The High Atlas Mountains still sound like a mythical place to me. It’s a place where wizards live in crumbling castles perched on the edge of a rocky ledge and magical creatures live among the trees. There are crystal clear streams that slip down the mountains and pool at the bottom where wild horses, goats …
Monica
What is Secret Cinema? This was the first question I was aksed whenever I excitedly recounted my night at one of London’s best kept secrets. And with so many social savvy Londoners, it really is hard to keep a secret in this city. “Well…” I begin awkwardly, wondering where the hell to start. “It’s…well…it’s a …
I’d like to begin by thanking the person who came up with the idea of outdoor cinemas. You are an absolute genius. You would think that sitting outside, usually in the cold, on the hard ground while trying to watch a film with 200 other people would be a terrible idea. If the sun isn’t …
I’m writing this with an aching back and sore legs and the kind of exhaustion I haven’t felt since I was a kid because yesterday I did the London triathlon! Anyone who has taken part in any kind of sporting event will know how incredible that feeling is when you cross the finish line and …
The weekend started with a bang as we boarded our private plane to Mexico on Friday afternoon. I was told that it’s usually only football clubs and government parties who charter an entire plane so I couldn’t help but feel special with our privileged service. Once in the air the plane became more like a …
Yes, you read that right, I’m going to Mexico for the weekend! I know, it sounds crazy doesn’t it. In fact, I think this may be the craziest trip I’ve ever taken. On Friday afternoon (tomorrow) I’ll be jumping on a private jet direct to Cancun. I’m sorry, can I say that again. A PRIVATE …
I’ve had a few emails recently from fellow bloggers asking how they can ‘be a fulltime blogger and travel the world’ and I feel like a fraud telling them that I actually have a fulltime job. Yep, I work 9-5 just like everybody else and have minimal holidays to travel. I don’t have the option …
I recently bought a new laptop which is all fun and exciting until you realize you have to sort out all your old work, files, music and photos that were lingering in a disorganized mess on your old laptop. I’ll admit it, I spent the entire weekend glued to my laptop as I attempted to …
Taking a Sea Safari with Orca Sea Safaris I bet you thought that I’d finished my ranting about how beautifully, awesomely, wonderful Falmouth is hadn’t you. Oh no, I have one more little gem for you that won’t come as much of a surprise if you managed to read the title. Yes, that’s right, I …
I’ve been incredibly lucky this year and I’ve ticket a major item off my bucket list; I went on safari. But I didn’t just go once, I went twice! My first was in South Africa where I spotted the Big Five within the first hour of hopping in the jeep. David Attenborough eat your heart …
Have you ever said something and then the second the words have left your mouth you want to suck them back in and pretend they never happened? Imagine if you could just breathe them back in with a huge gasp of air. That would be good. That would get me out of a lot of …
If you’ve never heard of St Mawes, it might be because it’s one of those places you feel that you should keep a secret. I’m not even sure if I want to be writing this blog post right now. It’s the kind of place where you could actually forget that you’re in England (you know, …
Sea-Escape Fountain Court, Falmouth We arrived in Falmouth in Cornwall just before midnight on a Friday. It had been a five-hour drive from London which included a frustrating crawl along the M25, stale sandwiches and lukewarm coffee bought at an overpriced garage and a radio that wouldn’t tune in so we were left with one Elbow CD for …
Why is it that as soon as you’re anywhere near London you instantly turn into a manically stressed idiot? Everyone is in a hurry, there’s so much to see, so much to do and we’re all so incredibly important that we have to be there first. We rush around like 5-year-olds on the playground but …
The beach was lined with colourful and crazy kites all weekend. My gorgeous nautical themed Avenue Beach Hotel with the comfiest, squidgest bed ever. The king once lived in Ostend and there are reminders all over the city. I love these sculptures by Arne Quinze. They’re meant to look strange and out of place to make …
You’re not alone if you’ve never heard of Ostend in Belgium. When I told people I was going to this seaside city I was met with blank stares, confused looks or a fake attempt to know what I was talking about. I’d never heard of Ostend either but a quick Google search brought up beautiful …
At 6.30am I sleepily stumbled up the stairs and onto the roof of my hotel in Khajuraho for my early morning yoga session. India is such a chaotic place so it was eerie but beautiful to see the town when the streets were silent, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, there was no tinny …
I like to mix things up while I’m travelling and experience authentic cultures but I’m not afraid to admit that I also love a bit of luxury. Anything that involves fine wine, delicious food, fluffy bathrobes, perfectly kept gardens, feather pillows, sparkling swimming pools and bathrooms as big as my living room will definitely get …
One of the best things about travelling to a new country has to be trying new food and Gambian cuisine didn’t disappoint. Full of spicy flavor, the tasty rice based dishes are usually fish based with plenty of vegetables. Ida Njai is somewhat of a superstar in The Gambia. Mention her name to anyone in …
