travel Archives - Journeys Are My Diary

When was the last time you stayed at a Bed and Breakfast?

February 22, 2017 by Bel Leave a Comment

I have to admit, that for the longest time, I haven’t stayed in a B&B. There was definitely a time in my life, when I wouldn’t hesitate to stay in Bed and Breakfast over a Hotel, but in truth – several bad experiences has made me very wary.

One of the first strange experiences was at least ten years ago. My then husband and I, stayed in a Bed and Breakfast for one night, while having a very rare night away. The place itself was lovely, but the shower was in the same room as the bed! Now obviously I was with my husband so it wasn’t the end of the world, but imagine if you’d gone with a friend and had to shower (not much frosted glass!) in the same room as they were watching TV!

The very last time I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast was with my best friend Amy. I won a competition to stay in a beautiful hotel and have a trip to the theatre to see Grease. We decided to extend our stay and extra night, but couldn’t afford the same hotel and instead booked a B&B near Camden. It was, no lie, the most awful place I have ever stepped foot in. I won’t freak you out with the details but needless to say we slept fully clothed and we even tried getting drunk to help us sleep!

These days I tend to stay in a Travelodge or Premier Inn, as at least you always know what you’re getting, however I have been looking at a B&B for an upcoming holiday we might be having. Is it time I braved it again? Or will one more time be the sealing of the deal! Here is an interesting infograph by Toprooms I wanted to share with you, about all the reasons we should stay in Bed and Breakfast. What do you think?

Our Flying Visit to Disneyland Paris

January 30, 2017 by Bel 2 Comments

Last weekend (20th-22nd Jan) we took a flying visit to Disneyland Paris. I have to admit that it didn’t turn out to be our best trip there, but considering it was raining the last two times and freezing cold the times before that, I suppose I shouldn’t have expected much. In all honesty, the trip itself was enjoyable for many reasons – one, that I got to spend time with the girls – two, that I finally got to stay in a Disney hotel and – three, my best friend Amy and her daughter were there at the same time as us. Aside from that though, there was a bit of an epiphany moment where I realised I had been trying to fill a hole that Florida had left, ever since we visited two years ago. I also realised that DLP is unfortunately not that replacement for us. Anyway I’ll save all that for another time and just fill you in briefly on our trip.

For the two nights we were away, we stayed in Hotel Santa Fe. It’s the cheapest of the Disney Hotels, having paid only £100 for 2 nights (no park passes included, but using discount from my annual pass) but actually it was pretty great. The whole hotel complex is themed around the movie Cars and we actually had our room in the row belonging to Lightning McQueen.

On our first day, the girls had decided to Disney Bound as Rapunzel and Flynn. Lily was Rapunzel and Megan was Flynn. This was actually my favourite of their two outfits for the weekend, but I definitely loved both. Lily’s “Best Day Ever” t-shirt was one she had already, so she only needed a pair of purple jeans and a new cardigan. Megan on the other hand needed all new bits, but I didn’t mind as I knew she’d get wear out of some of it. We did have a dilemma with the trousers though and ended up purchasing a boys pair from Tesco, the day before we left home.

On our first day in DLP, we spent the whole time in the main Disneyland park. We sorted out annual passes, went on loads of rides, bought Mickey shaped food (believe it or not, we’d never done that before), had our pictures taken in front of the castle (a firm tradition) and watched the parade. Of course we ate dinner, browsed shops and all the other things you’re supposed to do. Sadly, though we had intended to watch Dreams, it was definitely far too cold and we ended up heading back to the hotel early.

The next morning we got up and had breakfast in the hotel (this was included in the price). We also stashed a few croissants and pain au chocolat for a cheeky light lunch later. We got up early and headed into the park for EMH (Early Magic Hours) as this is something we have never been able to do before. It was amazing to be in the park while it was so quiet but I have to admit it may have been partly to blame for me not enjoying much of this day as I started out so cold and never really thawed!

During EMH we managed to meet both Stitch and Chip ‘n’ Dale. The girls were dressed as Mickey and Minnie for their Disney Bounding this day (which seemed to go down well with the character, plus Olivia was Daisy Duck which was so sweet) but sadly it was so cold that you never really got to see much of their outfits.

