Monday, 19 October 2015

Santa Barbra Santa Monica I Contiki

Santa Barbra only had the pleasure of our company for a short time on the route to LA and for the first time on the tour I felt I was on holiday. And by that I mean; beach, sun, palm trees type of holiday; I know I have been on holiday the whole time but this was something completely different, again.

As soon as we stepped off the bus we were greeted with blue skies, sun and palm trees decorating the edge of the sea. Bliss.

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Monday, 12 October 2015

San Francisco I Contiki I Part 2

My room mate and I were up early the next morning again to squeeze in some tourist sites. We had the morning free until a bike ride over the San Francisco bridge and didn't waste anytime in bed so got up and headed deeper into the city. If you chose not to do this (not many did, think they were exhausted) you could enjoy pride or the other city attractions all day.

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Tuesday, 6 October 2015

San Francisco I Contiki Part 1

Making our way to San Francisco (early!) we were greeted with the news we were going to be there during Pride weekend. The city was going to come to life with celebrations but to add to that same sex marriage had just been legalised across the remaining states in the USA. For those who don't know, San Fracisco is one of the most established cities in the world for gay communities and we were going to be there to celebrate the news in such a prominent moment in history! Another memorable few days were in sight.

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Sunday, 27 September 2015

Yosemite National Park I Contiki

Yosemite National Park: This was the part of the trip I was most excited about. Most people were psyched for San Francisco and as much as I was, I had pintrested the hell out of Yosemite and couldn't wait to see it for real.

For this place, I think you will see pictures are going to be at the center.
sourced National Geographic
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Monday, 21 September 2015

Bass Lake - Contiki

ON THE ROAD
Leaving Vegas wasn't the easiest of tasks. A lot of faces, immune systems and pride had seen better days when climbing onto the bus. Eventually empty seats became filled and to much amusement of our tour, we sat, heads banging as he decided to punish us by talking what felt the whole way from Vegas to Bass Lake which consisted of 6 hours of coach time, the longest on the trip.

Coach time was not as bad as I had imaged. It was a great time to make up for the sleep you had missed. There was no pressure to constantly be on the go and breaks were a plenty. Movies were played and we had the chance to brush up on our history from the tour guide who seemed to be an encyclopedia on USA history. Not going to lie, would not like to be up against him on a game of trivial persuit. We even witnessed some coach-e-okey for those who had bought shame upon themselves. (That were late and kept us waiting) Yes, thats karaoke on the coach.

LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN
Bass Lake was a world away from Vegas. Gone was the bright lights, replaced with candles and internet connection was out of the question to the much connected big bright city we had just left behind. And wait is that nature, water and green trees? As a country girl at heart this was a home from home. I love big citys, I am amazed at the buildings and busy life but I do love the peace and quiet of the country and open spaces. It was actually the perfect stop to follow the madness of Vegas in which I think everyone appreciated a little rest time. I love this was included in the trip as it helped show the greatness and diversity of USA.
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Wednesday, 16 September 2015

Las Vegas I Contiki

I joined my group on my third evening of being in Vegas and I was filled with both a mix of excitement and nerves as I wandered down to the lobby to find people. Alone. This was a pretty hard game of 'spot the Contiki crew' when there are so many people in Vegas, so I kept my eyes open for any Contiki folders, books or people with huge suitcases and a game face for adventure. An Irish girl approached me who ended up being my room mate for the trip. Celebrations in my head took place, I found my buddy. Eventually we found the rest of the new starters who were from both UK, Australia and New Zealand. Let the Contiki experience begin..

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Friday, 11 September 2015

THE BIG ROCK I GRAND CANYON

One thing that has always been on my bucket list is the Grand Canyon. The epic views, the mass space and rock has always fascinated me and it keeps making its way onto my Pinterest boards no matter how many pictures I see.


