Hayley Lately // August 2016

Life Lately

Last month I was in visa limbo. This month, I am living in another country. August was just a wee bit eventful. I finally received my golden ticket on the 5th August and booked my flight to Vancouver that day for the 25th of August. No time to waste, right? I finished off work that week and said my goodbyes to Melbourne and my friends. Melbourne was a good city for me and I will miss it, but I am so pumped to be BACK in Canada.

I returned to my island home on the 9th. I had a couple of relaxing weeks at home, where all I really did was binge-watch Selling Houses Australia (#obsessed) and the Olympics. Highlights included Michael Phelps killing it in the pool, our boy Kyle Chalmers getting gold and watching Brazil win the pole vault. Amazing. The “winter” weather on Magnetic Island of 25 degree days was definitely welcome too. I needed to thaw out for a little bit. I also missed this view.

After an overnight stopover in Sydney and a quick catch-up with bestie, Kate, it was time to sit in the same seat for about 15 hours, all the way to Vancouver. The past week has passed by in a blur of sleepless nights (jetlag combined with house searching stress), friend catch-ups and even a couple of shifts at my old work, Aussie Pie Guy. It is so surreal being back. I just can’t comprehend that it has been two years since I have been here, but being back with my friends it honestly feels like nothing has changed. I am unbelievably happy to be back in my second home. This city is just the best.

Also, in case you are wondering, I did find a place to live, in the same neighbourhood I previously lived in. It’s amazing just how much your life can change in a week and a month.

Blogging Lately

I spent my last week in Melbourne exploring a couple of places I hadn’t visited previously. Blog posts coming up, once I’m settled and all that. Here is what else I posted this month:

♥ My Guide to St Kilda, which is a great coastal suburb in Melbourne.

♥ A good thing about packing up my entire life (again)? I read through my old travel diaries, which inspired this post about the Canadian Rockies.

♥ Plus a post or two for Hipmunk.

Reading Lately

I finished two books in August, and I am still slowly making my way through book three in the Outlander series. I read Salem Falls, another Jodi Picoult novel. This was a good read, but it doesn’t make my Picoult Top 5. I also saw the ending coming, which never happens. Then I finished A Court of Mist and Fury. A great fantasy series, which is a bit more A than YA, if you know what I mean. The story unravelled in a way I didn’t expect and I highly recommend this series.

Around the web, check out this post from Fat Mum Slim about using Instagram Stories. So many good tips and tricks. I also really love these monthly posts of travel writing inspiration from Caroline in the City. I’m excited to do a bit more travelling in North America this year and next. Finally, Kristin at Camels & Chocolate has me figuring out how I can do a solo trip to Budapest soon.

Watching Lately

Besides my Selling Houses binge, I have also started the TV series, Devious Maids. It is a total guilty pleasure and just one of those shows you don’t have to really focus on.

September?

After insane August, September will see me settled in Vancouver. I am so ready for some local adventures, which will probably all revolve around food. I am also totally not ready for summer to be over because I need more sun this year, but I am excited about a pretty fall.

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