Things you have to do in Budapest

Last summer I travelled to Budapest with my best friend. It was a city I'd not given much thought to previously and we'd decided to go there on a whim, so here are a few of the things we did while we were there are you should too!

London & the first dates restaurant / Paternoster Chop House

My birthday this year was a big one, 21 and after my boyfriend asking countless times what I wanted I said the one thing he didn't want to hear, Surprise me!

Exploring Formentera

I haven't driven a quad since I was about 10 on my nan's farm, I'n now sat on a small red one with the responsibility of getting myself and my friend around the island. The spanish rental guy who is trying to explain how to use it doesn't know any english, and I don't know the spanish for brake...

WHERE TO STAY: The Ploy Guest House Kanchanaburi

When you are in the infinity pool, this is your view. In person it is amazing and at night if you sit in the pool after dark you'll be able to see the fireflies hovering above the water.

WHERE TO STAY: The Dream Garden, Ao Nang Krabi Review

See the photos on trip advisor here:

Low season twin or double: 600bht AC (special rates if you stay longer)

Stayed: July 2014

The atmosphere at dream garden Guest house was made by the lady on reception, (who I forgot to get the name of) throughout the whole stay she was helpful, booked trips and was one of the friendliest hotel staff we met.

We changed our plans a little at the end of the trip and after a nightmare stay in one of the other guest houses we tried this one. After looking at the room it didn't take long to decide, and I booked 5 nights, at 500bht each. One thing about this place is they are always willing to give discounts! We stayed in a twin, which came with TV, rain shower, fridge, free wi-fi and a safety deposit box which was never used. The room was cleaned every day, the cleaners almost too eager to get into the room and you’ll get 2 free bottles of water per day. We did have the issue of one of the ceiling tiles int he bathroom being missing, yet nothing seemed to come through it, although you could hear everything the people next door were doing, I chose to see the funny side. It’s convenient for the town and for the beach being right where all the main shops are in the town and close enough to easily walk down to the beach. (5 min walk) It’s opposite a McDonalds and a Starbucks and near to a great indian called Taj Palace. I Will definitely be staying again if I ever need to stop over in Ao Nang, although I wasn't to impressed with actual Ao Nang, the immediate surrounding areas are stunning and it's worth staying here for your base.

WHERE TO STAY: Ao Nang Easy Rooms KRABI

Low Season: 500bht High Season: 1700bht

Stayed: July 2014

This was probably the worst place I stayed in a month in Thailand. We’d headed back to Ao Nang on a whim and ended up with nowhere to stay. We came across this place and at 500bht we couldn't say no. It’s only when you’ve been in the room a while you’ll notice the musty mould smell and immediately want to leave, I’m still blaming it for the fact I had a horrid cold for the rest of the trip. The rooms are like apartments with an all glass front with curtains for privacy. This is something I’ve noticed a lot in Thailand, this seems like a place that may have been great when it was first opened but no upkeep or maintenance had been taken out, therefore mould had set it and the air con barely worked. The rooms looked as though they hadn't been cleaned for months and smelt like it too, I thanked my lucky stars I'd brought my sleeping bag liner with me. Overall, I wouldn’t stay here ever again, there are MUCH better places to stay in the area and you’ll get a lot friendlier service. We stayed for one night before moving onto another Guest House a few doors down.

Sleeper Trains, Delays & Kanchanburi

The next few days were spent full of travelling, we left Chiang Mai at 5.30pm on Saturday 26th, and after 16 hours arrived the next morning at 10.30am in Bangkok, it had been delayed two hours. 

REVIEW: Dante Elephant Mahout Chiang Mai

Finding an Elephant trek/experience in Chiang Mai should be easy, with literally hundreds of options and everyone selling the elephant experience it's difficult to know which one to go with.

