Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer | Book Review

What a read!!! 

Before anything, I need to tell you all how much I LOVED this book - it is one that I will treasure not only on my ever growing and caving bookshelf, but also in my heart, for life. 

I received this book as a birthday gift from one of my good friends, Adrian. 

I had been intrigued by this book for some time, considering it was a beautiful mixture of adventure, travel, freedom and mystery combined! I also knew that it had been made into a film but I'd been desperately trying to avoid watching it as I try to always read the books beforehand.

There are so many beautiful aspects of this book, from the gorgeous excerpts from other books that start off every chapter, to the riveting and inspiring quotes and messages you pick up throughout the pages all the way to the fact that there are SO many different opinions about this book!

This book riled up so much controversy, as most true stories do. 

In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a party of moose hunters. How McCandless came to die is the unforgettable story of Into the Wild.

Immediately after graduating from college in 1991, McCandless had roamed through the West and Southwest on a vision quest like those made by his heroes Jack London and John Muir. In the Mojave Desert he abandoned his car, stripped it of its license plates, and burned all of his cash. He would give himself a new name, Alexander Supertramp, and , unencumbered by money and belongings, he would be free to wallow in the raw, unfiltered experiences that nature presented. Craving a blank spot on the map, McCandless simply threw the maps away. Leaving behind his desperate parents and sister, he vanished into the wild.

 Blurb taken from: Here

Many believed that Chris McCandless was a mad man, hellbent on self-destruction. A nutter that set off 'into the wild,' knowing full well that he'd never return. A suicidal, arrogant and naive little 'boy'. 

Well... I beg to differ. 

To me, McCandless was so easy to relate to in many ways. 

There was one major difference though... I could sit and daydream all day long about packing a small backpack with the essentials, breaking free and wandering off into the great unknown.. hell, I DO sit and daydream about it endlessly! The difference with McCandless however, is that he had the balls to actually do it. 

That fact makes this book somewhat dangerous for someone like me to read - because it influences me in so many ways and helps to build up the courage to do exactly that. 

IS that a bad thing though?! This is where the controversy starts all over again. 

If you're an adventurer, a seeker of freedom, an adrenalin-junkie or merely enjoy the great outdoors - then this book is for you. 

Of all the admirable and breathtaking things I picked up from this under-rated book, the below is something that completely knocked me off-kilter... but at the same time, adjusted every inch of my way of thinking into exactly what I needed it be... it made me feel courageous and READY to face to world. Give this quote a read and tell me that it doesn't inspire you:

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a person than a secure future. The very basic core of a persons living spirit is their passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

Do yourself a favor and read this book. I guarantee to will change your life.
Now all I need to do is watch the movie!

I hope you are all having a stunning weekend. Relaxing, partying, eating, drinking, playing, learning, sharing and BEING.

(these are some of the things that I've been up to lately):

Not my best look....

Life is beautiful... and it is what you make of it. 

My Blogging Dinner Party

These days, everyone seems to have this little fantasy going on about hosting a celebrity dinner party and sharing who they would invite along to theirs.

I thought of something a little bit different...

The whole point about blogging (besides writing,) is to connect with people from all over the world. So today, I'll be sharing my fantasy list of all of the bloggers I would adore to one day have around my dinner table all at once! Although... I may just need to invest in a bigger table as it was incredibly hard to narrow this list down!!!

Firstly: Zoe, over at: http://www.zoella.co.uk/

I pretty much owe my entire blog to her. I stumbled across her after a distressed visit on google in order to find out what to do for my birthday many years ago. I found one of her old posts which shared a photograph of this incredibly divine cake as seen below... and I just fell in love with her blog and the overall idea of blogging.

Thanks ZoZo.
This obviously means she'd be sitting head of the table.


Second on my list is Whitney over at: http://www.iworeyogapants.com/. 

This makes up already and Brit and an American and I'd just like to point out here that is the beauty of it all!

No other blog makes me laugh the way that hers does. After Zoella's, Whitney's was the first blog that really grabbed my attention and hooked me as something special. I've been following her (in the non stalkerish way!) for over a year already and I just love her blog.

She's so fun-loving and looks like a stunning person. I could imagine an incredibly delightful time devouring copious amounts of wine, dancing, and hilarious banter... plus the probability of kareoke is definitely high.
She'd sit next to me, because she'd have the right idea and sit right by the wine and the music! Soul sisters, we just get each other.

Thirdly, there would be Haley over at: http://haleyspace.blogspot.com/.... 

