10 Christmas Gift Ideas For Travellers

A couple of days ago I shared my itinerary for my travels around Asia this December. As I am travelling around the Christmas period it got me thinking about some of the gifts that would make life easier for a traveller such as me and perhaps you too. I have tried so hard to bring this down to just 10 gift ideas the traveller. Otherwise this post would never have appeared with my ever growing million and one things I would like to add. So here goes:

Travellers Gift Guide: 1 - 3

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December Travels | 6 Countries In 3 Weeks

Active Map below



A couple of days ago in my December Blog Highlights I hinted that I would be sharing my travel plans for December. Well, wait no more as they are all mapped out for you below. I am super excited and at the same time crazy anxious to be embarking on this trip. Why, you ask? For the last few years most of the major disasters have have seen have happened in Asia and during this time of year. 

I may be a overacting a little but I am going to be in the same place on Boxing Day where the very Boxing Day Tsunami hit in 2011. The Boxing Day Tsunami happened on my birthday and this year I am where have I decided to go? Thailand! When I booked my trip I wasn't even thinking of that but shortly after, all these fears started ringing in my head....Before I continue sharing my fears and the crazy natural disasters in Asia, lets just get to my travel plans for December.

So, I will be leaving in a few days for 3 weeks of exploring. I saved some of my annual leave particularly for this holiday as I was going to be going away to Asia or South America in December and it just so happens that Asia won this time. South American adventures will have to wait a little longer for me.

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Pisa Visual Diary + Tips on Exploring The City With The Leaning Tower of Pisa

Italy is by far one of my favourite countries in the world to visit. It’s no coincidence that I have visited far more of Italy than any other country in the world. From Verona to Venice, from Rome to Milan and from Bergamo to Desanzano: Italy is full to the brim with opportunities and adventure like no other place.  I have also visited the small towns surrounding the beautiful Lake Garda; which by the way you must visit if you haven’t been too already. Each and every city offers a unique experience: the food, the smells, the ancient sites, the romance oozing out of Roman ruins and flowing out of Venetian canals; men built like Roman Gods as they whisper 'Bella raggazza' as you stroll by; who wouldn’t want to tap into that? With the likes of Ryanair, Wizzair and EasyJet offering prices that will make you want to bring your sister, brother, cousin and maybe your gran too!

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Travel Highlights For December

Hello December! 

My goodness hasn't this year just flown by? We are in December and I am super excited to have 3 count downs this month; Christmas countdown,  birthday countdown(Capricorn checking in!) and travel countdown! Whats different about this year's Christmas though is that it won't be a Christmas in London. Yes, for decades I have spent my Christmases at home with family but this year for a little birthday treat I am travelling through Asia for 20 days. I will be covering 4 countries in Asia and 2 in Europe. I will be announcing my destinations next week so stay tuned for that.

Next week I will be sharing pictures of Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb finally. I edited the pictures and saved them on my external hard drive and then managed to drop the hard drive a couple of time so it stopped working. My pictures together with other valuable documentation are with PC World, who for £360 are taking their sweet time to fix my hard drive. I would have thought paying that much would have bought me a quick service but it appears not. So all the pictures that I had edited from this year's trips I am now going to have to re-edit again. Shame, because I was hoping to just make quick easy posts as I had all the pictures ready but now have to do that again...

Anyway, I am excited to be spending Christmas in the sun this year, but also gutted I won't be spending it with my new baby nephew, who is just as cute as a button, when he is not screaming the place down at 2am in the morning. My sister is thanking her lucky stars his sleeping patterns are starting to normalise.

So what are your Christmas plans this year,  travelling, heading back home from travels or just chilling at home from a busy year?

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Living The High Life in Wales | Hiking Through Snowdonia National Park

If you spend enough time with Londoner or those in the UK for that matter, you will notice how much we go on and on and on and on again about the weather.

This summer like every summer everyone is was dusting off their bikinis and flop flops in search for sunny horizons (we all know those don’t really come around the UK that often or long enough). Booking holidays to Spain, Greek Islands, Caribbean islands.  Having just taken on the heat wave in New Delhi and Agra this May, dosed up on sunshine sailing around Santorini and while exploring Athens in July, I was in the mood for something different. Say, a little adventure close to home.

One of my boyfriend's friends had been trying to get a group of us to go away on a hiking trip for a long time now and after voting on dates when everyone was available and it was then time to decide on whether to head to Lake District and Snowdonia National Park (think soaring mountains with peaks playing hide and seek with the clouds). Lakes spread across national parks, hiking routes with breath-taking views, small towns filled with cozy little cafes with a local and traditional touch. Yep, I was up for all of that and then some. It was as if the stars seemed to have aligned as everyone’s diaries cleared up for the long August Bank Holiday, which also happened to be my boyfriend's birthday week.

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Island Hideaway | 10 Essential Items To Pack For Santorini

In my last post I shared with you reasons why you should stay in Santorini's Akrotiri when you visit this beautiful island. Santorini, like many Greek islands with its abundance  of sunshine, sea and sand draws people from all four corners of the globe to sample a little bit of island living. Hot weather, warm seas and the perfect spot to cool off is just what the doctor ordered! When it comes to travel and beauty in hot weather simplicity is key. Below are essential items you need to pack for a trip to Santorini. 

1. A good moisturiser - Hot or cold weather a good moisturiser is key to looking fresh. It also helps keep your make sure in place, although I prefer less make-up during hot weather.

