ABOUT ME

Traveler - Wanderlust

Feet on the ground, heart on my sleeve, head in the clouds

Escape into my world of never ending adventures!

“We think of mortality so little these days...
I thought of the stern Victorian determination to keep death in mind, the uncompromising tombstones.
Remember, pilgrim, as you pass by,
As you are now so once was I:
As I am so will you be...” 

I am not good at noticing when I'm happy, except in retrospect. My gift, or fatal flaw, is for nostalgia. I have sometimes been accused of demanding perfection, of rejecting heart's desires as soon as I get close enough that the mysterious impressionistic gloss disperses into plain solid dots, but the truth is less simplistic than that. I know very well that perfection is made up of frayed, off-struck mundanities. I suppose you could say my real weakness is a kind of long-sightedness: usually it is only at a distance, and much too late, that I can see the pattern.

How can I ever make you understand Cassie and me? I would have to take you there, walk you down every path of our secret shared geography. The truism says it’s against all odds for a straight man and woman to be real friends, platonic friends; we rolled thirteen, threw down five aces and ran away giggling. She was the summertime cousin out of storybooks, the one you taught to swim at some midge-humming lake and pestered with tadpoles down her swimsuit, with whom you practiced first kisses on a heather hillside and laughed about it years later over a clandestine joint in your granny’s cluttered attic. She painted my fingernails gold and dared me to leave them that way for work…We climbed out her window and down the fire escape and lay on the roof of the extension below, drinking improvised cocktails and singing Tom Waits and watching the stars spin dizzily around us

Obviously, I have always wished I could remember what happened in that wood. The very few people who know about the whole Knocknaree thing invariably suggest, sooner or later, that I should try hypnotic regression, but for some reason I find the idea distasteful. I’m deeply suspicious of anything with a whiff of the New Age about it—not because of the practices themselves, which as far as I can tell from a safe distance may well have a lot to them, but because of the people who get involved who always seem to be the kind who corner you at parties to explain how they discovered that they are survivors and deserve to be happy. I worry that I might come out of hypnosis with that sugar-high glaze of self-satisfied enlightenment, like a seventeen-year-old who’s just discovered Kerouak, and start proselytizing strangers in pubs…

LE MARAIS NEIGHBOURHOOD GUIDE

FRANCE/ PARIS

Click for Acai Bowl Recipes today!! 

The Marais is one of the oldest areas in Paris. The cobbled backstreets are a beautiful place for meandering and are bursting with boutiques, vintage shops, eateries and cocktail bars. It’s a favourite area for many people as it holds all of the charm of a bygone era yet is home to a wide selection of trendy hangouts. Below is an extensive Le Marais Neighbourhood Guide to ensure you love it as much as every visitor I know.

Place des Vosges

It would be a sin to go to the Marais and not go to Place des Vosges. It’s a timeless square in Paris framed by beautiful red brick buildings and a selection of eateries and art galleries which are tucked away under the stone arches.

Rue Vieille du Temple

Rue Vieille du Temple is one of the better streets in Paris. It’s the perfect mix of fashion shops, concept stores and great eateries. Head to the art gallery Lambert Yvon Galerie for coffee table books and unique magazines, La Perle for great cocktails, and Breizh café for some of the best crepes in town.

Carette

Carette epitomizes the French way of breakfasting. You’ll find fluffy omelets and scrambled eggs, enormous tartines served alongside curled butter and adorable pots of jam and a traditional café crème which comes in pretty floral chinaware. Better yet this can be enjoyed on the terrace which looks out to the aforementioned Place des Vosges. Don’t miss the vast selection of pastries or the macarons (which some people consider the best in Paris).

25 Place des Vosges, 75003 Paris

Picasso museum

To say the opening of the Picasso museum had been long anticipated would be a huge under exaggeration; after five years of renovation, people were fanatical about finally taking a peek inside. The hype around the museum is entirely justified – the building itself is a piece of art with its marble and sandstone interior, elegant details and Parisian staircase, not to mention the vast collection of 500 of Picasso’s works which await inside.

5 Rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris

Hoja

Hoja is a funky little place with an awesome interior to boot. The menu is always seasonal and favours fresh ingredients; think big bowls of salad, homemade cakes and organic juices. I would recommend sitting in the room upstairs as you’ll feel instantly at home with its laidback vibe, slouchy sofas and beautifully printed wallpapers.

