India is a country full of colour – there’s a pink city, a gold city and Jodhpur, the blue city. The sight of all the azure-painted buildings is quite arresting, just look at these photos…
Let’s face it, staying in a hostel is no one’s dream situation. Ideally I’d be staying in 5 Star hotels every night… but until they become free, or I become rich, then it’s not going to happen. So hostels it is. These days there are actually some super cool, chic hostels that combine great design and great prices – admittedly most of these are in western Europe or more westernised places – but hostels can be seriously fun! Plus you’re way more likely to meet fellow young travellers in a hostel than the Four Seasons. Here are 7 golden rules for happy hostelling. 1. Take Earplugs My Dad runs a clubnight with a very loud soundsystem and a lot of people complain it’s to loud when they go, the obvious response would be ‘well, if you can’t stand the heat…’ but the staff dole out earplugs. And they work! Don’t be a moaner, just stick a plug in it. You can buy them mega cheap off eBay. 2. And a sleep mask I’m a great …
Massimo Vitali of Como, Italy began his career as a photo journalist in the 1970s and it wasn’t until 1995 that he began taking photos of the vast, detailed landscapes he is best known for. His evocative scenes of beaches, pools and other public spaces were captured from super-high podiums (sometimes 4 or 5 metres high, yikes), observing his subjects from a distance. This gives a glimpse into the behaviours of people in their leisure time, from all around the world – Vitali is something of a globe-trotter. It’s hard not to feel moved by the little figures and clean, bright colours. Especially if you’re a globe-trotter yourself! Massimo Vitali: Natural Habitats
What would life be without books? Boring probably. What would an eight hour flight be without books? Unbearable! My Kindle is the only travel partner I need and my number one backpacking essential. Here are six inspiring books I read this year that you should definitely download… Animals by Emma Jane Unsworth This book is like the anti-Sex and The City, it’s gritty (ish) realness appealed massively to me as did the fact it’s set in Manchester and not London. It follows two twenty-something girls who are best friends and housemates. Despite being highly educated and savvy the two are still pretty juvenile and working dead-end jobs whilst navigating unfulfilling relationships. I like it for the fact it’s a truer depiction of twenty-something life than anything I’ve ever read and that the girl’s friendship, not the men in their lives is the strongest theme. How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran If you’re anything like me then columnist, feminist and all-round super hero Caitlin Moran’s first book How to be a Woman is your …
Click on an Image to enlarge examples of things I’ve written, bits of content and journalism.
Aesop is the Australian skincare brand that is most coveted by, well, me. And they have created the perfect travel companion – ideal for an inflight kit or to put in your backpack.. The fabric travel case houses 8 miniature products from the coveted Aesop Parsley Seed range including a shampoo and conditioner, body wash, body balm, face wash, toner, facial moisturiser and the cult Aesop mouthwash. All these lovely products come in the signature apothecary-style brown glass bottles, which are the ideal size for travellers and as a bonus can be refilled (hello siphoning off hotel shower gel). The beauty of Aesop products is that they contain no nasties and lots of natural botanicals to soothe skin that’s frazzled from the jet-set lifestyle. Buy The Aesop London Travel Case HERE
I’m going to, in this article, try to cover everything I wish I’d known when I started planning my Round the World trip. Full disclosure, there’s a lot of admin and crazy amounts of planning that go into travelling for an extended period of time… which probably doesn’t come as a shock. I think that a lot of travellers like to perpetuate the ‘pack your bags and go’ myth, but there are quite a few loose ends you’ll need to tie up before you leave. Everyone’s got an opinion You will have to deal with your friends, family and colleagues questioning your decision, constantly. And until you fly away from home, this will probably be your sole topic of conversation. Which is sometimes nice but when your Dad just won’t quit giving you murder stats for female travellers and your mates are talking about how you’re so ‘brave’ (read mental) for giving up your WHOLE LIFE… it gets a bit old. My suggestion is to memorise a small speech about why you’re going on a …
I never in a million years thought my Grandad would be lauded as a fashion icon, but in recent years exactly that has happened, from his raw denim straight-leg jeans to the New Balance he has rocked so faithfully over the decades. His Birks’ ‘n’ socks signature is one I’ve adopted of late and I’m pretty sure the man invented ‘normcore’. The latest trend to be pillaged from his sartorial sack of goodies are these Geography field trip-worthy Teva sandals. They’re everything you could want in a travelling shoe; sturdy, orthopaedic, comfy and… well, fugly. Plus they won’t fall off at that Full Moon Party and they look absolutely fantastic with a sock (should your feet start to rub or blister from epic hikes). On a real though, these sandals are this year’s Birkenstocks, and at less than £35, they are waaaay more pocket-friendly. Grab ’em while they’re haute. Get yours here, here and here.
Eating healthily is hard enough most of the time, but what if you don’t have a fridge, an oven or *gasp* a Nutribullet to whip up something nutritious? As a backpacker, you’ll probably be eating on-the-go and be at the mercy of whatever the local cuisine is. Don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to stay true to the #eatclean movement while on the move. Forget Western Food Why anyone would want a Burger King in Thailand is beyond me, fast food chains are now sadly a completely global thing. That means whether you’re in Cambodia, Argentina or Cape Town you’ll be able to grab a McDonalds easily. Chance are that the local version of ‘fast food’ will not only be cheaper but way healthier. If you’re a fussy eater just GET OVER IT, try something new and you won’t regret it. An authentic dish like a Pad Thai in Thailand will taste immeasurably better that any western fast food. Besides, you can grab a pizza back home. The best fast food from around the …
So I’ve spent my first 24 hours in India and I feel like I have been here a week already! A lot has happened, but I’m glad I dived right in. On the flight here there was a man being deported back to India and he was not happy about it – so there wasn’t much sleep to be had due to all his screaming. Ah well! It’s not too long a trip. e-Visa At New Delhi airport, if you’re from the UK, you’ll have to get your e-Visa… which takes ages. They take your fingerprints and retina scan you but either the machinery wasn’t working or some people have very faint fingerprints as it was taking up to 15 minutes for some people thus making the queue about an hour long. When it came to my turn it took 2 minutes… I have very pronounced fingerprints. The Metro I decided to get the Delhi Metro to where I was staying instead of a taxi as I prefer public transport when travelling alone, it feels safer, also …
Chez Shez 