This mandala was created using a stencil with green and yellow paint and dotting tools to complete it.
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Mandala
Still Flying Solo – Memories to be Treasured
Since I took a break from writing for talkingthailand, I haven’t been sitting idly staring out of the window in my free time. I’ve been busy with other projects and one of those was a second book in my Flying Solo series. It didn’t start out as a series, but I wrote Still Flying Solo and I’m currently working on Only Flying Solo. Who knows if there will be more – how much flying solo can I do? My mind is full of ideas bouncing around at all times!
still Flying Solo. memories to be treasured
I sometimes wonder how I have come to be living in my hometown again after spending so many years living in Thailand. I sometimes think I was living my best life, especially when I returned to Thailand in 2014 and made Bangkok my home.
But, we make choices in life and my choice was to return to the UK. Everything happens for a reason, right? And my reason was I wanted to be closer to family and friends because living halfway across the world from those you love means I missed out on so many things.
My life in Bangkok was great and I never thought I would see the day that I started to think of leaving, but a conversation with my best friend, Chris, was what set the ball rolling for my move. If we had never started talking about it, both of us wonder whether it would have actually happened – me moving back home and him moving to Rotterdam. Who knows, but we must accept the choices we’ve made.
I’ve been home since 2019 and I feel settled. I have a job I love, I get to see my family and friends as often as I like, but I often think about Bangkok and all the special times I had there.
My new book is a compilation of memories and stories of the wonderful years I spent in the city I called home for 4 years.
Flying Solo. A Woman on the Wings of Life is available to buy on Amazon and Amazon Kindle.
I hope that you enjoy my memories!
Gill x
Tales of 2023
It’s been 2 years since I wrote about my Tales of 2022 and one of the last thing I posted on here before I took a break, so in the spirt of picking up where I left things, here’s my Tales of 2023!
January
I took a trip to London with my mum and sister to see Cirque Du Soleil’s Kurios at the Royal Albert Hall which, as a venue, is simply stunning. The show was thrilling with crazy acrobatics and contortionists, great costumes and fabulous music. I could have sat and watched it all over again.
February
Celebrating Valentine’s Day with some gorgeous flowers. I love the different variety and colours – I often buy myself a bunch so I can enjoy them. When I walk passed and smell their fragrance it makes me smile.
March
In March, the snow came. Never underestimate the British weather! It always gets colder before it gets warmer.
April
I took the Eurostar to Rotterdam to spend a few days with my best friend, Chris, to celebrate my birthday. We always have so much fun together, but I had to get this money shot (if only) of the signs at the train station!
May
I’m always on the look out for flowers to photograph, but this was an added bonus because I spotted a bee as well and I managed to capture it without it flying off!
June
I finished this colourful painting by numbers of a Spanish Dancer. I can’t get enough of doing these kind of paintings. For me, I find it very relaxing and it’s a great way to take care of mental wellbeing.
July
A trip to Nottingham to meet up with a couple of friends who I used to teach with in Bangkok. We found a fantastic Thai street-food restaurant called Zaap. The food is delicious and it brought back some good memories. We loved it so much, we have since gone there again.
August
I tried open water swimming for the second time in the lake at Castle Ashby. The water temperature was 19 degrees which sounds warm, but it isn’t. The cold water took my breath away and once my body had calmed down, I managed to swim round twice. It is such a great feeling and really blows the cobwebs away!
September
My friend and I had a day out at Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings – a fabulous outdoor space with beautiful buildings, re-enactments, and a cute coffee shop. If you like history and architecture and learning about the past, it’s worth a visit. We had a great time exploring the grounds.
October
I love spending Saturday afternoon’s crafting with my friend – we do it a lot. In October, we carved pumpkins for Halloween.
November
When the Christmas lights go up in our town centre, it looks almost magical (almost!) They make Northampton look pretty!
December
All suited and booted for Christmas Day with my family. If Northampton looks magical with its Christmas lights (see November), the day spent with my nearest and dearest is even more magical.
I can’t believe this was 3 years ago. A lot has happened since then, but more on that later.
Peace and Love, Gill
New Zealand Painting on Canvas
This is a painting I did from a photograph when I was travelling around New Zealand. A bit messy, but I like the colours and the impression of the lake and hills.
My art is available on different products, check out my shop on Redbubble:
By The Seaside
Autumn in Northampton
My photography project – Autumn in Northampton – is available as posters, prints, canvas or cards. Enjoy the beauty of this time of year every day!
Head over to my shop to get more details:
And Just Like That!
Having just arrived in New Zealand after spending 7 months in Thailand, I hated it! It was cold, I knew no one and I just couldn’t muster even the smallest smile! I remember feeling a little lost and lonely.
I booked onto the Magic Bus, a tour company that transports you wherever you want to go. I chose to travel around the whole of the north and south islands. It was the best thing I could have done, I made friends quickly, had a lot of fun, and had some fantastic experiences!
It was only about 6.00am when we left Auckland. The bus driver made a pit-stop, so we could take a photograph to mark the start of our adventures! It was cold and misty, but the views of the city and the low-lying clouds on the far side were fabulous!
And just like that, I was happy and excited once more!
Images of Australia
Today, I’d like to share my ‘Images of Australia’ from morrisophotography!
Images of Australia
February 4, 2024
I love Australia and these images bring a smile to my face as I fondly remember my trips to visit my family in Queensland and South Australia, exploring Noosa National Park alone, and visiting Lake Hart as part of a 6-day tour. Fabulous Memories!
Art Exhibition in Bangkok
When I lived in Bangkok, one of my favourites things to do was to visit an art exhibition or two.
This photo was from an exhibition called “Illusion of the Human Body”. Large painted canvases showing parts of the body stitched together. It was meant to represent how people turn to plastic surgery to achieve beauty when there is natural beauty in everyone.
I love art and whether I understand the subject or not, I appreciate the artist’s talent and creativeness.
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall
The Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall is a striking example of European design located in Dusit Park in Bangkok. It was commissioned by King Rama V in 1906 and built by royal architects Mario Tamagno and Annibale Rigotti in the Neo-Classical style.
This dome of the roof is typical of European structures at the time. Even the beautiful white marble was imported from Carrara in Italy.
Exert taken from my book – On the Trail of Bangkok’s European Heritage.
For more photographs of this beautiful building: