Viktorija Gedrimiene

Singapore moments

17/10/2017

G’day everyone!

At the moment, when I am typing this, I am already in Australia (and there will be updates, many of them, if I get my hands on some kind of internet 😄!), but I just wanted to share some moments from our stay in Singapore.

It was our first stop on a 5 week long trip – and it was simply magical. We treated ourselves with a stay at Marina Bay Sands, and boy oh boy, it was worth every penny! 😄 After several flights and long traveling time, a comfy bed and a room with a view was very much needed. And their infinity pool was like a cherry on the top! We chilled a bit (I almost fell asleep), had a couple cocktails and enjoyed the views of the Marina Bay and the city.

Since we had only 1 day in Singapore, we woke up pretty early the next morning, to catch that sunrise and enjoy the pool without that many people in it (it gets pretty crowded during peak hours, but the good thing is that the access is given only to the hotel guests). After a good breakfast, we headed to the city to explore a bit more. We did not plan many activities – as we didn’t want to rush everywhere, so we just hang out, walked a bit, and were a bit surprised of how much Singapore reminded us of the USA (street names, the buildings, etc.), the only thing that is extremely different- the cleanliness of the place (and there are big fines for littering!).

The visit to Singapore wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Gardens by the Bay – a manmade wonder, so this was our last thing to do later that day. We visited the Cloud Forest and OCBC Skyway – I really enjoyed both, but what amazed me the most was that lush green colour everywhere, that is really soothing to the eye. I hope you enjoyed this little recap, and I will try to come back with some more as soon as possible 😉

Good night from us!

Love, V.

❤️

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#gedrimaitravels

Travel day

13/10/2017

Hey, guys!

Sorry for no updates these past days – it has been pretty busy with work, some last minute preparations before the trip, and other stuff that I had to finish. As always, I thought that I had plenty of time, but yesterday at around 1 AM we were still packing our luggage… And maybe because of this, or overall excitement, I couldn’t sleep properly – but I hope that this will work in my favour later, haha 😀

But today’s the DAY – we are going away for our vacation, and I couldn’t be happier! Sounds a bit surreal, to be honest, but amazing at the same time. *pinching myself constantly*

So as it is going to be a long travel day, with several flights, I will try to think of some sort of plan for the blog, and I will try to post as much as possible (while enjoying our vacation, of course ;), and having in mind that internet quality might not be that good). But I will try to update my Instagram stories, so you can follow me along here. (No pressure, though 😀 )

As for now – I am going to finish my coffee (which is most probably cold at this point), wait for my husband to arrive, and we will start our journey! *excited!!!*

Have a wonderful Friday and a good weekend, peeps, talk to you later! :)*

Love, V.

❤️

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Life

Sundaze

08/10/2017

Happy Sunday, peeps! Oh, I hope you had a wonderful one.

This weekend the weather in Bergen was insane (meaning – the sun was shining all the time), and my mood and overall feeling is great! It hasn’t been a very active weekend, rather a slower one, but I needed this change.

So today we decided to go for a late breakfast and a cup of good coffee in the city, and enjoy this beautiful autumn weather while it lasts. We went to one of our favourite spots – Espresso House, because they serve a really good coffee and have a selection of foods to choose from. And recently they started making matcha latte, which, of course, I had to try (and they make a tasty one – not too bitter, which is a good sign 😉 ).

We sat there, sipping on our coffee/matcha latte, and sun was shining all over us – and it was a pure Sunday bliss!

After that, we had a little walk around the city – and let me tell you – it is much better with all the warmth and beautiful weather (unbelievable, right? 😀 ). We also met with one guy who we had known for quite some time (and mostly from social media, haha), and he has this cuuuute dog akita-inu Limi that I wanted to pet and cuddle for quite some time. The fluffiness and softness and cuteness of this dog is unbelievable. Hands down, it was one of the best Sundays! Do I sound like a crazy dog lady yet? 😀

Aaaahh, she is so darn cute. ❤️ I wanted to take her home with me (too bad I can’t), but this was such a nice time. Thanks, Algirdas, for letting me pet her – my heart is complete 😀

Love, V.

❤️

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#gedrimaitravels Travel

One week left

06/10/2017

Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.

-Gustave Flaubert

Hey, friends! (Real and virtual ones, hehe 🙂 )

Today’s Friday and it means that it is officially one week left until our vacation! ONE. WEEK. I thought that on this occasion I can share a bit of our travel plans, but I am so excited that I basically don’t know where to start and what to write first.

Ok, so here it goes.

We are going to visit koalas!

And kangaroos!

And crocodiles…aghemmm…maybe not, or maybe from very far away. Do you see the pattern here? We are going to the land Down Under – Australia, a country, that I wanted to visit for so long, and my heart and soul still can’t handle this!

