A most excellent #10, Keeley! And, yes, the Mines of Moira, indeed. If I could, I’d share the photographic proof. But, alas, no pics in chat messages, I believe.
It was beautiful for sure, but TBH, I was there with my Puerto Rican boyfriend from NY who took me to his homeland and then (no joke) broke up with me in the middle of the trip and then basically forced me to stay for the rest of the trip. So I was in somewhat of a traumatic fugue state and probably didn’t appreciate what I was seeing as much as I might have had 🤷🏼♀️
Aww, thanks for the support. It was so long ago that it feels like a different life. But also? I would never have seen the bioluminescence so I can’t be that cosmically upset 🫠
Also I did do the Sistine chapel when pregnant with my first baby, cos you know why not baby moon in Rome and walk everrrrywhere (most definitely the reason he came early) anyhow it was amazing but it was so busy I could barely concentrate and they ushered you through so quickly. Would love to go when it is not busy! X
Ah yes good point...of course it would be packed. Hadn't thought of that. I haven't been overseas since I was 4 so I don't have a realistic grasp I think. BabyMoon in Rome sounds so magical. xx
I love this list - cherry blossoms, Jane Austen balls, and Bioluminescent Waves all sound AMAZING. For French, I would suggest to you to the cheapest form of immersion I know - aka, watching a show in English and then watching it again in French with dubbed French audio and no subtitles. Some streaming services even have an option that you can slow down the video... My kids and I have done this (along with school and actual immersion of living in French speaking places at times) to positive effect.
There are also great French Canadian podcasts I can recommend when you feel you're at that level...
Word to the wise though: don’t turn on French audio and French subtitles simultaneously. They’re usually done by two different companies and so they choose different words and it’s super disorienting
Oh that's an amazing idea, thank you so much Noha! Also guess what, since I posted this I've had so many ads on my phone about learning French...bit creepy?
Resonating with so many of these, but especially the nerdy ones like cosplay and the Cotswolds for that door of Durin. Also did not know that Jane Austen balls were a thing, so I absolutely need more information on this!
I would love to see the cherry blossoms and any opportunity to dress up, I’m in! I danced burlesque for five years in a performance crew, and it was a blast getting all dolled up.
Adding to your list, I would love to go someplace to properly see aurora borealis.
Oh wow that's amazing! Those costumes are absolutely gorgeous and so fun! What a great experience. And yes, absolutely would loved to see the Northern Lights. My dad actually went about 2 years ago hoping to see them and they didn't really appear in the time he was there, but I think their fleeting existence makes it even more magical when they do get to be seen.
If I could tag Sara in the comments here, I would. I will be sending this comment to her, however. Lol. She's offered me her French house whenever I should have need of it, so I'm sure I'll have to go visit at some point, although only for a short while, I couldn't leave my dogs! However, I have heard that immersion is the best way to learn a language for sure.
I have done one of these things, but the cosplay idea is super exciting! Okay I’m inspired to create my own list now. And whatever they are will become part of my new future visualisations!
Japan’s Cherry blossoms 🌸 are the most wondrous and romantic sight to behold. I mean, us Aussies have over 500 species of eucalyptus trees here Keeley...what more do you want? 😂
You had me until zero gravity -- and I may have to tag you when I post my 10 things next week (I already promised a post for this week on a subject so even if nobody but me remembers that, I want to release it first) because Jane Austen/Regency balls are a blast and I miss them.
Bioluminescent waves! ❤️ We went canoeing in the Andaman Islands and learned we were in the wrong season for bioluminescence. Is it worse to be in the right place at the wrong time? Briefly it felt so! 🙈
Yes that's the case with so many of these wonders, isn't it! Like the Northern Lights and Cherry Blossom Season - they're so fleeting and fickle! It's such an investment to gamble on isn't it.
I'm trying out Earworm for Portuguese right now and really liking it - there's background music that helps reinforce the words, and there's a lot of building-block translation, so I'm not just parroting the phrase but also understanding the components.
I love this list. Cherry blossom and bioluminescence are on mine too. Re the Sistine Chapel, my parents went in the 80s and there were signs everywhere saying no photos. My dad thought he was a rebel and took some anyway. When the film was developed, the photos were all black 👀
The Cotswolds are indeed well worth a visit. Cider With Rosie has long been a favourite book of mine and I've toyed with visiting the area (Slad, Stroud etc) on occasion but, ultimately, decided to leave it in my memory, the details attached to the time Lee wrote about, a hundred years ago. (That said, I have visited the Cotswolds a lot, just not Slad.)
