, vegetation and fertility, she personifies true beauty, light and warmth.

When her mother Demeter learned that her daughter was abducted and that her husband and King could have possibly conspired, she was furious.

Her fury turned into wrath and she neglected the earth, which brought draught, cold and winter to the land, eventually bringing on the seasons.

When she figured out that Hades had abducted her precious daughter, she ordered her return immediately.

Hades however tricked Demeter. He gave Persephone six pomegranate kernels to eat, which obligated her to return to the Underworld for six months out of the year.

I relate so much to her mystical mythical ways of being initiated into the ways of the Underworld.

Rebirth, honoring the cycles of the seasons, the battle of the perceptions of light and dark, good and evil.

The pomegranate seeds representing prosperity and fertility. How curious to relate this details to our seeds of wisdom we gain from walking and accepting the shadow.

Hades on the other hand is seen as the king of the forgotten world, the unseen.

He dwells in the realms of the invisible to me he personifies the shadow we hide and escape from.

As he lives a solitary life and is ignored by his people, it is no surprise he seeks the light love and warmth of someone like Persephone.

As the light transforms the shadow and darkness back into light, the spaces and places of loneliness, isolation and desperation illuminate. Rebirth occurs…

Can somebody relate?

But what happens when Persephone leaves the Underworld for six months of the year to spend time away from the darkness?

What happens when there is no balance of the two opposing realms?

Grief

As the patriarchy has twisted and turned this tale into violence, it’s hard to wade through the myths of time. For me the evidence of light and dark is there and maybe just maybe there was true love and respect.

Maybe there was a mutual agreement of honoring how the duality of the two opposites we experience. The light and the dark shining in balance as we master this place: one foot in this world, one in the underworld. The work of a true shadow walker?

How can we weave this wisdom into our everyday reality?

Can we take the truth to another level and integrate it into our relating and beingness here?

I’ll leave you with this: I find that all of it is perception and how we relate and respond to the thoughts and emotions we produce.

In this alchemical process to transmute and transform our challenges and shadows into true opportunities of gratitude, forgiveness and surrender, can we remember that stars can not shine without darkness?

Can we give us time to learn and grow, to make mistakes and honor them?

How does this myth relate to your life? What does this story bring up for you?

Yogis, Enlightened Earth Dwellers, Ascension Masters, Joy Seekers, Burners, Momma Gaia Supporters, Freedom Junkies, Earth Angels, 3D Fairies…. this is for you and me and actually everybody!

I can honestly only write about this touchy subject, because this used to be me.

I breathed and bathed in it:

Deeply anchored in my being was a belief so deep and conditioned that to this day I struggle to see beyond it at times.

You see I thought; no correction held onto my truth of: I can’t do this with children!

I can’t be rising to find me while changing diapers and being covered in spit up and poop.

I won’t conform to society’s standing principle of “a women’s worth through her ability to bear children”

I won’t have enough time to do things that matter to me like traveling and exploring while sipping Masala Chai and meditating in a cave or doing Puja after Puja.

I won’t be able to work my light like I’m called to because my children need me.

I’ll be busy processing, healing, transmuting and transforming and kids simply get in the way of it.

The thought of the inconvenience of these small, messy and unpredictable beings was too much to bear.

The inconvenience of having the carefully crafted spiritual mask slip.

To have the costume of enlightenment lifted.

Whoa!

Was I ever in the dark. Walking with one foot on a cloud covered surface made up of judgement and prejudice about myself and the world as it is and then on the contrary: trying to inject my own manufactured reality to mold everything around me into a warm fuzzy place consisting of nothing but positive affirmations and daily cocoa ceremonies.

All the while forgetting to remember what really matters and why am I here. To be able to arrive at a place where kindness and a tender heart coupled with a softened being ness and a damn down to earth grounded in the mud of the lotus kinda attitude.

It took me having to have children!

They literally showed me a different dimension and initiate me into several each day.

Children are a great gift, a miracle in fact.

My children were the greatest gifts to me once I got my spiritual self out of my arse and understood that these little masters are teachers.

They ground, support and gift me with their undeniable wisdom, earth shattering honestly and god forbid daily trigger pointers that hit like a Nerf gun right where it hurts the most.

So, I am not saying have children or don’t.

In fact, I wasn’t ready to have any for a long time. The me me me ego trap was alive and well in me and with it the fact that I needed to go through a thorough inspection of the ouchies that kept me from being open to them in the first place.

How could I let my precious childhood memories roam free when all I could mostly remember was pain and sorrow, screaming, betrayal, neglect, abandonment and punishment.

I guess what I am trying to say is: if we, as a collective stay clear of kids in such a cut throat way that inner child inside inside us is screaming loader than words can describe.

Here is the invitation for our true growth, without the spiritual kaftan pulled right over our eyes.

What if this is it?

What if I dig deep and get right to it?

There is room, lots of room for improvement for all of us and there is no better time to get triggered by this than now.

I pray that I stand tall and hip deep in the mud of my own shadow again and again. Remembering the fine line of being humble and confident. Gentle and strong. I pray that I may continue to be catalyzed into a more open hearted, soft human ready to give and receive equally.

I pray for the vulnerability and openness to receive and support the elders, the children and the four legged ones and all men and women with a humble heart. May I be a lighthouse in this sometimes challenging world and shine my unique light where it’s needed most.

Let’s do this 🙌🏼

Namaste 🙏🏼

It’s kinda interesting how long it’s taken me to post about our stay around Sydney.

Maybe it’s the crazy traffic and unnavigable city pattern that left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Anyways, all in all we had a good time, got a lot of mundane stuff done and still enjoyed what Sydney has to offer.

We made our home in Freshwater, which is part of the Northern Beaches and lies about 17 km north/east of Sydney.

It was definitely a cute community lined by golden beaches, cool restaurants and close to nature.

