Our Fairytale Chateau Wedding

 

JoJo & Cam

I met Cam in India ten years ago, on a graduate training program with the company we had both joined; he was from Sydney, and I was from London. Our holiday fling turned into something more serious, and we decided to give long distance a go. After six months apart, I moved to Sydney to be with him, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Cam proposed in a photobooth, which he had decorated with balloons, streamers and photos of us. He even remembered the red rose and a princess tiara on the seat. I just thought that it was part of my birthday celebrations, and it wasn’t until he gave me the coins to count out, that I turned back and saw the gorgeous Tiffany & Co. ring he held out to me. The camera flashed just in time to capture my utter shock!

Our engagement snaps!

I always wanted the fairytale wedding, so getting married in a castle seemed the perfect choice. We knew that our guests would be coming from all over the world, so we decided to pick a beautiful destination, where people could relax and make a real holiday of it. We asked Marry Me In France to find our perfect venue in the land of wine and cheese. The Chateau Cazenac was everything I had dreamed of, and I fell in love with it instantly. It’s nickname is the fairytale chateau – so it was obviously meant to be!

 

My dress was a Ronald Joyce design that I found whilst with my mum and sisters in the UK. I knew it was the one when I put on the veil and burst immediately into tears, then turned back to tell my mum, only to find her already crying and nodding in agreement. I wanted something with a dramatic back, and I loved the beautiful beadwork that I attached for a more glamorous look in the evening. As my Mum helped me to step into my dress, ‘Kissing You’ by Des’ree began to play, and I was completely overwhelmed with emotion.

 

I left my dress a surprise for my Dad. He waited for me at the bottom of the Chateau’s spiral staircase, and the look of absolute pride on his face is an image I will treasure forever.

 

We held the ceremony on the lawn outside, under the trees. It was touch and go as to whether we would be able to as it showered on and off all morning. But we made the call 15 minutes before show time, and the sun shone gloriously throughout.

Our wedding planner Louise (from Marry Me In France) was sensational. Every detail had been covered and executed to perfection. She was the first one on site in the morning, and one of the last standing at the end. I was so grateful because organising a destination wedding is pretty difficult, but she gave us brilliant advice, and answered my millions of questions with the patience of a saint! Everyone commented on how chilled out I was on the morning of the wedding, and it’s really because I knew everything was under control, and all I needed to do was turn up and tell my man how I felt about him.

My little sister did my hair and make-up. I’m so lucky to have such a talented hairdresser in the family, as I trust her implicitly, and knew that she would make sure that I looked perfect for my big day. We did two hair trials prior to the wedding, and I felt like a total princess when she was finished. She also did the hair for the entire bridal party, including an elaborate up-do on herself. She seriously amazes me.

 

We wrote our own vows, so there were plenty of tears during the ceremony. I almost lost it a few times. It was important for us to make promises to each other that were heartfelt, and to let our playful side shine through at the same time. Our celebrant Roland was great fun and worked with us to make sure that the ceremony was exactly as we wanted. I walked down the aisle to ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole.

 

Our friends are a huge part of our lives, and we wanted them to have a special place in our ceremony too. We had three readings: ‘A Gift From The Sea‘, ‘A Lovely Love Story‘ and my favourite passage from ‘His Dark Materials‘. We also asked our parents to be part of a French wedding tradition, holding out a white ribbon across our path, to be cut before we walked back down the aisle as man and wife. The idea is that the couple cut the ribbon and walk into their new life and show that together they can overcome any problems they may encounter in their married life.

Lou organised our flowers with a local florist. She was delighted that I wanted to go for something with a real pop of colour, rather than the more traditional pale pinks and whites. We opted for deep fuchsia and purples in peonies, roses, lisianthus and alliums, which stood out against the navy of my bridesmaids’ dresses. There were some very special people missing from our celebrations; my stepdad Colin, Cam’s stepdad John, and our grandparents. I carried them with me, attached to my bouquet, and close to my heart.

Our photographers were Mckinley-Rodgers, and they were absolutely brilliant. Pen and Cam are a super-fun couple, who made us and our guests laugh constantly on the day. They are based in Newquay, in the UK, but are soon moving back to Australia. We went to meet them for a coffee whilst on a visit home in the year before the wedding. They set us at ease immediately, and we knew that we had found life-long friends in the two of them.

