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In-Flight Skin Saviours

Published by Sheree Milli

As a world traveller, you’ll be catching a whole lot of flights, I think I’ll be getting over 20 this year at last count… eep! Personally I like a flight, it means you’re heading to your next destination but the havoc flying causes to your skin is a major beauty dilemma.

So, just how do you prevent yourself arriving at the airport with the skin of a sunbed-worshipping 94 year old?

Dehydration is the biggest factor in tired and dull looking ‘plane face’ skin, moisture gets sucked out of your skin by the pressurised cabin air, plus the physicality of travelling means you’ll probably be stressed, lacking sleep and maybe you haven’t tended to your skin in 48 hours.

So to combat dry skin, drink LOTS of water. Forget your two litres a day. For every five hours you’re in the air, try to drink a litre of water, a lot, I know but it will help keep skin moisturised and prevent headaches and fatigue too.

As for getting your forty winks, easier said than done for some people, sleeping on a plane and in different time zones can be tricky. My golden tip and travel essential is a sleep mask. You can get super cool ones from places like Urban Outfitters so you’ll get a restful sleep and look, like, so cool.

Carry on with you a facial spritz or even just a mini moisturiser and apply throughout your flight – in fact, you’ve got all that spare time with nothing to do but kick back, so use airtime as pamper time. Try out all those lotions and potions and you’ll land in arrivals looking as flawless as Kim Kardashian.

Check out the best in-flight beauty kit

What That Coffee Can Buy You Around The World

Published by Sheree Milli

Let me first level with you by saying that I have never, ever bought a coffee in my entire life. This is because I hate coffee – seriously, I’ve tried it about three times and the last time I had a sip it made me feel violently ill for DAYS. No exaggeration. It’s yukky. BUT I do buy tea, wine, cakes, all sorts of sh*t, so the coffee is a symbol for our mindless consumerism, okay?

Now, a lot of people like to tell you that by skipping your weekly Starbucks you can save X amount in a year… blah, blah, blah. But we are the generation of instant gratification, we can’t sacrifice the little things for some unknown future reward.We need them! So with that in mind I’ve taken the liberty of showing you EXACTLY what the price of a Cappuccino (let’s average it out at £3) will you get you around the world.

THAILAND

£3 = 160 Thai Baht
Your Frappuccino will get you a night in a hostel dorm in Thailand – that’s right, one whole night with a roof over your head. This is crazy when you think of hotels you’ve probably stayed in in the western world, which okay are much nicer, but essentially doing the same job.

VIETNAM

£3 = 103080 Vietnamese Dong
Swap one liquid for a far more delicious one, you can buy yourself (depending on the vendor) 6 bia hoi beers. That’s a big night out, for me anyway. When you consider in the UK beer can cost around £5 for just one it seems crazy!

INDIA

£3 = 300 Indian Rupees
By saving that three quid you can buy yourself three meals from street food sellers in India, whether that’s a delicious spicy curry. Samosas, bahjis, pakoras or something you haven’t even heard of, you can feed yourself some of the world’s tastiest cuisine for the price of one capitalist beverage.

AUSTRALIA

£3 = 6 Australian Dollars
Okay so Australia is pretty expensive for a backpacker with prices on a level with the UK and USA. Sooooo you can buy yourself (drum roll please) a coffee from Starbucks. You’ll probably enjoy it way more than you would at home because on the road you don’t have your own kitchen or office to keep you caffinated. Go on, treat yourself!

Anyway, the purpose of this exercise is to help you to save for your trip, wherever you’re going, because it’s hard to let go of the little things. I kept wondering why I wasn’t reaching my savings target and when I looked at my bank statement it wasn’t any big things just a hell of a lot of tiny indulgences. They add up and you don’t need them. So now when I think about getting a chocolate bar, even if it’s 75p (a pittance) I think this 75p would be better spent on a beer on a beautiful beach in Cambodia and that helps me keep my purse shut.

Also, take pride in yourself for saving even the littlest amount of cash – your money is more valuable in poorer countries so don’t beat yourself up if you only save £500 this month – you can live off that for a month in South-east Asia.