97 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris

National Archives

A trip to the Marais would not be complete without a stroll through this tranquil courtyard. Not everyone knows that it exists so it always seems to remain a place of peace and respite dotted with a very few people sitting on the benches under the archway with a book in hand.

Fragments Coffee

There aren’t an awful lot of speciality coffee shops in central Marais but fortunately there are dozens in the haut Marais. Fragments Coffee is one of the best; pop to this stellar café when in need of decent flat white.

Le Loir dans la Théière

The mountainous cakes with which the counter overflows are a pretty sight indeed and the best news is that they taste even better. Order the lemon meringue tart which comes piled five inches high with fluffy meringue and is the perfect balance of bitter and sweet (although it’s worth mentioning that one slice will be enough for two). Relax on one of the slouchy sofas and fill up on homemade comfort food such as quiche and the aforementioned cakes.

3 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris

Eat falafel

Paris is somewhat sleepy on Sundays with shops, supermarkets and many cafes closing so everyone congregates to the Marais which is the only happening district. It has become a tradition to head here for one of the famed falafel pitta breads which are delicious, satisfying and so filling. But don’t take my word for it; the queues which dominate the back streets are a testament to just how good they are.

L’As du Falafel 32-34 Rue des Rosiers, 75004 Paris,

Comme à Lisbonne

If you’re feeling the need for a sugar pause then this is the spot to come. Comme à Lisbonne serves only one thing; Portuguese tartlets known as Pasteis de Nata; and they are entirely scrumptious. This shop is completely authentic and as the name suggest the little treats are on a par with those that you’ll find in Lisbon.

37 Rue du Roi de Sicile, 75004 Paris

Pozetto

Berthillon might make the best ice cream in Paris but Pozetto makes the best gelato. It’s as good as any you’ll ever have in Italy. I’d recommend the traditional flavours such as pistachio, hazelnut or caramel au beurre salé which are so creamy and so good.

39 Rue du Roi de Sicile, 75004 Paris

Vintage shopping

You might have heard before that the best vintage shopping in Paris is in the Marais area and if so then what you’ve heard is true. The Marais is brimming to the seams with vintage stores, with rows of denim jackets, fur coats and cut-off jeans hanging on the rails. There are hundreds of treasures to be found within and the best way to approach them is to dive straight in.

Le Mary Céleste

Le Mary Céleste has become as famous for its oysters as for its cocktails. The best way to dine here is to order a generous variety of dishes to share amongst the table, making it the ideal place for girl’s night out. Every one of the cocktails is crafted and shaken to perfection by the incredibly talented bartenders; chances are you might not have a clue what you’re drinking but have faith that whichever one you choose will be delicious!

75003, 1 Rue Commines, 75003 Paris

  

HOW I DECIDE WHERE TO TRAVEL TO NEXT

TRAVEL TIPS

This is one of those posts I’ve needed to write for a long time after so many questions, comments and particularly tweets on the topic, but for one reason or another I just haven’t got around to it… until now!

Perhaps the reason it has taken me so long to address the topic of how I choose where I will travel to next is because there are so many answers that it just isn’t a simple answer, forcing me to avoid the topic altogether!

But alas, here we are

How I Decide Where to Travel to Next

With so much of the world to see and so little time, I’ve become pretty picky on the destinations I decide to visit over the years. Before starting my blog and having these opportunities to travel so much, I still had to be picky as I factored in things (that I still factor in, just with less worry as this is my full time job) like budget, safety as a solo female traveller, and just basing my preferences on my own preferences. Now, I have a whole bunch of readers to consider!

I’m always on the lookout for new destinations I think WOW readers would love to see here on the blog, which I typically choose based on three main considerations:

Somewhere that makes you feel like you’re in another lifetime or another worldSomewhere that makes you instantly happy or fulfilledSomewhere I’ve seen a photo of and wanted to jump into said photo

These are the types of destinations I like to cover on the blog, and I maintain that they are a curated collection of the “best” places to travel to at the time of writing and explain why you should go there and what to do once there.

Social Media: Pinterest & Instagram

My two favourite social media platforms that influence my travels are for sure Pinterest (follow WOW here!) and Instagram. This is a fairly obvious route to finding where I’d like to travel to next, as both of these social platforms are highly visual and I’m a visual person. I see a photo of a place and I instantly want to go there = trip booked, decision made.

But both of these platforms influence my travels in a different way.

