Jammin' in Jamaica

I know, I know, once again I've been off the radar. Apologies to you all, life has gotten in the way and I still have loads of content to finish in my draft folder, but in the spirit of new year, new me, in 2020 The Basic Traveller is going to be one of my number on priorities.

I'm definitely not doing these posts in order - I owe you all one on South Africa, Iceland, DC and Bologna from 2019, so keep your eyes peeled in the next few weeks as I get myself back on track, and then open it up to you guys as well as some more travel tips and tricks and looking ahead to what 2020 might have in store. So, let's dive straight in...Jamaica 🇯🇲

Let me just say as a disclaimer, this was a family holiday so I'm not going to mention budget and prices but share the highs and lows of the island over new years of 2019.

While many people might instantly think of Kingston (and yeh...something else too) when first thinking of Jamaica, there is actually so much more to this island, and flying into Montego Bay on the north-west, just a 9hr flight from Gatwick, it is much bigger than first expected.
Our hotel, the Jamaica Inn, was a 2hr drive in Ocho Rios towards the north-east. This all-inclusive family-run resort was to be our home for the next week and the place where we would first see in 2020. This hotel has been home to some of the super famous back in the day; Winston Churchill, Marlyn Monroe, Kathryn Hepburn and Ian Fleming, just to name a few, and on our trip we weren't disappointed, catching a glimpse of ex-Prime Minister John Major the last before we left, to my father's delight.

With rooms on the beach, breakfast overlooking the sea and a spa that was the pure definition of tranquillity, as you can guess I barely left the hotel, but still somehow managed to catch a cold that I am battling over a week later.

However, when I was eventually dragged off the beach into Ochos Rios and out onto the island, specifically to Noel Coward's house Firefly, I wasn't disappointed. The views from Firefly were incredible, and I completely understand why Sir Noel built his own house about half a mile from his guest house!

Amongst the other places we visited, the Seville Great House was another standout moment, learning Jamaican Patios from our guide, you have to be aware and remember the dark slave-trade history that runs through Jamaica and is ever-present in the remaining Great (Plantation) Houses.

Back on the beach, however, 5 hours behind the UK we saw in 2020 in Great Gatsby style with the most incredible buffet and party on the beach.

Jamaica is not a place for doing things, although there is plenty available if you want to, but is a place for just being, relaxing, and enjoying the wonderfully chilled pace of life.

Have a good week my loves!

Kate xxx

Sleeping in South Korea and Jet-Set in Japan

Today's post is a 2-4-1 and comes express from Japan as I landed back in London less than 24 hours ago! This trip was my second solo trip this year (See Sri Lanka) and has reinvigorated my love for solo travel even more.

Using my coveted Avios points to book the flights with BA and their partner Cathay Pacific (transit through Hong Kong) meant that along with my flight from Seoul to Tokyo with AirSeoul (10/10 airline by the way) came to around £450 which is not bad considering I coincidentally ended up in Japan at the same time as the Rugby World Cup.

As I was doing this solo but still on a bit of a budget, while in Seoul I stayed at Hostel Haru (contact me for discount code) in the Insa-dong area of Seoul which made getting around the city really easy as it was right in the centre but also next to the Jonggak metro station and the tranquil Cheonggyecheon urban river. Although I had two full days in Seoul as my flight landed at 07:35, the 8-hour ahead jet lag made the first day a complete right off.

Seoul, South Korea

However, day 2 was more eventful as I had booked a tour to go to the DMZ - De-Militarised Zone, the buffer zone between the South Korean and North Korean. Just my luck meant that due to African swine fever fears the actual tours to the DMZ were cancelled but I persevered on an 'alternative DMZ' tour and at least got to visit an observatory from which I could see North Korea and learned about the troubles that still exist there as well as going to the Korean war memorial museum. As I knew next to nothing about the Korean war (as shameful as that is) I really relished the opportunity to learn - as well as try as many Koran sweet buns with red bean paste as possible!

North Korea!

(Note: Korea is not a veggie or vegan-friendly place so you will have limited options, but much cheaper than expected)

Hopping over to Japan, I flew into Tokyo and spent two days in the bright lights of the city at the beginning of my tour, visiting Shinjuku crossing, Harajuku, Asaka with its temple and markets along with a hedgehog cafe. Yes, apparently animal cafes (as well as maid cafes - google it) are a big thing in Japan.
I also made sure to catch the England vs OZ and Ireland vs NZ game whilst I was there at a British pub (typical) but what an atmosphere!

Bullet train to Takayama, a small town in the mountains of central Japan, unlocked the traditional side of the country as we stayed in a traditional Japanese inn, sampled ramen and visited an onsen (traditional hot spring baths...naked). I had never considered visiting this part of Japan before but it held so much history and beautiful scenery I would highly recommend it.

Last stop (again via bullet train) was to the old capital, Kyoto. Unlike Tokyo with its mad modern-ness, Kyoto is the capital with culture. Here I got to try spending a few nights in a capsule hotel (pretty good except for the lack of windows so you have no idea what time of day it is), visited Nijo-Castle, the Silver Pavillion (which is not actually silver), a bamboo forest and had a sushi lesson from a sensai.  Three days in Kyoto could have easily been 3 weeks as there is so much to do there!

The long flight back via Hong Kong was totally worth it too - Japan is in its heyday for tourism with the Rugby World Cup/Olympics and South Korea has so much to offer I'll just have to go back. I had no idea what to expect visiting these countries and unlike me did very little planning beforehand so I went in pretty blind but was blown away at how great these places are and I would completely recommend your next trip to be to Japan and South Korea!

Catch you next week for a post on South Africa (due from March!)

Have a good week my lovelies!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Serenity in Sri Lanka

So, I know I promised to start writing again probably about 2 months ago but - as always - life has gotten in the way! Back by no demand whatsoever, here is a very delayed post (which should have been done in January) all about Sri Lanka.

**Disclaimer: This trip was taken before the terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka of Easter 2019**

Landing in Colombo after a 14-hour flight with a brief stopover in Qatar (Qatar Airways 5* airline, by the way, 10/10 would recommend),  and leaving the freezing cold January blues behind in rainy old England, the heat hit me like a wall.

For my exploration of the Lonely Planet's top place to visit in 2019, I was spending just over 10 days starting with one night in Colombo, then to Siguria with it's famous rock fortress and Dambulla cave temple and opportunity to do a jungle safari and see elephants (!) then all the way through the centre of Sri Lanka's hilly tea plantation region down to the coast at Hikkaduwa.

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy

Being in this wonderful country you could certainly feel that it was in its element and was on the cusp of exploding with tourists (unfortunately I think this will have been affected by the horrific terrorist attacks this year). Having mostly recovered from the civil war that raged on with the Tamil Tigers until 2009 and rebuilt its coastline after the devastating boxing day tsunami in 2004, Sri Lanka has been due its day and for good reason, I think the Sri Lankan people are some of the kindest I have ever met.

After a couple of days of relaxing in the countryside of Siguria, I moved on to Kandy - Sri Lanka's cultural capital - to the Temple of the Tooth which, as legend says, is the site of the last tooth of Buddha and brings hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. This place was beautifully calm and crazily busy with the number of people coming to worship at the same time. Be sure to get there at just before the time of the prayer ceremony to get a glimpse of the tooth!

The next stop was one of the most beautiful places on earth, the homestay at Tamarind Farm Gardens, a working farm that has many wonderful initiatives to support the local village to give the women a place to work away from the local dolomite mine. This beautiful place is incredibly peaceful and sits on the side of the hills, away from the madness of the city and is run by a Sri Lankan couple who returned to Sri Lanka from the UK and developed the land into a farm and enterprise.

