Saturday 31 August 2013

Summertime Happiness and a Quick Thank You.

Well, well, well, so we meet again Mr Blog. As September looms, Summer is officially coming to a close. After 4 months of adventures, travels, drinks and an unusual amount of non-festival camping, in just one month I will be embarking on my final and longest adventure yet: moving to York to begin my studies of English Literature at the university there.

Cue minor hyperventilating.

But in all seriousness, I am incredibly excited what with all my friends going into second year and me just beginning on the next big chapter of my life! I recently turned 19, and I am ready to start my new life not in America, India, Denmark or Germany, but just one hundred miles or so up north (187 to be exact). This Summer has been extraordinary (aren't they always?) so I thought I'd give a brief run down on the crazy things I've been getting up to.


To mark my going to university (and the fact that I haven't been on a family holiday in two years! Gosh!) I went with my parents off to Murren in Switzerland - absolutely my favourite place. We had just a few days of hiking, swimming, and me making a dent in my reading list and of course, sunbathing, and I came home ready to begin preparing for uni. Cue manic Ikea shop. Cutlery anyone?


This Summer has seen picnics galore, including mine and Laura's picnic and outdoor cinema experience at Hatfield Forest back in July! We saw Woman in Black and I managed not to scream too loudly...I've also been gracing London with my presence frequently, the most recently being a night out celebrating the Breakfast Club's 8th birthday in Spittalfields - a deathly combination of £1.80 glasses of wine and £2.50 cocktails made for a night of 80s discos, inflatable guitars and swapping t shirts with Some Guy. Sorry dude. June also saw my friends and I heading Norfolk-wards once more for our annual naturist camping in Weybourne. A perfect week.


Together Ben and I discovered some remarkable parts of London this summer including Rekordelig's Midsummer Birthday Party in Victoria Park with Company Magazine complete with lots of free goodies and cider cocktails, and a misinformed adventure into a strip club in London Fields hobknobbing with Made in Chelsea stars...we also discovered a Speak Easy near Liverpool Street (anyone fancy seeing the Major?) and with one of my best friends and with our boyfriends in tow, we had a remarkable night in the Fridge.


One of my highlights was a surprise that I planned for Ben's birthday including the Pompeii exhibition at the British Museum (heaven for my inner, and rather hidden, classicist), Chin Chin Labs in Camden where Nitro ice cream is on tap, and the RA Summer Exhibition feat. Tracey Emin of course. Furthermore, at the start of the Summer we took a trip to the Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair and mingled with various artists, coming home with pieces of art (the start of my so far pathetic collecting career) and memories galore.


But the prize for the loveliest UK expedition goes to this one: a few night's camping in Fairbourne Wales and discovering the beauty of Blue Flag Beaches, as well as seeing family and discovering wild swimming in a copper slate quarry in Snowdonia. Yes, it was as magical as it sounds. If a little cold.

Okay, freezing.

I really took to camping this summer due to lack of money, as our 3 nights in Wales cost us just £18 each. Do the maths.

This Summer has been truly special and while I'm sad that it's over, I am ready for my northern adventures to begin. As the summer ends, so does my Gap Year, and I can't believe that it is over. But I shan't dwell on it, just learn from it, and how unbelievable it's all been. I hope to keep travelling over the next few years intermittently in the Very Long University Summer Holidays, and maybe I will turn this space into something other than a travel blog, but only time will tell. Thank you for sticking with me and reading about my adventures over the past year - I honestly cannot believe that it's been a year since I flew to America. It feels like a lifetime ago.

I have had a truly extraordinarily year, ranging from being asked to name a baby in Northern India, to bumping into Snoop Dogg in Times Square, to being harassed by guards in Berlin, to being asked on a date in Downtown Houston, to house-sitting in -5 in Denmark. It's been a fantastic year, and it's taught me the value of so much but mostly: my family, friends, and memories.

Here's to the future, eh? 

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Bringing Back Britain: Glorious Brighton.

In a true revival of my love for all things British (excluding the EDL, marmite, extreme patriotism...I suppose), no Summer would be complete without an out of season trip to the good old British seaside and through drawing straws and many debates, Ben and I decided on the epitome of the south coast: Brighton.

With two of my best friends gracing the University of Sussex in September I felt it was only apt that we jump in the car and on the motorway for a dip in both the sea and culture and I was not disappointed. After a morning spent paddling in the sea (which, in case you were wondering, on a cold day in June really is not a good idea), we spent the afternoon wandering the Lanes, stumbling upon the vintage shops, cake shops galore, and of course, the wonder that is Snooper's Paradise. 



Yes. Please. Diet? What diet?
My highlight of the morning however, has to be the glory that is Choccywoccydoodah - the renowned chocolate cum cake cum coffee shop. And we were in heaven. While Brighton does not come up cheap in comparison to other British seaside towns (see: Southend or Great Yarmouth - though they really are not my favourites) the money spent lounging on their red vinyl chairs and gouging ourselves on the weekly special of Chocolate, Raspberry and Chilli cake, it was money well spent. Located just off the high street and the Lanes, it is perfect for a morning snack and was as much a tourist hot spot as the pier for us.


B feat. the sea and old pier.

Despite the rain that graced us just as we left the sea, we headed onto the pier for a drink and a few rounds of Dance Mat before stumbling upon the Royal Pavillion (where the art exhibition, Jeff Koons, had free admission! Such a steal!) and onto the Lanes. 


Thugs in Brighton.

Royal Pavillion.
I loved Brighton and can't wait to go back in the sunshine though it will be heaving on the beach! I love the British seaside but with a stick of rock in hand, my copy of Brighton Rock in the other, and balancing our Snooper's Paradise buys on our heads, this beat all other seaside towns for me. The culture, locals, and attitude of the general city really was one of a kind - and I cannot recommend it anymore.

Snooper's Paradise photobooth stands at just £3!
See you Brighton!

Monday 24 June 2013

Barcelona, How Can I Forget?

Hola senors and senoritas - on a much more sunny, exciting and, well, sangria-fuelled note than my Bringing Back Britain posts, Helena and I recently returned from the bonny Barcelona after a quick 5 day break departing from Southend airport early on Monday morning with trusty (sl)easyjet. Honestly I needed just a little bit of time to travel a bit more, but I feel like Barcelona really was the end of this year's travelling! Gosh that's a Big Thing for me but I still have my home-based adventures as my previous posts showed.


Hello Barcelona, I have arrived.
We stayed near the University, just 4 metro stops from the main station and very near Las Ramblas, many beautiful parks and many tasty restuarants. I can't count the amount of times I have said this about a place, but I fell for Barcelona hard and fast. No other city has had such a chilled and welcoming atmosphere. Maybe it was the parakeets that chirped outside our window in the mornings, or the charming noise that is Spanish (or was it Catalonian?) being gabbled on the streets. Nothing had prepared me for the sunshine and smiling, tanned faces of Barcelona harbour, or the beaches just half an hour from the city, or the good, good food!

I didn't know what to expect but Barcelona's charm and street escalators was definitely not it. 



Sagrada Familia!
...and  the interior.


For me, the highlights were Sagrada Familia (despite the hour long queue) as the stained glass windows and Gaudi architecture really did take my breath away. I also held my breath and survived the cable car up to Mont Juec which, when armed with a picnic and minimal sense of direction, made for an interesting last afternoon. Gaudi's park too was fantastic (I may have had a power nap on the world's longest beach) and the Magic Musical Fountain at the bottom of the MNAC made for a twee, colourful, and Top Tourist Trap for our final evening. 



Thoroughly enjoying the bench.
Conquering the Mont Juec castle.
Showing her skills at the open (and free!) Olympic stadium.

As with all of my trips, I'd like to give my most succinct and concise, 'dos and don'ts' of Barcelona:

Do
avoid dinner by the seafront if you're on a budget - we struggled to find a cheap place to eat on the beach.

Do
take a day out of town to one of the more beautiful, quiet beaches just 30 minutes away from the city. Our day outside of town was well worth the €7.30 and extreme sunburn.

Do queue from the tourist spots. I would recommend this in very few cities but I fell in love with the cathedrals, parks and museums here. 

Don't be afraid to try out your Spanish. Or English. Don't be afraid to be friendly. 

Do invest in an appropriate number-of-days public transport card! I cannot stress this enough - Helena and I constantly thanked our lucky stars that, for near €30, we had unlimited transport on the metro which was a lifesaver. 


I am already aching to go back and would recommend this city (despite its pick-pocketing record which, we were not party to..) to anyone. Just chill out. Relax. Have some paella. And was the world go past on even the quietest streets.

