Showing posts with label travel bloggers. Show all posts

5 Top packing tips for your carry on bag

Well hello to you my reader chums and long time no see! The past few weeks have been crazily busy but I'm excited to be back, typing away at a new post. I've been travelling a lot lately, whether it's abroad, going up to London for a couple of days or spending the weekend with family, a lot of packing has taken place. If you're looking to prevent excess baggage costs on a plane or spending a few days in the next county over, here are my best packing tips for your carry on bag.

5 Top packing tips for your carry on bag

1) Pack multi-purpose clothing

Carry-on suitcases tend to have a lot of room in them, however if you can save space, then do it. Items like jeans and jackets can be used for a variety of different looks so there's no need to pack more than what you need. If it was a slightly cooler location, I'd suggest packing a pair of jeans (depending on the length of the trip) and a variety of tops as they're very lightweight with a versatile jacket, either denim or leather. For a summery location, swap out the jeans with shorts and pack either dresses or playsuits, as the lightweight material can be rolled up, packed in the suitcase, neatly.

2) Wear your heaviest clothing items

If you are travelling abroad and only using carry on, wear your heaviest items to keep the suitcase's weight down. Most airlines have a 10kg weight limit, however some can be lower or higher than this. Items including trainers, boots, larger coats and denim clothing can all add to the weight than your typical t-shirt. If you're able to, wear these items for the journey.

3) Minimalize your beauty products

As a beauty blogger, lover of all makeup, skincare and haircare, it's a tricky task minimising which products to bring when going away. For makeup, I'll tend to bring my smallest eye shadow palette, two lip options, a nude and bolder shade, then my standard everyday makeup. Skincare and haircare is usually the tricky bit. Either I bring the mini-version of my makeup remover (which is a 2 in one cleanser and makeup remover) and a moisturiser or switch to makeup wipes if it's only one night. To save on space, you can bring a 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner or head over to your local supermarket to purchase mini haircare products. Or there's the option to put all your products in 100ml bottles, which are available to buy anywhere; Primark do them for a few pounds!

4) Rollerball perfumes

Everybody loves a good perfumer spritz before the start of the day, however when it comes to carry-on, there's the chance a lovely glass bottle could break. To prevent any damage, rollerball perfumes are the way forward. They're compact and light enough to pop in your bag or take wherever you go.

5) Buy a lightweight suitcase

I love travelling so took the plunge last year and bought matching white Tripp suitcases, one of my favourite luggage brands. Unlike typical suitcases, they're incredibly lightweight and only feel a lot heavier when they've been fully packed. By having a lighter suitcase, this will bring your baggage weight down on the plane, be easier to travel with and store away after the trip. Also, a four wheel suitcase, makes pulling a suitcase along much more fun!

I hope you enjoyed this post. What are your best packing tips for a carry on?

Thank you for reading <3



How to plan for a weekend getaway abroad

Well hello to my reader chums!

I'm an avid traveller, wherever it's the next city break or a 2 week holiday in the sunshine, any time I hear travel, my heart soars. I've experienced a few weekend getaways in Europe from Milan to Barcelona and over time learnt the best way to plan them. Here's a few of my tips..

How to plan a weekend getaway abroad


Go off season

Summer holidays, Easter break, Christmas time and half terms, all fit under the busy season, which is the last thing you'll want when travelling. Prices rocket during these periods and cities are much busier than usual, so if possible try avoid the higher season. Sunny and cooler weather are still all accessible during lower seasons - Late January- March (depending on when Easter break is) fall  under this category as do May and June- early July. You can experience stunning sunshine during the month of June that you wouldn't need to wait until it hots up in August time. September- October are also a lovely time to go away, with the weather getting cooler and crowds decreasing.

Search for the best flight times

Every airline has an email newsletter with their latest offers, including flights to any places in Europe from as cheap as £20! This will obviously vary throughout the year but during low seasons, these cheap prices are possible. I like to use Skyscanner to search my flights. It's a website, comparing all the best flight times and deals to in turn, offer you the cheapest option.

Use the hop on hop off bus tours

Every country I visit, whether it's a typical summer holidaymaker destination or bright-light city, there's always bus tours available. I'd 100% recommend these especially if you're visiting for a short amount of time. It allows you to see all the city's main sights and stop off wherever; the flexibility is endless. Depending on the location, there's usually a few different routes to choose from which vary on the sights they cover. Talk to a local tour vendor when arriving and book one in; they usually sell from 24-48 hour bus tickets.

Make an agenda

Organise, organise, organise! Going away for a short amount of time means you'll want to pack in as much as possible; the best way to do this is make a list of everything you'd like to see. From there, do your research and write up a rough agenda in the most logical order on seeing/doing these activities. This way you won't miss out on the main sights and assure yourself you've covered all you wanted to see.

Pack light

I may be the world's biggest over-packer, but when it comes to weekend break abroad, there's no need. As long as you bring (depending on the time of year), a few various layers aka jackets and that staples pair of jeans, you won't need much for a weekend of exploring. Miniature products from shampoos to moisturisers come in handy - you can find them at any local Boots, Superdrug or supermarkets.

I hope you enjoyed this travel advice style post. What are your best tips for planning a weekend break?

Thank you for reading <3



4 days in Cologne: A Christmas market adventure

Well hello to you my reader chums! 