Say ‘community project’ or ‘charity project’ to anyone in the Western world and they’re instantly weary. It’s sad but true that Charity projects are viewed with suspicion and everyone has begun to question how much good they’re really doing. I visited a project in India that was aiming to provide work for women but while …
Have you ever driven into a village where more than 50 people chase your car along the dusky track while singing and chanting, ‘welcome, welcome, welcome’? Where the women were dancing with more energy than an aerobics instructor while banging drums and buckets to give rhythm and noise to the chant. They slapped the car …
As a self-confessed travel addict I love travelling everywhere whether it be to Scotland, Spain, Sweden or South Africa (I’m also a self-confessed alliteration addict). If you’re reading this blog I’m guessing you also have a passion for travel and probably feel the same. Everything from the excitement of planning and packing, the journey, the …
Before I get started on this post I want to highlight that my trip to India was a holiday and not a blog trip or a sponsored trip. I’m not trying to sell tours here but I’ve had so many people ask me how I found it and if I would recommend it so I …
I got back from India over a week ago now and for the past 7 days I’ve been thinking about how I would write my first blog post. My short time there was incredible but I came home feeling exhausted, overwhelmed and unable to process everything I’d seen. There was just so much! So many …
This week I will be ticking off a country that has been lingering at the top of my bucket list for years. I’ve been telling myself that I will get there one day and that day has finally arrived. I’m going to India! I’m taking an overnight flight on to Delhi on Wednesday and joining …
It was a Saturday morning in Essaouira in southern Morocco and the narrow streets were filled with tourists browsing and haggling for the perfect souvenir. Pushy shopkeepers were pulling me from stall to stall, showing off their ‘finest produce’ and promising the best price in the whole of Morocco. But it wasn’t souvenirs I was …
At first, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to visit an animal rehabilitation centre in South Africa. It was promoted on the fact that you get to pet a cheetah and after visiting Tiger Temple in Bangkok, where you get to pet tigers until your heart is content, I’m really not sure how I feel …
Sometimes, pictures speak a thousand words so I’ll let the photos from South Africa do the talking here… If you’d like to see more of my photos, check out Incredible Views from Table Mountain for some awesome views over Cape Town.
As a travel blogger I try to make the most out of every trip I take. I take photos of EVERYTHING, take notes of important facts, I visit every important monument or tourist hot spot, I try all the foodie delicacies and chat to all the locals for an ‘insider’s opinion’. I do everything the …
“Whatever you do, don’t put your hands through the bars. Don’t even rest them on the outside of the cage.’ These were the words of wisdom we were offered just as we lowered ourselves into the worryingly small cage. I must admit, I was expecting a bigger cage. Perhaps something so big I could hide …
Table Mountain, the most iconic landmark in South Africa, dominates the skyline of Cape Town and looks over the entire city like an older brother. It’s impossible not to be captivated by the strange, flat-topped mountain that seems to be so out of place in the city. It isn’t until you get to the top …
When going on safari, the thing that everyone is itching to see is the big 5. These are: Lions Leopards Elephants Buffalos Rhinos They’re named ‘the big five’ because early hunters regarded them as the most dangerous animals to hunt. While I was in South Africa I spent three days staying at Thornhill Safari Lodge …
I’ve been banging on about my trip to South Africa for long enough now, it’s time to tell you what I’ll be up to while I’m there… I’ll be following in the footsteps of Charley Boorman and if anyone has been watching his African Adventure on Channel 5 then you’ll already know that it’s going …
The Hotel Du Vin is one of those places where you instantly feel at home…and seriously wish it was your home. According to Wikipedia (aka, the font of all knowledge), ‘This is where the stars stay when in Brighton’, so it has an understandable air of subtle exclusivity without being too flashy. It’s grand, elegant …
Just before Christmas I had what can only be described as the best early Christmas present possible. It wasn’t that big bottle of Coco Mademoiselle or those leather boots that I’ve been hinting for (although I must have been a good girl because Santa brought me those too), it was a 10 day trip to …
I’ve been away from the blogosphere for a few weeks now. Here’s why… Like all things in life, there are highs and lows, and blogging is no exception. For a few months at a time I’ll be living the dream when it comes to my travel blog. I’ll be filled with passion and inspiration and …
Borneo and Sumatra are the only places in the world that still have Orang-utans, a name which means Man of the Forest in Malay, so getting to see them in the wild was an unforgettable experience. We visited the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre in Borneo. The centre is a great example of active conservation as they re-introduce …
After a few days relaxing on Ko Phi Phi Don, the largest of the Phi Phi islands in southern Thailand, we decided to get adventurous and visit some of the uninhabited islands that surround. Koh Phi Phi Leh, the film location from The Beach, was the place we all wanted to see most but the surrounding …
