A Coastal Weekend

Last weekend, due to it being a bank holiday here in the UK, was the perfect opportunity for Matthew and I to escape from the hustle and bustle of London and get out into the countryside. With having that extra day we decided to head down to Cornwall as usually it's a pretty long way to go just for 2 days! 

My grampa lives just the other side of Plymouth and I've been going there 2/3 times a year since I was born so it's very much a home away from home for me, and since my parents have moved house this secluded little Cornish village means so much more to me. It truly is my favourite place in the world. 

I got a little bit distracted for most of the weekend and completely forgot to take any photos for the majority of it so I apologise for that... But I did remember to crack out my camera when we headed over to Polperro, a beautiful fishing village on the south Cornish coast. The weather was incredible that evening and so the light was just stunning so I couldn't resist taking a bunch of photos of the quay and some of the winding passageways. 

The views speak for themselves so I'm going to leave this post here and let you enjoy them in peace and quiet. If you're ever down in the area I highly recommend going and seeing this place for yourselves. 

Continue Reading

5 Pins I'm Loving {3}

All too often I manage to spend an entire afternoon getting lost in the depths of Pinterest so it's a good thing that I still manage to regard it as an afternoon well spent! Here's the shortlist of my favourite pins from the past month or so... I hope you don't suffer from Pinterest envy! 

1. Recently lot of friends and family have been commenting on how long my hair has gotten so my attention keeps getting drawn to cute hair styles. I love this knot style with the beachy waves. It's so simple and looks great. All I need now is to learn to style it on my own hair! Pin

2. This time of the year can be so miserable so I'm sure I'm not the only one already dreaming of summer holidays! There's something about Santorini which makes it seem the perfect holiday destination, it may have to be next on my list! Pin

3. This outfit is just perfection. The neutral tones look beautiful against the added scalloped texture of the skirt. Pin

4. Since we've been flat hunting I can't stop decorating our future flat in my head and the bathroom is the most important room in the flat as far as I'm concerned. These tiles are absolutely stunning especially with the plain wooden mirror above. Pin

5. Stacking dainty jewellery adds a little something special to an outift. These gold bracelets would look beautiful with the neutral outfit above especially with a little sunkissed skin! Pin

Do you love Pinterest too? 

Continue Reading

Tips For Your First Solo Trip

Going travelling alone for the first time, more often than not, is a terrifying prospect and is something I can very much relate to. Four years ago, more or less to the day, I was planning my first ever solo trip and I was definitely more worried than excited, but I can safely say it was the best thing I’ve ever done. Here are my tips for planning your first solo trip… 

1. Where to go?

Deciding where you go can often be the toughest decision but it’s one you really can’t avoid making. So whether you have one place you’ve always dreamt of exploring or you simply close your eyes and pop a pin into a world map get this done first! 

2. Do your research!

Make sure to look into everything from the currency you’ll need, areas of your destination with  a bad reputation to local traditions and customs. Without this knowledge it’s all too easy to accidentally offend someone or worse, get yourself into a dangerous situation so don't skip it!

3. Get organised. 

We’ve all heard the stories of people simply ‘winging it’ and seeing who they meet and where the wind takes them. Don’t get me wrong, this can be a very fun and spontaneous way of travelling however I would recommend booking at least a few nights in advance. Make sure to check the cancellation policies and if something better comes along or your plans change then you can always cancel your original booking! 

4. Is a group tour/trip right for you? 

A pre-organised group trip with a company such as Real Gap or Frontier can be a great way to easy yourself into solo travelling. You can travel to virtually anywhere in the world and everything at your destination is organised for you taking all of the pressure off you and it will put your parents minds at ease! These can last anywhere from a week to several months so if you do your research I can guarantee you’ll find something suited to you. 

5. Want to do more than just travel?

There are so many other things that you can incorporate into any trip so that the benefits last you long after you return home. Whether purely for your own benefit or as something to add to your university application/CV these are a great thing to look in to. You can incorporate any number of things into your trip, from volunteering or learning a language to martial arts training or mountain trekking, there’s something for everyone.

6. Have the basics at your finger tips

There's nothing more disorienting when travelling than not understanding things around you, be it signs, menus or needing to ask for directions. Download a translation app such as iStone - it'll become your best friend! 

7. Pack light

The prospect of packing for a a trip of a month or more may seem daunting but stick to the basics! You can always pick up extra bits and pieces as you go and don't forget you've got to lug it all around with you everywhere you go! 

My three months of travelling was the best thing I’ve ever done and, as cheesy as it sounds, it really helped me develop as a person! Although I was pretty organised and booked myself onto a volunteering programme to start my trip off and did plenty of research it was still a steep learning curve so I hope that these tips will help you in making the most of your next trip. My final word of warning, be prepared to get the travel bug and spend a considerable amount of time from then on dreaming of your next trip! 

Do you love to travel to? Have you got any tricks to being organised or making the most of your trip?

Continue Reading

Summer Sun | France Part 2

Now for days 4 - 7 of my little getaway to France! This is all I keep daydreaming about now I'm back in the office staring at my computer all day every day! I'm already in need of another week of indulging in too much food and wine, sunshine and great company! Make sure to check out Part 1 if you haven't already seen it!


Day 4 - Grotte de Pech Merle & Saint Cirq Lapopie
For preservation reasons you can't take photos inside the caves at Pech Merle which is a shame but it was absolutely incredible. The paintings date back as far as 25,000 BC which is just insane to think about! Not only that but the caves themselves were beautiful so it's definitely worth a visit if ever you visit the area.

By this time our stomachs were starting to rumble so it was time to head over to Saint Cirq Lapopie...

This place would have been heaving with tourists in a couple of months time but it was lovely and quiet when we visited, with just a few French tourists wandering the narrow, cobbled streets. I loved this as it meant our soundtrack for the day was French chatter and I could blissfully imagine myself living here....maybe one day right?

It seems that everywhere we visited that week had the most incredible views and surprise surprise Saint Cirq Lapopie was no exception with views for miles of lush greenery and the Dordogne winding it's way through the unspoilt landscape. 

There's not a single unnattractive building in Saint Cirq Lapopie and despite the high number of tourists visiting during the summer months it genuinely is unspoilt - there's not many places we can say the same for in the UK nowadays! 

Even the shop signs are beautiful and traditional!

Day 5 - Chateau de Puy Martin & Relaxation

This area of the Dordogne isn't known for chateaus in the same way as a lot of other parts of France but I wanted to at least visit one so we managed to find Chateau de Puy Martin which was pretty nearby.

The carpark was surrounded by beautiful flower beds which were buzzing with bees so I couldn't resist stopping and having a quick play with my camera and I'm so proud of this shot so I had to slip it in! 

With it being out of season we had another private tour which is always a benefit! Believe it or not it is still privately owned and the owners still live in part of the chateau but as there are only 2 of them they only live in a tiny portion of it. Imagine being able to call this place home?! 

Whilst we were wandering around before our tour started I saw this little guy having an early morning sunbathing session on one of the walls to warm up. 

You only get to visit about six or seven rooms in the chateau as due to the huge financial costs of owning and maintaining somewhere like this the owners are forced to keep the rest of it closed to the public as they cannot afford to maintain it all. 

Day 6 - Beynac

Beynac is yet another village built into the hillside overlooking the Dordogne River but it's highlight is the beautiful castle built on the top of the hillside. 

 With a view like this how could we resist having a little photoshoot!

Again this chateau is still privately owned and the owner still lives in a small portion of the chateau which is just beyond the right hand edge of this photo. I can only imagine how amazing it must be to wake up in the morning open the shutters and be welcomed by this stunning view! 

It's hard to believe that this was built on the side of the hillside like this back in the 12th century! 

The view of Beynac village up to the chateau. 

Mum and I found yet another cat to befriend in Beynac - he's so gorgeous - look at those eyes! 

Day 7 - Sarlat Market

On our last day we only had a few hours in the morning before we had to head to the airport so we just popped into Sarlat to have a little mooch around the market and a quick bite to eat. Then it was time to head to the supermarket and stock up on wine - my parents were driving back so we filled the back seat of the car with wine's we'd tried and liked!

I had such a fantastic time in France and I have to say I'm really missing it. The pace of life out there is so much more relaxed, if only London was a little more like that!!

Now I'm just counting down until the next holiday at the end of August! 

Continue Reading

Summer Sun | France Part 1

We never went back to the same place twice when I was younger and so I had been hoping to go back to the Dordogne since we went when I was about 5 years old (nearly 20 years ago!). So imagine how happy I was when I finally got my return trip to Sarlat all booked up for Matthew and my parents...!

Our villa for the week. It was so lovely being able to eat all our meals out on the terrace under the wisteria. 

Day One - Sarlat

The beautiful buildings of Sarlat. I loved the mix of timber framed and complete stone and all the different coloured shutters. There literally wasn't a single ugly building in the whole town. 

The cathedral in Sarlat turned this fantastic almost orange colour as the sun went down in the evenings and the contrast with the still bright blue sky was so striking I couldn't resist taking a picture. 

On the first night my dad surprised me and took us all to my favourite restaurant in Sarlat from when we'd visited back when I was 5 - who would have thought it would still be open all these years later?! The food was fantastic and there was so much of it - 3 courses for €15! It was in the sweetest little courtyard set back from the main streets so it was away from the hustle and bustle of everything. 

Day Two - Domme

The next day we headed over to Domme, a beautiful village set up on the hillside. Like everywhere we visited the buildings were to quaint. I love the little balcony on this house - it reminded me a little bit of Romeo and Juliette. 

There were some lovely little shops in Domme all selling handmade products. This shop was selling terracotta soaps which are infused with essential oils and so it smelt absolutely incredible! I picked up some little terracotta serving bowls for nibbles which I thought would be great for when Matthew and I move in together next month. 

Day Three - Rocamadour

Rocamadour was yet another beautiful village that we visited, by this point I was beginning to think that everywhere in France is this lovely. It was so nice to be coming outside the main tourist season as apparently in the middle of the summer you can barely move down this main street!

Mum and I have a habit of befriending a cat more or less everywhere we go (crazy cat ladies alert!) and so we spent some time fussing over this little guy before Matthew and my dad dragged us off to visit the sanctuary. 

Up above the main village, set in the hillside, is this incredible sanctuary which pilgrims, historically, would climb 216 steps on their knees to reach believe it or not! The views were unbelievable and it was so quiet and relaxing up there.   

It was so beautiful up there we had to take some pictures of us all... 

...Mum and dad managed to steal the better view though - typical! 

Check back soon for Summer Sun: France Part 2 to see what we got up to for the rest of the trip. 

Continue Reading

Lost in Wanderlust

Is it just me or has 2014 so far flown by!! I literally don't know where the time has gone which has somewhat got me in panic mode that the whole year is going to slip by without me realising and I won't have done anything. So what else is there to do but start daydreaming about where to go on holiday this year...? Which has in turn led to me reminiscing about my gap year...

First stop on my adventure was a month volunteering on a private game reserve near Victoria. This was pretty much the most amazing way to start my trip, I got to safari everyday (literally), help out at local schools and of course there was some hard work thrown in too.

Oh and did I mention I got to help raise 2 lion cubs....I didn't? Sorry my bad! These 2 little guys were adorable - if only they stayed that size so I could have one!!

Mixed in with all of this were the weekend trips to Jeffreys Bay, on the coast - the surfers paradise of South Africa - where we all got to sit back, relax and party! My time in J Bay was undoubtedly one of the highlights of my trip and I met some amazing people and I'm happy to say I'm still in touch with a lot of them! My only regret was not taking some surfing lessons whilst I was there but that's a good excuse to go back right?!

After about 7 weeks in South Africa I moved on to Thailand where I met up with some friends and had the most incredible time. We travelled right up to the north of Thailand - Chiangmai and Sopong - which were both beautiful! Then I made my way down to the infamous Thai Islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. The memories of Koh Phangan and the legendary full moon party are a little more hazy than the rest of my trip but it was still fantastic.

As much as looking through all these photos and day dreaming about my trip has brightened this otherwise grey and rainy day, one things for sure I need to go on another trip as soon as I can. A return trip to South Africa might even be on the cards for sometime in the near future, who knows! Send me a comment if you have anywhere to recommend - I'm always looking for new ideas! 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Continue Reading