I use Pinterest when I have an urge to go somewhere new or at least discover a new place I haven’t seen or heard about before. I like to follow a bunch of different travel(ly) people for inspiration, as well as keep a secret board of locations I will save for a later date.

I also use Pinterest when I am already booked to go somewhere, but I’m not sure what I want to see when I am there. I.e. by typing in “South” and “Wales”, I was able to check that I hadn’t missed any really exciting sights off my list for my travels in Southern Wales.

For Instagram, its more like an every day thing that is always there and I follow some people I find interesting to see where they are travelling. If I see a place I like, I look into it more… and I guess thats what followers of WOW on instagram are doing too!

Asking Around As I Travel

Surprisingly one of the biggest influencers for me is to ask around as I travel. Because I meet a lot of travel writers/journalists through work, I’m always asking them about the best places they’ve been lately to discover new destinations or nab some insider tips. I also asks locals in any place that I visit “What’s the best things to do around here” and often get a varied response. This I find really interesting as you can wind up swinging off a tire swing into a dam should you ask the right person!

Blogs

As a blogger I try not to read too many other blogs within my category (travel) so I can always keep my content original. However before the days of turning to blogging I used to always read travel blogs until my eyes were red and my neck was sore! I still read plenty of blogs for food recipes, fashion, DIY and things not related to travel, as I find I relate best to bloggers because I can put a face to a name, rather than reading a book or magazine which I find less personal. You can see who I’m following on Bloglovin’ here.

But how do I choose where to go NEXT?

But of course I can’t go everywhere… and I certainly can’t be everywhere at once!

I choose my destinations and adventures based purely on visual content and word of mouth. When I see or hear about a place I would like to go to, I write it down in the ‘notes’ section of my phone and save it for later.

Then when I get the urge to take a certain type of trip (i.e. a road trip in Ireland or Wales; a camping trip in Australia; or a luxury resort break somewhere in Asia), I consult my list and make some obvious choices based on budget, season, and most importantly gut instinct!

How to Spend a Weekend in Copenhagen

Wander around hip Nørrebro

Nørrebro is a neighbourhood in northwest Copenhagen with a hip, multicultural feel and is a great district to base yourself in for a few days. Here you will find designer shops and trendy restaurants right next door to cheap kebab joints and dive bars. Nørrebro also boasts one of Copenhagen’s hippest streets: Jaegersborggade.
Tip: book a table at Manfreds & Vin for a delicious dinner. 

Explore Freetown Christiania

Despite being located right in the heart of Copenhagen in the district of Christianshavn, Freetown Christiania exists as a self-proclaimed free state that operates independently of Copenhagen. The community functions under its own set of laws, uses its own currency and doesn’t pay tax. It is perhaps most well-known for its open trade in marijuana. It’s an exceptionally interesting neighbourhood to wander around in as it feels as though you’ve been transported back to the counterculture of the 1960s.
Tip: obey the signage and don’t take photographs in the ‘Green Zone’.

Hire a bike

Copenhagen is one of the best cities for cycling in Europe and you’ll see more bikes than cars on the streets. Almost 350km of bicycle lanes follow the roads around the city, which are built above the level of the road as an added safety measure for cyclists. Do as the Danes do and be sure to get around on a bike during your stay. There are bicycle rental shops all over the city.
Tip: you can also hire electric bikes powered by a motor and fitted with GPS tablets for extra cycling ease.

People-watch at Nyhavn

Copenhagen’s Nyhavn is the picture-perfect, iconic image you see of Copenhagen in all the postcards. It’s a beautiful, historic canal filled with anchored boats and lined with colourful 17th century townhouses. This area was once a busy, commercial port, but today it’s filled with restaurants and bars and is the perfect place to people-watch.
Tip: walk along the harbour until you reach the small bridge. This is one of the best vantage points for taking great photographs.

Eat at the world’s best restaurant

A reservation at Noma would be reason enough to book a trip to Copenhagen! You’ll need to book many months in advance, but if you manage to get a table, it will be a gastronomical experience of a lifetime!
Tip: make a reservation here.

Drink some of Europe’s best coffee

Not only does Copenhagen have a reputation for outstanding food, it also serves some of the best coffee in Europe. There’s a flourishing coffee culture in Copenhagen and no shortage of great cafés to get your caffeine fix at.
Tip: make sure a visit to The Coffee Collective in Nørrebro is in your plans.