At 10am we headed over to the Studios as there were a few things we wanted to do there and this was our last day. We queued for Crusher Coaster for over an hour, only to end up feeling sick – and then got FPs for Ratatouille (our favourite ride by far) but not till 4pm that afternoon. We tried to meet Moana at 11.30am but her queue was already closed so we made an effort to waste time elsewhere. We went to the Armageddon special effects show, browsed the shops, ate lunch and saw the Art of Animation theatre show. After that it was time for a second wave of Moana queues so I joined the line while the girls played on the machines in the Animation building.

The queue for Moana seemed to take forever and even took a break right before it was our turn. However the girls seemed pleased to meet her as it was a character we hadn’t been able to meet before (being that she’s new and all). It was also the only time the girls actually got to show off their Mickey and Minnie Disney Bound so I was pleased to get a picture of that.

Finally it was time to ride Ratatouille so we headed over to that. The queue still took a while even on fastpass but it was worth it as always. After that we decided it was time to eat and ended up heading back to the other park and to Hakuna Matata as the girls had enjoyed it when we’d eaten there previously. We then did a little last minute shopping and headed back to the hotel.

As well as eating something Mickey shaped, drinking a Glowtini was also on my list of things I’d like to do, so with the girls in tow, Amy and I headed to the hotel bar and treated ourselves to a drink. It was actually really nice (I had red and Amy had blue) but it was expensive for what you get. The ice cube is funky though and at least you get to take it with you. After about an hour in the bar, we all headed back to our rooms and got an early night. I packed first as we were heading off early.

In the morning, we went for breakfast and then met up with Amy and Olivia to head to the park. We did a little more last minute shopping (for pins) and then said our goodbyes as they had one more day and we were heading home. Everything went perfectly to plan – catching the train, checking in for the plane, the flight etc. We were making great time for getting home — until I hit a barrier in the airport car park and completely broke my car. After a very long wait, a slow journey home and arriving back about 5 hours later than planned, we finally made it home. Sadly the last part put very much a dampener on the weekend for me and definitely made me think hard about whether or not our trips to DLP were worth it or not!

Overall though, it was a good weekend away, if not a little rushed. I truly wish it hadn’t been so cold as I know we all would have enjoyed it so much more.

Hello 2017

January 3, 2017 by Bel Leave a Comment

On New Year’s Eve I wrote a post reflecting on 2016 and so today I want to look forward to 2017. As it’s already 3rd January I’m sure it’s probably clear that a whole “new me” is not on the horizon. I think I’ve learned from previous years, that that’s not the best route for me. Instead little changes, positive attitude and a hope for better things, is the direction I would like to go.

This Year I will:

Get a better grip on my finances. As I’ve mentioned on my blog before, I have a lot of debt – largely from my time as a single mum (I mean, I’m technically still a single mum but I have a very supportive partner now). For a few years, I just buried my head and the debt got worse but then two years ago it all hit me and I had to stop avoiding it. 2016 was the year I finally started to get that debt down and while I definitely managed to stop adding to it and clear one particular lump of debt, I still have a fair way to go. I have a specific target in mind by the end of the year and that will hopefully lessen my debt by about a third.
Work hard on my business, Closet Geek. It would be a lie to say I don’t work hard on it already as to be honest its my main focus, after the kids. I have thoroughly enjoyed working from home this last year and despite how crazy busy it has gotten at times, I wouldn’t change a thing. This year I am aiming to add at least 6 more product ranges (don’t ask me what, I have no idea yet) and hopefully more variations of the products I already sell. That said, I must remember to take time out and relax (which is hard because I often get into a flow).

Weight Loss is something I want to focus on this year. I haven’t jumped into any kind of diet yet as there is still a lot of bad food kicking around the house. However I am trying to regulate myself and not eat too my rubbish and when routine starts over again and I start cooking evening meals from scratch, I aim to make healthy dishes and avoid any junk. Last year I felt uncomfortable in my skin and it stopped me from dressing up, cosplaying and even feeling like I wanted to make any sort of effort. Its amazing what a knock on effect feeling overweight can have to all areas of life. I also want to try walking more often, especially as life isn’t so hectic that I need to save every minute of time by hopping in the car.
Last year was a wonderful change to family life, working from home instead of feeling stressed in the job I had previously (I actually can’t believe I walked out on that job 2 years ago – I’ve honestly never regretted it). I managed to attend so many of the kids events at school and I’m sure I will be doing so again this year. That said I want to make time outside of those events, to do things as a family. The kids love to play board games (we had a day doing that during holiday), go swimming and play computer games (Lily and I have played Lego Harry Potter for most days of the holidays) so I want to make more time for fun, not just scheduled events. I also want to make more time for Chris as he often gets neglected, just because he “understands more”. On evenings when he’s not at work, I need to step away from my sewing or even my computer and just be with him – doing whatever it is we feel like doing.

