From skiing in Tekapo, NZ to South Africa, China and the USA… 2023 was an unprecedented year of travel for the Godwin-George family. As a New Zealand-based brand, we have a deep appreciation for all things natural, and there’s nothing like globetrotting to underline the fantastic qualities of silk for travel (and other adventures).
First stop; Lake Tekapo and Roundhill ski fields with the family.
Skiing has been off the radar for the last few years, so it’s been a long time since we took to the slopes. But from my perspective not much beats the joy of swooping down a freezing cold mountain, barely in control, and swooshing to a stop! I have a real affinity with mountainous environments, and at Roundhill we had the added beauty of the glorious Lake Tekapo laid out before us. I’m also a fan of the traditional après-ski refreshments and our daughter, Abigail, took advantage of the open fire in our little rental by toasting her way through an entire packet of marshmallows over the week! And unsurprisingly we all loved the light, fine layers of silk under our ski gear keeping us beautifully warm but still free to move.
Next… South Africa.
As a Capetonian Darryl was nervous about taking his “naïve kiwi girls” to the wilds of Africa. But the strong pull of family and friends won him over, and we were lucky enough to have three wonderful weeks interspersing family gatherings with outdoor fun. We loved swimming with Cape Penguins off the coast, enjoyed sea-kayaking with dolphins and otter, and were enthralled with the views from the top of Table Mountain.
We capped off our time in Africa with an incredible 4-day safari in Botswana where the 39C degree heat was a challenge – thank heavens we had our silk with maximum breathability and odour-resistance!
For work; China.
As you may know from my previous blogs, we source our silk from China, the leading producer of the premium-quality fibres from which we developed our proprietary fabrics, and the superb styles you know and love. I love visiting our Chinese team and am continually in awe of the way they take the ancient craft of spinning silk and transform it into our beautiful garments.
Here I delved once again into the manufacturing intricacies and strengthened ties with our production team. The business of silk is truly built on deep tradition and collaboration!
The end; USA
As I write this, I am fortunate to be finishing 2023 in Seattle, Washington.
For us, the primary joy of the Christmas and New Year period is the way it brings friends and family together. It’s been a long time since we have shared this time with my US-based brother, but this year we travelled to him and embraced all the trappings of a northern hemisphere Christmas that the USA does so well.
Somehow, fairy lights seem to sparkle more brightly when the day is dark and the air is cold, and we've been entranced by the sight of numerous houses stunningly dressed in their Christmas lights. One of our most beautiful days saw us on a gorgeous drive through a mountain pass where the fir trees were dusted and the ground was covered in snow. A true winter wonderland.
And once again, we are grateful for our Silkbody underlayers, and toasty fingers and toes thanks to our Liner Socks and Gloves!
As so many of you know, silk, with its luxurious touch and lightweight feel, is the very best travel companion no matter what (or where) your adventure. From our scorching days in Botswana and South Africa, to the cold of Christmas in the USA, we were grateful to be able to layer up and down in style. Packing our Silkbody meant that staying comfortable throughout all our travels didn’t require lugging around copious quantities of luggage, so for your 2024 adventures I can highly recommend it.
Cheers to the journey, the people, and luxurious silk binding us together!
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