Sydney Siege….WHY?

Today is Monday 15th December 2014. It should just be a normal Monday where we all suffer the typical "mondayitis". However, this Monday of 2014, just 10 days away from Christmas, Sydney is faced with a siege. As Sydney-siders went about their day and made their way to work, me included, at 9.45am we were faced with the news that a gun man had taken staff and customer's hostage in the city's Lindt Cafe in Martin Place.

What has happened? Why is this happening in my city? 

I'm not someone who watches the news a lot, but today, I've been glued to the television and any updated reports via the internet to understand and see what is happening. My office was in semi-lock down and we were advised to stay in doors; work at this stage pretty much was non-existent as everyone was concerned with the event going on. 

My thoughts and my heart goes out to the hostages, I don't think I can even imagine what is going through their minds or even how they are feeling. I pray that you all get out of there safely and very soon.

As I am faced with today's news I am reminded that life is precious. It's too precious to be stressing about the minor things such as shopping for Christmas presents. It's 10 days away from Christmas, we should be thinking about what is important. I know for me, it's about spending time with my family and friends and being grateful for what I have. 

We still need to continue living life and we shouldn't given into fear. No-one knows what will happen, when or how but you have to keep living and stopping every so often to remember what is important. Remember to enjoy life and spend quality time with those who are important to you; work isn't everything in life.

Stay safe and strong Sydney. 

Jo xo

Grateful

What a week it has been and it's only Wednesday hump day! Today the nation (and the world) said their farewells, goodbyes and celebrated the life of a young cricket star, Phillip Hughes, who left way too young and too soon. I'm not a cricket fanatic but a life lost is still a life lost and I've come to notice that it's harder for people to accept when the life is young and strong. He truly died doing what he loved, playing cricket.

His story and the events have been all over the media and countless tributes are seen on my Facebook and Instagram. One special mention goes out to a beautiful friend of mine who personally knew Phillip Hughes and my heart goes out to her at this time and today. In the last two years she has lost two ex-loves to the other side and to see her (through Facebook) go through it again, is heartbreaking; however, her strength and positiveness is admirable.  

This week is my first week back to work from my break in Fiji and well it's clear that even a week or so away, nothing really changes (work wise). However, it was great to have some time away from the hectic routine to recharge. Although, there has been many changes at work and I feel that more changes are to come. As much as change is positive, change can be hard to accept straight away especially when there isn't clarity for the future (at this stage).

Today, more change occurred, which is what we have been experiencing since we had a new CEO start. Change is a given when a new leader is appointed and personally I believed we needed change or at least a shake up to the business. However, I must admit, today's change hit home to me a little more; today we were advised that another senior leader has decided to pursue their career direction outside of our company and a particular department of our company is downsizing, which means a few people will no longer have jobs.

Christmas is just around the corner and with these recent events, it has got me thinking about "being grateful". I understand that changes have to happen in a business and I understand that restructures occur but what I don't and I don't think I'll ever really understand is that you're dealing with people's livelihood and their future. What hits home for me with people loosing their jobs is that Christmas is only three weeks away, some have moved their lives (and family) to Sydney, some are the main breadwinners for their family and some will find it difficult to find work around this time of the year. 

These recent events have reminded me of how grateful I am. I'm alive to see another day and I have a job to go to tomorrow and a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in tonight. Every morning I walk to work and I walk pass many homeless people, and as we get closer to Christmas, I think about how lucky I am and what more I can do to help others.

As many people are frantically shopping for Christmas presents and awaiting the launch of new stores to open, I request that you take a moment out of your lives to just be grateful for what you already have in your life and give a moment to those that don't.

Jo xo

My Fiji Break

Oh, it is so good to be back home and sleeping in my own bed. Don't get me wrong, I loved my little break in Fiji but home is where my heart is and as much as I love to travel and see the world, every time I go away, I am reminded of how much I love Sydney.

My last post about Fiji, "Bula from Fiji", I wrote about my first three days there, so click on the link and have a read, if you haven't already. In that same post I mentioned that we had booked a day trip to a private island, Schooner Island to be exact, through Rosie Holiday with a company called Whale's Tale Cruise. It was a full day trip where a bus came and picked us up at 9am sharp (no Bula time) from our resort and drove us to Port Denarau where the sail boat awaited us.