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Friday, 4 September 2015

Hello Vegas I Pre Contiki

TRAVEL IN STYLE
My adventure started as soon as I left little London and boarding ultra fabulous Virgin Atlantic Airways. I had to mentioned this as it was such an awesome start to the holiday. If ever travelling and can, choose this airline. There was so many amazing movies to watch, a never ending supply of snacks and the comfy seats set my trip off to a top start, I didn't sleep a wink with excitement.


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Wednesday, 2 September 2015

Just like new I DIY

Earlier this year I moved into my new rental in London with one of my best friends. Exciting! We felt like we hit jack pot with this place, it was so clean, modern and central (location); something considered gold dust in London.

One thing both a pro and a con was that it was unfurnished meaning we had to kit the whole house out top to bottom. Our landlords provided us with anything major that we needed but surprisingly we managed to borrow, steal (sorry mum) and find a few major things from both our houses. Secretly, I think my mum was pretty chuffed at the excuse to get a new sofa.

For my bedroom I managed to use my brothers old wardrobe and bedside table and despite normally being a lover of a good interior shop, challenged myself to renovating it.



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Sunday, 23 August 2015

California Highlights I Contiki

I don't actually know how to start writing this post; I just want to word vomit across the whole of the page. There is so much to say and so many pictures to post, it is taking everything in me to contain my excitement. I wanted to share the holiday I went on this Summer with Contiki Travel and somehow, I will get through it in some comprehensible English. I thought I'd begin by sharing the what and why.



sourced from contiki.com


Ok, first things first, Contiki. Whats the deal?
Contiki is a Australian founded company that offers adventures / holidays to 18-35 year olds. From USA, Europe to New Zealand, the world is your oyster. Go with a friend or by yourself, join a group and take a tour to whatever destination for you. BOOM that's it in a nutshell.

Accommodation, transport, a selection of meals and activities are all taken care of you. Pick and choose extra activities as you wish, all with the guidance of your handy tour manager and a bunch (around 40) full of awesome people sharing the journey with you.

But why did I go?
For me it was ideal. I have a full time job that I am not quite ready to sack off. I wanted adventure, I wanted to fulfill the travelling gap year I never took - all in a short space of time and with a reasonable budget. I was bored by the idea of sunbathing on a beach for a week, I needed something more at this point in my life. All of my friends are in relationships or couldn't quite afford it but I felt why should I miss out? If you are in the same single boat, you don't have to is the answer.

I love that this is on offer to people, I feel so passionate about it. Yes, I could get a plane completely solo and 'possibly' meet people on the way but this is better, its nice to know other people are waiting for you at the other side yet you know completely nothing about them. This opportunity gives you the feeling that little singleton over here for once, isn't taking the spare seat on the end of the table, you don't have to get in the carriage behind in the roller coaster, you can belong.

Having everything organised for you was another amazing factor about the trip. Working long hours at a computer screen meant the last thing I wanted was to spend hours trailing through websites. The one decision of choosing my post accommodation was stressful enough.

Out of the comfort zone
Is it scary? Yes, its quite daunting. Yes its exciting telling everyone, "I'm going by myself to America" Not going to lie, I felt pretty smug with independence but inside I was a nervous wreck. What if people don't like me and I make no friends? But I soon came to tell myself it couldn't be that bad. If that did happen, I would come back still richer; having witnessed some amazing sites friends or not. Of course that was one great thing about the trip. YOU DO make friends. You can chat online before and even if you don't, everyone is completely open no matter who you are or where your from. Not making friends is simply not a option.

sourced from contiki.com
Where to go
Ok, so I made the decision to go, read all the reviews and now to choose the tour. This is the hard part, there are so many and each and every one sounds amazing. I finally selected California Highlights - 8 days from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. This seemed a good basis for my budget and two week time frame and meant I could do my own thing either side as well. I'll talk you through the days in my following posts but for more information on the tour click the link. It took a while to decide where to go but I decided on California because simply, how awesome does it sound, how idyllic is it on the TV and the sun is shining all year round. No, realistically I wanted to go somewhere English speaking so if I id fall by myself language wouldn't be so daunting. The west coast is heaven on a plate and quite frankly I needed it.


