“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 …
Monica
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 …
“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 …