Category: Blogging

October 10, 2017 Blogging, Uncategorized 4 Comments

My day on a cruise ship with MSC Cruises…

I’ve never been on a cruise but it’s definitely something I’ve always wanted to try, so when the opportunity to spend a day on a cruise ship popped up I jumped at the chance to go.  Arriving at Southampton City Cruise Terminal I was blown away by the size of MSC Preziosa and couldn’t wait to meet other bloggers for #BlogCampOnBoard.  Hosted by MSC Cruises and organised by Sally Whittle from Tots 100 the day consisted of blogging workshops, lunch, a tour of the ship and a Q & A with the MSC marketing team and Antonio Paradiso, MD of MSC Cruises for the UK and Ireland.  It was a fantastic day and I loved having the opportunity to meet bloggers from completely different niches to my own, family, food, cruise and lifestyle to name just a few.
Now for a bit about the ship, Preziosa is part of a fleet of 16 owned by MSC Cruises, is 333 metres in length and can hold 4345 guests; which is mind-boggling!  The luxurious interior is incredible, one of my favourite parts was the Swarovski crystal staircase, just so sparkly!  I loved touring the ship and got to see plenty of aspects of cruising life.  Preziosa has an incredible spa with indoor and outdoor pool, jacuzzi and comfy sunbeds, plus gorgeous treatment rooms with floor to ceiling windows and a gym at the stern with uninterrupted views of the ocean.  All things I would love to indulge in if I was cruising.  There’s a theatre, a 4D cinema, a casino, a library and a huge selection of bars and restaurants to choose from too.
I was really interested to find out what was onboard for children, as having Emily who is now 18 months old means a slightly different kind of planning when it comes to deciding on trips.  Cruising is often misconstrued as a holiday choice for the older generation, but visiting the ship I got to see a whole new side.  MSC has worked hard to create a huge variety of activities for children onboard.  Kids club Doremi, a mini aqua park, a partnership with LEGO and Chicco and web series ‘Kelly & Khloe Onboard’ mean there is an endless amount of activities for children.  All day entertainment runs from 9am-11pm so parents can take some time to relax while the kids have fun!
MSC have just announced that they will be introducing kettles in cabins on MSC Magnifica, (something pretty important to us tea loving Brits) the addition of afternoon tea and most importantly a new partnership with yorkshire tea, who will be providing the perfect brew whilst at sea.
From March 2018 MSC Magnifica will be setting sail from Southampton as well as Preziosa.  Climb aboard for Northern European and Mediterranean adventures with a laid back and luxurious twist.
After spending a day on MSC Preziosa I think cruising could be my new thing!
January 26, 2016 Blogging, Iceland 3 Comments

Northern Lights Photography Tips…

During a recent trip to Iceland I was lucky enough to see the Northern Lights and capture them on camera, I went Aurora chasing with Iceland Travel on a super jeep tour.  January to March is a great time to go hunting for the Aurora Borealis due to the long dark nights.  In Iceland the sun sets at around 4pm during the winter months and doesn’t rise until 11am so there is plenty of time for stargazing.  The sky also needs to be mostly clear to get a good view of the lights.  If you are planning a trip to Iceland around the Northern Lights the Icelandic Met Office is a great website for checking on cloud cover up to six days in advance.  Of course these forecasts can often change so you may not have a perfect prediction until a few hours before you go hunting.
Hoping to capture the Northern Lights on camera? Look no further here are my top tips…

 

Things you need:
Camera: Ideally a DSLR or a camera that you can control the settings on manually, I initially tried to take photos using my iPhone and had no luck whatsoever!
Tripod: As all the images will be long exposures you need to ensure the camera doesn’t move during the exposure.
Shutter release: To minimise camera shake, alternatively set the camera timer to 2 seconds.