Tamarind Farm Gardens, Digana

After this, I continued into the tea plantation hills of Nuwara Eliya which strangely might have been one of my favourite places (only partly due to the huge change in temperature, mainly because of the tea) but it is a town that time seems to have forgotten as very little has structurally changed since its colonial occupation with its original 1930s post office still in working order.

Ella Station, Ella

Moving on to Ella, I took the infamous train 🚂 that leaves when it likes and takes as long as it likes to get to this hilly town, not before pulling across the picture-postcard nine arch bridge. Here you can take a hike or a scramble up Little Adam's Peak or enjoy a cooking class to learn to make some traditional Sri Lankan curries - you can guess what I picked to do!

Train from Nuwara Eilyah to Ella

The last place on my visit was down to Galle/Hikkaduwa (via a stop at an elephant orphanage to see them at feeding time) to see the Dutch colonial town of Galle that has rebuilt itself after the tsunami and it's old town was the only part of the town that survived the force of the water due to its fortified walls.
As well as the colonial history and story of destruction, Sri Lanka's southern coast also has some of the most glorious beaches and opportunities for diving (although don't forget the suncream like I did!).

Mamas, Hikkaduwa Beach

All in all, a wonderful, amazing trip to one of my new favourite places in the world. I'm sure the attacks at Easter of this year will have had an effect on the number of visitors to Sri Lanka this year, but if you are considering a holiday don't cross this small but incredible islands off your list.

So that's it! I'm officially back - I'm not making any promises but I know I owe you all some more posts very soon - and next week I'm off to South Korea and Japan so I will be sure to keep you all updated.

Have a good week my lovelies!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Back again!!!

Welcome back, friends!

I know it has been nearly a year since I wrote my last post with no indication that I was going to stop writing because really I had no idea that I was going to stop writing and take such a long break. I have no exact or dramatic reason why I stopped writing last November, except that I think I just needed a break and not dedicated myself to being online as much - but now I'm back with many new and exciting travel posts to catch you up on for 2019.

The biggest news in my life, after living in London for almost a year now, I have recently started a new job. In July I left The British Red Cross (BRC) after being there for a just over a year in my role as Technical Team Assistant in the International Directorate to join the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) as their new Programme Officer for the Human Mobility Initiative which is their migration programme. You can see my profile and what they are all about here. ODI is the biggest think tank in Europe and my boss is Marta Foresti, one of the leading experts in refugee and migration issues, which I think was one of the biggest draw points to leaving BRC, listening to her knowledge is incredible for anyone who is interested in migration like me. Anyway, it has been a month so far and I think I'm very slowly getting to grips with things, but I'll try to keep you all updated! It is only an 18-month contract at the moment, and while it might get extended, I think I am going to try and get my PhD in Eastern European Nationalism and Migration at the University of Reading, which I was planning to do this year before I took the job at ODI.

Travel-wise, since I last wrote about being in Edinburgh, I was in Sri Lanka in January, South Africa in March, Bologna in Italy in May, Iceland and Washington D.C. in June and I have booked trips to South Korea and Japan in October and Jamacia in December over New Year's Eve and I think there may be one trip with work to Geneva possibly. So it's not been too bad really haha! I will be writing more detailed posts on all of these trips over the coming weeks with photos included.

I am also planning to re-start the London series of posts that I promised last year, so let me know if there is anything you want me to write about or investigate in London!

Lastly, The Basic Traveller boutique travel service is open for business so if you need any travel advice or would like to book a holiday with me, do get in touch with your budget, destination and dates and I can provide you with student-friendly options as required.

