10 Ways To Improve Your Life

Luckies Stratch Map

What better way to record your travelling adventures than on a scratch map? There's always something satisfying when you cross off a list and this is the perfect way to record your travelling adventures. Each time you visit a new place you can scratch off the place on your map to revel a new colour. Mine looks a bit feeble with only a few countries scratched off? The ideal way to plan where you want to go next. Get it on urban outfitters here, or off ebay here.

You can find a the scratch map here [on ebay] for half the price you can find it on Urban Outfitters.

Silver Jewellery: Moonstone Rings

Three years ago I'd never really cared about jewellery, I had a pair of gold stud earrings and a ring that belonged to my nan but that was about it. So when I started working with Jewellery I was forced into caring, loving and eventually buying a horrendously expensive ring. Here are some of my favourite pieces, two rings I picked up at the hippy market in Ibiza, a vintage filigree ring and a pandora leaf ring. 

WHEN IN ROME // NICKY PELLEGRINO REVIEW

A few weeks ago I realised something pretty important, I'd lost my love for books and reading in general. As a child I would sit down with a good book and I'd have read it within a few days, now I read very little, if I do it's only on a plane or a train and honestly I miss being curled up with a good book and getting lost in a story. I picked up this book again the other day and re read it, remembering how much I'd loved it the first time round. Here is why it's such a good book and why you should read it too:

When In Rome Book Review 

Orion Books £7.99

I remember the first time I came across this book on a scroll through my kindle recommendations, I read the synopsis and thought it looked like a really interesting premise, It was the kind of story I wanted to read from a book and not off a screen, I have absolutely no logic behind that choice other than I love actual books. 

I'm not about to start a debate on why books are better than kindles, because I don't think they are. The fact is you have to battle with the pages, especially if you read in bed it will probably fall on your face and then you still have to find a light source. Kindles don't do that, there's no awkward page turning, you don't even need to use both hands and they emit their own light. They're great for holidays and travelling and you have literally thousands of books at your fingertips. This is starting to sound like an advert isn't it? It's not; like I said, there is no logic. I just really like books.

It's 1950's Rome, at the heart of the city Serafina lives with her mother and sisters in a cramped apartment in the city. She and her sisters spend their days singing at the local piazza busking for spare change. Mario Lanza, the famous American Tenor causes a stir when he comes to the city Serafina is given the chance of a lifetime, a perfect story of love, food and music and passion.

One of the reasons I loved this books so much was the originality of the storyline, once I started reading I couldn't put it down. The book is based around the real life of the American Hollywood star Mario Lanza, a popular actor and singer during his short career in the late 1940's and the early 50's. Serafina's perspective on life changes when she lands a job as the assistant to Lanza's Wife, Betty. When she has to choose the life she has always dreamed of, and leave her old one behind, the decisions isn't as easy as she'd hoped. Although the story is told from Serafina's view the story of Lanza and his family is woven throughout the book, I'll be honest and say I found this more interesting than that of Serafina's story and felt as though her's became more of a secondary story in the book. Even if you've never heard of Mario Lanza, you'll be researching him after reading this book. A brilliant story of love, passion music and food set in one of the most exciting cities in the world.

A Week In Ibiza

Punta Arabí Hippy Market

Wednesday is the day of the Punta Arabí Hippy Market. It's a market filled with colours and people and clothes, the smell of indian musk gets stronger the further you wonder into the maze of market stalls and the steady beats of drums and percussion ring from the bar in the centre of the maze. The sun is unbelievably hot here, even with the shade the midday sun beats down. Ice cream vans and food stalls are dotted around, the choice of a 'hippy market' ice cool beer or organic ice cream aren't hard to come by.

Jewellery is everywhere here, trays full of pendants and rings, mostly crosses and symbols, moonstones and turquoise. Every other stall seems to be clothes or artwork and jewellery. You'll find it just outside Es Canar, a place easy to reach by bus from most parts of the island. Hire a moped and explore the island yourself for the the day and take a trip here where parking is easy enough. It's on from 10am to 6pm, there's an abundance of good food for not too bad a price [in Ibiza standards] and you can even have your hair done or get a henna, if that's your thing. I'd definitely recommend a visit here if you're in Ibiza and looking for something to do on a wednesday, Hippy Markets run all week but this is the biggest and best one!

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THE CIRCLE // DAVE EGGERS REVIEW

A Review of The Circle by Dave Eggers

It's taken me about four months to finish this book, that's not a reflection on the book, more so on my lack of attention span over the last few months. I bought this book at Bangkok Airport while waiting for a flight home,  having become more and more intrigued with the power of social media I loved the premise of this book;

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...

Life Decisions

I love visiting art galleries if I feel like I'm having a life crisis. Even if some of the art is mind numbingly boring it's a quiet, peaceful space and great for either thinking a lot or not at all.

A Few New Buys

With IBIZA looming around the corner, I've been buying a few new wardrobe additions, although they're not overly summery I wanted to be able to wear them throughout autumn. They are all current season and available in stores now!

Topshop - £38

Ways to Become More Motivated

This photo serves no other purpose than to be here and that I quite Like it.

My Make Up Bag

Rikka Inn

Rikka Inn, Khao San Road, Bangkok

Low season: £20 AC

Stayed: July 2014

Rikka Inn is infamous on Khao San Road, the first time we came earlier in the month we couldn’t get near the reception desk and there were signs everywhere stating it was fully booked. 

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.