As far as learning French goes, I have the perfect solution (okay, this is my solution, and not actually intentionally...). Travel half way around the world, meet a French woman in a city in Northern Thailand, go on a date, fall in love, move to Portugal, then to France, have a child in a French hospital during Covid), move to a small, Alpine village, pick up said child from the nounou (nanny) and, generally, be forced to communicate. To be fair, I sometimes see Ailsa's face when I try and speak French and she's ALREADY casting judgement, despite not being quite two years old. But this sequence of events has certainly improved my French. May be a little extreme to follow though?
Oh wow. Goosebumps. How completely gorgeous.
A most excellent #10, Keeley! And, yes, the Mines of Moira, indeed. If I could, I’d share the photographic proof. But, alas, no pics in chat messages, I believe.
Yes, that would be great if comments allowed images, totally agree. Thanks for the inspo there!
Just posted it in chat.
Yes yes yes so want to come with you to Japan for blossom seasons and I’ll totally be your side kick to a Jane Austen event - sign me up keeley x
It’s a date! 🌸💃Do you know how to dance those fancy dances by any chance? We’ll have to get lessons I think.
Can confirm not I do not but would love to learn!! Maybe we do a sess in Sydney if you can find lessons
Yes. I'll look into it. PS we should definitely do a Sydney meet up soon? x
Yes please I would LOVE that! We have flights that go direct so I can easily get there. x
Where are you? Rural nsw?
Yes, based in Armidale - feel free to email me Keeley and we can organise a catch up x
I’ve seen the bioluminescent water! Off the waters of Ponce, Puerto Rico. It’s pretty trippy. Where else can such waters be found?
Oh wow, was it beautiful? Apparently there’s a place here in Australia just a few hours from here.
It was beautiful for sure, but TBH, I was there with my Puerto Rican boyfriend from NY who took me to his homeland and then (no joke) broke up with me in the middle of the trip and then basically forced me to stay for the rest of the trip. So I was in somewhat of a traumatic fugue state and probably didn’t appreciate what I was seeing as much as I might have had 🤷🏼♀️
Well. That's messed up and he's clearly an idiot. Seriously, what a special pancake. Might be worth redoing that memory if you can? xx
Aww, thanks for the support. It was so long ago that it feels like a different life. But also? I would never have seen the bioluminescence so I can’t be that cosmically upset 🫠
SO true!! 💗
Plus what a story! My goodness.
Also I did do the Sistine chapel when pregnant with my first baby, cos you know why not baby moon in Rome and walk everrrrywhere (most definitely the reason he came early) anyhow it was amazing but it was so busy I could barely concentrate and they ushered you through so quickly. Would love to go when it is not busy! X
Ah yes good point...of course it would be packed. Hadn't thought of that. I haven't been overseas since I was 4 so I don't have a realistic grasp I think. BabyMoon in Rome sounds so magical. xx
I love this list - cherry blossoms, Jane Austen balls, and Bioluminescent Waves all sound AMAZING. For French, I would suggest to you to the cheapest form of immersion I know - aka, watching a show in English and then watching it again in French with dubbed French audio and no subtitles. Some streaming services even have an option that you can slow down the video... My kids and I have done this (along with school and actual immersion of living in French speaking places at times) to positive effect.
There are also great French Canadian podcasts I can recommend when you feel you're at that level...
https://pronetohyperbole.substack.com/
I love this idea, Noha! Especially if it means I get to watch Call My Agent again…
Hahahaaa you’re welcome!
Word to the wise though: don’t turn on French audio and French subtitles simultaneously. They’re usually done by two different companies and so they choose different words and it’s super disorienting
Oh that's an amazing idea, thank you so much Noha! Also guess what, since I posted this I've had so many ads on my phone about learning French...bit creepy?
Did it take you long to learn?
Resonating with so many of these, but especially the nerdy ones like cosplay and the Cotswolds for that door of Durin. Also did not know that Jane Austen balls were a thing, so I absolutely need more information on this!
Delighted it's not just me! And I knowww can you believe it? I'll do some more research and will report back.