But. It is not the only destination that we have in our plans – we are kind of doing a round-the-world trip, with 4 stops in total!

A quick layover in Doha, a day in Singapore, a bit more than two weeks in Australia, and then – we are going back to Hawaii (also for about two weeks)! But this time it is going to be other islands (last year we visited Maui). And then we have a couple of days in Los Angeles before coming home.

Sometimes I ask myself, if this is real, and I have to pinch myself from time to time.

***

There’s gonna be some road trippin’ in Australia, some new experiences, sleeping in a car (most likely :D), but I am so looking forward to this! And I really hope I will be able to share some moments on the go with you guys, but I already got some heads up that internet there is…not so good. Fingers crossed, though!

Some scenery of beautiful Maui island! The beaches are just insane, and Road to Hana with waterfalls is like a different world – I haven’t seen this much greenery in quite some time.

What’s your dream destination? Are you as crazy about travel as we are? 😀 Let’s talk!

Love, V.

❤️

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Food

Buddha Bowl

04/10/2017

…and what is a Buddha Bowl you might ask? To explain it simply – it’s a bowl packed with all kinds of nourishing food, mostly veggies, grains, nuts & seeds. You might add lean proteins to it also.

What I like about it the most – it is very easy to make, and it turns out to be a very nice and filling meal. Especially on a day like this – autumn is approaching us in full speed, with heavy rains, and colder temperatures, and all I wanted to do today was sitting with a big cup of tea or coffee in my hands, hiding under the fluffiest blanket I could find. Unfortunately, that happened only in my head, because I was cleaning around the house, trying to tidy up a bit. So this meal seemed as a perfect treat afterwards!

So to build up one, you have to decide on the following:

BASE: kale; spinach; lettuce; leafy greens; soba noodles; etc.

VEGGIES: carrots; broccoli; cucumber; tomatoes; zucchini; etc.

PROTEIN: beef; seafood; quinoa; chicken; tofu; etc.

COMPLEX CARBS: sweet potatoes; corn; barley; buckwheat; peas; etc.

CRUNCH: chia seeds; nuts; red pepper; etc.

FLOURISH: avocado; hummus; tahini; cilantro; peanut sauce; etc.

My attempt at making the Buddha Bowl was this: I baked some sweet potato (seasoned with olive oil, sea salt flakes, herbs, umami spices), added ¼ avocado, kidney beans, cherry tomatoes and some spinach. Assembled them in a bowl (hence the name) – and voila – you have one amazing lunch or dinner! I think some tahini sauce would have worked here as well.

It was so good that I enjoyed every bite of it! Will be doing some other variations in the future for sure.

Love, V.

❤️

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Personal

Monday mood: get to know me

02/10/2017

Good (very late) evening!

It’s Monday again, a day that sets the tone for the whole week – and today I wanted to start fresh (and earlier)…and had a different blog post in mind, but that has to wait until the next time 😉

I was thinking that I can share some things that you (probably) don’t know about me. Should be fun, right? 😉

I am a chocolate lover. But, it has to be dark chocolate. The darker, the better. The real deal, you know? And especially I love some variations of it – a chocolate with chilli, or lime, or sea salt – that’s a go for me!
I love when things are organised – I like to make lists, to arrange plans, because I feel in control then. But on the other hand – sometimes my room looks as I like to call it – “an artistic chaos”, hehe. And that turns into a vicious circle – I clean up, relax, feel at ease, and the next day-bam-the mess strikes again – oh, the story of my life.
My taste in music varies, and depends a lot on the mood. But I have a never ending love story with Beyonce. Sorry, not sorry 😜 She inspires me a lot as a person, as a woman, and I would like to be as half as hardworking as she is. I went to her concert in the summer of 2016, that was held in Copenhagen, and it was one of the best experiences in my life.
I am a complete sun person – and here I am, living in Bergen, Norway, where it rains 300* days a year. (*+- 5 days, hehe) But my mood, attitude, and everything else changes completely when I am exposed to sun. I could totally see myself living somewhere in Hawaii, or sunny California. Bali would be nice as well!
One animal that I really adore is a raccoon. I think they are just so darn cute. Yes, I know that they come to your house late at night, steal your stuff, and are complete rascals, but I can’t help myself. We actually had a small encounter with one of them when we were visiting USA. I really wanted to see one, but I chickened out when it happened. My husband and I were coming back to our hotel late in the evening, when I heard some noise in one of the trash containers. As we passed it, I saw a raccoon head coming out of it and looking straight at us – he was in his element, and I surely didn’t want to mess with that 😀 Still, I think they are cute!

