Category: Travel

17 Things to do in Corfu…

On By louiseIn Travel, Uncategorized3 Comments

Summer holiday season is in full swing and it appears that all of my social media feeds consist of people scantily clad and enjoying their holidays. Europe is an amazing place to explore in the summer, with perfect weather spread across the Mediterranean and culture to absorb. The Greek islands hold such a special place in my heart for summer holiday adventures and their natural beauty is unrivalled. I’ve been blown away on each visit. This year we decided to hit up Corfu for the first time and see what this delightful island in the sunshine has to offer. Here are seventeen things to do whilst on holiday in Corfu…
1. Visit Aqualand 

A great way to cool off in the scorching sunshine that us Brits simply aren’t used to is to visit popular water park Aqualand. It’s a great day out for everyone young and old with slides and pools galore. Just make sure you are liberal with the old sunscreen and top up regularly because scorched salmon is not a good look on anyone.


2. Stroll along the Canal D’Amor

The Canal D’Amor is absolutely stunning with incredible cliff top views and gorgeous little caves to swim through. Located to the North of the island, you could easily spend the day taking in their beauty whilst having a swim.

3. Have a lazy day by the pool

Something I was looking forward to doing was taking some time out to just relax by the pool. To do nothing except catch up with a good book, ice cold drink in hand, reeling in the sun’s sumptuous rays. We are all so busy, swept up in modern day life that it’s easy to overlook ourselves and it’s important to switch off from time to time and just be. So grab a book and a sun lounger!

4. Hit up the bars

There are some lovely little bars dotted around all over Corfu. Many with stunning coastal views. Serving nice cold drinks and offering free wifi, it’s a great way to kick start your holiday in the sun.

5. Have an evening walk through the villages

The Greek architecture is so, so cute with lovely painted Mediterranean houses and vibrant flowers outside. It’s great to explore on foot and embrace the lifestyle.
6. Visit Mouse Island and Corfu airport

Mouse island lays in shadow of flights taking off and landing at Corfu airport. It’s such a sweet little island, offering amazing views and general cuteness. You can take a little boat ride across or see it from above, complete with views of the planes taking off and landing. 

7. Stop for an ice cream

There are some lovely places to stop for an ice cream all over Corfu. From authentic Gelataria’s to home made ice cream, there’s a flavour for everyone! 

8. Visit Achillion Palace

Home to Empress Elisabeth, also known as Sisi, Achillion Palace is a must visit if you are after a bit of culture. It’s opulence rivals stately homes owned by the National Trust and the gardens are nothing short of beautiful.

9. Spend the day in Paleokastritsa 

My absolute favourite discovery whilst in Corfu was Paleokastritsa. Perhaps it’s the beauty, maybe it’s the vibes, either way it stole my heart from the moment I arrived. I fell so in love with the place that I insisted that we went back for a second visit. There is so much to do and it’s beauty is literally breath taking.

10. Have a slap up Greek meal

I absolutely adore stuffing my face with Greek food and when I was presented with this platter of an amazingly marinated meat feast with a side of courgette cakes, I knew that I had arrived at the Golden Gates of food heaven.

11. Explore the jagged rocks and coastline

I loved exploring the coast and wading through the sea to climb large rocks. There’s something about being surrounded by such a vast display of natural beauty that puts everything into perspective and I loved it.


12. Visit the Monastery

There’s a lovely Monastery near picture perfect Paleokastritsa and it is definitely worth a visit. Just remember to cover up and be respectful.

13. Go to Bella Vista

If postcard views is what you are after then Bella Vista is your place. The views will blow your mind and there’s a traditional village to explore too as well as lots of restaurants, all with that awesome view.

14. Hire a quad bike and go on a beach crawl

One of my absolute highlights of our trip was cruising along on a quad bike, up and down mountains, stopping at dreamy beaches and generally just getting under the skin of this emerald island.

15. Go on a boat ride

There are so many cruises on offer in Corfu from visits to other islands, caves and general stop and swimsin pretty locations. It’s such a lovely thing to do and a great way to cool off!

16. Visit Albania

Something that we didn’t actually do but toyed with the idea of was taking a ferry across to Albania. It’s so, so close to Corfu and gets another country ticked off of your list. So why not hop on a ferry and get exploring!

17. Spend a day shopping and exploring the town


There are some wonderful shops all selling locally produced products from ceramics, paintings, olive oil and wooden things such as pots and photo frames. We loved exploring the different shops and wandering around the town.
So there you have it, some ideas of things to do in Corfu.
Have you visited Corfu? What did you do?

L x

Tenerife Travel…

On By louiseIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

A couple of years ago my then fiancé/now hubby and I took a little Spring trip to Tenerife. I was really excited to go because I had heard such lovely things about the Canary Islands and plus Tenerife was where all of the cool kids at school went on holiday when I was probably exploring Somerset. It always seemed like such an exotic location and the epitome of fun, so let’s just say my hopes were set quite high for our trip.

We booked a hotel to the North of the island and right on the beach. The weather was a complete dream for the duration of our trip – sunshine and in the high twenties. It gave us that little bit of sunshine and warmth that is so desperately craved after a British winter.

On one of the days we walked to a lido that was not only absolutely gorgeous, but also not too busy. It wasn’t expensive either and had lovely saltwater pools. Honestly looking at these pictures makes me want to take another trip, that lido was super lush.

Where we stayed was relatively quiet because the main hub of action tends to be in Los Christianos. We weren’t too fussed about not being where it all goes down because in all honesty it was a holiday for us to just enjoy each other’s company and have a relatively simple trip.

Having said that it is impossible for us to have a lazy stay by the hotel and pool holiday because I’m just programmed to explore, so every day we went for mammoth walks along cliff tops and charcoal coloured beaches, embracing the volcanic charm of the island. The Spanish atmosphere consuming us as we grazed on tapas and attempted to practice our very limited Spanish vocabulary.

The coastline was dramatic and endearing, forgiving and natural. A complete contrast to London life and nine to fives.

I’m always happiest when I’m at the beach, any beach. There’s just something about the crashing of the sea meeting the land that soothes my soul and reminds me of just how my life really is just a drop in the ocean. The purity of the beach informing us that our world is huge and full of natural beauty.

On our walks we stumbled across marinas, cute little shops and lots of geckos receiving the warmth from the sunshine. I loved looking at their different patterns and colours. I’m always so intrigued by wildlife and adore looking out for local creatures whilst on our travels.

On one of the days we visited Loro Parque which is basically a zoo. Of course my upmost preference is to see animals wild and free, but I like to see what conservation work is being done in zoos around the globe and often they might have a species that I haven’t encountered before. At Loro Parque they have Orcas. Admittedly in the past I have been excited to see Orcas that are in captivity. When I was a child we visited SeaWorld and I absolutely loved the Shamu Stadium. It’s only when you reach adulthood that you fully understand just how intellectual these creatures are and how they really are meant to be wild and free, living their lives as we live ours. The only restraints being imposed by their own cultures and beliefs. Not controlled and demanded to perform by humans. I am so, so glad that people are finally seeing where these magnificent creatures belong and hopefully this will now spell the end for Orca captivity.

Overall we had such a lovely time exploring Tenerife. I loved the beaches, the sunshine and the atmosphere. I’m intrigued to see how the other Canary Islands compare because I am still yet to visit the others.

I think Tenerife is quite affordable to travel to from the UK and pretty much has something for everyone. There are party hotspots, quiet parts, gorgeous beaches, water sports and family activities all on offer.

It’s also generally quite pretty too!