2. Cleanser and toner - Cleansing the skin of sunscreen and make-up for a clearer and fresh face.

3. Sunscreen - There is nothing more aging that sun burnt skin so protect your skin not only from burns but from UVA and UVB. Yes that goes from black skin, Indian skin. Everyone should be wearing it. Why? Because cancer does not discriminate so slather it on!

4. Sunglasses - Get some shade in your life.

5. Mascara,  brow kit, lip gloss - Less is more when it comes to make-up and hot weather. The last thing you want is having foundation and eye shadow sweating off your face. For a fresh-faced look cleanse and tone, moisturise then shape the brow, a little mascara and lip gloss and you are good to good. That is pretty much all the make-up you will usually find in my bag when I travel in hot weather.

6. Accessories - Keeping things simple is great but packing a few accessories can take a simple outfit from simple to vava voom in 0-60!

7. Big Hat - Your very own portable shade. The bigger the better!

8. Hair moisture - For someone that had super dry hair I love Aveda, Keratase and Qhemet Biologics in taming the mane in super drying weather.

9. After suncare with aloe vera - After being in the sun all day. Add moisture back into the skin as well as protect any parts of your skin that may have been overexposed to the sun.

10. Scarf - Warm days and cooler nights. Packing a scarf or shawl will save you from that cold breeze on the evening stroll back to the hotel.

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Island Hideaway | Why You Should Stay in Santorini's Akrotiri Instead of Oia

Picturesque sunset views overlooking Nea Kameni, Santorini’s dormant volcano. Pitapat of feet edging towards the island's cliff sides in search of the best spots to watch as the sun descend into the Aegean Sea. And the sun sets, blue hour draws in as the lights on the island start to flicker on. I am sure you have all seen pictures of Santorini's town of Oia, with people enticing you to go and see the sunset there. Or drool-worthy Instagram shots of pools with views of the volcano. Well, as small as Santorini is, there is more to it than just Oia. Last week I shared with you a post on my explorations of Santorini by beach-hopping on a Catamaran that saw us sailing around the Greek island.

During my visit this summer, we managed to explore the little island back to back and around it, including sailing around it. Having been to Oia and Fira I was  glad we managed to book a place away from Oia and the crowds. From my point of view, most hotels lacked a little privacy as hordes of tourists  busy looking over the hotel balconies and pool areas, while I am sure those guests where trying to relax, no doubt.

The streets also don’t seem to sleep so if your hotel is near the foot paths then that is just something you will have to deal with. I am not saying that you cannot find places in Oia that are away from the crowds but you will either have to pay a premium or be lacking in views and I wanted both the views and peace and quiet with my rest and relaxation on the Island. I found it too! In Akrotiri. Akrotiri sits directly opposite Oia.(Santorini is kind of shaped like a ‘C’ or half-moon crescent. The tips you could say is where the two towns sit.) I booked my sisters and I a place with views of the volcano, Oia, Thira, and we had views of either side of the seas on the island which was a plus!

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Santorini Sailing | The Coolest Way To Beach Hop Around The Greek Island

My young sister posing for the camera.

I am not sure about you but the current weather situation in London has me wishing I was somewhere sunny. Luckily, I still have more pictures from sunny escapes over the summer. One being my trip to Greece in July which saw my sister, one of her closest friends and I visit Greece, passing through Athens(posts to come) and Santorini.

As popular as Santorini is for weekend getaways, honeymoons, beach vacations for the lads and the girl's getaway, it's also small enough to get lost and have moments of peace and quiet without hordes of tourists in your path.  Leaving London in search of sun, sea and sand we were three girls hungry for shots of serotonin and what better place to dose up than beach hoping around the island of Santorini?!

Beaches packed with volcanic minerals, from red sand beaches, black sand, white sand and your usual golden sand beaches. Santorini beaches have it all! The coolest way to beach hop, of course is by way of sailing around Santorini. There are several options when it comes to what is on offer. The choice simply depends on your budget and comfort requirements.

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Travel and Beauty | Jet Set Ready With...Cynthia of SimplyCyn

The last post in the 'Jet Set Ready With...' series is in collaboration with Cynthia of SimplyCyn. This New York based jet-setter-blogger-attorney is one travelista that is packed with style as she trots around the globe in effortless chic attire. So, of course I wanted to know how she manages to look so stylish with her long haul travels crossing over the Atlantic, as if she pack the best stylists in her suitcase! Below Cynthia was quizzed on her beauty and travel style secrets. Hope you enjoy the insider deets as much as I did.

1. How do you get ready for a  holiday?

I binge on travel mags and blogs trying to make sure I've captured all the necessary elements of my itinerary. I've had many friends tell me it sounds like work, but there's really nothing more fun for me than the planning stages (besides maybe the actual trip).

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Travel and Beauty | Jet Set Ready With...Codie At CodieKinz

We all have those count downs to the holiday, don't we? Planning what we are going to pack, getting the names, done, hair cut and in some places waxed or shaved! Yep, we all do so this week I have had two bloggers take us through their jet-set ready plans. This third installment to the 'Jet Set Ready With' series with bloggers this week with one more to go this Sunday with Simply Cyn. This time we have Codie Kinz sharing how she gets ready for vacations and mini getaways. I love Codie's honest and relaxed way of getting ready and not putting too much focus on the getting ready part and more on the fun of exploring. I can so relate as on some trips I just want to get up and go with no fuss. Hope you enjoy it. Dont forget to share how you get ready in the comments below.

1. How do you get ready for a  holiday? 

I’m pretty low-maintainance to be honest. I make sure I’ve shaved my legs and ‘pits, and that’s pretty much it aside from the usual. I also craft some fun, themed accessories, which was obviously amazing for our recent Disneyland trip!

