Well hello to you my reader chums! I'm very excited and a bit apprehensive as I type this post, as I'm a day away from going travelling for two months. If you're an avid reader of my blog then you'd know, I'm always planning my next trip abroad, however, I've never done anything on this scale or been away from home for that period of time.

My boyfriend Dan and I are jetting off for two months in Southeast Asia with a small holiday to Dubai on the way and we can't wait. It's been on the bucket list to do for a while, so we had the chat last year and began planning, and saving. We're firstly stopping off in Dubai for 5 days, spending 5 weeks in Thailand, 5 days in Laos, a week in Cambodia and 10 days in Vietnam, and we can't wait!

I'm really excited for many different reasons; to experience new cultures, meet people, try new foods, see all the historic sights, relax on some of the world's best beaches, and do all of that with the love of my life. Southeast Asia will be completely different to all the places I've seen in Europe and of course, New York.

Although I'm really excited, it's going to be the strangest thing being away from home for so long. I never went to university as it wasn't for me, and have therefore never moved away from my family. It's going to be odd not coming home after a week or two and seeing my family. However, I know how excited they are for me and how excited I am to tell them about my stories. The strangest thing I also think is leaving this blog for 2 months. I've been running this blog since 2013 and posted on it weekly; I think the longest I've not posted is 2 weeks top. So leaving it for 2 months and not posting a thing is going to be a weird concept. However, if you'd love to follow along on my travels, I'm going to try and post loads over on Instagram! I'm also planning to note all my travels down in my travel journal that when I'm home, I can document it on my blog for you guys to read, and also as a memento to keep all my thoughts that I was feeling during my travels. 

If you're planning a trip just like this, find out how to plan it in my guide.

I feel so lucky and thrilled I'm able to do this with my boyfriend! Let's go on a two month Southeast Asian adventure! See you in April <3

I hope you enjoyed this little farewell post for now. Have you got any travel plans?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! If you've read my new year's resolutions post, then you'd know, my boyfriend and I are jetting off for a two-month adventure to Southeast Asia in February, and we cannot wait. I began thinking about this last year with my boyfriend and we finally started booking it towards the end of 2018. It's been a lengthy and fun process, and I've much-preferred planning and researching it myself than going through an agency.

If you're like me and want to plan your travelling all independently,  here's everything you need to know about how we planned our two-month adventure to Southeast Asia...

Choose the countries to visit and map out a route

First things first is to have an idea of which part of Southeast Asia you'd like to visit. Southeast Asia is a huge place and it has many counties such as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and more. You need to initially pinpoint on a map which places you'd like to visit and then figure out the best route.

For instance, we're planning on visiting the countries Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Before Southeast Asia, we're going to Dubai for 5 days and then jetting off to Bangkok to kick off the two-month adventure. We're in Thailand for the longest period (around 5 weeks) then Laos for 5 days, Cambodia for a week and Vietnam for 10 days.

In Thailand, we're covering 10 different locations including the islands. I probably planned it a weird way to how a travel agency would of but it's in the order we would have liked to do things. We're going to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Koh Samui, Ko Phan Ngan, and Koh Tao. In Laos, we're visiting Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Cambodia, we're going to explore Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Then, the final leg of the trip is working our way up Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue and Hanoi. For every place, I did some research on the optimum time to spend there and pinpointed how long we should stay in each place and added it to the agenda.

Decide on a budget 

Once you've chosen where to go, you need to consider the costs of everything and how you're going to budget for the trip. Even though the typical travelling style is by backpack and staying in dormitories - you don't have to do that. It all depends on your budget and working in your means. You'll find when travelling to Asia that the flights are the biggest costs, and accommodation, and the food is very affordable.

We set a rough budget of how much the trip would cost and then found hostels/hotels and travel which would fit around that. We booked everything place by place and worked our way through the agenda, ensuring we kept the costs as low as possible. As dormitories weren't for us, we decided to book a private room in each hostel and hotel - and surprisingly, it wasn't as costly as we thought, and widely available.

Check which vaccinations you need

Your health is ever so important, especially when you're travelling as the last thing you want to do is feel ill far away from home. This is why it's important to check which vaccinations are essential for the countries you're visiting. You can easily do this by phoning up your doctor's surgery and talking to the nurse. She'll inform you of what you've already had and which you should get for the countries you're going to.