Happy saving!

*Please note that the currency conversions are approximations, these things change and I’m actually a terrible mathematician.

Read my money saving tips for your RTW trip

4 Tips to Make Long-Haul Flights Less Boring

Published by Sheree Milli

If you’re going to be travelling, backpacking or just taking a trip to some far an distant land (lucky you) chances are you’ll be going by plane… I dread to think how long it would take to visit somewhere tropical by water, road or train. While long-haul flights ain’t everyone’s cup of tea, (unless you’re travelling in business or first class, in which case let me know how it is) they can be made way more enjoyable with these four fun tips…

The Mile High ‘Club’

NOT THAT ONE, you dirty-minded thing you, no! Turn your seat into an oh-so-exclusive club (capacity: one) with a banging playlist of the latest tunes. Whether you use an iPod, a walkman… maybe not, or your phone, just make sure you get some great quality over-ear headphones. The in-ear ones are useless. Big headphones cancel out noise too. I use Spotify, but remember to download your favourite playlists so you can listen to them offline.

Shop headphones>>>

Check out my Travel Playlist>>>

You Better Werk

A lot of travellers are ‘digital nomads’ or at least have a travel blog to keep updated. Use dead airtime to write up stories, articles pitches. You can even edit photos and create full blog posts – you don’t need an internet connection to write! Time is money, as they say, and flip-down tables work well as desks.

How to start a travel blog>>>

Sky High Pamper Session

When you’re up in the air, there’s no better time to slather yourself in lotions and potions – in fact, don’t spend any money, use the high-end samples in duty free beforehand! Whatever you do, be sure to moisturise, give your face a good massage to reduce puffiness, drink lots of water, paint your nails, pluck your eyebrows and arrive at your destination looking like Kate Moss… maybe not Kate Moss (she has plane rage) but any of the Kardashians.

Check out my beauty articles>>>

Stick Your Nose in It

We all lead busy lives and getting the chance to read a good book is a rare luxury, even when travelling and job-free, downtime is still a rarity and unfortunately it’s considered bad manners in most circles to read while in company. On an airplane silence is golden and it’s the perfect time to get stuck into a great story. Load up your Kindle with all the classics and it won’t cost you a penny!

So there you have it, 4 tips to make flights that bit more bearable, do you have any for me?

How To Travel in Luxury… On a Backpacker’s Budget

Published by Sheree Milli

If you’re looking for spa and five star hotel recommendations here, then sorry, you’re in the wrong place. I may be fashionable, but I’m still a backpacker – and there’s no shame in that. Some of the most beautiful and fun things you can do in this world a free. Even back home in the UK a £5 Nandos was pretty much my favourite activity (Gosh I miss Nandos). I’m very inventive though and I’ve come up with some tips to make your budget trip that little bit chicer – and remember, luxury is a state of mind.*

1. Take a little luxury with you

Whether it’s a Bella Freud top, your favourite beauty product or even a mini Diptyque candle – put it in your backpack and take it with you. A little item that won’t take up much space can give you a taste of the creature comforts you’re used to and make you feel that bit more glam.

2. Hunt for online deals

Want to visit that hotel, restaurant, spa or gallery? Then a quick google search can bring up any discounts or deals. If you’re a student and have a valid card then that can also open up a whole world of discounts. Websites like OpenTable, AmazonLocal and Mr & Mrs Smith can get you great deals on loads of things – even Michelin starred meals. You’d be surprised at how much money you can save.

3. Airport lounges – Economy flight, first class wait

My mum turned me on to this one – you don’t need a business class ticket to use the airport lounge. In most airports you can buy access separately for as little as £15. If you have a long layover, or a particularly long flight then a little luxury can be a welcome break. A comfy seat, free wifi, plug sockets,unlimited drinks and food are some of the things you can ~~rinse~~ take advantage of. If you’re clever you can create a meal for later too… sneaky.

