Isn’t this a strange time we’re living in?
Just over a month ago I was preparing my newest blog post to share with you all, and then life as we knew it came to a standstill when we heard that COVID-19 started rapidly spreading across the globe.
It felt like overnight businesses were suddenly closing down, people were self-isolating, and there was a strange eeire feeling walking through the streets in town.
Over the last four weeks there has been a lot of change! Not just in my local community, but personally as well. I lost my job in the Dental Industry, started working with Phill on job sites, and then started a new job working at my local supermarket. Classes at school were cancelled (I just started a new course at TAFE) and social distancing and isolation became the new norm.
This year Phill and I were hoping to head off to New Zealand in winter for a short snowboarding trip. But with the government’s travel restrictions in place since the COVID-19 outbreak, any plans for the foreseeable future have been put on the backburner. I feel so sorry for all the professional travel bloggers out there trying to keep their careers alive at this difficult time (and for everyone else out there that is struggling right now too!) I am lucky that for now, blogging is simply a hobby for me.
Queenstown, NZ is one of my favourite places in the world!
Although things have been crazy, I still have a lot to be thankful for. Unlike others around the world, in Australia we still have the liberty to go outside to exercise, to the shops for essential supplies or to work. Some of our family living in Mallorca, Spain on the other hand are house bound with two small children in an apartment with no backyard and are doing it really tough! Kudos to them!
So with the additional restrictions being introduced meaning I can’t visit family or friends, and couldn’t even celebrate my 30th Birthday! I have what feels like all this extra time on my hands.
Anyone who knows me personally knows that I am a little addicted to travelling. But when I am home, coming in at a close second is my obsession with cakes! And I’m not talking about just eating them – although that is definitely a highlight! But I love to decorate them.
I have been a hobbiest cake decorator for a couple of years now, and am even a committee member of my local Cake Decorators Association branch.
If you want to check out more of my creations you can find my cake socials here on Facebook and Instagram.
Previous to isolation, trying out new cake recipes and flavour combinations was fun and I would often share around my baked goods with our neighbours and take leftovers into work – this meant I could get feedback and also spread out the calories!!
But now we are all stuck at home and I’m working at a supermarket instead of a Dental Surgery, where cake for morning tea isn’t such a novelty.
Middle Eastern sweets in Granada, Spain and my favourite treat of all – a Pastel de Nata in Portugal!
It’s been really hard to get motivated to write about my travels recently. Even though I still have so many amazing stories to share with you! But sometimes I just don’t feel like telling them, or don’t feel like it’s the right time to be telling them. So instead, I’ve decided to merge my love for travel and baking together for a little mini-series called The Flavour Adventure!
Phill and I tasting Cava in Barcelona, Spain
I love trying different cuisine from around the world, particularly sweets and treats. And we all know travelling isn’t just about seeing the sights right? It’s about the entire experience! Like the people we meet, music we hear, aromas we smell, and the food we taste! Now of course at the moment we can’t physically travel, but who’s to say we can’t bring a little culture to us – in the form of food!
So over the next few weeks while I am home bound more with extra time on my hands, I’m going to try out some new recipes that will take me back to some of my adventures and inspire me to plan new travels! Hopefully it might bring you some joy too – I might even share with you a story or two from my travels!
Do you have a favourite food from overseas? What exciting recipes should I try over the next few weeks? Share with me in the comments below!