We did spend quite some time driving in and out of Sydney, commuting to our doctor visits and running errands. For the touristy thing we visited Sydney Opera House, which is a must see. I mean isn’t it incredible, how in the 1950’s a man from Denmark constructed a sculpture on Sydney Harbor and literally changed the course of twentieth century architecture?

We enjoyed strolling Darling Harbour, riding the Ferris Wheel and as a personal highlight, taking the ferry to Manly.

It was so sweet to gain a different perspective from the Harbour while basking in the sunshine, wind blown and happy.

Newtown, with its hip vibe, cool shops and amazing restaurants kept drawing us in and we paid a visit to the Golden Lotus, with it’s Saigon gone vegan super delicious cuisine more than once.

A visit to Australia’s capital wouldn’t have been complete without a stroll along Bondi Beach.

Checking out Icebergs and strolling the Bondi to Bronte walk was pretty epic.

When we had enough from the big city, traffic and rush, we ventured out to The Blue Mountains. What an amazing day we had there. There’s quite a bit to do and see including marveling at the three sisters, visiting Katoomba Scenic World, where we rode the world’s steepest passenger railway, skywayed our way over steep canyons and went on pretty amazing bushwalks.

After two weeks, we made our way up north towards our next stop.

Stay tuned for more Aussie Adventures ✌🏽

#sydney #australia #aussieadventures #northernbeaches #freshwater #manly #sydneyoperahouse #darlingharbour #ferriswheel #manlyferry #newtown #quirkyrestaurants #cuteshops #neighborhoods #gettingstuffdone #oz #travelingfamily #travelwithkids #worldtravel

I am sitting at a health clinic in Byron Bay, Australia with an IV drip in my arm and a strong urge to hide in bed for weeks on end. I feel utterly exhausted and overwhelmed.

My health has been on a steady decline for years, months and weeks.

It’s been a ride to say the least.

17 years ago I made the decision to have breast augmentation surgery. I was 23 years old and felt very insecure in my body. Reflecting back on that time, I can honestly say, that I was extremely naive about making the decision to be cut open and having a toxic set of saline filled silicone bags inserted into the chest wall behind my muscle.

There was not a whole lot of thought put into it, other than looking for a quick fix to feel better about myself, to feel like an actual woman and to feel in control of my power in some way.

A long winded road of being bullied, body shamed and belittled accompanied by a friend’s decision to let me “go first” and pay for my surgery made this one look like a walk in the park. I was so excited.

Off I went and booked my surgery date. Little did I know that I was about to make one of the most detrimental decisions that would impact the quality of my life for decades to come.

In the beginning, I had no issues with the implants. None! My downward spiral began after I had my son, almost 9 years ago.

It started with fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, back pain and headaches.

When I became pregnant with my daughter I knew that my body was in desperate need of help.

I developed preeclampsia and by the end of 40 weeks of being pregnant, my body basically shut down.

The symptoms increased and before I knew it, I was always tired, deadly tired.

I lost a good chunk of my hair, my hormones were going haywire, my joints and muscles were achy and a dull all over body pain accompanied me throughout my days. I also couldn’t seem to loose the last 10 lbs, that felt like 99% fluid retention.

Still, I figured that post natal depletion and stress were to blame for how I felt.

My last blood test was a big wake up call. By May last year my white blood cell count was so low and I was officially diagnosed with neutrophilia, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion and heart palpitations/arrhythmia.

My headaches turned into daily migraines and I was extremely sensitive to light, sound and temperature. On a average day, it feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest and someone is choking me to the point that I get claustrophobic in my own body.

Fast forward to today, after seeing an array of doctors, specialists and holistic health care providers, I can finally put 1and 1 together.

My implants were the cause of the chronic inflammatory response in addition to post natal depletion and mold illness. Yay!!!

Well, I am happy to report that I have found my explant surgeon and have begun the process to get these toxic bags out.

It was quite a ride to find the right person for the job and this lady is busy!

It was pivotal for me to find a surgeon who believes in Breast Implant Illness and is fully aligned with providing excellent care for her patient’s physical, mental and emotional state.

This includes that she is practically the only plastic surgeon that has perfected her explanation technique to the T and is recognized worldwide. She also does not promote or offer any more breast augmentation surgeries.

Since my surgery date could be months out, I now am concentrating 100% on self care and detoxifying my system as much as possible to get myself ready.

Thank God for my caring husband and beautiful children that not only understand what is happening in mommy’s body, but are here for me throughout this phase of my life.

Aviana will grow up strong, knowing that our bodies as women are absolutely perfect and amazing, just like they come. There is no need to alter and enhance, to hide or walk in shame with what we are given, but to celebrate and embrace the natural wonder of our form entirely and unconditionally.

While I am working out all the details and prepare for the birth of my new self, I’ll leave you with this thought:

“What if being unapologetically ourselves: flawed, imperfect, impermanent and in constant flux opens our world to a whole new opportunity of being. Women being revered and valued as equal and more so: supported and held by their tribe and beyond. What if our daughters would grow up, without searching for the next best way to make themselves feel better or more worthy, but would sit with deep content in the knowing that they are more than enough?”

Endless love to you my sisters and brothers!

#intimate #vulnerability #health #breastaugmentation #breastimplantillness #breastimplants #biggerisntbetter #beyourself #truth #authenticity #nomorebodyshame #nomorefellinglittle #thefeminineisrising #jointherevolution #bethechange #youarebeautiful #onelove #onetribe #mommyblogger #bodypain #takingmylifeback #vibehigher #strongandbeautiful #selflove #selfcare #selfrealization #higherconsciousness #gettingmyhealthback #healthymommy #truthwarrior #sacredbody #mybodymytemple

Ok, for all of you who follow our adventures throughout, you’ll notice that we are now in Oz and have actually left beautiful New Zealand.