4. Feast & Famine

This way of life is nothing new to me… it’s a trick I employed as an unpaid intern in London. Feast and famine. Which is, going through days living on a pittance in order to have a blow-out on something of your choice. I used to (still do) like clothes more than… anything, so I’d scrimp in other areas like buying cheap food, travelling by bike rather than tube and not drinking too much. This miserly attitude for the most part meant I had moments of luxury. While travelling, I’ll eat the cheapest street food and not buy souvenirs so that I can have the odd nice meal or night in a hotel. For you you might not mind sleeping in the grottiest hostels if it means you can go clubbing or, I dunno, snorkelling. Sacrifice = Treat.

5. Make use of the off season

Hey, you’ve got all the time in the world! There’s no rush. During school holidays and the hottest times of year places will up their prices, flights will be more costly and your destination will be crawling with holiday-makers. A benefit of going off-peak is that you’ll get a less stressful, busy and expensive trip. Also a huge tip is if you’re planning a RTW trip – don’t fly right after Christmas. This is when everyone makes their big exit, must be new year’s resolutions. Wait until February and you’ll save hundreds.

6. Air BnB

Air BnB has really taken off over the past few years and it’s easy to see why – it’s a great concept! Plus some of the houses and apartments that are available to stay in are seriously sleek. You can get an Air BnB for a reasonable price, why not stay just one night in a cool city centre apartment – that way your outlay is minimal, you get a taste of the high life and you’ll always have your memories of that soft double bed while snoozing in your hostel bunkbed.

* Unless you’re a Kardashian, then it’s a reality (show).

Want to know how to make a hostel more bearable?

How To Cope With Being a Lone Traveller

Published by Sheree Milli

As a lone traveller you will sometimes, or a lot of the time, be alone. The amount of time you spend alone is up to you… you don’t have to spend any time alone if you don’t want to (well, hardly any). But if the thought of flying solo terrifies you that much then you probably wouldn’t be embarking on a round the world trip by yourself anyway, right?

I am the oldest of three kids (hi Marcus and Sophie) and as such learned from a young age that I relish time to myself. It’s not that I’m antisocial, far from it, I love meeting new people and socialising. I’m very outgoing and really enjoy the company of others… but I have never yearned for companionship.

LEARN TO LOVE YOUR OWN COMPANY

I know some people can’t stand to be in their own company and have to be surrounded by people constantly, that’s not me, genuinely. I’m so thankful for that because I’m always happy and I’m not held back from doing things because of my solo status. If you are the kind of person who finds it difficult being alone then I think it’s a super worthwhile skill to learn – there will be times in your life when you will be alone and not have any choice in the matter, so learning to deal with it or even enjoy it is a wise move.

Not that I think I’m better than people like this, it’s just different personalities. I can go off-grid for long periods of time without even noticing. This means that I can annoy people by not checking in, it might even border on autistic, my total self-dependency. So I’m striving for a happy medium.

IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Back to travelling alone, this is hard because sometimes your total aloneness and isolation isn’t by choice. If you have a 13 hour flight to catch, chances are you’ll spend a couple of days totally solo getting to and from it. It can definitely be a weird experience – having no one to share your thoughts with.

This is where being ballsy comes in handy – let’s go old school and TALK TO PEOPLE! I know in this age of iPhones, Spotify and whatnot, it’s totally unheard of but you can strike up a conversation with someone. You might even like it. Plus you have a ready-made super interesting story… you’re on a round the world trip. You’ve just helped some orphans in Gambia. Whatever.

‘FRIEND’ THOSE BACKPACKERS

Also, you’re not really alone. There are hundreds, thousands, of other solo travellers out there and you’ll likely bump into them. Say ‘hi’. You can impart your expert knowledge to newbies, quiz seasoned travellers and swap stories and experiences with everyone. You might even team up and travel with them for a bit. You might even make an actual new friend (which is great because you miss your old ones so much).

Hostels and backpacker hotels are full of, you guessed it, backpackers. Like you! You can connect with them, swap Facebook details. Give them a business card. It’s a bit like being back at Uni in Freshers week, that intense friend-making initial period, but you can do it.

