18/4/2017 2 Comments Italy - expectation vs realityI had this amazing trip booked, all paid for in full, and extra trips within this sorted and paid for... but then every holiday-makers worst nightmare happened. I had to cancel it. Cue heartbreak, tears, and tantrums. I cried and cried as much as my eyes could, but I had no choice. The holiday was off. *sad face* Think Southern Italy, Capri, Rome, and Pompeii. The excitement level? Unreal. I had it all pictured in my head - all of the outfits, the food and drink, the Instagram pictures... So as you can imagine, when I found out I could no longer go, I was utterly depressed. But, looking back, I now realise I had a decent enough reason to cancel last minute. Welcome to the story of how I nearly died. Yes, those are three words I never thought I would say. I have got through eighteen years of life without anything more dramatic than a plaster on my knee - and to be honest, I was too scared about peeling them off after a bath so I rarely had one. So when I get told my lung has been completely flat for about a month and I needed to stay overnight in hospital to have it inflated again via a tube inserted into my side - yes I cried and panicked a lot. Think Kim Kardashian loosing her earring in the ocean style panic. That was me. But hey, it was only an overnight stay and I would be fine to go home the next day right - so in true woman style, I sucked it up, and just did it (that doesn't mean I'm not allowed to cry my way through though). By midnight, I'm lying in my hospital bed, with a small tube coming out of my side allowing me to blow bubbles into a tank. The next morning should be an x-ray to see that my lung is back to normal, tube out, go home. Unfortunately, this was not the case. my series of meltdownsImagine someone who hates needles... like REALLY hates needles. Yeah, I'm on that list. Anything stabby - can't handle it. I was told the following day that my lung had not inflated overnight, therefore I needed to remain in hospital until it did so. Also meaning that this tube had to stay in, and suction needed to be added to help my body out a bit. Long story short : one overnight stay, turned into nine days and emergency surgery. I'll spare the gruesome details of my alternate Italy trip, but lets just say I have never experienced pain like it (even older women on the ward said they would prefer childbirth). Because of this, I had to have blood tests every day, an IV in my hand that constantly fell out, and two huge drains coming out of me after an operation. Yes, it got to a point where I was so fed up and uncomfortable that I cried and cried - mostly to the AMAZING nurses, all night long. I thought I was never going to re-inflate. The light at the end of the tunnel (kinda)Thankfully, the operation was a success, and even though I had to loose a bit of my lung in the process - I was able to go home and recover with the help of family and friends. Italy did have to be postponed, but it just means I'll be able to extend my trip (yay!) For now, I am walking further and further each day. Yeah, I had to basically learn how to walk all over again, and being a gym-freak, surfer, and hiker, this also caused a few tantrums. Part of me is super excited because I now realise I was hiking, surfing, and driving miles off one lung, which means my body is healthy, but part of me will always be conscious of looking after myself from now on. "Italy isn't going anywhere" - the wise words of my mum everything happens for a reasonAnd I strongly believe that. Lots of people probably don't, and that's fine. But if I got on that plane and started my journey to Italy, it's likely I wouldn't have made it there - let alone made it back home. Emotional sentence aside, I have learnt that it is so important to listen to your body and to take the right action when you get signalled. It also made me realise how many amazing people I have in my life. I was heartbroken that my Italy trip was put on hold - but as my mum kept reminding me, "Italy isn't going anywhere".
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13/4/2017 4 Comments bucket list // A 5 year planThe thought of studying for up to 16 years of my life, and then working till I die stressed me out, I won't lie to you. Yes, I would love to have a comfortable amount of cash stashed up in my account, I would love to have a pick of fancy cars each morning from a choice of 5 garages in my 11 bedroom, 14 bathroom mansion (did I mention it's located in Calabasas?) and I would LOVE to be as rich as Kylie Jenner just from looking amazing... but unfortunately I'm not yet able to do these things, and I'm not a Kardashian/Jenner. Life sucks. HOWEVER! One day (at about the age of, oh I don't know... womb size) I made the almighty decision that I was going to go travelling at any cost. And this has been my answer to all of those seriously annoying questions during Careers Day at school, "what do you want to do when you're older?" Well, the truth is, Mrs B, I want to run away from all responsibilities and head towards the nearest airport. As you can guess, I then received the "university is THE ONLY WAY forward, otherwise you will die" lectures which continued into my first college choice. Again, I made another terrible decision by going to a college who are classed as "the step up" between school and uni ; so when I made the horrendously offensive comment that I was not going to uni, I was basically forgotten and ignored until I left. Fun. Long story short, I got an apprenticeship doing something that I love, which made me want to go into blogging. Et Voila. But, no matter how much I love any job, I love my bucket list a lil bit more. Sorry boss. So, here is my unrealistic five year plan! I'm planning to travel by continent
I follow too many travel bloggers on instagramI strongly believe that my unrealistic goals have been set due to following way too many travel bloggers on Instagram who seem to have it all worked out. To anyone starting to even think about travelling, this is a bad idea. I love to see all of the places that these people are going to, and I often forget that they have at least ten years more life experience (and money!) than me - so ultimately, after a long stalking sesh on their social media pages, I decide I'm going to travel to Bali next year and stay in a luxury five star resort. But wait, I need to make sure I have enough money for my car insurance for that year. Update : Bali is off. Even though this sucks, it does actually help me to build up my bucket list. Building up my bucket listFollowing travel bloggers, vloggers, celebrities in general, and YouTube stars has actually given me even more inspiration and motivation to travel, AND has helped build up my bucket list of places I want to go in the future (quite significantly, as you can imagine). And after all, who can blame me? The photographs below are from an amazing Instagram account @Earthpix! I do think that this is really important to people who want to go travelling as they can research the big destinations years in advance - meaning that you will be 100% prepped for anything before you go, and if you're anything like me ; being prepped is essential! It also means that when you do eventually travel to these amazing places, you will be able to constantly say you're on a trip of a lifetime! How great is that? To me, travelling is a way of life, and one of the best investments you can make. So, all joking aside - my five year plan WILL happen, but just maybe in a few years extra time. Have you travelled to any amazing places?