Looking up at the ship

Initially we were advised that the day trip could take a maximum of 60 people (way too many in my mind), but as luck would have it, we had about 25 people, including two kids, on this day trip. It made for a good number of people and everyone on board were really lovely and friendly with most of us getting along by the end of the day and having a good laugh and a dance on the sail boat.

The great thing about booking our day trip with Whale's Tale Cruise is that they are the only boat going to Schooner Island and the staff on the boat provide personal service for each customer throughout the whole day. We aboard the sail boat to a lovely continental champagne breakfast as the staff prepared the boat to head off. It takes approximately an hour and a half to get to Schooner Island so we enjoyed our breakfast and champagne, the company of the other people on the boat and the scenery of clear blue ocean waters and the surrounding Fijian islands. 

We arrived at Schooner Island with options to chill out on the island or take part in some activities. I chose the guided snorkel; we head out into the water with our guide, Antone, who takes us through some amazing parts where the corals are glistening, the fish are aplenty and very colourful (yes, we found nemo!) and there are many things to see and touch such as star fish and sea cucumbers. Antone, had some bread with him (that he kept in a bag) and put some in my hand and the next thing I knew, I had all these amazing fish eating out of my hand and swimming around me……it was awesome!  

We had a nice BBQ lunch on the island all together and had the option of spending the rest of the afternoon chilling on the island, more snorkelling or hand line fishing. I ended going back out snorkelling to another section and another crew member had joined us; with a long metal rod! During the whole time I thought that he was in search for a particular fish for their dinner, but to my surprise when I got back to land, he was in search of an octopus! Yes, an octopus! I'm glad they told me when we reached land as I believe I would have freaked and swam in the opposite direction faster than Ian Thorpe!

Schooner Island from the sail boat

On Schooner Island

Washed up coral

The time in Fiji was spent relaxing, recharging, swimming in the pool, little tanning, taking part in the trivia and bingo (I won a game!) and reading. I managed to get through two books and by the last day there, I had no book to read. Lucky for my iPad and the internet, I spent my day surfing the internet working out my next holiday destination and when in the year is the perfect time to go. Oh, I love to travel and it's been a while so back on the travel wagon to explore places I haven't been, seen or experienced. So exciting!

One of the books I read….totally recommend reading it.

My overall summary of Fiji….. It's a great place to go visit for a short break, 5 days or so and that's it; especially if you're just there with a friend as there isn't much to do in Fiji. Getting to Fiji is relatively cheap but once you're there it can get expensive with food and day trips. Suggest to eat at Port Denauar as there are more variety and the cost is so much cheaper. However, I would say that Fiji is a perfect place for families to go to as they really do cater for kids and there is so much to do with kids during the day.

It was a perfect little trip to recharge, relax and refocus what I want to do next year with regards to travel. It was amazing to get away from the hectic life of everyday work and to not think about the reality and just enjoy the slower pace of life where time and day doesn't matter. 

Sunsets here are amazing!

Thank you Fiji! 

Jo xo

PS - Yes, as mentioned in my previous post "Bula from Fiji", China's President, Xi Jinping, was staying at our resort. It was hectic, there were scanner machines, lots of local and Chinese security, local police and his entire entourage including his cook and butler!

Bye.....

Today I say bye.... It's not the most easiest thing to say or physically do, especially when you don't want to say it. Some will say maybe it's easier to say "see you later" and that is what I had hope to say but today I don't, today I say bye. 

Seven years ago I was given a second chance at life. I'm not sure why and how I  "cheated" death, but I did and I'm here writing this post. Oh, I just realisd what I  wrote; I'm not writing a goodbye note on my life. Don't worry about that, I love my life and want to continue living it to the fullest. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there is a reason for me being here and able to live a fun life; I'm not sure why but I'm here. One thing I have to accept is that when something isn't working out or going to plan in your life then it's probably best to let it go; say bye.  

Saying bye is one of the most difficult things to say and accept and I've been processing this for the last four days now. I tell myself that I'm strong and that I can do it but I have to admit, it is one of the most difficult thing for me to do. It makes me sick thinking about it. 

How do you handle saying bye? How do you accept something you don't really want to accept? How do you process the change that is happening and is also yet to occur? How do you accept that the fight and hope is over? 

So many questions and so many emotions; so many so that I know these may go unanswered. How do you handle this? 

So, I tell myself once again, you're strong, you've fought hard and you've carried hope but you need to continue living your life. Who knows what the future will hold and what will happen next. All you can do is to focus on the present moment and flow with life. 

Today I say bye ..... 

Jo x