This post is dedicated to our trip down from Nelson on the South Island to the West Coast and eventually Queenstown.

Enjoy loves!

For the first stretch of our trip, we left early morning to reach Hokitika by the end of the day and so we did. What a gorgeous drive.

We made our way down to Westport along the coast towards Greymouth as recommended by locals. The experience of following the rugged and sparsely populated coastline was breathtaking.

We stopped at the Pancake Rocks just past Punakaiki and it was a definite not to be missed experience. Although we were completely rained out and drenched by the end of the walk, we were so taken by this natural wonder that was created over the last 30 million years. The blowholes were absolutely mesmerizing.

I’ll let a couple of pictures speak for themselves.

The coffee and gift shop across from the walk entrance was pretty cool too and the food really good.

From there, we made it to Hokitika in an hour.

Hokitika is such a cute little town, surrounded by beautiful beaches and close to the Hokitika Gorge. We made it there after torrential downpours that flooded the entire town. With that, the usual bright turquoise color of the Gorge changed to a cement grey. Having said that, it was still well worth the trip and the walk about.

We spend a couple of days longer there than expected, as Aviana fell out of a tree house and sprained her ankle pretty badly.

We stayed in such a gorgeous Airbnb there, that we actually enjoyed the little break in our travels. It came with tons of cool outside toys, sheep, a very friendly piggy and some chicken that provided fresh eggs in the morning.

The National Kiwi Centre directly located in Hokitika is worth a visit to feed some eels and see Kiwi’s up super close.

Our next stop was in Glacier Country. Between the smaller Fox Glacier and the larger Franz Josef Glacier we thought, we definitely can’t go wrong with Franz Josef.

With Aviana still not able to walk much or only carried by us which made for a solid 24kg workout, we only went for a short walk, which was just right and plenty for a relatively warm day. With different circumstances, we would have surely made our way up right to glaciers edge, which is a 90 min hike.

On the next day we decided after all, to check out Fox Glacier.

Although smaller, it didn’t lack one bit in awe. Watching bricks of ice make their way down the Fox River was just magical.

For the avid adventurer, ice hiking adventures or a sightseeing flight can be arranged right from the terminal face.

New Zealand really is so stunning wherever you go, it really isn’t hard to have a beautiful nature filled day.

Next stop: Lake Wanaka!

The drive through Mount Cook National Park and Mount Aspiring National Park was something I’ll never forget.

For a good chunk of it, my family was sleeping soundly in the car, as I navigated my way through the otherworldly region of the so called southern alps. Wow, just wow!

Magical, mystical and right out of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

We stopped a couple of times for photo ops with a gorgeous and easy accessible stop in Haast at Thunder Creek Falls.

Again, right out of a fairy tale, a 95m waterfall left us speechless.

At Lake Wanaka, we decided to stay ten days, which was a good amount to explore the lake area and some cool spots for the kids.

Puzzling World was a lot of fun for all of us and as they call it, a wonderful world of weirdness.

A cool stop at the lake is #thatwanakatree which has grown so much in popularity on social media, that it’s copious amount of visitors are posing a serious threat to the beautiful and lone standing willow.

As you can see, I too couldn’t resist to take a picture of this beauty, but kept my distance to not disrupt the root system or even attempt to sit on the tree. With so many snap happy tourists around #thatwanakatree, it is now breaking under their pressure.

Diamond Lake or the blue pools are an awesome destination for a day hike or a fun filled day around the lake, checking out the many unique shops and yummy restaurants.

A worth while stop is the old Cardrona Hotel, which sits right past Lake Wanaka.

It is one the most photographed and iconic buildings in NZ. The charming and supposedly haunted hotel has a charming beer garden and perfect place to chill, with ample space for the kiddos to run wild and free.

For the drive to Queenstown, we chose the Crown Range route, which is by far the more memorable option to the No.6. It is the highest road in NZ, which makes for epic views toward Arrowtown, the Remarkables and a first glance of Lake Wakatipu.

Onto Queenstown and our final chapter of our memorable kiwi adventures.

Yes, it is touristy and busy, but all in all one epic gateway to so much that makes the South Island as spectacular as it is.

We stayed in the Lower Shotover area, which was just far enough away from party town and close enough to go and explore conveniently.

One of our first things on the list was Skyline Luge. It was so much fun, that we did a total of 7 runs.

The view over Lake Wakatipu was something else. Just for that, it was worth the trip up.

Queenstown itself offers everything you need for good times. Even with our combined dietary restrictions, we were able to find good places for food and treats.

Wild Rice Thai: yummy thai food with views over the lake and town.

Hikari Sushi has brown rice sushi options, which worked out great for our littlest one.

Rehab was my fave, since I am a lover of vegan bowls that are organic and deliciously healthy.

Yonder: an all around hit with yummy lunch and dessert option that are either veg or vegan based.

Onto more adventuring now:

We rented a boat with Queenstown Watersport World which I would definitely recommend for exploring massive Lake Wakatipu and the many hidden spots along the road to Glenorchy.

Arrowtown is another must do. A quirky and fun little gold rush town, which still emits so much Charme. We took the kids to the library to pick up pans for some gold panning in the Arrow River and another time to wade through the cold stream and cool off from a scorching hot day.

You’ll recognize this slice of heaven from the LOTR trilogy where Arwen summons the waterhorses to fight off the ringwraiths:”If you want him, come and claim him!”

I have to admit, it’s pretty cool to stand in just that spot and review that scene so vividly.

Arrowtown boasts of some the finest dining places we could find.

The Fork and Tap was a sure hit with our kids. Not only did they have deliciously elevated pub food, but a cool playground/treehouse/ kitchen connected to the shady beer garden.

I saved the best for last: Glenorchy and Milford Sound

Let’s start with Glenorchy.

