Float off into the Clouds of Rotorua

Having left the deluge at the fabulous Hobbiton, we began to make our way towards Taupo in the unrelenting rain. Somehow we managed to take a wrong turn and ended up driving through Rotorua. Although we had made an unplanned detour we decided to make the most of it and take a break from the rainy drive to explore. Rotorua is a thrilling town with a beautiful lake and an abundance of adrenaline shooting activities to partake in. As we were driving through the town, gondolas transporting people off into the sky caught our eye and it was officially time to pull over.

Skyline is a company with a complex stretching up the side of Mount Ngongotaha. Ride a gondola to the top of the mountain and take your pick from a wide aray of heart pounding activities. Fly off the side of the mountain in the sky swing, rocket down the luge on a go kart, rent a mountain bike, or go zip-lining. If you would rather do something a little more low key, you can enjoy the view with a meal in the fabulous restaurant or venture along one of the many walking trails.

Seeing as it was still raining (though much more gently than it had been) and the gondola ride up was so incredibly pleasant & relaxing, we opted for the less exhilarating route. After getting a hot drink from the restaurant we went to enjoy some of the walking trails while enjoying the panoramic views of Rotorua. We enjoyed watching some crazy kids shooting down the luge getting soaked by the rain and contemplated going on the zip-line before deciding it was time to go.

Rotorua is a town we wished we had more time to enjoy, and will definitely  be dedicating some time to on our next New Zealand adventure. Bungee jumping, skydiving, zorbing, white water rafting, zip-lining, the opportunities are endless!

Back amongst the cows driving away from Rotorua

Of Course once Rotorua is firmly in our rear-view, the rain stops and the clouds begin to part.

Heating Things Up with Fusography

"Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous, for they wake to make their dreams a reality. "

I am a dreamer, I suppose that is why I am so enamored with travelling. Even waiting in the airport excites me, building my anticipation for the destination, allowing me to dream of what awaits me. It has long been my dream to own my own business and do something I truly love and I am excited to announce that I am finally making that dream into a reality!

As you probably all well know by now, I have many passions. Travelling and photography top the bill, but writing and creating fall just below them.

"There has to be a way," I thought to myself, "to use these passions in a way that I can support myself and continue to share them with the world."

One day, while photographing the stained glass windows in Chichester Cathedral, I came to the conclusion that there had to be a way for me to put my photographs onto glass to sell for people to enjoy at home. Once this little bee had landed in my bonnet it was only a matter of time until I stumbled upon Sassy Glass Studio. Lisa Gifford Mueller, fused glass genius and owner of Sassy Glass Studio, offers classes to teach curious minds like mine how to create their own fused glass masterpieces from her studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. Not just a brilliant fused glass artist, Lisa is a professional fusographer, meaning she is successfully fusing images onto glass in a manner that is built to last. It was official I was going to have to find away to travel to Knoxville and take this class!


Lisa has a fun bubbly personality, that displays her kind heart right out on her sleeves and I knew when I met her that not only was I going to learn a lot but I was going to enjoy every second learning with this lovely lady.

Fusing glass on its own is a complex process. You can't just use any old glass, you have to use one type of specific glass for your creation to fuse together properly. The first real challenge is cutting the glass, scoring it with confidence before snapping it in two parts. Once you have cut the pieces you want, you then get to begin layering the glass until you have it set up in the way you want it to fuse together. This is the fun part, where you get to be creative and make your vision come to life before your eyes.






















I designed two coasters & one large sushi plate purely using glass and the rest of my pieces I dedicated to mastering fusography. Having placed my fused glass pieces atop kiln paper in the kiln along with the glass we had cut for the fusography, we shut the kiln and phase one began: fusing the glass together.

The next day I arrived with the building anticipation of opening the cooled kiln to see how everything had fused together. It is fascinating to see how the glass works together to form one solid piece, morphing into a beautiful creation. Two coasters complete, and one plate ready to slump, it was time clean them and begin prepping the fusography pieces.

Fused platter placed on the mold in the kiln ready to slump.