(now there would be a Brit, an American and a Canadian! Faaaaaaabulous intercontinental friendships!).
Haley and I have been in touch for a long time now. It started via leaving sweet little comments on each others blogs, as one does.. but then we decided to step it up and begin writing letters.
If we lived in the same country, I have no doubt that her and I would be great friends.
She's just wonderful. Her writing is funny, real and open. She doesn't sprinkle things with unnecessary icing to make it seem fancy and admirable... and that makes her admirable! She's got a beautiful little daughter and a stunning husband and together they go through life, learning and living and sharing and I just absolutely adore her.
She would sit on the other side of me because she, I feel, would be the third muskateer when it comes to the wine and dancing along with Whitney and I!


Fourth, Tina has got to be next, over at: http://tickledpinkwoman.blogspot.com/.

To me, Tina is just such a glamourous, incredible woman and I think all of us could learn from her. In the absolute best sense, I feel she is like the mother-hen of my little Blogging friendships. She is SO insanely stylish. She is so brilliant at writing - she keeps beautiful journals and I just hope to be half of the woman she is today one day.

I feel Tina would have to be sitting at the other end of the head of the table. Like a blogging queen should!

Fifth would be Leanne from: http://arumlilea.blogspot.com/

is next, simply because she's a fellow South African and it would be amazing to meet and get in touch with other bloggers from my part of the globe.
Sadly, I hardly know ANY South African's that care about writing, blogging and fashion as much as us.... it makes me see South African's differently in general. Our Christmas times and Halloweens etc are so un-festive... it's heart-wrenching!!

So here's to her, for being unique! And for having one of the most amazing fashion senses (and hair!) I know. She's a fresh breath of South African air!


Sixth is Sonia, next to be invited to my little dinner party shindig: http://www.daringcoco.com/

Purely for the fact that she leaves me the most beeeeeeeautiful long comments on every single blog post I have. You know when you can just TELL someone has read absolutely everything you write? She is just so genuine. A beautiful soul and someone that I'd feel privileged to call a friend.


Seventh: Sylvia you can find here: http://www.spanishmuse.com/

She's another absolute fashion icon of mine.

A stunning Mexican girl living in LA, who speaks fluent Spanish. She's SOOO exotic and quite a foodie too. She's such a sweetie, so down-to-earth and charasmatic. I'd be so excited if she were to attend my shindig.

Eighth would be Dayna: http://www.princessburlap.com/

 I'd say that in most friendships groups, you'd always find the one that is far more emotionally, spiritually and mentally connected than everyone else - and I mean that in the absolute best way. 

I find Dayna fascinating and beautiful. She writes incredibly. She is whimsical, quirky and different. I think she'd add an entire different element to the party, bringing in an undeniably hilarious sense of humor combined with this ability to make you shudder and get goosebumps from her raw and real demeanor. I just love her (in a non freaky way).

She's the person you'd learn things from. Every little thing she says would be taken into consideration; and every little thing is so wise and true. 


Nine is Pooja, all the way from India: http://www.beingbeautifulandpretty.com/

Pooja is such a sweetie. She's so chic and fabulous. Her style is out of this world and she's just wonderful to everyone that stops by her blog. She really is a true friend. The dinner wouldn't be the same without her.

Ten is Lia: http://fashionhappenss.blogspot.sk/

She is stunning. Not only does she show us her amazing style - but also some really great DIY tricks! This lady has lots up her sleeves and I'd be so excited to get to know her too. 


Eleven has got to be Lisa-Jade:  http://voodoochildlaw.blogspot.com/

She is another fellow South African, with an absolutely fabulous sense of humor and so down to earth. She's family orientated, sweet, funny, kind - pretty much everything you could hope for in a friend! She's just great and has touched my heart a number of times since we've been connected via the blogging world.

She's the sort of person that has a smile that lights up the room. She's happy and loving and the sort of person you really want in your life - because she's bound to be loyal and there for you through thick and thin.

Twelve had to be June: http://www.junewantsitall.com/

June brings a little something different to the proverbial table. She lends a helping hand to us, with all these great little blogging tips and advice... how to make our blogs better! Above that, she also great at just sharing her experiences with us. She has this incredible way of making you feel like you were right there with her when she was out to dinner and she is showing us photographs and describing the food.
She's just so diverse and interesting. Every time that I wander over to her lovely blog, I'm pleasantly surprised. There's always something new and different to be seen.