Friday 21 June 2013

Bringing Back Britain: London Bridge Walk.

So I have always hated exercise. I survived in top set PE for just a few weeks before being demoted to 'Girl Who Stands In Goal During Hockey But Actually Does Nothing'. And yet, here I am, going to the gym four times a week, I'm into the first week of the 30 Day Shred, and last week I undertook, with my endearingly motivated and over-enthusiastic boyfriend, a 21 mile walk of all the bridges in London between Tower Bridge and Kew Bridge (that's 19 bridges).

Much like my muddy converse at Wimpole, my trusty pumps in Rome and my flip flops in Delhi (latterly known as The Worst Mistake I Made In Asia) - I whacked on my trainers and running trousers, filled my rucksack with cider, sandwiches and deodorant and we headed across and up the Thames.

Below is a rough route of our journey:

We started at Tower Bridge and finished at Kew Bridge - following the shape of the Thames though, it is possible to walk to the final bridge at Twickenham if you wish.
Now, the post is featuring on my Bringing Back Britain page in a desperate plea that you, dear reader, may decide to undertake this walk too. Walking along Chelsea embankment in the rain, jogging through Battersea Park, and fighting tourists on Westminster Bridge made this day such an experience. I saw parts of London so beautiful and new, and places that I'd never seen before.

Kew, as I now know, is a gorgeous makeshift village (with a cricket green!) just 40 minutes on the underground from Central London. Hammersmith, right by Riverside Studios, is full of quaint pubs and cafes. And Albert Bridge is the cutest ever.

Despite my complaining (Ben can vouch for me in that I kept it to a minimum..), the little bits of rain, and the overpriced drinks in the pubs of London, I have never seen London as wonderful as I did on this walk and, honestly, it doesn't feel like a near-marathon. Not with good enough shoes, company, and a supply of food. 

L - R: 1) Rain on Lambeth Bridge, 2) looking far too cheerful on Millennium Bridge and 3) starting on Tower Bridge.
I frequent London a lot due to the direct trainline from Stansted, but this was different to anything I've done before and I'm so glad I did it. Just make sure you have the essentials of water, a map for both distance and direction (I used the Strava Run app on my iPhone) and a good sense of humour. It's a wonderful day out.

And hey, like Louise and Spencer from MIC, this walk enables you to do both Deep Thinking and having Deep Chats on the Chelsea Embankment like a true posh-o.
(PS, I returned back from Barcelona less than a week ago, so keep an eye out for my Barcelona posts coming very soon!)

Friday 7 June 2013

Bringing Back Britain: Cambridgeshire.

Frankly, my absence from this blog is nearly embarrassing. I have had so much to write about, and have been on so many adventures (both home based and some slightly farther abroad) that I want to share. I've been applying for jobs (unsuccessfully), making the most of a combination of my National Trust membership, my car, and my wonderful friends and boyfriend leading to me having had a wonderful past two months since I returned from Germany.

I love England. My coming-back-post (as recently featured in this article) states this clearly; I love where I live. And although I've been fighting it since my return, my denial of the fact that I am home (I hope that makes sense) has meant that I have kept both busy and local and so my new feature, 'Bringing Back Britain' was born. Today's focus is the gorgeous Cambridgeshire.

Although drinks in Cambridge, when not from student hangouts, aren't the cheapest - an afternoon by the river really is a must.
I've always been a fan of Cambridge: the classical architecture, the colleges, the people, just to mention a few - and as far as a town goes, it really is perfect for Summer. Whether it's a G&T at the Anchor (located in between Newham and King's) or a picnic on Jesus Green, the sunshine makes it the perfect spot to while away an afternoon. Punting for a newbie in Cambridge is a must, and I always prefer to hire my own with a group of friends, a few drinks, and punt in the Grantchester direction.

Downton Abbey? No, not quite. But still pretty impressive.
About 20 miles out of town, situated in the real Cambridgeshire countryside, is the classical Wimpole Hall. With entry to the grounds and gardens being just £6 (and free for National Trust members) and a farm for exploration, even on a rainy day Flo, Luce and I made the most of the grounds.

Don your muddy converse, stock up on lunch from either the farm shop or - like us - take a Sainsbury's middle class picnic extraordinaire and cower in the boot of your car in between rain storms. The gardens are currently in full bloom and the orchard, much like Audley End (slightly more local to me), is stunning. My only piece of advice would be go on a weekday and before school's out - I can only imagine how busy the pig pen is when the children start their summer holidays in three weeks.

