A few summers ago, I was lucky enough to do a two week road trip across Europe and got to see some really amazing places. You may remember my blog posts on this travel experience, but here’s a re-cap just incase!
We began by packing up the car the night before, which is a lot harder than it may seem. It was difficult to work out what you REALLY need for a two week road trip, so we did end up packing a load of stuff that we never ended up using. It’s important to plan this out thoroughly before hand. Taking less un-needed and materialistic items means more leg room!
I made sure to pack a few pairs of jeans to save on the space. I knew it would be a backpacker’s kind of trip, so evening wear and high heels just were not needed. We all shared things like shower gels and shampoo, to save on room and expenses.
It’s also really important to make sure your vehicle is safe and fully equipped to make such a long distance trip and back again. The drivers on my trip ensured that the vehicles we travelled in were booked in for a service at Kwik Fit.
Making sure that the tyres are in working order is really important as no one wants to replace these during a road trip! Kwik Fit offer tyres at extremely low prices and they come with a buying guarantee too. We booked the cars in for a car service which checked both vehicles had everything in working order; especially for a super long distance trip. A full service checklist can be found here.
France:
The first day was an early start and I think we left for the Eurostar from Dover to Calais at around 4AM. We only had an overnight stay in France, so it was a short and sweet stay before moving on.Germany:
We then moved onto Germany and stayed in a quaint little town called Herbolzheim, which overlooked the Black Forest. We visited places like the Triberg Waterfall Park and The House of 1000 Clocks and got to experience the biggest downpour of rain I think I have ever seen to date. I really enjoyed Germany and would love to explore more of the country one day.Switzerland:
From Germany, we then drove straight through to Switzerland and stayed in a town called Susten. I remember this being a really long and boring drive, but the views were really lovely. The stunning alps surrounded us and made me feel so small.
Switzerland now has a really special place in my heart and is somewhere I would love to return to again and again. It's the place where I felt most at home and at my happiest. I was going through a really rough time at the time and the serenity kept me at peace.
Italy:
From Switzerland, our final stop off was in Italy. I had been to Italy in Lake Como, but this time we got to stay near Lake Garda. Italy is always what you would expect it to be; quite expensive, pizza shops everywhere and the owner of the world's best hot chocolates!
I know road tripping isn't for everyone. It was difficult at times and it can be especially hard to get your own space, because you are usually found cramped up in a car with lots of luggage and other people on your way to your next destination. However, seeing parts of Europe with the people you love and at the comfort of your own pace really appealed to me and still does after having completed a road trip.
It can be scary for drivers at the prospect of driving an untold amount of hours in foreign countries that have different rules of the road etc, but as long as your car meets all of its safety checks, I don't think there is much to worry about other than to drive safely and enjoy your time away.
Have you done a road trip like this before? I'd love some new route ideas!
Disclaimer: All words, opinions and Europe photographs are my own.
Some people can be a little skeptical about finding love on dating sites. However, I will have you know that online dating does work. People have been making meaningful connections for years now, thanks to advances in technology.
With smartphones and mobile data, people are now connecting more on the go. The best way to start online dating is by signing up to dating sites like InterracialDatingCentral.com. Everyone is swiping these days, so why not try something a little different?
Can one find love on dating sites? Yes, because I have!
1. Online dating success stories
People have been finding love online. If you want proof, just go on some of the major dating sites. You will be amazed at the number of success stories added on a daily basis. Besides dating, there are some who an engaged, married and starting families. It’s amazing a connection online can become so meaningful.
According to some study, more than 33% of U.S. marriage began online. And apparently, compared to those that met offline, those that met online have reported higher marital satisfaction.
2. Everybody is doing it.
If you are not married or are looking for love, then your best chances of doing this are on a dating website. Much as one might think its cliché, everybody really is doing it. This how people are connecting these days. With the busy lifestyles that people have, it is much easier to connect with people in this way. It’s easy and it's convenient.
3. There is less stigma about online dating
A lot of people are now using dating websites. Even those who said they would never use online dating are giving it a shot. This is probably because people are having more faith in finding love online because a friend or relative also had success online.
More than half of people know someone who found love online. Hence more people and now giving it a go. Dating online is now culturally more accepted as a way of finding love.
4. The number of dating sites and apps have tripled since 2013
Now, if online dating wasn’t working, why are there more dating websites and dating apps being introduced to singletons everyday? And there are more and more sites catering to various niches. For instance, there are websites for people who love gardening or dating sites for uniform jobs or single parents only.
If you get a site where the people share similar interests, making a connection becomes easier. For instance, if you are open to dating interracially, then your chances of finding love are higher on interracial sites. Here you will meet like-minded individuals who are open to finding interracial love.
