Day 5: New Year's Eve In Bali

The last day of 2015. Wow. Not to sound like everyone else out there, but man has time flown by this year. It feels like a couple of weeks ago I celebrated my 20th birthday (it was actually in the start of October), I've just finished the first semester of the year (actually in June) and only a month or two ago I celebrated Kieran's birthday (it's actually at the end of February).

This year left me with so many good (and bad) memories. But, being the person I am I literally just forget and push away all the negative just so I can soak up all the happiness I have had during the year.

I did feel a little sad when I sat down with Kieran and we were talking about everything that we had accomplished this year. I just didn't really feel like I had anything noteworthy or important to mention. This year was sort of just a middle year for me. I am mid way through uni, kept the same job and haven't really done anything else crazy or out there. But I did pick out that it is a good thing to keep a steady job and I did achieve my first distinction at uni and I managed to save up enough money to buy myself a car and come on a holiday to Bali. So off the top of my head those things were pretty important to me because I have been wanting to buy myself a car and travel overseas and I managed it all on my own which is something to be proud of. 

This New Year's was going to be the first one I have spent out of Australia (ever) and the first one in at least 5 or 6 years that I haven't spent at my trusty summer beach holiday (aka my real home) by the beach. It was going to be interesting. 

The day starting off with fresh fruit and some eggs on toast for break, followed by some shopping to be done at Seminyak Square accompanied by lunch. I bought a few things but overall I was pretty disappointed with the shopping there. Everything was expensive and there weren't many street markets (that is where all the good stuff is at). The shopping was definitely much better in Kuta and Legion, so I am hoping I will get the chance to go back there and buy some more because I have spent barely anything here!

After shopping out in the heat we went back to our villa and went for a swim for a little while before getting dressed and heading out to a bar with the whole crew and having a few drinks to get us going for the evening. I was definitely getting so tired by this point I really didn't know how I was going to make it through the night. 

We had dinner altogether and then starting drinking some more, ending up in the pool in the main villa because that's right, it is stinking hot in Bali! It was super chill and honestly not really what I had in mind or imagined for my New Year's, but somehow it all just seemed right and it worked. New Years in Australia was 9pm (our time) and we kind of starting celebrating it all then because everyone (myself included) still feels like that time is super later and we were all exhausted.

One thing that is absolutely insane here, are the amount of fireworks. Honestly, since the early afternoon until well through the night (technically the next morning) fireworks were constantly going off. Some were far away but you could see (and hear) them in the distance. Some were so close I could swear they were just out on the road outside the villas. There were so many loud bangs and bright lights I didn't know whether to be excited, annoyed they wouldn't stop or concerned someone may have just blown themselves up (lol). 

Eventually Kieran and I left the group and came back to our room and that was when all the deep talks about what we accomplished this year and what we loved happened. Even though we spend a lot of time together and are always out and about, I don't think we sit down and have those kind of talks that often because we are too busy with all the other stuff. It was a beautiful way to end the year, even though it wasn't what I imagined it was somehow perfect in its own way. 

We ended up falling asleep just before 11:30pm but that's okay, we knew we made the most of the day and that we needed to rest up for the adventures 2016 would shortly be bringing us. 

Peace, love and happiness to all I hope you all had a magical New Year's (if not, I hope 2016 brings you better times). I am so thankful for what (and who) I have in my life I can not wait to adventure into a new year.

Follow my adventures on Instagram and Snapchat @krristelley

Thank you for reading (again)

Kristelle xxx

New Year, Not So New Me?

It's almost two weeks into the new year and we all know what that means. For most of us our new years resolution goals have fallen off track and the promises to ourselves to become better people (spiritually, physically, emotionally) whatever the case has probably fallen off track too.

sitting around with my green tea, Kayla Itsines bikini body guides, 2015 planner and my favourite book trying to concentrate and remember
how I wanted to 'better myself' for this year

I am no exception to this. Although I mock and joke about new years resolutions (because they never stick) I found myself unconsciously making them and setting goals which just seem to have already fallen apart. Everyone knows the usual I'm going to get into shape in the new year and start hitting the gym or I'm going to start working harder and saving more money or my personal favourite I will do better in school this year. My new years resolutions/goals included the following:

1. Drink less alcohol
2. Get into better shape and lead a healthier lifestyle
3. Work harder to save more money
4. Look for a new job when uni is starting up for the year
5. Be more adventurous and try to say yes more instead of no
6. Get better grades this uni year

Well I haven't exactly fallen off track with all of them yet, but I think that's mostly because I haven't had the opportunity to mess them up yet face those hurdles yet. But I can give you detailed and specific reasons why I have already 'messed up' several of those goals. 

1. I started 2015 on a holiday. I drank every day. It is the 13th of January and I have had alcohol at least 7 of those days.
2. I want to do this so so badly. I just lack discipline. I haven't been eating well since I got back from holidays because like I spoke about here healthy foods are just so damn expensive
3. Okay I haven't exactly messed this one up, but I haven't been living up to my full potential
4. N/A
5. I'm really trying on this one too. Instead of saying no to something when I'm not bothered or too tired, I have been giving stuff a go. Would I like to go on adventures? Yes. In fact in a few weeks I will be going on one, so stay tuned!
6. N/A

Okay, so I'm not completely off to a horrible start. It is basically just #2 that is making feel like, well #2. I think it's important to remember why you set yourself these goals in the first place (that's another thing, I would prefer to call them goals not resolutions because goals are something you are aiming for and working towards, and resolution is just well, this ). Ask yourself, did I set these goals because I want to achieve them for myself? Will this make me a better person? Will I be happier if I achieve these goals? My answer to all three is definitely yes. 

