Aah, Florida, the sunshine state and home to some of the most fun places on the planet. I can honestly say that this is one of the only places in the world that I will never tire of visiting. With its’ golden weather and chilled out vibes, Florida really does own a piece of my heart.

We first went to Florida when I was a Barbie obsessed child and I was mega excited that I could get the latest Barbie (and her sisters), before they were out in the UK. This alone was pretty much enough to win me over, but after visiting Disneyworld and having a gigantic swimming pool in the garden of our rented villa, I was completely sold. 

This will be our second time visiting Florida as a couple and I’m quite excited to visit some of my favourite spots as well as discover some new treasures.

Here are eight things we are planning to get up to!

  
1. Go to DisneyWorld and Universal.

We visited Universal last time we were across the Atlantic, but this time we are going to take a trip to Disney too. I am very excited about going with the hubby to Disney as he hasn’t been to the Orlando resort before and we are meeting up with a couple of friends, one of which will go on the thrilling rides that I am too chicken to go on with him. I’m also looking forward to revisiting Universal and seeing what’s new since our last visit.

2. Go Manatee spotting

I absolutely adore animals and love seeing them in their natural environment. Manatees are native to Florida and I’ve looked up a couple of places that are good for spotting them. Fingers crossed!

  
3. Go to the beach

Florida is home to some gorgeous beaches and I think it would be a crime if I didn’t squeeze in a cheeky beach bum day whilst we are there.

  
4. Visit Brevard Zoo

This is my favourite zoo in the universe. They’ve created such a gorgeous environment for their animals and care is paramount. Last time we went we fed giraffes and birds. This time I’ve booked us in for a jungle encounter. I’m super excited!

  
5. Go dolphin spotting

To be honest, this will be quite easy as there are many dolphins that call Florida ‘home’. We spotted so many last time without really trying, so I’m quite optimistic about this visit!

  
6. Visit Sunset Boulevard restaurant

This place is an absolute dream as not only does it serve up some delicious dishes, but it also has a pretty rad outdoor dining area where dolphins swim right on by whilst you stuff your face. Such a gorgeous place!

  
7. See a shuttle launch

Last time we were visiting we were lucky enough to see a live shuttle launch from the Kennedy Space Centre. It was a mind blowing experience that I will never forget. You could feel the power coming from it and the atmosphere was pretty awesome too. People come from all over to see launches and it was a great way to spend an evening. We are extra lucky as another one is happening when we are visiting this time too, so we shall check it out!

8. Shop

I love a spot of shopping and a lot of my favourite brands are American so I’m looking forward to treating myself.

There you have it, our rough plan for our Floridian adventure!

Have you visited Florida before?

L x

  A couple of years ago we made the decision to book a relatively last minute trip to Italy at Easter time. Neither of us had been before and with my husband’s birthday being in April, it felt like a great way to celebrate his birthday and catch some winter rays.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I couldn’t wait to stuff my face with gelato along with copious amounts of carbs.

We had a lovely time in Sorrento and would highly recommend a visit. We stayed at the Nastro Azzuro Resort. It was like a dream. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous and we had a superior room with a balcony and sea view. The staff are wonderful and nothing is too much trouble. There is a beautiful pool and hot tubs as well as a lush little restaurant serving freshly made pizza with stunning views. This hotel is one my favourite hotels that I have ever stayed in, check it out if you are planning a trip!

Sorrento is a cute little town bursting with Italian charm. It’s a great place to go as it is easy to navigate from there to many places including Pompeii, Rome and Capri. 

Here are some things to do when visiting Sorrento!

1. Eat authentic Italian cuisine

One of the best things about Italy is their glorious food!!! There are so many amazing Italian dishes to try, so get yourself to a little restaurant and overindulge. I ate everything from risotto to pizza and every dish was divine. 

  
2. Go to the Marina

Sorrento is home to a cute little marina that is lined with restaurants and cafes. It’s a nice little walk down to the water and the marina is beautiful. It’s not the sort of place for sunbathing, but you can definitely have a paddle!

   
 
3. Stuff your face with Gelato!

There are so many stalls selling voluptuous, sweet Gelato in an abundance of flavours. We had a couple of scoops most days!

  
4. Mooch around the town

The town is so rich with culture and stunning architecture. It is also lined with shops selling a variety of goods from wooden puppets to the finest Italian leather handbags. We loved walking around the market and taking a break in the many cafes.

  
5. Use it as your base

With such great transport links, it’s super easy to explore Southern Italy from Sorrento. We went to Rome, Mount Versuvius and Pompeii, but you can also visit Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast and many islands too.

