I love booking holidays. The excitement it gives me is unreal, from recording it in my Countdown app or creating moodboards on Pinterest. Travel is my vice. I truly believe that if travelling was free, you would never see me again. I would be updating this blog from somewhere in the middle of the Pacific ocean sipping cocktails and not worrying about my old life back in London…oh hey Fiji…
The past 18 months have been a bit of a whirlwind for me in terms of travel having been to the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Paris, Tunisia and Dubai. And yes, I am already planning Summer 2015 if you want to know, somewhere hot and where things should ‘stay‘. Can you guess where?
There is something about being in another city, on a beach or exploring the local town to make you realise the world is bigger than working a 9-5 or simply being content with your surroundings. I really don’t believe in staying in the same place forever, doing the same mundane things.
I want more.
I just want to look back on my life knowing I got to experience the world. I am always seeking adventure, culture and making a fool of myself trying to speak to the local language when ordering a cocktail (or two). Hey, at least I tried!
The frantic panic of packing always leaves me anxious and flustered. You just start to question everything you own. Making a list and not wearing half of the stuff you take with you is my major problem for me. I always over-pack, but a girl needs options right? Or then realising you hate all your clothes and then repacking and packing again to make room for the ASOS order you just made. It’s difficult being female sometimes, I mean guys can literally pack a few hours before and be ready to go. They don’t have to worry about the plethora of make-up, accessories, toiletries… the list goes on.
On top of that is making sure your luggage isn’t overweight. Some airlines are so tight when it comes to excess luggage and can charger you up to £10 per extra kilo. When I went to Dubai, my luggage allowance was 37kg in total flying Emirates, and as you can imagine that large and in charge Sports Direct suitcase is now broken…
The excitement of going to the airport and raiding Mac (this is the only place I purchase their stuff – Thanks duty free). Not to mention picking up stuff you’ve forgotten when you walk past Boots…then running to your gate in a panic once you hear your flight is boarding. I do love the rush!
Here a few handy websites I use for all things travel:
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TripAdvisor – Always look at the ‘traveller photos’ before booking a hotel, and read the most recent reviews too. TripAdvisor is also great for seeing what there is to do in the local area with great hints and tips. I would always read at least two pages of reviews just to get an idea of if the hotel is right for you. The room tips is also great as it will give you an idea of where is quiet, where has the best views and what rooms is slightly bigger.
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SkyScanner – Use this to check what flights are the cheapest, what times are available and what airline. Set up a ‘price alert’ for the dates you intend on travelling, they’ll send you an e-mail each time the price drops or increases.
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Expedia, Lastminute, TravelRepublic, Booking.com, Hotels.com are all worth a mention too. But always look around as holidays go up or down all the time. Clear your internet history too as it can have an impact on price – You don’t want to find out it could have been cheaper!
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Don’t forget your travel insurance and making sure your booking is ATOL protected.
Are you planning on going anywhere soon? Or where have you been and loved or sadly loathed?
Char xo
Please note – Images in this post have been sourced from Google images and are only used for reference purposes. They do not belong to me.
Abigail says
Tokyo, Japan is highly recommended. I miss that place so much I cry about it sometimes. Lame I know but I truly felt at peace in that city, even though it can be crazier than London in some parts. Haha I’m definitely going back this year and you are more than welcome to join me. Xoxo
memoirsmusings says
Thank you Abbie! Japan would be breathtaking – Let’s go! Xx