When I was a child, or a teenager – I had no problem with watching scary movies. Now – I can’t force myself to watch one!
I love walking – I consider that to be the best exercise for me (aghem), and I think this habit comes from my childhood. I used to have walks with my dad when I was little – to the sea, in the park, to the city – he was taking me everywhere on foot, and I seemed to like that! So it stuck with me until now, only my pace has increased.
I never finish my coffee, even though it is a necessity for me! A ritual for everyday. But no matter how big of a cup I make, I always leave a little at the bottom. I get some remarks from my better half about this issue, but I can’t do anything about it 👀
Escaping to nature helps to clear my head. Some place with mountains, a lake, or a hidden beach – that is what I need to completely recharge and go away from my thoughts.
Oh, and here’s the last one – I am a slightly clumsy person. I can bump into a table without a particular reason, spill my coffee, or splatter salt all over the kitchen floor (never happened…👀) – things just happen to me, haha.

I hope you enjoyed some random facts about me – and I would like to know something about my readers as well! Tell me in the comments, I would appreciate that!

Love, V.

❤️

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Photography

Sunset moments

26/09/2017

The sunset today was something magical! I wanted to go out for a walk, but then I wanted to stay home more 😀 (I have a cold again – second time in a month or so, meh – so I feel 50/50), but when I saw glimpses of the sky, I knew I have to run out for a couple quick shots!

It looks as if Bergen is trying to redeem itself from a crappy weather that we had all summer, hehe – so it is sunny and warm, and really nice these days. And I hope it will stay this way!

And as for now – good night, I hope you have beautiful sunsets wherever you are ;)*

*lets enjoy this beauty, mmm’kay?*

Love, V.

❤️

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Lifestyle

Mid week thoughts

20/09/2017

Heeey!

Uffff… what a week it was! Ok, a week and a half… where did the days go? I still can’t comprehend the fact that it is September (the second part of it!). Last Monday I was back in Lithuania, visited some friends and family, finished some photo projects, had a couple of photo sessions, and attended a wedding! (Which was a blast, by the way!) 💃🏼 Oh, and those who follow me on Instagram, know that I bought a dress for the occasion on the very last day – very risky, but I was more than lucky, haha.

And today, I am home, trying to list all the things I have to do. Everytime I am back from somewhere, I need a couple of days to recover and gather my thoughts. Is it just me, or is it normal? *don’t know if I want to stand out or fit in* 😂

Anyway, one thing is clear – we had some pretty good time, and now work and responsibilities are on my to-do list. And there’s nothing better than a good cup of coffee, tea, or matcha latte (a new favourite), accompanied by some snacks, while I am working or doing some planning. I am really lucky being able to collaborate with Nutrilett, as I have been a big fan of their meal replacement bars/snack bars for quite some time. For over six or seven years now, to be precise 😉

When I am going somewhere – hiking, to the city, traveling, to the photo shoot – I have one (two) bars with me, and my favourites always were either Smooth Caramel bar or Quinoa Nut Crunch bar. BUT, this autumn they released two new flavours, and I am obsessed!

OBSESSED. They are that good. This comes from a person who likes to snack all the time 😀 I love to make my own when I have time, and when I don’t – I grab one of these.

So two new flavours are Nut & Chia (all natural mix of roasted nuts, chia seeds, and dark chocolate – *drooling*), and Chocolate Mousse Crumble (you had me at dark chocolate, again :D. This one is a combination of fine dark chocolate mousse and oats). For me, it sounds and tastes pretty darn good – especially when they are not packed with sugar! So, if you are interested and want to stack up for the coming autumn/winter months – I have a discount code for you (valid in Norway, at www.nutrilett.no) – VIKTORIJA30. Put this when you finish your order, and it will give you a 30% discount on the whole purchase! You can use it throughout September 😉

Happy snacking…! Tell me if you have tried this, and share your thoughts – talk to you soon 😘

In collaboration with NutrilettNorge

Love, V.

❤️

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#gedrimaitravels

The highest mountain top in Norway!

02/09/2017

Ok, guys.

Do you remember when I told you that we had plans for the last weekend of summer? Well, let me tell you something -our plan was fulfilled 100%, and here are the pics and a little story about it! Because the least I can say is that it was EPIC!

What we had in mind was this mountain – Galdhøpiggen– the highest mountain top not only in Norway, but all Scandinavia and Northern Europe as well! It is 2469 m. above sea level, and when good weather conditions occur – you are able to see spectacular views! I am talking all those mountain peaks and glaciers in Jotunheimen National park. It is indescribable feeling when you are standing there on the top, all tired after the strenuous hike, and this amazing beauty is all around you.