6. Enjoy the sunshine!

The weather in Sorrento was absolutely gorgeous when we visited, we didn’t experience rain once. We embraced the incredible weather by lounging around by the pool with the sun kissing our skin. It was really lovely until I didn’t top up my sun cream and went paddling in the sea… I ended up so sunburnt that the Italians would exclaim ‘Mama Mia’ when they saw me. Not even joking. It was probably the worst I have ever been burnt, so don’t let those European rays of sunshine fool you – they are mighty!

Have you travelled to Sorrento?

L x

  
From the moment that we decided to take a trip to Iceland, I immediately began to drain the Internet for information about this magical, ice kingdom located well and truly in the Northern Hemisphere. I read a few blog posts from people who had been to Iceland and one thing became very clear; Iceland is a place that you fall in love with. It envelopes you under it’s spell and charms you with its extravagant natural beauty until you are head over heels. One of these charms is The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa set in luscious lava fields. It looked and sounded like heaven on Earth and I knew that we had to go. 

  
From reading other posts and various other articles online, I drew the conclusion that it was definitely a place that we needed to book before venturing to as it gets super busy. I booked a few weeks in advance, and many of the time slots were already taken. They offer a variety of packages to suit various budgets, ranging from the basic entrance fee of 40 Euros, right up to the luxury package which costs 195 Euros. We opted for the Premium package at 70 Euros, which included a bathrobe and slippers as well as face masks, a drink and a towel. This was perfect for us as it was so nice having the bathrobe to lounge around in and provide a little bit of protection from the arctic temperatures. 

  
We arrived using the Flybus service, which is really handy for getting around in Iceland. We were collected from Downtown Reykjavik and whisked off to the Blue Lagoon. It was very affordable, took around forty minutes and they had free wifi – hurrah!

  
When we arrived, we collected our wristbands, (which are used for literally everything – lockers, drinks) and dashed into the changing rooms as fast as we could, desperate to encounter the infamous Blue Lagoon. They recommend that you cover your hair in conditioner as the Silca from the water can make your hair unmanageable. I put tonnes of conditioner on and my hair still resembled that of a scarecrow two days later. I dread to think what it would have been like if I hadn’t bothered!

  
Once we were all showered and swimmer’d up, we strolled straight into the glorious water. It’s between 38 and 40 degrees and feels divine. It was great to just enjoy the beautiful surroundings and lush water. A real pause from adulthood, we just existed for a couple of hours. We drank smoothies, danced under waterfalls and smothered Algae over our faces. It was mega relaxing and we just enjoyed life for a bit. Our skin felt amazing!

  
Soon it was time for us to board the Fly Bus and say goodbye to the Blue Lagoon. Although it is touristy, and isn’t completely natural, we had a great time and would definitely visit again. They are building a hotel there and my husband is keen to stay there for a couple of days and switch off from life, so maybe we will find ourselves back again one day soon.
Have you visited the Blue Lagoon?
L X

When I was planning our Icelandic adventure, I wrote a list of all of the things that I thought would be fun to do. This included Snowmobiling and a Golden Circle tour. Luckily Mountaineers of Iceland run a ‘Pearl Tour’ which incorporates both. Hurrah! It’s a full on day, but is totally worth the early start. 

We were picked up at around 8am from The Centrum Hotel in Reykjavik via a SuperJeep and a driver called Bjarni. Bjarni was very welcoming and told us lots of cool facts about Icelandic life.

  
We drove through Reykjavik as the sun rose and Bjarni informed us of the days’ itinerary. We had a long drive through lava fields and the Icelandic countryside. I had brought a book with me, but was so mesmerised by the island’s beauty that it didn’t make it out of my bag. 

  
I loved seeing the wild horses and little summer houses that have been made out of rocks that fell during an earthquake. They call Iceland the land of fire and ice and you can really see why when driving through the lava fields that are covered in snow and discussing volcanic activity.

  
Riding in the SuperJeep was thrilling enough in itself. They are total beasts which take on the extreme weather like a warm summer’s day in the park. They are capable of handling what’s thrown at them (although it’s often a bumpy ride!).

I spent most of the journey feeling like I was in a real life episode of Ice Road Truckers and totally loving it. It was honestly so much fun. 

  
The first location we visited on our tour was Gullfoss, the golden waterfall. It was absolutely stunning and very cold (-11) which made me wish I had stocked up on winter attire in the Sweaty Betty sale. We loved having a nose at this natural phenomenon before warming up in the cafe. They serve gorgeous cakes and have free wifi, so we were very comfortable hanging out there for twenty minutes.

  
One very bumpy but incredibly fun ride later, we found ourselves at the snowmobile centre. The snow was the deepest I’ve ever seen and my husband and I were reminded once again that we should have stocked up on winter wear before our Icelandic trip! 

