Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying a fabulous Christmas break and you’re all sporting pudgy Christmas bellies filled with mince pies and far too many turkey sandwiches. Today’s post is a little update and some very scary news… I think I might be an adult. I know I’m 27 years old so, technically, …
I usually feel sadly nostalgic at the end of the year. It’s another year gone and, even if it’s been an incredible year, there’s something sad about time passing and the years ticking by. This year I’m trying to be more positive and optimistic, which isn’t hard because I’m so flipping excited about 2015. A …
This is a luggage review for all the backpackers and adventurous travellers out there. I’ve recently been testing out the SMASHII Anti Theft Rucksack, a super secure backpack perfect for long-term backpackers and flashpackers. I’ve included flashpackers because as a self confessed flashpacker I know how many gadgets we have so we need somewhere safe …
This weekend I travelled to Gothenburg, Sweden's second city and the home of Scandinavia's largest Christmas market. Gothenburg is a small city so it's perfect for a weekend away. There's lots to see and do but not so much that you feel overwhelmed or like you can't possibly see everything. I loved the quaint charm of …
Some people are 'all-inclusive people' and some people just aren't. Some people love the long, lazy days, extravagant buffets and the stress free relaxation. Other people can't think of anything worse than being confined to the same hotel for a week or more. But there are some people, like me, who sit somewhere in the …
This week I’ve been testing the new UPP fuel cell, a portable power cell to give you up to one week’s worth of power to your devices. If anyone else out there is as geeky as I am, you’ll be getting pretty excited right now. This sounds like a modern and convenient device but is …
‘What would you do if you had £500 to spend on a UK adventure?’ This is the question put to all of us by UNIQLO for their latest #ULDadventure competition. (More about the competition at the end of this post) I’m a big fan of a good old staycation and I really believe we have …
Vlogging, or video blogging, has become my latest obsession. I’ve always loved being able to read about other people’s travel adventures but being able to watch their adventures is even better. The only problem with travel vlogging is that it’s hard, really hard, so there aren’t many great travel vloggers in comparison to the number …
Sunset Sunday is in dedication to all the beautiful sunsets around the world. Sometimes we're so busy that we don't get the chance to really appreciate how gorgeous the sunset is so I'd like everyone to start noticing! Stop what you're doing for a few moments and look at all the amazing colours of the …
Sunset Sunday is in dedication to all the beautiful sunsets around the world. Sometimes we're so busy that we don't get the chance to really appreciate how gorgeous the sunset is so I'd like everyone to start noticing! Stop what you're doing for a few moments and look at all the amazing colours of the …
Last month I travelled to Turin in Italy for the launch of Lavazza's latest calendar. This isn't the kind of trip I normally take but the photos were taken by Steve McCurry and I'm a huge fan of his travel photography. I was also keen to find out more about this year's calenadar theme, Earth Defenders. Lavazza produce a …
Life is so much easier when you travel with a tablet. When I went backpacking in 2009 I didn’t even have a smartphone, never mind a tablet, but I can’t imagine travelling without one now. Here are some of the things I use my tablet for while I travel: To store all your documents and …
I can't help but throw in a bunch of cliches when I tell you about Mahmaya Island. I apologise in advance but it's one of those places where every cliche fits. The water really is crystal clear. The sand really is powdery soft and golden. The sky is cloudless. The sun is beaming. The beers …
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 …
This Travel News post is in association with Visa with some great info on how to look after your money in Myanmar. Until 2012 there were no cash machines in Myanmar due to economic sanctions. This was a nightmare for tourists because it meant having to bring in enough US dollars to last for the …
What is art? There was a time when, to me, art was a pretty picture. It was someone being good with a paintbrush and making something beautiful. They’d then put it in a frame and hang in on the wall and, bish bash bosh, that was art. I’ve always found art galleries to feel forced …
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 …
Ahh Mykonos, a place I’ve been dreaming of visiting since Pinterest was invented. The islands of Greece are so perfectly photogenic with those sugar cube houses and azure coloured waters. The contrast of white and blue combined with golden sand and pink sunsets makes each photo Pinterest perfect. I’m sure every travel loving pinner has …
