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What to Expect from the Blog in 2015
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| You might recognize this dining area. It's where I write everyday. |
This is my first post for 2015. I spent the year end and the beginning of the year doing inventory of items we want to keep and sell. It was difficult, liberating and nostalgic. Difficult, because each furniture has a story to tell. Each of these black and white photo frames has my personal shots of specific destinations that mean something to us. They are usually conversation starters with guests and each time I look at them, they make me smile.
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| This piano was a gift from husband, it has kept me company even during dark times, so I am taking it with me. |
The above dining furniture, we are taking with us. The photo frames, we plan to sell soon as well as my paintings. The below furniture will go as well as the rest of our appliances. So what will you be expecting from Travel Gourmande this year?
We will become Nomads.
We will be traveling to the Philippines for a short vacation in 3 weeks (with a short side trip to Cambodia) and by the time we come back, we have 2 weeks to clear the apartment. We will be nomads by the end of February. 28th of Feb is our last day in the apartment. That's the day our tenancy contract expires.
We will be living in a small hotel apartment for a month in Dubai. We are still on the look out for an affordable one.
Then a Francophile
By April, we will leave Dubai for good and we're off to France for a really long vacation, staying at my In-laws, while waiting for the construction of our home in the Philippines to be underway. This blog will become a French long stay tourist blog in 2015 and my francophile and hopefully francophone self will definitely emerge here :)
Lots of Design Work and Logistics
We are in talks with the architect and we're now past the Concept Design Stage of the house. We are still waiting for the budgetary estimate and the architectural design drawings, so I can begin the interior design of the house. We have been spending non-working holidays, visiting tile and furniture shops as well as appliance stores for items we intend to ship.
Furniture: We have been doing studies of which items to ship. It is very hard to look for high quality furniture with a good design in the Philippines for a good price. Or perhaps I just didn't know where to look. Most of the good quality furniture there, are for export and are not sold in local furniture stores. Elegant looking ones are sooo expensive, it's insane! It's funny how I've bought stylishly designed Philippine-made furniture in Dubai, but can't find the same in Manila. So what will probably happen is, I'll buy Philippine made furniture in Dubai and ship them back to the Philippines. :)
Now what if I go to Vietnam and Indonesia instead to look for furniture? I'm considering this an option.
{Note to self: contact Interior Designer friends in Manila to request for furniture makers and suppliers there. I was told Pampanga is the best destination.}
Movers: We have received estimates from numerous moving companies for 20 ft containers and we are still in the process of figuring out which is more practical A standard 20ft container door to door delivery including packing and moving boxes is averaging at AED 16,500 (USD $4500) to AED 25,000 (USD $6,800).
Guess what, we would still need to send this by ship from Manila to Palawan and would need storage cost for a year. This also excludes custom duty and taxes. I was told there are tax exemptions. I would need to look into this and let you know what I find out. We have a mover visiting the house on Monday for a survey.
I'd like to share with you a design post on one of my furniture visits to Home Outfitters, an interesting furniture destination here in Dubai. If interested, click here
Hope you're all enjoying the first week of 2015.
Love & light,
Arni
14 comments
So many exciting plans! I am very excited for you and your new life, hope that everything turns out fine :)
ReplyDeleteI look forward to read more about your French sejour and recaps from your trips to the Philippines and Cambodia.
Enjoy your nomadic times and safe travels!
I'm so excited for you and all this movement and travelling in the first half of the year! Try to enjoy it all even when it gets tough and tiring! Love all the furniture in your apartment. I think you and I have similar styles, my chambers look similar and even the colours are the same :)
ReplyDeleteI love the look of your dining room. It sounds like 2015 is going to be adventurous. I wish you much luck with all of it, and look forward to reading your posts.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I have missed soooo much! You are moving! Having just done a big move like that, I know how stressy things must be for you (but also how excited you must be). Hope it all goes to plan and stress is kept to a minimum. I can't wait to hear more about it!
ReplyDeleteSome big changes are happening in your life, I'm excited for you. You are giving up some great pieces, it's brave of you to let them go. I wish we could meet when you come home here. But if it isn't possible, it's okay. Good luck to your new endeavors Arni :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Really amazing things unfolding for you this year! I wish you much joy in the process! And I love your new blog look! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an exciting and big year ahead for you. Your travel plans sound wonderful! And I love that you're designing your own house. So awesome!
ReplyDeleteI love the design of your blog! Everything is so clean and elegant. And it sounds like you have so many exciting plans for 2015. I'm wishing you all the best with the home and your travels! :)
ReplyDeleteOh my, this is all very exciting! Can't wait to see pictures of your adventures
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like this year is going to be one one big colorful adventure! And we'll be expecting some great posts and lovely pictures. I can't wait. Who knows, we'd even get the chance to meet once you're back. :) God bless you.
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