How it works
There is one over arching tour that goes from start to finish. Mine was called Wild Western and then mini tours jump on and off. So California Highlights was the last tour that joined on. I got on when people had already been together for about 8 days and also one group got off at Las Vegas so I didn't meet them. Some others departed in San Francisco. In total there is about 40 people on your bus at a time. Don't get me wrong, everyone was welcoming, lovely and friendly but friendships naturally had formed by then and I wish I had been there at the beginning of it all. That is just the only thing I regret (sorry Contiki I know that is breaking your rule of #noregrets) I wish I did the full tour.

sourced from contiki.com
I booked a few days prior and post my tour to do my own thing so in hindsight I could have done the whole tour and it would have probably cost me less. One thing I shoot myself in the foot for but until you do one, you would never know.

Great thing about Contiki is you can use it in the middle of a grander travelling scheme. You can use it how you need. Whether you are going for a few months and want to meet people on the way or whether you need just a holiday where its all sorted for you, its up to you. Lots of people went off together after the tour if they were heading the same direction so one piece of advice; keep your plans flexible.

The final blab
I think you know what I am going to say. I'm sorry ok, excuse the cheese. It was amazing and one of the best decisions I ever made. I don't think I will ever forget the memories, the people I met, the things I saw.  My tour manager said (my adapted version) you can go see San Francisco bridge or gamble in a casino and it'll be awesome, of course it will but actually the memories you have are the times you had with the people you shared them with. I feel a bit of Miley Cyrus coming on (it's all about the climb) if you are getting my drift.

sourced from contiki.com
I could write for hours but theres plenty of more posts to fill. This one was just to tell you what its about and why I did it and if you are wondering, yes, you should do it. Don't look back, book the plane ticket, go for the longest tour the furthest away and head straight in. They are right you know, you won't regret it.

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Saturday, 17 January 2015

Get ready, get steady, get FIT!

Image courtesy of http://fashion.technewsexpress.com
A new year, a new you. That's what they say and it's all about getting organised, exploring new things and the inevitable; the notorious new years resolutions that help you feel like you are reinventing yourself. I love how people feel like it's a chance for a new slate when actually its just a day difference. Secretly though, I do like the reason to set new goals.

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Wednesday, 19 November 2014

12 Memorable Moments: September

It started to get quite hard in month 9 of 2014 to think of some new memorable things that are realistic and within my ever draining budget range.

I have never been a sporty person as I believe I have already stressed. And that anti-sport sorta feeling isn't just in the active sense, even watching it makes me feel a bit nauseous and never captures my attention. Whether it is the Olympics, Wimbledon, World Cup I dunno, it just doesn't really tickle my fancy. But take a lonely girl in a lonely world with a bank balance looking quite thin and throw in a friend with a passion for football and well... there you got me, I'll try anything


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Sunday, 16 November 2014

A week in pictures

What a week! The Christmas season is definitely in motion. Christmas light switch ons, partys, birthday celebrations and meetings galore it just seems to have flown by this week and I thought I would share with you a few pictures of my week. There were actually so many more I could have taken but here is a few I took in the moment.

