Views Over Giotto's Campanile Florence

No words will ever be enough to describe that beauty that is Maria del Fiori Basilica and surrounding buildings. Even more beautiful it the technology used to build it and at a time when no want had done anything like it before. Even more fascinating is the patience and time it took to bring the very idea to what we now have before us from the various artists and architects that have been a part of bringing it all together. To truly appreciate it we wanted to take the views by climbing Giotto's Campanile offering amazing views of not only Florence but Brunelleschi's Cupola(the dome). Marveling over how beautiful Florence's Cathedral is we totally forgot about the narrow stairs all the way up to the top of the Campanile.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Autumn In Dusseldorf's Konigsalle | The Best Food, Coffee, and Shopping Are All in This One Neighborhood

Fall is one of my favourite seasons for many reasons. I love that the weather is mild and the beautiful colours on the trees, to the falling leaves that fall off the trees like snowflakes from the sky. I love it all and its the only time my hair behaves itself when I straighten it compared to the joys of Summer humidity. That is one of few reasons that drew me to Dusseldorf's luxurious shopping Avenue that is Konigsalle. Its the dazzling colours of Autumn on this beautiful boulevard and the reflections across the canals and bridges. It extends from Hofgarten Park canal nearby. Konigsalle is divided by the Stradtgraden canal and lined with beautiful trees with cute bridges that connect the two sides of the canal. Of course, it's not just the beauty that draws' people to visits Konigsalle. The main attraction here is, of course, the shopping!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Whale Watching In Iceland

I have written a couple of posts on my visit to Iceland. From locating and swimming the secret pool in the mountains to checking out glaciers lagoons, chasing waterfalls in Iceland. For those visiting the country checking out what Iceland tours are available is almost at the top of every traveler's list. An Iceland whale watching is somewhere at the top a list that no doubt includes Iceland guided tours tour Reykjavik or in and around the Golden Circle or the entire Ring Road.  We pre-booked spots on Iceland whale watching tour before we left London. We were going to visit and explore Reykjavik for a few days before leaving to explore Iceland in a campervan. We rented an apartment right by the seafront in Laekir and a short walk to Harpa concert hall and the marina where the majority of Iceland whale watching tours leave from.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Haas-Sherover Promenade +[Best View Point In Jerusalem]

I am heading back to visit Israel again next month so I thought I would update you on my previous trip earlier in the year before I add to the backlog of posts to come. This post is showcasing places with the best views in the Holy Land aka Jerusalem. Jerusalem has been a place of pilgrimage and worship for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. I love that with each visit to Jerusalem I discover something new.  I hope you enjoyed my discovery of Jerusalem's Umbrella project in my recent post on Jerusalem's Instrammable streets. Haas-Sherover and many other viewing decks in Jerusalem were all part of my discovery and adventures on the last visit to Israel.

A visit to Jerusalem is not complete without visiting Western Wall and Dome of the Rock. In addition that you might also add places with the best views in Jerusalem. One such please with a great view of Jerusalem is Haas Sherover. I picked this place as it was said to be usually quiet and not too crowded with tourists. It didn't disappoint as we were only sharing it was another couple who were too busy making out to notice anyone else and another lady lost in the world of a book sat on a bench. So I guess you could say we had this place to ourselves.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Lisbon's Pink Street on Rua Nova do Carvalho | The Heart Of Lisbon's Night Life

One cannot go to Lisbon without sampling the nightlife in Lisbon. Lisbon's Pink Street on Rua Nova do Carvalho is one such place breaming with clubs, bars, and restaurants. Rua Nova do Carvalho turned "Pink Street" as part of a rehabilitation project in 2011 to turn Lisbon's former red light district into a trendy spot for nightlife. Lisbon's nightlife is not the only thing that draws people here. Pink Street now draws a much different crowd than it did in the past. In the days before Tinder 'dating' app red light districts were very much part of many urban areas where the was a small concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented business. Pink Street was very much that. This was where sailors came seeking a good time in the company of a woman of the night.  The regeneration of the area around Rua Nova do Carvalho was very much to change the area well known for its seedy reputation.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