GET CONNECTED

You can also connect with your friends back home, we’re lucky we live in age where connecting with people is easier than ever. Our technology is sick. Imagine people travelling in the dark ages, like 1994… they literally had f*ck all. All they could do was write a postcard every two weeks… did they even have phones then? (joke). We have Skype, email, Facebook messenger, Instagram, Twitter… like, seriously, it’ll be like they’re right there with you.

You could also start a travel blog to connect with thousands of other likeminded people, your friends and family, and you’ll have a cool record of your once-in-a-lifetime trip! You can look back and think, ‘wow – that was a blast. AND I DID IT ALONE’

Henrik Purienne’s Beautiful Beach Babes

Published by Sheree Milli

South African born photographer Henrik Purienne‘s body of work is glorious – sun-drenched candid images of lithe beach babes with a hazy, wistful feel. They also draw inspiration from the city Los Angeles where Henrik now resides, plenty of azure pools and flaxen-haired, scantily-clad girls – definitely some photos to check out to get you inspired for a summer holiday or long-term trip to warmer climes.

His images have a distinct 70s feel that is totally en vogue right now and has led Purienne to shoot campaigns for American Apparel and Kitsune Maison. If you want to check out more of his work he’s also creator of Mirage Magazine whose ethos is hedonism… right up the street of a round-the-world traveller.

Purienne by Henrik Purienne

Photo credits: Henrik Purienne

Best Fast Food From Around The World

Published by Sheree Milli

Food glorious (and I mean glorious) food. I would be telling pork pies, geddit?, if I said that grub wasn’t a large motivation in me travelling the world. Just think of all the delicious flavours and tastes I’m going to get to eat. The world is full of amazing things to eat but it’s the streetfood I’m interested in – not just because of my limited budget – so here are my top 3 fast foods from around the globe.

1/ Istanbul – Dürüm Wrap

Dürüm, a tasty wrap with fresh salad and spicy meat paste, is one dish you can find in all of Turkey – whether it’s from a street vender or a super posh restaurants. It’s a delicious and fast food that’s usually surprisingly filling and pleasingly cheap. If you’re in Istanbul, the best dürüm, can be found in Bambi or Kızılkayalar in Taksim Square and even the stalls in the old town that target tourists are still pretty good!

2/Thailand – Mango and Sticky Rice

The key ingredients here are sweet juicy ripe mangos. That’s what the Thai’s say anyway. For everyone else the key ingredient is Thai sticky rice. And, I tend to agree. Thai sticky rice is unique and you can only use Thai sticky rice to make Thai Mango Sticky rice. Got it? Good. Thai sticky rice is extra glutenous which makes it so sticky when cooked. Add in coconut milk and sugar which the rice soaks up and you have something pretty special on its own.

3/ Jamaica – Jerk Patty

A Jamaican patty is a pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell, often tinted golden yellow with an egg yolk mixture or turmeric. It is made like a turnover but is more savoury. As its name suggests, it is commonly found in Jamaica, and is also eaten in other areas of the Caribbean, such as Nicaragua and Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. It is traditionally filled with seasoned ground beef, but fillings can include chicken, pork, lamb, vegetables, shrimp, lobster, fish, soy, ackee, mixed vegetables or cheese. In Jamaica, the patty is often eaten as a full meal, especially when paired with coco bread.

Fast food not your thing? find out how to eat healthily on the road.

The 6 Female Travel Blogs You Need to Follow

Published by Sheree Milli

As a newbie traveller and a round the world trip planner, I’m pretty into my travel blogs. They’re such a great source of inspiration and information – written from a personal perspective. Let’s face it, the travel supplements in glossy magazine’s are wonderful but unless a hitherto unknown multi-millionaire uncle dies and leaves me a large sum of money, they’re trips out of my league. I like a travel blogger who can tell me how to live it up in Laos for a few dollars, or where the best club is in Kabul.

With that in mind I want to share with you some blogs that will really whet your appetite for world travel.