  
Thankfully, they have everything inside for you to borrow; snow suits, gloves, balaclavas and helmets. I loved wearing the snow suit. It was so warm and comfortable, I feel like I really need one in my life now, although I don’t think they are necessary in London.

   
 
Soon it was time for us to go snowmobiling. I was a little nervous after the safety demonstration reminded me of how dangerous they are, but once I was on it I really felt like I was living the dream. Riding along the glacier with the sun catching the snow just enough for it to sparkle and looking around the vast area, I was shown just how insignificant we are in this magnificent world. For that hour I felt free. Free from everything, responsibilities, worries… Truly free. I didn’t even worry about being catapulted off into oblivion (which almost happened three times), just enjoyed the ride and the view. 

  
Snowmobiling on Langjökull glacier was absolutely mind blowing. It isn’t for everyone’s budget and our tour costed around £510 for us both, but if you can do it, GO!

  
After our incredible adventure on the glacier, it was time to hit up the Geysirs of which Geysirs all over the world are named after. Iceland oozes natural beauty and the Geysirs are just another notch on it’s belt of elegance. It was wonderful walking around in the winter sunshine trying to predict when the ‘big one’ will surprise us with a watery eruption (still talking about the Geysirs!!!). 

  
There is also a restaurant which excited me as I’m all about food. I was actually quite worried about being out for the day in case there wasn’t anywhere to eat, but fortunately I stuffed my face at both stops, so it was absolutely fine. 

There are a couple of shops near the Geysirs that sell souvenirs and winter clothing. I was really disappointed to see quite a few items of real fur up for sale. We really don’t need that in this day and age and I was quite upset about it.

   
 
Our next and final stop was at Pingviller National Park which is where the first ever parliament was formed many moons ago. It’s also where Phil and I lost our group and spent four miles and forty five minutes looking for them whilst thinking I was going to die as it was getting dark and we were stranded in temperatures of -16. Luckily we managed to track them down after bumping into another Mountaineers employee.

  
The park is incredible, we loved having a wander, keeping our eyes peeled for mink and arctic foxes. I imagine it’s completely different in the summer, luscious green blankets and abundant wildlife.

  
We had such a fun day exploring Iceland and I would highly recommend our trip if you can.

Have you visited any of these places?

L x
 

It was about a year ago that I discovered the beauty of Airbnb. I was planning our mammoth honeymoon and just couldn’t find a hotel that I liked in Long Beach, CA. I spent hours combing through every website that I could think of to no avail. We had quite specific requirements and were travelling in the height of summer which slimmed down our chances of finding exactly what we were after. We wanted somewhere nice and comfortable, on the beach and close to local amenities. We also wanted free wifi and car parking along with an in room safe. The safe was the hardest thing to come by when looking for a place to stay. Lots of hotels had them behind the desk, but I felt safer leaving all of our valuables in a safe that we had direct access to. After searching and searching I was beginning to lose hope and that’s when Airbnb stepped in. I had heard about it and decided to look it up as a last resort. It was there that I found a gorgeous apartment in Long Beach, a few minutes’ walk from the marina and beach. Restaurants right by the front door, free parking and free wifi. It also had a lockable cupboard that we felt safe leaving our goodies in. Best of all, it was a quarter of the price of a hotel in the same area! 

We had a really good experience and fell in love with Long Beach during our stay. I was so glad that I had found the little gem that is Airbnb.
  

A couple of weeks ago I was searching for a place for us to stay in Reykjavik, Iceland. My requirements weren’t quite as strict as our trip to California as we haven’t hired a car in Iceland, but we still wanted somewhere in a good location with wifi. As I had left it quite late to book, I once again found myself struggling to find a nice hotel (I actually found one, but it was nearly £2000 for our six day stay and I thought it wasn’t worth it!) and once again turned to my old friend Airbnb. Here I found lots of nice looking apartments and managed to find a great one that I thought would be perfect. I was absolutely right as we are currently enjoying a lovely stay in a clean, bright apartment in Reykjavik. Obviously there are draw backs such as no maid/room service, but we have so much privacy and freedom.   

I would recommend reading the reviews extensively to make sure that you make a decision perfect for you and your needs. There are many different types of places to stay from dorms with shared bathrooms right up to huge houses beaming with luxury.
 

I am very much enjoying our time in Reykjavik and Airbnb has played a huge part in that. The hubby actually prefers having an apartment over a hotel because it’s like a little home from home. I will definitely think about Airbnb when booking our next adventure.
Have you used Airbnb?

L x

  I was so excited when I found out that we could easily travel to Olympia whilst on holiday in Zante. It’s where the first ever Olympic Games was held and I couldn’t wait to be absorbed by such culture and history. I’m not a massive fan of sports, but can appreciate the effort and dedication that goes into becoming a competing athlete. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from our trip, but I knew that I would instantly come away having learnt something new. Plus I’m such a sucker for anything of historic value.