Car picnic anyone? My boot still features crisp crumbs as a result.

Fun for the family, or the more middle class/middle aged young adults among us - it is a lovely day out!

Thursday 30 May 2013

Exciting News Round Two!

Alas, I wish this post could be graced with Exciting News akin to a spontaneous trip to Rome but it's merely a wee whisper that my second guest blogging post has been published on mydestination.com and can be found here, here, here and here. The theme of my post is...food.

Of course it is.

In other news, while I calm down from this, my posting here may be sporadic until my next trip which commences in little over a week which sees me and my wonderful friend Helena jetting off to Barcelona for sun, sangrias, and Santa Maria del Mar. Ciao for a while readers!

Eep! In the mean time I may be found on instagram and tweeting pointless things on twitter :-)

Thursday 23 May 2013

Can I Have Some More?

Excuse me while I drool over my photos of food and drink from my trip; I am a terrible food-instragram-er as well as whacking out my actual big camera to photograph my dinner before I tuck in. But hey, it makes for great memories, photos, and blog posts so who's complaining.

Since returning home I have made an effort to get fit (ew), eat well (ew), and go to the gym (ew) and Rome was a well deserved three days off of carbs, three course dinners and ice cream on the way home - because where in England could you possibly find such a Geltaria on the way home? I often found myself sneaking into a coffee shop for a patented Italian coffee and pastry, or dashing into a darling Pizzeria 10 minutes from the Trevi fountain and ending up with four courses in front of me...it was every foodie's dream.


On Via del Governo Vecchio on my way back from my ill-fated Vatican trip I discovered a wee coffee shop, 'Cantina & Cucina' from which the header image from this post is, where I can say - hand on heart - I had the best cappucino of my life and for just one Euro. The service was impeccable and wonderfully friendly. The shop is nestled in between vintage shops too, it is well worth a visit!

Spaghetti Carbonara just around the corner from the Pantheon.

Even the idea of going to Italy while sticking to a diet in foolish - the food is a dream come true. Carbs. Carbs. Carbs.

Veal in a gorgonzola sauce with roast potatoes. Just. Ugh.
My second recommendation is just a five minute walk from Plaza Del Popolo named 'Al Vantaggio' (their house wine is actually named after the house) where I found the best Panna Cotta of my life. Just the right amount of creamy, and enjoyed  with a glass of white. I don't care how middle aged I sound.

The best panna cotta in Rome. Bold claim. I will stick to it.

And finally, how could I not mention Giolitti? Recommended to me by my wonderful friends Lucy, Ella and Flo (thanks gals, I was told I had to cite you), Giolitti is heaving at peak meal times, and this is exactly how I found it, sitting in the backstreets of the Pantheon. It was mid-morning when I paid €3.50 for, yes, the best Gelato of all time. Pay in advance, join the queue, and smile horrendously. Ask any local and they will know where to point you - it's well worth the wait.
Giolitti; light of my life. G-i-o-l-i-t-t-i. The name rolls off the tongue, etc etc.
I said it about Copenhagen, perhaps I said it about both American and India too, but Rome really is the best place for food that I have travelled. Be it sweet or savoury, alcoholic or not (pah) the Italians have out done themselves. Regards price, be wary as the tourist areas naturally more expensive and set in place to trap the more naive of us travellers.

Monday 20 May 2013

Do(n't) Do As The Romans Did.

However, maybe it was due to the Last Minute nature of my trip or the panic that in my two weeks of settling into life at home I'd lost my Travelling Knack, but when in Rome I made a few Pizza shaped faux pass, and so, despite my arrogant, borderline obnoxious, confidence when travelling, my list of Top Awesome Travel Tips: Rome Edition was born. Stay tuned for my Totally Unflawed Guide To Rome.*

*I accept no legal responsibility for the ridiculous situations my tips may get you in i.e. being chatted up by a Gladiator outside the Colleseum within two hours of being in Rome.

Top Travelling Tip #1) The Pope.


