Mocking Bird » Travel

Letters to Lovers: Paris

Amanda — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:19 +0000

Dearest Paris,

For the longest time I have loved you from afar. You with your style and poise, never once knowing the longing in my glances, never once feeling the depth of my passion, you and I have been absent lovers for the longest of times.

In vain have I struggled. Struggled to recreate your seductions with charlatan croissants and lesser baguettes. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.

I cannot wait any longer. With every fiber of my being, I will cross ocean and sea to be with you. I shall come in late winter when I will have you all to myself. We shall dance under the light of La Tour Eiffel and wander the hills of Montmartre as we have long dreamed.

With love and undying affection, I will see you very soon.

Love Amanda xx

Check out my Letters to Italy, France and Japan.

*Some lines of this letter may have been “borrowed” from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

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Yes, friends, can you believe it, I’m going to Paris! Finally! On my way to Marrakesh (where I am teaching our Instant Love retreat with Susannah and Jen), I am flying through Paris, so I am having a few days of awesomeness in the city I’ve been dreaming about for the longest time.

I am totally paranoid about speaking the language and looking like a hobo, so if you have any tips, I would greatly appreciate them. Cute areas to visit, cafes to eat at, museums to wander, outfits to wear, views to see and shops in which to spend Euro – I would love to hear all of your suggestions, so hit me!

Australia Bound

Amanda — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:00:45 +0000

I’m not quite ready for summer to end, so I’m heading to Sydney where spring is in full swing and 25 degree days have already arrived.

See you on the other side!

Banff on Holga

Amanda — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:18:20 +0000

Boy oh boy, I figured there was no summer happening in Vancouver this year, so I’m pulling out some summer shots from last year. In reality, I just found these again and wanted to share them with you. I don’t use my Holga very often but when I do I’m always pleased with the results. Although something wonky happened with a couple of these (hello Kodak insignia), I still love the quirkiness and the anticipation of something crazy happening. I think that’s the beauty of Lomo cameras…you never know what you’re going to get!

Do you use Lomo cameras? I have another roll in my Holga right now that I’m working on. Taking it slow…

Taken with a Holga 120GN using Kodak Portra 160NC film.

Letters To Lovers: Japan

Amanda — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 22:09:15 +0000

You and I are meant to be. I think about you so very often and dream of getting lost in your quiet, sakura filled lanes. I want to tie ribbons with friends, to learn the art of Japanese tea drinking, and to walk the streets of some of my most treasured stories. I fall deeper into love with your rituals and art and dream about spending time with you often. I can’t help but fall head over heels every time I see your children smile and pose for the camera. They are the sweetest on earth. Your camera stores and I are going to hold hands and dance a happy dance together. I know we were meant for each other! I hope to see you sometime soon.

Love Amanda xx

p.s. The beautiful photographs were taken by my other love, Sean. How insanely good is the picture of Kyoto Station? He allowed me to share them with you. Aren’t they beautiful?

Check out more ‘Letters to Lovers: Italy and France.

2010 Exploring With My Camera

Amanda — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 20:14:54 +0000

Some of my favourites from 2010…

I think where this ends says a lot about how busy I’ve been with the book in the last four months. This last photograph was from when we first moved into our place in September and I haven’t shot a lot of 35mm since. There is a snowy roll waiting to be developed- the Wandering Neighbourhoods I’ve been wanting to share with you.

We started the year off with a short and much needed trip to Hawaii to get some sunshine. It was heavenly.
I learned to start shooting things I wouldn’t ordinarily…like fog and landscapes.
We took a trip to Whistler between the Winter and Paralympic Games.
Chocolate discoveries with friends in our neighbourhood to be.
Exploring more of the beauty that is British Columbia, Canada.
We took a drive down to the States to visit the tulip farms for the heralding of Spring.
In May, I went home to get some family time and visit friends. My sister who I’ve missed so much this year and I hung out in Paddington, Sydney.
In the summer, we headed to Banff and Edmonton for a family reunion. I had a life changing experience in those mountains.
World Cup fever took over the summer. This may well be my favourite picture from 2010.
September brought us a move to our own place closer to downtown Vancouver. This was taken on our first morning. We love living here.

And since that time, I’ve been working hard on the book, writing, shooting, working and trying to deal with our new way of life. We travelled a lot in the first half of 2010 and I am so thankful for that. I hope 2011 brings just as much exploring.