Doi Suthep & A View Over Chiang Mai

We found ourselves wandering what to do on a slow day in Chiang Mai, it had been raining for most of the morning and there was little to do. After a while in the hotel lobby we decided to take one of the red taxis up to Doi Suthep, a temple that overlooks the city. It’s about a 20minute drive up to the top from the centre of the city, we paid 300bht for the taxi there and back, after a little bit of haggling. The temple itself isn’t the most impressive I had seen, but the views from the top were spectacular. You literally had a view over the whole city and you could see everything. The temple itself was covered in more gold than you could imagine and you’ll have to pay a 30bht entrance fee if you’re not a Thailand resident. As with all temples in Thailand you have to wear a robe if you’re not in appropriate clothing and you’ll have to leave you’re shoes outside.

WHERE TO STAY: Sacha's Guest House Koh Phi Phi

Low season : 700bht AC / 400bht Fan

Stayed: July 2014

The blurry photo from inside our messy room. There's even a ladder next to the window that doesn't open or close...

Overall we stayed here for 7 nights, we’d been walking for a while and the ferry came in midday so the heat was intense. This would begin my love affair with Koh Phi Phi. The girl on reception was again, lovely and showed us the room before we booked it. As we were playing by ear we were able to go down and pay each morning before 11am for another night if we wanted so we didn’t have to pay everything in one go. The first thing you’l notice is the signs everywhere noting to keep your doors locked AT ALL TIMES, even if you’re in the room. Pretty bog standard right? Then I read this [http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g303908-i9943-k5487208-WARNING_do_not_stay_at_the_Sacha_Guesthouse-Ko_Phi_Phi_Don_Krabi_Province.html] review from a couple of years ago and it was safe to say the first night I didn’t respond well to the knocks and crashes all through the night. It was also that night i realised the window was broken and the lock on the door probably wasn’t the most stable. The room is cleaned after your third day, although we got so much sand everywhere on the first day it would have benefited from a clean then. The room was clean, the AC worked fine and there was a fan too. Simple, basic and just what we wanted. This was low season and Im told the prices go up quite a bit, but in future I’d not bother with AC, the fan was enough. This GH is opposite the rock and right in the centre of everything, so if you’re a light sleeper probably not the best place considering the window doesn’t close and remember you’re on a party island. We had people come in at 5am, throw up outside our room, shout ‘PIERRE, BEBE!’ over and over. The bathroom was clean, the toilet was in the funniest position and fairly hard to manoeuvre around, especially if you’re drunk. Overall I did enjoy staying here although I’m optimistic there are better places to stay, and might try somewhere else next time I go.

DON'T DATE A GIRL WHO TRAVELS

She’s the one with the messy unkempt hair colored by the sun. Her skin is now far from fair like it once was. Not even sun kissed. It’s burnt with multiple tan lines, wounds and bites here and there.  But for every flaw on her skin, she has an interesting story to tell.

Falling in Love With Koh Phi Phi

At first glance Phi Phi is the picture of paradise, at second glance its a bit like Thailand's answer to Magaluf. When we arrived in the south we hadn't a clue where we were going and having flown to Krabi, Phi Phi was the easiest and closest option. I'd seen a couple of friends from home a few days earlier in Bangkok who'd told me I couldn't miss the island, before which I wasn't really bothered about going although I'm not sure why.

Phi Phi is truly unique, it's one of the party islands so there's always something going on, I loved the constant flow of people, by the third day I'd started to feel at home and knew when the 12.30 influx of tourists would be coming and when the boats would drop of a new load of backpackers. The island is so small you'll start to recognise people, especially those who were on the same boat as you on the way.

Going from day to night the beach clears out about 6pm  from all the sunbathers and the space transforms, the bars spill out onto the beach and the platforms for the fire shows are put in place. This was my favourite time on the island and the most relaxing, the beach became almost empty and we watched the sunset while drinking the best and the most expensive (but definitely worth it) cocktails we'd found so far in Thailand at CIAO BELLA, it's in front of the BAIA BAIA Bungalows and has a cool reggae vibe with the best soundtrack - head there if you're looking for the authentic experience. :)