End of last week we celebrated my friends birthday at the fireworks. I love getting all wrapped up in the cold and seeing a blazing fire with beautiful displays in the sky. There is something about firework night that marks the start of the festive season for me, I love it!
It's been busy busy at work this week with lots of projects underway and one of my meetings took me through Chalk Farm where I saw some awesome grafitti. I love finding little surprises like this on my average every day and really makes me feel I'm seeing more of London.
Despite the busy schedules we managed to stop and have lunch one day with one of our agencies at Pachamama in W1, a peruvian restaurant tucked away on Thayer Street. As we were a larger table we ordered one of everything from the fix menu where everything was £6 a plate. You can find the menu here but my favourites was definitely the Chicken anticuchos, charred corn (kebab style),  the Quinoq with avocado, Granny Smith, tomato, coriander vinaigrette, Short Grain rice, spring onions, roasted nuts and the Chilled prawn, onion squash, english mustard and tiger milk.  And of course, wherever I go, I have to have a cocktail and this Mama Pisco, though strong, hit the spot! How cool is the little silver pot it came in?
image from pacha mamalondon.com
I also got the exciting news I am off to Berlin in January for work. I am so excited! I love getting on a plane and jetting away and this will be my second destination I am visiting for work so I feel quite the jet setter. It is going to be during fashion week and I hope to take a few extra days to visit the city as I have never been. Does anyone have any tourist tips? It also finally means I have a reason for my Topshop Berlin tee that I have always been mocked for.
To top off a busy week every evening has been lit up with the Christmas spirits. Oxford Street has turned on its light and in all its glory brought Christmas to London with Selfridges, the mother ship, a beacon of joy to shopaholics a like. Always a great vision for the end of a long working day.
Back home, the weekend is here which means a night out with some friends. The only thing that annoys me at this time of year is the bars and clubs put up their prices. Understandable but a bit cheeky when there isn't much new yet once inside. However, they kept me sweet by giving out to the lades these venetian masks in one of my local bars. I'm always partial to a bit of glitter and it has certainly got me in the party spirit (not that I needed MUCH convincing)

Now, time to snuggle down to some X Factor and strictly before the next busy week begins!

Hope you all had a great weekend, what did you get up to? Has anyone else been to London yet for Christmas shopping?








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Thursday, 13 November 2014

A girl should be two things; classy and fabulous

The holy grail, the mother of the beauty ship, Coco, CHANEL.

There is something about the slick black and white branding, the glossy lids and the elegance, the prestige that gets girls hearts all over the world pounding, pennys rattling and minds slipping into endless dreaming. You just simply cannot deny the beautiful, sophisticated packaging from the iconic Chanel, whether it is a nail varnish or the out-of-reach handbags poised perfectly in the Bond Street stores.

I am not one to splash my cash on such items. Not because I don't want to but because I can't afford it whilst battling all my monthly fees; train, rent, food. Sure, I've contemplated walking from Warwickshire to London for a few months and even come close to giving up food in the cause for being fabulous. It's like once you have Chanel you are immediately accepted by some higher power in towering heels gleaming head to toe in designer. You have made it.

Well girls, its happened. The Gods have listened to me and his trusty men here on earth (ahem, my parents) have been at work. I have my very first Chanel!



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Tuesday, 11 November 2014

12 Memorable moments: August

Just before my birthday I was whisked away to Devon by my two lovely best friends. I always hate celebrating my birthday and refuse to throw a party or acknowledge it anyway.However, this year I had one of the BEST weekends filled with shopping, dancing and....kayaking.

Yup, you heard it, Kayaking!

We were so lucky to stay in my friends house that sits just above the Estuery in the little town of Newton Ferrers which is so quaint and beautiful and have the fortunate luxury to do a bit of kayaking in her families...kayaks. (nearly said boats )


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Sunday, 9 November 2014

Day in the life

For a person who is a big fan of lists, loves to plan and abides to organising anything she can get her hands on I find it near to impossible to stick to a beauty cleansing regime. Also taking into the fact I have exceptionally dry skin with more than enough time to fulfil its quite frankly, in beauty world, scandalous.

Recently however I have got so sick of my dry skin. Even my  liquid foundation even forming a 'peeling' effect on my forehead, nose and quite strangely the side of my face by my ears. It is has resulted in me making the little effort I should have always made. In desperate measures, I pulled together all the countless cosmetics I have parted with my cash on recently and surprisingly have found the magic ingredients


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Friday, 7 November 2014

12 memorable moments: July Take Two

July, what a dream a way that was. The sun was shining, office melting from the heatwave of  the English summer. That lasted one week, I know ok but a girl gotta paint a pretty picture!