The drive to Glenorchy is one of the most beautiful in the world. The ever changing landscape is both surreal and otherworldly beautiful. It takes about an hour to drive from Queenstown and we could have probably spend an easy 3 hours with the many stops and photo ops that were there.

We were struggling with the decision on which jet boat tour to book, when we came across the perfect combo out of Glenorchy.

The Dart River Jet tour offered a tour with an 75 min ride in the thrilling jet boat and a middle earth forest walk.

It was epic. The adrenaline rush from the jet boat ride right into Mount Aspiring National Park and along some of the finest mountain panarama NZ has to offer was such a humbling journey to experience. Witnessing such an untouched piece of our planet and to be able to share that with my family was so memorable.

Paradise was the drop off and pick up location for our jet boat ride and is also the spot where many movies and music videos were filmed including LOTR Isengard, Narnia, XMan Wolverine, Mission Impossible 6, Taylor Swift’s Out of the Woods and many more.

Okay, I could seriously write about this place for another day or two, but I do want to talk about Fjordland too.

There are many option when it comes to booking a Milford Sound tour.

Coach, Cruise, Fly ; Coach, Cruise, Coach or what we chose Fly Cruise Fly.

A 4.5 hour trek by car or bus to Fjordland one way and then cruising while still having to drive all that back sounded like something we might regret doing with two kids in tow.

And we are so glad, we took this option. Not only did we save so much time, we got to experience all that beauty from up top. It was priceless.

Once there, our pilot accompanied us to the cruise terminal, where Juicy Cruises took us on a two hour adventure around Milford Sound.

Home to many waterfalls that reach upto 1000 Meters in height, this place was completely overwhelming for the senses.

Formed during the last ice age and a World Heritage site, it was described as the 8th wonder of the world.

It is home to three species of dolphins, penguins, fur seals and many bird species.

Our pilot of True South Air was really knowledgeable and experienced. For our flight home, he chose a different route which took us over Te Ana Waterfall and Mount Humboldt.

It was a day full of treasures and awe inspiring moments.

That brings me to the end of our journey through Aotearoa!

Hope you enjoyed the ride with us.

Namaste loves 🙏🏼

#newzealand #aotearoa #maori #southisland #westcoast #hokatika #southernalps #mountaspiring #mountcook #lakewanaka #lakewakatipu #queenstown #glenorchy #dartriver #fjordland #milfordsound #flycruisefly #franzjosefglacier #foxglacier #teano #crownrange #kiwiadventures #travelwithkids #travelingfamily #discovernewzealand #cruisemilford #roadtripping #adventureawaits

Wellington

Here we are: back in NZ! She can’t get rid of us just yet.

While we still have the South Island to explore, we decided to also check out the capital and surrounding areas.

After our two week break in Fiji, we flew back to Wellington. We had a lot of recommendations around the capital with plenty of options to explore, but most of all this was to become our location to celebrate Christmas and New Years.

Our first impression of the capital was: windy, funky, cool, pretty, scenic.

We stayed in Mornington, which is just a short drive from city center and with that, close the many awesome things Wellington has to offer.

On one of our first days we explored Te Papa, New Zealand’s National Museum. It was incredible and vast and free. We came back twice to take it all in.

There was a pretty awesome LEGO exhibit that we thoroughly enjoyed.

I highly recommend checking out Te Papa to learn about pretty much everything New Zealand. The Maori and maritime life section were among our favorites.

The kids also had a blast in the interactive play area.

After the Museum we had a stroll down Taranaki Wharf which boasts of pop up shops, vendors, life events, restaurants and the Jump Platform that allows you to leap off a 5 or 8 meter platform into the cold harbor waters.

Brrr…while we didnt dare get our tushies all wet and cold, it was so much fun watching others jump and splash everyone in sight.

On a side note: When we arrive somewhere new, we try to balance city and nature as best as we can.

So, here are our favorite outings around the city:

Red Rocks Trail for its beautiful vistas, red rocks and sighting of fur seals in the winter months. It was an all around nice walk that took us about 2hrs to complete.

Mount Victoria Lookout is a must in my opinion. 360 degree views of the city, harbor and beyond make it an all weather gorgeous pitstop.

Riding the Wellington Cable Car up to the lookout and walking back down through the gorgeous Botanical Garden while checking out a super cool playground, space station with observatory and cable car museum! Another favorite!

Walking in elven footsteps at Rivendell aka Kaitoke Regional Park.

What a stunning park full of gorgeous rainforest tracks, rivers and a truly elven feel to it.

One day we drove out to Plimmerton Beach which is an about 45min drive from the city. Cute shops, restaurants and coffee shops greeted us and made up a perfect little getaway for the day.

Since Wellington is the movie making capital of New Zealand, a trip to Miramar and The Weta Cave is a must do.

Many movies came to live there and best of all entry is free.

Cuba Street is named the coolest street for a reason. The boho vibe, unique shops and amazing restaurants make it a good place to hang out. We lived very close to it, so it was a constant go to for food, fashion and of course the eclectic vibes.

After celebrating Christmas and New Years in our cozy Airbnb, we took the Interislander Ferry from Wellington to Picton to begin our journey to the South Island. Cruising through the crystal blue waters of the Marlborough Sounds is a treat for the senses. The journey takes around 3 hours and is well worth it, even if it’s only to stare at nature’s magical beauty.

On our drive towards Nelson, we stopped at a wonderful spot called Pelorus River. It is halfway between Blenheim and Nelson and is a must stop and location for Sir Peter Jackson’s Hobbit. It has middle earth magic written all over it and makes for a perfect picnic stop with its forest glades, rock pools and waterfalls.

Nelson & Abel Tasman National Park

For our next two weeks, we hung out on a farm. It was such a beautiful, grounding and cool experience for our kids in particular.

Our farmstay at Harris Hill Cottages was both dreamy and very magical.

The family run farm is set high up on Harris Hill, overlooking the Tasman Sea and the coastline of Abel Tasman National Park.

