Write Every Day of Your Life

writing every day

  • Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens.”— Ray Bradbury

A dozen years of researching and writing about the Maldives here and still the second most common question I get is “Why do you do it?” I make no money (no ads, no sponsorship, no selling). In fact, the whole venture costs me more than several trips to the Maldives for fun with the hosting and other expenses of keeping the site maintained. It is an expensive hobby. But one that comes with more dividends than just digital escapism (from the often dank climes of the British Isles) and fan boy entertainment. I especially appreciate the comment by Bradbury of “see what happens” as the whole Maldives Complete odyssey has been packed with serendipity and the adventure of otherwise unlikely opportunities and interactions arising. And finally, The whole experience of exploring, delving and processing is one which exercises my curiosity, creativity and critical thinking:

  • We are drowning in information, while starving for wisdom. The world henceforth will be run by synthesizers, people able to put together the right information at the right time, think critically about it, and make important choices wisely.” – E. O. Wilson

     

12th Maldives Complete-ly by the Numbers

Completely by the Numbers 12

What a year! (not sure which emoji to put with that)

Count our blessings if we are healthy. Unfortunately, the Maldives have taken an especially hard blow on top of the medical blow with their country so economically concentrated on tourism. Maldives Complete has reflected this downturn in many ways. For starters, we couldn’t do our annual research trip. That’s meant pretty flat numbers (relative to other years) in new material (eg. blog posts, photos, visits). Added resorts, room types, etc. were on hold as openings stalled. And, obviously, traffic has dropped significantly as fewer people are research holidays.

There does seem to be the light of dawn peering over the horizon. The world including the Maldives have gotten sophisticated in preventative protocols which can allow more of life to carry on while minimizing the spread of infection. Testing, sanitising, social distancing, face masking and a range of other techniques are getting the R0 factor down. The arrival so various approved vaccines should provide a major improvement in the pandemic around the world.

Already, I am seeing a noticeable uptick in the past few days (not least of which from the UK who has exited its Lockdown II). In fact, we have arranged a bit of an impromptu to trip to take advantage of some of the great deals out there and burn some of our outstanding holiday time (stay tuned this week…fingers crossed. And the site did hit a few social media milestones in 2020 crossing 2000 Facebook Followers and 1000 Twitter Followers.

Let’s hope 2021 brings a smooth (and safe!) return to enjoying paradise (and helping people to do so).

Advent-Sure Holiday

Baglioni Christmas pool

Happy Advent! And here is our fashionista Advent Calendar of yuletide cheer to take you on the final Christmas countdown of 24 sleeps…

  1. Karolina Kuik (Poland) – Olhuveli


        

  2. Masianiam (Russia)


        

  3. Anastasia Sibireva (Russia) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru


         

  4. Raimonda Gecaite (Denmark) – Thoddoo


         

  5. Theresa Vaupel (USA)


         

  6. Elena Pushistaia (Russia)


         

  7. Marinella Bezer (Romania) – Kurumba


          

  8. Nadin (Russia) – Cocoon


         

  9. Аnastasia Verbovaia (Russia) – Kuredhivaru


        

  10. Nastya Ferz (Russia) – Four Seasons Kuda Huraa


       

  11. Bad Teacher (Russia)


         

  12. Méryl Denis (France) – Park Hyatt Hadahaa


         

  13. Alvi Lalli (Ukraine) – Anantara Veli


       

  14. Ines Klara (Croatia) – Club Rannalhi


        

  15. Silvia Petrov (Moldova) – Paradise Island


       

  16. Leire (Spain) – Maalifushi


           

  17. Lily Black (Italy) – Thudufushi


       

  18. Sandra Lăsculescu (Romania) – Sun Siyam Irufushi

  19. Ana (Singapore) – Fihalhohi


           

  20. S. Teodosieva (Russia) – Nika


        

  21. Arina (Russia) – Sun Siyam Irufushi


              

  22. Alexandra Iuliana (Romania) – Paradise Island


           

  23. Katerina (Russia) – Dhigali


             

  24. Martina Bantik (Italy) – Bathala


         

Unique-Adorn

Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then be a unicorn.” And if you can’t be a unicorn, ride a unicorn. Especially, a magic rainbow unicorn.