A Cheeky Monkey's Guide to Iceland | 12 Things To See And Do In Iceland

It took Bee a long time to take me out on a trip and even longer to convince her to let me do a guest post with a guide to Iceland and places you need to see when you visit. For you tea drinkers out there that know me, know I like to #keepittea, but might not have known that I also caught the travel bug by way of staring at Bee's fridge covered on magnets collecting from around the world. After many months had passed since the PG Tips tea I came with had been drunk and I was still sitting on a shelf since Bee's niece had gifted me to Bee, I knew the only way I could get a slice adventure was if I took matters into my own hands. After hearing Bee go on and about booking flights to Iceland, planned visits to the Blue Lagoon, booking a campervan in Iceland, reviewing guides to Iceland and hotels in Reykjavik, I knew I needed to find a way to get into her suitcase. Finally, an opportunity had arisen when she left he bag so close to a shelf where I had sat and listened to all the plans for an adventure in Iceland. And so a plan was born! I would sneak into Bee's handbag and see for myself what all the fuss is about in the land of fire and ice. She had gone one and one about renting a campervan and exploring the sights on Iceland's Ring Road. Would you pass up a free vacation to Iceland? Yeah, either would I! So having come back, I have managed to convince Bee on let me give you a tour of Iceland. So grab a cuppa and keep it tea, while I take you for a drive around Iceland stops we made.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

The Umbrella Project | Exploring Jerusalem's Instagrammable Streets

I visit Israel at least once a year so I thought I would add to the blog a few more Israel travel tips to my installments on the country. When one thinks of Jerusalem, the mind conjures up religious sites and with that, the contentious topics that go hand in hand with all the Holy Land one would think there is nothing to see and do but religious sites. I can certainly tell you there is more to the city than that. It's a beautiful city filled with a mix of people, great food, and beautiful sites. With that in mind, I thought I would share with you this little-hidden gem in the holy city of Jerusalem. While trying to figure out things to see and do in Jerusalem among sites like Western Wall, Dome of the Rock, Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the markets, you might want to add Yoel Moshe Solomon Street in the Nachalat Shiva District. You will find a collection of art galleries, jewellery shops and cafes under the umbrellas. I will be sharing more Israel travel tips as I have another trip to Israel coming up in November that will cover a lot more of the Tel Aviv and Jerusalem travel.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

This Is Zambia's Hidden Gem Along the Zambezi Where The Safari Comes To You

I have been wanting to write this post for like a million years, the pictures are nearly fossilised. This post might also be great for a people that think that Safari trips in Africa are super expensive. I am all about proving a point and I guess this could be one of those posts. I will do another post on how to do a safari without giving your bank account a hernia. So, Maramaba River Lodge, this little Zambian gem sits on the banks of the Zambezi River and oh so close to Victoria Falls that you can take a short drive to see one of mother nature best gifts this side of the globe. I wanted to get some of the Zambia trip posts up these as I am in the midst of planning another African road trip at the end of the year. Still figuring out itineraries.  

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Fashion, Architecture and the Art Scene - Why Germany's Dusseldorf is a Must-Visit

With a crazy and hectic travel schedule work can some times bring, I am always grateful for the opportunities to meet people and build friendships with people I have met through work. A couple of years ago on a project far away from home and but with a diverse team covering many European countries, I made friends with a colleague from Germany. Months later I was due to get certification for an IT course for which training was going to be held in Germany's Kronberg. I knew it was the perfect timing to take up a colleague's invitation for a guided tour of Dusseldorf before I embarked on my trip to Kronberg for training. So I booked hotel and flights to Dusseldorf, for my very own personal guided tour of the city. This is how I got introduced to Dusseldorf. A beautiful German city ticket all the boxes for me; impressive architecture, great art scene, night life and city sights and plenty to offer on the fashion scene. I was sold! Dusseldorf is known for its fashion industry and art scene two things that usually get the blood pumping when planning a visit to a new city.

So when the opportunity to visit again came up I was super excited to visit. This time I was returning to see my colleague get married to his soul mate. I, on the other hand, was bringing fiancé and getting the chance to show him around the city. If you haven't heard or even been to Dusseldorf then here are a few reasons why you need to one of Germany's best-kept secrets.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Visiting Florence | Piazza Santa Croce

Is there a city in Italy that isn't full of city gems? Florence is no different as it scored big on that lottery and is filled with so much history. Said to be one of Europe's great art cities and it not just a city with beautiful art but beautiful architecture at almost every turn.  The city that has given birth to many luxury good companies, Salvatore Ferragamo to name a few of my favorite Italian brands was founded in Florence and is still headquartered here. Having searched high and low for where to stay in the shadows of Santa Maria del Fiore's Dome, with no luck we finally found something right by Piazza Santa Croce. Thinking that we were miles from everything, we couldn't have been more wrong.