Their style is very candid, and they captured the story of the day so beautifully. Even the afternoon rain showers didn’t faze them, and they managed to get one of the most impressive shots of the day inside, in an impromptu ‘Vanity Fair’ style shot of the bridal party in the Chateau kitchen.

The multi-talented pair also captured a video of our day, which makes me cry every single time I watch it. It really brings alive some of the most precious moments, in a way that stills just can’t. We absolutely love it!

We didn’t have a specific theme, but we were going for a romantic, rustic vibe. The venue was so beautiful we didn’t need to go overboard with additional decorations. We used vintage keys for our seating plan, and Luminous Event Lighting did an amazing job with candles, fairy lights and uplighting on the chateau itself. I’m a massive literary nerd, so we named the tables after books. As Cam told everyone in his speech, our own story and table name, ‘Mr and Mrs Swords‘ is a tale still in the process of being written.

 

We decided to embrace our destination and chose to have a cheese tower, rather than a wedding cake. The catering, including the tower, was prepared by Chez Amis. Everyone told me that I wouldn’t actually get to eat much at my own wedding, but the food was so delicious, so I made absolutely sure that I did.

We had a sweetheart table for the two of us, which gave us a chance to enjoy a few private moments together during dinner, as well as slipping away for some photographs when a beautiful mist rolled in over the hills, and again later, when we were blessed with a truly spectacular sunset.

 

Our first dance was to ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ by Frankie Valli. We had thankfully taken lessons with Sydney Dance World, so we felt ready to have some fun with it. I loved the dips and lifts, and the way that my dress swirled out around me as Cam spun around. All of our guests joined in with the chorus and it really set the tone for the night ahead. We danced until 3am, and couldn’t believe how quickly the night had flown by. We didn’t want it to end!

 

My favourite memories of the day were the moments that we spent laughing with each other and our loved ones. We took several moments to just stop and soak it all up, and were completely overwhelmed by the amount of joy and love in the room. All these people that we adore were under one roof, smiling and dancing and laughing, and all because of our love story. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect gift on our wedding day.

 

Ms Chinoiserie Says: Congratulations JoJo and Cam; your beautifully romantic French chateau wedding was straight out of a fairytale!

Photographer: Mckinley Rodgers / Bride’s Dress: ‘Erin’ design by Ronald Joyce. / Hair and Make-Up: Rebecca Cheri / Ceremony and Reception Venue: Chateau Cazenac / Wedding Planner: Marry Me In France / Ceremony Officiant: Celebrants In France / Catering and Cheese Tower: Chez Amis / Dance Lessons: Sydney Dance World / Cinematographer: Story Catchers Films

Originally Published on Polkadot bride.com:

http://www.polkadotbride.com/2016/11/jojo-and-cams-fairytale-chateau-wedding/

http://www.polkadotbride.com/2017/06/in-love-with-my-romantic-venue-jojo/

Letting Go of Our Preconceptions: A Lesson From Bosnia.

I’ll admit that when my husband suggested Bosnia as part of our three month honeymoon adventure, I hesitated.

My initial thoughts flew to abandoned buildings, water dripping on to rusting corrugated iron, and walls riddled with bullet holes. I googled ‘landmines in Bosnia’ and immediately wished that I hadn’t. 

I mentioned our plans to my sister, who voiced my own concerns incredulously. “Bosnia? That sounds…dangerous?” 

But I had been waiting for an adventure, and here was one just asking to be had. I was fed up of letting media images and fear dictate where I could wander. More research promised that Bosnia and Herzegovina (to give the country its full name) was full of natural beauty, a vibrant culture and low violent crime rates. I felt reassured that we were being responsible, safety-wise, and was ready to head off of the popular tourist track to see for myself.

We hopped onto our waiting coach from Dubrovnik, following the glistening ocean along a dramatic coastline. The coach was pretty empty, which felt telling to say the least. 

As we reached the outskirts of Mostar, I began to feel a little nervous. The ghosts of war hang heavier around these parts. The roadside is punctuated by individual graves and street graffiti calls on us to remember those years of chaos. 

           

The ruined buildings stand solemn, creeping with lush green plants through now empty window frames. The abundance of natural life is a stark contrast to the destruction wreaked here. ‘Danger‘ and ‘Do Not Enter‘ signs remind us that despite the rebuild efforts, the scars of the war remain visible, some 20 years later. 