Best For Inspirational Quotes

GREASE & GLAMOUR

Stylish travel blogger Jenna started travelling after the death of her beloved father, instead of mourning in the traditional way, she got a life size cut-out of her Dad and took him to all the places he never got to see. Her images are dreamy and she’s the master of the inspirational quote. Definitely one to read when you feel a bit lost and need reassurance as to why you’ve chosen the traveller’s life.

Grease & Glamour

Best For Solo Travellers

WORLD OF WANDERLUST

Aussie Brooke Saward started documenting her travels in 2012 on her blog World of Wanderlust and now she has five contributors to the site. It’s a great resource for solo female travellers, Brooke has been there, done that, and has plenty of tips for girls that you’d never even think of. Plus her travel is varied so there’s a mix of luxury and budget meaning no matter how much cash you have you can enjoy the blog.

World of Wanderlust

Best For No Nonsense Advice

VICKY FLIPFLOP TRAVELS

I feel as though I know UK travel writer and blogger Victoria Philpott just through avidly reading her blog – she’s hilarious and I can imagine her to speak exactly as she writes. Vicky reviews everything honestly, the good and the bad and you know her advice is some you can definitely follow. She’s also an authority on festivals and has a super-handy series of blogging tutorials too.

Vicky FlipFlop Travels

Best For Stunning Imagery

THE WAYFARER DIARIES

UK-based Clare of The Wayfarer Diaries is one of my favourite bloggers, full stop. Her site features some of the most stunning and atmospheric photographs and her style of writing is pure poetry. It’s definitely a blog to have a look at if you want to get to the essence of a place, her photos and words are so evocative that they give you a real sense of the place she’s describing. I particularly love her post on Jaisalmer

The Wayfarer Diaries

Best For High Fashion & Luxury

TUULA VINTAGE

Aussie blogger Jessica’s blog is pretty envy-inducing, you won’t find any budget travel here. Rather, private jets laid on by Michael Kors, 6 star tropical resorts and a wardrobe that would be unattainable even for a non-travelling lady. Add to that her long, slender Victoria’s Secret model physique and it’s a blog of pure fantasy. Not great for tips or anything useful but it’s very, very nice to look at.

Tuula Vintage by Jessica Stein

Best For Nepotism… and cheap, stylish travelling!

THE FASHIONABLE BACKPACKER

Well I wrote this list so I’m damn well going to be on it! Self promotion and all that. Seriously, read my blog, as a newbie traveller I hope to give some worthy advice to anybody reading and my previous as a fashion blogger means I know how to do things with style (I hope). Add to that my shoestring budget and this could get interesting!

Any other great travel blogs I need to know about, leave a comment or give me a tweet.

8 Reasons to Travel in Your Twenties

Published by Sheree Milli

This is an article written for those of us dedicated to long-term travel who are a little bit tired of the same old questions. “Why are you leaving everything behind?”, “What about your job?”, “Aren’t you scared?”. It gets tiresome, so maybe print out this page and hand it to anyone who asks you travel-related questions. Of course the short answer is “because I bloody well want to!” You’re young, hot and living by the laws of YOLO baby…

1. If not now, when?

You’re not getting any younger, so make hay while the sun is shining and head out into the big wide world. Seriously though, the older you get, the harder it is to drop everything on a whim.

2. Everything will still be there if you go back

The career you left, your friends and family, they’ll all be waiting for you if and when you choose to go back home. Taking a year or two out of your life is a drop in the ocean – You’re not Rihanna, no one minds if you take a break.

3. Your Instagram feed will be sickening

Legit reason to visit 20 countries – you will induce envy in all of your friends back home every time you post a picture of you on a white sand beach (which will be frequently). Sorry not sorry.

My Instagram Feed

4. It will look good on your CV

Far from ruining your job chances, taking a sabbatical from your career can be very appealing to employers. Firstly, if you’ve visited most of the globe, you’re unlikely to quit one day while saying ‘I need to see the world’, you’ve been there, done that. Plus solo travel requires a lot of independence, organisation and gumption (possibly the first and last time I’ll ever use that word). If you’ve navigated South America with only a backpack and three words of Spanish, that presentation will be a breeze.