Piazza Santa Croce is a little gem you need to add to your visit when you Florence. Our apartment in a street right next to Santa Croce church. Two streets over we had the Arno River and close by Ponte Vecchio and right across the river from us is Piazza Michaelangelo offering amazing views of the city vista. Needless to say, we had struck gold! Busy enough with Italian cafes, restaurants, shops, and galleries but quiet enough to enjoy surrounding without hordes of tourists clogging up the area too much. Santa Croce as well as offering a stunning focal point with its beautiful facade is also a place many Italian greats have been buried.  Known as Temple of Italian Glorie, Santa Croce is where Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and many illustrious Italians are buried. The church overlooks a piazza. This is also where another Italian sport was born; Calcio Fiorentino

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Think Venice Taxis Are Too Expensive? This Is How to Arrive in Style (Without Breaking The Bank!)

I love a little luxury when you can get it. Even better is when you have a little luxury without blowing the bank account. Well, that's exactly how we were rolling in Venice on our last trip. The last time I was in Venice was during the summer peak season in Venice and as you can image it was busy, crowded and all the vaparotto aka water buses were packed to the brim. With a little creativity and searching, I found out that you can buy vouchers for shared taxis in Venice. Yes, you can ride the Venetian taxis from the airport to your hotel(or the nearest stop to your hotel), all without spending a lot of money.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Ultimate Guide to Hiking Trolltunga - Your Questions Answered!

A few days ago I shared with you a post with many a shot from hiking to Trolltunga. Norway has so many beautiful landscapes that it is hard to imagine how a country could have such amazing scenery all to itself.  Our drive from Bergen to Odda, which is the starting point to the little expedition that is the Trolltunga hike. All along the way, the road trip from Bergen to Trolltunga had us oohing and ahhing at waterfalls, lakes and beautiful mountains. A lot of people want to hike to Trolltunga, so I thought I would make my second post on a  Guide to Hiking to Trolltunga a Q&A of what you might want to know when planning a trip for this hike.

What the heck is Trolltunga anyway?

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Adventures in Norway | Hiking To Trolltunga

Last week I shared with you a post on Bergen, a beautiful city in Norway that is surrounded by 7 mountains. Our trip to Norway late last year was a trip to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday. It was not going to be an easy trip by a long shot. This was going to be an adventure-filled weekend that included hiking to Trolltunga in Norway's Hordaland region. The previous year we had spent his birthday hiking in Snowdonia so I was determined to top the next one. I researched and toiled over how I was going to plan this trip as a surprise. In fact, he only knew we were going to be heading to Norway and hiking to Trolltunga about 2 weeks before our trip. What he also didn't know that I had Trolltunga on my bucket list for a while now, as he is into the outdoors as well it was a win-win.

We didn't really need to buy much equipment for this trip as we have done similar trips before. The only difficulty was finding out how we were going to get to Trolltunga having arrived in Norway Via Bergen. I had down tonnes of research and decided car rental gave us the freedom to move as and when we wanted. I have had quite a few road trips around the world now that I am starting to prefer this mode of transportation when I travel. For more on road trips, you can check out posts on Namibia, Zambia, Spain, Wales, Iceland and many parts of England via the destinations page.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Norway | A Weekend In Bergen(+ What To See & Do)

I have heard so many people talk about how expensive Norway is. I was really bracing myself for the worst. To be honest I needn't have. It's not any more expensive than London, apart from maybe a beer, then again I don't drink beer, so that's that. Everything else was great, the views, the people, the mountains, even the weather was behaving itself for the majority of the trip.

The plan for Norway was to visit Bergen, explore for 2 days then head off on a road trip through the fjords, hopping on and off ferries, this plan would later bite us in the arse at the end of the road trip as we forgot that the last ferry leaves at 11 pm. I scoped out where to stay, what see and do in the city and where to get the best views too. Seven mountains surround the city center of Bergen so finding a spot for a good view is not that had.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Nope Not India! - London's Insanely Beautiful Temple You Have To See

Religion has always been at the heart of living as human beings. I am always fascinated by the lengths religions go to in the detailed designs of religious architecture. From Chinese temples of Beijing, Malaysian Batu Caves, Cambodian ancient Ankorian temples to exploring India and Israel's Bahai temples. I also always advocate exploring your own backyard as well as seeing faraway places. Neasden temple or Baps Shri-Swaninarayan Mandir as its originally known is a beautiful Hindu temple that has been on my list for far too long. I have visited a couple of times but last year was the very first time I actually got to see the inside. The details and stories of the architecture around Neasden Temple is every bit as interesting as the outside. Said to be the largest marble structure outside of India and we all know about India's famous marble structures such as the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