2. What's your beauty routine before a flight?

I use a lot of moisturiser to make sure my face doesn’t get dried out on the flight (I tend to use Simple moisturiser because it feels great!) and then I’ll use BB cream, rather that foundation to give me just a little coverage. Then just a bit of mascara, not eyeliner because I always fall asleep on ‘planes.

3. What's your go to fragrance for your getaway? 

Lady Gaga - Fame

"I recently had a Lush ‘Comforter’ Treatment, and I don’t think anything will ever feel as good!"

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Travel and Beauty | Jet Set Ready With... Coco Butter

The second in the 'Jet Set Ready With...' series. This time we have Samantha who blogs at CoCo Butter. A lover of travel and exploring, although London continues to be her favourite city. Below, Samantha shares her secrets when it comes to being Jet Set Ready!

You can find the links to Samantha's blog below. I hope you enjoy  the series.

1. How do you get ready for a  holiday?

I start preparing as soon as I book a holiday by stepping up my exercise routine and trying to eat a little bit healthier - all in an attempt to get my bikini body! I'll also start taking tanning and hair, skin and nails supplements so that I can look my best on the beach. I'll also use the sunbed a couple of times before I leave (naughty!) to prepare my skin for the sun. The day before I leave, I'll get Shellac on my nails and toenails, shave everywhere that needs it, fake tan, and get my eyelashes tinted. I always leave packing until the last minute and so I'm usually stressing the day before!

2. What's your beauty routine before a flight?

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Travel and Beauty | Jet Set Ready With...British Belle

Deanna, aka The British Belle opens the 'Jet Set Ready With...' series that will feature four bloggers this week(Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday). "A British born with an American heart", she is a History graduate that sees life as one big adventure. I asked Deanna and 3 other bloggers how they get ready for holidays, whether weekend getaways or long vacations. Below is an insight into how Deanna gets Jet Set Ready!  

I hope you enjoy the series this week. I  can't wait to share the rest of the other blogger's travel beauty and style tips this week. Links to her blog and Instagram are below. Enjoy!

1. How do you get ready for a  holiday?

I have a couple different things I like to do to get holiday ready. Looking the best I can is so important to me. I like to feel confident and proud of myself, my body and my personality. Ballet is a huge passion of mine, as is going to the gym, it really helps me de-stress. Working out and eating well before I go on holiday is something that is super conscious in my mind. I want to look amazing! Relaxing is really important too, travelling and holidays can be stressful to prepare for. I’ll do some holiday shopping a week or so before I’m due to fly to get what I need, and book my beauty treatments so I’m not rushing around. Who doesn’t love shopping and being pampered? It’s like the holiday has started early!

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Travel Highlights For November

I have been sharing some pictures on my Instagram recently from my summer trip to Greece but haven't actually had a lot of posts about my time in Athens and Santorini. I did, however manage to share with you some of Santorini's best beaches. This month I will be sharing with you pictures from a day of sailing around Santorini, views of Athens from the Acropolis, more pictures from exploring the temples and tombs in India. 

I was meant to share with you pictures from my hiking in Wales last month but didn't manage to do that between travelling back to Spain, planning to Paris for November, a birthday trip around Christmas and working! So you will get to see the beautiful heights we took in Snowdonia National Park this month, I promise!

Last month I had a special collaboration with bloggers to bring you the Word On The Street Travel Series, local guides to cities such as Cusco, Sydney, Perth and Scottsdales. This month the collaboration is based on getting travel-ready. We are talking beauty, style and packing in a Jet-Set Ready Series with 4 bloggers answering questions on how they get ready for vacations. Unlike the previous series which ran once a week, this will run over a course of a week. With one post every other day(Mon, Wed, Fri and Sunday). Starting Monday 9th November. So make sure you follow on Facebook and Bloglovin(links to the right) to have notification by email as soon as the posts publish.

I am also heading to the World Travel Market in London Monday and Tuesday(2-3 Nov) so follow via Instagram and Facebook to see what I am getting up to at the event.

Here's to an exciting new month!

So you never miss a post, be sure to follow me on 

BLOGLOVIN'

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Guide To New Delhi | 5 Reasons To Visit New Delhi

We are now just a day before entering November and I am blowing through next years annual leave before we even set one foot into 2016. My name is Bianca and I have the wanderlust bug. They say the first part of curing an addiction is to admit to yourself first, huh?

Well, this is one addiction I will take to the next life with me, whether I am re-incarnated a Queen Bee, a lioness, cheater or a jaguar or maybe a panther(meow!). My love of travel has seen me travel to many new countries this year as well as those that have been on repeat like Germany, Spain and France. One new country that I am super happy to have finally visited(at last!) is India. This was such a last minute decision. Decided to finally go on a Monday, bought a ticket, applied for a visa on Tuesday, collected it on Wednesday and flew out on Thursday.

Yes, the travel Gods were on my side to have made everything run so smoothly. Arriving late into the night when Delhi's streets where quiet and the traffic was non-existent. I thought to myself, where is this hustle and bustle that I have read and heard about? I would soon see and experience the mayhem. What a joy that was too! What I was most impressed by was the architecture, I am a lover of the stories behind them too. So I thought before I share individual visual posts on each of the beautiful master pieces I would give you the low down on things to see and do in Delhi by way of reason why you should go to Delhi, right now!

