All posts tagged: Backpacker

The Cool Canggu Travel Guide

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  My first time in Canggu [pronounced chan-goo], Bali was such a blast. You know when you arrive somewhere and just instantly love the vibe. It’s definitely a more western part of Bali, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing – especially when the western bits are all the good parts I like from back home. There a surfer vibe, of course, being that the beach is supposedly home to some of the raddest waves (am I using that term correctly?) in Indonesia. Also there are lots of super cool clubs and bars to party at. Overall the vibe is super-chilled but there’s loads to go as well.   GETTING AROUND Canggu is a little more spread out than some places in Bali, so travelling on foot, especially at night isn’t a good option – like most of Bali, there are no sidewalks. Renting a scooter is the best option, you can usually do this for £2-4 a day, and petrol is a pittance (£1-2 a week). The taxis here are good too – reliable …

artifact uprising travel photo book

My Travel Photo Book by Artifact Uprising

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It arrived, it finally arrived! Actually I only had to wait a mere week for my hardcover photo book by Artifact Uprising so I was caught off guard when the postman delivered it this morning, I thought it would take much longer to get here. I knew the way I wanted to commemorate my backpacking trip was with one of these babies, it’s such a lovely idea and a real novelty to look at photos that aren’t on a screen. Making the book could not have been easier, you can upload photographs from your computer or direct from you VSCO or Instagram account. Or a mix of the three like me. You can choose the layout of each page, colour of the book and the dust sleeve; creating a book that is totally unique to you. These memories are all so precious to me (I mean I had a lot of f*cking fun), and this book is perfect for preserving them. Hardcover Photo Book, Artifact Uprising 

27 Things You Didn’t Know About India

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India is fast becoming my favourite country, it really is unlike any other, but with the good comes the bad, and it’s this mix that makes India a conundrum inside a riddle covered in a mystery… wrapped in pancetta. Anyway here are 27 things I learned during my month in India… The wifi here is a myth. It just doesn’t work. End of story… which is so annoying for a blogger, I have so many stories to tell and pictures to share! On that note, when you do get wifi (rarely) the only website or app that seems to work is Whatsapp. I have no idea why but I love love love all the web developers at Whatsapp for making contact with my fam possible. India doesn’t smell. I arrived expecting gutter stench as so many people warned me that I’d be overwhelmed by a disgusting aroma. I was actually surprised that India smells, for the most part, amazing. A heady scent of spices, marigolds and masala chai. Masala Chai. HEAVEN! I drank at least …

The Most Hilarious Podcasts For Your Commute

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  Is it a sign of old age, or a sign of the times that instead of the latest Boiler Room mix I’m now more likely to be found listening to a Podcast on my commute? There’s a line in my favourite TV show Eastbound and Down where the notoriously juvenile star Kenny Powers says ‘I’m a grown up, I listen to This American  Life’. And there is something quite mature about listening to certain Podcasts, you feel like you have your sh*t together. Of course some are just hilariously funny. So without further ado here are six of the best.   Ronna & Beverly Try not to laugh at this biweekly Podcast and you will fail miserably. It’s a weird concept – two fifty-something Jewish mothers, Ronna & Beverly, generally bitch, dole out advice and burp alongside celebrity guests. They’re like the know-it-all aunts at every wedding; Ronna the sophisticated one and Beverly the kooky one. I can highly recommend this, it’s just hilarious. Download it now This Week Had Me Like BEST. PODCAST. OF. ALL. …

The River Ganges, Varanasi

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Varanasi is probably the most spiritual place in the world, I guess you have Lourdes and Vatican City, but trust me this places smacks you in the face with religion. You can’t turn a corner without seeing religious icons, ceremonies or indeed dead bodies being burned. I’m not making it sound very appealing but it is one of the most interesting places I’ve ever been.  I was lucky enough to take a boat on the river Ganges that flows through Varsnasi both at sunrise and sunset. It’s the best way to see the ghats where locals bathe in the supposedly holy water, dispose of cadavers and ashes and even do their laundry.  In the morning it’s a very serene and tranquil affair, seeing the sun rise over the haze (it’s always hazy in India) is such a calming experience. Probably because you miss the worst of the heat too. I even did some souvenir shopping on the river, I bought some Ganesh dolls forms man in a boat. Obviously I haggled but it’s definitely the …

The Ultimate One Month Thailand Itinerary

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Thailand is high up there on many people’s travel wish lists and it’s popularity is growing year on year. I had a bit of an up and down time there, but one thing is for sure, I felt like I went on a bout 5 different holidays. Each place I visited is so wildly different, and some of them were not at all the sun, sea and unprotected sex stereotype I had in my head. I have some really happy memories from my month here, and I’m not saying I’m a expert at all, but here is a fun month-long itinerary for anyone planning a trip to Thailand. Bangkok – 3 days You’ll probably fly into Bangkok so make the most of it. I found it very hot and crazy – it’s definitely not the most relaxing place but if you know where to look you can have lots of fun. Read my guide to Bangkok here   Chiang Mai – 4 days After Bangkok Chiang Mai is a welcome bit of calm, it’s such …

India: The Best & The Worst

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It seems ages ago since I went to India, needless to say I loved it and I will be back. You have my word. So to refresh my memory and to also give you guys some travel tips here is the best (and worst) India has to offer. The Best Bits The Best Food Definitely momos which are kind of steamed filled dumplings and apparently tibetan, but wherever they’re from they are good. They cost roughly 30-40IR (30-40p) from street vendors. Or there is a fast food chain version called Wow Momo which does every kind of momo known to man – chocolate, tandoori style, momo burger, fried, steamed, you name it and they do it. Wow Momo, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi  The Best Vibezzz Varanasi at sunrise was an unforgettable experience. Being in the holiest place in India and therefore the world (FU Vatican City) was pretty spesh, the river Ganga is where Hindus and some other religions burn their dead to send them off to the spirit world all pure. I also …

Making Friends While Travelling

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Travelling alone is always a little scary (see my post about the nightmare I had in Cambodia) but for the most part you’re never actually alone. Despite being surrounded by lots of other travellers and backpackers you can sometimes still feel a little isolated, especially if you don’t click with anyone. Here’s a rundown of how I made friends and had the best times while backpacking. INVITE A FRIEND FROM HOME! When I announced I was going travelling my old housemate Sinead decided to use her holiday time to join me for three weeks in Thailand. It was so nice to see a familiar face and it was so easy travelling with her since we’d lived together for over two years, I don’t think I could’ve spent 24 hours a day with many people for that stretch of time. We gave each other space when we needed it but also had some absolute screams! Another good friend Lucy was also travelling at the same time so we met up in Pai, Koh Phangan and Bali …

JungleFish, Ubud Bali Review

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*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

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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 …