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This time round I made the most of the sunny weather (and my brand new GoPro!) in order to take the best pictures and videos that I possibly could. Majority of the images featured in this post are photographs that were taken around the coves and towns of Calpe, as well as a tiny town, Altea. During the 2016 trip, we visited Las Fuentes del Algar, which is a natural place full of stunning, refreshing waterfalls that you can swim in, if you don't mind chilly water, and ones which you can jump into (if you're brave enough!). | Altea An old town which is full of surprises... including the journey there, and the LONG and STEEP walk to get to the top! Once you have walked through the beautiful architecture that locals are lucky enough to call home, you finally reach the top and are faced with one of the most stunning religious buildings that you are welcome to explore. You will then be faced with one of the most impressive views... think tropical shades of blue and green ; you'll feel as though you are in paradise. Moraira Another stunning place to visit whilst your there is Moraira - it possesses a beautiful beach full of tropical fish (great for snorkelling!), beach huts/bars, an old town which is great for shopping and finding a bite to eat, and HUGE houses to look at! This place is full of sophisticated buzz and relaxation - a great place for a day out! |
Valencia
A city full of excitement and new possibilities! We visited Valencia to explore the amazing collection of museums - it took us two trips to complete the whole site! This is a great day out for everyone, especially kids... and even people who hate museums. It's a day full of creativity and adventure, all in one place - and for those who love modern architecture and design - this place is a sight to behold!
Benidorm (it had to be done)
Majority of us have seen the programme on the TV and all of us secretly wish to visit... just once. So, since we were heading to the city, we thought it would only be polite to have a quick drive through (yes we saw Neptunes Bar). Our main purpose for travelling to Benidorm was to go to Mundomar (the first time) and Aqualandia (the second time). Mundomar is an animal park where you have the chance to swim with dolphins and watch breath-taking shows, have photos taken with sea lions, and to wander amongst the tropical rainforest-like pathways surrounded by exotic birds and other beautiful animals. Aqualandia on the other hand is an AWESOME waterpark which is perfect for thrill seekers - think saltwater, outdoor pools, sunbathing areas, waterslides that are practically vertical, and food to die for. As well as speedy rapids built into the rocky hillside, which are home to some of the most model-esque lifeguards I've ever seen.
A city full of excitement and new possibilities! We visited Valencia to explore the amazing collection of museums - it took us two trips to complete the whole site! This is a great day out for everyone, especially kids... and even people who hate museums. It's a day full of creativity and adventure, all in one place - and for those who love modern architecture and design - this place is a sight to behold!
Benidorm (it had to be done)
Majority of us have seen the programme on the TV and all of us secretly wish to visit... just once. So, since we were heading to the city, we thought it would only be polite to have a quick drive through (yes we saw Neptunes Bar). Our main purpose for travelling to Benidorm was to go to Mundomar (the first time) and Aqualandia (the second time). Mundomar is an animal park where you have the chance to swim with dolphins and watch breath-taking shows, have photos taken with sea lions, and to wander amongst the tropical rainforest-like pathways surrounded by exotic birds and other beautiful animals. Aqualandia on the other hand is an AWESOME waterpark which is perfect for thrill seekers - think saltwater, outdoor pools, sunbathing areas, waterslides that are practically vertical, and food to die for. As well as speedy rapids built into the rocky hillside, which are home to some of the most model-esque lifeguards I've ever seen.
One of the first things you will notice about Calpe, is that one : pedestrian crossings mean nothing to locals, and two : the locals. Here, you will find amazing people with amazing stories about their lives, and they are always willing to help you find your way around the surrounding area. So, if you are looking for a great family/friend summer holiday, a long-weekend break, or a quick stop between your old destination and your new one - Calpe is the place to go! (just think how great your Instagram will look by the end of the trip)
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I like taking fancy pictures on my new GoPro (that you will be hearing lots about) and sharing them with as many people as possible.
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