If you have been following @edendefleur on Instagram, then you already know from the numerous posts that my love and I traveled to Vietnam earlier this month. We went for 10 days and made a few stops through Vietnam including Ho Chi Minh,  Hanoi and of course the truly inspiring, hauntingly beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hạ Long Bay.

Hạ Long Bay is definitely a place you should add to your travel bucket list. There is a certain magic in its beautiful waters and 1600+ islands. Yes, it is a very touristy thing to do  but the beauty of the bay is exactly what attracts millions of tourists every year. For this one night, two day voyage - we decided to go with La Fairy Sails - A stylish junk boat with beautiful wooden cabins and friendly crew. The weather in February is on the cooler side of about 18°C - 22°C as it is Winter in Vietnam but I found that it was still perfect weather to go hiking and kayaking.

DAY 1
We were picked up in the morning from our stay in Hanoi for a 4 hour drive down to Hạ Long Bay with a 30 minute break in between. Arriving at the Tuan Chau International Harbour we checked-in to embark on La Fairy Sails and enjoyed a welcome drink and met our tour guide Tony who introduced himself and briefed us all of our itinerary. Around 1pm, a lovely lunch was served while we cruised through the bay. We arrived at Mê Cung Cave where we went through the beautiful cave then a short hike up to the top to enjoy the beautiful scenery and we also visited a pearl farm after. Around 5pm we returned to La Fairy Sails to relax and enjoy the beautiful sunset and at 7pm we had a lovely dinner on top deck under the stars. There was also a traditional music performance and amazing fruit/vegetable carvings. We slept so well on the cruise, it was so quiet and peaceful compared to the usual hustle and bustle in the city.

DAY 2
"It is the most surreal feeling when you wake up and look out the window - the light reflects off the water into your eyes and you slowly look up at the the beautiful lush limestone island in front of you and realise where you are - THAT is one of the most incredible moments I've ever experienced."

After our 7am breakfast, we hiked up Ti Top Island for another panoramic view of the bay then back down for a dip on the beach. After, we stopped by a floating pontoon and went kayaking through the bay which was beautiful. While cruising back to the harbour, we enjoyed our last buffet lunch with a cooking demonstration and took our last scenic photos. It was such a bittersweet moment as the trip ended and before we knew it, we were heading back to Hanoi.

GENERAL TIPS
What to bring - Bring a jacket if you're traveling around November to April as it is Winter/Spring there. Essentials - Hat, swimwear, sunglasses, a pair of sandals and sport shoes (We hiked up the island in sandals so only if you need them), two outfits and sleepwear. Beauty - sun cream, insect repellent and lip balm. A camera is also essential to capture the beautiful scenic moments.

love,

e

Lovers.. I am totally freaking out.

In approximately 36 hours, I will be in Bali with the awesome Transit Clothing team plus three other amazing Perth influencers and bloggers: Kim, Emily, Monique and the lovely Photographer Chelsea (Click on their names to check them out). I am so, so excited! (Still pinching myself to see if I'm dreaming or not). We will be shooting their SS17 range, wearing amazing brands like Asha, The Fifth Label, One Teaspoon, Vans, Converse, Le Specs and many more.

Admittedly, as much as I'd like to believe I am.. I'm not exactly the most organised packer. At first it's a complete mess then once I start ticking everything off my checklist, I play a game of real life 'Tetris', fitting it all in perfectly into my suitcase (You may or may not see the reality of it on Instastories before we jet off). We will be staying for four nights and plan to visit quite a few great spots so definitely give us a follow on Instagram and make sure to follow us on Insta-stories for live updates.

One Teaspoon Denim Shorts
Vans Old Skool Sneakers
Converse All Star Ox 75
Asha Steph Ruffle Top (As seen here)

love,

e

Western Australia

Although Summer is officially over, I wanted to share snippets of our little Summer getaway last month to celebrate Wilson's birthday. We decided to road trip down to Margaret River and explore new terrains as well as visit some of our favourite spots. We stayed two nights at Darby Park Serviced Apartments which was amazing- a clean studio with a bath tub, comfy bed, TV, a swimming pool, complimentary wi-fi and a balcony with forest views-what more could I ask for?

Day 1
We spent most of the day driving down towards Margaret River with a few stops in mind. Our first stop was Canal Rocks which I visited last year- a beautiful geological feature in Yallingup that I know I'll never get tired of visiting. We then drove to Lamont's on Smith's Beach for a delicious Pumpkin and Feta Panini for lunch then stopped over Injidup Beach for a quick dip in its beautiful clear waters. We checked into our apartment around 5pm, went to buy some groceries then drove down to Surfer's Point to catch the sunset which, was absolutely stunning.

