Breaking My Travel Norms

I've settled into a comfortable routine when it comes to the sorts of holidays I plan. I like to maintain a certain level of control so I can explore the way I want to; I will seek out new experiences above and beyond the obvious tourist sites, but recently I've started thinking about how I can try something new when travelling. There are certain types of holidays that I've always shunned but now I'm contemplating throwing caution to the wind.

How it Feels to Visit Disneyland For The First Time - by Charlie Elliott, Age 28 and 3/4

I've seen the Terracotta Warriors and Sydney Opera House. I once met Benedict Cumberbatch. My favourite book has been made into a TV series and is to be screened on Channel 4 THIS WEEK. But I have never, ever been as excited as I was to go to Disneyland, Paris.

Asian Fusion Sharing Plates at Yuu Kitchen, Spitalfields

'Sharing' plates is a concept that worries and excites me all at once. I don't really like sharing food; what if I'm left hungry or another person takes liberties with the most delicious dish on the table? But also, at least I don't actually have to decide between all the awesome things on a menu and risk serious food envy. If Yuu Kitchen* had been a big plates only deal, I would probably still be there agonising over what to order.

Staying at Yotel: Gatwick's First Capsule Hotel

My quest for cheap travel is often at odds with my North London address. I don't live anywhere near an airport and a bargain flight normally means a pre-9am departure and/or a post-10pm return, often resulting in me being utterly shattered on any city break I go on. For my recent 6am flight to Sofia, this horror was averted by a stay the night before at Yotel, Gatwick*.

How to Spend 24 Hours in Luxembourg City

My weekend in Luxembourg started like most of my European jaunts: with a Ryanair flight sale. £20 return tickets seemed too good to pass up, and so, knowing very little about the country, I decided to take in Luxembourg City by simply walking as much of it as possible, the same way I love to see any new city. I decided to pick up a Luxembourg Card for €20 which got me free entry into pretty much every attraction AND covered all of my travel, including out of the City and into other towns which was a total bargain, and then set out.

A Tour of the Meantime Beer Brewery, Greenwich

There's very little pressure like getting into a new relationship and having to celebrate your new bloke's birthday a few weeks in. You can plump for a generic meal out to celebrate or take a wild stab in the dark at planning something a bit more interesting. And that's how I ended up booking a tour around Meantime's brewery in Greenwich. Referencing early Bumble conversations about craft beer and a first date that saw us supping pints of, well, everything, I was pretty sure I was on to a winner.

My Long Haul Flight Routine

In just over two years I have done a lot of long haul flights. From going to the other side of world to explore New Zealand and Australia, to visiting China (twice), and visited Africa for the first time during my trip to Cape Town over Christmas. 95% of these flights have been done solo, so I've only had myself to rely on to make sure I have as seamless a flight as possible. As a result, I have my long haul flight routine down to a fine art.

The Things I Don't Write About

I recently had a conversation with a friend about whether you can be a blogger and maintain your privacy. She asked me if there's anything I wouldn't write about and I answered an unequivocal 'yes' because as much as I publish here and lord knows I love me a good old gossip, I'm actually a pretty private person. What you see on these pages is a curated insight into my life, but personally, I choose to have a distinction between what I share and I what is kept offline.

Why I Felt at Home in Wellington, New Zealand

I absolutely adore New Zealand. The month I spent there flew by and I feel like I hardly even scratched the surface of what there is to explore. However, despite recommending it to anyone who will listen to me, I struggled to imagine myself living there. That is until I arrived in Wellington.

Codebreaking and Cocktails at The Bletchley, London

Throughout my childhood, I went on approximately 18 million school trips to Bletchley Park. It's the only place of real historic importance within my hometown of Milton Keynes, a city that celebrated its 50th birthday this year, and as it so happens I used to go to school 10 minutes down the road from the famous WWII site. So obviously I was intrigued and slightly baffled when I heard about The Bletchley, a pop-up centred around codebreaking, devised by the team who ran the recent Breaking Bad 'meth lab' bar.