Our cab driver is a jolly man, who slips interchangeably between German and English. We discover that he took his children to Germany during the war to keep them safe, but he, unlike many others, decided to return to his homeland once it had ended. Approximately half the population made an escape at that time, especially those with inter-religious/cultural marriages, who would have been forced to fight against the family of their loved ones. It suddenly feels much more real to me; no longer nameless faces on the news, but living, breathing families with lives that were seriously impacted by the violence around them.

A local man, Sacha, guides us around. He is warm, funny, and there’s no subject off limits. “People will tell you we have made no progress,” he tells us, “they just like to complain. We really have moved forwards- socially, economically and politically. Not as much, or as quickly as we would like, but enough to be proud of. Things here are changing.” 

After our tour ends he invites us to accompany him on his walk back to his office, beyond the old town. There are less tourists out here, and it feels like we are seeing some of the ‘real’ Mostar. We pass construction sites, schools and monuments, before crossing the old front line dividing the Christian and Muslim sides of the city. “That wouldn’t have been safe to do 15 years ago,” he explains, “you would have been killed on sight. But no one blinks an eye now.”

Sobering to say the least. 

After a farewell fit for old friends, we leave Sacha and pass a cemetery. There’s something strange about this one and it takes me a few minutes to work out what it is. The realisation hits me like a punch to the stomach. Every single year of death marked is 1992. Many of these war victims were just kids, their pictures captured in stone for eternity. My heart aches as we walk silently among them.

Later we return to the old bridge through the comforting hubbub of old town. Architecturally, the bridge is stunning: a single arch defying the laws of physics. We sit awhile, watching the white stone rainbow float over the river Neretva. It is a proud symbol of reconciliation and communities connected once again. 

Crowds of locals gather here, singing, talking, eating. Two men laugh and gesticulate wildly to each other. Even without their native tongue, I understand the universal language of the dare. They egg each other on until both are removing their shirts and shoes, leaping (with their trousers still firmly in place), into eight-degree water.  Everyone cheers and claps, as they swagger proudly to the shore, posing for photographs. 

The biggest excitement comes when the Mostari, the keepers of the bridge, leap from the tallest point of the bridge, at around 24 meters high. My stomach leaps into my throat as they plummet to the surface. For a fee, you can be trained to do the same and earn a lifetime membership as a Mostari. Not for me thank you very much.

We are welcomed with smiles everywhere we go. A copper smith shows us his workshop and gives me a gift when I buy some of his work. The hotel staff go above and beyond, carrying my heavy case up and down stairs, despite my protests. Beautiful strains of traditional song drift over to us as we eat hearty home cooked meals and we talk and joke with restaurant owners. There is joy here, and laughter comes easily, made even more poignant by the tragic history that is never far from my mind. 

As we head on to Sarajevo, we pass some of the most stunning scenery I have ever seen, anywhere. Mountains soar above a turquoise green river, picture perfect. The media never shows us this side of this beautiful country and I start to feel ashamed for having lived in ignorance for so long. For letting the news reels of burning buildings and tanks influence my impressions.

And yet, isn’t this all part of the joy of travelling? Expanding our horizons? Overcoming our fears and preconceptions?

I have learned a valuable lesson from this vulnerable, beautiful place. I decide that I will always seek to explore with my own two eyes, and come to my own conclusions, safety permitting. All I can do is share my findings in the hope that they inspire others to do the same for themselves.

Hvala ti Bosna. Until we meet again. 

~

Author: JoJo Rowden

Image: Author’s own

Originally Published on Elephant Journal here.

How to Have an Adventure Every Damn Day.

For as long as I can remember, there has been a part of me that longs for the sublime.

A niggle that urges me to head off on an eternal adventure, filling my freedom bucket as I roam from exquisite valley to roaring river, stopping only to gaze at nature’s marvels along the way. It’s a dream many share, and fewer achieve in their lifetime.

As a youngster, I would escape the madness of my house by packing my notebook into my backpack, and heading off down the alleyway next door. It was a magical place. Rich velvet foliage stretched on as far as the eye could see, and my small fingers freed juicy blackberries from thorny prisons. The squirrels were still innocent enough to approach me for monkey nuts, taken straight from my hands. I sat in the shade, and wrote about my dreams. It was a place where anything could happen.

I explored the overgrown jungle of a neighbour’s yard, peeking through at the broken, abandoned cars, making up a fantasy about how it came to be so desolate. I imagined my future, and the discoveries I would make. I wanted to see the whole world and was determined that my life would be lived in the moment, enraptured by the wonders of distant shores. I resolved not to be like other grown-ups. I didn’t want a boring corporate job that I didn’t care about. I refused to pound the pavements of a concrete jungle. Most of all- I didn’t want to spend my most precious gift–time– building someone else’s dream.