I would love to see the cherry blossoms and any opportunity to dress up, I’m in! I danced burlesque for five years in a performance crew, and it was a blast getting all dolled up.
Adding to your list, I would love to go someplace to properly see aurora borealis.
Oh wow that's amazing! Those costumes are absolutely gorgeous and so fun! What a great experience. And yes, absolutely would loved to see the Northern Lights. My dad actually went about 2 years ago hoping to see them and they didn't really appear in the time he was there, but I think their fleeting existence makes it even more magical when they do get to be seen.
Bioluminescence is one of the most magical natural phenomena I have ever seen... an absolute must!
Now I want to go rummaging through all my old analogue photos to relive those moments...
As for le français,, how about you ask Sara if you can go and stay in her gorgeous french house and immerse yourself in the language for a year...?
If I could tag Sara in the comments here, I would. I will be sending this comment to her, however. Lol. She's offered me her French house whenever I should have need of it, so I'm sure I'll have to go visit at some point, although only for a short while, I couldn't leave my dogs! However, I have heard that immersion is the best way to learn a language for sure.
ps if you do find those photos please share!
With Pleasure Keeley!
I have done one of these things, but the cosplay idea is super exciting! Okay I’m inspired to create my own list now. And whatever they are will become part of my new future visualisations!
Japan’s Cherry blossoms 🌸 are the most wondrous and romantic sight to behold. I mean, us Aussies have over 500 species of eucalyptus trees here Keeley...what more do you want? 😂
Yes! Let me know when you do create your own. And I love your future visualisations, so powerful.
Ah, yes. The accuracy. I mean, I love eucalypts. But magical, romantic, fleeting wondrous blossoms are where its at.
You had me until zero gravity -- and I may have to tag you when I post my 10 things next week (I already promised a post for this week on a subject so even if nobody but me remembers that, I want to release it first) because Jane Austen/Regency balls are a blast and I miss them.
I love the idea of zero gravity, but I fear that my inner ear problem and vertigo would mean I was a particularly bad space traveller 😂
I get sea sick so I have a hunch zero gravity is not for me...
Ah yes good point. I may get zero-gravity-sick but I still want to try it lol.
Yes do let me know when you post your 10 things! So you've done the Regency balls? Omg amazing.
When Regency romance authors get together, we dance!
Amazing.
You could visit the Rafflesia flower on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. I saw one there a few months ago when my son got married there.
Oooh thank you for the suggestion!
Bioluminescent waves! ❤️ We went canoeing in the Andaman Islands and learned we were in the wrong season for bioluminescence. Is it worse to be in the right place at the wrong time? Briefly it felt so! 🙈
Yes that's the case with so many of these wonders, isn't it! Like the Northern Lights and Cherry Blossom Season - they're so fleeting and fickle! It's such an investment to gamble on isn't it.
I'm trying out Earworm for Portuguese right now and really liking it - there's background music that helps reinforce the words, and there's a lot of building-block translation, so I'm not just parroting the phrase but also understanding the components.
That sounds great because it definitely feels like just parroting with Duolingo. I'll check it out, thank you!
I love this list. Cherry blossom and bioluminescence are on mine too. Re the Sistine Chapel, my parents went in the 80s and there were signs everywhere saying no photos. My dad thought he was a rebel and took some anyway. When the film was developed, the photos were all black 👀
Oh dear. Lol. Sistine Chapel says no.
Great list!
The Cotswolds are indeed well worth a visit. Cider With Rosie has long been a favourite book of mine and I've toyed with visiting the area (Slad, Stroud etc) on occasion but, ultimately, decided to leave it in my memory, the details attached to the time Lee wrote about, a hundred years ago. (That said, I have visited the Cotswolds a lot, just not Slad.)
As far as learning French goes, I have the perfect solution (okay, this is my solution, and not actually intentionally...). Travel half way around the world, meet a French woman in a city in Northern Thailand, go on a date, fall in love, move to Portugal, then to France, have a child in a French hospital during Covid), move to a small, Alpine village, pick up said child from the nounou (nanny) and, generally, be forced to communicate. To be fair, I sometimes see Ailsa's face when I try and speak French and she's ALREADY casting judgement, despite not being quite two years old. But this sequence of events has certainly improved my French. May be a little extreme to follow though?
*Mayyyybe*. Still sounds worth it though. What an adventure.