I love this collection of photos by British photographer Martin Parr. They depict the typical working class summer holiday to Magaluf, Benidorm or the like. There’s beauty in mundanity, it just depends on how you look at it, and Parr has an eye that draws interest out of the ‘normal’.
Everyone and their dog has a blog these day, literally, and I’m no different. While there may be a few naysayers who poke fun at the blogging community, I have made great friends through blogging, made a bit of money and had some amazing experiences – being flown to Denmark and Switzerland, partying with Rihanna, writing for my favourite magazines are just a few. So if you’re going travelling I urge you to start a blog, even if it’s just for you and your friends back home to read, it’s an excellent way to document an exciting time in your life, and it could lead to lots of great opportunities!
I do not claim to be the expert at blogging, far from it, but I have been blogging in some form or another since 2010 – both personally and professionally – so I’ve picked up a few tricks (and some awards). If you’re interested, read on, ‘cos I’m sharing them!
If you know you’re going away in a year or 6 months just set up your blog now. Like, right now. Believe me when I say no one will read it, so you can peacefully hone your craft safe in the knowledge no one is checking out your blog. At all. The reason I say start now is that setting up a blog takes time, and a reliable internet connection, you need to choose a host (Blogger, WordPress or Self-Hosted), pick a theme or design, create a bit of a back-catalogue of posts. Not to mention the social media bits, ‘about me’ page and a whole host of other stuff.
Get your blog to the point where you can simply write, upload a few pics and you’re good to go. As much as I love to blog, I know for a fact that if I’m on a Fijian beach the last thing I’ll want to do is tinker with widgets and plugins. WordPress has a great app which makes it a breeze to write and upload images straight from your phone which is fab for on-the-go blogging.
This is my favourite Ernest Hemingway quote, actually, that sounds incredibly pretentious… this is the only Hemingway quote I know, and I got it from a hotel notepad. Anyway, the sentiment is perfect. Seriously, smash out as many articles as you can, the beauty of a blog is that you can go back and edit your ramblings infinite times. I cringe at typos from 2012 – but at least I can correct them. If you’re a newbie blogger, find your flow by writing a lot and without discrimination.
Even if you’ve blogged before, like I had, travel writing is likely a new niche for you so try your hand at some travel-focused articles. I really love to read posts about trip planning and saving tips so while you’re doing just that, document it! Travel doesn’t start the moment you leave the country, there are a million things leading up to it and a sh*tload of planning. By the time you land in Bangkok you’ll be able to blog like a pro.
My fashion blog name has always irked me because it’s a bit obtuse, I wish I’d have picked a name that had ‘fashion’ or ‘style’ in it so it would be more easy to search for and people would instantly know what it was about. I wasn’t going to make that mistake a second time so thefashionablebackpacker.com seemed fitting.
Hopefully this blog will do what it says on the tin. I’m going backpacking and I want to do it stylishly. Some might say the word ‘backpacker’ is limiting and that even if I strike it rich I’ll always have to write about budget travel, but I think a/that will never happen and b/backpacking is way more glam these days, I think the meaning can be interpreted as ‘extended travel’ so I’m not too worried. A note on outgrowing your blog name; the Man Repeller is happily married so…
Once you have a name you love, get a logo to bring it to life, I asked my friend Amy who is a designer to whip up mine but you can easily create one yourself on websites like PicMonkey – I think simple always works best but just choose something you can live with for a long time.
Now you’ve got your name, your host and lots of articles you’re almost good to go! Blogging (let’s face it) is primarily an online pursuit, but there are elements that you need to do offline too. Firstly, tell all your friends and family you’re writing a blog, the nosy buggers will want to stalk your travels and you need readers, so tell them. Tell anyone you meet.
Another way to spread the word is with a business card, get a simple one with your blog address and social media handles from somewhere like Moo cards or Vistaprint and you can hand them out to people you meet on the road – professional, easy and you never know what opportunities it could bring (…if you’re backpacking there’s a chance it’ll end up as someone’s roach paper).
