I'm Going on a Bear Hunt

After travelling Europe for two months with my school friend, it was time for her to return to uni, and for me to begin my solo travels. Next stop, Italia! The country of my dreams. Where food, history, music, art and most importantly– romance – is said to be overflowing. I had spent my entire school life taking Italian as a subject in preparation for this trip. The plan was set… this was where I was going to have my big, life changing, coming-of-age, movie-worthy, heartbreaking holiday romance. “Ti amo!” I would say to my tan, browned eyed, thick haired Italian lover as he poured me another aperitivo and plopped a stuffed olive in my mouth. “Amore mio!” he would say.

The very first place that I rented in London, after being an Au Pair, looked like a drug-den. I shared this tiny, broken hovel with four other people, not counting the various lovers/clients of the tattoo artist in the room next door to mine. When I went to the flat viewing I brought my friend Tash who was adamant I couldn’t live there. Even before we stepped into the flat there were warning signs that this wasn’t going to be a homely abode.

When I was 21 I decided to backpack Europe.

It would be my first time there. My whole life I’d had romantic ideas of France, Italy, and Spain, dreaming of the food, the sights, and the accents. I had everything planned to the last second, and all documents printed and meticulously folded in my Mimco travel wallet. I had given myself an hour between landing in Paris and catching my train to Lyon where I would meet my friend at her apartment. On the 32-hour flight I applauded myself on how bohemian I was, so cultured, so independent… Germaine Greer would be so proud!

Continue reading “Welcome to Paris: A Memoir” →

Greece is a must-add to your bucket list. To begin with it is visually absolutely breathtaking. I could not get over the fact that it really looks like how they portray in the movies, and possibly better than the photos. The magnificent sun setting over Santorini’s glorious seaside mountains, and Mykonos’ perfect white and blue architecture kept me pinching myself and asking ‘is this real life’? Then there’s the food… which is on another level, and what you can get for your money is insane. You have not eaten tzatziki until you have eaten it in Greece…or perhaps in some little Melbourne side street that has the family secret. I spent 2 weeks exploring 5 different places within Greece, which I felt was a good amount of time; party hubs like Mykonos, and especially Ios, I could only handle for 3 nights, but Santorini I could stay and relax forever.

  Continue reading “GREECE (OR THE ODYSSEY)” →

“Go to the beach and lie there all day”

PARIS

How to get there:

• Bus: Catch an overnight bus to Paris for as cheap as 5 pounds. You go to sleep in London and wake up in Paris, Voilà! Biggest perk of this option is that you arrive right in the center of Paris so won’t waste much more time or money getting around.
• Train: Not as fast as a flight but will get you to the center of Paris in around 2 and a half hours.
• Flight: About the same costs as a train, the flight itself can be cheap but you will waste a lot of time and money getting to the airport on both sides.

Continue reading “WEEKEND GETAWAYS FROM LONDON” →

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Stockholm is a beautiful city, especially in winter time as it snows, but only lightly, covering the tall inner-city trees in a magical white frost and framing the elegant water that travels through the city.

My recommendations:

–       Go to the elaborate Christmas markets on every corner and buy copious amounts of glögg (Swedish mulled wine… yuummaaaayyy)

–       Visit the adorable café ‘Sturekatten’ filled with cosey antique furniture, and enjoy some fika (what the Swedish call going for coffee and cake…. And these people know good cake… and pastries)

–       Walk through Humlegarden and enjoy the beauty of this park in the city center

Continue reading “A GUIDE TO WINTER IN EUROPE” →

• Go Euro : I used this EVERY time I booked my transport within Europe. If you want to travel a lot for a long time you need to be smart about finding the cheapest form of transport, because this is the area I see so many people stupidly blow so much money on just because they didn’t do enough research. Also- don’t just click ‘round trip’ in your search, research the best price to get there and back separately and then compare it to a’ round trip’ deal, because a lot of the time the ‘deals’ won’t be as good as what I find on my own. Go Euro shows you the cheapest flights, buses and trains. Buses are usually the cheapest and I cannot recommend taking an overnight bus enough, as it saves on a night’s accommodation and you get to see some amazing countryside. Euro lines and FLIXBUS are extremely reliable, on time, and more comfortable than a flight with Wi-Fi, TVs, and your own power points to charge your phone.
  http://www.goeuro.co.uk/

Continue reading “MY ESSENTIAL TRAVEL APPS/WEBSITES” →

I always loved the idea of living in London, and when I finally started to live here I had this overwhelming sense that this was the city I am supposed to live in right now. The fact that it is so close to Europe is a huge contributing factor to my love for this city but it’s also the history, the architecture, the multiculturalism, the art and culture, and the fact there is always something to do. But I’m not going to lie and say it’s all been wonderful, because it hasn’t. London is a bitch. She likes to seduce you with all her wonders and then stab you in the back and slowly twist the knife. In a city that is so crowded, sometimes the feeling of loneliness is unbearable. Generally I love that you have to hussle to survive in this city, but when the homesickness strikes, I can’t believe how cold and cruel this society can actually be. But I am determined to not let her beat me and swallow me up like so many other dreamers before me. I remind myself that these dips are temporary and if you push through it you come out stronger, and a little bit closer to making London your bitch instead.

Continue reading “LONDON” →

San Fermin
(aka Running of the Bulls festival)

• WHERE: Pamplona, Spain
• WHAT: Drink Sangria all day and night, dance, PARTY, and watch the awful but age-old tradition of man racing bull and man torturing bull.
• DRESS: All white so you can be sprayed with sangria and look like Carrie (The horror film character)
• STAY: Either book an air bnb a year in advance with friends or camp with a tour company. I went with Busabout who I had a great experience with. Jus don’t vomit on their bus or you will have to pay the Spew Fee (oops).
• NOTES: This is also where I had my first phone stolen (or perhaps I lost it in my drunkenness) so BEWARE. I recommend not even taking a phone into the festival as you wont find reception-just latch yourself to your friends or find new ones!

Continue reading “EUROPEAN FESTIVALS (YAY)” →