2014

It did take me longer than expected but here is my little review of 2014. I enjoyed going through the posts of the last year (previous years 2010, 2012 & 2013) and to realize how lucky I am for the good life I am able to live. 

January
It was a hot January and I remember going to the amazing Arcade Fire concert right after our trip back home to Germany. We also saw the Exxopolis exhibition right in front of the Opera House with some dear friends who visited us from Germany. It was also one of the first times I took out my new Leica camera to give it a try. It became a little tradition to go down to Tasmania over the long Australia Day weekend, so also last year we went, this time with a bunch of friends. I love this place so much. We didn't do really much apart from going on bush walks, have lots (and lots) of food and wine, long evening chats and play games. I could have spend weeks there and hope to be back soon. 

February
We enjoyed many ocean swims with dear friends after work and also the amazing Summer fruit and veg you get in Australia around this time. Summer is such a special time of the year and everyone wants to hold to it a bit longer when you feel it might slowly get Autumn. A few things which come to my mind - fresh mangos, open windows, sea breezes, swims (before and after work), salty skin, sandy wooden floor boards, drying beach towels, long evenings & late dinners, fish tacos, a little summer tan, the smell of all the plants which blossom in Summer, Will's birthday. I think 2014 was also the year we got the most visitors from Europe. Some more good friends visited us in February and we tried to show them the best bits in and around Sydney.
March
We still spent lots of time at the water in March. The water being warm from the hot Summer sun makes it particularly nice in Autumn to go for ocean or rock pool swims, plus it is actually still quite warm in Sydney to this time of the year. Reading the paper on a Saturday morning by the sea and listening to the waves is really something else. We started having regular lunch dates with our dear friends Mel & Polo. Such a nice way to spend time together by eating good food, having a few good laughs and resting on the couch or going for a walk afterwards. 

April
We went to Perth to visit Will's family over the Easter break which was a really nice change. Western Australia is so different compare to the East coast. The beaches are more wide & long and a lot more empty. We went for a swim every single morning. We would wake up, quickly get into our swimmers, grab a towel and off we were to the beach which is just a 5 minute ride away. Some mornings the water was so calm and beautiful, I could have looked at it for ours. The water itself was beautifully warm and clear.

Back in Sydney I enjoyed the warm Autumn temperatures and went for long walks on the weekends, sometimes alone, sometimes with company like my friend from Denmark who spent a few months in Sydney writing on a kids book and who left in April.


May
My dear sister and friend visited us in May, the weather wasn't that amazing the weekend they stayed with us but it is always wonderful to go to the sea, no matter which weather. So we went and watched some big waves and brave surfers. 
We also went for a weekend to Melbourne to meet friends and to just go to all those wonderful places they have down there. Its just such a great city, full of wonderful bars, restaurants, shops and cafes. 


June
We went to New Zealand the second time in June, this time to the North Island. We drove from Auckland down to Wellington and wanted to walk the Tongariro Crossing but unfortunately the weather was so bad that they had to cancel the tour. Nevertheless we had an amazing time this country is just so beautiful, the North is very different compare to the South island but very magical in its own way. I really would like to go back, which might not happen for a few years but its definitely something I would love to explore a bit more. Apart from the stunning nature and landscape we particularly loved Wellington, you can smell the coffee beans being roasted when you walk down certain streets, everyone is incredibly friendly, the food amazing and the city, also being close to the water is just stunning with its different neighbourhoods.

In June a few of my photos got published in the wonderful Alphabet Journal magazine (a few outtakes here).



July
Winter has been so stunningly beautiful in Sydney last year. I do love Summer but the blue sky and crisp air Winter days are also pretty special. They just invite for long walks and shadow collecting, going to lots of cafes and cooking Winter recipes, like soups or stews. 

August
We came up with the idea to start a food blog on which we share our favourite recipes, stories around the recipes & food in general. It is called 'Mostly Saturdays' and we know we have been bad in the last few months with new updates but we really like to work on it in the new year and update it very soon.

September:
We enjoyed Winter to the fullest, its blue skies and shorter days which invite for more cosy evenings at home and catch ups with friends. 
I also was in Melbourne to take some photos of Elizabeth's (Primoeza) studio for the Weekender. 


October
We went for a wonderful hike to the Royal National Park with our dear friend Mel. It is just a 1,5h drive out of the city and such a peaceful and beautiful place. It was also the month in which we slowly started realizing that we only have a few more weeks left before we had to say goodbye to our life in Sydney and our dear friends.


November
The month we moved back to Germany. The idea of moving back grew in our had since a while and got more and more real mid 2014. We had long conversations about it and finally decided to give it a try. So much effort & time went into this move. I can't tell you how exhausting it is to start your life all over again at the other end of the world. Apart from all the annoying bureaucracy stuff the most challenging part for us was to get emotionally ready for the move, to let go a bit of our roots which were so deeply grown into that place we called home for 4,5 years and to let change happen without too many comparisons & being too sad but to rather look forward to everything which is lining up. Let me tell you that it is not easy to move from Sydney Summer to Hamburg Winter. There are a lot of things we are struggling with at the moment but it is always the people around us (in Australia and Germany) who welcome us with open arms and heart and try to make this all a lot easier for us. We feel so lucky and are so thankful for that and really look forward to an exciting 2015.

In November we tried to spent as much time as possible with our dear friends, we also managed to go for a long weekend up to Byron Bay. The photos are developed and I am go through them so many times. I think I will keep them for a little bit longer but will share them soon. There just so many memories connected to those last weeks in Australia.


December
We are back in Germany. It is so great to spend time with my family and friends, to celebrate my birthday and Christmas. To just call during the day without looking up the time in Germany and to just be closer. There is still a lot to get used to but we are excited for everything ahead. 




I wish you a wonderful 2015. May it be filled with wonderful moments, health and love. 

Thank you for coming by this space, leaving a comment to say hi or letting me know what you think about my photos. I really appreciate it.

I felt really happy that some of my photos got printed in some wonderful publications such as the Weekender, The Plant and the Alphabet Journal in 2014. 

To a great & exciting 2015

Take care,
Maria