Lucky number Thirteen is Corinne: www.skinnedcartree.com

From blogging tips to a guaranteed laugh, you have to have Corinne in your life.
I find her inspiring. She is confident, funny, real and true to herself. She is stylish and quirky and just full of life.

I find it impossible to visit her site without leaving with a smile on my face and some chuckles in my pocket.

Fourteen is the fiery redhead Laura: http://laurathinksabout.blogspot.co.uk/

This glamorous Londoner with the envious hairstyle is just marvelous.
You can just tell how much she loves life and the experiences that it throws her way.
She is so relate-able and gorgeous... chatting about everything from after payday wishlists (we all have them!), fashion, product reviews, all the way to serious topics such as bullying and the hardships we all face.

Fifteen is the stunning Jessica: http://sweetloveandginger.blogspot.com/

Pre-warning: do NOT visit her blog if you are hungry. She's a wonderful foodie from the North-East. She shares it all, from amazing recipes, inspiring quotes, DIY, Gardening. . . Once again, she's someone who you just couldn't possibly get bored around. There would just be SO much to share and learn!

She'd have to sit right in the middle - so we can all be enthralled by her!


Sixteen is the lovely Mingaile: http://www.minsbeautyequipment.com/

She's the beauty product queen in  my eyes - as well as sharing incredible facts about the horrors of what women have gone through for anti-aging. She offers amazing alternatives to that of botox and fillers.. but discusses these scary thoughts well.
She writes for the every day regular woman - not glam celebs or picture-perfect supermodels. Just us - and she makes us feel like that's enough.

Last but not least, the Seventeenth person at my dinner table would be Meghan:  meghansilva.blogspot.com

This shoe and fashion crazy South African (another one!) describes herself as a girly girl with a twist. God.. why does it seem like I'm suddenly doing an online bloody dating post!? haha

OK.. Meghan is so wonderful and sweet... plus Man-United is her football team, so I just know we'd be fantastic friends!
She has fantastic photography skills, her instagram is amazing! She's just the whole package.

That's quite a full table as it is!

I've been so lucky to meet (electronically, of course,) the above ladies, as well as many others of you too! My hope is that my little dinner party list just keeps on growing - although if that happens I may just need to hire a hall!

Ah well, C'est la Vie!


Who would you invite along to your blogging dinner party?
I'd love to know! The great thing about this is that it's such a fun way to also be introduced to bloggers around the world - the above are the ones that have really stood out to me.... so I hope that you find as much joy in their blogs as I clearly do!

Change is as Good as a Holiday

Last night, after copious amounts of red wine - I dyed my hair (and half of my face...), black.

After rinsing it out and looking catastrophically like this:

I hauled out the hair-dryer and GHD to get it looking somewhat normal. 

Then this morning, going along with my new found craze with all things red... I put on my brand new Oasis shirt and posed for a selfie. Lame in all senses of the word . . . but thought I'd just share my little home dye job with you all. 

Not too shabby if you ask me... 

I'll be taking myself out on the town tonight to flaunt it and have a laugh with some friends. 

 

Tomorrow or later in the week there may very well be a slightly more 'Carrie Bradshaw' post. A fashionable writers memoir of her week in a tiny little town, filled with wine, the occasional salad to try and keep up a healthy appearance in public when in reality I'll hide behind closed doors and scoff my face with pastries and Pringles... Lucky Strike cigarettes (me!? No. Never....), season 1 of Calafornication, an endless supply of divine bath bombs, books for days, Whackhead Simpson (a prank caller on a popular South African radio station,) who has been making my days worthwhile whilst driving to and from work (he's the funniest man to have ever graced the planet. No lies...), spending as much time as humanly possible on my surf board and paddling out into the beauts of waves that have been rolling in lately, sitting in local pubs reading books and meeting people and getting merry on beer... 

That, ladies and gentleman, right now, is my little life. It's not half bad, either.

Hope you're all having a fabulous Tuesday, too... and keeping up the sunny.

Confessions

I’ve got a confession to make to you all.

Lately I’ve been developing this big fear that my blog is getting increasingly boring. I just don’t have as much to say as I once did. This is because I now save an entire half of my salary away each month. I used to save a lot less, which enabled me to buy a whole bunch of materialistic bullshit that I never actually needed and now I’m kicking myself for it.

I mean, I bought myself a brand spanking new MacBook Pro which I’ll be paying off for the next two bloody years yet all I have done is open the ‘Pages’ application and begin writing a new novel. Granted, it looks sexy as hell, but did I really need such a snazzy ass laptop in order to write a book? No. No I didn’t. It may seems glamorous and comforting to have such luxuries, but my other little laptop wasn't bad for what I actually use a laptop for.

