Holidays are for travel are they not? Well for me anyway, it’s the best way to spend my break.

I had an awesome time in Perth with my sister and friends, living the ‘by the beach’ lifestyle. With a bedroom view overlooking the ocean I was ready to move in but back home sadly we came.

After getting back we celebrated my brothers 40th with a family dinner at Japanese. I then packed for four days to house sit at my cousins farm at Wheeny Creek. I enjoyed the quiet, the animals and big walks each day.

Then off to Mudgee for a day trip which was a beautiful drive and had me dreaming of the country life.

My bf and I booked a night at Pier One in Sydney whilst the floorboards at home were finished, sealed and drying which was a lovely way to spoil ourselves. We have been before and we love it there on the deck with sunset. Oh the city life! Then at the end of the month my bff and I took off for two weeks in the Philippines for some relaxation and exploration.

Listened to - 

* Lively Show Podcast - welcoming the friendly unknown has been a good series to listen to

* I am. with Katie Lately - trying this one out. Not sure just yet

* The Science of Happiness- like to put this one before I fall asleep at night

Read - 

* Come Rain or Shine by Tricia Stringer - gifted for Christmas by my mum. Okay, nothing amzing.

* The Bark Cutters by Nicole Alexander - gifted to me by my mum for Christmas.

* Forever Never by Lucy Score - all right read. Made it through the first half by reading for five hours on the plane

* Arcadia by Di Morrrissey - okay. 3 stars. Skipped through it

* Search For Love by Nora Roberts - so so. Attempting to read all the crappy love stories on my bookshelf and pass them on

* Portraits of Passion by Nora Roberts - bit over the authors writing style. Not rushing to read another of hers.

* Starting From Scratch by Penelope Janu - 3 stars kinda book

* The Benevolent Society of Ill Mannered Ladiew by Alison Goodman - different, not terrible. Finished it in the plane over

* The House at Magpie Cove by Kennedy Kerr - okay read. Flicked through it

* One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke - felt like I have read it this before. A death at a hens weekend. Not bad read.

* Out of Breath by Anna Snorkstra - set in Australia. 4/5 kinda book

Splurged on - 

* day trip on a catamaran in El Nido. Well worth it rather than taking a traditional local boat with twenty others. There was only 11 of us and we went with the El Nido Yachting club. Great crew! We went kayaking at the Big Lagoon and then had time at their private beach; Istar Beach. We saw turtles, flying fish and dolphins on the boat ride then whilst snorkeling we saw starfish, clams, sea snakes and so many different fish. Was pretty magical type of day.

Watching - 

* nothing actually

Went to - 

* Sydney Sixers vs Sydney Thunders cricket match - on my bfs bike. Free parking lol. Put my bike helmet under my seat. During the match someone behind me lost their can of beer and it rolled down my way and soaked all into my helmet lining. It was so gross to wear it home, thankfully easy enough to clean the next day.

* Heritage Hotel for dinner with my bf for Taco Tuesday. Bit spicy but nice

* Lunch with a gf at Kurrajong - too many kids around

* Jamberoo Water Park with my niece and nephew. Had such a great day. Highly recommend to families. Rides are great. We arrived once opened and stayed till close. Big day but well worth it

* Smiths Ln Dairy with mum and Luc for lunch. We sat out the back as the front was all taken. Salad was nice, vegan burger abit tasteless. Chai was yum though.

* friends house for morning tea. I taught and tutored her boys and now they are all grown up and working. Special times

Booked - 

* night at Pier One while the new timber flooring seal dried

Cooked - 

* pea and ham soup using dads ham bone from Christmas, omelet (first one ever made and it turned out yum)

What's new - 

* Home improvements - got a quote for flooring sand and vanish with JP Flooring and guy completed it in two days. Looks great. We sold the remainder of timber we had left within a couple of days of listing it on Marketplace. My bf finished last of patching and plastering and took the tiles off the kitchen wall. Preparing for February to be a big month before painting in March.

* Updates on my blog - caught up on some month in hindsight blog posts I had been putting off. Working on Philippines post which makes me also think I need to finish the Iceland one I started and the Albania one.

* my bfs dog got fleas for the first time. Still not sure where from as he doesn’t socialise with other dogs but I went crazy with flea control. I flea combed him several times each day, gave him a tablet, washed his bedding and bathed in flea shampoo many times then bombed the house.

* Since we went to Perth, I have now visited each state and territory in Australia. That’s pretty cool to say.

* Philippines made it country 88 I have travelled to. Still aiming for 100.

Looking for - 

* travel companion to go to Samoa in April

Sold -

* crystal trinket bowl, 12V cordless drill, horse riding helmet, train play board, pyrex dishes, oryx bookends, motorbike boots

Started - 

* swimming laps with my brothers wife - never done it before, scared of the water, scared of being seen in a swimming costume, scared of looking stupid but I pushed that aside and got over myself. Been swimming everyday in the Philippines which has been really nice other than the sunburn.

Attempting to -

* compile all clothes I don’t wear anymore for a clothing sale

How was your January? Did you get a break or were you back at work? Hoping it was a nice start to the year for you all. Feel free to join the conversation and leave a comment below.

For other months in hindsight click here