Blogging, lest we forget is just plain old writing by another name, and most bloggers I know are great, skilled writers – so write. Get a notebook to jot down stories and ideas for articles. And while we’re at it, pictures help bring words to life, ESPECIALLY in travel blogging, there’s only so many superlatives you can say about a beach before the people demand to see the azure blue waters. So get a camera and snap, snap, snap away.
Anyway, I hope these tips inspire you, if you want more, one of my favourite travel bloggers Vicky Flip Flop has a whole series of travel blogging articles. Check them out HERE.
It was the first time she’d stopped in a long time, here, thousands of miles from home, beer in hand with a breeze blowing the salt from her messy hair. She’d bloody made it! Thalia Thorpe, the reliable one, the sensible girl with her head screwed on right. The girl whose now-ex boyfriend cheated on her… that Thalia Thorpe was currently clutching a bottle of beer on a beach in Cambodia and life was good.
She smiled to herself, a little buzzed from the cheap drinks she’d had after dumping her new backpack at the hostel and setting off into the night. What a thrill to step out in the dark wearing just a slip dress, the air so warm it felt almost tangible, with a weight to it, not like the cold London air she was used to.
While life was good, and it was, Thalia had now run out of distractions to keep her from her thoughts. The break up was horrible, Luke had cheated, and she had known he had for a while before he told her, but nothing had prepared her for the twist of the knife that was to come “I never loved you”. What was the point of those three years? Those three wasted years, she wasn’t getting any younger, at nearly 30 things started to get a little more real.
Kids, a mortgage, ‘settling down’ weren’t in the distant future. It was stuff to be done now. With Luke. But. Every girl has her breaking point and hopefully at least a modicum of self respect. Seeing the shock on Luke’s face when she told him she’d spent her savings, her half of the deposit for the house they’d both dreamed of, on a round the world ticket was worth every penny of the ticket price. Who was more surprised at the lack of theatrics or tears – her or him?
So the last few months had been mercifully filled with plans, maps, making up for years of daydreaming during school geography classes. No time to think about Luke, no time for tears. Then there were the injections, the landlord to deal with, visas, calling the phone company. The goodbyes, the train to Heathrow, the first G&T in row 11 seat A (window seat), looking down on the country she wouldn’t see again for a long time. The longest time in fact.
Now she was there, or ‘here’. Finally here. Now what?
“Excuse me, do you have a light?” Thalia turned at the deep Scouse accent, she’d always liked a Liverpudlian lilt. He was deeply tanned, obviously he’d been here a while, and the nut brown of his skin made the blue of his eyes look almost unreal.
“Um, yes, sure, here!” Thalia fumbled in her tote bag, voice wavering, she peered up at him through some stray curls – he really was good looking. He smiled cheekily “do you have a cigarette too?”. Thalia laughed “normally people ask the other way round, but yes, I do”. The two sat in an amiable silence on the near-deserted beach. Two amber dots.
The mysterious dreamboat spoke “I’m James, and I don’t usually smoke. I just wanted an excuse to talk to you…”. Thalia had never had a holiday romance, but James was beautiful, she was halfway across the world, under a thousand stars… hadn’t she run away to heal her heart?
The End
Rat & Boa by UK designers Stephanie Cara Bennett and Valentina Muntoni is the perfect globally-influenced fashion brand. The clothes are equally as suited to a weekend in LA as they are a hot Havana night and everything in between. The Rat & Boa instagram feed is enough to make anyone want to pack their bags and get away and there are plenty of styling tips courtesy of the stylish duo. Fun fact: I used to work with Stephanie in Topshop in Manchester (UK), that store obviously gives people the travel bug!
N
ow, I may not look it but I am a proud Danish woman… well, my mother is anyway. Due to the fact that my Danish family live in the UK, I never visited as a child – which is sad because I always felt quite an affinity to Denmark, and we observed a lot of Scandi customs at home. So my first time visiting Denmark was as an adult, alone, to the city my Mum was born in: Copenhagen!
I was not disappointed, Copenhagen is such a beautiful city, the air is clean and it just has a nice vibe. Think of London and now think of the polar opposite, it’s a very chilled out, clean, peaceful place and everything, and everyone is beautiful, haha.