See you next week for a post on Sri Lanka,

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Edinburgh on the map

Right, last week I had my first whole week off since....since I can't actually remember the last time I had a full week off...maybe it was when I just moved back from Paris, I think it was. Anyway, I digress, as I was saying, last week I finally had a full week off, coinciding with a lot of half terms so my housemate and very good friend Emma could go away for a few days as cheaply as possible as we were both feeling painfully skint. So, after much haggling and lowering of expectations, we both realised that as much as we had travelled globally, we hadn't really explored our own backyard that much, and thus we settled on a 3 day trip to Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Royal Mile

Scotland is somewhere I've had on my bucket list for aaaaggessss, partly due to my obsession with Outlander, partly because I love the Scottish accent, and partly because everyone who goes there always comes back with tales about how great it was, and as it is so close, I knew I had to go and see it for myself.

We had it all booked, a cheap Ryanair (boo) early morning flight from Stanstead to Edinburgh, returning two days later and staying in a budget Airbnb room, all costing about £80 each...not bad for a city break. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be, no romantic reasoning except the fact that Emma seems to actually enjoy working with children who manage to make her ill at the most inconvenient times, so she actually didn't make it up to the highlands with me. In the end, I called on my mother who jumped on the train and came to join me.

Staying in our Airbnb on Albany Street meant that we were within walking distance to most of the sights of Edinburgh.

Wandering down the Royal Mile, past the sound of bagpipes and further into the heart of the city to the George IV bright, in true tourist fashion, we headed to The Elephant House Cafe for breakfast - this cafe was supposedly the place where JK Rowling first wrote Harry Potter - whether this tale is true or not is neither here nor there, but one thing about The Elephant House is its breathtaking view of Edinburgh Castle.

From here, we headed to the Dovecot Gallery, an old swimming baths-turned-gallery, which is currently housing an exhibition of Liberty fabrics - very niche for those who like fashion and textiles, but even a complete novice like me can appreciate the beautifully patterned fabrics and dresses from 1920/30s all the way through to modern-day.

Following this, no touristy visit to Edinburgh could be complete without a trip to the castle, so braving the biting winds, up to the castle we went. Seeing the Scottish Crown jewels were cool enough, but the best part was definitely the Victoria sponge cake and royal tea in the tea rooms - 10/10 would eat again!

View from Edinburgh Castle

For those on a budget, a great place to go in Edinburgh that I ended up in twice was the Scottish National Gallery, free to enter, it has some pretty cool paintings, and for someone like me who struggles to enjoy galleries to say it, means it must be good.

Great restaurants to check out in Edinburgh that we tried were:

- Chaophraya: a Thai restaurant on George Street, averagely priced, good portions, busy so worth booking - even on a Wednesday night in October, but the selling point of this place is deffo the city views over Edinburgh, and on a good day you can see all the way to Fife!

 - The Magnum: serving traditional Scottish food with a modern uplift, located on Albany Street, I would recommend the Fish and Chips, and the Cullen Skink - classic Scottish creamy fish chowder.

 - The White Witch; an Italian/Scottish Bistro on Broughton Street, this place seems to be open all hours, the lunch and dinner menu looked mouthwatering, but I had the veggie breakfast, served with fresh tomatoes and classic Italian balsamic vinegar which was utterly delicious!

If you do decide to take a city break in Edinburgh, the Edinburgh Playhouse is worth checking out as they have some great off-London performances for half the price, especially for under-25s midweek. We saw a great rendition of Saturday Night Fever that had me singing all the way home!

What's your favourite part of Edinburgh? Let me know?!

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

GUEST POST: A EUROPEAN INTERNSHIP

Hello lovely people, 

There was no post last week because, well honestly I'm slightly useless and forgot. However, I'm back in the game now and I am currently in the process of writing a new post about my short but sweet trip to Edinburgh this past week which should hopefully be coming out soon. 
Anyway, to tide you over, I have asked one of my lovely regular readers, Franceska Azizi, to write a guest post about her European internship at Proymse, an EU initiative that she will explain all about - much better than I would do it justice. Although I am mainly travel-focused with content on this blog, as many of you know I also work for the British Red Cross in my day to day job and I am very interested in development and policy work so Franceska's post fits right in!
Please do share any lovely comments you have, otherwise sit back, relax, and enjoy my second guest post on The Basic Traveller!

