Megan Thomas | Minka Guides contributor

Literary staycation UK CREDIT Filip Urban-Unsplash

A book lover’s UK literary staycation

No matter their budget, health, age or location, book nerds like myself are always travelling the world without actually getting...

Goodbye Sydney. Thank you for six+ incredible week

Goodbye Sydney. Thank you for six+ incredible weeks 💕

When I set off on this Australian adventure, I promised myself I wouldn't fall in love on this trip. After all, I've had my fair share of long-distance romances over the past few years, and the current cost of flying Down Under is enough to diminish anyone's amorous glow 😂

What I didn't anticipate was falling back in love with Sydney 💓 Next month, it will be 19 years since I left, and on every return trip, my feelings about it have been pretty meh. Especially after seeing the lockout laws of 2014-2020 almost kill the much-loved nightlife scene here.

But Sydney was the first city I fell in love with, and coming back to see how it is blooming again has been so beautiful 🌻 Especially during a sunny summer and World Pride, which TBH I was pretty unsure about in advance, but turned out to be an amazing experience of inclusive queer joy 🌈

I've had a truly memorable time here, reconnecting with old friends and lovers and meeting new ones too. I've felt like there's been some kind of crazy magic in the air this whole time ✨

How typical of me to get NRE for a city 😂 Yes, I know that the high of this brief encounter cannot be sustained, and living here wouldn't feel quite so intoxicating. I get that Sydney isn't always THIS great 🌞

But it's been a reminder of the enormous privilege I have. To even have the choice to live here again in the future. In a city and country built on stolen land, whose sovereignty has never been ceded ⚫️‍💛‍🔴

📷: beestar108

We definitely weren't the meditation 'type' 🧘

We definitely weren't the meditation 'type' 🧘

Or so we thought! Turns out, meditation is for everyone, in whatever way works for you ✨

I loved having this conversation with the transformational coach, celebrant, death doula, breathwork facilitator (and close friend of mine), lucy_cargill 🤗

We chat about our long journey to discovering meditation, the apps insighttimer and wakingupapp, plus how you too can start meditating for as little as 5 minutes a day 😊

Shout out to the cawing crows, the crying baby and the many dreamcatchers that make up the background of this conversation 😂

Click the link in my bio if you want to read the full transcript ☝

📍This video was filmed on 10 January 2023 in Goa, India (Lucy) and Melbourne, Australia (Minka). I respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, who are the Traditional Owners of the land on which Melbourne is located and pay my respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Hey there 42 ✌️

Hey there 42 ✌️

I present you with... The Face of 2022 😂 Actua

I present you with... The Face of 2022 😂

Actually, I had a pretty incredible year and feel enormously grateful for it ✨

I managed to see pretty much EVERYONE I love during 2022 (which is an outstanding achievement for me) 🏆 For the couple of folks I missed, here's hoping I see you in 2023 🤗

I also made SO MANY amazing new friends on my travels this year. It has made me so happy staying Insta pals with you all and seeing how your lives have grown since we met. So, if our paths first crossed during 2022 and you're reading this, then I'm sending you big love ❤️

These photos are from one of my most memorable weekends this year. Not only because I was at Primavera Sound and surrounded by some of my favourite people but also because of where I was at psychologically/emotionally/etc.

I knew by that point in May where my journey was heading for the rest of that year and I finally felt really ready to embrace it. So, let's see what you have for me, 2023 ✨

Wishing you all a safe, fun and fabulous start to the new year 😘

I spent Christmas with my mum for the first time i

I spent Christmas with my mum for the first time in 14 years 💕🎄🌞

I also got to spend it with my eldest and youngest siblings (prettysparklywistfulgirl & jtwales94 ) and their families 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦

Hope you all had lovely ones too 🤗

Thank you Melbourne 💕 Especially big thank you

Thank you Melbourne 💕

Especially big thank you to jojohobobo , lil_jay_dub and stephennicolazzo for making my month here so lovely (especially when I had Covid) 🤗

See y'all again in a few weeks 😘