HOME!

Hey there Posse! Well I’m finally back home from our honeymoon.Nearly six weeks of amazing adventures that Jin had spent months organising. The money was provided by our Wedding’s Wishing Well from all our friends and family. What an incredible gift. Paris, Vilnius, Riga, Helsinki, Tallinn, St petersburg, Moscow, Irkutsk, Lake Baikal, Ulaanbaatar, Busan, Seoul. We travelled from Tallin to Ulaanbaatar on the train, Trans-Siberian for quite a lot of it. The Baltic states we drove (Jin drove). A couple of planes and some buses as well. Here are a few pics.

Versailles

Paris twilight cruise

Helsinki

Baltic states

St Petersburg

Moscow

Lake Baikal

Mongolia

 

South Korea

Perfume!

Only shopped for fragrance a couple of times. In Guerlain Place Vendome I bought a present for Anna Maria and for myself I bought  Bois Mysterieux and Musc Noble.

We found a really lovely (but dodgy AF) perfumery in the big department store in Irkutsk, Russia. Some of the things in there were so obviously fakes, poorly lettered and spelled. We found these 30ml Montale frags that smell almost the same as my memory of the frags, hell they might even be real. Soleil de Capri and Red Aoud.

I mainly wore these three fragrances on the trip but did wear the others in my wetpack a couple of times too. Ashoka and Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations and Gravel.

HOME!

It was so good to be back home. I left Jin in South Korea to catch up with friends in Seoul for another five nights. That gave me a window to get home, clean the house, get the businesses under control and eat some Portia food. After a holiday I really need to eat comfort food. I made a HUGE batch of beef, barley & vegetable soup. Eating that with some dark rye bread and butter has basically sustained me since my return.

Now we are both home. The clothes are washed, bags put away, dogs are back home, food in the fridge and the house is super clean. I’ve gone back to work and am utterly content. Going away is fun but it’s not until you come home that you can really unpack all the amazing adventures and moments. It’s going to take me months to do that.

Are you travelling in the near future? Where will you go? What fragrance will you wear or buy?
Portia xx

 

  • Dina C. says:

    What a privilege to make that incredible multi-country journey! Amazing! Thanks for sharing your photos with us. I love traveling by train. 🙂

    • Portia says:

      Oh yes DinaC,
      We are so aware how lucky we are to be able to travel. This honeymoon would never have been possible without all our friends and family giving us Wishing Well money for it. That made it even more special.
      You’re welcome.
      Portia xx

  • Kathleen says:

    I love your comment that you will unpack all of your memories with time Portia. Win win! After thoroughly enjoying your travels and adventures, those are everlasting gifts from the comfort of home.
    I’ve traveled a lot in the past, and now am more of a homebody. I still travel within driving distance because I can’t go without my dogs, or I take quick weekend trips to visit friends and family while husband stays home with dogs. However, I have France (for perfume) on my wishlist.
    Welcome home! xx

    • Portia says:

      Hey Kathleen,
      We’ve only been back a week and already Jin and I are reminiscing. Luckily I also get to bore my Trivia night guests with anecdotes and amusing adventures too.
      I can easily see the lure of becoming a homebody. It’s not right for me full time yet but as I grow it looks quite appealing. When we are home I do love it, especially with our beautiful dogs, friends, TV & Kindles and comfy furniture. One day……
      If you’re going to do perfume then France is the place. Fingers crossed for you.
      Portia xx

  • Tonia says:

    What a beautiful adventure you shared together, thanks for sharing. And you are right, holidays a wonderful but there really is no place like home ?
    I’m heading to New York in Aug for work, but bringing my mumma so having a bit of a holiday too! Not sure what perfume I’ll wear but it will be summer so no doubt something fresh! ?

    • Portia says:

      Woo Hoo Tonia! The big apple for work! That sounds so incredibly exciting to me. PLUS you’ll have your Mum with you. That will be so amazing.
      The excellent thing about NYC is the perfume stores! So much choice! WOWSERS! You’re going to smell different every day.
      Portia xx

      • imenaturalperfume says:

        Eeek, I know! Let me know your fav places and I’ll try check them out. Big love?

        • Portia says:

          Whenever I’m in NYC stops at OSSWALDNYC, Twisted Lily and Bergdorfs are the ones I always try to hit but there Aedes de Venustas, MiNNY and more.
          Portia x

  • Pam says:

    Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos! What a fantastic journey. And congrats to you both!

  • Tina G says:

    Big big BIG welcome home Portia & Jin! What an amazing trip 🙂 Can’t wait to catch up.
    Lots of Love
    TinaG xx

  • matty1649 says:

    Fantastic photos of your fantastic honeymoon.XXXXX

  • Jennifer S says:

    Congratulations! And isn’t it wonderful to have everything go off as planned. Kudos to Jin! Your pictures are just splendid and what a real treat it is to travel to these marvelous places. I have never been able to get out of my own backyard myself lol, but never say never, right?!

    • Portia says:

      Thanks JenniferS,
      It was a treat and a half, Jin is so good at organising and he makes everything seem so effortless.
      Travel isn’t for everyone, once the bug bites though it’s as addictive as perfume.
      Portia xx

  • hczerwiec says:

    What beautiful photos — thanks for sharing! And welcome home!

  • Tara says:

    Fantastic. Maybe we can catch up over the phone this weekend x

  • filomena813 says:

    Yes Portia, those memories not only keep me warm at night but get me through the work week!

  • Filomena says:

    Last Fall I spent 19 days and nights in Sicily and Italy with my oldest son who lives in L.A. and who I hadn’t seen in two years. We both flew to Rome from our respective cities and went to Cefalu’, Taormina, Siracusa, Catania, Venice, Sorrento, Capri, Ischia, Positano, Pompeii and Herculaneum, and then back to Rome for our respective flights back to the States. It was the very best (and probably my last) trip I have ever taken.

    • Portia says:

      What a spectacular holiday Filomena,
      You two really saw a lot. It definitely sounds like the trip of a lifetime. Those memories will keep you warm at night, eh?
      Portia xx

  • Tara C says:

    No money for travel this year, but I’m hoping I can finally make it back to Paris next fall after a 10 year hiatus. Just a few days, as I am pretty much a homebody and love being at home and comfy, plus I miss my dog when I’m away. I could not go on a six week trip!

    • Portia says:

      Hey taraC,
      YAY for Paris!
      Yes, I was missing the dogs a lot by the end of out trip.
      Fingers crossed for you.
      Portia xx