Have you visited Tenerife or any of the Canary Islands? 
L x

What I wore in Munich…

On By louiseIn Fashion, Travel, Uncategorized2 Comments

It’s been a while since the south of England has been blessed with sunshine and warmth. If we’re honest it’s barely tippled over twenty degrees and we are in the height of summer. For summer lovers such as myself this has been a huge disappointment. I spent the grey months of winter dreaming of summer days in flip flops and sundresses and have been most unimpressed with 2016’s offerings. Without meaning to moan (and sound ridiculously superficial) I’ve been so upset that I haven’t been able to don on my careless summer outfits that match my carefree summer attitude. I have also purchased a few nice items that I just haven’t been able to wear without risk of hyperthermia. That’s why I was extra excited when I saw that the weather forecast for our long weekend in Munich was sumptuous sunshine and buckets of warmth. Finally a chance to parade around in my new purchases and feel the sunshine kissing my skin. Hurrah! I realise just how melodramatic this all sounds but honestly I feel so upset when I’m faced with grey skies day after day. I’m just the kinda girl who needs a little sunshine in her life!

I love to explore a new place by foot because I find that you can really get a feel for it and absorb the little details. The architecture, the atmosphere, the ambience. I find that if I’m in a taxi or train the moment just whizzes by and I miss out on the beautiful ordinary things that are being offered. With all of this in mind I knew that I needed to pack clothes that would keep me cool and be super comfy.

On the first day of our German adventure I wore a black Playsuit from Urban Outfitters. I am such a fan of playsuits because they can be dressed up or down, look gorgeous, come in a variety of styles and are so comfortable. What more could you ask for from summer attire? 

This Playsuit in particular is absolutely beautiful with its swishy skirt and amazing backless look. The fabric is really soft and light too. I think I fell in love the second I saw it. I teamed it with a black pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers and black sandals I picked up last year in Tesco although these were quickly ditched when we went for a paddle in the river. 

On the first day we mostly just explored the city on foot, embracing bicycle loving Munich and activating Holiday Mode. It’s funny how you don’t realise just how much you need a break until you escape from everyday life and I very much enjoyed not following a routine. We danced along the river, stopping for a paddle amongst sun worshippers before sinking off for a delicious burrito at a cute restaurant nearby. I loved walking the streets, letting the cream and terracotta buildings soothe my soul before stopping for an ice cream and hotel snacks. German supermarkets are amazing for stocking up on tasty chocolate (hi there, Merci!). The evening was devilishly beautiful, lit by the sun setting, the warm air preventing us from wearing a jacket and eventually we retired to our hotel room. 

I was torn between a trip to the zoo or Neuschwanstein Castle on our second day, but opted for the zoo because whilst I adore the warm weather, travelling for four hours in thirty-six degree heat isn’t my idea of a fun Saturday. I was disappointed not to see the magnificent castle that inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, but I left part of my heart in Munich, so I know we will go again some day.

Being such big fans of walking, we decided to walk to Hellabrun Zoo, a mere hour away from our hotel room. The weather was dreamy once again and I had the chance to wear this wondrous floral number from Urban Outfitters. This dress is really unique, I’ve seen a lot of dresses in my years on this planet, but I am yet to find a dress that even comes close to this beauty. The devil really is in the detail with its backless approach, sweet cut, button detailing and layered skirt it is literally like heaven sent down a little package of dress perfection and that’s before I’ve even touched on the summery floral print (a girl’s dream!).

Needless to say from the moment I slipped this dress on my body I knew that it was a dress I would love for the whole summer. A dress that I don’t even care if I’m seen wearing millions of times because it really is just that brilliant. Oh and another thing… You don’t even need to iron it after washing (I did mention it was a girl’s dream, right?!).

The dress and I stumbled upon the cutest little market I have ever seen. Bursting with local produce and a flower stall that could have held my attention for days, I wondered how easy it would be to just stay in that city forever although with an amazing dog and a mortgage back home, I quickly realised living in Munich is a pipe dream. That and my German sucks. So we continued on with our plan of visiting the zoo.
Soon enough it was time for a spot of lunch and we visited an Italian restaurant that was really authentic. The food tasted how I imagine winning the lottery feels. It was absolutely divine.

Once we were stuffed with gorgeous food, we continued our walk and had a wonderful trip to the zoo.


Sadly it doesn’t seem like summer will appear over London anytime soon, so I think I will have to wait until our next adventure to wear these outfits again, but at least we had Munich.

Have you visited Munich before? What are your favourite summer fashion picks?

L x

Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, exploring the Disneyworld Waterparks…

On By louiseIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

My first taster of a Disney water park came when I was a child and had been whisked away during the holidays to ‘do Disney’. I was so excited because visiting Disneyworld is a dream come true at any age, but especially as a child when Belle is your heroine and Scar is your mortal enemy. From the moment I was told we were going I could not wait. Although, I’m certain that I wasn’t entirely sure what ‘Disneyworld’ was exactly. Was it a castle? Was it where all of the characters from my childhood existed? Was it the flying Dumbos and a parade? I wasn’t quite sure, but one thing I was sure of was that I needed to experience it. 

Once we had arrived and visited a couple of the parks, it was quite clear that it really was a world of Disney. So much to explore, so many famous faces to meet and two incredible water parks. I absolutely adored all of the parks, but the water parks were firmly cemented in my memory. Right up there with the castle and the giant Epcot golf ball was the shipwreck of Typhoon Lagoon saved in my memory of childhood highlights for eternity. I think it’s because we don’t have anything like it here in London that made me love the water parks so much. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t prefer them over Magic Kingdom, but I loved my days there all the same. That’s why I wanted to make sure we visited both Disney water parks when we visited Disneyworld last April. That and I wanted to get my money’s worth after paying almost £1000 in tickets alone!

The first of the water parks we snuck in a few days into our trip. For some unknown reason we opted to hit up Blizzard Beach first and I couldn’t wait to park myself in a doughnut and roll around the lazy river whilst devouring that gorgeous Floridian sunshine, so as soon as we arrived we whipped off our clothes and got straight in (well, we actually waited for our pals to arrive and messed around in the wave pool for a bit first, but you get the picture). I had forgotten just how much fun water parks are and we had an absolute blast racing down water slides and floating around in various inflatable objects. I think in every adult there is a little bit of fun and Disney sure know how to encourage you to unleash it.

The second water park that we visited was Typhoon Lagoon, the one that made it into my childhood memory favourites list. I’ve got to admit I was a bit worried about a couple of things. Firstly that my memory had let me down and it would actually be a bit pants and secondly that because we had such a blast at Blizzard Beach, our expectations were high and we ran the risk of being disappointed. Let me assure you that was not the case and we had an even better time at Typhoon Lagoon! Who knew?!

There are so many good things about Typhoon Lagoon, from its epic wave pool with the sound of the water crashing echoing across the park like a roar from an angry T-Rex, down to the water Rollercoaster where you choose between the route of ‘Coconut Crusher’ or ‘Pineapple Plunger’ (the banana one was closed). They also have a huge drop slide (which apparently includes some sort of colonic irrigation which nobody tells you about, but gave our husbands quite a treat when they took on the slide) and a snorkelling pool where you can swim amongst a variety of fish. Typhoon Lagoon has it all. 

Both parks are great for a bit of fun and relaxation in the sunshine. We loved them so much and will definitely hit them up the next time we are in Florida.

Have you visited the Disney Water parks?

L x

Disney’s Animal Kingdom…

On By louiseIn Travel, Uncategorized3 Comments

I was super excited to be hitting up Animal Kingdom during our trip to Florida. The most recent addition to the phenomenal Disneyworld parks, Animal Kingdom combines Disney, rides and er, animals.

Being such a fan of both Disney and animals, I couldn’t wait to see how the two would be combined to make a theme park. Let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed and had such a magical day at Animal Kingdom.

When we arrived at the park we were greeted with your usual Disney vibes and enveloped in a sumptuous haven that felt as if we had been transported to far away lands. It is such a tranquil park and we loved all of the greenery around.

We had a walk, watching gorgeous creatures in their immaculate enclosures. I much prefer seeing animals wild and free, but I know that Disney do a lot of conservation work and actually have quite a few rescue animals that wouldn’t otherwise have survived in their natural habitat.

It was such a beautiful day in the Floridian sunshine. If I could bottle up weather and keep it with me for eternity, I would choose the sunshine that blankets Florida. It is totally gorgeous.

It wouldn’t be a trip to a Disney park without sampling some of the main attractions. A huge attraction both figuratively and literally to Animal Kingdom is the coaster Everest. Now I have been known to be quite a wimp when it comes to fast rides. Hey, I’ve even ditched people right after we’ve been strapped in. I think these days I’ve desensitised myself a little and I’m getting much braver. So I decided that I would conquer my coaster fear and hit up Everest. Don’t get me wrong it’s not a completely terrifying ride, but it’s a bit fast and goes backwards in the dark, which is something I haven’t exactly been welcoming to in the past. We met up with some of our friends in Florida and decided to co-ordinate our fast passes so that we could ride Everest together. I was a bit apprehensive during the climb at the start, but I absolutely loved it and I think that it is now up there with my favourite rides of all time (number one being the Cars ride at Disneyland California – it’s off the hook!). I love this photo of the six of us on Everest. I find it especially entertaining that I’m reaching out to my poor friend Kate for support!

I actually went on all of the rides at the Animal Kingdom and had such a fun day. Although I wasn’t too thrilled with this Dinosaur ride – my face is completely mortified!


To be fair, the kid at the front wasn’t feeling it either!

I would definitely recommend the rapids too. It’s similar to the Rapids at Disney in California, but only has one drop and isn’t quite as aesthetically pleasing.


We all throughly enjoyed walking around the park, admiring the various creatures that call Animal Kingdom home and trying to dry off after being drenched on the rapid ride.

Another highlight was the safari. It was amazing and really well done. The attention to detail is fabulous and we really did feel like we were on an African adventure.

Overall, we had a great day at Animal Kingdom. I think it’s definitely worth a visit. Make sure you take advantage of the fast pass system and factor in time to just enjoy the park. It’s super relaxing and absolutely gorge!

Have you visited Animal Kingdom?

L x

Visiting Disneyworld’s Hollywood Studios…

On By louiseIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment


I absolutely adore visiting the Disney Parks. They are always so beautifully presented, with attention to detail being key. When you visit a Disney Park, they envelope you and take you away from everyday life and into a place riddled with positivity and fun. I think it’s impossible to have a bad day at Disney, even if it’s raining. Once when we were in Paris, I only went on one ride the whole day and still had an awesome time. Speaking of Paris, I love their Walt Disney Studio Park, and was really intrigued to see how it compared to Disneyworld’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando. I hadn’t visited Disneyworld for a few years and my memory of the park was quite hazy, so I was super excited to head back as an adult and see if it exceeded my childhood memories. Sadly, it did not and I was actually quite disappointed by this park. Sure, there’s a cool Star Wars show and the Hollywood Tower of Terror, but there isn’t much beyond that and I did feel quite disappointed. Let’s not get too bogged down because it is still an incredible park that superceeds your average theme park – it is Disney after all. I just felt that in terms of what the other parks have to offer, it is a bit of a let down. I must point out though that it is currently undergoing a massive overhaul and I’m pretty sure that a piece of Star Wars heaven will be born there within the next couple of years. 


I felt that an afternoon spent there was certainly appropriate and there wasn’t really a need to visit over a couple of days. My husband adores the Rock ‘N’ Rollercoaster, which resides at this park and it is also home to the iconic Star Tours which is also in the Paris park. Toy Story Mania is also based here and that ride is super fun and worth a go. There is also a ride called ‘The Great Movie Ride’, which is honestly one of the most bizarre rides that I have ever been on. It’s super odd and I think I spent a lot of the time with my nose scrunched up and generally a bit confused. 