Next you need to remember that you aren't the only person who ever gets distracted from a goal. You just need to get back in the right frame of mind and jump right back on the horse- so to speak anyway. Remember that these goals are something you want and give yourself time to work towards them instead of giving up right away.

I hope you found this insightful or some advice in this short piece, I know I needed to remind myself that it's okay to mess up towards my goals, as long as I get back into it. I feel one step closer by simply acknowledging "I am not doing all I could or should be towards achieving my goals for 2015".

Thanks for reading

Stelle xx

Happy New Years 2015

New YEARS!
Little bit of a backstory here, but long story short, every new years, something goes wrong for me. Whether we go back to 2013 and my car broke, 2012 where we weren't allowed alcohol, 2011 where we weren't allowed to go out... and so on. Some where little things and some ruined the night (mostly). This year I was keen to have a good night with Kieran. We planned on heading into Manly to watch the fireworks, eat ice-cream and have a few drinks before heading home, having a bonfire on the beach, drinking and seeing if we could see the Sydney fireworks from where we were.

The night went something a little more like this:
5pm- I'm tired from drinking all day
6pm- Let's get ready
7pm- Okay let's actually get ready
7:30pm- Let's walk to the bus stop now
7:55pm- Just missed the bus to Manly...
8:25pm- four busses have driven past us now, despite our signalling and them not being full
8:30pm- screw it, taxi it is
8:55pm- arrive at Manly just in time for fireworks
9:20pm- fireworks were pretty I am happy now, lets get a drink
9:30pm- No where good open
9:30pm- Everything closed
9:40pm- Found alcohol and it's way overpriced
9:45pm- Let's get a kebab
9:50pm- Let's go back home and make a fire instead now
10:10pm- Bus drives past us AGAIN
10:25pm- Bus arrives
10:40pm- Bus leaves us 15 min taxi ride from home (which would of taken about 2 hours to walk lol (too many steep hills and alcohol)
11pm- Arrive home
11pm- Don't want to go with friends
11:20pm- Kieran and I sit by the lake cuddling
12am- It's midnight (better kiss)
12am- Crazy people with fireworks on the beach near us
1:30am- Bed time after a huge D&M about life and the future

It wasn't a bad night, I couldn't think of anyone else I would love to bring in the New Years with (Kieran), it was just eventful as usual. But I tried to forget the bad and the annoying and focus on the good things, because it actually was a good night.

Jess and I before Manly

Kieran and I were pretty happy with our New Years Eve supply

ooooooh bad

let's see where the night
takes us

Happy New Year!

Only picture of the Manly Fireworks I got, but they were amazing

The one extreme downside I know a lot of people face after New Years, is the awful hangover! Luckily I hydrate well throughout the night, so I wasn't a victim of the New Years hangover this year. However I did wake up absolutely starving and was desperate for a good meal. So luckily cafes at home are open and Kieran and I treated ourselves to an amazing breakfast. Shoutout to AJ's in Narrabeen, your food is awesome. I had a bacon & egg roll with an iced mocha and Kieran had an 'AJ's break' with a flat white.

Food is life

I live in such a beautiful country

After breakfast we literally spent the entire day on the beach, either laying in the sand, swimming or floating around in the lake. It was the best way I could've asked to spend New Years Day. I am definitely excited to see what 2015 has in store for me.

Thanks for reading, I will post again tomorrow about my Summer so far and will continue this blog for my 2015 adventures. 

Stelle xx

Summer Bucket List

It's that time of the year again and I honestly couldn't be happier! Summer is by far my favourite season. When I think about it, it's actually kind of crazy to love summer so much where I live. The weather here is absolutely insane during summer. Some days it gets over 40 + degrees Celsius and other times it storms like crazy for days on end (just hopefully went through that stormy period- it stormed every single day and I went through losing power, to working in the rain all day). But I suppose that's Australia (Sydney) for ya?

I have a number of things that I would love to do/achieve this Summer that involve myself and my boyfriend. Recently when we were having a night in we sat down and thought of a bunch of crazy and fun things we would love to do together by the end of Summer and I am 150% determined that we make our way through the list. At the end of Summer I will make another post about what we actually did get through on the list!

Favourite place, hopefully get to spend some of Summer here

1. Go camping
2. Get drunk on the beach
3. Have a campfire
4. Learn to surf
5. Go paddle boarding
6. Go fishing 
7. Do the Bondi to Bronte walk
8. Get a piercing
9. Go for a bike ride
10. Have a picnic lunch
11. Go snorkelling
12. Visit the mountains in Summer
13. Get a new tattoo
14. Make a video of our Summer
15. Workout more
16. Go to an outdoor movie
17. Spend the day at a water park
18. Save up for 2015's holidays
19. Go to a music festival
20. Do something crazy (not sure what, just has to be crazy???)
21. Messy twister
22. Carve our names on a tree
23. Make a homemade slip n slide
24. Visit a waterfall and go swimming
25. Skinny dipping at night
26. Water balloon fight
27. Watch a sunrise

That's the list for now, I'm sure I will edit this post several times and add more to the list as I think of them, but that's all we have for now.

Keep reading to see my Summer adventures!
Thanks for reading x