The family was so kind and generous. The kids and us had so much fun feeding the many sheep, goats, calves, horses, dogs, pig and chicken.

Although I got sick with a sinus infection and had to lay low for a bit, I wouldn’t change this experience for the world.

We decided to stay in Nelson as a base to explore the surrounding parks. Little did we know that we picked the sunniest and most creative spot. The town with its many galleries and great restaurants made it very easy to enjoy our next two weeks here.

Onto Abel Tasman National Park!

We drove to Kaiteriteri base and took the Abel Tasman Sea Shuttle to Awaroa.

What an otherworldly experience that was already. Stunning crystal blue/green water, rising granite rock faces and the world famous coastal trek.

Upon arrival in Awaroa, we chilled at the gorgeous beach there for a picnic, marveling at the stunning beauty that was surrounding us. White and golden beaches, a mild climate, an abundant bird life and the clearest water I have ever seen.

We made our way to Awaroa Lodge, a favored pitstop for the Abel Tasman Trek hikers and from there hiked to Tonga Query.

After taking a short break at the lodge, we made our way through forest up to the Awaroa saddle, passing world class beaches, scenic seaside. Personally I was pinching myself the entire trek in awe and kind of disbelief of so much beauty in one place.

Close to the end of our trek we had to cross the Onetahuti Estuary. Let’s just say looking back, I’m relieved we didn’t plan the trip right around high tide, which can bring the table up to 12feet at the crossing AND the water isn’t exactly warm.

We ended up crossing at about knee deep, realizing shortly after that we had lost track of time, sprinting back to our pick up location. Luckily Robin arrived first and was able to hold the boat for us.

The alternative would have been an unplanned camp out in the park over night.

What a stunning adventure that day was. Our kids really enjoyed the ride over and back and had a blast trying to catch our ride home.

So loves, I’ll be back with more soon.

Next up is our trip down from Nelson to the Westcoast of the Southisland.

Kia Ora

#newzealand #Southisland #kiwiadventures #camerainhand #abeltasman #daytrip #otherworldly #oneinamillion #mustdo #travelgram #travelnotebook #nature #travelwithkids #foreverexploring

Be still my heart!  Fiji is stunning in so many ways, but the most sagnificant for us was the feeling of coming home and belonging.
In such subtle yet heartfelt and deeply appreciated ways, were we welcomed here.

On a spiritual note, if you feel drawn to the ancient Lemurian and Atlantean energies, then you’ll love Fiji and the South Pacific in general.

The Devine feminine energies here are evident, strong and purifying. They are also nurturing, gentle and kind.

When I stepped out of the plane I immediately felt held and supported. The beautiful nurturing space is very important for me personally to balance, harmonize and integrate some of my more intense teachings of the past months.

We spend the first week at Radisson Blu on Denarau Island. The idea was to have an awesome time relaxing, time for family adventures, swimming and a cool kids club experiences, which we have read about over and over again. Fellow travelers and bloggers recommended it over other places for the awesome pools, water slide, food, BULA kids club and cool water sports selection.

After some researching, we chose Denarau Island, which is a man made Island that sits on the west coast of Viti Levu (the largest Fijian Island) and is reachable by a gateway within a 15 min drive from Nadi airport.

It is known for its upscale resorts, Denarau Golf Club, big BULA waterclub, fishing boats and ferries to the Malolo Islands which depart from Port Denarau.

When we arrived our first impression was pleasant, clean, big and very welcoming.

The kids were immediately whisked off by the BULA Welcoming warrior and introduced to the many different options available for the kiddos.

The choices are amazing. There are three different time slots available to choose from and in addition to that private nanny services are available for an even more personalized experience.

Aviana loved having all the different creative choices like boat making, Fijian language & song lessons, shell necklace making, lei making, sand castle building or dance lessons. Her highlight was getting her hair braided. Even here, the girls were so gentle and kind and listened with attention and patience to her requests.

Raphael got a kick out of games like ball tag, three legged race and sack hop. His highlight was watching the hermit crab races in the evening.

Both kids really wanted to take part in the torch lighting ceremony at the end of each day. They got dressed up as Fijian warriors and helped to light the many torches around the resort.

It is evident to see around every corner that this resort is well organized, run and looked after.

What made a big difference for us was to experience the unbelievable service we received in the restaurant.

Not only did the chef and staff cater to our gluten free, dairy free and sugar free needs, the two chefs made sure that Aviana had variety in every meal and catered personally to her needs and preferences. This above and beyond approach really didn’t go unnoticed.

We made sure that the staff got the praise they deserved and we talked to the managers and left 5 star reviews anywhere we could. Thank you Radisson!

We had tons of fun, we played and swam, snorkeled and explored and made many new friends along the way.

Our time there came to an end after 7 days and it was time for more adventures around Fiji.

Fiji Part Two

Welcome Home!

For our next destination we chose the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort on Vanua Levu.

Being Fiji’s second largest island, but less touristy Vanua Levu came highly recommended from fellow travelers.

From the picturesque main town of Savusavu with its sheltered bay that provides a popular mooring spot for visiting yachts, to the untouched rainforest of its Wasali Nature Reserve with hiking trails leading to spectacular views, the island is called hidden paradise for a reason. She is absolutely stunning!

Jean-Michel Cousteau’s philosophy really spoke to us.

His team of conservationists believe our modern society can learn a lot about achieving a sustainable environment from the Fijian’s agricultural and fishing practices. The Fijian people have flourished for over thousand years by living off the natural bounty that surrounds them.

The luxury eco friendly resort is dedicated to the preservation of a pristine environment where physical, mental and spiritual rejuvenation come naturally.

Since it’s inception the resort has dedicated itself to taking care of the environment and the resort staff are proud that they can continue the legacy.