There is plenty to do in Delhi and one would expend a life time exploring the city's mixes. Now a business hub for fashion, technology and many more things I wouldn't have otherwise associate this city with. A reach mix of origins, whether that’s in its people that have come from all over India to make a name for themselves or the Persian influence in the architecture and style of buildings that have stood the test of time, to the history of the Mughals and their fight to stay relevant. In its chaos of the city's aim to grow and develop, there is still ample opportunity to find solace in exploring the the sight like that of Humayun's Tomb. I visited the Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb for me was far better.

Yes, it older and isn’t carved in all Marble facades and semi-precious stones like the Taj Mahal but the love story that the Taj Mahal uses as a selling point was rather, the story inherited for Humanyn's Tomb. Both buildings were erected because of a love,  a lost soul of a loved one. I do wonder if Taj would have existed had Humayun's Tomb not come before it. Anyway, we will leave that discussion for when I show you more pictures of Humayun's Tomb.

While in the city I managed to explore Delhi's malls, tombs, mosques and temples as well as eat my way through the tasty curry dishes.  Where best to begin my journey of exploring India that a city that is home to India's largest mosque, the world's largest Hindu temple and of course South Asia's largest shopping malls. Go big or go home! They don’t do things in halves here. So below are some reasons why you should go and visit New Delhi and the old parts too. 

Below are 5 reasons to visit Delhi. Hope you enjoy them and make sure you pin them to your Pintrest travel boards. Let me know in the comments below if you have been or dreaming of heading to India. I have a few more posts to come with pictures of Humayun's Tomb, The Bahai Temple, Agra Fort and of course the Taj Mahal.

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Word On The Street | A Local's Guide To Sydney With The Trusted Traveller

This is the last in the Word On The Street travel series I have been doing with bloggers this month. I hope you have enjoyed coverage of Cusco in Peru, Scottsdale in Arizona, USA and Perth in Australia. The last installment is also by way of Australia. One other reason why I am super excited to share this city guide with you is because I have FINALLY booked my ticket to Australia. I am heading down under come March next year. I will be sharing more details about that soon. Without further ado, I will let Jen Seligmann aka The Trusted Traveller guide us on things to do and see in Sydney and around this beautiful and popular Australia city.

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Sussex Charm | Exploring The South Downs With YHA

Visiting the UK is not all about seeing London. There is more to the UK than just London, like the beautiful coastal towns around the UK. Of course living in a city that never sleeps, like the bustling capital of London, one is always in short supply of peace and quiet. In addition to both my partner and I working in the IT industry with a constant jiggle for work-life balance, I always try to make our weekends as relaxed as imaginably possible. This means being creative in seeking out relaxation weekend getaways both in the country and outside. My current favourite lately are getaways in and around the English countryside. The fact that we don’t have to go through security gates, hold miniaturised bottles of beauty products or be patted downed because an underwire bra triggered the alarm is always a plus, if we can avoid this. When I mentioned to my partner that I was challenged to spend £100 for a weekend for both of us, he wasn’t really surprised as he as seen some of the travel deals I rustle up at crazy prices, even at short notice(check out my trip to Copenhagen where we travelled to for under £100).

We were going to be driving to one of the UK's most beautiful coastal regions; South Downs. Remote, ravishingly beautiful landscapes of farm lands with rolling hills in the background, a national park that stretches over 100 miles and stunning beaches to boot. It was a no brainer. Of course he said yes!

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Word On The Street | In Scottsdale With Live Life Well Blogger

For this part of the Word On The Street travel series we are heading to the USA with Allison who will guide us through Arizona's Scottsdale. The city that has more spas per capita than any other city in the entire United States. Definitely sounds like a city that should be on a the list for anyone that loves a good pampering session! It's also within the sunshine state with reliable sunny weather for most for the year as  well as being home to one of the worlds most famous sights; the Grand Canyon of course. In addition to the Grand Canyon you will also find the Sonaro Dessert, which boarders both US and Mexico with its distinguishable Saguaro cactus-filled surroundings and rugged formations of Red Rock State Park. Below Allison takes us on a mini tour of Scottsdale.

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Word On The Street - Exploring The Peruvian City of Cusco With The Coversant Traveller

The next installment in the Word On The Street travel series is a visit to Cusco. A city in the Peruvian Andes.  Peru is the home to a portion of the Amazon rain forest and the famous landmark of Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley of the Incan city, set high in the Andes mountains. Cusco was once the capital of the Inca empire. It's also well known for its archaeological remains and the Spanish colonial architecture. Heather Cole, blogger of The Conversant Traveller takes us on a guided of Cusco for the second installment of the four-part travel series. You can search for the rest of the posts on social media via #WordOnTheStreetWithBee as well as the first post a guided tour of Perth In Australia.

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Word On The Street | In Perth With A Hole In My Shoe

As part of the Word On The Street travel series, I have asked four bloggers to guide us through four cities. This is the first installment with Lyn volunteering as local guide to Perth in Australia

Perth is like no other place because of its location. We are one of the most isolated capital cities in the world. But don’t think because we are isolated there is nothing to do here. Quite the opposite. Known for our sunny, Mediterranean climate, Perth has the best beaches and one of the largest inner city parks in the world. 