It's also worth considering buying probiotic tablets. In Asia, a lot of the food isn't prepared or handled the same as in Europe that you could be at risk of food poisoning on your visit. To build up your stomach lining and prepare it for that, take some probiotics a couple of weeks before you go, and when you're there.

Consider visas 

You'll also need to do some research into which visas you're going to need on the trip, and that depends on the countries you're visiting and how long you're staying there for. For example, as we're in Thailand over 30 days, we needed to buy a tourist visa, which you can easily send off for at the Post office by filling out a form on the Thai embassy website, alongside your passport and two photos. We also needed one for Cambodia, as the majority of people do when they enter that country. Do your research beforehand, rather than worrying and not being allowed entry upon arrival.

Travel insurance

Likewise, with vaccinations, travel insurance is also essential. There are loads of policies you can get online that cover you for your health, luggage cover, electronic cover and for things like activities. You can easily fill out a form on what you'd like to cover and buy it at a click of the button. It's also worth noting that most policies only cover the 60 day period of travelling in one go - so if you're going for longer, make sure to check with your current policy on buying another one. I'm going for around 68 days so I had to get another policy to cover the last 8 days.

Invest in a money travel card

As you're going for a long period of time, the last thing you'd like to do is carry around lots of cash for different countries and that's where the money travel card comes in handy. You can pick these up at your local post office, and once activated add loads of different currencies onto it. Certain currencies aren't available on the card but again, just do your research. There's also a handy app that goes with it which means, you can add money to it just from your phone whenever you like!

Roughly plan your agenda for each place

Once all the essential things are in place, you can research and plan everything you want to see when you're on your travels. I personally like to write out a whole agenda and break it up day to day with a rough list of everything we want to see in that day. There are plenty of travel blogs online or books like Lonely Planet that is packed with information on what to see/do.

Make a buying list 

A couple of weeks before you go, it's important to make a list of all the essential things you need to buy such as suncream, bug spray, and all your toiletries. If you're backpacking, remember, the less you pack the better so be wary of that as you're purchasing things for the trip.

Packing list

The final step is making the packing list and getting prepped for your trip of a lifetime. If you write everything to pack down then you're more likely not to forget the essentials such as your visas, money or passport!

I hope you enjoyed this how-to travelling guide! Are you planning a trip anytime soon?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! It's a new year and I've got back into my favourite hobby, reading. With life always being so busy, it's hard to find the time to sit down and delve into a book, however, over the past few days I finished a book which I started over Christmas and fell in love with - Every Colour of You. I pre-ordered this when the author, Amelia first announced it was coming out as we both have the same dream of being writers so I couldn't wait to read her work.

Here are my thoughts on Every Colour of You...

Plotline 

The story follows the life of Zoe and Tristan who are complete opposites to each other. Zoe is full of colour and life, she loves experimenting with hair colours and lives life to the fullest every single day - even if she spends a lot of her time working in the supermarket. Zoe meets Tristan who rumour has it, his dad recently passed away and his life has fallen apart. After reappearing after months of being away, Zoe realises Tristan is struggling with sadness she can't fully understand, however as the bubbly character she is, she's determined for him to overcome it. But the harder she tries, she realises, it's not going to be easy and it's something she can't fix.

Characters

My favourite part with any story is the characters and this book is no different, I fell in love with them and the bond between Tristan and Zoe. Zoe comes across from the off as an excitable and enthusiastic being that everyone needs in their life to spur them on to do everything they want to do. She's so full of life that her energy bounces off the pages of the book. I loved the determination she had when she first met Tristian - determined that they were going to be great friends, and it worked.

Tristian, I related to on another level. He suffered from depression and the book really brought light to the effects of mental illness and the reality of living with one every single day. This is so very important and will help the readers who are also suffering not feel so alone. He may be fictional but every word written about his feelings is raw and true - the author got it so right.

Their bond together is something incredibly magical - when they start getting into being close friends and are inseparable, they do anything for each other and it's lovely to read. Zoe helps him in every way that she can, and over the long run, it has the positive impact it should for him to get his life back on track.

Tristan's brother Luke also played a big role in the novel and showed the impact grief and mental illness can have on a family - they fought loads but at the end of the day, Luke was the caring hero for Tristan and looks out for him in every way possible.