Have a great week my loves, 

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Franceska's Post:

Recently, I had the tremendous fortune of traveling to and attend the Promyse staff training event in Vilnius, Lithuania.

This took place as part of a short-term staff training event put on through IARS International institute among other representatives, including Diesis COOP based in Belgium, Diversity Development Group in Vilnius, ICSE & Co in Italy and finally, KMOP in London. All teams came together to discuss Promyse - a project that was founded by the European Commission, with the objective to promote social entrepreneurship in the health and social care sector.

The whole journey was an unreal experience and greatly expanded my own perspective on the world, youth engagement and of the increasing importance of social enterprise. My fellow colleague, Natalia and I met at Liverpool Street Station to get the train to Stansted Airport. Upon arriving at the hotel at 1am, we retired for the night and prepared ourselves for the busy week ahead.

On our first day, we all ushered into the meeting room where we would experience our first encounter with the rest of the team and prepared for the introduction and team building, along with the social networking. Towards the evening, we had a relaxed walk around the beautiful city of Vilnius. There is a variety of Soviet architecture in the city and remarkable buildings like the Seimas Palace which is a symbol of resistance of the Lithuanian nation against Soviet occupation. The Soviet era and its architecture have left indelible traces in the city and these resonate with its residents.

On the second day, meetings and presentation began at 9am. I was the first person to kick start the session by presenting “Young Carers and Employment in the United Kingdom” and during this half an hour of  presenting I covered the current projects Natwest Skill up and Promyse and how the UK is focusing on socioeconomic development in youth through social programs, education and various empowerment projects.

Afterwards, we would observe the second session which was titled “Thematic presentation of EU situation and good practice” carried out by Diesis COOP. Along with the thematic presentation of the country situation in Greece and Italy. Finally, Social entrepreneurship in Lithuania: development, current situation and future plans”. 

Throughout the week we were exposed to a variety of social enterprise businesses scattered around the city, including Senjoro and Social Taxi - an enterprise revolving around caring for elderly people. It was a heart-warming experience to be exposed to the people coming together to restore justice to the system and make the community as inclusive as possible.

The people I met on the trip, I found to be most gracious and helpful and bonds that I will forever cherish. In the evenings we planned social dinners and sightseeing, one of the visits being Trakai Castle, only before we slowly realised it was the wrong stop, we quickly jumped back in the train!

In the end, I returned from Vilnius as a changed young individual trying their best at life. While there my perspective became more enriched by truly dedicated team members and with a few meaningful relationships fostered with those I had spent time with. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity I had to take part in this trip. Initiatives such as Promyse and Eurodesk UK are ever so important in promoting opportunities for young people beyond the UK.

Now more than ever, I am committed to working towards a more inclusive, global and understanding society.

Working 9-5

While many of my recent posts have been focusing on all things travel, I am facing a little bit of a travel lull at the moment due to the fact I am now working for 'the man' and have limited time off and funds - but don't worry dear readers, you'll be seeing more of The Basic Traveller antics coming up in the next few months as I've got a few trips booked and some more in the pipeline.

Anyway, I thought I might let you into my (albeit quite dull) routine of London living at the moment. Okay, so that's a bit harsh, what I mean is that yes, I have a 9-5, and while some people might disparage that, for the large majority of us, it is needed, because while I am the biggest advocate for travelling, for jetting off to the other side of the world or just falling off the map, sometimes a bit of 9-5 is needed. Firstly, to be able to afford to go anywhere you do sometimes need to be able to bring in the big bucks, it just makes things a little bit easier, and also to be able to get what we want out of life, sometimes that sort of stability is needed.