So we were eyeing the weather for the location for about a week, and we couldn’t believe that it was sun in the forecast. SUN! All weekend!!! Can you believe it? I certainly couldn’t, because you know, it rains just a little bit in Bergen most of the time. *aghem* After the weather confirmation, we contacted our companions, packed our bags and agreed to meet in Spiterstulen (the most popular place to start this hike – be sure to check the links with information about the place – IF you are interested in visiting this place). And I strongly advise that you should be 😉

We arrived to the place first, built our tent, inspected the area and waited for our friends while having some dinner and some wine. I swear, all food and drinks taste much better in nature! Don’t you agree?

Our friends came at around 11 PM and it was pitch black already, so we just helped them with their stuff, and sadly it was a bit too late to sit and talk. And a bit too cold, too. It was around 0 or -1 degrees celsius at night, hence the cold that I had this week. So guys took some pictures of the starry skies, and we went to sleep.

We woke up early in the morning, at around 7 – 7:30 AM, because there are some picture geeks who want to catch the first rays of sun. What I didn’t realise was that the sun is blocked by another mountain until certain hour. So in the meantime we got ready, had breakfast, and started our journey.

These two were covered in frost early in the morning.

Only forward! No problems yet… 😀

We stopped here for some snacks and some water, and of course – to rest a bit and catch a breath. A good tip – don’t do a long pause while hiking, because it will be even HARDER to hike afterwards.

They finally saw it! All those little dots on the snow – that’s people, and it was many of them that day.

And here we are! That moment we were standing/sitting higher than anyone else in Norway 😛

We found an empty spot, made ourselves comfortable (as it can be comfortable sitting on the rock), prepared some food and enjoyed the views.

AMAZING!

Oh, and another great tip/or rather a note – if you think you are not physically capable to do this – believe me, you are most probably wrong. We met a couple in their eighties (86-87!!!), and they made it to the top no problem. Of course, on their own pace, but they made it. How incredible is that? That is my #lifegoals. 😉

After food was time for a little photo session, that easily took us about an hour. Whoops! But it was truly a time well spent – all these mountains around you give incredible backgrounds. We were taking pictures on the edge of the mountain, with a snow cap on it (sorry mom & dad – I tried to be careful), flew our drone, and just enjoyed the day.

On our way down, we met a couple – they thought we were from Slovenia (or Slovakia) because they saw a car with license plate numbers of that country, and long story short – we made new friends 😀 You never know where you can meet interesting people. So kudos to Tadas that he talked to them again! We spent that evening in a warm cabin, talking about life and reflecting on our day.

Well, all I can say is – more days like this!

Love, V.

❤️

4 Comments

Life

Pause

31/08/2017

Hey, hello!

How are you holding up? I hope your week is going fine so far! It’s Friday tomorrow (wait, what??), and also- it’s first day of autumn – how crazy is that?! Ok, it’s not that crazy, that’s how years go – but you get the gist. Where did the time go???

As for myself, I needed a pause this week – from the amazing weekend with hiking and camping in Galdhøpiggen (the highest mountain top in Norway), to work almost everyday (I had one free day today-and will be working the whole weekend), to getting a bit sick (hey-ya sneezing and coughing), a little break was very much needed. And yes, you understood correctly – I spent my free day being sick. And my husband joined me 😄 A very fun day in Gedrimai household today! So now, as I am typing, my feet are resting in a lavender salt bath, hoping this stinkin’ cold will go away soon.

I had to do some things today, that couldn’t be missed – my car needed a little fix up, so I dropped it off early in the morning, and decided to go for some grocery shopping while waiting. I bought some croissants (to brighten up the being-sick mood), and some oranges, carrots and ginger – for an immune boosting juice (I have a juicer, that has been silently crying in the corner), and made one mean juice-health-shot. I think your body feels when it needs that extra kick of vitamins! Of course, you should be consuming a good dose of your fruits & veggies on a daily basis, but that additional portion will only do you good.

So I juiced around 4-5 oranges, added the same amount of carrots, and two lumps of ginger (not pieces – lumps !), that’s when you will feel that “kick”, haha. And all of this for 2 people only 😉 Even looking at that bright orange colour made me feel happier!

I also have a recipe for a good mixture of lemon, honey & ginger, that could be eaten on its own, or added to the tea – a very good remedy to prevent getting a cold, because ya’ know – winter is coming. So I will share it on the blog soon.

Besides concentrating on getting better, I also wanted to read some new books. I was in a need of a good one for a long time – with all the thinking, overthinking, and burning out on many activities – I felt as if a new book would help me deal with the situation. Preferably, a self-help book of some kind. So I purchased two – “A road less travelled” by M. Scott Peck, and “The art of happiness” by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler. Both of them have very good insights and interesting reviews, so I am more than eager to read my way through them and earn some life’s wisdom 😉 I will let you know how that goes 😀 .

Oh, and if you have some suggestions for some good books that you have read and that made impact on you – let me know in the comments! Sharing is caring, they say. :*

I am off to make the n-th cup of tea today, good-night!