"A trip Tuesday to Thursday will be considerably cheaper!" she says to herself, booking Ryanair's cheapest last minute flights, "And what's better, is that I'm not going during a religious festival and my full day is a Wednesday - so I'll get up nice and early and beat the crowds to the Vatican to make sure I make the most of my short time in Rome." The Pope resides in the Vatican making it a place of pilgrimage, and does he patented address on Sunday and, wait for it, Wednesday so I, along with 10,000 other tourists and Catholics, pushed and swore under my breath to get into the Vatican only to be greeted by the Pope himself.


Oh hi Francis.

Now I'm not complaining, it was wonderful to see the Pope doing his thing, but given my time again I would do my research and save my trouble for Thursday. Unless you're willing to use your elbows, you will waste a lot of time in the Vatican! Furthermore, skip the museum (sorry Sistine Chapel) and join the queue to see the view over St Peter's Square - something I didn't do and regret it massively. But, eh, I'll just have to go back.

Top Travelling Tip #2) Old Beautiful Things i.e. The Colloseum.



Situated in the southern part of the city is one of Rome's most famous monuments: The Colloseum. To get my bearings, this was the first place I headed at lunchtime on Tuesday when it was beautiful blue skies and, thus, heaving with tourists. The entrance isn't clear, nor is the fact that your ticket, once bought, also gives entrance to the Palatino and the Forum for just €12. The Colloseum was heaving so, following the advice of my host Roberta, headed to the Palatino to buy my all inclusive ticket before heading around the grounds and the Forum and onto the Colloseum - skipping the queues and heading straight inside. Rent an audio guide for an inexpensive price and lose yourself in the history. (Too cheesy? Oof. Maybe. Sorry.) 

And finally, Top Travelling Tip #3) Rome by Night.

Spanish Steps, as recommended by both lysanne and Jamie.

It has been repeated by many a lovely tourist, family member, or wise friend that Rome is at its best by night and while I must still have a bit of Delhi ingrained in me ("don't go out after dark!") I ventured out for dinner in the north of the city - Plaza Del Popolo - and home via the Spanish Steps which I had fallen in love with in the daylight. Rome by night is charming, lively, and safe for a female lone traveller which is not something I can say for a lot of places I have been. I received smiles and conversation, but little harassment  And with the beautiful architecture, yummy restaurants, it's perfect. Head over to Trastevere for a slightly more homely feel, but even the tourist areas are equi-charming at dusk.

Of course there is so much to do in Rome, and just as I fell for the city I had to leave but I would recommend it for any traveller. It has rekindled my love of Europe, just as Berlin did, and I am eager to return to Italy - and no longer just for the food.

Saturday 18 May 2013

There's No Place Like Rome.


Less than two weeks ago (and embarrassingly less than  two weeks after I'd arrived home from Berlin) I had been lamenting my lack of spontaneity and life that was (is) becoming full of Adult responsibilities. And, being a grown up, I decided that the only way to submit to all these woes and overcome them was to do what I do best: Travel. 

Cracking out my world map, debit card, and travel guide books, I decided on a lovely little city called Rome to be the stage for my performance of Running Away For A Few Days to Regain My Positivity and Happiness, and I couldn't have picked better. 5 days later, at 6.20am, I was on the plane to Rome and just three hours later I was checked into my airbnb accommodation and jetting off on the Metro into the city. 

Rome captured my heart in a way that I was not anticipating; the mix of old and crumbling with narrow, cobbled, coffee shop lined streets. Be it the sheer abundance of tourists, the passion of the Italian language, I could honestly go on, but I just fell in love. I headed straight into the centre to get my bearings and ended up walking from the Colloseum to the National Museum, to the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps...camera and map in hand I blindly walked around for 5 hours before returning back to the B&B with pizza (of course, and only €6!) and uttering a quick, 'ciao' to a cute Italian boy whilst dripping pizza topping down my chin in the apartment hallway.

Well, I'd travelled 917 miles from home but that doesn't mean I suddenly need to be all sophisticated, does it?


Market in Forno Campo de' Fiori which is perfect for not only fresh fruits and cheeses, but for an authentic Italian experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Rome and this can be attributed to mainly the food (see my next two posts!), but also to the history - and the preservation of this - and the Romans themselves (the modern, but the older too I suppose). The Italians are in the running, competing against the Texans indefinitely, for being the most welcoming and kindest people I've encountered on my travels. While my Italian is broken, and the English I encountered was fractured too, we all got along just fine. I loved Rome and despite what I was told pre-leaving, I found it cheaper than other places I have travelled to this year. For either a city break as a lone traveller or perhaps a romantic weekend away, Rome really does suit it all. 