5. You’ll never have to wake up early again

Okay, so maybe you have a flight to catch or you just want to, but really you’re not going to be getting up at 6.30am five days a week while you’re travelling. That would be madness.

6. You don’t have to work!!!

No boss, no annoying colleagues (not my old workmates, but y’know), no commute. Dream, imagine how stress free you’ll be! And if you do have to work it’ll be picking fruit or bar tending just to get you to your next destination… no stress at all.

7. You’re going to see so many new things

When was the last time you saw something that took your breath away? Corny sentence, but still, answer the question… Can’t remember? That’s normal. Real life tends to see us stuck in a routine so same-y that we get deja vu almost daily. If you’re a in a new country every month you’re going to have so many first time experiences you’ll feel like newborn baby.

8. You’ll meet lots and lots of new people

Yes, even if you’re travelling alone. This is because there will be lots of other people travelling alone, eager for a mate to talk to. You’ll meet people from all over the world, from all walks of life. This will come in handy in a few years time when you want some free accommodation in Sydney.

Ph. Credit: Grey Malin

Why do I travel? Find out here.

Why I’m Staying ON The Beaten Track

Published by Sheree Milli

I think there’s a lot of travel snobbery, with more experienced or ‘better’ travellers believing their apparently more authentic, ‘off the beaten track’ travels being worth more than enjoying the tourist trail. To them I say ‘everybody calm down’ – one type of travel is not more valid than the other – these are the reasons why I’m proud to be following the masses, experiencing the world’s biggest tourist attractions and (mostly) staying well and truly ON the beaten track.

All those people can’t be wrong

Places are popular for a reason, the world is getting smaller and smaller and we humans have pretty much figured out where the best sights are by now. Conversely, some places aren’t that popular because they’re a bit sh*t, hard to get to, or just plain dangerous. I would never want to miss out on seeing the Taj Mahal just because it’s a traveller cliché. I don’t care – I want to see it, and I’ll deal with the crowds and queues to do so.

I’m already taking a massive step

By jacking in my secure job and leaving my home to fly thousands of miles around the world by myself, as a woman, I think I’m a pretty kick-ass explorer as it is. I don’t need to prove that I’m the ultimate explorer by risking life and limb to find Thailand’s most secluded beach – flying solo as a girl is hard and dangerous enough, I don’t want to make it any harder by trying to prove something.

There aren’t really any ‘undiscovered’ places anymore

Sorry to break it to you, but that really cool ‘off the map’ little fishing village you found in Cambodia IS on the map, you’re not the first person to find it, and you won’t be the last. Making those assumptions makes you sound like a bit of a twat. I wouldn’t want to be caught out as you inevitably are when trying to act cool. Like the time I lied and said I’d heard of this guy’s favourite band and he’d made up the name – oh the shame, the shame.

I want to meet as many people as possible

By hitting up the world’s most popular backpacker destinations I hope to meet lots of other people, I’m a sociable creature and although I’m travelling the world all on my lonesome (and for a reason, I like being alone) I’d still like to make some new friends as I go.

People will try and suck the achievement out of anything

You can go travelling around the globe, have met amazing people, seen beautiful places, wonders of the world, watched the sunrise on a mountain top and there’s always one smart-ass who says ‘oh X place is so commercial now, when I went travelling I went totally off the beaten track’. Well firstly, f*ck you, and secondly , when your entire life used to consist of flitting between Shoreditch and North London, I think going anywhere in Asia/South America/Australasia, no matter how popular it may be, is going out of your comfort zone.

Travel is a beautiful thing so don’t let anyone lessen or devalue your personal experience. Just be proud you’re doing it , because a lot of people talk the talk, they do not walk the walk… with that in mind, I’d like to say I wrote this whole thing as insurance for myself.

This is because I really want to go to a Full Moon party when I’m in Thailand… #soznotsoz #dontjudgeme