The thing is: online dating has blossomed into a billion-dollar industry. And whether we like it or not, we got to give props to it. For a couple to have success in a marriage, they need to be compatible. And how a couple meet doesn’t guarantee success in a relationship. Online provides an opportunity of meeting as many people as one can. This therefore, increases one’s chances of finding love.
So how does one guarantee online success?
1. YOUR profile is very important. Create a great profile detailing what you really want in a partner. This will make someone see you as a person. Use this to brand yourself and stand out.
2. Be proactive. Don’t wait for people to approach you. If you see someone’s profile and you like what you read, then hit them up. Send them a message or online chat. Don’t be afraid. Just put yourself out there.
3. If you want to increase your chances, then it pays to invest a little. Opt for the paid membership as opposed to free memberships. The free memberships are usually quite limited in features. You will be able to communicate with potential mates easier and faster as opposed to relying on sending each other flirts.
4. Once you make an online connection, make a point to take things offline. Plan a date. Go to a restaurant or public place and see if you two have offline chemistry.
5. Most importantly, have a little faith in dating sites
Personally, I have been online dating since I was 19 and my journey has resulted in a few relationships, a lot of time wasters, a hell of a lot of bad dates and some hilarious memories over the years. For me, I found it a lot easier to meet new people off a dating app or website rather than meet someone at in a social atmosphere like a club. It’s a big journey but an interesting one for sure!
Disclaimer: Guest Post.
So how does one guarantee online success?
1. YOUR profile is very important. Create a great profile detailing what you really want in a partner. This will make someone see you as a person. Use this to brand yourself and stand out.
2. Be proactive. Don’t wait for people to approach you. If you see someone’s profile and you like what you read, then hit them up. Send them a message or online chat. Don’t be afraid. Just put yourself out there.
3. If you want to increase your chances, then it pays to invest a little. Opt for the paid membership as opposed to free memberships. The free memberships are usually quite limited in features. You will be able to communicate with potential mates easier and faster as opposed to relying on sending each other flirts.
4. Once you make an online connection, make a point to take things offline. Plan a date. Go to a restaurant or public place and see if you two have offline chemistry.
5. Most importantly, have a little faith in dating sites
Personally, I have been online dating since I was 19 and my journey has resulted in a few relationships, a lot of time wasters, a hell of a lot of bad dates and some hilarious memories over the years. For me, I found it a lot easier to meet new people off a dating app or website rather than meet someone at in a social atmosphere like a club. It’s a big journey but an interesting one for sure!
Disclaimer: Guest Post.
It's another fact that you should change your mattress every 8. With 8 years of everyday usage, that's a whopping 2920 times you've slept on the same mattress; if not more. For me, I embarrassingly had the same mattress for exactly 10 years and it was beginning to really show its age.
Just like anything that is used everyday, a mattress deteriorates over time. The springs are not as good as new and the fabric can wear down over time. I was experiencing a lot of back pain and had no idea why, until I thought about the fact my mattress was old and hadn't been replaced in 10 years.
Like the old wives tale, I had always flipped my mattress over every time I changed my sheets and I hoovered my mattress from time to time too. However, at the beginning of 2018, I noticed the bottom of my mattress had significant holes in it which was down to wear and tear over time. There was also an annoying dip on one side; making you sink into the mattress lower than you would feel is comfortable. So, it was time for out with the old and in with the new!
That's when fate landed in my hands and Happy Beds got in touch. They kindly asked if I would like to choose a mattress from their website to replace my own miserable and battered one. Mattresses are not cheap and when I had been looking, I couldn't seem to find anything that was reasonably priced and affordable for a 20 something year old on a somewhat normal kind of salary.
Happy Beds ethos is "Because everybody deserves a good night's sleep". I was pleasantly surprised to see that their range is very reasonably priced and that's because they promise to give you the best price with no hidden over charges. Happy Beds source their mattresses and beds direct themselves; meaning there are no middle men that mean extra costs. Happy Beds retail online only and have no stores - which again, means the prices are kept low. Finally, there's FREE standard shipping to the UK. An absolute blessing for those of us who hate those pesky shipping charges!
With a wide range of mattresses - counting from orthopaedic, pocket sprung, memory foam and divan and bunk beds; I had a huge selection to choose from. My previous mattress was ironically an orthopaedic pocket sprung mattress. However, as it was starting to give me a back ache, it was proof that mattresses do need replacing after time; even the best ones.
After having a browse at the Happy Beds mattress selection, I finally chose the Pocket Memory Foam 3000 Sprung Orthopaedic Mattress. For a double, this is priced at just £169.99, which is incredible, as I had previously seen quotes for over the £500 mark! A single one is £124.99, king is £199.99 and super king £279.99. All still very affordable prices if you ask me!