Other characters included Jerry and Paul, Zoe's two dads, and her sister Leia. I also loved in this novel, the diversity it had in showing a gay family instead of your typical mum and dad unit. Jerry and Paul also brought light to the book, and their relationship with Zoe is relatable for every parent-daughter bond.

The characters make you want to read on and on and see what's going to continue happening in their lives!

Structure 

Every book's structure is always something to comment on, and I loved how this one was laid out. It gave you both the perspective of Zoe and Tristan and flipped between to the two either in the same situation or afterwards. That quick change really made the read additive as I wanted to hear more and more, and find out what happened next. 1st person is my favourite way of books to be written as it's much more personal and you can relate to the characters even more.

Ending 

The ending pulled my heartstrings in so many ways and to be honest was really unexpected. It kind of took a sharp turn in the last few chapters and what I thought would happen, didn't happen. It's emotional but in a way enlightening - and you really need to read it to find out!

Overall thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it was such a page-turner. The book focused on many knowing issues today, shared a bond of love that was so real and really left a place in my heart. It shows you what life is really about, what matters and not to take anything for granted. If I were you, I'd pick it up when you're next in Waterstones!

I hope you enjoyed this book review. Have you read Every Colour of You?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! Whether you're heading on your next city break or departing for a backpacking adventure, it can be tricky to know what to pack, especially if you're travelling light.

Here's a list of items that'll be sure to come in handy as you go...

Chillys bottle

My new and favourite everyday item, a Chillys bottle. I've always been an avid water drinker, ensuring I drink a lot every day and relied heavily on a reusable water bottle. However, after I received this for Christmas, my water bottle days had got much better. It does exactly what it says - keeps water cold for 24 hours. Every time I drink from it, the water is cold like it just came out of the fridge. This is why it's the perfect thing to take on your travels. If you're travelling to warm climates, it'll keep your water cool all day long, and it's eco-friendly too.

Twist & Spritz Atomiser

When I go travelling, I always find that I'm unable to bring my favourite perfumes as they're too big or there's no way of transporting them. However, when I was kindly sent this atomiser, all my prayers had been answered. I was finally able to transport my perfume without having to buy rollerballs! This tool allows you to put your favourite perfume in the bottle and take it wherever you go. You can buy yours at the Fragrance Shop.

Tote bags

As I travel, I'm bound to shop along the way and bringing a tote bag or two will come in handy with that. They can also be used as a beach bag (easier to fold in the backpack), and for your dirty laundry. Tote bags are also an eco-friendlier way to carry things around rather than purchasing different plastic bags along the way.

Rollerball perfumes

Despite now having my hands on an atomiser, I still love my rollerball perfumes. They're small and thin and if you bring a few, you'll have a couple of scents to enjoy.

Shampoo/conditioner bars

For my travels, I've invested in shampoo and conditioner bars as one, they're environmentally friendly and two, they're easy to travel with. Both shampoo and conditioner bars can last for a series of washes and be transporting in little tins to keep the moisture in. They'll save space as your packing and still allow the luxury treatment of a good hair wash.

Rubis tweezers

When travelling, the last thing I think about is getting my eyebrows wax, however, tweezers are something that always comes in handy for a multitude of things. I've recently been sent these Rubis tweezers and they're amazing! The tweezers are stronger than other ones I've used and feel really well made. They are acid-proof, anti-magnetic and rustproof - and are designed for perfect precision.

Microfibre towel

Towels inevitably take up plenty of room when packing that you need to get your hand on a microfibre towel. You can buy microfibre towels in places such as Mountain Warehouse, and they are much more compact than your usual towel.  

Wipeout cleansing cloth

Depending on what your travel plan is can determine how much makeup or beauty products you'll bring with you. One of my favourite and efficient ways to remove makeup I've found is by the wipeout cleansing cloth. All it takes to remove makeup is water on the cloth - and honestly, it really does work. The cloth is quite harsh but also soft enough to swipe over the skin. As they only require water, I won't have to pack any other form of makeup removal and it can save space.

Adapters and extension leads

It goes without saying but if you're planning using any electronics abroad then you need an appropriate adapter. Alongside that, I would always recommend packing an extension lead as then if the hostel/hotel only has one plug, you can have more than one.

Waterproof mac

Something we can't control is the weather, and wherever you may be going the weather can take a turn for the worst at any moment. Therefore, I'd recommend bringing a rain mac with you. They're compact and light, and can easily fit in your luggage.

