(Some of) My favourite travel photos.

I've been fortunate enough to do some pretty amazing travelling while living in France this year. Sadly, in two weeks today, it will come to an end. I've been sifting through all of the photos I've taken this year and, in retrospect, travelled further than I could have ever imagined.

Here are some of my favourites from some of the places I visited.

Travelling books.

Have you ever come across a travelling book before?

I read my first travelling book when I was about sixteen or seventeen years old. They are books that literally float around the world. You find them in places like train stations, airports and parks, just sitting on tables or chairs, and when you open the front cover, inside is a message telling you to read the book and then let it travel some more.

How to prepare to leave home (in a foreign country).

I'm currently in the process of folding my entire life into a cardboard box. After having spent the last twelve months living in France, the time has come for me to finally return to Australia, with about double the possessions I originally came over with (I honestly do not know how that happened). At the moment I'm trying to navigate the mine field that is closing down a former life and re-opening a new one, while trying not to leave anything behind.

Honey comb stitch.

One of the most perplexing, yet simple, knitting stitches I've ever come across is the honeycomb stitch. I love it so much I recently knitted a scarf with some leftover wool using just this stitch.

Here's how it works:

One honeycomb is knitted over 8 stitches, with two extra stitches at each end. So, if you wanted to know a piece with a width of 3 honeycombs, you would need to cast on 2 + 8 + 8 + 8 + 2 = 28 stitches.

Mum's quiche.

My mum is a wonderful woman whom I love dearly, but she's not a chef. Not that the food she cooks isn't great, she just doesn't enjoy cooking. She does it because she has to, but sees it as a chore. So, when she does cook, she tries to minimise the time actually spent in the kitchen.
A few years ago, she made a tuna quiche (it's not really a quiche, but for lack of other descriptive word, we call it that). From first bite, I was in love. At home, we have it almost once every week.
When I moved to France, I was interested in expanding my culinary skills to be like the greats, and forgot all about the simple recipes. A few weeks ago, I found mums recipe stored away in my recipe book and, knowing I was heading into a few late nights at uni, baked one up to store in the fridge for re-heating. I've begun cooking it almost once a week now. I forgot how good and easy it is! And it's so easy to pop in the freezer and when I'm not getting home until late, I can just microwave a piece.

One great salad.

Everyone has that one great relative who is just the epitome of style. Mine is my Aunt. I don't know what it is, or how she does it, but she has this effortless quality that makes her stylish wardrobe and dinner parties look effortless.

I remember a time she came over for dinner and bought this super delicious Roast Pumpkin salad. I must have been young, because up until that point, my knowledge of salad consisted of lettuce, tomato, cucumber and cheese. Everything about her salad was divine; the smell, the presentation, the colours. And it looked so effortless.