On Monday I revealed one of my many travel confessions; I’m the most antisocial snowboarder that ever lived. I hate seeing other people on the slopes and will happily hog an entire run if it means I won’t knock anyone flying or go flying myself. If you ever see me snowboarding, stay away because I …
Monica
Over the past two weeks I’ve been sharing tips on travel blogging and explaining why I think everyone should have a travel blog. I’ve now received a few emails asking how you actually set up a blog so I’ve decided to go back to basics and share the first few technical steps on how to start …
Last week while snowboarding in Catalonia I discovered something about myself I don’t like; I’m an incredibly antisocial snowboarder. I like to think of myself as a friendly, sociable type but when it comes to snowboarding I like to be as far away from other people as I possibly can. As I see a flash …
If there’s one thing that stresses me out about travelling it’s getting to the airport on time. Anyone that knows me may find this hard to believe because I’m pretty much one of the most relaxed people in the world. But when I’m sat on the train at 5am, biting my nails nervously and imagining …
I am so excited to share my next big trip with you all. In my February review I mentioned that I had a big and exciting trip coming up and here it is….! On April 9th I’m flying out to Miami and then I’ll be flying out to LA to begin a tour with Trek …
On Thursday I'm going on a snowboarding trip to Catalonia. As I began packing I had flashbacks to my last skiing trip in Canada when I packed virtually every item of clothing I owned. Better to be safe than sorry, right? Well no, not always. My suitcase was so heavy I could barely even wheel …
When I tell people that I spent 18 months in Australia and I drove around the entire country in a campervan they automatically assume that I must be loaded. Australia is an expensive country for us Brits so, while I wish I was loaded, I had to work really hard to be able to do …
Did you know that short holidays and weekend escapes can make you just as happy as a longer holiday? With this in mind, I vowed to take more weekends away this year and decided to explore more of what I’ve got right on my doorstep. Here in the UK we have so many quirky, cool …
After looking at these photos you’d be forgiven for thinking that Portmeirion is a pretty Italian village. But is it...? Portmerion has the quaint and brightly coloured houses and narrow, winding streets of a traditional Italian village. There are some beautifully grand buildings with spires and domed roofs. There are ornate details in unexpected places …
Wondercool is Copenhagen’s answer to beating the winter blues; It’s February and we’re all tired of the cold and dark days, no one wants to go out, tourism is low and restaurants and bars are quiet. What better time of the year to lift our spirits than with an art and culture festival? Wondercool is …
Everyone has a routine when they travel somewhere new. I like to go straight to my hotel and get rid of my bags. I then head down to reception and ask the receptionist for a large map and for all their recommendations on places to go, see, eat, drink and things to do. I then …
Last week I was in Copenhagen for Wondercool winter festival and I just wanted to show you a quick peek at what I was up to. Despite the cold, Copenhagen turned out to be one of my favourite cities in Europe (bold statement I know!) and Wondercool was incredible so I'll be writing all about …
I genuinely believe that everyone should write a travel blog to document your trips. One of my favourite things about blogging is reading about my past adventures and each old post brings back so many amazing memories. You don’t need to write lengthy essays everyday or be a world-class photographer, you just need a passion …
When writing about Lake Vyrnwy Hotel I could tell you all about the history of the hotel, the tasty menu, the great selection of wine, the friendly staff and the beautiful old building. But, let’s be honest, when you’re staying at Lake Vyrnwy Hotel it’s all about the view. And what a view it is. Imagine waking …
Tomorrow morning I’m flying to Denmark for Copenhagen’s fourth annual Wondercool festival! I’ve become a little obsessed with Scandinavian coolness recently and I don’t just mean the temperature. I’m not alone in my obsession and ‘Scandimania’ is spreading worldwide. You see, the Scandinavian’s are just so damn cool. There’s even a new book out by …
I went on a yoga, Pilates and detox retreat on the gorgeous island of Fuerteventura to chill out and have a peaceful, healthy week in the sun. I knew I’d come home feeling re-energised but I hadn’t thought that I would learn so much while I was away. I learned about my body, my health and …
One of my (many) resolutions is to take more short breaks and weekend escapes around Europe. I know I’m not alone in the fact that there are so many amazing places right on my doorstep that I've never travelled to. Here are 52 weekend away ideas to get you started! When a country is easy …
New York is one of the most famous cities in the world and was a place I’d been desperate to visit for years before I finally went in December. It’s a city that is familiar to all of us; one that everybody seems to know and love before even setting foot on its streets. Despite …
Two weeks into the New Year and my resolution to get fit and healthy was already waning. Why do we set ourselves resolutions at the hardest time of the year? Throughout December my body had been holding on to all those Christmas puds as though we were going into hibernation, so it was more than …
So you're looking for somewhere to stay for your next holiday. Do you: a) Opt for a standard budget hotel that is as generic as a Primark cardigan. You know the type; they’re boring, they’re unmemorable, they’re beige and they all look the same as soon as you’ve closed your room door. The overall experience …