Happy Thanksgiving! Time for the annual traditions of bloated birds and the Times Square procession of blow-up figures. The Maldives fashionistas display as wide a variety of balloon creatures as any Macy’s parade, but second only to the iconic pink flamingo is the ubiquitous Unicorn float. For those in lockdown, offers is own virtual pneumatic cavalcade:

  1. Hana Chick (Czech) – Royal Island [ABOVE]
  2. Camilla Sylvie (Netherlands) – Kihaaa


  3. Oksana Domoratskaya (Singapore) – Kuredhivaru


  4. Sherstyuk (Ukraine) – Vadoo

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by @veronikasherstiuk


  5. Michella Choi (United Kingdom) – Amilla Fushi

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Michella Choi (@michellaccc)


  6. Oksana Domoratskaya (Singapore) – One & Only Reethi Rah


  7. Roxanne Tong (Hong Kong) – Millaidhoo


  8. Cindy Jane (Germany) – Olhuveli

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by CINDY JANE (@cindyjane)


  9. Natalie Phan (Australia) – Hurawalhi

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Natalie Phan (@fataliefan)


  10. Karis Scarlette (United Kingdom) – ShangriLa Vilingili


  11. Mini Nooaae (Thailand) – Meeru

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by mininooaae (@mininooaae)


  12. Miss Huinii (South Korea) – Vommuli


  13. Elizabeth Lim (Russia) – Veligandu


  14. Mila Gricenko (Russia) – NIYAMA


  15. Camilla Vendrame Tognetti (USA) – NIYAMA

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Camilla (@camillavendrame)


  16. Chantal Torres (Mexico) – Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru


  17. Lynna Lin (Malaysia) – Angsana Velavaru


  18. Ming Moonoi (Thailand) – W Maldives


  19. Miss Monkey (China) – W Maldives


  20. Zihyu Jhao (Taiwan) – Halaveli


Best of the Maldives: Room Decorating Instagram – Kuramathi

Kuramathi - Waheed Saamid room decorator 2

Kuramathi’s Waheed Saamid pentathlete of a room decorator. He not only pioneered a medium I’ve not seen in my decades of visits, he’s mastered all of its fundamental disciplines:

  1. Petals
  2. Wording (both cut and formed)
  3. Towel sculpture
  4. Bubble Bath
  5. Path/Floor messages (pioneer)

I caught up with him and he shared a bit about his background:

  • “I have started room decorations as I began my career as a villa Attendant. Since then I have learned and improving my skills. I’m a self taught decorative. During this journey of a villa Attendant, I have met many creative colleagues in room decorating. I get ideas from my friends and through the internet. Mostly I love doing different types of leaf decorations. Room decoration is an important element of Housekeeping service, to demonstrate my skills and give our guests a little gesture of that we care them.”

His Instagram feed is the most diverse collection of works and I highly recommend following him for your own daily dose of decorating.

Kuramathi - Waheed Saamid room decorator 1

Kuramathi - Waheed Saamid room decorator 3

Best of the Maldives: Path Greetings – Kuramathi

Kuramathi - path greetings 1

All of the world has its eye on the “path to the White House” this week, but Waheed Saamid, room decorator extraordinaire is focused on the path to your villa. I thought that I had seen all the variations on custom room decorating – towels, flowers, bed, coral pieces, bath. When I came across his Instagram feed, I saw sterling examples of all of those. But I was also struck by his innovating thinking outside the box of the villa itself with his walkway decoration made of artistically sprinkled sand.

Kuramathi - path greetings 3

Kuramathi - path greetings 2

Best of the Maldives: Wood Ends – Soneva Fushi

Soneva Fushi - wodd ends 2

Soneva Fushi has pioneered the design style of Swiss Family Robinson chic in the Maldives, but perhaps the acme of this arboreal aesthetic is its Villa 37. While the rough trunks are standard elements throughout Soneva, Villa 37 take the timber to a new dimension with a tapestry of cross sections forming the ceiling and various highlights.

Soneva Fushi - wood ends 3

Soneva Fushi - wood ends 1