Month: April 2016

My Travel Style

When I first started planning my trip around the world (hopefully) and began researching like mad into how to prepare, plan and most importantly pack, I came across loads of packing lists with practical advice on what clothes to take. Sadly all these list were boring as f*ck. I like to dress in a way that reflects my personality ESPECIALLY ON VAYCAY. It’s meant to be fun and cargo pants and khaki vests just aren’t going to cut it. While I wholeheartedly agree you should take certain items and pack clever, that doesn’t mean there’s no room for fun. So here are my tips on how to spice up your travel style… Check out my packing guides… DRESS COLOURFULLY You know in London in winter when you’re on the tube wearing a non-black jacket and you look around you and realise you stick out like a sore thumb and then feel totally conspicuous? That’s the worst. But the sun is made for bold yellow, deep red and sky blue. Wearing black also makes your photos …

My Travel Bucket List – 3 Months In

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Before I embarked upon this journey  wrote a little bucket list of things I wanted to see, do and experience. 3 months in, I thought I’d see how I’m doing, so here is my UPDATED bucket list… READ MY ORIGINAL TRAVEL BUCKET LIST 1. Get a massage Still a big fat no, the thought of an old Thai/Indian/Balinese woman crawling all over my naked body fills me with fear. Having now actually seen the famous Thai massage I can honestly say I will go to my grave without ever having one, gladly. FAIL 2. Have a holiday romance I guess I’ve had a little ‘romance’, I’ve had 4 Tinder dates, 2 non-Tinder dates, a few snogs, a few disappointing experiences, a dalliance in a hut… so I’m getting by. But no big romance… yet. WATCH THIS SPACE 3. See the Taj Mahal Yep, seen it. It was magical but obviously the one time I see it it had scaffolding on. FML. WIN 4. Not swim with dolphins Still haven’t and …

JungleFish, Ubud Bali Review

*WARNING* Overzealous use of superlatives, hyperbole and general gushing in this article. Sorry in advance. Jungle Fish is a bar/restaurant in the middle of the jungle which features a breathtaking infinity pool. Words and pictures can do this place no justice, but let me say this; my friend Amanda had tears of joy/awe in her eyes when we arrived. It’s that magical. Surprisingly it’s not that well known I don’t think, after speaking with people here in Bali it’s definitely still under the radar. My Tinder habit/addiction came through once again as it was a potential date who told me about this place. Seriously I get so many travel tips from Tinder – even if you’re not single it’s worth using it for that. You have to spend 150,000 Rupiah minimum to use the Jungle Fish pool, but that’s only about £8. My friends and I spent an afternoon there enjoying their sublime food, fluffy towels, excellent service and out-of-this-world cocktails. Happy hour is from 4pm to 7pm and gets you 40% off drinks; try …

Seminayk, Bali

Seminyak was my least favourite place in Bali, it was just soulless, dull and boring. Full of resorts with an ugly beach and little to no nightlife. Plus it was full of traffic, quite urban and built up and had no natural beauty. But I was recommended this place by many people so I went, WTF they were thinking I know not, but I gave it a crack. I’d recommend you skip Seminyak but if you have to see it for yourself don’t spend longer than a coupe of days there. Stay Capsule Hotel which is actually a hostel is amazing, there’s huge common area and bar, roof terrace and movie room. There are dorms but my friends and I styed in a private room for 5 people which was split level with the comfiest beds ever. It was like staying in a New York loft. Despite the impressive facilities and nice staff (hi Neil) the hostel didn’t really do it for me. I got the sense it was massively overcompensating for the location which …

Kuta, Bali and Why You Should Definitely Visit

Everyone told me not to go, people said it was the Aussie Magaluf, they said I’d get mugged, or conned and I’d hate it… and I went anyway because that’s my MO, reverse psychology and me are great mates. Tell me not to, and I will, out of spite. So I went to Kuta expecting to hate it but wanting to find out for myself, and I can honestly say EVERYONE WAS WRONG! Kuta is great, soooo much fun, and it’s cheap, and the shopping is great, and it’s pretty. And I’m going back. Where to stay I stayed at Funky Monkey hostel which had a one month old puppy there, need I say more? No! But I will… the hostel cosy around £5 a night and had a fab pool where you could play your own music (I am an eternal DJ) and chill, also free pancakes 24/7! However, this hostel had no wifi, and after researching a bit (asking a guest who’d been there 3 weeks previously) I discovered they never have wifi …