 

Setting up your shot:
  1. Mount the camera on the tripod and make sure it is level, most tripods have a spirit level.
  1. Have the lens set to the widest it will go and compose the image.
  1. Set the lens to the widest aperture, in my case 2.8.  This allows for the maximum amount of light to hit the camera sensor during the exposure.
  1. Set your lens to manual focus and turn the focus ring around to infinity, this will ensure everything is in focus.
  1. Set your ISO to around 500 to start with.
  1. Shutter speeds that worked for me ranged from 10 – 30 seconds.
  1. Before taking the image to minimise camera shake use your shutter release, as mentioned above or set the camera timer to 2 seconds.

 

Good luck and happy Aurora hunting…

 

 

 

 

January 5, 2016 Blogging Post a Comment

Views from 37,000 ft

I’ve worked in the skies as cabin crew for British Airways for nearly ten years now, I love nothing more than peering out of the windows and taking photos of the ever-changing world below me.  This is something I never get bored of, it can be quite addictive!  I love checking the moving map on long haul flights to see where we are flying over or if I spot an interesting landscape on a short-haul flight I’ll give the flight crew a call to find out where we’re flying over, this is all in between working of course!  Yes I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to peering out of the window at 37,000ft and I can recognise the south coast pretty well now, keeping a look out for my hometown and giving it a wave has become a bit of a ritual!  Seeing other aircraft in the sky and spotting the London skyline from a distance is fun too.  The northern lights was particularly exciting to see en route to London from Calgary, unfortunately the images were very faint so I decided not to share them but to watch them dancing against the blackness of the sky was incredible. Seeing Kilimanjaro from the air left me awestruck and put into perspective how huge it really is.  The islands and atolls of the Maldives are stunning to fly over, I could watch the powder white sands and sparkling turquoise waters of paradise all day from an aircraft window.  I love a snowy, mountainous landscape so staring at the edge of Greenland and icebergs dotted in the water before endless ocean on the way to America was incredible. There is so much untouched beauty out there!  Catching a glimpse of The Pitons coming into St Lucia was also an exciting moment, I felt like I could reach out and touch them.  Cityscapes are pretty magical too, flying over New York at sunset and being able to make out Manhattan and Central Park so clearly is definitely another highlight.  The other thing I love about working in the sky is that it doesn’t matter how grey and rainy it is in the UK as soon as the aircraft climbs above the clouds it’s always bright and sunny.
Over the years I have collected a ton images from the sky which I’ve not yet shared, from New York to Kilimanjaro, Antigua to the Alps and Greenland to Portugal and not forgetting the good old homeland, the south coast of the UK.  These are a few of my favourite views of the beautiful world below me which I’ve captured from 37,000 ft and inspired me to write this blog….

 

 

December 29, 2015 Barbados, Blogging, Mauritius, UK, USA 2 Comments

My 2015 Travel Highlights…

Wow, 2015 has really flown by!  I’m pretty sure I said this about 2014 as well in last years round-up: Cheers 2014…you’ve been a good’un!  So much has happened this year, I thought it would be fun to look back and to share with you some exciting new developments for the coming year…

 

January
I started the year off with a surf trip in Barbados, the sun was shining and the surf was pumping.  I surfed at Freights and hired a board through Zed’s Surfing Adventures.  Check them out of you are planning a surf trip out there.  This trip was the first time I used my GoPro on a board and I was pretty stoked to have some half decent images and video content.  With the help of my lovely filmmaker husband Matt, we put together a short video of my surf session.
For more reading on my trip head to: Barbados: A Surfers Paradise

 

 

February
A winter break away with a our very good friends Sam and Graham has become a bit of a tradition, last February we spent a long weekend in the quaint fishing village of Port Isaac.  This year I found a cottage through Helpful Holidays in the tiny village of Golant set on the River Fowey in Cornwall.  ‘Island House’ had river views on three sides, underfloor heating and a log burner making it a very cosy cottage.  We were greeted with a bottle of wine and a cake on arrival and spent the weekend on blustery coastal walks and visits to local harbour towns.  This mostly involved eating scrummy treats and drinking lots of cider!  Our favourite place for lunch was Sam’s in Fowey.  Fowey is such a sweet little place, set on the river and full of lovely pubs, quirky shops and art galleries, definitely worth a visit if you are planning a trip to the west country.
 