We all make mistakes when it comes to our money and sometimes we decide to spoil ourselves with something to make ourselves feel good. That’s fine – that’s normal. But now I have seen the bigger picture. The faster I save up, the quicker I’ll be able to hop back on-board an aircraft (hopefully one that actually lands up to wherever it needs to go!) and jet off overseas.

It was a big decision to make because after splitting my salary in half plus then still needing to pay all of my bills, there is close to zilch left to play with at the end of the day. This could in theory start to make my already rapidly diminishing blog a complete and hopeless mess.

All along, I’ve been known as the free-spirited and exciting blogger filled with life and fun – but I think this blog is heading for a big change in that department now as I won’t be getting out much until I eventually reach my travel goals. As soon as that happens of course, I’ll be back to the old me! But for the meantime, I think if I have any hope of keeping this here blog running to some extent, it is going to have to adopt a new ‘style.’

From now on, it will probably based on book reviews and movie reviews… and the occasional whimsical thought that inspires me that I decide to share with you. I'll throw in some recipes and vlogs here and there should I have anything worthwhile to share - but just know it is heading for a big change.

Sadly, this blog is going to be about the South African version of bloody Sleeping Beauty. I’ll be locked up in my bloody tower, waiting for the day I can finally be set free.

Seriously, the highlight of my week will be plopping a bath bomb (can you believe I've only just discovered them!?!?) in the tub and enjoying a candlelit aromatic soak while reading a book.

It isn't exactly the most endearing and exotic life of a mid-twenties woman with a supposedly popular blog - but I am working on it. Nothing in life comes easy - and if I put enough hard work, passion and dedication into achieving my goals right now (AKA traveling the world,) then I have no doubt that one fine day 'Bohemian Muses' will be back up and running as its former self. 

Until then, you'll just have to excuse my random and sporadic blog posts - but know that I will not be abandoning your blogs. I'll still read them regularly and stay in touch, try my best to pry some inspiration from you guys! We all need a boost in that department occasionally and right now, that's where I'm at.

 

That, my friends, above, is my ever-growing reading list, in which I plan on writing book reviews on every single one. It really is high time that I invested in an actual book shelf, as these are just the ones that I have yet to read. My room is absolutely scattered with books, on the floor, on the desks, on my bed... in pretty much every nook and cranny I can find. I cannot bring myself to give books away after devouring them (unless they are really shitty,) I just love keeping my sentimental reads regardless of if I'd ever actually read them again. 

Alrighty... I guess on that note it is time to sign off for now. 

Have a fabulous week guys - and don't worry, I'm sure I'll be out of this little rut soon. 

Very soon, in fact. 

Ian and Nikki

Now, I'm not normally one for gossip... I actually can't even remember the last time I picked up a magazine and checked out what was happening in the world of Hollywood (seriously, I'm so far behind and to be honest, I couldn't care less!). 

But - I think that the majority of the female species have had their hearts crushed recently: 

Our much loved Ian Somerhalder, the disgustingly attractive bad boy from Vampire Diaries, has gone and found himself a new girlfriend after the recent split with co-star, Nina Dobrev. 

Seems like my Saturday night perf-fest, Ian, has a type! And that suits me just fine. Let's hear it for all the tanned, brunette's of the world! 

There's definitely an uncanny resemblance between old queen B and new, Nikki Reed on the scene.
Dark hair, bronzed skin, chocolate eyes...: 

But seriously, who even really cares whose dating who in Hollywood anyway??? It isn't interesting at all! Whatever you see on the television isn't actually real! At the end of the day, these people are just normal souls too and they deserve to date whom they choose, when they choose- and they deserve to be left alone.

I wish them the very best and a happy future together - and I'm sure Nina won't have a problem moving on either. 

But... just for the record. I for one think Nikki is a far better actress than Nina! Ooops,,,,, did I really just say that? 

As for me? I barely felt a sting from this new blossoming relationship between two Hollywood stars because I am far too busy being smitten with somebody else right now. 

Yip. 

That's right. 

So long Saturday night perv-fests accompanied by wine and Pringles as I drool hopelessly over Ian Somerhalder. 

This old girls gone and found herself a match of her own! It's early days... so I don't want to jinx anything just yet but what's important to know is that I'm happy - and not just because of my own blossoming love life. Generally I just feel happier and better about everything lately.

I appear to have found the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.