The festive season; a time for heart-warming tunes, Christmas markets and good food. To experience something different in the run up to Christmas, a group of my friends and I headed to Cologne for the weekend just gone to visit the Christmas markets. If you've been reading for a while, you'd know I love nothing more than exploring a new place so hopped onto the chance of going. We went for four days and three nights, packing in Cologne's best features in the process. I have to say, I was blown away by the calmness and charismatic appeal the city brought, it was unlike anything I've seen before. The colourful buildings, twinkling lights and picturesque scenery were beyond words, a city I'd definitely recommend to everyone, especially in the festive period.

Day 1

We ventured on our journey at around 2am on the Friday morning, driving to London Stansted for our early 7.55am flight. After a food stop and security checks, we were off on our way to Cologne, Germany, bursting with excitement for the adventure ahead.

Upon arrival, we dropped our bags into storage as the apartment wasn't ready for us yet. Then we took to the streets of Cologne for a gander, browsing round the Christmas markets and eating some of the local treats. Afterwards, we retreated back to the apartment and were amazed by the accommodation. The two floor, open planned and contemporary style apartment was beyond incredible. There was enough space for everyone, including 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a living area, two dining rooms and kitchen. Dinner out and Christmas markets came next, with a chilly festive frost in the air. The markets looked even more glorious at night, twinkling under the sky. Crafts, decorations and food stalls galore, the two main markets showcased some astonishing goodies, located only a short walk from our accommodation.



How to see Cologne in 4 days
Carousel at the markets

Cologne Christmas markets
Christmas markets at night

How to see Cologne in 4 days
Me, Danielle and Chloe at dinner

How to see Cologne in 4 days
Cologne Christmas markets with all the girls

How to see Cologne in 4 days
Rooftop view of the markets from our apartment

Day 2

The second day was a late start but featured one of my highlights of the trip, the cathedral. Despite being incredibly tired and claustrophobic walking up the 500+ steps, it was so worth it. The panoramic view of Cologne was mind blowing, you were able to see the entire city and all the Christmas markets that lay below. Like when visiting other cities, cathedrals and churches are an attraction which really impress me and Cologne was no exception. It's a definite must see! I would advise however to take a gym class or two beforehand because we were all crazily unfit and couldn't cope with the exercise! Before and after the cathedral, we visited two separate markets. A quaint, tucked away one which served up crepes and all the breakfast foods we wished for plus a much bigger one, surrounding the cathedral grounds. Here, they sold Christmas decorations, artwork, chocolate strawberries (the best I've ever tasted), mulled wine and more! We then dined in a classic German pub style restaurant with a few drinks, that evening.

How to see Cologne in 4 days
Side shot of the cathedral

How to see Cologne in 4 days
Key hole shot of the city

How to see Cologne in 4 days
Front of the cathedral

Cologne Christmas markets guide
The girls at the cathedral grounds

Cologne Christmas markets guide
The squad in front of the cathedral

What to see on a Cologne Christmas break
Danielle, Chloe, Molly and I in the skylight room

Day 3

The third day commenced with even more Christmas markets, located nearby to the river Rhine. Before heading to the chocolate museum that day, we took a look around the quirky markets on offer, soaking up the local delicacies they had in store. After much anticipation, it was time for my chocoholic-self to enter the chocolate museum, 'Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum'. All of us absolutely adored it. The aroma lingered throughout and not only did you get to learn about the chocolate's history but you could see the yummy treats being made and even got to try it! The place was like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory brought to life, I was in sugar heaven.

When evening came, we headed back to the apartment to get ready for ice skating. I was worried initially about skating but eventually gave it a go and had a whale of a time. I'm thrilled we opted to go at night because there was better atmosphere; festive songs were playing and with the lingering scent of mulled wine, Christmas had been amongst us. We had a chilled evening afterwards, purchasing a few snacks and drinks to enjoy at the apartment.

What to see on a Cologne Christmas break
Entrance to the markets

Cologne Christmas markets
Café stall in the markets
'Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum'
Imhoff-Schokoladenmuseum


Must see - Cologne chocolate museum
Inside the chocolate museum

What to see on a Cologne Christmas break
The markets nearby the chocolate museum

What to see on a Cologne Christmas break
Ice skating rink

What to see on a Cologne Christmas break
Molly and I on the rink

What to see on a Cologne Christmas break
Me, Molly, Danielle and Chloe on the rink

Asos matching pjs
Me and Molly in our matching pjs

Day 4

The last day, we embraced all of Germany's highlights once more, tasting the fresh food served up on the markets, walking around the city one more time and goofing around, appreciating the sensational location we called home for the past few days. I got to eat the freshly made waffles and have to admit they were the best I've ever tasted. I had a true foodie day, trying pretzels, strudel and of course the famous sausages; not being a big meat fan I finally found one I enjoyed. It had a slight spice to it and reminded me of a classic saveloy. Overall though, I couldn't fault the cuisine, every dish or snack I purchased was freshly made and tasted divine; if you're a foodie, get yourself down to Germany at Christmas time.

What to see on a Cologne Christmas break
Danielle and I with our waffles

River Rhien in Cologne
The River Rhine

What to do on a Cologne Christmas vacation
Having a laugh with the girls at the apartment

What to do on a Cologne Christmas break
Molly and I at Cologne airport

Danke Cologne, you were a true pleasure, I'd love to visit again one day.

I hope you enjoyed this adventure style post. Have you ever visited Cologne?

For more city break posts, check out my adventures to Barcelona, Rome and Athens

Thank you for reading <3