March
My March highlight was a trip to Antigua, it was very nice to have a clear day down route to be my own boss.  Working as cabin crew I am lucky to get to explore different countries on an almost weekly basis.   With a house move on the cards and feeling a bit tired I spent the day relaxing on the beach, catching some rays and swimming in the warm Caribbean sea.  It was bliss!
 
April
It was Matt’s birthday in April so we decided to do something a bit special and booked a night away at Hotel Du Vin in Poole.  Our room was very plush, with a freestanding bath right in the middle and a massive queen sized bed.  It was a fab weekend and nice to spend some time away together.  We enjoyed exploring Poole harbour by boat and had a very tasty meal at the restaurant in the hotel.  For more on this luxurious weekend click here: A weekend in Poole.
 
May
I was invited to quite a few weddings last year, my favourite was a wedding in Westminster, London followed by a beautiful reception at the Dorchester.  It is one of the world’s most expensive hotels, I was very excited to be there!  The champagne reception was just perfect and the food was incredible, I particularly loved dessert, hence the name of my blog: Dessert at the Dorchester.
May also saw the start of one of many trips with work to Mauritius.  With a fabulous crew who all wanted to do something exciting, we chose to go swimming with dolphins which I wrote about earlier on in the year: Swimming with dolphins in Mauritius.  The crew had already excitedly discussed the plans on the flight over so I knew it was going to be a good trip.  Waking up early we set off for the southern end of the island to Black River.  Jumping in a boat and cruising out to the open water just as the sun was rising we slowed down and sat in silence watching and waiting for the dolphins to appear.  All of sudden the flat water changed as a pod of dolphins broke to the surface cruising right past the boat.  With that we were instructed to jump in and swim…such an awesome experience and what made it even better was knowing that these dolphins had appeared of their own accord, wild dolphins who could stay or go as they pleased.

 

June
Back to Mauritius and this time I went on an adventure to Black River Gorges National Park, I explored rainforests and waterfalls, marvelled at the Seven Coloured Earths, took photos of some epic views and got blessed by a Hindu priest at the sacred lake Grand Bassin.  Topped off with a curry in the evening and a spa treatment the following day, it was a fantastic adventure!
In contrast to Mauritius I had an afternoon to explore Edinburgh in June too, it was a sunny afternoon with a fresh chill in the air.  I took a stroll along the Royal Mile to Edinburgh Castle taking in all the gorgeous architecture and having a nosey in all the touristy type shops.  On my way back down I stopped in a cosy coffee shop for cake and tea.  I didn’t do all that much but sometimes it’s the simple things that you can take pleasure from and it was a lovely, leisurely afternoon.

 

July
July saw Matt and I off to France, two hours drive from Toulouse we stayed in a Gite in a little village called Loudet.  The week was spent exploring the surroundings and a drive over the border to Spain for Tapas.  We took a gondola in Louchon to a mountain resort, it was strange being up so high without snow!  Exploring gorgeous towns set along alpine rivers, fields of sunflowers and indulging in red wine and cheese, it was just perfect!

 

August
August is my birthday month and I always like to have something exciting planned!  This year we combined a trip to see family in California with an awesome road trip.  We hired a campervan from Wicked campers and went on an eight day adventure.  Starting off in Sequoia National Park we camped under the stars and saw black bears followed by a few nights on the coast near San Francisco and then continued to drive down south along the Big Sur.  It was an unforgettable birthday trip. 
 
September
After coming back from California we had withdrawal symptoms from camping and living outdoors, so we went off for a few days in our own van to Dorset.  With plenty of coastal walks and chilling by the campfire it made us reminisce about our recent American adventure.  It was really nice to have a few days away not so far from home…read more here: A weekend in the Purbecks.

