All posts tagged: Travelling

CitzenM Hotel, Bankside London

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If you want a truly unique hotel experience then I think I’ve found just the hotel for you. There have been a recent crop of trendy hotels in the capital of late that are all amazing but have the same (and I hate this word) ‘hipster’ credentials. The CitizenM is all about great design, good service and a big dose of cutting-edge technology thrown in for good measure. I took my sister and my iPhone down to London’s chic Bankside to check it out. What’s the vibe? Cool, modern, European. The hotel lobby is one of the most serene and relaxed I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting – not in a way that’s boring at all, it was a delightfully relaxing experience. I checked in using the touch-screen stations, which on the day did actually have a technical glitch, so it took a while. I’m sure when they’re fully functional they’re a breeze to use and there was staff on hand to help me complete check in. There are things to look at everywhere …

Amazing Photos of Los Angeles and Coney Island

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Singapore-born US-based photographer Nguan describes his photographs as ‘ordinary fantasies’ which I think may be the most heartbreakingly perfect couplet of words I’ve ever heard. His projects ‘Coney Island’ and ‘City of dreams’ beautifully capture big city yearning in dreamy candyfloss hues. I love. Coney Island and City of Dreams by Nguan CONEY ISLAND CITY OF DREAMS  

Why Going Travelling Nearly Made Me Have a Nervous Breakdown*

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* Not literally, obvs, but planning a RTW is hard! I had second and third thoughts before I even stepped foot on a plane (let alone another country). I pulled it back though and that’s the important thing, but nevertheless, I found that I had a bit of a wobble a few months before my trip… So, okayyyy, in the big scheme of things, a year or two spent travelling is a drop in the ocean, but when you’re in your twenties, a year is a long time. A whole lot can happen in a year (and often does) and that scared me, I thought ‘sh*t am I wasting my prime years?’. The answer to that is ‘no’, because like Jennifer Lopez, I will not reach my prime until my early 40s which leaves plenty of time for globetrotting. Financially travelling scared me too, this is because prior to actually committing to a year of travel I was a bit ignorant of the costs. I knew about flights and making sure that I had enough cash …

How To Cope With Being a Lone Traveller

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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 …

Travel Fiction: I Found Love on The Beach

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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, …

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 …

India – My First Impressions

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So I’ve spent my first 24 hours in India and I feel like I have been here a week already! A lot has happened, but I’m glad I dived right in. On the flight here there was a man being deported back to India and he was not happy about it – so there wasn’t much sleep to be had due to all his screaming. Ah well! It’s not too long a trip. e-Visa At New Delhi airport, if you’re from the UK, you’ll have to get your e-Visa… which takes ages. They take your fingerprints and retina scan you but either the machinery wasn’t working or some people have very faint fingerprints as it was taking up to 15 minutes for some people thus making the queue about an hour long. When it came to my turn it took 2 minutes… I have very pronounced fingerprints. The Metro I decided to get the Delhi Metro to where I was staying instead of a taxi as I prefer public transport when travelling alone, it feels safer, also …