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What's Hot This October

On The Blog This Month: Word On The Street Travel Series

We have some serious global wandering this month by way of a travel series called Word On The Street. We are going to travel around the world this month, I tell ya. Another new month getting us closer to the end of 2015! With this new month I thought I would introduce a few cities that I am sure some of you(including myself) have been wanderlusting about. What better way to do that than to interview other bloggers who live there, been there, done that and bought the t-shirt. The image above gives you an idea of where we will be travelling to this month. Four of those places will be introduced by other bloggers and the other four places I will be showing you around. The four cities introduced by blogger will be part of the 4 week series this month called Word On The Street. This will be published very Wednesday at 4pm to get your Wednesday Wanderlust juices flowing. So make sure you sign up on Bloglovin, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as well as the newletter(enter email to the right) to make sure you read them first when they publish.  Check out the list below for more details of whats to come:

1. Perth, Australia - We are visiting two beautiful cities in Australia this month one of which will be Perth. This will be introduced by Lyn and Steve Baker from A Hole In My Shoe. They will show you around Kings Park, Cottesloe Beach and the City Lights. (Publishes - 7/10/15)

2. Cusco, Peru - Heather Cole, a traveller and writer with a serious case of wanderlust will take us to Cusco in Peru. Visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites, tips on the best places to see, where to eat, drink and how to get around this part in South America. I am dying to publish this Conversanttraveller's tales, as I have been dreaming about Peru for too long now, but haven't bought a ticket yet. (Publishes - 14/10/15)

3. Scottsdale, USA - With most wanderlusters dreaming about faraway places like Vietnam, Chile, Indonesia, we often forget about the USA. Yes, the big United States are filled with some crazy-beautiful sights so you would be nuts to not want to visit the  cool places on offer, one of which is Scottsdale in Arizona. This is also the state that has the amazing canyons! Antelope Canyon and Grand Canyon, of course. Allison Mathis from LiveLifeWell with introduce these desert landcapes this month. (Publishes - 21/10/15)

4.Russia and The World For Black History Month - October is Black History month in the UK so what better way to celebrate than to take you around the world for black history month. We will be looking at some historically significant black people from from around the world. Russia's Alexander Pushkin who was and still is a well known poet. Then we will head to Mexico and check out Vicente Ramó Guerrero; Mexico's first black president who also happen to have led Mexico to Independence in 1829. We will also be celebrating modern heroes too, like Mae Carol Jemison; the first black woman in Space. So look out for that! I will be covering North America, South America,  Europe, Asia and Africa! Around the world in black history.

5. South Downs - England - I am sure some of you may have seen pictures of the white chalk cliffs in England. Well I will be taking you around East Sussex and the beautiful coastal towns of this part of the UK. Even better was the fact that I was challenged to do this trip for under £100 by YHA hostels. I love a good challenge too, so look out for this post to find out whether I succeeded or failed miserably.

6. Sydney, Australia - Another trip back to Australia in the Word On The Street series will be provided by Jen Seligmann, The Trusted Traveller. Who hasn't dreamed about seeing the Opera House from across the habour? Exactly what I though, no one. We will get the details from a local on where to hang out, eat, get the best views so look out for that. (Publishes - 28/10/15)

7. Snowdonia, Wales - I love adventure as much as the next person but I love it even more when experienced with friends. Over the August bank holiday a bunch of friends and I drove to Wales to explore Snowdonia National Park. Most were driving from London with one coming from as far away as Cornwall. I cant wait to share more pictures from our hikes, picnicking next to an elevated lake and just experiencing the most amazing views after scaling the peaks in Snowdonia.

8. New Delhi, India - Another trip I am dying to share with you is India. I will be giving you the low down on the sights to see in India's New Delhi. What to see and do, where to stay, shop and eat. So be show to follow on social media to make sure you read that when it drops.

If you want to find the travel series for this month. You will be able to find it via the hashtag #WordOnTheStreetWithBee. The These will drop every Wednesday at 4pm.

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My Bucketlist: Bring Travel Dreams to Life

We all have bucketlists, places we want to see before we clock out for the last time. Some may involve trekking the beautiful peaks in Patagonian, or cruising the Nile, learning Italian as you travel via train through the scenic coastal towns of Italy, or being in two continents at the same time while meandering on the Bosphorus boat tours with Sofia in in your rear view or maybe even flying over across the other side of the world discovering whats really down under(when you find out let me know!). Whatever those plans are, point is we all have them! Yes, even for those whose travel plans as less of a priority than us wanderlusting addicts. Its also such a shame that most of us wait too long to realise those plans. With this blog I always try and included tips and details of how you can travel without having to sell your organs. You can check out my recent blog post on how to travel for next to nothing, which includes links to sites for the best flight deals as well as tips on saving money when booking hotels and earning points for free travel. 

I have been meaning to publish my bucketlist for sometime and but it changes so much with each and every new exciting destination that I discover. With all the changes that happen to it, I thought I would just go ahead and publish it and leave it as a dynamic list I would add to or remove, or perhaps even do a version 2 of my travel bucketlist. That's if I rinse this one out after wining the lottery and take a year out to travel. Included at links to post covering places I have already ticked off on my bucket list. I guess on of the reasons for the delay is that this blog was really intended to provide meaningful resources for any one wishing for inspiration on destinations that are not only popular but those that you might not have considered  but now that you have seen pictures, you can then add to your bucketlist. As always if a post doesn't provide enough details on costs, accommodation and transportation you are always welcome to email me and I will either update the post with details or just answer your questions via email/facebook/insta twitter...you get the gist!

...So indulge your wanderlust spirit as we go through some of my #bucketlist destinations and let me know below if there are places on my list that you have been to already or places we have in common? I would also love to here places you are still longing with visit but haven't checked off your list. Let me know in the comments below.

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#LumiaStreetArt - East London Street Art | Lumia Photo Walk With Microsoft

You might have seen me post a few pictures on my Instagram account a few weeks ago when I and a few other bloggers were invited to a Street Art Photo Walk(#LumiaStreetArt) with none other than Microsoft. Bloggers were going to be checking out the Nokia Lumia 930 which of course features the Windows platform. I am no stranger to Windows phones as I have written phone applications for the Windows platform as well as using them for work. What I was keen on, was testing out the new Nokia Lumia 930 camera and putting it to its paces. Our walk came with a tour guide taking us through Shoreditch's hidden streets filled with some of the world's famous and popular taggers and street artists. Also on hand was Phil Hebbert  from Photography Made Simple, who showed us how to get the best out of the phone's features. 