 

October
I started studying for the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism a few years ago as a self – study course but struggled to complete it due to working full-time and undertaking freelance writing work at the same time.  In October I made the decision to pick it up again and so far am really enjoying it.  I really have to be strict with myself as it is a self-study course but hopefully this time next year I will be a qualified journalist!  I am studying with the College of Media and Publishing who are so helpful and really quick over email if I have any questions.

 

November
A hen weekend in Brighton was my November highlight, on the Saturday a ‘Beyonce’ style dance class, afternoon tea and a good old night out were the main events of the weekend.  Staying in a house in central Brighton meant we also got to do some exploring in this quirky seaside town.  We had lunch on the North Laine on the Sunday and believe it or not it was warm enough to sit outside, great for people watching!  The lanes have some very cool, unique shops so went spent some time browsing and window shopping before heading to the seafront just as the sun was setting for a ride on the Brighton Wheel.  We had beautiful panoramic views of the coastline, city and pier; it was a lovely way to end the weekend.

 

December
December saw the launch of my new website which you will be reading this on right now!  I’ve wanted a re-brand for a while and I’m so pleased with how it has turned out.  Andrew at Fix8 designed my logo, he’s done a cracking job at capturing just what my blog is all about. 

 

 

It has been an action packed year of travel but most importantly, I’m so excited to share with you all that Matt and I found out in August that we have a baby Dunkinson cooking!  We had our 20 week scan on 14th December and it looks all good and healthy.  We chose not to find out the sex and are so excited for our new arrival in April!  On that note we have a babymoon planned for January to Iceland!  I wanted to do that this year but haven’t quite managed to fit it in, so January 2016 seemed the perfect time to go away as our last trip abroad as a two…I’m looking forward to letting you know all about our adventures in Iceland and our adventures with a baby in tow!
What has been you favourite trip of 2015?  What are your travel plans for 2016?  Let me know in the comments below and I’d love to hear any tips and things to do in and around Reykjavík and Iceland…Happy New Year and see you all in 2016!

 

December 23, 2015 Blogging, UK 1 Comment

Baubles, tinsel and travel…

It’s the season for sparkle, fairy lights and tinsel; one thing I love to collect from trips abroad is Christmas decorations.  I don’t often purchase many souvenirs from trips, as I am sometimes limited on luggage space so Christmas decorations are great as they are usually small and easy to pack.  I love getting them back out year after year, each one holds a different travel memory for me and I’m looking forward to adding to my collection on future travels…

 

Sequin bauble
This decoration came from a recent trip to Brighton, a reminder of a weekend I spent there on a hen party.  I loved the star sequins in the transparent bauble, very Christmassy…

 

Santa shell
This little beauty came from Barbados, near to Christmas time there is a stall in the airport full of decorations inspired by the Caribbean.  Every time I pass through the airport I want to buy more and more.  I love that this shell decoration came from a hot climate where Christmas has a totally different feel to a cold Christmas in the UK.

 

Santa and gingerbread man
Both of these tree decorations came from Macy’s in Orlando.  I love visiting America at Christmas time as the decorations are so grand and you can really get into the Christmas spirit.  Macy’s always have a fantastic Christmas department and I couldn’t resist buying these for my own Christmas collection.

 

Christmas candle and tea light holders
This candle and holders were also bought in America.  I try to buy a new candle each year and put it away for the following Christmas, I sometimes forget that I’ve bought one so it is a nice surprise when I open my decoration box in December.  This candle is called ‘Twisted Peppermint’ it’s from Bath and Body Works and smells amazing!  The peppermint lingers in the air for a long time and adds a touch of Christmas sparkle to cosy evenings in.

 

Father Christmas Russian doll set
I came across these gorgeous Santa figures in a shop in Warsaw, Poland.  It was full of Russian dolls from floor to ceiling!  I had so much fun exploring the old quarter, drinking coffee outside in a square watching the world go by and strolling around the cobbled streets.