Then life happened.

My parents divorced. Money was tight. I got the highest exam results in my high school year, and I remember the very moment that I decided that, actually, I needed the high-flying career that I had always vowed to avoid. I was determined to use my academic achievements to help my family, should they ever need it. So College, University, a graduate job came next. The steps were logical, almost satisfying: tick, tick, tick. I didn’t stop for the gap year that I longed for. I knew that graduate positions were gold dust, and that I needed to get some experience under my belt as soon as I possibly could. Adventure took a back seat to reality.

But the Universe remembers the promises we make to ourselves.

My first job was its very own adventure, as I jetted off to India for seven weeks of intense graduate training. My eyes were re-opened by that beautifully vivid, chaotic place. I remembered that the sights, the smells, the colours, the intensity, were all of the things that I had ached for growing up. I met new people. I met the love of my life. My dreams stirred. I saw clearly all of the excuses that I had been making to myself: ‘I’m too busy, too broke, too far into my career plan to have adventures.’ I didn’t want to make excuses anymore.

I realised that adventure didn’t necessarily mean abandoning all of my daily commitments for an epic ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ trip. (Though sometimes, of course, the longing to escape it all is overwhelming). The more I thought about it, the more I felt that adventures could be found anywhere, if I looked hard enough.

I asked myself: what defines an adventure?

For me, adventure encapsulates the spirit of freedom. The ability to get up and go, and to do something outside of my everyday comfort zone. It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as sky-diving, or white-water rafting, though of course it could be either of those things. More important is the attitude of openness to something different, the willingness to try (and sometimes fail) and the capacity to go with the flow as new, unimagined elements unfold around us.

I began to brainstorm mini adventures that I could work around my lunches, evenings and weekends. My partner is always keen for new experiences, and together we began to plan activities that required little time and cost investments. We discovered that adventure could be as simple as taking a new route home from work, or planting exotic flowers in the back yard. Anything that captures the essence of childlike wonder and enthusiasm, whilst finding delight in everyday things.

So, whether you work 9-5 in a corporate job, have family commitments, or are a national geographic explorer, my wish for you is a lifetime of experiences, in whatever shape or form that takes for you. I would love to hear about the inspiring adventures that you create for yourself everyday, because let’s face it: Adventures are stories that long to be told.

Feel free to connect with me here, or via the usual channels, to share ideas for all to enjoy.

In the meantime, here are some of mine to get you started:

1) Go camping for the night and sleep in the great outdoors.

All you need is a tent (or swag), warm clothes, food and light, and you are good to go. If you don’t want to go too far, sleep in your own backyard- you will see your home in a whole new light by morning.

2) Go Kayaking.

Find a river/ocean and hire a kayak for a few hours. Feel the spray on your face, and access some areas that you would never have reached on foot. Amazing!

3) Take a canvas and paints to a spot of natural beauty. 

Find a pretty spot, set up your canvas and let your imagination run wild. All kinds of people will stop for a look and a chat, so it’s a great way to meet some interesting new characters.  My friends and I had a competition to paint the same mountain landscape from a look-out, resulting in much hilarity. We hung the truly terrible canvases in our home to remind us of the fun we’d had that day, and they never fail to make me smile.

4) Get yourself lost on purpose.

When I first got my drivers licence, (way before GPS even existed), my sisters and I would play a game. We’d jump in the car and drive as far as we could, taking any turns we felt like until we were truly lost. We would stop and grab a milkshake at a random café, then try to find our way home again, chatting and laughing, and discovering new sights along the way.

5) Go for a hike with friends.

Get off the beaten track. Swim in rivers, lay in the sunshine, crunch through leaves. Get home exhausted, but happy.

6) Do something that scares you. High five yourself afterwards!

For me, this ranged from driving for five hours (and through a shallow river) to a remote writers retreat, to signing up for singing lessons. I couldn’t say which terrified me more, but I was so pleased with myself afterwards for confronting my fears that I felt invincible!

7) Watch the sunrise or set.

Grab a picnic rug, some friends and some nibbles and watch the sunset/sunrise from a beach, park or garden. Last summer we instituted ‘Sunset Wednesdays’ with friends, to do just that.

8) Sign up for a fun run/race.

