How to Spend 24 Hours in Glasgow, Scotland

It's fair to say that Glasgow has a bit of a 'reputation'. What isn't fair is the connotations that reputation often brings up. Scotland's second city completely stole my heart on a recent visit, surprising me with its artsy vibe, incredibly friendly people, and delicious food. 2018 sees Glasgow celebrate the Year of Young People, from highlighting their musical talents at the Celtic Connections Festival (which starts this weekend!), to showing the whipper-snappers that there's loads for them to do throughout the city.

A Night at Book and Bed, Kyoto: The Coolest Hostel in Japan

Travelling around Japan, we stayed in various types of accommodation from centrally located hotels to traditional ryokans, but if there was one that summed up the total uniqueness of the country, it was our night at the Book and Bed Hostel in Kyoto.

The Three Best Skincare Products to Pack for a Hot Weather Holiday

I don't really seek out hot weather holidays; I'm OK in the cold (providing I'm dressed appropriately), and it's rare that I want to just sit on a beach and do nothing. But stereotypical 'nice' weather often means being able to go out and explore more, and hey, I'm not opposed to getting a tan, so a warmer climate can be a nice addition to a holiday.

A Treetop Adventure at Go Ape, Alexandra Palace

Gosh, I'm a lucky bunny to live so close to Alexandra Palace. I've spent summer days there, eating picnics and sipping prosecco whilst watching the City of London below, and evenings in it's famous glass-roof venue watching some of my favourite artists strut their stuff on stage. There's cafes and pedalos to keep kiddies amused, and recently Go Ape* has joined the area, bringing something for all ages to enjoy.

Well, I say 'enjoy'. For the first half an hour, I was solidly convincing myself I wasn't going to plunge to my death, but things got better the longer we spent there. Let's start at the beginning...

2017: The Year I Stopped Travelling Selfishly

Another year is coming to an end and 2017 has been one of the busiest for me in terms of travel. Last year I travelled solidly for a number of months, thanks to quitting my job. But this year I've been in full-time employment and squeezed the life out of my annual leave in order to continue seeing as much of the world as I can. This year I've done 14 trips, comprising of 11 countries (including seven brand new ones!), across five continents, but for once, a lot of these trips haven't all been about me.

How to Spend 24 Hours in Reykjavik, Iceland

Something to be aware of immediately when planning a quick long weekend in Iceland, is the amount of sunlight you'll be getting. If you're travelling in winter to increase your chance of seeing the Northern Lights, you need to keep in mind that the sun doesn't come up until around 10am and it starts setting again at around 3.30pm. This meant pretty meticulously planning out our time, but with Reykjavik being so small, it's super easy to get around on foot and tick a lot off your list.

Nine Amazing Street Foods You Should Eat in Japan

Japan, to my surprise, isn't really a street food country. World-famous for its cuisine, I was surprised that there wasn't stall after stall of vendors selling their wares in every city we visited, especially since nearby South Korea is FULL of them. It could be down to the fact that it is considered incredibly rude to walk along the road whilst eating; most places will either have a bin next to them so you can eat and dispose immediately after purchase, or they'll insist that you sit in a physical premises. Although they might not be as plentiful as other Asian countries, there are street food stalls to be found, and these ten items where my ultimate favourites:

Everything You Need to Know About Finding the Northern Lights in Iceland

It's difficult when the highest thing on your sightseeing list in a particular country isn't something you can just waltz up to and take a photo of. The whole reason I wanted to visit Iceland was to get a glimpse of the elusive Northern Lights, and I was overwhelmed by the advice online about how to see them. So we doubled up on our efforts, deciding to DIY it and also book a tour for another night too. I came away with a clear preference of how to hunt for the Northern Lights, and this is what to keep in mind when planning your trip:

How to Survive an Early Flight When You HATE Mornings

When you're on a constant quest to travel as much as possible, budget airlines are the answer to curing your wanderlust without bankrupting yourself. However, an affordable flight often means departing at an unholy hour of the morning. It's the ultimate internal conflict for this holiday-hungry night owl, but just like when I'm flying long-haul, I now have a routine that gets me through the pain of a 4am alarm.

Why We Should All Visit Places of Political Importance Abroad

When you travel to a new destination, what do you want to see? Nature at its finest, incredible cityscapes, traditional ways of living, maybe some local art? Travel makes me happy and experiencing the unknown is always where I'd rather be, but what about experiencing the cold hard truth about the history of the country you're in? To be a well-behaved tourist and an ethical global citizen, I believe it is my responsibility to know the background of where I am, even if it makes for an uncomfortable visit.