 

Snow Globe
I got this snow globe in Breckenridge, Colorado.  It is such a lovely place, snow, ski slopes and cosy coffee shops.  I would love to spend Christmas in Breckenridge one day, but until then I will have to make do with remembering it by give the snow globe a good shake!

 

Do you have any Christmas decorations from around the globe or any other interesting travel souvenirs?  Let me know in the comments below…
Merry Christmas!
December 10, 2015 Blogging Post a Comment

A Shiny New Website…

I’ve been a bit quiet on the blog over the last few months and that’s because a lot of developments have been going on behind the scenes.  I am very excited to share that I am the proud owner of a shiny new website.  The blog has had a massive makeover and a sparkly new logo to boot!
A massive thank you goes out to Andrew at Fix8 for my fantastic logo design, I am so happy with it.  Luggage tag, campervan, surfboard and planes, Andrew has captured perfectly the essence of my blog and incorporated it all into one gorgeous logo!    The Polaroid style pictures are editable so I can easily create a new feel as and when the mood takes me and I think they serve as great snapshots into my latest and most memorable travels.  Also a huge thanks to Jo at Starboard Media for all the work on my website to make it look just awesome and for hosting it too.
It should now be easier to navigate through the website with the categories along the top and a search bar at the bottom of the homepage.  My Instagram and Twitter feeds are in the footer so you can see instantly what I’ve been blurbing on about through my other social media channels!  I hope you like it and I’d love to hear your thoughts on my new look.
Now for a bit of shameless plugging…I would also doubly love it if you could pop over to Facebook and give my page: Nicola’s Travels a like, I have just set it up and it’s looking pretty sad at the moment as I don’t have an awful lot of likes yet!
I’m looking forward to sharing all my latest updates and adventures on here, if you fancy following along sign up by popping your email address into the subscribe box at the bottom of the page and check out my Instagram and Twitter pages for more updates and travel related posts….

 

 

August 3, 2015 Blogging 2 Comments

Tips and tools for travel bloggers…

I am by no means an expert when it comes to the best tools for travel blogging but it can be a bit daunting when you first think about setting up your own blog, so I thought I would jot down a few tips and tools to get started.  Through trial and error these are my trusty go to tools when I’m travelling and when I’m at home editing my work and blogs.
If you are thinking of getting into the world of blogging and want a few suggestions then read on, hopefully I can help…

 

WordPress:
I originally set my blog up through WordPress, a free blogging platform with the option to upgrade to payable services. It is easy to use and allows you to view your blogs daily stats.  Choose a name and in a few simple clicks you will have the basics ready to go.  I’ve read a lot of tips from other bloggers and articles on social media while building up my blog and in terms of social media presence you should be posting ideally at least 2-3 times a week.  I am guilty of not doing this!  At the moment in all honesty I am only posting once a month.  In terms of personal goals this is something I want to improve on.

 

Cameras:
Nice clean images are key to making your blog appealing and attractive to your readers I mix up cameras when I’m out and about….
iPhone: I’ve got to say the camera I use the most is the one on my iPhone.  I recently upgraded to the iPhone 6 and the image quality is really good.  With the options of panoramic, video and time-lapse it can do so much.  I also love that it is discreet, if I am somewhere I don’t want to draw too much attention to the fact that I am taking photos then this is perfect.
Canon 550d: I love this camera!  It takes great quality images and is fantastic for capturing long exposures.  Compared to the iPhone you obviously really do notice the difference in image quality.  I must confess, I’ve not used this camera as much as I should have.  I have no excuse, as my husband Matt is a photographer!  I tend to put it on automatic settings having not got the confidence to play around with it just yet.  Mine is actually a Rebel, the American version of the 550d.  After doing some research I discovered that there are different variations of this camera sold in different countries and these equivalents can often work out cheaper, like the one I bought.  It is essentially the same camera, just a different name.  So if you are on the hunt for one it is worth checking out these different versions.
GoPro: I love the GoPro too; the wide-angle provides really cool images.  It is small with very durable housing which is also waterproof and can be used in all sorts of different situations to capture all your adventures.  I have mounted mine on the front of my surfboard in Barbados, taken it snorkelling with turtles on the Great Barrier Reef, snowboarding in  New Zealand and in a helicopter on a glacier trip.  It is perfect for all-weather situations.  The GoPro also has video mode and time-lapse.  There are all sorts of accessories available for it including long-range remote controls and mounts for a ton of different activities including for bikes and surfboards.