First aid kit

Accidents happen and are never planned so it's always good to be prepared with a first aid kit at hand.

Earplugs

When travelling, you'll be involved in a lot of flights and going from place to place that a bit of quiet is always nice. Bring along some earplugs and you can get a good night sleep wherever you are in the world.

Padlock

You need to be safe and so do your belongings as you don't want anything going missing. Before you leave, get a secure padlock and attach it to your backpack.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other handy items would you bring travelling?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! When it comes to hair-care, I absolutely love trying out new products because, as someone with naturally curly and slightly frizzy hair, it can be a pain to tame sometimes. The haircare company, Fabriah got in touch about a month or so ago about trying out their Merlin Professional products, and as the range sounded innovative and new,  I couldn't wait to see how it all worked.

They sent me three different products from the Merlin Professional Range, the 'Clenzer', Daily Power Sealer' and the 'Central Balance', a weekly treatment. Initially, I was a bit confused about which product did what as they didn't say your usual 'shampoo and conditioner', however, after a little bit of reading I got the hang of it.

Here are my thoughts on the Merlin Professional products...

To put it simply, the 'Clenzer' is like shampoo, the Power Sealer is similar to a conditioner and the weekly treatment kind of works as an intense conditioner or hair treatment. Considering the quality of ingredients and technology to make the products, they work together to cleanse, rebalance and prepare your hair.

Firstly, I'll rinse my hair and then work in the Clenzer twice, basically like double shampooing to cleanse the hair and re-hydrate it also. Then I'll apply the Power Sealer (you can brush it through for an extra smooth effect), leave it on for a few minutes and wash it off. On a weekly basis, I'll go in with the treatment and apply it (again you can comb it through), leave for 5-10 minutes and wash it out. After I learned the process, it was easy as pie to apply.

Cleanzer 

When it comes to shampoo, the Clenzer product is better in my opinion and has swayed the way I think about shampooing. It is scentless or has that 'non-scented, clean smell', more natural products have, which means I'm not putting additional chemicals on the hair. The product is also very thin and yellow in colour when it comes out the bottle, however, lathers up really well and applies to the hair like a dream.

Once the product has been lathered and washed through my hair, you can instantly feel as if its done something and like the bottle says, lubricated and rehydrated the hair. The beauty of it is you don't need loads of product to fully clean the hair, but by doing it twice, it gives the hair that extra clean feel.

Power Sealer

I'm obsessed with any conditioning product that can make my hair look and feel amazing and this is the Power Sealer. As I've previously mentioned, my hair is naturally curly and especially in the winter, dry and frizzy, so I need to use a lot of conditioners usually to make it shiny. However, again with this product, a little goes a long way. I apply a small amount all on the hair and the effects are genius. Once my hair is dry, it feels ever so smooth, silky and looks really healthy. I knew it did the job when I straightened my hair, as it stayed straight all day and remained shiny looking, and soft to touch.

This product has more of scent to it that lingers when you're applying and washing it through. The Power Sealer is also really quite thick in consistency and has a lovely creamy texture that applies to the hair easily - I'm just obsessed with it.

Central Balance

Like with conditioners, I love using weekly treatments on my hair as it's the perfect pamper idea and makes the world of difference.

The Central Balance is similar to the Power Sealer but heightened in its level of conditioning factor. It's thick, creamy in texture and leaves the hair looking ultra smooth. If you'd want a good hair day for the next day, this is the product to use. 

I hope you enjoyed this review. Have you tried the Merlin Professional range?

Thank you for reading <3

*The link is an affiliate link and means if you buy anything using it, a small percentage goes to me.

Well hello to you my reader chums! I love visiting London; where I live, I'm lucky enough to be just over an hour away which means a trip there can come with ease. Despite how many times I've been to London, I always find more things to see and do such as the Cauldron cocktail experience. I originally found it when I was googling 'Lord of the Rings activities to do' and it popped up. My boyfriend is a big fan of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter so I thought it was a great idea for one of his Christmas presents.

I booked the day for the first week of January as I thought it'll be a lovely way to kick-start the new year and I was right as we both had the best ever-day. Here's what we got up to...

We headed to London in the late afternoon after a relaxing morning and went to Flat Iron to get ourselves a table slot before having a mooch round Covent Garden. Flat Iron is a renowned steakhouse in London and it was our first time here. For those who haven't visited before, be aware that you can't reserve a table, however, if it's busy on arrival, you can put your name down and they'll text you when the table is ready. 

