Sunny side up

It’s as easy as eggs on toast – if you’re having a bad day, the quickest way to change your state is to look up.

A friend of mine let me in on this secret. She’s a marathon runner, and constantly on the lookout for ways to beat those dreaded mid-jog motivation slumps. Her latest solution for a bout of pavement-pounding boredom is to look up into the sky for a dose of natural performance enhancer. The theory goes that lifting your face and body to the heavens distracts your mind from whatever is dragging you down on the ground. It’s like hitting the refresh button on your internet browser. Magic.

The other bonus to this trick, I’ve discovered, is the potential visual feast in store. A perpetual tourist at the moment, I’m constantly gazing upwards, slightly gape-mouthed, as I walk down Europe’s cobbled streets. My reward is sights like these, below – more than enough to keep my senses satisfied and my mood buoyed.

Clothesline in Mykonos

Bougainvillea-covered walkway in Positano

A natural screen of wisteria in Sorrento

What’s your quick fix for a sluggish mood?

Feel the love

What happens when you see something beautiful? Does your heart skip a beat? Does a little thrill run through you? It does for me. Small things, like a poppy pushing through cobblestones or a perfectly chiselled wooden spoon, give me a jolt of joy so powerful I wonder how anything could be wrong with the world.

It’s the same with balconies. Tiny pockets of floral triumph, secret spaces with million-dollar views, a place for washing and people-watching, balconies are something I’ve been drawn to all my life. Lately, it’s become an even greater obsession. Two trips to Europe in recent years have opened my eyes to the most beautiful examples and I’ve found myself training my camera lens on terraces instead of churches, window-boxes instead of sculptures. The first time, it inspired me to fill my own modest apartment balcony with geraniums, hydrangeas and succulents, but this time around, I don’t have the same outlet. Intent on discovering even more of Europe, I’ve moved from Sydney to London, which means I've gained an exciting new adventure but lost my beloved balcony.

So, I’ve decided that the answer to this small problem is to do what any enthusiastic Gen Y-er would – start a blog. I have no idea if anyone will share my passion for the simple combination of railing, pots and, more often than not, bougainvillea, but the internet spins a wide, wide web and I hope that somewhere, someone will see these pictures, read these posts and feel the same little thrill as I do.

It’s my way of spreading the (balcony) love.

White and brights in Mykonos

Pure romance in Positano