Day 2: Wilson's Birthday.
For breakfast, we had smashed avocado and breakfast wrap from Sidekick Cafe- my favourite cafe in Margaret River since discovering them last year. We went home to relax for a few hours then drove out to Vasse Felix for a celebratory Birthday lunch. Everything was so perfect- the service was excellent, the food and wine was delicious and the weather was great. Our next adventure was at Hamelin Bay which, has become well known for their friendly stingrays which you can touch and interact with. The were so cute but super scary at the same time.. definitely an experience I will never forget. We then drove down to the bottom tip of W.A. to see the Leeuwin Lighthouse then headed home afterwards as the sun was setting.

Day 3
I've heard of the famous Margaret River Bakery for while now but I never had a chance to try them unttil this trip- they are definitely worth a visit! After breakfast, we stopped by Lake Cave for a quick tour which, was extraordinarily beautiful, we re-visited my absolute favourite winery- Aravina Estate with the spectacular blooms of hydrangeas then explored the beautiful Wyadup Natural Spa before heading home.

Margaret River is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places to visit and I'm so glad it's here in Western Australia, only a five hour road trip away from home.

love,
e

 New York City

With respect to the most cliché quote in the world "I left my heart in New York City", I seriously cannot agree with it more now that I've been there. Gosh, where do I even start? It has already been about two months since we left America and every day since I've been lusting to go back. We only stayed in New York for four nights, arriving at night as our flight was seriously delayed and flying out in the morning which meant we only had three full days to pack in as much sightseeing and adventures as we could. Staying at Pod 39 was so convenient as it was close to walk everywhere, they have a rooftop bar with beautiful views, clean but very small room which was fine for us, plus when we first arrived, we had dinner at their restaurant Salvation Tacos which was perfect.

Day 1

Wide awake and extremely excited, we set out to find breakfast and pick up our "Two Day New York Pass" which allows you to visit as many tourist attractions (including bus and ferry tours) as you can with quick entry. First we headed up the Empire State Building which felt so surreal, then we visited the beautiful New York Public Library and Grand Central Terminal. Passing through Times Square, we stopped by City Kitchen- a very stylish multicultural food court where I got a cinnamon 'Dough' doughnut and Wilson got ramen from 'Kuro Obi'. Just before sunset, we hopped onto an "Uptown Bus Tour" heading around Central Park. The tour guide discussed the history and architecture of the areas which was all very interesting- we tipped the guide before we got off 5th avenue after Central Park and visited the original Tiffany and Co store just before they closed for the night then wandered to Momofuku for their deliciously famous Cereal Milk Soft Serve. After a huge slice of pizza for dinner we walked home, ready to unwind for the night and recharge for the next day.

Day 2
After a quick breakfast stop, we walked towards the pier to board a ferry tour which took us down Hudson River and around to Brooklyn. We got off and made our way up to the Brooklyn Bridge for some touristy shots then walked around to explore Dumbo. We hopped on the Brooklyn Bus Tour passing by iconic Brooklyn spots then across the Brooklyn Bridge and back into the city where we went past China Town, down Broadway then slowly made our way back up to Midtown where we stopped at the Rockefeller Center, making our way up to Top of the Rock for stunning night views of the city. After a long day of touring, we headed back home to rest.

Day 3
The last day was so bittersweet but it was definitely my favourite day. It was drizzling throughout the day so Wilson and I were arm in arm under the umbrella as we walked everywhere. It was so relaxing since we didn't have to rush off to our next destination like the past two days so we took our time at this cute french cafe called "Cafe La Cerra" with beautiful interiors. We decided that we wanted to visit two other food spots including "Chalait" and "Ippudo NY" so first we headed to West Village on a bus then walked to Ippudo after I had my 'matcha latte' fix. I would definitely recommend all three of these food spots- all serve delicious food and hot drinks. We took the underground train line back up to Columbus Circle to shop then headed home to pack as we flew out to Las Vegas the next morning.

Tips:

• Don't forget to tip.
• Coffee is terrible in America because we drink our coffee differently in Australia. Just tell the barista how you like your coffee made.
• I found that food also wasn't the best, too salty/sweet and lots of fried food. NYC though had the best food we had throughout the trip. 
• Shake Shack fries are amazing. (Australian call chips- hot chips/crisps, If you say 'chips' in America they assume it's tortilla chips so hot chips there are called fries.)
• UBER if you need to get to places that are too far to walk.
• Plan your day with the places you want to visit and group them together by closeness. 

I seriously can't wait to go back! There are still so many places to tick off my travel list there so, I will definitely be back. Next travel posts will include Margaret River as we recently went for Wilson's birthday as well as my continued USA posts: Las Vegas, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Hope you loved this post as much as I loved writing it up. ♡

love,

e

#travelwitheden