Do it by yourself, or with friends. Train for it and make a day of it. Dress up, dress down. Race for a cause if you want to, and know that you made a difference.

9) Impromptu train trip

Pack an overnight bag, head to the train station and get onto the first train you see. Find a hostel on the fly (all part of the adventure), then explore your new surroundings!

10) Head to a Yoga retreat.

Or if u can’t afford one- get some friends together and create your own at one of your houses. Drink green tea, have hot bubble baths, and treat yourself gently for a whole weekend.

11) Rollerblading/ Cycling/ Segway

Find something with wheels. Use them to fly free down boulevards, parks and trails.

12) Look up free meet ups in your area.

Meetup.com is a great way to follow your passions and hobbies with other like minded folk. Whether it be ladies who lunch, surfing buddies, or book clubs, there is something for everyone to enjoy. When I moved countries, this was a great way for me to meet people and do things that I wouldn’t normally do.

13) Volunteer

For me, nothing is more satisfying than helping a cause that means something to me. Clear rubbish from a forest, become a mentor, serve at a soup kitchen. Whatever fills your heart to bursting- do that and enjoy every moment. That way it will never feel like a chore. This is my latest escapade, and I’m currently looking into a scheme that lets you take an elderly friend for tea. Watch this space!

—

Author: JoJo Rowden

Image:8bar bikes/flickr

Originally published on Elephant Journal here.

Discovering India’s magic through it’s own eyes

Read my original article here on elephant journal

 

‘One photo madam, just one photo.’

Another day in India.

This particular morning finds me at the Taj Mahal, enthralled in the splendour of the marble dome shimmering gently in the reflecting pool. The heat pursues me relentlessly as I shade my eyes against the cloudless sky. I feel peaceful here.

No one knows me, and I rejoice in that freedom.

Locals pass me by, not bothering to avert their dark eyes from my strange face. Their curiosity radiates openly and they whisper to one another in magical tongues.

They form a line to have a picture with me. I’m a little embarrassed, giggling nervously. I’ll never understand what the fascination is for them. They reach out to touch my fair skin and gesture to my light eyes. I nod and smile and long to climb inside their heads and understand their world; a kaleidoscope of colours, sounds and aromas to explore.

A world where a blue-eyed girl is worthy of queuing, like some kind of movie star.

I wonder what they would think of me if they could know me as a person. One with thoughts and problems and dreams just like them. Would they view me differently through those mysterious eyes?

I smile obligingly beside each of them as my ‘paparazzi’ have their fill. Their wide grins dazzle me and I find myself wondering where my photo will end up. Perhaps I will live for eternity, trapped in a dust-covered frame among the gods and relics of this strange land. Perhaps I will be dragged out of old boxes to be shown to future grandchildren; the day Papa met the British girl, standing in awe in the shadow of the Taj.

I find my friends as the sun begins its decent from heaven, blazing a hot red fire in its wake. We retreat to the outer walls to admire the way the light plays on the glimmering roof, bathing us all equally in its purifying glow. Poverty, dirt, death are transformed for that brief time. Everything is beautiful for a while.

We buy a coke from a bustling street vendor, and are told not to go off too far. He wants the glass bottle back for the next customer. I don’t let myself think about where the ancient bottle has been during its battered life, or how he is washing them. I just enjoy the cold bubbles washing away the day’s dust from my mouth.

Kids run around us, playing, pushing, shouting. Hands outstretched, they smile shyly as they ask for money in a strange tongue. They rub their tummies to show me they are hungry and my heart melts. I want to stroke their tousled hair and wipe the grime from their tiny faces. I want to love them for a while and show them that the world can be a better place.

I reach into my pocket to give a few rupees, and my friend stops me, shaking her head. I’m confused. She crouches down to eye level with the little girl in front of us; speaking to her in an urgent tone, in words I cant follow. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a packet of biscuits. She hands her a couple and then sends her skipping on her way.

‘Most of the little ones give the money straight to their parents, who send them out to beg.’ she tells me. She always carries food instead to give to them. It’s a good tip, and I decide to do the same from now on.

Darkness creeps in now as the sun peeks out from the horizon. The dusk sees us running across a deserted moor, laughing breathlessly, whooping into the nothingness. Grassy wasteland as far as the eye can see, dry yellow stalks crunching under our feet. My friend is cracking a whip he bought from a street seller, trying to make the same satisfying snapping noise that the vendor could coax out of it.

