15 Years of Blogging…and What a Journey It Has Been❤️

Fifteen years.

Saying that out loud feels surreal.

What started as a simple blog back in September 2011 has become one of the most meaningful journeys of my life. When I published that very first post, I never imagined that years later I would still be here, writing, sharing, learning, connecting and growing alongside so many incredible people.

Over the years, Nepaliaustralian has grown far beyond what I ever dreamed possible. It has become a collection of memories, celebrations, travel stories, food adventures, cultural traditions, motherhood moments, life lessons, challenges, achievements and everything in between. It has documented so many chapters of my life that sometimes it feels like opening a digital diary and reliving moments I had forgotten.

Through this platform I have celebrated love, marriage, family, friendships, motherhood, festivals, travel adventures and countless everyday moments that make life beautiful. More importantly, I have met some truly amazing people from all around the world. Many of you started as readers and over the years have become friends.

When I began blogging, social media was very different. Blogging was my main way of sharing stories and connecting with people. Today, the digital world has evolved, and so have I.

Alongside the blog, I now enjoy connecting with many of you through Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Whether it’s a quick reel, a travel photo, a festival celebration, a food recommendation or a simple life update, I love that we can continue sharing these moments together across different platforms. Every comment, message, share, like and conversation reminds me how connected we all are, even when we’re living in different parts of the world.

What makes me happiest is knowing that something I wrote resonated with someone. Perhaps a story made you smile, a recipe reminded you of home, a travel guide helped you plan a trip, a festival post connected you with your culture, or a personal story made you feel a little less alone. Those messages have meant more to me than you could ever know.

Looking back, there have been hundreds of posts, thousands of comments, countless conversations and memories that I will treasure forever. But the real achievement isn’t the numbers. It’s the community that has grown around this little corner of the internet.

To everyone who has read a post, left a comment, shared a story, sent a message, followed along on social media, or simply stopped by to see what I was up to… thank you.

Thank you for your kindness.

Thank you for your encouragement.

Thank you for your friendship.

Thank you for walking this journey with me.

Fifteen years later, I’m still as grateful, curious and excited as I was when I wrote that very first post. The platforms may change, the technology may evolve, but storytelling and human connection will always remain at the heart of why I do this.

Here’s to the memories we’ve created, the friendships we’ve built, and all the stories still waiting to be told.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the love and support over the last 15 years. ❤️

With gratitude,

M from Nepaliaustralian

Stepping Back in Time at Port Arthur

Our visit to the Port Arthur Historic Site was like stepping back into another era. Located about 1.5 hours from Hobart, this World Heritage-listed site is one of the most significant and well-preserved convict settlements in Australia, and we spent the whole day exploring it as a family.

After getting our entry tickets at the visitor centre, the first thing we did was hop on the complimentary harbour cruise. The short ferry ride offers a scenic view of the site from the water and passes by the Isle of the Dead and Point Puer – both historically important places. The commentary on board was fascinating and gave us a good overview of the people who lived and died there.

With the map in hand, we followed the suggested walking route around the site, exploring the many different areas. Each stop had a story – from the Penitentiary and the Separate Prison to the Guard Tower and the Commandant’s House. We learned how Port Arthur was designed as a model of reform rather than punishment, and how it aimed to shape convicts into better citizens through discipline, religion, and hard work.

The penitentiary was one of the most impressive buildings – once a flour mill, it was later converted into a prison for hundreds of convicts. Standing in its ruins gave us chills, knowing how much history those walls had seen. The Separate Prison was even more intense – with its silent system of isolation, it showed a whole different approach to discipline. The kids were wide-eyed walking through the small cells and solitary chapel, asking lots of questions.

We also visited the asylum, which helped us understand how mental illness was dealt with in the 1800s, and the hospital, which cared for injured and sick convicts. The kids were both curious and empathetic as they learned how harsh life was back then.

There were peaceful moments too – walking through the Commandant’s Garden and sitting by the water made for nice breaks during the day. But one of the most memorable parts of the day was our final stop at the church ruins. By then, the kids were tired but still asking thoughtful questions. The church, built by convicts, was never consecrated but played an important role in the reform system. Its tall walls and open space were a beautiful yet sobering reminder of the lives that passed through here.

This site is more than just old buildings – it’s a place full of human stories. The kids learned so much, and we were grateful for the hands-on experiences and detailed signage throughout the site. There’s also a café, toilets, shaded areas, and plenty of spots to rest, which made it very family-friendly.

Port Arthur was one of the most meaningful and educational stops on our Tassie trip. It helped us connect with Australia’s past in a way that was engaging, thoughtful, and truly memorable for all of us.

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Take care,

M from Nepaliaustralian
XOXO

Port Arthur Gallery

We recently visited the historic Port Arthur site and started our day at the Port Arthur Gallery before exploring the grounds — and honestly, I’m so glad we did.

After getting our tickets at the visitor centre, we headed into the gallery first to get a bit of background before seeing the historic buildings and ruins in person.

I really loved how the gallery was set up. It wasn’t just reading lots of information on walls. There were interactive displays, old artefacts, videos and sounds that made the history feel much more real. Even the kids were genuinely interested and kept stopping to look at things and ask questions.

One of our favourite parts was the Port Arthur card game. Each of us received a playing card with our ticket, and inside the gallery we could find the historical person connected to our card and learn their story. The kids absolutely loved this! It made history feel more personal and gave them someone to connect with rather than just looking at dates and facts.