Here are my Copenhagen recommendations if you too have a couple of days to spend in Denmark’s cool capital… 
Everyone here is beautiful, from bar tenders to business men. They’re all very, very attractive. And tall. And blonde. And impeccably dressed. Why not try your luck with a hot Dane? If you’re worried about the language barrier, don’t be, most Dane’s probably speak better English than you do.
Danish street style star Pernille Tiesbaek
There are many, many hip bars and drinking holes in Copenhagen but I liked Lidkoeb due to the warm yet minimalist décor, young and beautiful clientèle, furry blankets and excellent craft beers. The Whiskeys were good too if that’s your bag – in fact on a weekend from 8pm the whole bar is dedicated to them. You’ll be in Whiskey heaven. If you want to give the hard liqueur a miss Lidkoeb have a tasty lunch menu too.
Lidkoeb, Vesterbrogade 72B, 1620 Copenhagen 5 
The Danes like many Europeans love to ride their bicycles, but they do so with way more panache than any country I’ve set foot it. Cyclist’s rule the roads and bike lanes take up far more space than roads for motor vehicles – the beauty of this is that the air is clean and there’s little traffic noise. It’s the easiest way to get around the city so definitely look into hiring yourself a set of wheels for the day – I can’t guarantee you’ll look as cool as a native Dane whilst you ride, but you will have lots of fun!
The Danes love to cycle – and they make it look good!
Best. Breakfast. Ever. 71 Nyhavn, alongside a, quite frankly, sensational breakfast (Silt, Danish pastries, many cheeses, fresh fruits…) is also on Copenhagen’s coolest street and the water taxi port(?) is right outside the hotel. If you have a room in the back you’ll also have a stunning view of the sea. The rooms are traditional/modern with brilliant showers, and there are loads of comfy sofas to plonk yourself on. The location cannot be beat – you’re a 2 minute walk from 100s of bars and restaurants. If you do fancy a cycle you can very cheaply rent a bike at the front desk.
71 Nyhavn Hotel, Nyhavn 71, 1051 København K, Denmark
The stunning Nyhavn district
Have you been to Copenhagen? What did you think of it? Useful Danish Phrases: Hello: Hi Hi Bye: Farvel Please: Venligst Thank you: Tak
Going travelling? Want some extra cash? Then eBay is a great way to make some mullah by selling your old clothes… let’s face it we’ve all got a lot. It can be a/ a ball ache and b/ difficult to master, so here are some tip tips.
As a fashion blogger I not only bought a lot of clothes, and I mean a lot, I also got sent tons of freebies too. If I’m honest even when I was at my most prolific I probably only regularly wore about 15% of my wardrobe. Some stuff was too small, and no amount of running or wishful thinking would remedy that, some stuff too big (from the college years), and some stuff unworn, unwanted or unfashionable.
I found that I was quite ashamed of the amount of clothes I’d accumulated and only worn once or not at all, I had so much stuff that even if I wore a new outfit each day it would take me years to get round to wearing all of it. Disgusting consumerism at its worst. So getting rid of it was cathartic, there were a couple of things that I couldn’t bear to part with, but on the whole it felt good.
After eBaying 100s of items over the course of a few months I had made over £2000, which was probably only a fraction of what I’d paid for the clothes (oh, the shame), but more than I’d have if they were still hanging in my wardrobe. I picked up plenty of tips too – I’ll give you the first one for free. Don’t list 30 items at one time because when it comes to posting it’s a nightmare. Especially if you don’t have a car…
EBay will suggest a postage rate but 100% of the time it’s less than the Royal Mail charge so you end up paying the extra and losing out on cash. Make sure you amend the postage costs so you don’t end up out of pocket. Use other courier services like Hermes to try and get a better rate too.
It’s a really nifty little app as far as they go, you can snap and even edit pictures straight from your phone which saves sooooo much time. It’s easy to use and it has a very handy draft and schedule feature so you can create listings whenever suits you and save them until you’re ready to go live.
Please, for the love of Beyonce, snap your garms in natural daylight! Taking photos by the yellow light of a 60w light-bulb makes everything look like crap. Take close-ups of fabrications, pockets, special features (or holes and stains) and anything else that the buyer might want to know. A picture is worth a thousand characters so use all 12 pictures.