Now I'm not saying a 9-5 is the only way to achieve this,  or to do it, and there are various other versions of a 9-5, and not all of them are great, believe me, I've had my fair share of brain-numbingly dull 9-5's. Yet, one thing they have taught me is that stability is needed for a lot of people, and for many, that stability is what is keeping their mental health in check, being able to be secure in the knowledge that they can control and know exactly what is going to happen in their day. Sometimes they bring a sense of security that you know what you are doing, they provide measurable progress in a career or work environment.

For many, they don't want this, they thrive off being out of control, and I get that, I love waking up in a different country and not know what the day is going to bring me, and while I've heard it so many times that your twenties is the time to be free with your career, to quit your job and go wherever the mood takes you, and don't get me wrong, I love this idea, I guess what I'm trying to say is that a 9-5 is not all bad if you are doing what you like, working towards an end goal, working for something bigger than yourself, or whatever reason you are working for you. Maybe it is to support a family, maybe it is to buy your dream house, perhaps you simply need that mental stability that routine brings, or simply just to be able to pay rent this month, whatever reason is you, then that's fine. I have seen so many things floating around on the internet on the moment talking about how travel is the only way to go, how those who haven't travelled haven't lived, how everyone needs to quit their job and go travel, and I've been thinking about, while this is aspirational for some, it is also detrimental for others that don't have this luxury, those with responsibilities, or for those who simply don't want to. Wherever your goal lies, whatever aspiration - that's you.

I've been properly working full time for the British Red Cross for 2 months now, and while I finally feel like I might be getting somewhere and actually know what I am doing, it is easy to get caught up with seeing how the other half live, Instagram pictures of sandy beaches and beautiful sunsets, I know what I am doing is making a difference to someone somewhere. I know that I am lucky to be able to work for a charity/auxiliary governmental organisation that can actually make a big difference, but nonetheless, it is still a 9-5 like everyone else.

I think what I am trying to say in all these mad ramblings is that, if you want to travel your life, that's fine, if you want a job, that's fine, if you need to have a job to fund your travel that's also fine too. Recently, I've been thinking that just because I have a 9-5 now that I've kinda 'sold out' or become boring, but I know that to be a load of bullshit, I just gotta do what I have to in order to be able to finally move out (which I've done) and support myself (which I can). So suck it world.

Have a good week my loves,

Lots of Love, Kate xx

Airbnb vs. Hotels

As I may have mentioned just a few times before, I have a love of Airbnb just a little bit. So it was suggested to me by my contact at STA for me to write a comparison piece, and while STA are getting something else, I thought it was a good idea anyway.

So, enough rambling!

Airbnb:

Let’s start with Airbnb, a phenomenon that took off about 10 years ago now, Airbnb works on the premise of a kind of house sharing community vibe. You can rent whole apartments to yourself or just a room in someone’s house – and there are options to stay on boats, in castles, in yurts, up treehouses, etc. wherever you could sleep, Airbnb has it in some shape or form. They have also recently launched into providing Airbnb experiences in which local people or freelancers can advertise their services. While I haven’t yet tried the experiences side yet, I have used Airbnb for the last 2 years, staying in many different properties, from riads to city apartments to holiday villas, and I have never had a bad experience. Personally, I think Airbnbs are great because they give you the flexibility of cooking for yourself and most come with a kitchen or at least kitchen access, although I have only ever rented the whole apartment.

The down side to Airbnb, like a hotel, is that sometimes you can end up with some dodgy places that actually aren’t anything like the photos, so make sure you read the reviews and trawl through the options before you settle on your dream holiday accommodation. Another negative is that Airbnb is running the more independent hotels and B&Bs out of business which I don’t appreciate, although I see I am part of the problem and don’t profess to have the answer to this quite yet. Also, many places, like Barcelona, are imposing fines on Airbnb for setting up in their area.

As I’ve mentioned before Airbnb did save my ass in Calais once when I was left without accommodation so I would definitely rate it on that alone, within an hour of booking it we were in the apartment, couldn’t ask for any more than that!

Say what you will about Airbnb but it is defiantly changing the face of the way we travel.