 

Laptop:
I couldn’t live without my MacBook Air.  I have the 11-inch model; it is perfect for travelling due to its  small size and being so lightweight.  Macs are generally more expensive than a PC laptop but well worth it in my opinion as having had PC laptops in the past I have found the life of my Mac has lasted a lot longer (so far!) than any of the other laptops I’ve had before, making it a very good investment.
 
Hard drive:
A hard drive is vital for storing and backing up images and documents.  They are great for when you are on the move too as you can buy very compact ones.  iCloud storage is also useful for backing up data.
I also have an i-Flash HD Drive, which allows you to transfer images, documents and videos between devices.  Of course iCloud does this too but the i-Flash drive can be used to transfer between PCs as well.  It’s a nifty little gadget perfect for transferring instagrammed images from my phone to my Mac and a handy storage device too.
Apps:
Evernote is brilliant for keeping notes in one place.  It has the ability to create separate folders or ‘notebooks’ to keep everything on the same subject together.  You can add images and sound clips to notes, share notes via email, Twitter, Facebook and many more as well as exporting notes onto your device.  I couldn’t live without out it now.

 

Notebook and pen:
I love nothing more than putting pen to paper, especially if I am at work, as I can’t just whip out my Mac in the galley on an aircraft!  It’s also good for giving your eyes a bit of a rest from the glare of your laptop screen.  I often find I put all my thoughts and scribbles down on paper first before heading to my Mac, it somehow feels more creative and seems to get my thoughts flowing.  Even with all the modern technology of today there is nothing quite like a good pen and pretty notebook.
 
Social media:
Social media platforms are fantastic for sharing your work, searching for travel inspiration, chatting with other like-minded bloggers and sharing travel tips and inspiration.  I use Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Vimeo to promote my blog and chat about all things travel.  Using hashtags is key when posting on social media channels; it helps to get whatever you are mentioning noticed.  My favourites are #traveltuesday, #wanderlustwednesday, #beachthursday and #frifotos.

 

Travel bloggers:
As well as reading about other bloggers travels and adventures I also love learning from them…these are a few of my favourites…
Jayne Gorman over at Girl Tweets World has some fantastic inspiration and how to guides on blogging and social media, I love her honest approach and have learnt a lot from her.  She has a whole section on her website dedicated to blogging, definitely worth checking out.
Young Adventuress has a marvellous guide to becoming a travel blogger: So you want to be a travel blogger, do you?
A Lady in London, Julie Falconer has written a very helpful book: Blogging basics: How to create a successful blog and build a loyal following.  I went to a class of hers at the Traverse travel blogging conference in 2013 (more on this below) and took a lot of very useful information away with me on blogging and how to use social media.
Monica Stott has some brilliant advice on travel blogging over at her blog The Travel Hack.
Wanderlust magazine have some very handy articles on blogging I particularly like this one: Get paid to travel – become a travel blogger.
Mollie Makes have a magazine on all things social media, I love magazines like this. I  have been blogging for a couple of years now but there is still a lot more to learn especially in such an ever-changing industry.
A great way to delve into the world of travel blogging and to meet other bloggers and brands is to attend conferences.  Traverse host awesome travel blogging events.  I attended Traverse 2013 in Brighton, not only did it arm me with heaps of information on improving my blog but it also gave me the opportunity to meet fellow bloggers, get an idea of how to potentially make money from my blog, improve my confidence and inspire me to develop my blog further.
Anything I’ve missed? What are your tips and tools for blogging? I would love to hear them…

 

December 30, 2014 Blogging 2 Comments

Cheers 2014….you’ve been a good’un!