To avoid unhappy customers, bad feedback and returns (remember eBay will side with the buyer 99% of the time) be fully transparent and decribe and photograph any tears, stains or marks. Be honest about postage times and anything else you can think of that will cover your back.
This is the busiest eBay day: Sunday, late afternoon to evening. There’s just no point ending your auction at 8.45am on a Tuesday because no one is on eBay at that time and you’ll get a crap price. If you’re busy on Sunday just prepare your listings as drafts and simply go live on Sunday or you can schedule them (but sometimes this costs 35p so saving as drafts is always good).
If each listing is 35p and you’re selling 100 items then that’s (wait a minute… wait a minute…er) £35! Add on to that your selling fees and eBay are taking a nice percentage. Always take advantage of the 100 free listings offers and free weekends to save those insertion fees. £35 would last you 2 days in Laos.
This used to be my job, seriously, I wrote product descriptions for Urban Outfitters and Warehouse before I was a traveller – at this point I reckon I’ve written descriptions for over 10,000 items so I’m pretty damn good. Always pimp your keywords – add search terms like ‘boho, ‘festival’ and ‘blogger’ into titles, write ‘check out my other items’ or similar on the end of each product so buyers know you’re selling more and be as descriptive as you can listing wear, any faults and sizing. If in doubt nick your description from the shop you bought it from. That Topshop dress has already had a description written for it – a quick Google search later and you’re golden.
I actually hate eBay with a passion – I hate it! Sometimes when at the post office, yet again, I’d lock eyes with another person holding a similarly large sack of parcels and we’d have a fleeting connection. The eyes said ‘help, eBay’. Seriously though eBay is annoying becuase there are always some buyers out to scam you, sellers have no rights and fees are high. The positives outweigh the negatives though and there are millions of people using eBay so you’re more likely to sell.
Here are some great alternatives that I use alongside eBay;
Depop is a favourite with bloggers and comes in the form of an app, it’s kinda like Instagram with shopping. Pros of Depop are that you can easily communicate with buyers, build up a following based on your profile rather than the things you’re selling and you can leave things up for as long as you like until they sell. It’s also really easy to use.
Another alternative is the good old fashioned car boot sale – I’ve never personally done one but I have shopped at many, I think this is best for lower-priced items and lots of them. You probably won’t get the true value of an item, but on the plus side you can shift a lot of stuff in just one day. This is a UK phenomenon, in The States it’s called a ‘yard sale’.
If you have a lot of designer items, you lucky thing, then I’d suggest selling on Vestiaire Collective where you’re likely to find the right buyers and get a better price.
Main Image: The Girls girls having a yard sale. Photo credit: HBO
If I could change one thing about myself I would magically remove my asthma, I’m not sure how that would work but that’s what I would do. Ordinarily it’s a bit of a pain, even when I’m at home I have to make sure I take steroid inhalers every morning and night, make sure I have a Ventolin with me everywhere I go (and a spare) and be careful not to get stressed, inhale too much dust, stroke cats or get too cold. So how hard is it going to be when I’m on the road for a year with only a backpack for company?
Many people would say ‘don’t go’ but I don’t want my illness to hold me back. It rarely has before and with so many people suffering from asthma to some degree, I thought I’d share my findings…
Many people don’t even know that I have asthma because I’ve always been embarrassed about having it – in the media it’s portrayed as something the fat, geeky kid has – and I don’t think many people realise that it’s incredibly dangerous. So if you are a sufferer make sure that you tell people and show them where your inhaler is so if you do suddenly have an attack they won’t be shocked.
I’ve had sudden attacks and the person I was with thought I was choking or having a panic attack – nope, just can’t breathe. In fact my old drama teacher put a paper bag over my face when I was having an attack, which is the worst thing you could do to anyone who can’t breathe – I was carted off to intensive care for a week so I think he learnt his lesson.
Being open and honest about your condition when you’re not around family and friends is crucial – tell any tour operators, guides and even hotel staff as well as fellow travellers. You might feel like a dick, but it could save your life.
IMPORTANT: You must declare that you have asthma when buying travel insurance. Don;’t even think about not getting it! Also, some company’s may not cover and a pre-existing illness can increase the cost dramatically but better safe than sorry.