I think I was so disappointed by this park because the one in Paris is tonnes better, with more rides and thrilling shows. I was expecting it to be so much greater as it is Disneyworld, which is supposed to be the Creme de la Creme of Disney and well, it just didn’t excite me much.

I think that you should definitely go and it’s going to be amazing once all of the construction work is done, but don’t plan on spending too much time there as I’m pretty sure you’ll run out of things to do once you’ve done the big rides.

Have you visited Hollywood Studios? Did it live up to your expectations?
L x

8 steps to choosing the perfect hotel whilst saving money…

On By louiseIn Travel, Uncategorized2 Comments


It’s no secret that I love to travel. Exploring new lands is my absolute favourite thing to do and I’m constantly on countdown until our next adventure (right now it’s Munich next month). I adore planning all of the details from who we will travel with, what we will do and where we will stay. I feel like my alter ego is a travel agent and genuinely enjoy scrutinising reviews of places online and finding exciting places to visit. 

One of the most crucial parts of planning a trip is finding the perfect place to stay. There are a few steps that I follow when finding the ideal place to call home for the duration of our trip.

So you’ve decided where to head off on your next adventure… What next?

  1. Decide what you are going to do on your trip. We recently went to Florida with the intention of ‘doing Disney’ as well as Universal. I found a great hotel ten minutes’ walk from Universal. I’ve had some experience with theme park travel and have drawn the conclusion that if it is possible to stay within walking distance to the park, then do. It’ll save you loads on parking and general travel, plus your feet will thank you at the end of a long day. So lock down your ideal location for your chosen activities.
  2. Decide what it is exactly that you want from your accommodation. If I am hiring a car, then free parking is essential. I always look for free wifi too and an in room safe.
  3. Prioritise these in order of preference. There is a chance that you might not find somewhere that ticks all of the boxes!
  4. Set your budget. Know how much it is exactly that you would like to pay for your accommodation. Some people prefer to spend a minimal amount on accommodation so that there is more money to spend on days out. Personally, I base my decision on how much time I will be spending at the hotel.
  5. Start your search! I try to be a bit savvy and search a variety of sites online. Hotels.com offer a free nights’ stay after every ten nights booked with them, but they aren’t always the cheapest to book with. Lastminute have a great variety and you can often team their hotels up with flights. Plus they have ‘secret’ hotel stays if you are feeling risky. For the undecided, Booking.com have free cancellations on so many of their hotels, so you can change your mind easily. They also offer book now, pay later. Agoda often has great prices on popular hotels, so they are definitely worth checking. Expedia have an extensive range of accommodation, but aren’t always the cheapest. Airbnb is a little gem that I started using last year. Some of the places are incredible and they are often very reasonably priced too.
  6. Once you have found your hotel, see if you can get cash back. Many places offer cash back through sites such as Quidco. I once received over forty pound back on a booking through Lastminute, so it’s definitely worth checking.
  7. Stalk your chosen hotel for reviews. Before booking, check your decision. Trip Advisor offer a wealth of information for travellers and their reviews are genuine. I also look at traveller photos to see what the place is really like. Unedited images don’t lie!
  8. Book! Once your decision is final, get clicking and booking to secure your place. Then sit back and dream of your next adventure!


How do you decide where to stay? Have you picked up any hints or tricks?
L x

Seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland…

On By louiseIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

‘Are you going to see the Northern Lights?’ Is the question we were asked countless times when we said we were going to Iceland. The answer was always the same ‘hopefully’. 

In all honesty, I wasn’t fully aware of how it really is a game of luck when going on a Northern Lights hunt until we were going on a Northern Lights hunt. Whilst they are always present, they aren’t always visible and there are so many conditions that can affect whether or not you will see them. Ideally you want a clear night and need to be away from the city in order to avoid too much light pollution. The Northern Lights are beautiful, mysterious forces of nature and are completely uncontrollable. You can hazard a guess at where you might see them, but even if you’ve seen them there before, it’s not guaranteed. 