Don't forget to sign up to Airbnb through my link here and save yourself some dolla on your first trip!

Hotels:

As much as I love Airbnb, I do love a good hotel. For me, this is the difference between a holiday (where I might go for a hotel) and travelling (more likely to use an Airbnb or hostel – apart from city breaks).

If I’m going to book a hotel it means one of two things for me – either I have cash to burn and want to be pampered in a luxurious hotel, or I’m going for the all-inclusive beach type holiday. I love that I can have dinner from my bed, that there’s a pool, a bar, a terrace, etc. all the things in life you would want to relax – this is my idea of a hotel and a holiday. 

Hotels are brilliant, all service venues, but I would say that their downside is the lack of ability to cook for yourself – but then if I am picking a hotel, I would know I would be eating out every day and account for that. Also, generally they are more expensive than Airbnbs, although obviously you usually get more provided for this. And finally, I wouldn’t book a hotel if I was going away as part of a big group due to the lack of private communal areas.

Verdict: As always, depends on your budget, for me, I truly can’t decide unhelpfully! Let me know what you prefer!!

Have a good week my loves,

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

The Beginning of: The London Series

After last year when 'The Paris Series' began, I thought that it was time to begin 'The London Series' in which part of my weekly posting schedule will contain various tales of my life in London... when I've done something interesting or worth writing about that is.

I moved to London just over a month ago now (!) where has that time gone, and I've now been in my job at The British Red Cross for nearly two months of my four-month contract!! And without giving too much away (and being a dick bragging about my new house)... my new house is amazing!!!

And after the hassle that it took us to find a place, it better be! When people said finding a place to rent in London would be hard, I didn’t quite believe them – after all, it’s only renting a house – but man was I wrong. 15 viewings later, 3 unsuccessful offers, 1 returned holding deposit and many many frustrated emails, we finally managed to get a house that had space, a garden, and it’s completely beautiful as an added bonus. After a few hiccups and one failed move in date, it is so great to finally be in a real adult house that is clearly cared for, unlike the many student places I’ve been in.

It also means I get to go out and explore North London every weekend and find new and exciting places for you lovely people, reporting back right here on the blog. As you may have noticed if you are a regular reader (and if you are new, welcome, and why haven’t you been here sooner?!) I am trying to have more of a regular posting schedule. While I’m sure you have heard me bang on about how I hate writing for the sake of writing etc. but nonetheless I have recently had an outpouring of various travel-y ideas, and so as not to overwhelm you all, at the beginning of each week – usually a Monday evening – a new post will be published on my site. I have a large backlog of drafts saved and a couple of trips in the pipeline so hopefully, this will be enough to keep you all reading and enjoying my content, and like I said, many London posts too!

This weekend I went to FriendsFest in Kennington Park, basically a day out with all things Friends, and made a trip to the British Museum for the latest Ian Hislop exhibition which I could not recommend enough. I’m thinking, like Paris, I should maybe make a London list, what do you think? I am going to be here for the next two years at least so if you’ve got any suggestions of cool and underrated things to do in London, let me know!

I’m also trying to put together an itinerary for when Harley and Morgan come for graduation at Christmas – a Paris reunion in London!

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Slapping on the Sunscreen in St Ives

It is coming to the end of the summer and supposedly the end of the nice weather (?) but with climate change who knows anymore!

Surprisingly, I can’t believe I have never done a post on St Ives. It's crazy to me because ever since I was probably about 5 years old my family has gone down to St Ives in Cornwall every summer for the school holidays without fail. They love it so much that we actually have a house there – how very middle class!

Anyway, I would like to share with you lovely people the wonder that is St Ives. For all my non-UK readers, St Ives is located in the English county of Cornwall, the bit in the south that sticks out right at the bottom, so it is on the coast which means miles of beautiful sandy beaches!