People are quick to point out that ‘my asthma isn’t that bad’ particularly if I have to call off plans because I’m feeling unwell. Asthma is a very private thing, it’s so awkward not being able to breathe that sufferers mainly just hide away until their breathing improves. After an attack you’re kind of wiped-out too so you need a day, or longer, to rest. Admittedly, although I have to take drugs everyday, my asthma isn’t noticeable to others for the most part. Some people are fine 99% of the time, some have difficulties everyday. It depends on the person.
While I am mostly fine, sometimes, completely out of the blue, I’ll have a huge attack and be rushed to hospital for a up to two weeks. To be honest, I have no idea why it happens most of the time, sometimes I’ve had warning signs and ignored them. Knowing my condition as well I do I have to be super-cautious so this means I’ll be informing my asthma nurse Karen of my trip waaaaaay in advance and trying to work out a best plan of action with her.
The last thing I want is to be in an ICU in Delhi or somewhere so I’ll be getting my asthma nurse to give me a kind of lung MOT, look at my medication (Symbicort in case you’re asking) and evaluate whether it needs changing or a change in dosage. I’ll also be getting an emergency course of Prednisolone (strong steroid tablets) to take if my asthma worsens while away. On top of this I’ll be stocking up on A LOT of inhalers and spares – at £8 a pop I’ll have to factor this into my budget.
While travelling there’s a plethora of exciting (and dangerous) activities to experience, be it hiking, mountain climbing, diving or (eek) sky diving. If you’ve got asthma you’ll want to be extra careful before you plan to do any of these adventurous pursuits.
This is what Asthma UK has to say on the matter:
“Contact your doctor before undertaking these activities. Always tell the instructor you have asthma and ensure that your reliever is easily accessible. You should mention your asthma on medical insurance, fitness declaration and medical waiver forms.”
Scuba diving is a big part of the Southeast Asia experience but unfortunately I won’t be taking part in it, while it’s a shame, it’s just not worth the risk. I’m a water baby, though, and a good swimmer so I’ll still be enjoying the water safely.
Here’s what Asthma UK has to say on the matter:
“You may have problems when scuba-diving because of the triggers to which you are exposed when you dive (cold air, exercise, stress, emotion). Regulations on scuba-diving by people with asthma vary between countries; some do not allow anyone with asthma to scuba-dive.”
I’ll also be visiting some high-altitude areas on my travels such as Cerro de Pasco and La Paz where the air is thinner so I’ll take care to not over-exert myself in these places.
These are just MY personal limits, that’s not saying that because you have asthma you shouldn’t do anything, for-instance if your trigger is pollen and pollution then climbing a mountain may be just the ticket. The clean air up there will probably improve your breathing. Likewise if your dream is to scuba dive then do everything you can to make sure you can do it – just do it safely.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Asthma it’s that it can make you scared – I don’t think I did any sports at all from the ages of 3 to 23 because I was terrified I’d have an attack and die (as was my mother). Turns out, I actually LOVE running, I’ve taken part in races even, and although I’ll never be fast, it’s just good that I can run! By taking a puff of my inhaler before setting off and concentrating on my breathing and pace, I can run 10k. Some people with normal lungs can’t do that. So fellow asthmatic, if you want to backpack the globe, then do it!* This article may seem like a bummer, but with 5 million of us out there I wanted to help out anyone who is in the same boat.
*Unless you are very, very ill. I cannot stress enough that this is only my personal condition which luckily is well-controlled enough for me to travel. Always, always, always consult your doctor or asthma nurse.
Before I embarked on my travels I started a little fitness kick to make sure my body was prepared for the backpacker’s life. I didn’t want low fitness levels or lack of body confidence to hold me back from doing anything – whether that’s climbing a mountain or strutting my stuff on a beach. While I wasn’t striving for a Victoria’s Secret Angel bod, I did want to feel strong and capable.
Getting fit and achieving a toned body without a gym, large budget or a well-stocked fridge is hard, I admit, but there are a few tips you can follow to keep your bod looking beach-ready while travelling.