Where did you get to in 2010?

Banff Road Trip

Amanda — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 14:00:17 +0000

I always imagined that I would get to visit beautiful places on planned vacations. On planned vacations that take me 2o plus hours of plane travel to arrive at. This little trip came out of the blue on a dark, winter’s day when the possibility of a family reunion taking place in Edmonton was announced. Sean suggested we make it into a road trip so I could see the Rockies and experience the awesomeness that is Canada.

I never imagined that this little road trip would change my life the way it has. I have always been a traveller and a lover of seeing the world. It’s something we Australians do, we travel, we see the world, we leave our homeland to go exploring. I think it comes from being so isolated from the rest of the world. We have to go out there and make sure it really does exist.

So it changed my life, how? I had the most amazing experiences with nature that I never dreamed could happen. I literally had a close encounter with a deer as tall as the car as she peered into my window, our eyes locked and I was transfixed by her beautiful, honey coloured fur. I was gob-smacked at how calm she was, at how beautiful her eyes were…and then she was gone.

And I think the gob-smackedness comes from that thing about Australians being so isolated from the rest of the world. We hear about these creatures in fairy tales and books like Wind in the Willows and because of that they seem mystical and surreal. Stumbling across elk one morning gave me the same feelings I felt when I saw Bjork on stage. She was as much an enigma to me as these majestic creatures were with their velvety antlers and prancing through the forest. Yes, I did just compare Bjork to elk.

I still peer into the trees and bushes whilst driving along the highway into Vancouver hoping for the slimmest chance that I will spot some wildlife. My animal spotting obsession is now with me for life but that’s OK. While many road trippers were sleeping through their drive, I spotted over 30 animals in their natural habitat. I think that’s pretty damn awesome.

Photographs taken with a Nikon FM3A 35 mm SLR using Kodak Portra 400NC film.

Elk and Moose and Bears, Oh My!

Amanda — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:50:12 +0000

The weary travellers have returned and I have so much to tell you about our little Canadian road trip. Before I do, I wanted to share some Polaroids from one of the most amazing weeks I’ve had in a long time. I feel one with nature like I never have before.

Letters To Lovers: France

Amanda — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:02:04 +0000

We have not yet met, but I know that once we do, our hearts will be joined forever. I’ve heard you’re very beautiful and full of that magic light that I chase. I dream of sitting in your cafes watching the world go by and walking your hilly, Montmartre streets with camera in hand. I think we could be good friends. Shall I come over some time?

Love Amanda xx

p.s. I hope I can take some Polaroids in a one of your cafes. This one is one of your Australian cousins sharing your Frenchiness with the people of Sydney.

Letters To Lovers: Italia

Letters To Lovers: Italia

Amanda — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 03:22:09 +0000

Hello, old friend. Remember me? You flirted with me at the top of the Spanish Steps and gave me a kiss at Fontana di Trevi. We held hands in sunny Tuscan fields and danced to O sole mio. I long for your poplars and olive trees. I miss your jolly, fat smiles and creamy gelato so dearly. I really hope I get to shoot some Polaroid with you. Maybe we can hang out again soon.

Love Amanda xx

Christmas Tree Varieties: Spoiled For Choice!

And Back Again

Amanda — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 23:32:00 +0000

Across the seas and land I go…

Next week I will be blogging from the homeland as I am off on an adventure to Australia for a few weeks. I am off to get some happy soul family time with the mumma and siblings and to reconnect with my long lost summer wardrobe.

As much as I will miss my Canadian, with us being our all too familiar 12522 miles apart, I am really looking forward to spending some quality time with my family and friends again. 7 months is a really long time to go without giving your Mum a hug.

I’m super excited to go home and see all the people in my life again but it’s a strange feeling to be leaving my love behind. He had to do this a few times when we were living in Sydney and I was on the other end, watching him leave while I stayed behind and was left alone. So to now be the one doing the leaving feels almost bittersweet.

I’m planning on lots of photography and photo shoots when I’m home in Sydney and will hopefully get to the beach and to wander around the markets that I miss. I’d like to do a few “Wandering Neighbourhoods” from Sydney as that was something I never really did at home.

I’ve also got some happy photography news coming which I was hoping to share with you this week but it hasn’t arrived yet, so that may have to wait!

See you on the other side, unless of course my news arrives. Wink, wink.