Happy Beds sent me a text on the nominated date and time for my delivery, so I could make sure I was definitely home to sign for it. I was pleased to see that my mattress was rolled and packaged in a thick plastic wrapper, which is how most memory foam mattresses are delivered. However, I thought I would note that it didn't arrive in a box, so you will want to make sure you're definitely home to take it in incase it's left outside in the rain!
It only took a few hours for the mattress to spring open and take its full shape. We simply left the house for a few hours and returned home to a brand new mattress that was ready to sleep in the same night. The next morning, we woke up in the morning feeling very refreshed and for the first time in months, I didn't have a back ache! I've now been sleeping in it for the best part of a month and have not experienced the excruciating back pain that I was so used to waking up with. Something that a 25 year old should not have!
Happy Beds is THE Queen of Mattresses and beds brand and I fully recommend them to anyone who is looking for a fantastic quality mattress at a truly incredible and affordable price for everyone.
Disclaimer: In collaboration with Happy Beds. All words, opinions and photographs are my own.
I was told to pack a weekend bag with a change of clothes, evening clothes, swimwear and fitness wear. I had no idea where I was going! After a two hour and a bit drive from London, we finally arrived in Northamptonshire and pulled into the grand gates of Rushton Hall Hotel & Spa. I soon realised I had forgotten my charger and packed a dead battery, so all of these photos were shot on my iPhone. The quality is lacking for real, but hopefully you can get an overall feel of our weekend spa break.
Rushton Hall is probably the most magnificent building I've seen in the UK yet. Owned by William Tresham who worked alongside Henry V, the mansion has been sitting on its grounds since the 1400's. With a panoramic view of fields, woodlands and a water stream at the bottom of its grounds; this place is sure to stun all its visitors.
With a spa onsite, Rushton Hall is all about relaxing and unwinding; which is definitely what I needed after a tough couple months. With a huge indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, steam shower, sauna and plenty of beds to lounge around on, you'll be set to feel the most relaxed you have ever felt before. You do have to book the spa treatments in advance, so we unfortunately didn't get around to experiencing a massage or facial. They also have a beauty partnership with Leighton Denny and Elemis, so offer treatments using these branded products.
Walking through the building, you are bound to get lost at one point or another. Our room was situated on a few floors above ground and at the back of the mansion. We was booked into a superior room called The Lake Room and had a spectacular view of the grounds to enjoy.
Our room had a gorgeous king size bed which gave us a comfortable night's sleep. The highlight of the room was its very own onsuite bathroom, which was the nicest bathroom I think I have ever stepped into. With its marble flooring, stand alone bath and marble walk-in shower and grand sink; it really did look more like a showroom bathroom than a real working one.
Ricky run me a bath and used a whole mini bottle of shampoo to create bubbles! I definitely took full advantage and had a long soak in the tub; enjoying nothing more than the silence that surrounds Rushton Hall.
We spent the afternoon at the retreat floor; starting with a quick gym session. Remember when I used to be a fitness freak? Yeah me too. However, my motivation for the gym dropped and I've felt sluggish ever since. So yeah, I do need to change that soon!
We returned to our room, got changed into our swimwear (the trick to feeling a bit more confident before bikini season is to slap on some fake tan beforehand and you're good to go) and white robes and slippers (that are kindly provided by Rushton Hall) and headed down to the pool and sauna.
The pool was really big which gave us plenty of space to have a swim (and a race that consisted of lots of splashing from Ricky, screaming from me and plenty of dirty looks from fellow spa-ists, but ya know...YOLO). I had never stepped foot into a sauna before this trip, so that was definitely an experience in itself. Hot, hot, hot!
For dinner, we did have a reservation booked at the restaurant on-site, but we preferred the sound of the room service menu. We decided to stay in our robes all night, which was a dream as it meant we didn't have to bother getting dressed up.
Room service was brilliant and was delivered to us within 30 minutes and placed onto our beds. We shared a mixed feta cheese salad to start. I had a steak for main, Ricky had a massive beefburger and then we pigged out and had a chocolate brownie with ice-cream each too. So yummy!
For the rest of the evening, we enjoyed snuggling up with the TV with snacks and enjoyed a scrumptious continental breakfast the next morning.
We were honestly so sad to leave at midday the next day, but it gave us plenty of time to explore the local town and marvel at how small and somewhat derelict it is compared to our own bustling town back home.
Our stay at Rushton Hall beat all expectations of an overnight spa break and we both fully recommend it to anyone looking to unwind somewhere only a few hours outside of London.
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