Surf Goddess

Surfing the net I stumbled across the Bali Surf Goddess Retreat website and instantly I knew I needed to book in, Surfing + Yoga + Spa = My Perfect Holiday!  The stunning colonial-esque villa and tropical weather were an added bonus!

The Surf Goddess Sanctuary is located in the heart of hip and happening Seminyak. Upon arrival we were warmly welcomed by the retreat host, Joyce, after a chat and a drink, in the very stylish and cosy outdoor living area, we were shown to our room, I was sharing with a friend, we were overwhelmed by the attention to detail.  Our room was scented by bunches of tuberose, there was a welcome gift bag containing surf rash, sarong and a few other Bali essentials.  The room had a large living room meticulously furnished in what I would describe as a traditional but feminie Balinese style.

That evening we met the other guests, all female (being a women’s only retreat).  It was a great mix from across the globe yet we all had a common interest in being active and pampered!

The Surf Goddess team know how to put on a spread.  Meals were locally sourced, organic and utterly delicious.

The 7 day retreat included five mornings of yoga, following an afternoon surf lesson (everyone in our group was up on the board by the end of the first lesson); a day of pampering at a nearby day spa, as well as an additional 5 hours of pampering at the villa, choices including hot stone massage, traditional Balinese massage, mani/pedis, to name a few; and lastly an activity day with a number of options such as white water rafting, traditional Indonesian cooking class, paddle boarding.  By the end of the 7 days I was in a state of pure bliss!

The villa was located in the heart of Seminyak, an exciting beach town with new restaurants, bars and shops popping up before your eyes.  Each with it’s own unique design and theme. 

Petitenget Road stores and cafes

Mister Zimi clothing line which started in Bali and recently opened in Melbourne & Sydney

Sardine, restaurant by a rice paddy & my favourite meal in Bali

Happy camper

I honestly don’t understand why more people don’t like camping. You can go more places camping than you can staying in a hotel and it’s a fraction of the cost!  Camping can be as rough or luxurious as you like and you can bring as many creature comforts as you can fit in your car.

A few creature comforts I bring with me are

Country Road beach towel and tote, Neal's Yard Remedies travel pack, Witchery knit, North Face sleeping bag, Converse shoes, Kain tee, Current/Elliott jeans, Havaianas

Some of the places camping has taken me

Blue Mountains, NSW

Robe, SA

12 Apostles, Vic

Flinders Rangers, SA

Seal Rocks, NSW

Two hours to Provence

This beautiful estate is a 2 hour drive from Sydney, in the Hunter Valley, yet once Miss 77 pairs of shoes and I reached Talits French Estate Vineyard we felt thousands of miles away, as though we was transported to Provence, France!

Upon entry we were met by the other guests, for our girls weekend away, who promptly handed us a glass of wine and set me to work on starting the fire, which surprisingly was a huge success, luckily as it wasn't the warmest of nights!

The following morning we had breakfast on the balcony before embarking on our long day of tasting wine.  Talits arranged a private wine tasting tour for us, we sampled many local boutique wineries from the Broke area, one in particular I which couldn't get enough of was Nightingale's Night Owl Sparkling, it was delish! Which reminds me, I should place an order for more!

To end the day we organised the Talits in house Chef Ben to come to the estate and prepare a 3 course dinner for our group, he did a wonderful job, we (bar one) were licking our dessert bowls trying to get every drop of the warm Bailies chocolate sauce!

Talits Estate is delightful, the property is nestled among lavender bushes and an olive grove with plenty of areas to sit and take in the surroundings.  It is furnished with traditional french furniture and being spacious made it ideal for our large group.