Portia

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Hello Australian Perfume Junkies and friends, So glad to have you drop by Scent Diary. Grab a cuppa or beverage of choice, sit back and check what has happened, been eaten, spritzed and seen in our lives in Sydney, Australia.

At then end please leave us some comments. What or who did you see, do, eat with. Did you spritz, purchase, have arrivals or finish a sample? What’s happening in your world? If you’re writing or reading opinions, we can disagree but keep it nice and try not to give or take offense. Right now the world needs a web of friendships and connection more than ever. We all have perfume and each other in common. That’s a whole lot.

Scent Diary 9.11-15.11.2026

Monday

Woke up early. Mum, Dad, Jin and I wandered the street food markets. Grabbed breakfast and brought it home to Emo. Sorry, I was a bit groggy and took no photos.

Sisley Eau de Campagne

The whole family headed out towards the ICONSIAM mall. Emo (lit: mother’s sister) loves to go posh mall shopping. We hit Bacha Moroccan Coffee and it was delicious. I drank my pot dry and then had internal mental bouncing off the walls.

They had Malatang soups for lunch but I was WAY too caffeinated and declined.

Then we headed into Hermes and yet again I had Paddock on the left and Violet Volinka on the right. One day I’ll decide and lay down the money.

After the mall we jumped a ferry and the train.

Came home Had a swim and relaxed.

Up again and off to the 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐨𝐤 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐞 rooftop bar Yao. Jin remembered he is a member of the Marriott group and so he rang and booked us a front row, sunset viewing table with just an hours notice. We arrived and it was the best table in the house. He also got 10% discount on everything. What a freaking hero.

it was so spectacular I couldn’t stop taking photos. Sorry.

These are in order. The light just changed every minute and went light and dark. It was awesome.

we then went to the night markets. They were fun but MUCH tamer than I remember from my party years here in Bangkok.

Home, shower, bed

Tuesday

Up and Jin, Mum, Dad and I headed out to get breakfast for the crew.

Cleaned up and packed our bags.

Le Galion Eau Folle

Jin, Aunty and I went to visit the Central Park. It was hot but lovely. Sat around watching crows and water monitors doing their thing. Beautiful in the shade.

We went back to Tumi. I wanted to say goodbye to the bag, Jin bought it for me. My 15 year anniversary present. So cool. I gave him my Mums aquamarine. It’s really gorgeous and set in gold. He wears it on his first SIL memorial chain, with a diamond and gold eye I also gave him.

Home. Jin and I swam for a while.

Lunch at the Korean across the road.

Lazed

We all headed for the airport in Bangkok. Traffic was bedlam.

Tom Ford Black Orchid at Duty Free

When we arrived and got our tickets we found that Jin and I had been separated by nearly ten rows. We went to the counter at our gate where we would be boarded and asked the Vietnam Airways guy if there was anything he could do. Both Jin and I were expecting a full negative but he smiled, made a phone call and gave us new tickets. We were extremely grateful and he looked really chuffed. When we sat down I noticed that he’d put us into row 11, quietly I said to Jin that he’d put us into Premium Economy. I wasn’t 100% sure but row 11 is usually PE.

We got to our seats and YAY!

Back to Busan.

Wednesday

Today was back to the Implant Dentist. They pulled out another tooth (on the other side) and removed my stitches from last week. All healing nicely.

Dinner with Mum and Dad. Obviously I was not eating, just some yoghurt.

Thursday

Jin and I had an early morning bathhouse. I wasn’t allowed to have a sauna or sit in the very hot or cold baths. Just a quick shower and a dip in the boat temp bath.

Sisley Eau de Campagne

Then we wandered the streets around his Mum and Dad’s apartment complex.

I think there are about 30 of these buildings in the precinct. The streets next to it have shops, restaurants, healthcare, banks and businesses,

Mum and Dad have a fabulous view over the river and countryside. I love how South Korea has these enclaves of high rise living, community greenspace and then farming all joined together. You can see the white walking track? It’s full of different obstacles to help the elderly (and the young) develop their balance and fitness. There are also lots of low key machines for them to do exercise onboarding as well. They know that prevention is better than cure and do everything they can to keep the aged functioning.