Friday 10 May 2013

Exciting News!

Hello, just a quick post to say that I have been published for the first time as a Guest Blogger on mydestination.com - a post I wrote about Copenhagen, which you can find here! Please have a read and maybe leave me some cheeky feedback if you fancy. I've got a second article coming out on the 27th so keep your eyes peeled on my little Author's Page. I'm so excited to be on this website, it's hopefully a way of bringing more traffic and lovely people to my blog!

My name on the front page! I'm rewarding myself with trashy tele and junk food. Yep.

I have two pieces of exciting news as a surprise...I am going to Rome next week, quite last minute and for two nights by myself. There is little more to say about it than that, I am very excited and it's a big surprise. I woke up this week, cracked on with job applications, and decided that it really was Now Or Never, so bonjourno Roma! And watch this space for more posting, eep!

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Post-Travelling Blues: A Survival Guide.

So I am officially back home, in my little crevice of Essex, blogging from the comfort of my own bed. Coming home is often the best but, true to form, the hardest part of travelling. I love my home. I am a total homebird. But the thrills and constant adrenaline of travelling and falling in love with a new place and culture is so exciting - and, now that I have discovered that travelling is My Thing, home is tiny bit... anticlimactic.

After 8 months on my feet (with the exception of the odd couple of weeks here and there enjoying home) I am happy to be in my own bed and with my family. A few of my friends are home from university or their own travels and so I am keeping myself busy, but the nagging I Will Be Here For Five Months feeling is ever prevalent.

I know I'm not alone in this feeling, so I thought I'd give this post a 'How To Do With Coming Home After A Long-Ish Time' theme for all your equi-keen travellers out there with my four tips on how to not go crazy. Unless you keep travelling forever of course. (In which case, I am very, very jealous.)

1) Sleep. Duh.


I love my bed. I may be having a love affair with my bed; it's the person/inanimate object I spend the most time with, and truth be told I am currently typing this from my bed. But I am a firm believer that, especially as a cliched teen, your bed is your best friend, and coming home to your own bed after so long sleeping in hotel rooms, apartments you don't know, etc etc, there is no better feeling than sleeping in your own haven. 

Take one or two days to sleep. Put on The Smiths, Lucy Rose, and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon or whatever takes your fancy and just enjoy Being. You owe yourself a rest, a wind down.

2) Remember Why Your Home is Fabulous

Sunset on the edge of town. Cliched, existential, and absolutely flawless.
I have spent a few days here and there over my coming home period to just remind myself why I love this corner of Essex so much. I have walked through the village and gone to my favourite spots that I loved when I was younger; I took a cider and went and watched the sunset from the nature reserve just outside town, and I stopped rejecting where I was. I am learning to appreciate home as much as the next unknown city. I've been visiting my old haunts with friends, having drinks on the banks in Cambridge; indulging my inner Brit. Proudly.

3) Baking aka The Solution To All World Problems

Homemade jammy dodgers made on my first day back at home. I get stuff done.
For those who read my Tumblr, followed my old lifestyle blogspot, or even remotely know me in real life, will know just how obsessive I am about my cooking and baking. And while I have recently joined the gym (another tip on how to survive home, join a club, class, or local gym to give you structure!) I spend my two days off a week baking and cooking. Jammy dodgers, flowerpot cucpakes, chelsea buns, pithivier...you name it, I have/am planning to make it.

Of course this can be replaced with something just as productive but this is my number one tip for coping with coming home. Equi-yummy as a slice of cake in Berlin...

4) And Finally: Plan For The Next Trip.


Okay so maybe this isn't the best survival tip, but if you're as restless and wanderlust-ing as me, then this is the only way to really enjoy home. To know that you have another destination on the horizon, well, there is no nicer feeling (for me at least). Yesterday I booked a short break in just over a month to Barcelona and a surprise trip - which you will have to stay tuned for... - may be just around the corner.

Home is my favourite place and really is where my heart is, but coming home is the hardest. Maybe it's a Gap Year thing. Maybe it's because I'm in the midst of Responsible Things (driving, job applying, things that show c-c-c-c-commitment), but either way, the next adventure is only a click of a button away. You are never too far from adventure, home-based or otherwise. And that, for me, is the ultimate comfort.