This year I would like to:

Moving house is definitely top of the list for things I’d like to do in 2017. Sadly not a huge amount of that decision is in our hands, but we need to try wherever possible. From the house going on the market last April, till now, we’ve only had two viewings. I think there has been many reasons to that but largely the price recommended by the agents is too high. We do have another viewing tomorrow so we will see how that goes but at some point this year we will have to make some firmer decisions – perhaps to change agents, sell at a loss, or whatever other options there might be.
During January I have a weekend away booked with the girls, to Disneyland Paris. However as much as I’m looking forward to it, I’d really like a nice week away somewhere abroad. Top choice for this year would definitely be Italy and ideally during the warm weather. Chris booking holidays at work can be a pain though as he can often only get out of school holiday time. With Megan now at secondary school I am loathed to take them out of school for a holiday, so it’s definitely going to be a juggling act – and of course available money. If we can’t get away this year, I would definitely love to book something bigger for next year – maybe a two week holiday somewhere further afield like the US.

This Year I will try:

Yesterday I was in a position (as I often am) where one of the girls asked if we could do something (something they had been asking for a while and have been saying “soon” to) and my immediate answer was “yes, tomorrow”. Now although that might seen immediate to you, it’s really only because it was that day or tomorrow that we needed to do it, before it was too late. But my reaction was still the latter, not the actual immediate. However after I walked away, I thought “actually, why can’t we just do it now?” and so that’s what we did. Basically I really want to stop putting things off till tomorrow and just get on with them. Because tomorrow never really comes and before you realise it, you’ve been putting everything off and never getting anything done.

When we went swimming, the girls and I, I was reminded of how much I enjoy it and, that despite not going very often, I’m still pretty good at it. While I don’t always want to go when they suggest it, I did realise I could take them and just watch (they’re both old enough now), but also I could go when they’re at school and just swim lengths. It would be a great way to make time for me, get fitter and even find time to shower! I don’t want to set myself a frequency but I would like to swim more.
As I mentioned last year, our friendship group is a little bit fractured now and so in the past 12 months I haven’t thrown any large group events. I think its probably easiest to just see each group of working friendships, by themselves, whenever there is time, rather than force everyone to get together. Last year we did enjoy a meal out as a group of friends, a cinema trip as a double date and a few times having friends around for dinner. I would like to continue that this year, making more of an effort but hopefully making time for everyone.
Finally I should probably give my blog a mention. At this time of year it’s always easy to say “I’ll post more”, or “I’ll post frequently” but the truth is when life gets busy, my blog takes a backseat. I also often find that I lose inspiration for what to write at times and it can become just one big life update that people probably aren’t that interested in. I’m ditching Project 52 (as I did towards the end of last year) as I always forget to take pictures weekly). Instead I might do something monthly, as I did with my round-ups (which definitely suits me better so I will be sticking to those). I’d like to keep updating about books I read (which maybe should have been another bulletpoint as I really should read more) and movies we see at the cinema but past that I’m uncertain of the direction my blog will take. I am considering various options though so watch this space!

The Top 8 Gap Year Travellers

November 14, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

The other day, Megan and I were discussing school – GCSE and A Level choices, and then even the college and university options. When I was at school, I felt very much that my mum and dad decided which subjects I should take and even whether or not I would go on to 6th Form and University. I don’t want to be like that with my girls, I want them to feel like they have all the choices. Further education isn’t always the right choice for everyone and as someone who loves to travel, I often wish I had taken a year out. If either of the girls want to do that, I know I will worry but I will definitely do my best to help them do that.

The Global Work & Travel Co. Blog published a post about The Top 8 Gap Year Travellers so I thought I would share it with you. While taking a year out can be a break from eduction, a bit of fun and a new experience, it can also be a step towards a future career and work experience.

How travelling can bring you and your family closer together

September 28, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

A great holiday can create memories that last a lifetime, and what better way to create these memories than by spending time with your family? Upon your return, you might be surprised at just how much the dynamics of your family have changed. Here are our top reasons looking at how travelling can bring your family closer together.

You can discuss plans beforehand

Before you jet off, you might like to get the whole family together and construct a list of all things you’d like to do on holiday. This is a great way of including everyone in the preparations and ensuring that all interests are catered for. This technique promotes dialogue – something that is often hard to achieve in a busy family home where everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Bali is a destination that has something for all tastes. You can book your flights to this Indonesian paradise through an operator like Imagine Holidays.

You may have to learn as you go

If you’re planning on taking your family abroad, then it’s vital that you all work together to ensure the trip goes smoothly. For example, you may have to work together to navigate your way around a strange city or work out how to order food off a local menu. This is a great opportunity to encourage communication and teamwork, and you may even discover that family members have hidden skills that would not have been required back home.

You’re exposed to a new atmosphere

Arguments can be pretty common at home, and that can lead to ill-feelings developing among family members. A great holiday takes you away from that toxic environment and gives everyone a chance to clear their heads and focus on what’s really important. You could find that the anger that had built up at home suddenly disappears from the moment you get on the plane – allowing you to wipe the slate clean and just concentrate on making magical memories with one another.

The memories will last a lifetime

When you return from your trip, you may find that the experiences you shared as a family are still being discussed for months later. This keeps your home filled with goodwill and preserves that foundation of communication that had built up during your trip. Even the most mundane of events could remain a talking point for years to come. Travelling is a great tool; the more you travel as a family, the more memories you make.

You learn to compromise

When travelling, you and your kids may be forced to share the same hotel or B & B room. This can present many challenges for you all to overcome. Space can come at a premium and issues may start to appear when everyone wants to get their own way. However, these conflicts will need to be sorted quickly because they could ruin the rest of the holiday. This situation, although unpleasant for a small period of time, teaches everyone about conflict resolution and compromise, and these techniques can be utilised back home to create a more harmonious environment.

Technology will not be as intrusive

Technology is a huge part of family life, and this can mean that family members become disconnected from each other because they’re too distracted by what’s happening in a virtual world. When you go travelling, the role that technology plays will surely decrease.

First of all, you will all be too busy taking in the surroundings and embarking on new challenges to worry about what’s happening online. Secondly, you could be in a remote location that does not boast an internet connection or phone signal, so your so devices will become redundant. This factor means that your family members will be able to spend genuine, quality time together – and this can only be a good thing.

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Visiting the USA: Chicago

July 11, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

As the third largest city in the United States, Chicago, has come to represent all of the culture, commerce, entertainment and politics that have made this region famous. Known as the Windy City due to the constant crisp breeze that rolls in off of nearby Lake Michigan, Chicago is also renowned for some especially frigid winds that blow down the city streets during the colder months. However, you can always warm back up in a cozy Chicago hotel, and the sights and sounds of Chicago will have you on your feet far too much to let you catch a cold!

Illinois’ Windy City has been wowing foreigners for many years with its many wonderful attractions. Although Chicago may not be the first choice for people going on a holiday in the US, it usually ends up being chosen for the reason that most people find it very accessible and rich in sights and sounds. The city’s attractions range from the deeply historical to downright recreational. Indeed, its mystique is working on a lot of people as shown by the steady increase in the number of tourists coming to experience the city every year.

Things to Do and See in the Windy City:

Explore:

If you are traveling to Chicago for the first time, there are a handful of attractions that are certainly not to be missed. First off, the famous Magnificent Mile is a great place to start. With upscale shopping opportunities as well as the finest hotels in Chicago, it’s a must-visit location. Next, the legendary Chicago Theatre is one of the most iconic theatres in the country and a great introduction to Chicago’s thriving entertainment industry. Art enthusiasts should be sure to visit the Art Institute of Chicago with its collection of over 30,000 treasures. The gallery is one of the top in the nation and art lovers could get lost for days in this cultural gem. It houses some of the most famous paintings in the world, so it is perfect for aficionados and students alike.

Get Out on the Water:

Chicago is a waterfront city, and you haven’t got the full experience until you have spent a little time down along the harbour, particularly Lake Shore Drive. If you’re on a budget and the weather is nice, there’s no better way to enjoy Chicago than with a stroll or drive along Lake Shore Drive. There are many parks and beaches and best of all – it’s free. The Chicago Architecture foundation run a famous tour which takes in more than 50 buildings along the riverfront and educates visitors about their history, it’s well worth a trip!

Discover the Outdoors:

Chicago is a wonderfully green city and is filled with gorgeous parks and outdoor spaces. Millennium Park, with its giant ‘bean’ as the main attraction is one such park. There are plenty of activities on offer here, such as concerts, exhibitions and even yoga!

Lincoln Park Zoo is another attraction well worth a visit. The zoo is situated on 35-acres and is completely free! Over 1,200 animals call this place home, and you can see everything from Snow Monkeys to Camels here.

Navy Pier, a 3,300-foot-long pier on the shoreline of Lake Michigan that was built in 1916. Today it plays host to a vast range of activities and events, including tall ship exhibitions, restaurants, a giant Ferris wheel, and a cinema.

During a visit to the city, it is advisable to have a Chicago Go-Card it is important so you can get to the must-see places conveniently. Whether you’re traveling with the family or with your partner, you’re sure to find Chicago an unforgettable place. Chicago and the surrounding area are filled with little neighbourhoods that have a culture and a language all of their own, and you’re sure to find the perfect area that matches your tastes and lifestyle. Like most cities of this size, Chicago can be slightly dangerous in some areas, so just be sure to ask around before you set off to explore on your own. In saying that, you will find that vast majority of residents in the city are unusually warm and welcoming.

Travel Diary – 20th June 16 – Paris Day Four

July 4, 2016 by Bel Leave a Comment

By Day Four of our trip, our holiday was almost over! We had traveled on Day One, then attended the Fairytales Convention both Day Two and Day Three (as well as sight-see) and so by Day Four we were on our last whole day and this was to be spent in Disneyland Paris. Although I’ve been lucky enough to visit Disneyland Paris four times before, this was Nat’s first time. We had decided to Disneybound for the day and I had even made us Disney Ears to match. Sadly, even from the start of the day, we knew it was going to be a wet one and so taking an outfit picture was going to be unlikely.

When we got up in the morning, we both got dressed and ready. Nat was being Captain America and I was being Ariel. The hotel was too dim and there wasn’t really much room to photograph our outfits and so instead we decided we would try to take something in the park. However even on the way to CDG airport to catch the train, the rain started and we wondered if once again my curse to not have sunshine at Disney was about to strike!

The picture above, is pretty much the best picture that we managed to take all day. You can’t see our outfits at all but I was wearing a purple t-shirt, with green jeans and mint coloured shoes and a handbag. Nat was wearing royal blue jeans, red converse and a Captain America t-shirt. As I mentioned, we had ears to match!

When we first arrived at Disney, we headed into the Studios. I wanted Nat to ride Ratatouille while we were there, so snagging a fast pass was important – and she wanted to ride Hollywood Tower of Terror, so that was also top of the list. After getting our fast passes for Ratatouille, we did ride Hollywood Tower next. We then got a fast pass for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and then went on Armageddon Special Effects. We then did the Rock ‘n’ Roller coaster, followed by the Studio Tram Tour – all of which we managed, without getting too wet. However during the Tram Tour, the rain really started to come down. After getting off, we decided to head for food so we got Quick Service at the Front Lot. Despite the fact we ended up sitting on the floor, food was actually pretty nice. However after that it was time for Ratatouille and the rain was still coming down hard. Due to the fact we were Disneybounding, unfortunately we didn’t have coats – this was a bad move as we got completely soaked too and from Ratatouille, eventually ducking into the toilets to try and dry ourselves off.

Finally we headed over to the other park. There actually wasn’t a huge amount we wanted to do here, as a lot of the bigger rides are closed. Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain are both closed for maintenance right now and other than the parade and fireworks, we were really just going to see what didn’t have too much of a queue. Sadly on the trip between parks, we got drowned again. You can probably see from the picture below, just how wet it was.

The rain was still coming down hard and it showed no sign of letting up. There isn’t a huge amount of cover and although we headed for the castle, we didn’t want to just sit in there and shelter from the rain indefinitely. Instead we headed towards the Indiana Jones roller coaster, which I hadn’t ridden before. We didn’t realise it was outdoor either but by the time we got there, we were soaked anyway and with only a 10 minute queue, we figured “what the hell”. Sadly though, when we got off, we were pretty much done. It was only about 4pm and the thought of even making it till 5.30pm for the parade was unlikely, let alone the fireworks at 10-11pm.