 I had ordered some fusography decals from InPlainSight Art and was excited to pull them out and begin the process of adhering them to the coasters we had prepared. The decals are printed on a peach colored paper that disappears during the firing process leaving only your image left behind fused to the glass. Having cut out my pieces, I placed them on their respective coaster and waited for the water heating in the skillet to reach 170°.

Once the water had reached the perfect temperature, it was time to begin preparing the decals to adhere to the coasters. Once you have immersed your decal in water it does not take long before you need to remove it, so I found myself keeping my chopsticks close to the decal, so I wouldn't have to waste time chasing it around the skillet, and hence potentially ruin the decal. 

Once the decal begins to separate from the backing, it is time to carefully slip it off the paper and onto the glass in one cohesive movement, minimizing the risk of bubbles forming between the decal and the glass. Once the decal is positioned, you simply use a plastic card to press firmly on the decal to remove any bubbles and ensure that it has fully adhered to the glass. 

The more I did, the better I became, and after preparing several pieces, I found my rhythm and was able to prep the pieces without too much difficulty. 

Having prepped all of my pieces successfully, it was finally time to take them all to the kiln where we would begin the custom firing schedule for successful fusography. 

Once again returning to a cooling kiln with bated breath, it was with nervous anticipation that we opened the kiln to find the finished pieces of glass art. Funky peach paper melted away, the coasters were left smiling up at me with my very own images forever fused to them in all their glory. I had such a fabulous time in Knoxville, learning all of the ins and outs of fused glass and it is something that I hope will continue to bring me joy for the unforeseeable future. 

With no doubt left in my mind, this is what I want to do in correspondence with my blog, what I want to create to share with all of you. So stand by! Inspiration From Abroad will soon be opening for business, selling handcrafted home goods & gifts featuring custom crafts & fused glass designed using inspiration from around the globe!

Let's Get Packing... A Guide to Travelling with Only Carry On Luggage

 I have recently been getting lots of requests for a video blog, so I have decided to give in and what better topic to present in a video than a guide to packing only carry on luggage! Before my last month long trip to New Zealand and Japan I made this video and have decided to share it with you today!

My goal is to help you keep calm and carry on! The video will teach you how to pack for one month in two climates without checking a bag. By travelling light you not only save time but you avoid the risk of waiting in the line at lost luggage.

Most major airlines allow you to travel with:

One Piece of Carry On Luggage (Suitcase)
Mine is usually the backpack (shown top right) or a small rolling bag (on left)

One Personal Item (Backpack or Handbag)
Mine is always my DSLR camera handbag (shown top left) as it holds my camera equipment and my laptop. (shown right)

I hope you enjoy this video, complete with tips & tricks to decide what to bring & how to pack it!

If the video does not appear above click here!

Oh So Hoppy!

Travelling around the world, I often find that one of the best ways to get in touch with the local culture is by experiencing the local brew. Hence while travelling through New Zealand I made a point to try the best local pint on offer each night. I had fun sampling the Kiwi specialties, but I quickly found myself becoming particularly partial to a beer called Radler from the Monteith's Brewing Co. The Radler bier is light on the hops with a zip of lemony flavor and is so refreshing it could melt all your stress away. In fact, I enjoyed the beer so much that when I wasn't consuming my non-alcoholic Kiwi drink of choice, L&P, I would find myself ordering a Radler. Due to our new found infatuation with this tasty concoction of hops & grain we decided to dedicate a stop in Greymouth to visit the Monteith's Brewing Co.

The Monteith's brewery is a gorgeous little bar/restaurant & brewery in a tiny seaside town. If you are lucky enough to attend one of the four tours a day, you can journey behind the scenes in stylish wellies to learn how beer is created in Monteith's Country.

Boasting a fantastic menu and tasty beer it is not just an educational stop for beer enthusiasts but a gastro-indulgence as well. Enticing tapas fill the menu along with their complimentary brew making it easy to order either the right food to go with your beer or the right beer to go with your food.

Unfortunately for us, we arrived as one tour had finished and several hours before the next was scheduled to start so we ordered our sampler rack and sat down to set our taste buds off on a bubbly adventure. Each wall has its own beer theme to educate or inspire guests as they consume whatever tasty indulgence they have chosen so although we had missed the tour we were not deprived of our hops & grain education. Our beer tasting came complete with a detailed explanation of the secrets behind the flavors of the six signature beers and the walls provided fascinating information about the history of the brewery.

By the time we had finished enjoying the delicious beer and mouthwatering munchies we were bubbling with joy and ready to spend the rest of the day on the beach. The Monteith's brewery was a definite highlight for both of us on our New Zealand trip and I would heartily recommend it to anyone making their way around New Zealand!

In Memory of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17

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Our world is a place of beauty and wonder. Strip away the politics and deep-seated beliefs and you are left with love. Unfortunately, the love we show to those we hold near and dear to our hearts does not always extend to our fellow humans. The ground offensive has begun in Gaza and the tension with Russia & Ukraine is ever growing. It is sad to say that with these conflicts comes death and the world has suffered yet another tremendous loss.

Yesterday, July 17th 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot out of the air by a Buk missile while flying over Ukraine, leaving 298 people dead. The civilians on this flight, irrelevant to the conflict raging 30,000 feet below them, lost their lives suddenly, in an horrific way, for no reason at all. Mothers & fathers, sons & daughters, students, holiday makers, humanitarians, and activists. These people were each special in their own way and had more to offer the world. (Here is an article from the BBC about some of the victims.)

Over 100 of the victims on the flight were travelling to the Global AIDS Conference in Australia. Many of them had dedicated their professional lives to AIDS research in the hopes of making a difference in the global fight against AIDS. (Article from the Australian about the AIDS activists lost to flight MH17.) Therefore, in honor of these humanitarian heroes, I am asking those of you who can to make a donation to the Foundation for Aids Research to help fight the disease these people had dedicated their lives towards.

According to the Foundation for AIDS Research more than 35 million people worldwide are now living with HIV/AIDS and 3.3 million of them are younger than 15 years old. This is unacceptable and we, the citizens of mother Earth, need to help put a stop to this indiscriminate disease. By donating to the Foundation for AIDS Research you will be funding the scientific race for a cure and the ongoing battle to understand this cruel disease. Please follow this link to DONATE to the Foundation for AIDS Research in honor of the lives lost on flight MH17!

Starlight

Having found myself caught in the whirlwind that we call life, I find myself dreaming of my adventures and wishing life was always a series of giggles and grins. Yet, how can we know what it means to be happy if we never experience sadness? How can we appreciate true joy if we never experience pain?

No matter how smooth the sailing, you must always be ready for that rogue wave which is sure to come. Life throws obstacles at you to see how you will endure, how you will overcome them. Everyone faces different obstacles throughout life and those who refuse to get knocked down by them come out the other side ever stronger. 

With the last slew of waves that have been crashing my way I have been using my memories from the past and my dreams for the future to pull me through. On my trip to New Zealand I traveled new distances, reached new heights, and learnt much about myself (some of which I hadn't 't even realized until now.)

Driving 1500 miles in a hire car, hiking up mountains, trekking across glaciers, swimming in geothermal waters, and walking in the footsteps of hobbits my love for our world was reborn. As is to be expected, everything did not always go as planned. Wild weather seemed to be following us no matter where we went and we often found ourselves having arrived at our destination hidden amongst clouds of swirling rain.

I had been so excited to visit Lake Pukaki & Tekapo so I could look upon "The Lonely Mountain" from "Lake Town" however, when we arrived the mountain was hidden by a wall of clouds. Disappointed to be missing out on the Hobbit filming location's "gem" we were not going to let our spirits join the gloomy skies. So, despite little hope of the skies clearing, we decided to go for a day hike to the top of Mount John.

