Some cities leave an impression, while others quietly find their way into your heart. Taipei was one of those places. What still makes me smile is that our first impression could not have been more wrong. I travelled there with my daughter, Nala, who had just finished school and was about to begin a six month sabbatical studying Chinese at Taipei University. Like every city we visit, we looked at each other within minutes of arriving and said, “I don’t think we could ever live here.” Yet within a week, everything had changed. The city had completely won us over.

There was something magical about Taipei. It is wonderfully safe, endlessly creative and full of character. Every street seemed to reveal another hidden café, another beautiful little shop or another reminder that creativity thrives when people are given the space to express themselves. The food was extraordinary, the people were incredibly kind, and before long we found ourselves wondering how we had ever doubted the city in the first place. To this day, I cannot think of a single thing I didn’t love about it, and I cannot wait to return.

The trip also marked an important chapter in both our lives. It was Nala’s first experience of living away from home, and my first experience of becoming an empty nester. Watching her settle into a new city, make new friends and build a life of her own was both emotional and incredibly rewarding. I still remember celebrating New Year’s Eve on my own, wearing oversized party sunglasses and one of my wonderfully outrageous circus dresses, while Nala was out welcoming the new year with her new friends. It was one of those moments when you realise your children are beginning to write stories that are entirely their own.

Looking back, it was one of the best decisions we ever made. Nala immersed herself in a new culture, learned a new language and gained an independence that only comes from living abroad. I discovered that letting go can be just as rewarding as holding on.

Travel has a remarkable way of weaving together the places we visit and the moments that shape our lives. Years later, it becomes impossible to separate one from the other. Sealed the Deal Red is our tribute to a city that surprised us, inspired us and became part of our family’s story. Every time I see this print, I am reminded that the most meaningful journeys are often the ones we never expected to fall in love with.