2016 In Review | One Year - 10 Countries, 19 Cities + A Full-Time Job!

Here we are again! Another year in review. It feels like 2016 has come and gone too fast. We are in that weird and scary part of the year where it feels as if iconic figures are dropping off like flies as fate cherry picks those that won't make it into the new year. Celebrity deaths of 2016; from the shocking death of Carrie Fisher from a heart attack, then her mother Debbie Reynolds the day after. Also, the death of Wham legend George Michael, then the likes of David Bowie, Ricky Harris, Prince, Gene Wilder. It’s always sad when you lose people that you have grown up listening to and watching from a young age. It’s also a lesson that we must all live the lives we were intended to live, not living according to anyone else’s forced dreams or expectations of us. Live a life that is fearless, where we take charge of our own happiness. Both in our professional and personal lives. "So many people make that mistake and allow others fears and insecurities to change the trajectory of their lives." If you need inspiration for pursuing your dreams and living a life without fear check out an interview with Natasha Rock on her move to live and teach in Saudi Arabia.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Christmas In Asia | Spending Seasonal Holidays in Kuala Lumpur

We haven't really had a white Christmas in the UK in a long time, but when I think of the impending Christmas I can't help but conjure up these fantasies of a white Christmas matched with cosiness at home, PJs, hot chocolate mugs, decorated trees watching cheesy Christmas movies with family while the snowflakes slide down the downs downstairs. 

Definitely no snow in London this Christmas, perhaps that's a good thing as we have never really been prepared for snow in the city, albeit the whole country. My sister on the other hand is visiting Michigan in the USA with my 1-year-old nephew. She has been sending daily videos of her son.  My current favourite is watching the look of my nephew's face as he experienced snow for the first time. The look on his face as he was trying to figure whether we broke the sky, because he couldn't make sense of the powdery stuff on the ground as well as the flakes falling from above and onto his little hands. Christmas is celebrated differently around the world. For a long time, I experienced Christmas in a warm climate, in Zambia so the very idea of white Christmas was out of this world madness. Now that I am living in London I have come to associate it with cold weather with flakes of snow thrown in every other year.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Want See Melbourne's Best Spot For Street Art? - You Need To Head To This Spot!

Hosier Lane | Street Art

Firstly I am sorry that my posts are drubs lately, this working and commuting the long distance for work is not allowing my blog to state update. Plus the fact that I have had trips in Dusseldorf, Venice, through in some training for work and an engagement and you end up with the blog at the bottom of the priority list. I did, however, manage to squeeze some time in to show you Hosier Lane. Hosier Lane is a cute little lane in Melbourne filled with colourful street art. Melbourne or Australia, in general, might be known for its obsession with quality coffee but it looks like street art is up there with coffee, shopping and gastronomy when it comes to thing that get Australians pulses rising.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Seljavallalaug | Iceland's Secret Thermal Pool In The Mountains You Wont Want To Miss

Swimming in Iceland's Seljavallalaug Geothermal Pool:

The Land of Fire and Ice and has many hidden gems that it's so hard to pick a favourite. All I know is while planning the trip to Iceland, I knew that there was no way I wanted to leave without swimming in Iceland's thermal pools, namely Seljavallaug pool that is nestled in the mountains. Seljavallalaug was built in 1923 and may just be Iceland's oldest pool. It was used to teach swimming to many Icelanders, but now so many Iceland thermal pools have sprung up in and around Iceland, but Seljavallaug pool remains one of the most popular geo-thermal pool in the country and is mainly frequented by tourists. Those that can actually find it. Having read that a few people failed to find it, I was a little anxious about not being able to find it and leaving Iceland without swimming it. Finding Seljavallaug pool was actually not that hard. It really was a matter of preparation and research as to what to look out for.

When we arrived for our swim it was just after 10pm, in the summer, days are long so it doesn't get dark until about 1am. We had been out exploring and wanted to end out the day of exploring with a visit to the popular Iceland thermal pool that brings many from around the world to take a dip. Clouds were low, it was raining lightly but the temperature in Seljavallalaug pool was such a treat for the wet and mildly cold day. As cold droplets fell from the sky you would dip your entire body in the pool and suddenly you were nice and toasty from the warmth of the famous Iceland thermal pool filled with water from the hot spring nearby.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Boat Tour | Visiting Iceland's Glacier Lagoon

Visiting Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

There were so many things that I wanted to see in Iceland that it is actually had to pinpoint what my favourite part was after we had been skidded around the ring road. What I can say though, was that seeing Iceland's Diamond Beach was up there on the list of must sees! Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon is just a sight. I don't know about you but its not everyday you get to see such sights. Your eyes and your brain do a constant double takes as if to ask if they are experiencing what the eyes and brain as seeing and all the emotions that are entangled with what's before them. Taking in the sights may not be enough for some, you can also opt for the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon boat tour. If you are thinking of doing a drive from Reykjavik to Jokulsarlon then you may have to rethink that unless you are planning on ignoring all the sights on the way or spending a good day on the road.

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Bloglovin