There is something to be said of Jean-Michel Cousteau himself. Since he has been thrown overboard at age seven and spend the last four decades exploring, protecting and educating people on his beloved water planet. He has dedicated his life to communicating to all people of all nations and generations his love and concern for the oceans.

Honoring his heritage and legacy of his dad, Jean-Yves Cousteau, he founded Oceans Future Society in 1999, a non-profit marine education and conservation organization. It serves as a voice for the ocean, to educate and reminds us of the importance of wise environmental policy and to help us understand how important the bond between people and ocean really is.

Jean-Michel Cousteau has travelled the world, sat with the president at the White House, has produced over 80 movies to educate and preserve our oceans worldwide. He serves as a passionate diplomat and advocate for the environment.

All of this and much more brought us to this very special place.

Natural, gracious hospitality greeted us upon arrival and it only kept getting better from there.

The staff represent the epitome of the Fijian culture and community values.

The Fijian people play guitar and sing at any opportunity. Music seems to be everywhere. In the evenings the resorts guitar players perform a traditional Kava ceremony and you are always welcome to join.

What made this resort extra special besides it’s stunning location, small size (only 25 bures total) and warm and welcoming hospitality was the fact that every child upto 6 has its own dedicated nanny who is with them from 8am to 9pm. And every child age 6-12 is always accompanied by a buddy. How awesome is that?

You get to relax, chill, swim, dive and explore while your kiddos are more than taken care of.

Aviana’s nanny Linda was a very special soul. We as a family grew so fond of her genuine and gentle spirit that it was one of the hardest things for us to say good bye. Many many tears of joy, happiness and overwhelming gratitude were falling during our time there.

Robin got a chance to renew his diving skills and explored some of the stunning surrounding reefs.

Even Raphael was able to get a taste of the amazing diving by taking part in an introductory bubble maker class.

Since The Resort is all inclusive, the activities and excursions included really made the experience extra special. From snorkeling, diving, fishing, glass bottom boat riding, reef walks, Fijian story telling, tennis, paddle boarding, kayaking, volleyball, eco tours, medicine walks, yoga, sailing and much more the offers were endless.

For kids it is an adventurous experience in paradise full of cool things to do and see while parents get to choose how to spend their day.

The restaurant and food option were plenty and the best part was, that food options were available 24/7.

We were able to participate in a village excursion to the nearby village of Nukubalavu where most of the staff working at the resort come from.

2 years ago the resort and village were hit by a devastating cyclone and have since rebuild, restored and bettered the housing structures in the villages.

It was humbling to see many guests return with stories on active involvement on their part, helping and rebuilding the villages. One guest provided tents for the villagers to keep them dry and safe after the storm hit. Others kept coming back for ten years total helping to grow and preserve the mangroves surrounding the resort.

I think it is evident to see how taken we were by this special place and the people.

It was in the many little things that we got to experience and how many souls touched us deeply.

Viri, a very gifted massage therapist and traditional Fijian healer touched us deeply with her powerful ability to help our bodies heal, relax and be still. She prides herself having healing hands and is eager to pass them on and down her family line. What a beautiful thing to be able to witness and experience.

Lounging in and around the pool one afternoon, we made the acquaintance of Andrew and Effi, two very special men from Sidney. They visited with their four kids. After talking for a while and sharing about life’s precious choices I recalled something that I had forgotten for 22 years.

When I lived in New York and modeled for IMG I had a shoot scheduled with an up and coming photographer. The shoot was for Elle and the photographers name was Effi Cohen. Unfortunately the job was canceled due to sickness and I never got to work with this creative soul.

Well oh well, 22 years later and while lounging in a pool in Fiji, as the universe so eloquently orchestrated, we got to meet after all. Serendipity at its best. We found out that we have so much in common and share so many friends. What a beautiful gift. It doesn’t end here though.

Robin and Effi got to talk for a while as well and as it turned out, through Effi’s generous and welcoming personality and ability to invite, Robin was able to heal an old and very painful childhood wound that revolved around the ongoing hatred between German and Jewish.

The experience was so humbling and profound for both of us, it left us speechless and full of gratitude.

The memories made here will stay with us forever and we already made promises of returning soon.

My favorite was the trip to Naviavia, a private island just 10 minutes away by boat.

Perfect powdered sand, a special prepared picnic, kayaking around the island and hanging out with baby reef sharks awaited us for my birthday.

Seeing our kids build a castle while a was lounging in the hammock, frolicking and simply enjoying being on our own little slice of heaven was so beautiful.

It was unforgettable and just an amazing experience I will be forever grateful for.

So long and Vinaka Vakalevu Fiji, you have imprinted our hearts forever.

#fiji #paradise #savusavu #denarau #vacay #birthdayweek #tropics #memories #radissonblu #jmcfiji #restored #thankful #soulfulnomads #sacredrebel #soulfulnomadmomma #connection #conservation #ecotourism #luxuryresort #consciousness

I felt like dedicating an entire blogpost to our visit here, since it was so spectacular.

Our journey to Wai-O-Tapu began just two days before we left Rotorua. We felt like we were really missing something and bam: there it was.

Robin was in contact with a fellow traveler who has visited here before and was keen on sharing information. I love how the universe works.

We planned our visit accordingly to the daily blow of the Lady Knox Geyser.

When we arrived just before 10am, we settled nicely in the viewing area just around the geyser, all the time wondering how a geyser could be on such a day to day schedule. 

Then the unexpected happened: after a short presentation a safe and biodegradable substance mimicking the effects of laundry soap was thrown down the blow hole and just like that: 5 minutes later she started blowing water up to 15metets high. They call that induction…go figure!

Now, onto the thermal area of Wai-O-Tapu. It covers 18sq.km with the volcanic dome of    Maungakakaramea or Rainbow Mountain. The entire area is literally covered with collapsed craters, cold and boiling pools of mud, water and steaming fumaroles.