It feels like this year has gone by very quickly so I thought I would take a look back and jot down all my trips and travel highlights from 2014.  As well as travelling further afield this year it’s been wonderful to have done some trips within the UK.  It might sound strange but exploring closer to home without jumping on a plane has felt like such a novelty, especially as I am on an aircraft most days when I am working.  Many of these trips have also been with friends, I have loved sharing adventures with those closet to me.
If you would like to read more on each trip click on the links within the text to see the full blog posts….

 

Port Isaac, Cornwall:
The year started off with a long weekend away in Cornwall with friends.  We stayed in the tiny seaside village of Port Isaac and hired a cottage right on the harbour front.  I loved waking up to the smell of salty sea air and watching the waves roll in with a cup of tea in hand.  The weekend consisted of blustery cliff top walks, cosy cups of tea by the fire in our cottage, cream teas, Cornish pasties and plenty of cider….bliss!

 

The Big Green Bus, Sussex:
2014 is the year I turned thirty, to celebrate I stayed on a bus in the Sussex countryside.  On the face of it I know that might sound slightly odd but this was no ordinary bus.  The Big Green Bus featured on Channel 4 television series George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and is fully converted with two double bedrooms, bunk beds, lounge, galley kitchen and bathroom with hot water. Adam the owner has turned this old double-decker workhorse into the most amazing glamping retreat and has kept lots of the original features of the bus such as the drivers cab.  At the same time he has turned it into a cosy and unique space to relax in.  The log burner added marvellously to this!

 

Beach Hut 1, Shaldon:
Matt also turned thirty in April and as a surprise I booked a stay in a beach hut.  Just like our stay on the bus this was no ordinary beach hut and also featured on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.  The compact, bijou hut found on the shoreline in the quaint seaside village of Shaldon in Devon is one of a kind.  It screamed luxury from all its tiny corners.  Under floor heating, bi-folding doors opening up on to a private terrace with beach access and the cosy bedroom up in the roof completed this quirky little abode.  Glamping in style!

 

Work Trips:
I am so lucky that I get to incorporate my passion for travel in to my day job working as cabin crew for a British airline.  This year on work trips I have bought souvenirs in the markets of Mauritius and cycled along the Bermuda railway trail.  I’ve shopped in Orlando, been on a road trip and visited a shooting range.  I have paddle boarded, surfed and watched the sunset in Barbados, canoed in Antigua and sunbathed in St Lucia.  I’ve shopped in the south of France for sparkling cider, fresh bread and smelly cheese and explored the tiny streets of the old town in Nice.  I have blogged from a hotel roof top with a freshly squeezed orange juice and incredible views of the Mediterranean below.  Closer to home I have eaten ice cream on the beach in Jersey and cycled along the shoreline from St Helier to St Aubin, eaten a Scottish breakfast in Glasgow with my brother and walked along the Royal Mile up to the castle in Edinburgh….

 

Camping trips in the UK:
A trip in our campervan to Polzeath in Cornwall in July meant surfing, sunset barbeques and cider drinking at a beach pub.  (I think I have a theme running here!)  Closer to home Matt and I discovered that we could camp on the beach front on Hayling Island, a seaside town 10 minutes drive from us.  We have not had the opportunity to go away in our campervan as much as we would have liked this year due to work commitments so we grabbed this idea with open arms.  One sunny Friday we spent the day on the beach swimming, followed by a barbeque and camping under the stars listening to the waves roll in.  It was such a novelty to be able to do this so close to home!

 

Centre Parcs, Longleat:
Following on with the thirty theme my best friend organised a trip for her big day to Centre Parcs in Longleat Forest.  It was a fantastic weekend and a very active one, we cycled, played tennis, jogged around the lake, walked in the woods, ate pancakes and went mad in the rapids.  I love trips away with friends.

