5 things...

I've been working from home for over 3 months now. I had an office setup already in place for working my freelance jobs so the transition was fairly easy. I have developed a new daily routine that keeps me focused on my work as well as allowing me to have regular breaks and take time for myself. Here's how a typical weekday for me looks... 6.45am: Wake up. Shortly before lockdown started, we got a black Labrador from Finland called Vauhti. We traveled to London to collect him from Heathrow having our original plan to collect him by boat/car. He usually wakes us up at 6.45am every day, tail wagging, waiting for his walk. I sometimes take him to a nearby park where he can have a good run and it gives us a chance to get some exercise and enjoy nature. My favourite route is to go to a local reservoir which is more secluded and I get to walk along a river. I've never been particularly outdoorsy, but since we got Vauhti, I spent much of my day outside and have grown to love it. L

I've decided it' time to update my portfolio. I not worked on it for the past few years and feel it's time to show some of my favourite work from the past few years. I've also decided to undertake a few self-initiated projects which will allow me to stretch my creative muscles and try some new things. I've found working in coffee shops in Manchester is great to concentrate on this task. An espresso and a slice of cake can get the creative juices flowing. Working in an office everyday can become stifling and it is good to be creative in another environment away from the day to day of work and being at home. I'm also going to try and develop my photography style some more. I want to update my website with some great photography that really shows off my work and interests. I'll be using my blog to do this as well I've been messing around with the camera at home so will take it out and start snapping away. I've included some pictures I to

After an amazing Tim in Osaka we moved on to Mount Fuji. We hired a car near the train station at Fuji and drive towards our hotel at Lake Kawaguchiko. The drive gave us an amazing view of Mt. Fuji as we drove along the long roads, surrounded by fields and mountains. It was a nice break from the busy cities. Our hotel was opposite Lake Kawaguchiko and our window had a stunning view of Mt. Fuji. We walked over to the lake as the sun was setting to take some pictures and look at Fuji. It was freezing cold but we enjoyed the sight and felt very lucky to be there. we headed out in the car and drove around the lake and then got some dinner. We went back to the hotel for a rest in the warm room. Our host did not speak English but was very helpful and welcoming to us. The following morning we got up early to catch the sun rise. We drove to a nearby cafe/shop by the lake and got a few souvenirs. We were very lucky to get a clear view of Fuji as it is often obscured by cloud. We

The second week of our trip in Japan took us to the north of Tokyo to the Takaragawa ryokan onsen in Minakami-Machi, Gunma. We travelled by train to the north where we greeted by gorgeous white snow. We traveled to the onsen by bus and started our retreat to the Japanese mountains. Takaragawa onsen in Minakami-Machi, Gunma. After signing in, we went to our room which was a traditional Japanese ryokan room with sliding doors and a large table in the centre of the room which you would sit at, cross legged. We put on our yukatas and headed out to the hot baths. The snow was falling into the hot spring river that ran through the onsen creating a winter wonderland. We relaxed in one of the larger baths for a while, enjoying the warm water and the beautiful scenery. We felt relaxed and very lucky. That evening, we had a delicious 4 course Japanese meal which was beautifully presented. This included shabu-shabu where we cooked our own meat and vegetables. The food just ke

Friday 28th December: Travelling to Helsinki Our journey to Japan began on Friday 28th December 2018 in Manchester airport. We boarded the 5.50pm flight to Helsinki excited to be spending a night in Finland before heading to Tokyo. We landed at Vantaa airport in the freezing cold, surrounded by thick snow. I've always loved the snow in Finland. It makes everything look picturesque. We headed to Espoo and met the family and had a sauna before bed. We got up early the following morning and took Gapu and Reku for a walk to the nearby forest. We came across another dog, a chocolate lab, who's owner told us he was from the same guide dog school as Gapu and Reku. We then went to Sello to buy a few bits and pieces before our flight in the afternoon. It was nice to see the Christmas lights and decorations were still up. We had lunch, packed our bags and headed for the airport. We took the train and got through security very quickly. Our 9.5 hour flight was delayed so we found