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A brief history: life overseas

Bali, Indonesia

Since I started making my little weekly vlogs on You Tube there have been a lot of comments and questions about my life in Dubai, what it’s like living overseas, how I ended up here, etc.

I’m not entirely sure how I would address these questions and give you an insight without a) getting emotional because like, OMG so much has happened and b) boring you to actual tears over what would surely be a day long video, so I thought a little blog post would be better.

As many of you know, I’m from Ireland originally and so is my husband. We met many moons ago and got married in Ireland, although we were living in Leeds at the time. We moved to Leeds for new work opportunities a year before and although it was exciting for us initially (hello Superdrug), we decided to up sticks and move to Singapore a month after the wedding! At the time, moving to Singapore was probably the most exciting thing I had ever done. We had no idea what to expect when we got off the 12 hour flight, so when we were promptly greeted by a solid wall of humidity, blazing heat and streets that looked like downtown Los Angeles, you can imagine it was a bit of a shock 🙂

We lived in Singapore for two years and really enjoyed it, although the pace of life was frenetic. Coming from the West of Ireland where you’d be hard pressed to find a petrol station open after 6pm, Singapore was like a non-stop 24 hour city. Everything was open and busy all the time; the malls, the MRT, food courts – all chocca, all day, every day.

Orchard Road, Singapore

When it wasn’t gasping-for-breath hot, humid and sticky, it was pissing it down with thunder and lightening of cinematic proportions (I spent many an hour under our kitchen table) – the weather was pretty damn amazing. When I think of Singapore now however, I think of food. Oh my god, the food. I have never eaten so well and for so little during the time that we spent there. One of our favourite things to do was to go to one of the local food courts in Changi Village for Chicken Rice (me), a Fish Head Curry (Adrian) and Tiger Beer, which would set us back 10 Singapore Dollars (about two euro!)

Changi food court

We traveled a lot during our two years in Singapore, notching up visits to different parts of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and Hong Kong. Flights were incredibly cheap and it was the done thing to just hop on a flight for a long weekend somewhere, although we always seemed to come back more knackered than before we left because of our antics. Chronic food poisoning, refusing to pee in holes in the floor (me, of course!) and fighting off wild monkeys to get to a ‘proper’ toilet were all par for the course, along with buying armfuls of knock off DVD’s, riding bullet-ridden trains through paddy fields, coming face to face with spitting cobra’s, heaving at the sight of local ‘dishes’ (sheep intestines, baby turtles, chicken feet, etc) and waking up from afternoon naps covered in tiny black beetles. Hilarious… 🙂

Bandung, Indonesia

Phuket, Thailand

After two years of fun and games, we left tropical, bustling Singapore for the arid, desert landscape of Bahrain, a tiny island in the Arabian Peninsula. Having never been to the Middle East before I was a little shocked when we first arrived. There was sand everywhere, along with incredible buildings, massive malls and huge traditional souks. And the heat, oh my god – it literally took my breath away. We settled in really quickly however, and in no time at all I was taking quick shortcuts across the sand like everyone else 🙂

Manama, Bahrain

Camels, Bahrain

The Bahraini people are incredibly warm and friendly and we made really some good friends during our time there. We also made regular trips in and around the GCC, visiting Dubai and Kuwait to see friends and to have a little break every now and then. Towards the end of our tenure I was heavily pregnant with Charlie and although we had every intention to stay for quite a while, we ended up leaving at the two-year mark for Oman. Ming Ming and Sweetie joined our fam when we were living in Bahrain so of course, we had to pack them up too 🙂

Ming Ming and Sweetie

Things didn’t go to plan in Oman unfortunately and after two weeks we found ourselves on the road to Dubai (I was almost at full term so unable to fly). It was all a bit sudden, and looking back now, I have no idea how we managed to get on with things the way we did (big shout out to Louise here who came to our rescue in so many ways!). You know what they say anyways, when life gives you lemons you chop those bad boys up and make a damn good jug of lemonade! And that’s exactly what we did.

Interestingly, I have no pictures of our brief time in Oman even though it’s probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. One of our good friends is living in Muscat however, so we’re hoping to head back for a couple of days after the summer.

We’ve been in Dubai almost two years now and we like it a lot. It’s a very cosmopolitan city which has its good points and its bad points, like any other place in the world. Life is not difficult here, although the cost of living is getting higher all the time. We plan to stay here for few more years at least, but who knows? Maybe we’ll still be here 20 years from now 🙂

JBR, Dubai

Looking back over the last few years, I think I enjoyed living in Bahrain the most, which is funny because pre Charlie I would probably never have said that. The pace of life is exactly my speed now that I have him and it’s a really great place to raise a family.

When people find out how long we have been overseas they are often surprised and ask us do we miss home and so on. The honest answer is no, not really. Aside from the fact that I love living overseas, we’ve been away so long now that the Middle East has become our home. I love the hot weather, the great food, the mix of cultures and the fact that Dubai is so safe and modern, plus I have made some great friends here.

I hope that answers some of the questions that were put to me, although I know I didn’t go into great detail! If you have any more just let me know.