Lumia Photo Walk Round 1

Our photo session ran in two rounds. Starting at Shoreditch station we walked around checking out the colourful art and getting the low down of what inspired the artists, where some of their other works are featured. This also included discussions on their style, how that has evolved as well as their thought provoking works, whether in protest of today's issues or their use of material; paint, props, threading, puzzles in order to engage their audience. Whether you are into art or not, you cannot ignore what the art had done for this area of London.

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Santorini | Guide To The Best Beaches In Santorini

Santorini is one of those popular Greek Islands that you hear and read about all the time but of what you most see is Oia. Santorini being an Island, I was more interested in checking out some of Santorini's best beaches and less so in seeing the sunset in Oia as lovely and beautiful as they are. Yea, of course I was hoping to see many a sunrise and sunset but as Santorini has special geographical features by way of the volcanoes I new I would be in for something a little special. All year round great weather in Greece means that whatever time you choose to visit there is always plenty of time to enjoy the sun on the beach in Santorini.

Beautiful and differing  rock formations with each and every meter of the island you pass also means that the beaches in Santorini are different to those found in other parts of Greece. Black, red, white sand beaches filled with volcanic minerals; one for my big reasons for staying in Akrotiri on the island is its proximity to the beaches as well as its quiet and tranquil life on the island. Compared to that of its popular town of Oia, Fira and Imerovigli. Those places are great for the nightlife, bar scene, shopping and restaurants but a tad to busy if you are on the island for more than just a short break.

If you are thinking of heading to Santorini I would highly recommend you consider the smaller towns too. Akrotiri offers the same sunsets as Oia, you are close to great beaches, restaurants line the beaches too and of course you also have the famous Santorini blue domes.

Santorini's Best Beaches.

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A Visual Diary | Rome In Pictures

Rome, oh beautiful Rome! When am I going to visit again. I have neglected to post these pictures before because I thought I was going to do an extensive and detailed post but planning trips to Israel and an extensive tour around Southern Africa took over a lot of time. I did manage post about touring Rome through its fountains as well as my recent post on extending our Roman holiday with a visit to the Vatican City.

Rather than give you a top 10 places to see in Rome I thought to give you a tour of Rome through pictures and a mention of some of the places that we visiting during our stay in Rome. My advice is to definitely have a good pair of comfortable shoes as most of the exploration my boyfriend and I did was on foot. We took in views from the beautiful Parco Savello - Garden of Oranges. This place is a little tricky to get to but the effort is well worth the views. Perfectly lined tress, little benches and the beautiful fountains to take a little timeout from exploring the busy city.

Other places to add to the list are the Jewish Ghetto for a little interesting history as well as beautiful restaurants near by, Trastevere, Piazza Venezia and places like Villa Borghese which has musuems, a theatre, lake and beautiful gardens to explore. All this in addition to the usual tourist sites listed blow.

Interesting Places To Visit In Rome

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Visions of Wild Africa | Exploring Botswana's Okavanago Delta

Back in surroundings that allow you to hear that morning call from the birds chirping at the first signs of dawn. Surroundings unpolluted by urban comforts and as darkness gives way to night allow you to have stars twinkle at you and it's as if the world suddenly melts away with sweet nothings whispered from a lovers lips and like romantic rhythms, perfectly received to your ears. Being at one with nature and back to basics of appreciating the peace and quiet offered by being in the middle of nowhere is one of life's luxuries in the world we live today. Memories of my trip to Botswana last October were just that,...moments of blissful pleasure being back in familiar surroundings. My boyfriend and I had the pleasure of crossing no man's land on foot; Kazungula. This is a small area of land between Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia where we crossed over from Zambia into Botswana by a small ferry. Our Safari journey was to start from right there on the boarder crossing into Kasane, Botswana. As you drive away from the boarder you can spot many elephants in the dried fields. We were in Kasane for 2 days but managed to spot elephants, monkeys, hippos, baboons all without getting on a typical African safari ride.

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London | 10 Things To Do In Greenwich Village

Since moving from Greenwich and into central London I don't really visit this part of London so much, but when the sun is out in London Greenwich is the place to be. Think views across the town, beautiful park, bustling restaurants with river views and historical buildings beaming with charm that you will want to spend a full day here. Just bring a picnic basket and find a spot on the green. Most poeple when visiting London only concentrate on the London Eye, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, St Pauls and a few other place that they few are the perfect tourist spots to hit up. That goes for other Londoners too, if you havent been to Greenwich, or Greenwich Village as its called now, then you need to check it out.

I thought I would put together  a 10 things to do in Greenwich Village. Other than getting yourselves food most things to see and do in this part are all free. 

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London's Best Roof Top Bars

"Lets face it, this is London. When the weather is this good its time to celebrate"

Summer in London is known for being sketchy so when the sun is out it's time to kick your shoes of, put on some sandals and head for London's best roof top bars. While my sisters were visiting from the USA I managed to take them to a few of them as we hadn't managed to explore them on there last visit. One of those was Vista Bar in Trafalgar Square. Sits on top of Trafalgar Hotel with views across Westminster, London's theatre district and of course watching the hustle and bustle of Trafalgar Square. Great cocktails with prices that won't make your eyes water are just what was ordered.

