Back with our Tugu family: 3 days until the wedding!

I cannot believe it- it's now 3 days until we get officially get married! Our friends and family are arriving from tomorrow and I'm feeling this deep pit of giddiness. We've been on Lombok now since Tuesday with my parents. I thought this place couldn't be any better or have a more personal place in my heart, but it has well and truly buried itself so much deeper in just two days. The people are calm, kind, innocent and happy- their smiles are infectious and their kindness melts the hearts of anyone they meet. We have been totally bowled over by all the preparations going on around us for the wedding and literally can't believe that this is all for little old us. I want to say - stop! Don't do any more for us! Let us do it all for you- but they are so excited themselves about the wedding and this being the first European one they have done along with the love story that comes with if, having got engaged here at their home only a year ago. 
The word wedding is on all their lips - we overhear their conversations and we are emotionally stunned that such love is being created for us. Our welcome was like coming back to long lost family, as the car pulled up, Hanny, Roshan, Robbie, Dessy and a couple more new faces rushed out, we were greeted with such warmth- hugs and handshakes and jaw aching smiles. Home made floral necklaces were hung around our necks, cold towels to press our excitable faces and fresh coconuts with the flesh all scraped out as they remembered them being my 'last years' obsession.
Anyway- I thought I would share some pictures with you of our trip to date so far. We are trying to make all our days as full and memorable as possible - getting up each morning for sunrise, walking the long stretch of white sands and talking to local children we meet, I even did yoga on the beach yesterday morning- moments that are etching so deeply into our memories. We have gone on a couple of trips to a local market and on a guided trip to a waterfall where we met a man named Ubud whose wife- two days previously had just given birth to his first son. In our disbelief the proud new father asked if we would come to his village, in to his home to meet his wife and two day old little boy. Precious moments that we could never have imagined we'd experience. He was so proud he also took us to meet the villages sacred goat- the biggest goat we'd ever seen and treated like a King! The village children chased us around- laughing and coming to hold our hands- they very rarely see white Europeans and this was such a novelty for them and a blessing for us. We have documented it all though video too and cannot wait to share this exotic paradisaical place with you.... But for now, enjoy and speak soon!  

Emi and Ports xxxx 

An Indian Summer's Sunday

On awaking to a bright blue sky and blazing sun we pulled out our packed away summer clothes and set off on a walk along the Thames path to Chiswick House. With my mum visiting and neither P nor I having visited here before we thought it would be the perfect day for it.

People were out in a vengeance, cycling, rowing, eating and drinking in the warm October sun. There's always such a buzzing atmosphere down on this part of the river with pub after pub filled with people inside and out.

The river was calm, the seagulls were soaring....

And even the ice cream vans were back out.

We walked and walked, until we finally cut up through the beautiful Church Street, steeped in architectural history to the hugely vulgar "hogarth roundabout". An incredibly ugly, expansive busy thoroughfare of cars coming in to and out of London from all directions. It was hard to imagine that the place we were about to visit was only a very short walk away.

On entering Chiswick house, the first thing you are hit by is sudden silence. The protective walls, century old trees and beautifully preened gardens suck up any sound from the chaos of cars, lorries and motorbikes and leave you in complete tranquility. It's hard to believe that you are still in London.

It's a very romantic setting with hand built historic bridges, grand vistas and hidden pathways, all set amongst architectural delights and a dazzling array of flowers, shrubs and specimen trees, creating a unique oasis in this corner of London. If I wasn't getting married in Indonesia, (and if budget was no option), I would certainly consider this as a venue.

I love having my  mum to stay, exploring and discovering new places is such fun- plus this was a pretty special weekend for us both as we had finally found THE dress.... I am still in a little denial that I have finally found something quite so perfect. I can't express how happy and I am (and relieved, as I was getting a bit worried that I was doomed to find anything that suited me), anyway, that's all for another post!

We wandered the grounds for a good hour, there really is so much to see (and photograph!!).

And when you thought that there couldn't possibly be any more, there was, a 19th century conservatory, apparently home to a world class collection of camellias.

Having covered a good stretch of West London riverside we headed back through the Chiswick streets to Turnham Green tube, picking up bits and pieces from the local markets for lunch. Back at home we set it all out on a big wooden chopping board and enjoyed the rest of the sunny afternoon outside on the deck.

Hopefully this wasn't the last sunny Sunday we'll see.

Emi x