 It was a mega hot summer’s day when we chose to visit and temperatures exceeded forty degrees, which is pretty much unheard of for us Londoners and we danced around the ground in search of shade, like little ants looking to return to their colony.

We took an early ferry across to the Greek mainland to make the most of our trip. I hadn’t visited the mainland before. The ferry was really reasonable and with the salty sea air flowing through my hair off we went on our adventure.

We had an English speaking tour guide show us around the grounds. I think having a guide is really crucial because there aren’t really any signs and they help you understand what it is exactly that you are looking at. He chose me to wear the crown (well a replica!) that the winner of the Olympic Games would have worn all of those years ago and I felt like a  Greek Goddess (sort of).

  
The remains are incredible. So much is still left in remarkable condition, despite being battered by all weathers, earthquakes and thousands of tourists.  
The original running track is still there and I even channelled my inner athlete and had a sprint on it.

 
The athletes would have walked through a corridor with a stone archway and into the arena. It’s still there and you really feel as though you have been taken back in time to when winning was everything. You can almost feel the pressure as you walk under the archway and into the vast arena.
  

The winners would have been crowned whilst stood on a podium, basking in their glory with crowds applauding. The winner must have felt so proud. 

  
For me it’s always all about the details and many of the artefacts display so much detail. You can instantly see what they were used for and how they have influenced our lives today.

 
There is also a lovely museum that has some amazing artefacts on display. It has a cafe and air conditioning, which was a welcome relief from hours of the intense heat and I very much enjoyed devouring an ice cream whilst letting the cool air tickle my skin.

   
Olympia is also quite a pretty little town with many shops, bars and restaurants. It’s worth having a look around if you are in the area. We found a spot with lots of sunflowers. I’ve always loved a sunflower, they take me back to when I was a child and life was simple. I used to love watching sunflowers go from a couple of inches to double my height in a matter of weeks. They always remind me of summers spent in a haze of being outdoors and with friends. 

Before we knew it, it was time to catch our ferry back to Zante, leaving behind the history of Olympia, but taking away new memories with us.

Have you visited Olympia? 

L x

  A couple of years ago my husband and I were looking for a last minute summer holiday. We weren’t sure where to go, but Europe is so dreamy in the summer, so we knew that was a good place to start our search. We love going to new places and had never visited Greece before. Soon enough we had chosen holiday favourite Zante as our place to catch some sunshine and relax. I was a bit apprehensive about our trip there as I know that many people go in groups to party and we were going as a couple for a break from everyday life. Whilst we enjoy having fun, we aren’t massive party goers  so we hoped that there would be enough for us to do. Turns out that Zante has a lot to offer and we had a perfect time.

  
We spent a considerable amount of time on boats, absorbing the gorgeous island. The Greek islands are simply stunning and deserve to be witnessed in their summertime glory. 

  
On one boat trip we went to the iconic shipwreck, where the sea is the most perfect turquoise. It’s almost as though somebody has dropped a large tin of the most voluptuous blue paint into the ocean and it’s just hanging out there for a bit whilst it mingles with the sea. The truth is it is always like that. Always bright blue and always gorgeous. It’s the kind of natural beauty that needs to be seen to be believed. I don’t really edit my photographs, so the colour you can see is pretty much the colour that it is.

  
We also visited ‘Turtle Island’ that is shaped like a turtle and we went turtle watching. There was a lot of love for that creature that day. It was most wonderful to see them wild and free. We also learnt about the conservation work that is going on in Laganas to provide the turtles with an untouched, natural and perfect spot to lay their eggs. The work they are doing to promote well being of the species is blimmin’ marvellous.

   
We explored the island quite a bit and went on a trip to the mainland where we visited the Olympia, but I’m planning a post about that trip for a later date. We loved spending our days in the warm summer air devouring ice cream and letting the sun kiss our skin.

  
There was a beach across the road from our hotel and we often favoured a swim in the sea over the crowded hotel pool where people reserved sun loungers from six in the morning (who has that kind of dedication?!). The salty sea water was so blissfully clear that you could see the tiny fish dancing around your feet to the beat of the ocean and it was heavenly.

 The beach was really peaceful and we had a lot of fun. I think that our trip to Zakynthos provided us with everything that we needed, a sense of adventure and discovery, a chance to switch off and relax, all with a healthy dose of vitamin D. I know that you can go to the Greek islands without spending all of your time in a haze of alcohol and still have a good time. You don’t have to be in a huge group either, it’s great for everyone and we are planning on visiting Greece again with friends this summer.

Have you visited any of the Greek islands? What did you get up to?

L X