Monica

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 …

“You can be whoever you want to be for the price of a hotel room.” I heard these words spoken by Annie Fitzsimmons, an Urban Insider Columnist for National Geographic. As soon as she said them it made me smile because I couldn’t agree more. The anonymity that comes with hotel stays means you can …

Most cities that are steeped in history can have a spooky side if you’re the type to go searching for it. I’m sure those old cathedrals where we’ve celebrated births and deaths for thousands of years are filled with scary stories and mysterious whispers that fill the pews. If the walls of those ancient castles …

I wish I’d be alive in the days when flying was glamorous and exciting. When people dressed up for a flight and the air stewards breezed through the cabin in a stylish waft of expensive perfume. It was a fun and fascinating time that few people had the chance to experience and this only added …

‘There are two things you’ll find in every village in Barbados and that’s a church and a rum shop. Both have a lot of spirit.” It’s the second time I’ve heard someone say this and again it’s followed by a hearty and infectious belly laugh that I’m beginning to associate with all Bajans. I can’t …

I wake up at 5am thanks to that good kind of jetlag that gets you up early but makes you feel as refreshed as you would after a luxurious lie-in. I stretch out in the king sized bed and listen to the birds and tree frogs that are chirping  happily outside. I open the balcony …

This is what holidays are meant to be like. Laying on the deck of the Cool Runnings Catamaran, sipping rum punch and soaking up the Bejan sun. I couldn’t help but smile happily to myself like a smug cat snoozing in the sunshine. Except this cat was in Barbados and about to swim with turtles! …

If you had to describe your dream holiday, what would it involve? Go on, take a minute to sit back and think about it. I know it’s a cliché but my dream holiday has to involve golden beaches and seas as bright and blue as the sky. I want to be able to walk along …

Pulling into a rocky car park next to a smooth lake, we were surrounded by nothing but high walls formed from volcanic rock. There was a bright, white peak glimmering in the distance but nothing to suggest that the third largest glacier in the world was on the other side of the wall. I was …

The picture above is from Farmers Market, an Icelandic design company and clothing brand. I can’t decide if these clothes should be in Little House on the Prairie or in a fashion magazine. Either way, I love them and that’s part of the reason why I love Iceland. Everything is stylish and cool in a …

The Golden Circle is one of the must-do day trips from Reykjavik and takes in three of the country’s most popular tourist attractions; Thingvellier National Park, Geysir  (where I also went snorkeling) and Gullfoss. The Golden Circle includes a national park where you can see the rift between two continental plates, a geyser that shoots …

We arrived in Iceland on a day that can only be described as perfect. There were a few fluffy white clouds lazily floating around an ice blue sky. A fresh layer of snow blanketed the ground so it was still white and clean and dazzling under the bright sunshine. The combination of sun and snow …

  “The good news is that the water is 2°c today, it’s going to be great.” I attempted to return our guide’s enthusiastic grin but I’m pretty sure I was less than convincing. “It’s tough when it’s below freezing so 2°C is nice!” I couldn’t help but admire the Icelandic optimism that I was starting …

Sinking into the hot, milky blue water and I swear I could physically feel my muscles relax and give a little sigh of relief. Now, this is the perfect way to start a holiday and spend your birthday. We arrived at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland by 10am after an early morning flight into Keflavik …

A few weeks ago I finally had the chance to tick something off my London Bucket List that has been lingering at the top for years. But the weird thing was, I didn’t actually know what I was doing. I’d been invited out for a ‘surprise night’ by the guys behind the Hostelworld.com Adventure Taxi. …

“A mythical kingdom ruled by elves and Arctic energy, Iceland is where the past meets the future in an elemental symphony of wind, stone, fire and ice.” –Lonely Planet. If that sentence from Lonely Planet doesn’t make you want to travel to Iceland I don’t know what will. I read it excitedly on my flight …

After living in London for two years there are still countless things on my to-do list. There are hundreds of places I’ve never been, sites I haven’t seen, bars I haven’t drank in and restaurants I haven’t eaten in. Yes, London is a hustling,bustling, non-stop city with more things to do, see, and visit than …

Yes, that’s right. As of next month I will be a full time blogger and social media consultant. *Cue excitement and uncontrollable jumping up and down. *Closely followed by wide eyed fear and a little voice at the back of my head that is asking what the hell I just did? Before I begin I …

“Trust your feet and let your legs take your weight,” my guide shouted from beneath me. Trust my feet? ‘Trusting my feet’ was a totally new concept for me. I can trust my hands because they’re bendy and flexible and they’re right there in front of my eyes but my feet are just ugly stumps …

Nusa Lembongan is one of those places that I’m not sure if I should write about. On the one hand I want to tell everyone about this perfect slice of paradise, but on the other hand I want to keep it all to myself and do everything I can to stop anyone else going there. …

Is there anything more satisfying than a steaming glass of hot, sweet and refreshing mint tea? Moroccans are famous for the kind hospitality and drinking mint tea is a huge part of their culture. If you’ve read any of my Morocco posts so far then you will have realised that virtually every activity involved a …

One of the things I love most about living in London is the sheer size of the city. Not only is it huge but there is so much to do. After living here for two years I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface and I’m not sure I ever will. For every restaurant, exhibition, …

Varanasi in northern India has a magical atmosphere that multiplies by approximately 10 million* times as darkness begins to fall*. *This may not be an entirely accurate figure but I’m sure it’s close. It is the holiest city in India so it isn’t surprising that the spiritual vibe makes it such an incredible place for …

There is a level of tranquillity in a hotel that you can never achieve in your own home. At home there is always washing to be done, projects to work on, food to be cooked, a dog to be walked and rooms to be cleaned. But in a hotel you have none of that. Hotels …

Since I’ve come back from India one of the most common questions I get asked by women is about what women should pack for a trip to India. I was expecting to be asked how to avoid Delhi Belly, how to find nice accommodation, how safe it is to travel alone and what the overnight …

Eating in the home of a perfect stranger is probably up there with the top ‘worst-nightmare’ situations for the majority of Brits. Dinner parties are awkward enough but dinner parties where everyone is a stranger takes it to a whole new level. I’m always telling myself that life is about trying new things so when …

I’m so excited to announce that in October I’ll be going to Iceland. I knew I wanted to take a trip in October to somewhere new but I really couldn’t decide where. One of the problems with working in the travel industry and reading lots of travel blogs is that you’re constantly surrounded by travel …

There’s something majestic and beautiful about tigers that has always fascinated me. I think it stems from my days of watching The Jungle Book on repeat so I could learn all the words to ‘The Bear Necessities’ and ‘I Wanna be Like You-oo-oo’ (and I can confirm that I still know them word for word …

London: A foodie adventure through East London with Eating London Food Tours They say the best way to get to know a country is through its food. Seeing how people eat and learning about the history of their food gives you a whole new insight into a country or city that you will never learn …