Eat street food on Papirøen Island

Located right on the waterfront, the street food market on Papirøen Island is the perfect place for lunch. Each food truck inside the big market hall has a focus on sustainable, local produce. If the weather is chilly, stay cosy inside, but if the sun is shining, take your lunch outside and sit along the harbour.
Tip: the fish and chips is hard to beat here.

@lau_pratters

Spot the Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid sculpture at Langelinje Pier is probably the most photographed site in Copenhagen after Nyhavn. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersons’s beloved fairytale, the sculpture is over 100 years old and is the most famous mermaid statue in the world.
Tip: arrive early in the morning to avoid the crowds.

@tivolicph

Be a kid again at Tivoli Gardens

The world’s second oldest amusement park, a visit to Tivoli Gardens is a must for both young and old. Built in 1843, it was a great source of inspiration for the likes of Walt Disney and Hans Christian Anderson. The atmosphere is magical, with twinkling fairy lights and nostalgic, vintage rides.
Tip: be sure to ride one of the world’s oldest wooden rollercoasters!
For more Copenhagen inspiration, check out these 10 Photos to Make You Want to Visit Copenhagen.

9 foreign words that should be in your vocabulary

Travel – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a story teller (Ibn Battuta). But sometimes when you’re travelling, there really are no words in English that can seem to quite sum up a moment. Know the feeling?
Here are 9 foreign words that have no exact translation in English, that will help to describe those moments. You’ll want to add them to your vocabulary, before your next trip!

Fly away with friends

1. Fernweh (German)

A crave for travel; being homesick for a place you’ve never been. An ache for distant places. Literally “farsickness,” or “longing for far-off places,” as contrasted with heimweh: “homesickness,” longing for home.”

2. Resfeber (Swedish)

The restless race of the traveller’s heart before the journey begins, when anxiety and anticipation are tangled together. A travel ‘fever’ that can manifest as an illness.

3. Nefelibata (Spanish)

One who lives in the clouds of their own imagination or dreams, or one who does not obey the conventions of society, literature, or art. Literally, ‘cloud walker.’

4. Metanoia (Greek)

Changing one’s mind, heart, self, or way of life; a profound, usually spiritual transformation or conversion.

5. Toska (Russian)

Longing with nothing to long for; a vague restlessness, yearning.

6. Dépaysement (French)

The feeling that comes from not being in one’s home country. Of being a foreigner, or an immigrant, of being somewhat displaced from your origin.

7. Rasasvada (Sanskrit)

The taste of bliss in the absence of all thoughts.

8. Saudade (Portuguese)

The state of nostalgic, profound longing for an absent something; the love that remains for something that you know will never exist again. It conjures both sadness for the missing, and happiness for having experienced the memory.

9. Wabi-Sabi (Japanese)

A world view or aesthetic, centred on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. sometimes described as one of beauty that is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.

Do you know any words in other languages that describe what English cannot? What’s your favourite word of all time, in any language?

This one time: Visiting A Ghost Town in Jerome

When I searched on Pinterest for some ideas of what to do in Arizona, I couldn’t help but to be intrigued by the many images of Jerome’s “Ghost Town”, a small town just a short drive outside of Sedona.
Ever the childhood enthusiast, I decided in an instant that I simply must make it a stop on my Arizona road trip — and so I did. Here’s what to expect when you visit Jerome’s Ghost Town…

Visiting the Jerome Ghost Town

Jerome itself is a small town in the black hills of Yavapai County, Arizona. It won’t take long before you realise this town has a strong mining history: the town itself still feels like a timewarp of sorts and is quite interesting for a short lunch stopover.
But the Ghost Town is in fact just outside of the town, a little further up the road and into the hills.
Once you arrive, you make your way up a winding dirt path to the entrance and cough up a fee of $5 per person between the hours of 9am – 5pm. For something a little unusual and unlike anything else you’ll discover in the area, it is well worth the few bucks.

More or less, the Ghost Town in Jerome is a junk yard of sorts. It is home to loads of old cars, trucks, and various other bits and pieces. It’s a good deal both ways – the owners are able to charge $5 a pop to enter, and guests are treated to a cheap and slightly humorous experience.
Why not?

What Else to Do in Jerome?

There isn’t a whole heap to do to busy yourself in Jerome – but it is for sure a great stopover town for lunch.
The local fudge shop will serve as a great point of call for some sugar-to-go and you’ll find a range of small local cafes serving a decent meal.