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My Travel Style

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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 …

Why You *NEED* to Visit Gili Trawangan

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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 …

Pushkar – India’s Hippie Oasis

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In the mountains of Rajasthan there lies a small but very holy town by the name of Pushkar. In Hindi ‘push’ means ‘flower’ and ‘kar’ means ‘hand’. The town is home to India’s most holy lake where each year thousands of hindus make a pilgrimage to the sacred waters. Legend has it that the lake was formed by the tears of Lord Shiva who was distraught after the death of his wife Sati. When Sati died Shiva cried so long and so hard that his tears created two holy lakes (in Pushkar and Ketasha – which means ‘raining eyes in Sanskrit). While visiting Pushkar it is possible to take part in a ceremony at one of the 52 ghats surrounding the lake. I obviously took part in such a ceremony at sunset (when in India…) where a holy man leads you in a series of chants and offerings, sugar, rice, pigments and flowers symbolising health, love, prosperity, for good karma. The experience was awesome, especially in such a picturesque setting – I honestly found myself …

Make Your Own Hardcover Book with Artifact Uprising

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When I saw this amazing idea I knew that this is how I wanted to commemorate my round the world trip – with a stunning hardcover photobook by Artefact Uprising. The sister company of my favourite photo editing app VSCO Cam, Artefact Uprising take your photographs from either your app, iPhone or camera and let you turn them into your own book. Choose the layout, number of pages and colour of the book and arrange your pics anyway you want. I think this is SUCH a great way to collate all your travel memories and create a beautiful reminder of your trip. Hardcover photobooks from £43 Artefact Uprising

The Atlas of Beauty Celebrates Diversity

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(Main photo.  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil by Michaela Noroc) Romanian photographer Mihaela Noroc‘s ambitious project The Atlas of Beauty aims to capture portraits of women from every country in the world, she’s already snapped girls in 37 countries and shows no signs of slowing. From Western Europe to Asia, North Africa, Scandinavia and the Caribbean Noroc shows us the vast diversity of women, and that it is all these differences that make each of us beautiful. As a mixed race, brown-skined child growing up in the UK in the 90s I felt so hideous because I was the polar opposite of all the thin, white and almost exclusively blond women in the media. These days we have beauties that break the mould like Beyonce, Kim Kardashian and Rihanna, but they still mainly adhere to Western ideals of beauty – so theres a way to go yet. These multi-coloured, multi-cultural portraits from around the globe make the runways and fashion magazines I read seem unbearably dull and bland in comparison. See the rest of The Atlas of …

best solo female travel blogs

The 6 Female Travel Blogs You Need to Follow

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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 …

6 Inspiring Books to Load on to Your Kindle Before a RTW Trip

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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 …