We booked our excursion through Reykjavik Excursions, who were absolutely brilliant. They were always on time and had free wifi on their transport too – hurrah! The staff were always very informative and their Northern Lights tour was great value. The best part being that if you don’t see the Northern Lights, you can come again another night free of charge. There was a lady on our tour who had tried four nights running. 

We made our way to the meeting point and I had looked at the weather as well as  the chances of seeing the lights. It looked okay and I crossed my fingers. I had booked it for the second night of our trip in the hope that if we were unlucky at first, we could try again every night until we found ourselves thrown back to England. Soon enough we were on a bus out of Reykjavik and into the uninhabited depths of Icelandic countryside. Pretty much as soon as we started out snow began to fall and I resided myself to the fact that cloud cover meant poor visibility for the Northern Lights. Ever the optimist, I crossed every part of my body and hoped that we would see them. Partly because I wanted to experience the gorgeous display, and partly because it was blimmin’ freezing and I didn’t want to drag myself out in sub zero temperatures every night of our trip (I know, what a bore!). 

We were driving along a dark road when suddenly the bus took a right turn and we found ourselves on the edge of a mountain and were told that they would be visible from this point. I was so completely excited. We jumped off of the bus and started gazing into the night sky. The snow had stopped and the night was clearer. I absorbed the navy sky and luckily enough observed a vibrant green stripe dancing. It was so magical, a natural light display. Soon enough another one appeared and another until I had seen too many to count. At times they would disappear for a few moments and we would think it was over, only for them to reappear in a spectacle of wonder and colour. I loved how they moved. They moved like they were dancing to the tune of the universe and carefree. Although it was absolutely positively freezing, for about twenty minutes none of that mattered. Just the beauty of the night. Here are a couple of shots from my phone…


When I realised that I could no longer feel my entire body, we hopped back onto the coach and back to Reykjavik, taking away our new memories. I feel so, so lucky that we saw them on our first night and would highly recommend it if you get the chance.

Have you been to Iceland? Have you seen the Northern Lights?

L x

A birthday celebration at the Bluebird in Chelsea… 

On By louiseIn Food, Lifestyle, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I absolutely adore Chelsea and it’s one of my favourite places in the world. With its shops and gorgeous restaurants, it really is a gem. There is so much character bursting from the streets and it just feels rather lovely. London can be gritty, grubby, harsh and fast paced, but Chelsea is never any of those. Always calmer, cleaner and brighter. It’s also home to one of my favourite restaurants in the world – The Ivy Chelsea Garden. I am so in love with that cute little restaurant nestled right into the heart of London with its voluptuous garden. It is simply beautiful. Oh and the food is good too!

On this occasion, we were in Chelsea to celebrate my wonderful friend Kimberley’s thirtieth birthday and recent engagement (but it was mostly all about the birthday girl). Kimberley had opted for the Bluebird to play host to her celebrations and it was such a nice place to celebrate in. With its clean, crisp and modern interior down to its tasty menu with unique choices and delicious cocktails, the Bluebird was rather great.

We started our evening having drinks in the bar which is situated in the middle of the restaurant and littered with stunning flowers. Apparently a guy from Made in Chelsea was in our presence, but as I don’t watch the show, it went completely over my head!


After we had relaxed in the bar, we went to the mezzanine room for our private dining experience which was totally lush. The room was spacious and well presented. There is a glass wall which overlooks the restaurant. I think that this was a nice touch as it brought the sumptuous Bluebird atmosphere into our room whilst still offering upmost privacy. 

