Holiday | Africa

For the last three weeks I have been on holiday visiting my family in Malawi. Its been almost 14 years since I last went so a trip was definitely overdue. My mum and brother went in June and I couldn't wait to go and have some memories of my own. I can honestly say I had the best three weeks spending time with my family and just enjoying some much needed vitamin D. I have so much to share so be prepared to be bombarded with loads of photos.

The flight there took about 15 hours from Heathrow to Johannesburg and then a connecting flight from Johannesburg to Malawi. The flight itself didn't feel too bad as i got to fly in business class which was so exciting! On boarding the plane you are offered complimentary champagne or orange juice for the non drinkers. I obvs got myself s glass of champagne- cheers! Flying business class was like flying in a luxury hotel, the food was delicious and the air hostess were so lovely and helpful. There was so much leg room you could recline your chair so far back it felt like you were asleep on your bed. I wish I had taken pictures to share but i was too scared and didn't want to draw attention to the fact that this was my first time in business.

Flying into Malawi was like being dropped off in the middle of the desert! There was nothing insight apart from the tiny airport building.

I spent the first week sunbathing, playing with the dogs and eating. In the evenings when my dad was home from work he would take me to go see my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

One of the things i wanted to do when i went was to go to the lake so i was very excited when my dad said he had book a few days off and was taking me and my cousin to the lake.

We stayed at Sunbird hotel at Livingstonia beach which is located in Salima. I spent my days sunbathing some more, enjoying delicious food, getting massages and swimming in the lake.

I wish i could have stayed here forever, the beach was beautiful and at 35 degrees heat, I was loving life!

The last week was spent eating more food, visiting some more family and a trip to zomba to visit my Aunt and Uncle and my cousins. We stopped by Zomba mountain on our way and enjoyed malawi's beautiful country side. We drove to the top of the mountain and had lunch at a hotel which had beautiful scenery overlooking Zomba. 

Before my flight back to I stopped by my dad's village to say goodbye to my grandmother. My gran gave me lots of stuff to take back with me. As I was leaving my gran got all her neighbours to come and see me off and they all sang songs and cheered for me. I have never experienced anything like this and in true penny form i burst into tears! The love that i have experienced during these last three week was so overwhelming and i will treasure these memories for the rest of my life. 

Pinterest | Tattoos

I could quiet easily spend hours and hours on pinterest pinning things to my ambitious boards. From what furniture i would have in my dream house to the beaches i want to travel to. One of the main reasons i got pinterest was because i wanted to get a tattoo and was looking for some inspiration. I think tattoo are very personal and so for a first tattoo, i didn't want to get just anything, i wanted to have something meaningful.


Here are some of the ideas that i've come up with:

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Getting a tattoo with birds was one the first ideas that i had when i started thinking about getting a tattoo. I like the idea of getting birds on your back with each bird representing someone that means a lot to you. For me that would be my mum, dad and brother. 

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I love everything about this tattoo: the handwriting, the placement and the quote. 

"The darkest nights produce the brightest stars"

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I've never really like the idea of getting tattoo in another language simply because you can't be certain that it says what you think it says but i just think this look so pretty down your spine. If i was to ever get something like this i would want it to say "Faith, Hope, Love"

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I love this! So simple yet says so much to me. On the comment below this picture there was a quote that said "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means that it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming." I think thats just such a nice motivational reminder to have with you and the placement it perfect because eventually i will be a teacher so my tattoo needs to be in a place where it can be easily hidden.

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 I love the idea of getting a tattoo on your bicep with the quote "Sorrow brings strength".
I have been told that this area of your arm is very sensitive so getting a tattoo here would be painful but i love it and it has a personal meaning behind it so i reckon i would just have to man up if i was to get this.

Feel free to follow all my other ambitous boards here 

Lots of love, P x

Throwback Thursday | Baby Me

"6 months old"

So for the last few weeks, I have been on holiday visiting family in Malawi, Africa. I had the most amazing time out there visiting family who I haven't seen in over 14 years. Whilst I was there, I stumbled across some old pictures of me from when i was a little baba. I loved going through the pictures and seeing what I was like as a baby. I've only ever seen a few pictures of me as a baby because majority of them were still in old house in Malawi. So since it's Thursday I thought I would do a throwback and share some of the pictures that I found. Enjoy!

  "I look mental! look at that hair, ha!"                                                  "Wish I still had this dress"

"I just love this picture of me with cousin and my brother! Look at that cheeky smile"

"Febuary 1991- 1 month old"

"I wish i still had this outfit!"

"pretty sure i wore this outfit on the left for a whole year haha my mum sewed this for me" 

Me with my cousin Vanessa.. refusing to give me back MY rattle 

The Husband's Secret | Review

What would you do if you found a letter addressed to you with instructions that the letter is to be opened only in the event of your husbands death? This is what cecilia is faced with when she discovers an old envelope in the attic. This letter contains her husband deepest darkest secret and if opened it will not only destroy her perfect marriage but also the lives of others.

The story is not just cecilia's, it also intertwined two other women: Rachel and Tess.

Rachel has been haunted with a nightmare for over twenty years, ever since her daughter was murdered. Her son has just told her that he is moving to New York. Distraught by the news rachel becomes obsessed with Connor, a man she believes is responsible for her daughter's murder.

Tess has just discovered that her husband is in love with someone else. That someone else is her cousin. Feeling betrayed and angry, Tess takes her son and books a flight in the middle of night to go and stay with her mother in Sidney.

Tess and Rachel barely know Cecilia but they are about to find out the repercussions of her husband.

The story is addictive, cleverly plotted and thought provoking. I loved the way the Liane Moriarty intertwined three lives connected to a catholic elementary school in Sidney. I must say I struggled to keep up with the characters during the first chapter but as the story goes on its soon becomes more interesting and captivating.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and would definitely recommend to others. I don't think a book has ever made me gasp out loud. Like full on mouth open. This book will make you cry, laugh and think about things.