Why You *NEED* to Visit Gili Trawangan

I instantly fell in love with the tiny island of Gili Trawangan and despite still not knowing exactly where it is, I know I will definitely come back here. In fact I write this on my second Gili T trip, in bed sadly weakened by a savage chest infection. Ah well, if I can’t play I’ll blog so you lovely peeps can learn all about Gili T. … STAY Gili Castle Hostel I’m reliably informed is the best hostel on the island, there aren’t many but I will go and check that this information is correct (EDIT: yeah popped round it’s cool and has a climbing wall). Do not, I repeat, do not stay at Calypso Hostel, it is a literal shack with no air con and it’s expensive. I stayed in Warna Bungalows, it’s the roughly the same price to stay in a private bungalow if you’re in a group as it is to stay in a hostel so treat yourself, also it’s still easy to meet people here even if you’re not in …

Follow Me on Instagram

While I’m on my backpacking trip/ big fat excuse to have fun and not work I’m documenting my adventures every step of the way on Instagram. As much as I’d like to blog everyday, crappy wifi and a lack of time mean I can’t. But I snap 100s of photos each week and a lot make it on to Instagram. So follow me at @shereemilli (same for Twitter and Pinterest) for pics of jungles, beaches and ridiculous outfits! 💖 @shereemilli    

Alchemy Ubud – The Best Smoothie Bowls in Bali

I can’t believe I found this place, it’s actually thanks to a guy I met on Tinder in Ubud who ultimately ghosted me but initially took me on a breakfast date here. I had breakfast here 5 days in a row, it’s that good. It’s also super chic and modern despite being in the middle of rice fields. You definitely need a scooter to get here but it’s so worth it. The decor, the vibe, the food of course… The build-your-own smoothie bowl is beyond delicious. My favourite combination is: the Spirulina smoothie, dragon fruit, strawberry, banana, apple cinnamon granola, lemon and turmeric dairy-free whip, bee pollen, cinnamon, lime and mint. You will glow after this. They also do a fantastic salad bar featuring everything from capers to kimchi, pumpkin seeds to pesto. There’s a huge selection of raw, vegan cakes and chocolates and lots of scrummy teas and coffees. Alongside all this glorious food you can shop organic vegan cosmetics and accessories, I picked up some virgin coconut oil for my frazzled tresses. Anyway, …

Koh Samui – My Thoughts

Full disclosure, I kind of went to Koh Samui for a boy… which went tits up, but the airport is here so you may end up needing to go too. It’s a disgusting place, but despite this I did have fun, but I would never, ever go again, even if you paid me. If you’re British let me say this one word to you ‘Benidorm’, or another one ‘Magaluf’ . It’s a chavvy old place in Koh Samui, with a lot of fat, sunburned families with braided hair walking round eating McDonald’s. And it kinda smells. I first stayed in a beach hut (Free House beach bungalows) in Bosphut because it was right next to the hotel of a boy I’d been on a date with in Chiang Mai and we’d arranged to meet. It was super boring and dull there, full of couples, with literally no entertainment but I was cool with that as I just wanted to turn my little hut into a loveshack. Sadly I got blown off come date time (the …

Koh Phangan & Why You Should Skip The Full Moon Party

When I was first planning my trip to Thailand The Full Moon Party was high on my bucket list, despite hearing more horror stories than glowing reviews, I mean it’s a big party on a beach, how could that not be fun right?! My trip to Koh Phangan started interestingly when the hostel we’d booked (Wild & Wandering) was completely closed when we arrived, like chains-and-a-huge-padlock-round-the-front-doors closed. We waited in the blistering heat for 20 minutes and then went next door where we were told the owner had done a runner. Great. Now, accommodation during the Full Moon is way more expensive and hard to come by so I was lucky to find Lazy House Shenanigans (don’t let the name put you off) which is such a cool hostel with a pool and great sound system. You also get a free bucket everyday you stay, free entrance to the water park (which saves you £20) and a free BBQ on Full Moon day.   Koh Phangan itself is really pretty but there are a lot …