lazing

really don't mean to belabour the point, but seriously, we got some serious lazing done in the maldives. island time has its own rhythm and it's like our heartbeats slowed down just by being in such a calming environment. throw in a couple massage and we were flat out like lights. the sea air also gave me a hugeee appetite and while i normally eat for england, this time i defo went a little overboard. oh the mister, so sneaky to take me back to the tropics after a fortnightly feast on all the baddies europe has to offer (amazing swiss cheeses, little known swiss wines, rich red meats....) and letting me go crazy on azn food. oooh sashimi by the sea oooh :)

one palm island

i mean, just look at that.

under the sea

the beauty of being on holiday and on a tropical isle was we had absolutely no agenda. we'd sleep in, squeeze in a cheeky breakfast just before the buffet shut then go about the day. there was a water sports centre we could use kit from, and after signing a probably non-binding indemnity form (unfair contract terms act, anyone?) it was just us vs the indian ocean. the sea was calm (phew!) and we'd kayak out to the pontoon, scoot onto the deck and haul the kayak up. the mister would then snorkel around the reef (actually he's his dive licence so it seemed a bit silly to snorkel!) while i tried in vain to create some shade out at sea. we also kayaked to the dhoni, tied our kayak to it then promptly fell asleep on the soft mattresses.

villa

we were really fortunate to spend four glorious days in this villa. it's hands down one of the most beautiful places we've stayed in and i felt we had to tear ourselves away from it if we wanted to get any activities at all done. then, of course, there was FOMO to contend with and for the first half day i kind of went into a frenzy trying to make the most of the various sitting spots (i counted 8!!!) in the villa, and run outside to go kayaking / paddleboarding / snorkeling too. with 8 sitting spots, how do i ration where to place me bum and for how long in each seat??? the strange things we're compelled to do on holiday haha. the mister was laughing at me as i'd move from the settee by the door, to the table, to the hammock, to the other hammock, to the deck chairs on the deck, to the day bed upstairs, to the wooden chairs upstairs, to the window seat, to the bench in the huge bathroom, to the desk chair in the bedroom... it was literally musical chairs! lucky for him, i soon tired and the FOMO wore off and things slowed down to vacay pace. phew :)

getting around

now this is the sort of morning commute i'd relish! the villas were beautiful and when the tide was out, you could walk for miles in the shallows. it did get a little weird at parts when the sea grass made it look like we were in a field. or padi. loved how the villas were constructed from new zealand and thai (!!!) timber, and had that lovely rustic feel to it. sent photos to MIL and she joked that it looked like a kelong from days gone by. the first photo is of the spa complex, the second of the jetty our villa was off and the third of the next villa. 

one thing i particularly liked about the place is how well the staff are treated. embarrassing as it may sound, we had a butler (!!!) and he gave us a tour of the staff village. basically the island is tiny and there are some facilities on it (restaurant, fresh water pool, tennis court, gym, library, shop, dive centre etc) but all the villas are built off jetties and into the sea bed. the other half of the island is where the staff village is built. 

this may come across as hypocritical but i don't feel good enjoying myself when service staff aren't properly treated. which is why the mister is particular when we book holidays to only support places that take a generous stance on staff welfare. when we were in india, we were aware that most freelance guides are often not paid for their services till a year later. now we can't change the way things work, but we can choose to put our money where our mouths are and book with a agency that has a good track record of prompt payment to the local guides. 

same with the maldives. there are a few hotel groups with a low staff turnover, and we chose the group that most impressed us. and if our butler was to be believed, with an extensive professional development program in place for all staff (english lessons for everyone, regardless of whether they were in visible roles or not!) and good staff facilities (soccer pitch, air-conditioned recreational room, their own beach, their own NYE party etc) we knew the group we stayed with had a winning formula for staff and guest satisfaction. 

maldives

after an amazing time in the mountains, the mister shook things up by planning a maldivian getaway. oh the mister, so cheeky throw in a beach holiday after a fortnight of swiss cheeses and wines. the maldives is somewhere we've been wanting to go for a while, but just couldn't get the timing right. 

much as we try to keep our travels continental / west-ward, we made an exception this time. just like how we made an exception for india a few months back. the indian ocean is some thing else, and we're conscious of the rising sea levels. to put the maldives off any longer means risking the islands not being there when we finally got round to going. christmas in the alps followed in quick succession by new year's in the maldives. we were bracing ourselves for a busy year ahead (as if we needed to justify the holiday!) and figured we may as well bite the bullet and spend some time in the maldives while we could. 

will be posting on our short time there over the next few days, do check back if you'd like to see :)

three months

till this exact villa.

much as i enjoy surprises, i'm crazy about delicious anticipation and nursing little secrets. call it smug self-satisfaction if you will (haha, that's what i call it all right!) but there's a steep learning curve till my christmas exams and much as i like to think i'm self-motivated, knowing this baby* is waiting on the other side doesn't hurt. also, for the first time in three years, i don't have an exam waiting for me after christmas break. so this christmas break is going to be a real break (the mister insists it makes no difference because either way i holiday first, panic later...) and it's going to be a real treat. 

speaking of learning curves, i don't think i've ever been on one this steep and i feel infinitely better informed at the end of each week. it's affirmation of purpose (?) and i'm constantly overwhelmed with gratitude. sounds so trite but being with patients and being hit with realisation after realisation in the course of one day (OH! that's what blahblah looks like. OH! that's how blahblah presents. OH! that's how you do blahblah.) is kinda eye-opening and mind-blowing all at the same time -happy dance-

*ya ya i go on and on and get so defensive but omg if we'd a real baby at this stage, i could well kiss holiday treats goodbye. and 10h uninterrupted snoozes. my cute parents keep hinting that if we'd a kid, my allergies would disappear (?!) and when MIL starts praying for my womb, i figure it's wise to stay on in london for now. PLUS WHY ARE MARRIED WOMEN ON BABY-WATCH? i've been accused of being 3months preggers but 'not telling anyone yet'. sorry, that's just my lunch.