As we are right in the middle of summer(not judging by this week's weather), I thought I would show you some of the places locals hang out in, in the city. These places also offer some of the best views of the city without paying extra to get in. Others not listed at the Elizabeth Hall on Southbank, London's Sky Garden and the Shard as well as a for more slight further out of central London. You can check out my post on views from across St Paul's Cathedral with 5 top places to watch the sunset over London's skyline.

Vista Bar, The Trafalgar Hotel, 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, SW1A 2TS. (Pictures below)

Sushisamba -  London's highest roof terrace. Open all year round at Heron Tower in Liverpool Street. Very popular with professionals, so expect a waiting list or queues. The terrace’s point of focus is a tree sculpture with pretty orange leaves that sparkle when lit up after sunset. Cocktail prices are also not for the faint hearted but the amazing views more than make up for the prices. The lift ride up there is worth a go in itself any time of day, although I prefer it at night.

110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY

Aqua - Open all year round and offers the perfect spot for watching the sunset with a cool drink in hand and interesting conversations with friends.

5th Floor, 30 Argyll Street, London, W1F 7EB 

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Vatican City - 5 Tips For Visiting The Vatican City In 24 Hours

It's shameful how long its taken to get these pictures on the blog, but when you work full-time and are constantly in the clouds wanderlusting about the next travel experience, writing and editing pictures tends to be slower than I would like. Although, it's better late than never, right? I think this is the only year in the past 5-7 years that I have not been to Italy. I am hoping not to break that cycle by adding a weekend trip to Italy soon so I will be open to your suggestions on where in Italy is good for a short weekend break from London. You can check out my posts on recent trips to Italian cities like Venice, Milan, Pisa, Verona, Rome and my absolute favourite, Lake Garda. Lake Garda is one of the biggest lakes in Italy with many beautiful towns around it. Worth a visit if you haven't been.

When my boyfriend an I visited the Vatican, over a year now, it was just a few days before Pope Francis' was announced as Pope. So you can just imagine how busy St Peter's Basilica and St Peter's Square were but in all its commotion with sightseers, news reporters, and crowds of believers all congregating in the streets, there was a certain spiritual calmness to this micro-nation.  So small is the Vatican City that you can get away with not planning anything to do in particular and still be able to cover most of the independent papal state in one day.

There are plenty of little cafes, bars and restaurants to stop over and have mini-breaks from exploring the Vatican City so there is no need for me to recommend any as most of the ones we stopped at had great food and wine selections. So I thought instead to give you 5 spots or things to make sure you not to miss out on. Also worth pointing out that you should check when and if the Sistine Chapel is open during your visit as sadly this is the one thing we missed out on, on our visit. Then again this is another reason for my partner in crime and I to visit the Vatican City again.

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A Stay At Zambia's Hotel Overlooking the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls + [Packing Tips For An Exotic Vacation]

Summer is here, although that might be a little hard to believe if you are in London. I don't know about you but the months of July and August usually conjure up thoughts of breezy beach fronts surrounded by picturesque sunsets as you chill and just let the sound of the water nearby sooth your soul. Perhaps a glass of wine around, an open wood burning fire and grill. Star gazing in the outdoors with a touch of rustic charm as you melt in pure luxe and relaxation or maybe an exotic vacation with a promise of sun-soaked adventures; The very remnants of my jaunt at Royal Livingstone Hotel. Architecture that speaks of its colonial past, wildlife roaming the grounds and large verandas with a good spread of relaxation areas.

Sitting on the edge of the Victoria Falls is a truly amazing experience to have and having a view of that same river that feeds that Victoria Falls is another experience one should add to that experience. All that and more are just some of the adventures up on offer when staying at Royal Livingstone Hotel(For a full list of places to stay in Livingstone have a look at this list of hotels). I have always found vacations set near the waterside to have a sort of spiritual renewal effect on me, very calming. The views from the patios of Royal Livingstone hotel are just pure delight. You can actually see the mist created from the falls without leaving the sun lounger. The same mist that can be seen some 30 miles away from the falls, in high season. That should give you some idea of the sheer volume of water falling over the 100 meter cravis of Victoria Falls.

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Travel For Next To Nothing - 10 Tips and Tricks To Help You Save Money and Travel More

I always seem to get asked how I afford to travel so much. This post should answer some of these questions. There are plenty of people who have this notion that you need to be rich or have lots of money to be able to travel. You don't! I am living prove of this, trust me. Contrary to what people may believe, I am sorry to disappoint you, I do not have a couple of Irish leprechauns churning up gold coins in my imaginary spare room - well not anymore anyway. I love it when people say to me "Bee, I can't afford to travel as much as you do".  'First things first, if you go to Starbucks, Cafe Nero, Costa, Boots(meal deals) or any other cafes that you grab food at, a couple of times a week, then you can definitely afford to travel! 

I am sure you are asking yourself, Bee, how the hell do those things relate? Hold on, I will explain. Okay, so let's take Starbucks for example, a latte costs £2.95 a cup, and if you were to add a panini and/or one of their sweet cakes or snacks, you are well into about £7-8. If you go to Starbucks at least 2-3 times a week, that's about £96 a month! Guess how much a weekend in Copenhagen cost me?! I paid £20 a RETURN, for a return ticket! Which obviously meant Bee was supper excited that she thought of buying another £20 return ticket for the boyfriend to come along for the experience. So out of that £96, we have spent £40 on plane tickets with £56 left in change. I also booked a lovely little studio in for the weekend which only came down to £45, which still leaves you another £11. You can put that towards your food or any other tourist  stuff you want to do - most of which are FREE! You can check out some of my posts on Copenhagen as well as my guide on things to do in Copenhagen. Now, I am not saying that visiting Copenhagen will only cost you £96, I am merely using it as an example to illustrate just how inexpensive travel can be with a little change in lifestyle. On the other hand, if you become a danger to society without your caffeine fix then, by all means, keep that Cafe Nero or Starbucks routine (I would hate to see you on the six o'clock news). Instead save £20 from your wages a month or whatever you can afford, or walk to work instead of buying that daily bus/train pass.

