Work

In between planning the next place I want to travel to, I sometimes have to go to work. The show I work on is...well, it's spectacular. It's like nothing I've ever worked on before.

For those who don't know me, I work in Costume. The absolute most basic description of my job that I can come up with is "I put clothes on people very quickly, and then I take them off again, also very quickly". Obviously it involves a lot more than that, there's a lot of maintenance, repair, organisation, and flat out sprinting, but for anyone new to theatre and costume, that's the bottom line.

I didn't consider costume as a career until I left university with a degree in music. I genuinely wanted a career in the music industry when I left school, but by the end of university I had lost the love. It taught me a lot and I wouldn't change my degree for the world, but I realised theatre was my true calling. I worked as an usher then wrangled my way in backstage, did bits and pieces of dressing, LX, crew work, took some classes in costume and sewing, then found myself in London. I worked for a couple of years on West End shows, meeting some of the most amazing people and learning a lot. And now I'm 7000 miles away, working for the circus, something that at one stage I never thought possible!

With another costume lady, and a fellow Manc!

"I'd like to accept this award for most awesome costume department on behalf of...wait, what do you mean it's not mine?"
At the Asian Film Awards

Things you see in the costume workshop...

Hong Kong

Hong Kong describes itself as "Asias World City" and I understand why. To be in Hong Kong feels familiar and foreign at the same time. It's a beautiful city, full of culture, art, money and business. I have made many trips to Hong Kong, and I'm sure there are many to come. It's an amazing tourist destination, with The Peak, Giant Buddha, and harbour tour topping my list of personal favourites. I will be making a lot of Hong Kong based posts in the future!

Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong skyline

Bangkok

Considering Hong Kong is only an hours ferry ride away from Macau, it would seem to be a natural starting point in my adventures. But I don't think like that. So, of course, the first trip I took was to Bangkok.

All I can say about Bangkok is: go there. Go there now. Drop what you're doing, and go. It's an incredible city, full of interesting people, wonderful sights, sounds and smells, amazing food, history...

View over Bangkok

The Reclining Buddha

Buddhas at Wat Pho

Life in Macau

I hated Macau when I first got here. Hated hated hated it. I was sat in my hotel room thinking why the fuck was this a good idea? Then one day, a couple of weeks in, I forgot that feeling completely. I don't know what changed, perhaps the jetlag was gone, I made friends, work was fun, and I came to the conclusion: Macau is awesome. It's tiny, crowded, people stare at my red hair and pasty skin, and I can't walk to the supermarket without bumping into approximately 18 people that I know. But it's awesome.

Incense burning in a temple, Old Taipa

Ruins of St. Paul's

The beach at Cheoc Van, Coloane, in the South of Macau

Introduction

At the start of 2013 I moved from the UK to Macau to work for the circus.

That in itself is a ridiculous thing. I had just moved into a new flat in Finchley, North London. I was working in the West End, and I was having fun. I applied for the Macau job thinking nothing would come of it. Months went by, then I got an email asking if I was still interested. Then I had an interview. And a job offer. I called my best friend in a panic and she told me what I needed to hear: "Why are you calling me? Of course you're going to take the job. Idiot." So I thought Right, ok, fuck it, let's move to China! And I did.

It seems like most of my friends are making babies, having weddings and buying houses, which sounds like my own personal idea of hell but good for them. I'm not being sarcastic, everyone finds happiness in different ways. So here I am, in South East Asia, working, travelling, living, and taking photos of all of the things.

Chinese New Year celebrations, 2013