Travel Wishlists and 2018 Plans - January #Travellinkup

As I write this, we have nothing planned. Nada, zip, zilch, nothing. And that's really exciting. 2017 was the first year that we actually (accidentally it must be said) ticked almost everything off our wishlist, so who knows what 2018 might bring...

2017 was awesome, travel-wise...

Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018

I always spend the last post of the year looking back over the previous 365 days. I think it's important to remember where we've come from, as much as we look forward to where we are going.

This is the year that I quit my job and launched a business, it's the year that I did a cross-globe four-country trip on my own (but hung out with and stayed with good friends and wonderful family along the way) and it's the year that I realised a few different dreams both on- and off-line.

What do you buy someone who has everything? How about a goat? (A Charity Gift Guide.)

'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house,

not a creature was stirring, not even a clickety PC mouse. 

That's because all of the organised shoppers are sitting smugly with a glass of mulled wine in hand (clearly they read my blogpost celebrating some amazing small businesses), and all of the disorganised ones are leaving gift buying to the very last minute, and are braving the crowds on the Saturday morning before Christmas. Because they like to live life in the crazy lane.

Well.

Carrying on my annual charity tradition (est. 2014) I want to pay forward some of the amazing karma I've received over the years and give something back to those less fortunate. Blogger gift guides are pretty well established now but as ever I couldn't just do a normal one - it needed a slightly Adventures of a London Kiwi twist (I even spotted a couple of little sheep fellows - hey, you can take the blogger out of New Zealand...)

A Day Trip To The Birmingham Christmas Market.

We tried to visit last year but ran out of available December weekends and the Birmingham Christmas markets eluded our grasp. This year was a different story. Rounding us up like Rudolph gathering his sleigh of reindeer, but with Whatsapp rather than elf-dust, our esteemed organiser not only managed to secure a whole day that we all could do but book train tickets in as well. She cracked that tinsel covered whip...

So, bright and early on a Saturday morning we gathered, scrubbing the sleep from the corners of our eyes and brightly hugging - glad that instead of cracking our usual escape rooms, we were just shuffling onto the train - we boarded our sleigh (also known as a Class 165/0 Network Turbo train) nice and early.

A (Too) Quick City Break in York.

Much like the Grand Old Duke of York, who had ten thousand men and marched them up to the top of the hill, and then marched them down again, I can't get enough of York... (because he visited repeatedly, that was obvious, right?)

Having visited nearly half a dozen times over the years, and somehow not managing to share it on my blog over the years, I would say that although you could visit from London for the day, I wouldn't. Go for a minimum of an overnight stay, or a few days if you can. Witness a misty morning, and a candy coloured sunset, wander out into the Dales or slip in a seaside visit somewhere like Scarborough, and really get to know the ancient city.

Spying Seal Pups at Donna Nook, Lincolnshire

It's a direct result of not being from this country, but I really love it with all of my wanderlusting heart. Sometimes I also hate it - which is part and parcel of a long-term relationship - sometimes misunderstanding of the culture and other times frustrations that you would get living absolutely any where rear their head. That's the joy and challenge of expat life in a nutshell - even for a long-termer like myself.



It's funny though, it means that I view the country with travel spectacles. A case in point? I was watching a documentary a couple of months ago that highlighted a seal colony that migrates to a certain cove once a year to have their babies in safety, away from predators of the ocean. To my husband, Donna Nook is a RAF base. To me, it's a seal slumber party spot.

Gambolling Through Ghent; A Wanderers Guide.

As a day trip from Brussels (only a half hour train),  I've found that either many people haven't heard of Ghent, preferring to explore the chocolate box streets of Bruges, or they adore Ghent so much that when a blogger (me) visits, they spam them via instastories with recollections of days spent there and memories made. True story.

Disclaimer: I was a press guest of VisitFlanders in Ghent, 

but all planning, mischief and thoughts are all mine.

We fell into the former camp on our trip to Brussels and explored Bruges, but genuinely regretted only being able to fit one city in, vowing to return one day.

A Salisbury City Break: Exploring the UK in a Meandering Manner

A medieval cathedral city in the southern English county of Wiltshire, 9 miles south of the iconic prehistoric stone circle at Stonehenge. The city’s ornate 13th-century cathedral has a 123m spire, a working 14th-century clock and an original copy of the Magna Carta (the Great Charter), a key document from 1215 A.D. And Fudgehenge (keep reading, it'll become clear.).

Salisbury.

The Bulford Kiwi - a 130m tall piece of Graffiti near Salisbury, Wiltshire.

High above the Salisbury Plains one of the biggest pieces of New Zealand graffiti in the world overlooks an army base. (It's to the left, out of shot.)

Forget the Westbury White Horse in Oxfordshire or the Cerne Abbas Giant over Dorset both cut into the hillsides by the Celts (possibly dating back to 500BC) as pagan worship to their gods; a giant Kiwi was dug into the rolling hills above Bulford Army base just after World War One and attracts curious locals and crazy visitors to this day.

Magical Train Journeys Around the World - A Few Of My Favourites.

It may be a cliche, but sometimes the journey can be just as astonishing as the destination.

I love catching trains. The ease, the ability to wander around whilst speeding through the countryside, the sweeping corners, the friendly people dispensing hot tea, staring out the windows for hours as the world chugs past, generous luggage allowances and the whistling engineers with grease smudges in their eye and rosy cheeks.

9 Confessions of a Terrible Travel Blogger

We all present these glossy lives to the world; coffee cups presented to dewy sunrises, champagne in airport lounges, luxurious restaurants that cost more than they should and share the blue skies days of exploration. I'm as guilty as anyone.

But, what about behind those scenes? Those days where the wind is so strong you can't instastory for talking (I'm looking at you Cornwall), when travel mistakes happen (like in Vienna where I accidentally booked our trip a day short) or when everyone asks you what your next trip will be and you sheepishly have to answer 'er, not sure'.

A luxury stay at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore

When I had planned a few days in Singapore, I knew there were only two hotels that I wanted to stay in. They couldn't be more different in almost every way, and both of them fascinated me.

For my first night, the Marina Bay Sands Hotel called my name. The striking three tower edifice has 2,561 hotel rooms, a 120,000-square-metre (1,300,000 sq ft) convention-exhibition centre, the 74,000 m2 (800,000 sq ft) The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall, a museum, two large theatres, "celebrity chef" restaurants, two floating Crystal Pavilions, a skating rink, and the world's largest atrium. Crazy, no?

9 Places To Explore In Greenwich

Greenwich. It is the home of time, possesses a myriad of historic royal ties and panoramic views of London. What more could you ask for in a borough?

I keep meaning to do these area round-ups as a series, but always seem to be distracted. So far I've managed to sneak in an ode to Marylebone, a gastronomic guide to Kings Cross and a literal meander through the mossy pathways of Richmond Park.

Portugal: A Peaceful Long Weekend In Porto

One of the few regrets I had about my long weekend last year exploring Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais was not being able to fit a trip to Porto into the diary. I mean whilst you're in Portugal, you should be exploring as much as possible, right?

Or is that just being greedy?

Disclaimer: We were press guests of Cheapflights in Oporto, but all planning, mischief 

and thoughts are totally mine (and to be fair, Rebecca's). 

Luckily enough, a few weeks ago I was set a challenge by Cheapflights to book a long weekend away in Porto for two adults for the princely sum of £550. Nope, not each, that's split between us. Keeping things easy, breezy and on the affordable side for a slice of sunshine, all for the cost of a night in a gorgeous luxury hotel, or pair of designer shoes, we spun out a lovely little break from London.

Wandering Through Karangahake Gorge

All we could hear was the soft crunch of our shoes on the path gravel, the occasional click of a camera lens and birdsong echoing around the valley.

We made our way up the gradual rise of old mine tracks, with an occasional flurry up a flight of sturdy steps. Stopping every so often to grouch at our cameras, and then crouching to read the information boards posted in front of moss covered mining equipment, we simply followed the path.

48 Hours Sashaying Around Singapore

When I planned my round the world trip (the New Zealand one - don't worry, I'll get to my recent US/Canada trip sometime soon, maybe) I plotted my journey around a few of the brilliant people I've met over the years.

Hopping through Doha, Australia and New Zealand, my last stop was Singapore. And, in only 48 hours I managed to take 983 photos.



Arriving into Changi Airport at 7am, I freshened up in the spa and then shot to my home for the first night - the horizon dominating Marina Bay Sands. With only two nights to spend in Singapore I made sure to make every moment count, and dropping my bags off with the concierge, I took the 57 floor lift and enjoyed a breakfast with an incredible view.

10 things to do in Wellington, New Zealand

The capital city of New Zealand is my spiritual heart (I fell in love whilst at university there) and with more cafes per capita than any other city in the world, it always feels like home. Walking down Wellington streets, my mind overlays so many memories - and I'm always amazed at how after a decade I still know how to get around without a map. I suspect it is indelibly etched on my heart.

I could actually suggest a zillion different reasons to visit Wellington, but for me, the most important ones are my brother, sister-in-law, two rosy cheeked nephews and my best friend (who I managed to also get to see up in Auckland!). Even if you don't possess such filial ties, Wellington is a brilliant city.

That time we went out for brunch and accidentally hiked the Rangitoto volcano crater

Nothing seems to surprise my husband anymore. I must come out with ridiculous scenarios so regularly now, he doesn't even lift an eyebrow. Case in point, when I video called him from New Zealand. (He knew I was in NZ by the way, my whereabouts haven't become that surprising. Yet.)

"How was your day?" 'Good thanks, we went out for brunch with Ginni and Alice, and then hiked up a volcano crater.' "That's nice dear. It rained in London today" (sic)

Travel Fears - the August #TravelLinkup

It makes sense, right, that instead of running through queuing passengers, I would rather be sitting in lounge or near the the airport gate, coffee/cocktail in hand (delete as socially acceptable to the time period).

Being late. That's one of the fears I have whilst I tiptoe around the cities of this world. Obviously with any choices we make in life there are serious fears and scares, but this is one that I can usually control when it comes to travel. This is especially true with long haul flying.

'We Love Saturday Brunch' at the InterContinental Hotel, Doha

I can't tell you how many times I've opened Polly's instastories and looked on in envy as she and her friends settle down to beautiful Middle Eastern brunch feasts on the weekends. Seemingly endless selections of international cuisines, icy glasses of bubbly and the chatter of much loved friends.

Friday brunch (the first day of the weekend there) has become an art form in the Middle East, and sadly we missed out on our trip to Dubai due to our night sleeping in the desert running over, so I was more than excited when the Intercontinental Doha invited us to try their 'We Love Saturday Brunch' whilst I holidayed in Qatar.

Disclaimer: We were invited guests of the Intercontinental Doha, 

but my (very many) opines on champagne and sushi are only ever my own.

It was all kinds of deliciousness.