During the school summer holidays, St Ives is always absolutely rammed with holidaymakers who decided not to go abroad but wanted a UK holiday all the same. With its 4 large beaches, St Ives is very popular with surfers, home to the St Ives Surf School, but all other water sports are available too. Although it is still the Atlantic in the UK so a wetsuit is definitely advised!

If you wander the streets of St Ives, you will find the embodiment of all English beach holidays, from the oversized ice creams (look out for the seagulls), the traditional Cornish pasties and cream teas to the fish and chips and smell of sea salt in the air, it is a joy to behold (better when there are fewer people there of course!)

Having spent every summer there when I was younger, I like to think I am somewhat an expert on St Ives, so my top restaurant recommendations would be:

-          Porthmister Beach Café

-          Blas Burgerworks

-          The Seafood Café

-          Harbour Fish & Chips

-          Porthmeor Beach Café (for breakfast and tapas)

But there are over 50 restaurants tucked away in the few tiny cobbled streets of St Ives so there is something for everyone.

What often brings the crowds to St Ives is The Tate Gallery, one of three in the country, the others being the Tate Modern and Tate Britain in London, the Tate St Ives is an imposing building overlooking Porthmeor beach, and while worth a visit, there is so much more to St Ives than this.

If you are looking for some evening entertainment for all the family then be sure to check out performances from the amateur company, Kids R Us, who can be found opposite the old cinema. They are a registered charity but the standard of performance will make you feel like you are in the West End!

If you want to know any more about St Ives  just get in touch, I can tell you where to stay, etc.

Have a good week my loves!

Lots of Love, Kate xxx

Top 5 European destinations for students

This week's blog features a special guest post from the lovely people at STA Education talking about all things student breaks in Europe! Let me know how you like it, and if anyone else fancies writing something, just get in touch!

Cheese for breakfast, casual cobbled streets and fists full of inspiration, we’ve got to be talking about Europe. Just a stone’s throw away and as diverse as it is beautiful, we spoke to self-confessed student travel experts STA Travel Education about what Europe has that nowhere else does!

Barcelona

Known for its intricate architecture, rich history and claiming football fans from around the globe. This city is the perfect blend of ‘La Playa’ and all things educational. Aside from the obvious tourist attractions: La Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter and Camp Nou. The Garrotxa Volcanic Park will pull in geography students. While ordering tapas and local breakfasts will be a challenge for any language students.

Paris

Students will say ‘bonjour’ to the effortlessly chic Pari. ‘Oui’ can’t recommend Paris enough for inspiring the next generation. Littered with iconic monuments and tiny bakeries where diets go to die, what’s not to love? In the Palais Garnier & Théâtre de Paris, students will find their voice. The Foundation Claude Monet, Lourve and Mussee d’Orsay should keep creative students going for a while. Trying out language skills on the locals will be a test of wits for your students.

London

It’s the very essence of all things British! Call us patriotic, but there is little that can’t be done in our capital. The very royal architecture and the ever changing science is just the starter. Geography students should head to the Thames or the pioneering eco-community BedZed for some applied learning. Art students will get lost in Shoreditch, spotting street corners splattered with little known names, yet to line the walls of galleries.

Rome

They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, and by the looks of the architecture, they weren’t kidding! Steeped in mythology & history, students can walk amongst fearless gladiators, make a wish at the famous Di Trevi Fountain, trudge the Spanish Steps and see the highlights of St Peter’s. If that didn’t sell it to you, they have more Gelato then you can shake a stick at! 

Berlin

Fast becoming an educational hotspot, this is where famous history sites double as educational opportunities; the Berlin wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial and the Brandenburg Gate. One of the most immersive ways to experience the city is a Religious tour. If you’re looking for something a little outside of the city head to Potsdam, for beautiful gardens and historical buildings.

Fun Fact: The highest toilet in Europe is on Mont Blanc at over 4,200 meters!

Like what you see? The fun doesn’t have to end, enjoy more blogs from STA Travel Education here.

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