I know its took me a long time to catch up on these memorable moments but hey, I've just been having too much fun.

Now on this lovely July day the sun was actually not shining. It was the rain making a grand entrance with torrential rain on the one day my best friends and I decide to get active.

We travelled to Woburn's Go Ape & Safari park near Milton Keynes. Fashionably late after making our way through the unaccounted Safari (which you must visit first) to get to the Go Ape we were strapped up and ready to swing amongst the rainy trees. Of course, If you ever meet me and my friends it won't surprise you in our decision to continue with the course despite the many people fleeing the route drenched head to toe.

Optimistic and hysterical with laughter I then realised what I actually had to do. Swing, from trees, high up.

Erm, yeah, I'm scared of heights did I mention that?

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Thursday, 6 November 2014

Dinner for one: Take one.

As a singleton living in a rented room in a family home in London there is one thing that frustrates me the most. Dinner. Walking past the aisles in supermarkets is a constant anguishment. Not only am I trying to save money but I am constantly being battled with being resourceful with my one shelf in the fridge.

If you are a singleton of some kind you may share my anger for the many 'dinner for two' meals on the shelves. Or the packs of four chicken.

See my predicament. I have one shelf in the fridge, literally. Approximately one microwaved shaped space in the freezer. I need to shop for a week but use all the contents before they go off and I've practically flushed my money down the drain. I want to be healthy and I want variety and all of this with a limited budget. I am also restricted to kitchen facilities due to my impossible (and yes ridiculous) concerns of intruding someones kitchen space (who wants to be cooking when a dinner party is going on in the same room?).

A four pack of chicken could take you far at not such a hefty fee. Lunch, 3 dinners in the week perhaps. But do I really want to be having that for 70% of my meals? Fish and steaks are expensive. Fresh fruit and veg have a decent life span but also not that cheap. The cost of eating healthy though not pocking breaking isn't as cheap as other alternatives which add pounds in other areas. Really, I am quite lazy and this needs to stop if I want to get my bikini body. I don't think it actually takes much to make this work so, I have decided from today, going forward I will make a vow. To eat a balanced diet at a reasonable budget with creative flair. I will document my efforts with you the beautiful blog reading public.

I thought I would share with you a meal I whipped up a few weeks back in acknowledgement of this new eating me.

Marks and Spencer Chicken Breast filled with Ricotta and Spinach, cous cous and salad. YUM!

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Saturday, 25 October 2014

Thirst

Give me a book, sun, sea and sand and I can read you an entire library. However pass me one during my day to day life when I ought to want to escape reality most, I find it hard to get inside the pages.

Recently however I was feeling the real need to get away from the hustle and bustle of London, escape the long periods of emptiness staring outside foggy windows and block out the social media scene that is saturated with uninspiring, self absorbed dramas.

I was gifted Thirst by Kerry Hudson for my birthday. The story of two people who despite their differences, their difficult pasts, fight to be together no matter what odds.

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Wednesday, 15 October 2014

With all good intentions

Eating healthy in the midst of winter is never going to be easy. So of course, I set myself the challenge.

I don't want to loose weight as such, if anything tone up but mainly, I just want to eat healthier and live a better food lifestyle. I am a huge takeaway fan and carbs are my forte. Give me a dominoes any day and I'll be your new best friend.

As of late however I have noticed my body rebelling against my long love affair with junk food. Don't get me wrong, my tastebuds still thrive at the thought of a delicious pizza or chinese takeaway and I by no means am going to avoid them out like the plague but it seems too much fatty food is leaving me feel stodgy and greasy as when it is first served to me.

I shouldn't be complaining, this is a good thing. Its a sign my body is appreciating the times I am eating good. Its telling me to stop and to enjoy the natural food God provided this glorious land with. But, there is a problem. *Whispers ever so quietly* I am not a fan of veg.

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