Hanmer + Kaikoura

Hanmer Springs is one of my favourite places. It has happy, almost christmas-y vibes, and amazing views from everywhere in the town. I take every opportunity I can to head up there, whether its just going to the pools for a day, or staying for the weekend. We wanted to show our exchange student some more of New Zealand, so we skipped a few days of school, last week and stayed at a holiday home in Hanmer Springs Village for the weekend. (These photos are a collection from my whole family - some are taken of phones, some on cameras)

We arrived Thursday evening, settled in to our little chalet, and started making plans for the following day. I'm naturally an early riser, so I woke up in time to see the sunrise and take some snaps of the surroundings.

Expecting rain in the afternoon we tried to fit in as much as possible in the morning, starting with a walk up conical hill.

We made it to the top despite the very muddy track, and were rewarded with amazing views of the town and snowy mountains. The weather was far better than we imagined, lovely and warm.

I, as per usual, made everyone take photos of me.

The rest of the day was spent exploring town and at the pools. Because we were showing our student around we got to do a lot of tourist activities we would normally skip like mini golf and limo cruiser rides. I didn't take many photos for the rest of the trip as I started to feel quite sick and decided to relax.

The next day we packed up and headed to Kaikoura. I have driven through Kaikoura on my way to Marlborough Sounds, but have never stayed, so the only thing I knew about Kaikoura is that you can go whale watching (which is on my bucket list). I had no idea it was so beautiful. The snow-capped mountains and rocky beaches were absolutely stunning, along with the Kaikoura Peninsula, which we explored for a few hours that afternoon.

The weather turned just as we were heading back to the car, so we spent the rest of the evening in the motel room and I had an early night, still feeling quite sick.

The next morning was fairly slow, we were in no rush to head back. Breakfast was at the Beach House Cafe, which was a bit of a treat for our last day. We had a lot of stops on the drive home due to the road works, and spent a lot of time enjoying the stone beaches.

The trip couldn't have come at a better time, I normally feel quite stressed and unmotivated at this time of year, stuck in a winter slump. But I've come back refreshed and ready for my exam study. Luckily for me we have a few more trips planned while we still have our student, so there's no chance of me becoming completely overwhelmed!

Amesmames xx

Popflex Activewear

Popflex is an active wear brand created by youtube, pilates instructor Cassey Ho, also known as Blogilates. I've been following Cassey on social media ever since I first got into pop pilates two years ago. I'm obsessed with the positive attitude and message she spreads.
Cassey came out with her first range in popflex in January last year and since then has had two more releases. They are all stunningly beautiful and creative.

I was lucky enough to win a $100 voucher for the online popflex store on an instagram giveaway, and went on a mini spree. I only bought 3 items, and so far am impressed with the beauty and quality.

I went in with a game plan, one bra, one pair of leggings, and one top. I didn't quite stick to it, swapping a top for shorts, but I am very proud of myself for not spending any extra money. The wishing star capri's were a must for me. As soon as I saw the sheer paneling and criss-cross pattern around the calf I was a goner. I decided to be brave and go for the dark bloom pattern instead my preferred plain black, which I do not regret. The pattern is gorgeous, but I expected nothing less from Cassey Ho. I had a little bit of trouble ordering these leggings. When they first arrived they were too small and I had to send them all the way back to America to exchange for a bigger size. The fit of the next size up was far better. The quality of these leggings is insane; they are incredibly stretchy and slimming, the fabric doesn't go sheer when stretched, and the material is super soft. The only down side for me is they tend to slip down when doing more intense activities. They work very well for pilates.

Once again I was a little bit brave, purchasing the fly away run shorts in the dark bloom pattern. These are also beautiful. The fabric layers sheer, and opaque in a butterfly wing-like style. On the website they recommend wearing booty shorts underneath, which I think is definitely necessary as the shorts are very loose.

Last, but definitely not least, the set the bar bra in night. This is my favourite item out of the three. One thing Cassey stressed was how hard her team had worked to produce the bra cups for all her sports bras. I wasn't confident that the bra would be as good as she said. When I put the bra on, though, I nearly cried. The support of this bra is AMAZING! No matter what crazy moves I do my boobs are kept in place, barely bouncing at all. I am a very happy customer. If you would like to see the bra in action check out my Instagram.

I am pretty stoked with the quality and beauty of each of these items. I'm already planning my next wee haul. I'd love to know what you think of the popflex activewear if you've tried any.

Amesmames xx