Berlin has become the unofficial street art capital of the world and you can find street art on every corner of the city. In fact, it isn’t just on the corners, it’s everywhere. Every blank wall has become a giant canvas for whichever artist is brave enough and talented enough to spray, paint, stick or …
If there’s one thing that keeps me motivated to exercise, it’s having a sexy gym kit. I know it shouldn’t matter. I’m working out to get sweaty and, let’s face it, I’m rarely in my gym kit for more than an hour but having a kit that looks good and feels good really motivates me …
“I’ve done South America, China and India. Where have you done?’ DONE. It’s just a tiny four-letter verb. It’s just a word. It’s inoffensive and means so little so why does it wind me up so much? ‘Done’ can’t offend anyone but when it’s used in this context it makes me cringe. How the hell …
The Empire State Building in Midtown Manhattan is one of the most iconic buildings in New York, if not the entire world. When I visited New York I couldn’t wait to see it and to take the trip up to the top. Image Source Here are some things you need to know: Facts about the …
Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic 2013, enjoyed the New Year celebrations and you’re now looking forward to a fresh start in 2014. For my New Year’s resolutions this year I want to find the perfect balance between travel, work and spending time with friends and family. And, like most …
When I travelled to New York I had a very strange feeling. It was a feeling that I hadn’t experienced anywhere before. New York was a completely new place to me but it all felt so familiar. I recognised entire streets, the monuments felt like old friends and I knew exactly what I wanted to …
I feel bad even calling this a challenge because we all know it was the best ‘challenge’ ever. World Duty Free set me the task to buy all my Christmas presents from their store in Terminal 5 (read more about my travel blogger shopping challenge here). As always, I was running a little behind schedule …
Life on the High Line, New York: ‘Making something wondering for future generations’ The High Line was an unexpected surprise for me in New York. I’d vaguely heard about it, an old raised train track turned into a park, but I hadn’t quite realised what a special place it would be. It’s more than just …
Americans don’t do things by halves. The live by the motto, ‘Go big or go home’, and this supersize culture makes it an incredible place to visit. I’m not just talking about supersize meals here, I’m talking supersize everything and Christmas is no exception. Americans embrace the holiday season like no place I’ve ever been …
One of my challenges during my trip to New York with American Express was to crowd source places to visit and things to do in the city. I was sent so many recommendations but something that almost everyone suggested was visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Visiting the Statue of Liberty initially seemed …
Please tell me I’m not the only one who hasn’t even thought about Christmas shopping yet, let alone even bought anything. Christmas is in 9 days away and every year my circle of family and friends seems to double (you guys really need to stop getting married and having children!) I’m away for the next …
On Sunday I flew out of Heathrow at 8am for my big trip to New York and the night before I opted to stay at YOTEL at Heathrow Airport, a cabin hotel at Heathrow Airport. This meant I was able to skip the 3am journey to the airport and get a good night’s sleep before …
While I was in Bologna I did the unthinkable and left my tour group. Like I said in my post '10 things you need to know about cruising', it can be pretty exhausting. By the time I reached Bologna I was in the mood to simply wander and explore at a leisurely pace. I politely …
When I boarded the Celebrity Cruise ship I had no idea what to expect. It was my first time cruising as an adult and I was travelling in a completely new way. I had no idea what to pack or what I’d be doing in my spare time so this post is for anyone going …
Ljubljana, Slovenia’s capital city, is exactly how I imagine European cities should be. There are certain cities, such as Paris, Barcelona or Venice, and you know exactly what they will be like before you ever set foot there. You’ve seen so many photographs, or snippets on TV and heard countless recollections from starry-eyes friends who …
Venice is by far my favourite European city. It feels like a made-up city, straight from a fairytale because there is nowhere else on Earth quite like it. I will never get bored of meandering through the narrow alleyways, staring up in awe at those incredible buildings, getting lost along the side of canals, stopping …
[quote_simple]Earlier this month I travelled aboard Celebrity Silhouette cruise ship. I began in Venice followed by Koper, Ravenna and Split. I’ll be sharing my experiences from these incredible destinations over the next few weeks but first of all I wanted to tell you what it’s actually like to go on a cruise.[/quote_simple] As a travel …
“If you were a biscuit, what would you be?’ “I’d be a Hobnob. One with chocolate but only half the amount of chocolate so I’d be a bit naught but not too naughty.” There’s a pause as I silently ask myself why the hell I just asked Ben Fogle what kind of biscuit he’d be. …
I’m currently in Fuerteventura, the second largest of the Canary Islands, for a luxurious yoga retreat. Each morning begins with yoga and the day ends with Pilates followed by meditation. During the middle of the day I’m free to relax or explore the island and I’ve found there is so much to do in Fuerteventura. …
After a few days in Dublin I decided it was time to get out of the city and explore that gorgeous countryside that Ireland is famous for. I joined Over the Top Tours for their journey through Wicklow National Park and Glendalough. This area is known as 'The Garden of Ireland' thanks to the mysterious …