Tomorrow the blog will return to it’s usual makeup/weekly vlog schedule 🙂

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Categories: Travel

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The new headshot called for several layers of make The new headshot called for several layers of makeup and lots of glow, in an effort to look natural 😆 ✨ #thethingswedo #makeup
I wrote about my grandmother some time ago, a stro I wrote about my grandmother some time ago, a strong, elegant, educated woman. A writer, a teacher, a mother, a powerhouse. 
A woman who impacted my life in such profound ways, that they’re still revealing themselves, two and a half decades after she left. 
Here I am today, writing for a newspaper that she wrote for many moons ago, about a subject that brings me back in time to her. My first introduction to beauty, to taking care of myself, to respecting myself. 
It’s a full circle moment, but equally, it’s a testament to the enduring power and influence of women. 
A friend gave me a beautiful card this weekend, and on the front it said ‘you’re some woman for one woman’. But I am not one woman. I am my grandmother. I am my mother. 
I am the sum-total of every woman who has ever made space for me. Every woman who raised me, and loved me, and cared for me, and placed a steady hand on my back when I needed it. 
The power of women is truly eternal, it’s everlasting. 
We must never underestimate the impact kind, supportive, trailblazing, inspiring, loving women can have. On a life, on a lifetime. And I am proof of that. 
Here’s to you, Christine ❤️
Never not face-masking ✨ Never not face-masking ✨
A daily topical supplement for your skin? Absolute A daily topical supplement for your skin? Absolutely yes, thanks to Irish brand @sastaskinhealth 🙌🏻

Their Microbiome Booster Serum feeds the skin topically with prebiotic and postbiotic microbiome friendly ingredients that help to improve and support the health and wellbeing of your skin. 

Used morning and evening after cleansing (and before other products), this super lightweight serum works on the immunity of your skin, protecting it from environmental aggressors that can irritate our skin barrier (I think you all know how much I love talking about the skin barrier 😆) 

It’s suitable for all skin types, and is particularly great if you have inflammation, pigmentation, or sensitive, dehydrated skin.

It’s available now from www.sastaskinhealth.com for €45, or choose to go packaging free for €43.

AD #skinmicrobiome #sastaskinhealth #skincarelover #irishskincarebrand
Love this, and everything else in @melodygodfred’s Self Love Poetry book ❤️ 

#selfcare #wordstoliveby #wordstoinspire
Newness from @amandaharringtonlondon that’s wort Newness from @amandaharringtonlondon that’s worthy of all the applause (and a place on the grid 😆).

There are many things I love about AH’s Tonal Tan Drops; they’re easy to use (apply alone or mix a few drops with moisturiser), they buff in beautifully, they’re not sticky, they don’t smell like biscuits, and most importantly - they deliver instant, natural looking results. 

I’m sold, all the way, forever and ever. 
#newfavourites #instanttan #beautyjunkie
LED Face Masks are a form of LED Light Therapy, wh LED Face Masks are a form of LED Light Therapy, which has been around for a very long time - over 30 years in fact. NASA were the first to use it in the eighties in an effort to stimulate plant growth. During the experiments one of NASA's scientists noticed that his skin lesions had started to heal faster, and so began the era of LED Light Therapy.

LED Light Therapy is widely used today in hospital and clinic settings. So much so, that if you have visited a skin clinic for a facial or treatment in recent years, you've probably spent some time under an LED light.

So, what does LED stand for exactly? The answer is Light Emitting Diodes. These are the red and near infra-red lights that are absorbed by your skin cells when you have a treatment in a clinic, or when you wear an LED mask. 

Red Light and Infrared Light are incredible for the skin. They penetrate the deeper layers and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, soothe inflammation and redness, target fine lines and wrinkles and speed up skin recovery. 

@currentbody have two great LED devices I’ve been using recently; their LED Face Mask, and LED Neck and Dec Perfector. With regular 10 minute treatments (that’s all it takes!) these devices are clinically proven to reduce wrinkles by 35% in just four weeks, and 95% of users say their skintone, texture and tightness improved. 

If you’d like to try them, code SIMONE15 will get you 15% off the entire CBSKIN range on CurrentBody.ie (link in my Stories). 

AD #ledlighttherapy #currentbody #skincare #ledfacemask #dublin
Carry on skincare for this trip; lots of gentle, h Carry on skincare for this trip; lots of gentle, hydrating, repairing products, a pigmentation treatment for PM use and SPF. 

When I travel my main focus is to just keep my skin hydrated and calm. I rarely bring anything new and stick to products my skin responds really well to 🤗 

• @cliniqueuk Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm (for a first and second cleanse) 
• @garnieruk Micellar Water (to remove eye makeup, lipstick, and clean up around the eyes when I’m doing my makeup). 
• @dermalogicauk Peptide Eye Gel (A gorgeous plumping, hydrating eye serum) 
• @charlottetilbury Magic Serum (Love this for hydrating, repairing, brightening. It contains Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Polyglutamic Acid, Glycerin). 
• @avene_uki Hydrance Rehydrating Serum (A longtime favourite, this hydrates and calms dehydrated, sensitive skin. Like a big drink of water for your skin). 
• @avene_uki Mist (For dampening my skin before serums and moisturiser)
• @theinkeylist Mandelic Acid (I use this to spot treat dark spots/pigmentation)
• @biossance Squalane Omega Repair Cream (A rich but lightweight, super hydrating and soothing moisturiser. Totally divine)
• @supergoop Play SPF50 (One of the greatest SPFs ever, basically 😆) 

#travelskincare #travelbeauty #carryonskincare #myskincare
My go to evening outfit: a wrap dress, linen blaze My go to evening outfit: a wrap dress, linen blazer and a nice even layer of @vitaliberata Body Blur 😆 
Such a great product, if you haven’t tried it give it a go 
(I bought shade medium)
Reason 172631 @bylouiseemmaclarke and I are friend Reason 172631 @bylouiseemmaclarke and I are friends: she brings me to vineyards 🤩 
#whataday #vineyardviews #kent
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