 

Australia, New Zealand and Bangkok:
Matt and I flew to Australia at the end of August to see two of our dearest friends get married, in between fighting jet lag we paddle boarded in Noosa and ate breakfast on the beach, took photos of incredible views in the Glass House Mountains and admired waterfalls.  We drank prosecco in Sydney harbour with magnificent views of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House too. While in Sydney I met up with Jayne Gorman, a fantastic travel blogger who recently moved down under.  Jayne has a wonderful way with words and really inspires me.  I love reading her posts on Girl Tweets World, check it out, you won’t be disappointed!
From Australia we flew to New Zealand where we hired a campervan and crammed all sorts of adventures into a ten-day road trip.  This included snowboarding, camping by crystal clear lakes and a helicopter tour over the west coast glaciers.  We drove for miles without coming across another person, ate porridge to warm up in the mornings, and became mesmerised by Milford Sound.  Another highlight was seeing glow worms shining brightly deep underground in a cave by Lake Te Anau.  We were perched in a small boat in the pitch black on an underground lake, amazing!  New Zealand has the most incredible scenery I have ever come across from lakes, to mountains, glaciers to rainforest, ocean and miles of open road, it was a stunning!  For more New Zealand adventures click on the link here: 10 day road trip itinerary South Island New Zealand.
Leaving New Zealand behind we celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary in the air en route to Bangkok.  This was our third visit to this buzzing city, I just love it!  We climbed up a temple, drank beer while watching the world go by on Koh San Road, sipped coconut water through straws, bought souvenirs on Rambuttri Street and most randomly of all did a wheelie in a tuk tuk, something I have never experienced before!  But, that’s a whole other story in itself!

 

I have been lucky enough to work with some great brands and companies through my freelance work this year, I am hoping to expand even more in 2015.  My new years resolution is to also write more of my own personal blogs, this is something I love doing but with a full-time job I often struggle to keep up with it.  On that note one of my favourite posts this year was my interview with author Lucy Clarke.  Her two books The Sea Sisters and A Single Breath have gripping storylines and include themes of travel and the ocean.  I can’t recommend them enough, they are the perfect holiday companions.  I’m really looking forward to her third book in 2015.
My travel plans so far for 2015 include a cosy winter break in Fowey in Cornwall, a road trip on the west coast of America, and hopefully a trip to Iceland.  Matt and I are also in the process of moving house so I’m sure that will keep us busy for the first few months of the year.  Who knows what the rest of the 2015 will bring, but I am looking forward to it.
What have been your favourite travel moments of 2014 and what are your travel plans for 2015?  I would love to hear them…
Happy New Year and I hope 2015 brings you lots of exciting travel opportunities….
 
August 26, 2013 Blogging, Uncategorized 2 Comments

To travel or not to travel?

I stopped to get fuel for my car on my way home from work today.  As I was in my uniform the lady in the garage asked what I did.  I explained that I worked for an airline as cabin crew, to which she replied, “I couldn’t do your job!” I asked if it was because she was scared of flying?  She went on to explain that she wasn’t scared but that she had never been on a plane in her life.  I told her she should go for it, she simply said “oh no thanks” and seemed pretty content with her answer.  It just got me thinking that of course not everyone has the want or need to travel, but when I think about my job I realise how lucky I am to fly overseas to different countries every week; along with countries I have travelled to in my own time.  I feel so privileged and lucky to have done so and can’t imagine not ever wanting to travel, to never having that urge to step on foreign soil, to taste different foods or to experience a new culture.  I’ve learnt so much by travelling to different countries and feel I am a richer person for doing so.  Like I said this conversation showed me that there are lots of people who are happy with not seeing other parts of the world, but boy does our world have so much to offer!  I am thankful for the opportunities and experiences I have had so far and look forward to the new experiences I will continue to have through my love of visiting pastures new.  Be it in the UK or further afield I never want to stop exploring…And I encourage with all my heart everyone to do the same…Hope you agree with me?….