A figure swathed in orange robes beckons us towards him with a withered old hand. He grips a gnarled staff in the other. He looks at us with a cheeky grin, and poses for photos with us, a cataract creeping across one of his eyes like spilt milk. We take it in turns, looking into the camera, arms firmly around our new friend.

I smile to myself as I realise we are ending the day as I began it, capturing memories through another’s eyes.

Heart Song (Poem)

 

She sits alone with pain and listens to her heart song.

Its echoes in her soul, subdued these days, unused to being heard over the din of her ordinary life.

It speaks of brilliant waterfalls that splash turquoise-hued rainbows over the world and make it new again.

It tells of enchanted forests, where life flourishes, if you know just where to look.

It whispers of fairies dancing in clearings untouched by human hand or eye.

It yearns for the places where sunlight cannot reach. Dappled beams through ancient branches, faces etched into trees, watching her, waiting for her life to start.

The shackles of the corporate world burn into her ankles, making her cry out.

Salty tears come in ocean waves. Tears she could drown in.

They were supposed to be temporary binds

To anchor her whilst she learned, which way to travel in this world,

But over time, they grew tighter,

Curbing the flow of magic to her heart, strangling the dreams of childhood innocence.

She deceives herself for a while.

Convinces her brain that this is a path, as good as any. Respectable.

Successful by someone’s definition.

She shines, because she always does. It’s expected.

Prizes she doesn’t care for, honours that cant hold her attention for long.

Tight prison walls of expectation hold her tightly with iron grip.

The cruel and painful grasp of accomplishment.

Her sparkle dims with every passing year, her soul retreating softly away.

She screams inside and begs someone to hear her.

No one does. Only she can save herself.

What happened to the girl, who dreamed of African plains

Stretching endless into the abyss?

Of the majesty of lions roaring in the darkness to dangers unknown,

Of the burning setting of the sun, lighting the world’s colours for all to see,

What happened to the girl, who longed for adventure?

For passion and frenzy in the heat of a moment,

Decisions felt with the heart, not made with the head.

What of the girl, whose words want to dance across pages?

Giving graceful glimpses of her soul to those who dare to read.

Sometimes the words bruise like stones as they tumble out of her mind

So intense that she can barely breathe until she has expelled them.

Where is she now?

She wants the intensity.

She wants the pain because it shows her she can feel.

That she is alive.

She wants the life less ordinary. And she wants it to begin now.

 

Originally published on elephant journal here

JoJo’s Bucket List

Having had more time to think about the future lately, with moving and changing county again- I realised that time is slipping away faster than I would like, and there are so many things in life I want to do and experience and achieve!

I decided to create my bucket list- and put it out there for all to see! Maybe it will inspire someone else to try something new, or maybe it will encourage me to start ticking things off- either way, im pretty excited!!

1. Safari in Africa
2. Feed a tiger cub
3. Go to the Moulin Rouge in Paris
4. Go to the Crazy Horse in Paris
5. See the Mona Lisa in the Louvre
6. See the Leaning Tower of Pisa
7. Have a Gondola ride in Venice
8. See the Northern Lights in Iceland
9. Bathe in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland
10. Learn another language- Brazillian Portugese
11. Complete a Pole Dance teaching qualification
12. Go shopping in New York
13. Drink a cocktail in Manhatten
14. Have a sauna in Sweden
15. Visit the statue of Liberty
16. See a show at Broadway
17. Wear a cocktail dress to a Casino in Vegas
18. Volunteer with the Elderly
19. Get awesome 6pack abs
20. Learn to do a proper handstand and hold it (not against a wall)
21. Teach children in a disadvantaged country
22. Visit the Eygptian Pyriamids
23. Take each member of my immediate family somewhere that they have never been before
24. Dance the tango
25. Learn to Salsa
26. Write a novel
27. Write and illustrate a kids book
28. Learn a Bollywood dance
29. Drink wine in tuscany
30. Draw/ paint a picture that I’d be proud enough to hang up
31. Own a beach cottage
32. Watch a sunset in santorini
33. Visit the Whitsundays
34. Road trip USA (Route 66)
35. Do a yoga retreat
36. Fly first class somewhere
37. Swim with dolphins
38. Throw fabulous dinner parties for my friends/ family
39. Inca Trail
40. Have a break at a villa with a private pool just for us
41. Gallop a horse along a beach
42. Have a beer at Oktoberfest
43. Throw Tomatoes at La Tomatina