The area is dating back some 160,000 years where the public actually only sees a small portion of it.

What captured me were the vivid colors of the various craters and pools.

The champagne pool is probably one of the most frequently photographed and visited in the area. It is pretty cool, especially since it is possible to walk across the terrace via the boardwalk. 

Devil’s bath was next on our list of must sees. Wow! The color is so out of this world, it’s beyond anything imaginable. It is the result of excess water from the Champagne Pool mixing with sulphur and ferrous salts. 

During the trek I noticed this bizarre and intense settlement of the vegetation in the park. Although classified as a green algae, Trentepohlia is the name given to the reddy-brown to bright orange color that hides the naturally green pigment of the plants. Stunning!

The green water of lake Ngakoko, the grandfather were absolutely breathtaking and the perfect place to sit down and enjoy the scenery of a bit.

Admits the bushwalk through the park we kept stumbling over the so called Alum cliffs. The shallow horizontal ridges indicate ancient weathering. The really fascinated me. Every corner of this park held a different out of this world treasure.

Our kids really enjoyed the Devil’s ink pots. I guess the color and of course name let their imagination run wild. The intense color is due to small amount of graphite and crude oil that is brought to the surface by the water forcing its way up. 

The walk through this natural paradise alone is worth the trip. I could have literally spend the entire day there. Unfortunately our little ones feet grew tired after we completed the three loops, which take about an hour and a half. 
I could go on and on about this amazing place, but I think that you’ll get the picture and I hope that you’ll get the chance to experience this as well.

Namaste lovelies 🙏🏼

#newzealand #waiotapu #thermalwonderland #volcanicactivity #amazingnature #travelwithkids #explore #adventureawaits

It’s been close to a month since we’ve arrived on the North Island of New Zealand. 

In this post I’ll be sharing our favorite to do’s and sees, so it’ll be more of a practical Part 1 of Kiwi country post.

We decided to land in Auckland and explore from there. Auckland itself is a pretty cool city with nice views from the Sky Tower, where you can dare to go on a sky walk or sky jump outside or just enjoy the views from up top. 

The seawall walk is great and the viaduct is a nice spot for good eats. Checking out the Maritime Museum and learning lots about the Maori as a voyaging culture was a moving experience.

Since a lot of our visits are planned with worldschooling our children in mind, we love finding new and interesting spots wherever we hit a new city or place. 

It is so amazing to be able to explore and learn about the local culture, history and story. 

Auckland has some quirky cool places to visit like Ponsonby. We loved the boho vibe and cute shops all around. 

Our kiddos also really enjoyed our visit to MOTAT Museum of Transportation and Technology, where a whole day of cool stuff awaited our curious minds. 

All kinds of transportation, including an old tram system and hangar full of pre and post war aircrafts. The tour guide there was so knowledgeable and engaged. We had a really good time. 

Ok, now on to where we put our heads at night after full days of exploring and adventures: We used either Airbnb or BookaBach for our vacation rentals and it’s been great. Our first rental took us to Muriwai Beach which was an awesome spot to watch the Gannet Colony and to just indulge in some amazing pure nature walks. It’s about a 35 minute drive away from Auckland City.

From here, there are so many places to see and explore, but I highly recommend checking out the Waitakerere Range, a national regional park that boasts of amazing hikes, nature walks, waterfalls and exploring black sand beaches. Many are kid friendly, but still need mommys and daddies full attention as some trails come with more challenging inclines or cliffs. 

The Te Henga Walkway captivated me so much that I did parts of it with my little family and then came back to do the entire trek by myself, which was just magical. I do recommend bringing hiking sticks and lots of water for this 14 k hike….wink wink! It  ended in Bethells beach which is stunning spot just on its own. 

Piha Beach is an amazing surfing beach and must see in my opinion. This area really reminded me of the best of the California’s coastline with its own beautiful signature and it’s own subtropical climate.

For an amazing waterfall adventure, it’ll have to be KiteKite Falls. The hike and the cascading waterfall took our breath away.

Now on to Rotorua, the adventure and geothermal capital. It is oh so easy to be super active here. New Zealand brings out all of your wild and adventurous side and it’s awesome. Mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, luge riding, orbing down a grass covered hill in a giant inflatable plastic ball (🤣), zip lining, bungee jumping….whatever your wild and crazy heart desires, it’s here.

We went for the Skyline Gondola ride and Luge adventures and had a great lunch buffet at Stratosphere Restaurant up top with a fantastic view over lake Rotorua.

If you are or if you’re not a Lord of the Rings fan, you can go see the Shire of the trilogy at Hobbiton. The two hour tour was a highlight and we would have loved to just move into this peaceful place.

The next day, we spend visiting the Waitamo  marveling at the ancient caves. You can even go black water rafting where you’ll get a chance to abseil, weave, jump, climb, and float through a glowworm-studded subterranean wonderland. 

We made our base at Lake Okareka, which is about 12km from Rotorua. It’s just enough of a distance to be close enough to all that Rotorua has to offer and being amidst lush nature and serene lake country. 

Our place here came with kayaks too, which made it extra special.

Raphael and I embarked on a zip lining adventure with Rotorua Canopy Tours for our mommy and son date.

We hiked, zip lined and we’re lucky to learn so much about the beautiful ancient virgin forest where we were just engulfed in raw and wild nature for three hours. Raphael couldn’t stop squealing and smiling and wanted to go right back to do the whole thing again. 

I have to say too, that it makes all the difference to have amazing guides and Kris and Scott didn’t disappoint.

So far though, my personal highlight was visiting Te Puia. A living Maori village and Place of geothermal wonder.

Not only is it home to Pōhutu (‘poor-hoo-too’), the largest active geyser in the southern hemisphere. She erupts once or twice every hour and sometimes reaches heights of 30 metres (100 feet). Pōhutu means ‘constant splashing’ in Māori.