I’m always surprised by the amount of people who bake on a beach all day and never get in the sea! It’s right there next to the sand and it’s awesome. I’m a water-baby admittedly, but swimming in the sea is one of life’s pleasures. Swimming for 30 mins burns over 300 cals, and that’s just a leisurely breaststroke – so dive in!
Sometimes we confuse thirst with hunger, then eat and still feel thirsty which we then confuse for hunger again. If you feel peckish while on the go – buy a bottle of water first to see if actually what you needed was a good drink.
If you’re not a natural walker then get used to it when travelling, at the end of the day, you have no job, no home to get back to at the end of the day, no TiVo waiting for you in the evenings so time is plentiful. Learn to enjoy walking – it’s fantastic exercise and serves a purpose, best of all it’s free and it’s easy, anyone can do it.
It can be tempting while travelling to stick to the foods you know (hey McDonalds New Delhi) or fattening convenience or packaged foods. Junk food is cheap, but it’s bad for you (news flash of the century). Local street food is cheap too, but it’s often nutritious and healthy. Just use your noodle, lol, and eat lots of veggies, fish and lean meats and avoid chips, processed meats and lots of bread. Try something new and you might love it!
See the best food from around the world here>>>
Each day try and set aside 15 mins to do a little toning routine. It can be hard when you don’t know where you’ll be from one day to the next or you don’t have privacy but you’ll work it out and it’s worth it. Every morning I try to do the following; 25 Sit ups, 25 Crunches, 25 Oblique Sit ups, 25 Squats, 25 Donkey kicks, 5 mins of ‘wind-milling’ my arms. It’s easy, quick and keeps my bod looking toned for the beach.
You’re in a different country – get out of your comfort zone. Whether that’s hiking, roller-blading, diving or dancing. Not only are these activities fun and memorable but they’ll burn a ton of calories too. You won’t even notice you’re working out if you’re salsa dancing with the locals in Rio or climbing to the top of a mountain to be greeted by a breath-taking view.
Oh, and you can squat anywhere and everywhere… seriously. My butt in that photo = the product of random beach squat sessions.
If this sound like the most random article ever then I’m sorry, but it’s not. This is me imparting some knowledge that will seriously improve the quality of your backpacking life. I’m totally alive with excited energy as I type this because I simply believe this is one of the greatest lessons I have learned in my, ahem, twenty-something years on this earth. Okay, a bit OTT, but read on for why you need to embrace the sports bra…
They’re an actual, legit fashion item now. Forget those grey elastic over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders, today’s sports bras come in myriad colours, patterns and designs and they’re really flattering on most people. This means you can wear it as a fashionable crop top as well as a bra. Score. I love a multi-tasking item.
Speaking of multitasking, your sports bra will double as a bikini top, and you won’t look weird, I promise. In fact there are bikinis that specifically and truly double as sports bras these days – I know because I bought one, and it said. (Not the bra, that would be weird, the online description).
Let’s not beat about the bush you sweaty traveller, you’re combating some serious heat, ain’t nobody gonna judge you for sweating cobs (UK expression – it means perspiring profusely). Luckily sportswear is designed by space-scientists, probably, and the fabrics do all sorts of magic things. This means it’ll dry super quick and you won’t feel gross wearing it.
Come on ladies, am I right? Bras can be so indescribably painful, I mean what do men wear that is so uncomfortable that they look forward to going home just so they can take the offending item off? Sports bras don’t have wires, they won’t suddenly go all weird, they’re easy to wash – I could go on.
Hopefully parts of your travelling will involve some action and/or adventure. Hiking up a mountain, bungee jumping, potholing, whatever. Even the act of lugging a backpack around is pretty physical, and if you ever need to dash to make that flight, you’ll be glad you’re wearing your most supportive item of clothing. It will also strap your tits down so there is no danger of them popping out in a religious country, in the company of men (bad western woman) or on a sleeper train.
Now do you see? They’re the most versatile item in your whole backpack. To summarise: They can be worn as a fashionable crop top. They’re supportive. Comfortable. Sweat wicking. Hard wearing. Less revealing than a wire bra and your tits definitely won’t pop out. Plus you can run up a mountain in Sri Lanka with ease. Three cheers for the sports bra!
Chez Shez 