We wandered through the town, stopping to play in front of the lake and admire the views beyond. The infamous Church of the Good Shepherd lay just off in the distance so we made our way over to it before doubling back and beginning our hike up Mount John. The Church of Good Shepherd is a beautiful little church in the heart of one of the world's most beautiful locations. Even on a cloudy day the church was radiant and one could not help but feel a sense of tranquility around it.

We left the church smiling under spots of sunshine and made our way to the Tekapo spring where we would begin our hike up Mount John. No, the hike was not long, but with our packs it was a welcome challenge, and we grew stronger with every step. Half way up, the skies decided to cool us off and the rain washed away our sweat along with our grip on the ground. As our boots slipped in the mud we trudged the rest of the way up towards the summit of Mount John.

Tekapo is located within a National Dark Sky Reserve, and the summit of Mount John boasts a world renowned observatory and a fabulous little Astro Cafe. Reaching the end of the trail soaked and somewhat winded we enjoyed a well deserved snack while waiting for the invisible sun to set. The sky was a sheer blanket of clouds and we held on to little hope that it would clear to expose a night full of stars to us but ever the optimist we decided to wait nonetheless.

Long after the sun had set we found ourselves sitting under a pitch black sky, the occasional star making an appearance but definitely nothing to write home about. As the rumbling thunder began to roll towards us and lightening began to dance in the distance, it was time to go. We began to pack up our things and suddenly the sky above us opened to reveal the Milky Way Galaxy surrounded by an infinite number of stars. They say that every cloud has a silver lining and ours was a blanket of stars!

BEwARe

"If you go down to the woods today your sure of a big surprise. If you go down to the woods today you better go in disguise!!!"

Leaving my wild imagination on the Abrams Falls trail, I made my way out of the tranquility it so graciously provided and headed straight back to my car. Driving out of the parking lot, I had given up any expectations I'd had of seeing a bear and clung to the slight flickering of hope that remained. As I approached the main road, I noticed a massive row of cars disappearing into the distance, and a crowd of people, cameras out stretched, spanning the side of the road. Parking my car off to the side near where the two roads met, I foolishly grabbed my camera and went to join the crowd, expecting to see a family of deer. However, I was shocked when a massive black bear came into view and two little heads were visible along her side. Don't be mistaken, it has long been a dream of mine to see a bear in the wild, let alone a mother bear with her cubs but the proximity by which this crowd was observing this wild bear startled me and I quickly left the crowd to see if I could get a better view point from the safety of my vehicle. 

Sitting in my car watching a black bear gorge on berries with her two little cubs I was perplexed by who was more intellectually challenged. The people for standing within paws reach of the wild animal or the bear for not being more perturbed by the ever encroaching crowd. It was as if the people felt the overgrown vegetation the bear was foraging in somehow created a protective aura that would prohibit the mother bear from attacking them in defense of her cubs. Interestingly enough many of the onlookers were mothers and fathers with their children, who have likely referenced the popular metaphor, "you don't want to mess with mama bear's cubs" in regards to themselves with their own children. Yet somehow they still stand precariously close and snap away with their snazzy cameras. Luckily for everyone involved this mama was not in a fighting mood and left the people alone, wandering off to a more tranquil pasture on the other side of the road. 

She was so strong and majestic as she wandered off into the distance with her two little cubs close in tow. One cub solid with its footing, managing to stay at her heel and the other stumbling occasionally as it was still mastering the art of walking. I felt honored to witness such a fabulous family outing and felt refreshed as I watched these wild animals escape the paparazzi observing them. If this mother had felt threatened she could have attacked the crowd and then would likely have been put to death for reacting to this human threat in such a naturally instinctive way. However, luckily she impressed me and walked away somehow resisting her instincts. 

As the sun set in my rear-view I left the cove and made my way back to Knoxville. It had been a magical & unbelievable day that is sure to stay with my for the rest of my life. The Great Smoky Mountains and the wildlife inhabiting them truly are a natural wonder of the US and are worth experiencing by anyone even remotely interested in the outdoors. (But please, if you do go, show some respect to the bears and keep your distance.)

"At six o'clock their mommies and daddies will take them home to bed, because their tired little teddy bears..."