I don’t know about you but I’m often overwhelmed by the amount of travel blogs floating around the blogosphere. There are loads of blogs I love to read but they get lost in the epic mass of boring updates and pointless posts. My Twitter feed is a never-ending stream of ‘new posts’ and ‘latest reads’ …
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 …
We flew into Denpassar, Bali's international airport on a late flight from Sydney. Because it was a late flight we didn't bother with public transport and jumped straight in a taxi to Sanur. Denpassar airport is really well set up for taxis. There is an office with a fixed price to certain destinations and you …
The official name for the Monkey Forest is ‘The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary’. These monkeys have been living here for hundreds and hundreds of years and the three Holy Monkey Temples were built during the mid 14th century. There are the three grand old temples, two graveyards and intricate monkey statues everywhere; these all look …
My final few days in California were tinged with sadness. We’d done so much over the past few weeks and I felt like I’d been travelling for months and couldn’t imagine going back to ‘the real world’. I’d got back into the backpacking way of life and felt like I could carry on for years. …
The lovely Char Taylor from Taylor Hearts Travel has nominated me to take part in the Blog Hop. It’s a chance for bloggers to show what’s going on behind the scenes of their blogospheres. I don’t know about you but I’m super nosy when it comes to bloggers and I love finding out how and …
There's no place on earth that can inspire your sense of adventure quite like the Grand Canyon. It makes you feel tiny and insignificant in comparison to the sheer vastness of the canyon. But it also makes you feel strong and in awe of our incredible world. After my trip to the US I found …
Choosing a hand luggage bag for travel is way more difficult than you’d ever imagine. You think you just need a bag that complies with airline size limits and is big enough to hold all your stuff, right? If only it were that simple! I usually check my main luggage in so here’s what I …
Introducing Girl Tweets World {Girl Tweets World} Eeek, this is very exciting. My friend and blogging buddy, Jayne Gorman, has revamped her blog, 40 Before 30, and given it a whole new look, feel and name. Jayne was on a mission to visit 40 countries before she was 30 but when she reached this number …
Now that I’ve moved out of London I see it in a whole new light. I’m still in London once or twice a week so it’s enough to not feel like a stranger but not enough to get bugged down with city life. It’s as though a magical pair of rose tinted glasses are stuck …
Do you ever want to escape from the world and feel like you’re a million miles from anywhere? At the risk of sounding middle aged, I do. I’m only 26, I should want to spend my time in stylish bars and clubs but sometimes I’m just searching for somewhere to chill out. Sometimes I want …
“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 …
“What time is it?” I instinctively glanced down at my watch yet again while my boyfriend grinned from ear to ear. Got me again. Yes, we were staying in a hotel room with possibly the biggest clock in the world and I was still using my little wrist watch to tell the time. The hotel …
The best way to see Australia is to hit the great open road with the freedom of a campervan. Forget the Greyhound or organised bus tours, a real Aussie roadtrip is the only way to do it.
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. …
From the shore, Alcatraz Island doesn’t look too far away. I squinted into the distance and could just about see the tiny island 1.5 miles from mainland San Francisco. A low cloud hung over ‘The Rock’ giving it an eerily ominous appearance. Despite the creepy air of mystery surrounding Alcatraz, I still thought I could …
I realise that The Travel Hack can get a tad girly from time to time so I thought it was about time I posted a review for the guys. I was recently sent the Track Jack Board Case from Crumpler but as soon as it arrived I knew it was one for my guy. He …
“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 …
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 …
Loving the fact that it was warm enough to wear just my thermal top in Boí Taüll, Catalonia There is absolutely nothing worse than getting cold while you’re skiing. Well, maybe one thing and that’s getting hot. I often find that while I’m on the slopes I’ll be freezing one minute (usually on the lifts) and …
I am one of the few travel bloggers who will not claim to ‘love’ budget travel. I know it's the sensible option if you want to travel long term but if I had the money I would be lapping up the 5* luxury everywhere I went.
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 …