Jin and I headed up to Seoul.

This photo hardly captures the beauty of the pink and grey clouds. It was all very Christian Dior.

Annoyingly, our plane was rerouted to some shitty little airport but we were flying out from Incheon Airport at sparrows fart next morning.

The trains were so busy from the airport that we couldn’t get ourselves and baggage on. Jin had a brilliant idea. Catch the express train to Seoul Station, then to Incheon Airport. That way we could overnight all the baggage except our backpacks, wash, sleep and get back on the first hotel bus. Once back we could collect our baggage, drop it at the counter and head through customs. FABULOUS.

At Seoul Station Jin grabbed some yoghurt filled mochi from another company. It was freaking gorgeous, maybe even better than the famous one.

So our hotel bus was going to be another hour. Fortunately this was not our first rodeo. Having usually stayed in the Grand Hyatt we knew that their buses go right next door every 15 minutes, so we jumped in one. Woo Hoo! Short stroll to our hotel.

On the way we grabbed dinner in a Korean Fried Chicken place that we always hit. The food is good, woman who owns it always friendly, just around the corner.

We stayed in a Best Western, super near the airport. It was so comfortable and cheap as chips. Slept like dead people.

Friday

Up so freaking EARLY! O M G! This hurt. I’m still drugged to the eyeballs because of having my tooth extracted and navigating the world after heavy sleep was very difficult. Poor Jin was eye rolling for Jesus.

It was frosty cold too and there was a fairly spectacular thunder storm as we headed to the airport.

Everything worked as close to clockwork as possible. Being Morning Calm meant almost zero queuing for bag drop, Zone 1 boarding and a lovely easy adventure. Funny, because we were flying right up the back of the plane. The staff were looking at us as ifs, Why are you sitting back here if you’re on the plane with the First Classers. HA! Because we are actually not rich-rich.

Gave myself some hefty sprays of modern CHANEL No 19 EdT in Duty Free. Perfect flying fragrance.

Look at that sky. It was very atmospheric out there.

By the time we hit altitude it was glorious.

Home in the evening.

I headed out quickly to get us some supplies at the supermarket.

While I was gone Jin unpacked his bag, put everything in the appropriate baskets in the laundry and went to bed. When I got home we spent about 30 minutes chatting and then he had to sleep because he was off to work for 5am tomorrow.

I stayed up doing a few laundry loads and watching Xmas films.

Neela Vermeire Creations Rahele. SO GOOD TO BE HOME.

Saturday

I slept until 10am. Yes, utterly disgusting. I know. It was heavenly. Back in my own bed.

ZARA Vetiver Pamplemousse

Today was completely taken up with laundry, watering and caring for our plants, going to the supermarket to do a big shop.

My lunch was 1.5 x Ham Salad on Dark Rye bread. The most delicious thing.

Spent the afternoon getting Rissoles, Potato Salad and Carrot, Mint and Orange Salad made so that when Jin arrived home after working 12 hours and driving each way he’d have the shortest possible wait time before dinner was in front of him.

We ate, watched a very little TV and then Jin hit the hay. That man is completely bushed. Tomorrow is his only day off this week because there’s so much to catch up on.

Jacques Fath Velours Boisé

I watched Me Before You. How have I never seen this lovely, lovely film.

Sunday

Sleep in

Jil Sander No 4 from Surrender To Chance decant

Lazy day. Getting the house together. Jin and I went shopping to the nearby Korean supermarket. Lunch.

Phil; dropped in for a coffee.

BATH TIME! Boy have I missed the tub.

Boucheron Jaipur Homme

 

Now it’s your turn. Please tell us something you did, spritzed, ate, wore, bought or finished. Maybe you saw a friend, a show, an exhibition. Maybe you got through the week without having to bury a body. Whatever, please share something with us.

I read and respond to every comment. C’mon, let’s chat.
Portia xx