It is also a living, expanding and educating Maori village. We decided to take part in a pōwhiri (‘poor-fee-dee’), which  is a traditional Māori welcoming ceremony. It was originally used to challenge a visiting party and find out their intentions. Though the pōwhiri has a basic structure, there are variations, depending on the occasion. A pōwhiri usually involves a wero (challenge) from a warrior and a karanga (welcome call) from a female host. This is followed by whaikōrero (welcome speeches. Following the speeches, waiata (songs) are often sung and then visitors hongi – press noses together in a traditional Māori greeting.

It was an amazing experience for our entire family. 

To be able to learn about the culture, history, architecture, spirituality and their active carving and weaving school was quite special. 

In Maori language WHĀNAU means family and it was evident that visitors are greeted with respect and hospitality.  At Te Puia, it’s part of their culture to welcome, guide, feed and entertain us and treat us like part of the family.

Very close to our base is Te Wairoa, The burried village. It is New Zealand’s most visited Archaeological Site, where stories of the 1886 Mt Tarawera Eruption come to life.

The eruption of Mount Tarawera in the early hours of June 10, 1886 was one of New Zealand’s greatest natural disasters. Just after midnight on June 10th, the people in Te Wairoa were woken by a sequence of earthquakes. Two hours later, a much larger earthquake was felt, followed by massive explosions. For more than four terrifying hours, rocks, ash and mud bombarded the peaceful village. The violent and unexpected eruption buried Te Wairoa and several smaller villages in the area under hot, heavy ash and mud. It completely destroyed the famous Pink and White Terraces, one of New Zealand’s first tourist attractions, and it changed the landscape dramatically. Around 150 people lost their lives. 

The experience really came to live for our kids with the scavenger hunt at the village. They were super engaged and interested and learned a ton just following the clues through the village.

It ended in one of the most spectacular waterfalls I have seen. 

Here are some photos we took of this stunning place. 

After spending the last 4 months in beautiful Bali and doing so much work on the inner planes, we asked the universe for time to clear, integrate and balance. And there she was: Aotearoa!!
We are taking a slight break to venture to the Fiji Islands for a couple of weeks now and will fly back into Wellington to explore the south of the North Island and the South Island.

Stay tuned lovelies!

In love & light

Soulfulnomadmomma 

#newzealand #aotearoa #maori #culture #history #adventure #northisland #auckland #ponsonby #skytower #muriwai #piha #waitakerere #nationalpark #forest #beaches #waitamo #hobbiton #rotorua #activities

When we started traveling, we were in unison that it would be the wings of spirit that would carry us through this journey, not our monkey mind driven ego with an agenda and a distinct plan on where to go when.

Having said that, it is that: a journey!

We took a huge leap of faith. When we set sail, we knew Bali was first on the list of places to anchor in.

We tentatively booked a month, then another and finally another two. Bali simply didn’t let us go . 

Lessons weren’t finished yet, people we were supposed to meet, were not available and finally we all had to go through a final physical purge.

The reason I am even touching on this subject : many friends, people we have met and family have asked: Do you have a plan? Where are you going next? What about the kids? What about school? 

So to answer some of your burning questions:

No, we don’t have a plan. Our mind has ideas, but we revert back to the heart and with that, spirit. We just found out now, that our next stop needs to be New Zealand. Through listening in silence and the clues that the universe drops for us we are guided to where is next. 
Our kids? They are teaching us to live in the present. When we ask them what they enjoyed most the day before, the answer most certainly always is: I don’t remember mommy. Why do you want to know daddy?Why? They are living in the now and truly don’t really care to remember the day before. Our kids are our biggest teachers and they are open, living in the heart, following their bliss kind of examples that what we are doing is good for them and us.

What about school? The world teaches all of us a whole lot. Learning on the go is such a beautiful experience. We build in time for creativity, learning about what interests them and what engages them and if it so happens that we find a resonating school on the way, then yahoo. We’ll take that too!

Well, the old paradigm let’s us to believe that we need a plan for everything. A plan for tomorrow, a plan for our next phase, next destination, how we go about life in pretty much every single way and every single moment. 

The new paradigm is teaching us, that the only moment that truly ever exists is NOW. That to arrive fresh and spontaneous in the moment let’s us live a life of Devine guidance, joy and bliss. To be free without really having any clue about what is next, is true freedom and our innate nature. 
Otherwise we are so busy making plans and forgetting that our precious life could be gone in the very next moment. We plan and plan our life away and when we finally get to look back, our life is over.

What I have learned so far during this journey is: when you decide to let yourself be divinely guided, your mind will try and come in. With ideas, control, rebellion, opposition, nagging, belittling and much more.

It’s ok. It’s alright to let it be. To just listen. To not engage! 

These are the words I tell myself every day. A sweet reminder of what my heart wants and engaging me as a translator.

Here’s my sweet and short 1.2.3. On how to stay present in an overstimulated world.

1. Meditate! Even if it’s 5 minutes here and 10 minutes there. The key is consistency. Stay with it and you’ll be greatly rewarded with a calmer mind and stronger sense of calm and balance

2. Spend time in solitude! Yes, time alone is deeply undervalued and absolutely nessasary to stay centered, grounded and in harmony. Schedule time out with yourself by yourself and try to do so without distraction. No phone. No music. No reading. No nothing. Just you, space and time.

3. Get active! And preferably in nature. Getting the blood pumping and everything moving is oh so good to get out of the head and into the moment. Find something that you love and enjoy every minute of it. My personal fave is hiking by myself and meditating at the same time…Bam 3 in 1 

Off I go now, much love to you loves 🙏🏼

Don’t forget to smile today 

#travels #nomads #travelingfamily #lovinglife #worldschooling #unschooling #travelblog #travelgram #consciousness #walkingwithspirit #devinelyguided #travelwithkids #passionpassport #wanderlust