Flat Iron

My boyfriend loves steak so I thought Flat Iron would be the perfect early dinner spot. I have to say it certainly lived up to every good review I've heard. I'm not the biggest meat eater, however, the steak there was super yummy and the side dishes complimented it well. We ordered delicious strawberry cocktails and to finish, they give you free ice cream - you can't go wrong!

Covent Garden exploring

Covent Garden is one of my favourite spots in London. It has the quaintest shops, a few markets and plenty of side streets to find little trinkets. Even if you're not in the market to splurge, it makes for a lovely place to window shop and watch live entertainment. For more things to do in Covent Garden, check out my guide.

The Cauldron cocktail experience

The Cauldron overall was a really exciting and interesting experience! We had the best time crafting cocktails and being immersed into magical fantasy land. If you're a fan of Harry Potter or not, I'd highly recommend. It's certainly something different to your usual cocktail class.

I hope you enjoyed this insight into our London day out and Cauldron experience. Have you visited before?

Thank you for reading <3

Well hello to you my reader chums! January and the new year is officially here, and as I feel it's a bit too late to write December favourites (as I usually write favourites posts in the first few days of each month), I've decided to share everything I've been loving at the minute. The past month or so have been pretty busy, however, I've tried a few new things out that I couldn't wait to share with you.

Here are my current favourites...

Mac's 'Amber Lights' eyeshadow 

An oldie but goldie, Mac's 'Amber Light's eye shadow will forever be a favourite of mine. I go through stages in wearing it all the time to not wearing it at all. If your blue eyed like me, the copper colour will compliment your eyes incredibly well. The shadow is intensely pigmented, blends really well and works for a lovely winter look.

Bath and Bodyworks snowflakes and cashmere shower gel 

Every blogger and Youtuber hype about Bath and Body works, however, I hadn't got my hands on any of their products until my best friend ( who recently moved to Dubai) brought me back a few bits. I was so excited and couldn't wait to try them! The shower gel was as dreamy as the bottle described and has that subtle festive scent. It lathered well and the scent lingered - I'd describe as vanilla with a hint of spice and sugar.

Fabriah haircare 

I recently got sent an exciting haircare range, Fabriah Beauty. They sent it a month or so ago and in the last few weeks, I've really got to grips in testing out and actually loving it. Fabriah Beauty's range is a little different from your standard shampoo and conditioner, and their products are named things like 'cleanzer' and sealer. After trialling the products for a few weeks, I've loved the difference they've done to my hair. It's a lot softer and has that sleek look - which doesn't really happen to my naturally curly/frizzy hair. I'm going to do a full review of these products outlining the steps on how to use them and my detailed thoughts - so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Natural line eye makeup remover


When it comes to waterproof mascara and mascara in general, I always find it's the most stubborn product to get off and that's why a good makeup remover is essential. I was recently sent this Natural Line eye makeup remover and found it really did the trick. Usually, I use the Micellar water to take all my makeup off, however, found this one does a more thorough job. Also, it's hardly got any scent and feels natural on the skin.


Korres shower gel in 'Pear'

I've been wanting to try Korres products for years that when I got my hands on a few shower gels, I was beside myself with excitement. I got given a few mini ones all in different fragrances including my favourite, the pear one. The shower gels feel ultra-natural and luxurious on the skin, and have such lingering fragrances. I hope to try more of their products in the future!

Driving 

If you've read my 2018 highlights, then you'd know late last year I passed my driving test and I still couldn't be more thrilled. The past month or so, I've absolutely been loving driving. I've got myself an old Corsa and it's the cutest little car I've named Evie. I've driven her to so many places already and love the freedom driving has brought.

Planning my travels 

If you've also read my New Years resolutions, then you'd know this year I'm heading off to southeast Asia for a few months in February and literally couldn't be more excited. At the minute, I'm planning with my boyfriend all the things we're going to do out there and what we want to see. It's all very exciting!

Tartan scarves 

I've been a lover of Tartan scarves for years, they're my go-to autumn/winter accessory and I love adding more to the collection. My best pal got me a gorgeous colourful scarf for Christmas and I've love being able to pair it and inject some colour into my outfit.

I hope you enjoyed my current favourites. What are you loving at the minute?

Thank you for reading <3