We had a three course set menu and for starters I opted for pate. A bit of a staple choice for me as I love a bit of pate and toast! Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations and I soon traded my starter with my hubby’s watermelon and beansprout choice. Although it sounds a bit wild, it was deceptively tasty and I much preferred it to the pate.For my main course I chose lamb with Cous Cous. It was absolutely delicious and I am quite convinced that I could eat it every day of my life and remain quite contented. It made much more of a positive impact than the pate!


Dessert for me was ‘Burnt Cambridge’ aka Creme Brûlée and was rather tasty, although I found it a bit too sweet towards the end.


Soon enough the evening began to draw to a close and we sang Happy Birthday to my lovely friend. Kimberley had a pretty cake chosen by her fiancé Simon and the staff at Bluebird were really brilliant at packing it all up for us to take a slice home.


We then popped back down to the bar for more cocktails and catch ups before the night carried us away along King’s Road and to the tube station, where we were super lucky enough to just catch the last train home. Phew!


Have you visited the Bluebird? Where is your favourite place to eat in London?

L x

Preparing for a long haul flight…

On By louiseIn Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I know so many people who find flying absolutely terrifying. In all honesty, when you think about it, it is a scary thought being catapulted thousands of feet into the air, your life in the hands of the aircrew. I, however, absolutely adore flying. Maybe it’s the fact that I associate it with heading to a new land for exploration or maybe it’s because I love lounging around watching movies, stuffing my face and reading. Who knows?! Either way I know that I’m pretty happy at 38,000 feet. I have a little routine where I always unpack my books, sweets, hand sanitizer and headphones into the pouch in front before taking off my shoes and snuggling down for the ride. I also like a sneaky peek at the duty free booklet, although I rarely find anything I fancy!


A few weeks ago a dear friend of mine started to prepare for her flight to Mauritius and mentioned that she had been thinking about what was needed when you’re in it for the long haul.

I was also on the verge of flying stateside at that time and it made me think about the little things I do when flying.

To be honest, what I take with me is very similar whether it’s a long haul or a short haul, my hand luggage contents are pretty much the same because for me it’s more about having my must haves to hand rather than longevity.


Here’s my on board checklist:

  • A good hand luggage bag. This may sound obvious, but one that’s a good size (I can’t travel light!) my hubby uses a backpack which is handy as it has lots of pockets
  • A smaller pouch to house ready to grab items such as your passport, booking confirmations and foreign currency
  • Books. I am an avid reader and love using the time on the plane to delve deeper into a book
  • A spare outfit. My hubby has mocked me about this for years but I always take a spare outfit in case we get delayed and land up shacked up in a hotel without our hold luggage. This happened to a family we met in Orlando and they spent 48 hours in the same clothes. Not cool. It was also handy when the hubby had a nosebleed during take off from Hawaii and was unable to leave his seat to go to the bathroom. See, practical. I was very smug about planning ahead!
  • Food. I’m such a glutinous pig that I can’t go long without food. If I do I simply morph into a gremlin and it’s not fun for anyone. Therefore as a preventative measure, I always have a chocolate stash.
  • Laptop/tablet. Just in case you aren’t fancying the in flight entertainment. 
  • Valuables. I never leave valuables in my suitcase, so transport them in my hand luggage. Call me irrational, but I’ve had my case broken into and I’m pretty sure if there was anything of any value inside, it would no longer be in my possession.
  • Hand sanitizer. I’m super funny about germs and let’s be honest, flying is a form of public transport where germs are floating around in abundance. I’m certainly not tucking into my chocolate stash without clean hands.
  • Make up bag. Just to freshen up upon arrival.
  • Eye mask. I try and sleep on most flights because I find it helps with jet lag, so I always pack an eye mask.

For me, I think my absolute essential would be my eye mask. I love pulling it over my eyes and shutting the world out. It can be tricky to sleep on a flight and I find the eye mask really helps. I think it’s a good idea to sleep if you can, especially if it’s long haul as it makes you feel a bit more human the other end!

Are you jetting off anywhere soon?

What are your travel essentials?

L x