Anyway, this was not a post on travelling to Copenhagen for that you can check out my quick guide to Copenhagen. I also not a believer in totally maxing out the credit cards just so I can get a quick fix to my itchy feet and incurable wanderlust because that credit card statement will be waiting for you when you get back home. If you have one, make sure it comes with rewards(check out my link to the points guy below)! Travelling on the cheap doesn't mean you miss out on luxury. It's ok to be a cheapskate that loves luxurious things in life. Marriott hotels don't come cheap and yet I have stayed at many for FREE! I have stayed in lodges right on the banks of the Zambezi with the safari animals roaming right before me, and that didn't cost me half as much as people would think. If you want to travel more, or travel for close to nothing then I am sure the travel tips below will help you do just that. I have put together some of the travel tips I live by, that can see me travelling short and long haul a couple of times a year without messing up my credit score or selling my kidneys for a plane ticket.

1. Be Loyal, Because Loyalty Pays

I travel quite a bit for work. My longest project was in Peterborough for about a year and about 6 months of that, I basically lived at the Marriott Hotel. So I signed up for their rewards scheme. In a period of a few months, I had racked up 250,000 points! Guess what that got me. That got me 10 beautiful days in Hong Kong! My colleague who was on the project longer than me had racked up enough points to go to Maldives with his then girlfriend(now wife), that's flights and hotel for a week for two people. ALL FREE! Also getting to Peterborough was by train from London to Peterborough via East Coast Trains at Kings Cross, now run by Virgin trains. I signed up for their rewards as well. I earned enough points to go to travel to Edinburgh via first class too. Not mention I still had plenty more points to spare. You can read my post on Top 10 Things To Do In Edinburgh for more. Also when a train is late/delayed/cancelled I don't even get upset anymore, because if it's late/delayed for 30 minutes, you get half your money and 1-hour plus, you get your full price back in vouchers.  To use whenever you please. So sign up for those loyalty schemes if you want to travel. These will allow you to either use for travel or other things like spa days, flights, hotel stays or voucher to use in retail stores.

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Gecko Ridge | An Oasis In The Heart of The Namibian Desert

Have you ever seen the sun set, and the moon rise? All in one night! Well Namibia gave me that gift last year, at Gecko Ridge. Our own little oasis in the desert. I have always believed that where you stay when you are on a holiday or an extended road trip can make or break a holiday. Staying in the busy, noisy and hectic parts of a city when you travel doesn't do your search for rest and relaxation any justice, nor does staying so far away that it makes exploring difficult. My African vacation last year saw my boyfriend and I explore Zambia, before driving to Botswana for his first African safari vacation, then extending our road trip to Namibia's dessert dunes. This was of course where we were going to be doing the sand boarding in the desert dunes, the thing that bucket lists are made of.  It's been on my bucket list for a long, long time. My brother who now lives in Botswana, joined us for this part of the trip too, which also made things easier as we could take turns to drive the long distances. If you are a lover of road trips I would highly, highly, recommend driving in Namibia! The roads are endless with beautiful backdrops of mountains and desert landscapes. There are many stops for markets, small townships along the way, not to mention the road sides have small tables and seats built for pit stops for a break from driving or just a stop for lunch. It's great to see that the road sides have designated stops, almost as if to encourage resting between long drives.

With a hectic and packed itinerary, I wanted us to have peaceful and comfortable places to stays. Having driven 10 hours from Maun in Botswana, we landed in Windhoek, Namibia late in the night. With a few hours to explore Namibia's capital the following day, we then set off for the Skeleton coast, but based ourselves in Swakopmund. People almost always assume visiting Africa is expensive. Its not! The main expensive thing is the flight but even that these days, if you know where to look you are in for an adventure. You will find most of the hotels typically available in Europe and most come with an even better view of nature than a view of the concrete jungle. Our stop in Windhoek for the night cost well £100. So you will get more for you money too. That's for a small suite, and a double room, all including breakfast for the 3 of us. This was also a last minute booking because we couldn't find the hostels we thought we were going to stay in,  having arrived so late and me getting a little bit on the hungry and cranky side. This was very much last minute of the next available place I could find.

With only a day to explore the capital we set of for Namibia's Skeleton Coast. This is the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean and stretches up towards Angola. The local people refer to it as "The Land God Made In Anger" while the Portuguese sailors apparently refer to it as "The Gates of Hell", because whale and seal bones as well as the many shipwrecks that litter the shore. We based ourselves in Swakopmund. A town that seems as if it had been plucked right and of Germany and dropped in Namibia. Architecture and language spoken is mostly German. As beautiful as the town is with its gorgeous beaches on one side and sand dunes on the other. I wanted a low key and quiet spot. I found Gecko Ridge Guesthouse in Swapomund. The owner an architect who made a deal with the land owner to be paid in land for helping the owner of the land to divide the acres of desert lands he owned. His portion of the land he builds this beautiful guest house which also comes with private chalets on the grounds. For more options on where to stay in Swakopmund, check out this list of hotels and guest houses in Swakopmund.

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