An Afternoon at The British Library for Harry Potter: A History of Magic

It's hard to believe that Harry Potter has been a part of my life for 20 years; my love of the series has spanned a time longer than most of my non-familial relationships, and conjures memories of late-night binge-reading under-the-duvet way past my bedtime and being OBSESSED when the next volume was due to be published.

A Solo Traveller's Guide to Taking Selfies

It's all well and good to have photos of the places you've visited, but sometimes it's nice to appear in them yourself. I like having photographic proof of my presence somewhere, especially when I've travelled half way across the world to see something spectacular. It's not just for Instagram (although I won't lie, I obviously want it for that too), but I want to send it to my mum and say, 'Look where I am!', or to have it put in a frame for memories. Travelling solo means you might not always get a great photo of yourself, but here's how I manage it:

Visiting the Floating Torii Gate of Miyajima, Japan

Prior to visiting Japan, I didn't know the name of the island that is home to the famous floating shrine. Rather like my visit to Himeji Castle, I knew the emoji symbol and the fact it looked pretty in photos, but it was only with some research that I realised it would be feasible to visit it on a day trip from Osaka, and that the island it lives on is called Itsukushima, but is commonly known as Miyajima.

Just Go

If the topic of my three-month solo travel adventure ever crops up (or rather, if you can stop me from talking about it), there's a few routes that the conversation could go down. There are people who simply have no interest in travel, and especially not the long-term type, so they'll ask why I'd even want to embark on something so alien to them. I had my reasons, as I've written about before, but for the most part, the responses are more positive, and they go something along these lines:

How to Spend 24 Hours in Osaka, Japan

Before heading to Japan, I was told by everyone who'd been before me that Osaka was their least favourite city, but within moments of being there myself, I knew I'd disagree with them all. OK, it's not the huge bustling, modern metropolis that Tokyo is, or has the history of Kyoto, but it is vibrant, friendly, and it's wonderfully easy to lose yourself in its warren-like streets.

Three Ways to Eat Dim Sum in Hong Kong

Dim sum was my first foray into Chinese food, way back when I was still a fussy eater (can you believe I was ever anything but a never-ending stomach?!). It's bite-sized food filled with all sorts of delicious things; it's canapés that have been souped up and they are generally more plentiful than the food you'd be served up on a silver platter, too.

It was the first traditional food I ate there during my first trip back in 2014, but each time I've been back, I go in for so much more. No matter what your budget or palate, there's a way for you to enjoy dim sum in Hong Kong:

Seven Things British Transport Could Learn From Japan Rail

When my friends and I were planning our trip to Japan, we knew we wanted to cram in as many places as possible within our two-week itinerary. Bullet trains are synonymous with the Land of the Rising Sun, and it was the obvious way to travel so that we could see as much of the country whizzing by as possible as well as tell people how fast they are (my ears popped and I felt dizzy on our first one, so BIG TICK there!).

How to Pack for a Multi-Destination Trip

Packing for a holiday when you know you'll be staying in the same accommodation for the whole trip is easy-peasy. You can unpack, hide your suitcase under the bed and not see it again until you're frantically re-packing an hour before your airport transfer arrives to take you home. With a multi-destination trip, there's no such luxury. Organisation is absolutely key, and the type of luggage you carry around with you will make or break your sanity.

Here's some questions to ask yourself when you're packing for a multi-destination trip:

Eating Kobe Beef in Japan at Wakkoqu, Kobe

As much as a country may be well known for certain dishes, if you dig a little deeper, you'll always find regional specialities that locals are super proud of. Here in the UK we have exactly that, from Yorkshire puddings to Cornish pasties, but the legend of Kobe beef was a whole new foodie step for me. I'm a street food hunter; a dingy side-alley-restaurant-with-questionable-hygiene dweller. I've been known to dress up and splash out, of course, but this is the first time I've allocated a chunk of my holiday budget to a specific meal.

A Day at Himeji Castle, Japan

Himeji Castle has a lot to answer for. Its iconic structure and shape has been the blueprint for literally hundreds of imitation buildings across Japan and the world. You might not know it by name, but I bet that as soon as you see it, you know it. Or at least have referred to the emoji it's influenced as 'that Japanese castle'. And to be honest, if it's famous enough to have its own emoji, well, consider me in. I realised it was only an hour away from Osaka, my first stop in Japan, and as I had a day to kill before the rest of my travel buddies arrived, it became cemented into my itinerary.