They also enjoyed exploring the old prison displays, looking at the uniforms, tools and personal belongings from the 1800s. There was so much to see and talk about that we ended up spending quite a bit of time there.

When we finally headed outside to explore Port Arthur itself, everything we saw felt different because we already knew some of the stories behind the buildings and the people who had been there.

For our family, starting with the gallery really added another layer to the whole Port Arthur experience. If you’re visiting with kids, I’d definitely recommend giving yourself some time there first — it makes the history much easier to understand and so much more engaging. ❤️

Please follow me on Instagram! and Please follow me on TikTok to stay updated on my adventures.

Take care,

M from Nepaliaustralian
XOXO

Teej Celebration

Recently celebrating Teej with my beautiful friends and family ❤️🌸

Teej is a special Hindu festival traditionally celebrated by women with fasting, prayers, dancing, dressing up in beautiful traditional outfits and coming together in sisterhood. As a Newar, I don’t traditionally observe the Teej fast, but I still love being part of the celebration. For me, Teej is less about fasting and more about celebrating together, enjoying our traditions, spending time with the women in our lives and simply having fun. ❤️

This Teej felt even more special because Mum is here with us right now. 🥰 Having her close by and being able to celebrate, laugh, eat and enjoy these moments together means so much to me. There’s something really comforting and special about having your mum around, especially when you get to share little celebrations and create memories together. ❤️

And of course, we had the full Teej experience — delicious food, beautiful traditional outfits, lots of laughter, endless dancing and so many TikTok videos! 😂💃 Once the music started, there was no stopping us! From dancing together to capturing silly videos and enjoying every moment, it was one of those evenings that reminds me how lucky I am to have such wonderful people around me.

I love how celebrations like Teej bring everyone together. It’s a beautiful reminder of friendship, family, sisterhood, culture and the joy of simply being together. Whether you fast or not, there is something so special about dressing up, sharing good food, dancing your heart out and making memories with the people you love. 🌺

Feeling grateful for Mum being here, for my beautiful friends and family and for all the laughter and memories we continue to make together. ❤️

Happy Teej! 🌸💃 Here’s to sisterhood, friendship, family, good food and lots of dancing! 🥰

Please follow me on Instagram! and Please follow me on TikTok to stay updated on my adventures.

Take care,

M from Nepaliaustralian
XOXO

Sushant KC Live in Sydney 🎶

It had been such a long time since hubby and I went to a concert together, so when we got the chance to see Sushant KC live in Sydney, we were both really looking forward to a night of music, just the two of us.

Sushant KC’s Sydney concert was held at The Crescent in Parramatta Park as part of his Pahuna Australia Tour. It was an open-air concert, which sounded lovely when we first planned it – music, a Sydney evening and an outdoor setting. But on the day, I started getting a little nervous about the weather. It had rained earlier in the afternoon, and I kept wondering whether the evening was going to turn into one of those nights where you spend more time worrying about the weather than enjoying the concert! 😄

Thankfully, my worries didn’t last long.

Once we arrived and the atmosphere started building, everything felt different. There was such a lovely energy in the crowd, with so many Nepali faces, familiar songs and people excited to see Sushant perform live. After spending so much time in our usual family routine, it was actually really nice to step out with hubby, enjoy some music and simply have a fun night together.

And Sushant really delivered.

I thought he was a very good live performer. His stage presence was strong, he connected well with the audience and you could feel the crowd getting more involved as the night went on. There is something special about hearing Nepali songs live, surrounded by people who know the words, sing along and share that same connection to the music. ❤️

I particularly enjoyed the way the concert brought together the music and the crowd. It wasn’t just about standing there and listening — people were singing, dancing, taking photos and enjoying the moment. For me, that was probably one of the nicest parts of the whole evening.

Of course, the outdoor venue did make me think about one thing!

As beautiful as an open-air concert can be, I think I would personally choose an indoor venue next time. 😄 You just never know what Sydney weather is going to do. One minute you’re worried about rain, then you’re thinking about the heat, and then you’re wondering if you brought enough layers for later in the evening!

An indoor venue would definitely make it easier to relax and enjoy the music without constantly thinking about whether the weather is going to cooperate.

But having said that, the weather didn’t take away from what turned out to be a really enjoyable night. In fact, I think the little bit of uncertainty beforehand made us appreciate the evening even more.

It was also nice to have some couple time. With work, kids, family and everything else that fills our days, we don’t always get the chance to go out together and enjoy a concert like this. So standing there next to hubby, listening to Nepali music and enjoying the atmosphere felt like one of those simple moments that you realise you’ve been missing.

Sushant was great, the crowd was full of energy and the whole evening gave us some lovely memories to take home.

Would I choose an outdoor concert again? Maybe… depending on the weather forecast! 😂

But would I go see Sushant KC perform live again? Absolutely. He was a good performer with great stage presence and it was wonderful to see a Nepali artist bringing so much energy to the Sydney stage.

Sometimes it’s not just about the concert itself. It’s about getting dressed up, heading out together, singing along to songs you know, being surrounded by your community and creating a memory with the person sitting beside you.

And after a long time, it was really nice to have one of those nights with my hubby. ❤️🎶

Please follow me on Instagram! and Please follow me on TikTok to stay updated on my adventures.

Take care,

M from Nepaliaustralian
XOXO