As we’d walked through the two parks, I’d been half looking for a hoodie or jacket to buy, so I could take off my wet top and get warm again. In the end I bought a white DLP one as I liked it the most of all I’d seen and we headed into the toilets to dry off. We were lucky enough to find a toilets that was pretty much deserted AND with four hand dryers. I quickly slipped off my top and on with my jacket and then dried off my top. Nat dried her cardigan and once that was dry, switched like I had and dried her t-shirt. All in all, I think we were in that bathroom for almost an hour but honestly it was so worth it. I had been tempted to just wear my jacket and actually ditch my t-shirt, however I managed to dry it pretty well and put it back on.

Rocking the drowned rat look

By mutual decision, we headed out of the park and back to the train. We bought a ticket on the fast train again, but there was an hour to wait so we found ourselves a seat and refused to move so as not to lose it. At about 10 minutes before our train, we raided the venting machines for a drink, crisps, sweets etc. all to take back to the hotel. This is because we didn’t want to risk another plate of cold meats, fish and whatnot that we couldn’t eat! Eventually we were back at the hotel, freezing cold and incredibly tired. We both got changed into our pjs and climbed into bed, hoping to make it till about 10pm and then go to sleep. The evening dragged a little and neither of us could really warm up. While we’d had a good day, it felt a bit ruined by the rain and even more so now we were cold and feeling rough. However eventually we headed to bed, knowing we were getting up early and heading home in the morning!

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Travel Diary – 19th June 16 – Paris Day Three

July 1, 2016 by Bel 1 Comment

So I’ve recapped on Day One and Two of our holiday so far and this is Three! Though I didn’t mention before, the week before we went away, I was really ill. By the Friday we left, I was feeling a bit better but I was fairly dosed up on paracetamol. However by Saturday I wasn’t feeling much better and I’d managed to infect Nat, so Sunday morning we were both feeling a bit rough, especially after our late night. We got up in time to go to the convention but in the end both of us agreed that other than some autographs in the afternoon, there wasn’t much happening at the convention that day that we wanted to do. In the end we decided to do some more sightseeing, checking our bags into the convention first as we were moving hotel that day. We headed to McDonalds and grabbed a quick breakfast, which luckily left us both feeling a bit better.

We caught the train from Versailles, back towards the centre of Paris and here we walked to the Louvre. This was a place I had hopped to see on my last trip and had been unable to, so it was top of my list when it came to places to visit still. The weather was nice and so walking was fine. We made sure we kept a bottle of water with us and plenty of pain killers, just taking our time and sitting every now and again.

After seeing the Louvre (only from the outside) we decided to walk up towards the Arc De Triomphe, along the Champs-Élysées. It took us about an hour in total, though we did stop off at the Disney Store on the way.

Finally, after a sit down and catch our breath, we caught a train back to the main line we needed to be on. The stop was the same as the Eiffel Tower, so we decided to get out and see the tower in the day time too. At the station there was a shop selling fresh baguettes and so we both bought lunch. After seeing the Eiffel Tower (and the football it was hosting, in honour of the Euros) we sat and ate our lunch before finally heading back to Versailles.

Back at the convention, we got our last few autographs and then checked out with our bags. We now had the long journey from Versailles to CDG airport, where we would catch a shuttle bus to our hotel for the next two nights. Unfortunately the shuttle bus wasn’t the easiest thing to figure out and at first we ended up on the wrong one. However eventually we arrived at our hotel and checked in. The restaurant was closed by that time but they made us up a starter plate and dessert plate to take back to our room. Sadly the food wasn’t really anything we liked and by trying to manage some of it, we put ourselves off even eating the desserts! In the end we just headed to bed, feeling ill, cold and tired but knowing Disney was the next day and trying to look forward to it.

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Travel Diary – 17th June 16 – Paris Day One

June 27, 2016 by Bel 3 Comments

So a few weeks ago, I headed off to Paris once again! You may remember that I took a trip with my family back in May, but this time the trip was a Girl’s Weekend, partly to attend a convention and partly to visit Paris itself! I was absolutely dreading leaving Chris and the girls for 5 days and 4 nights, but I also had a lot to look forward to. My best friend Nat and I, were traveling from my house, while Amy was coming from hers. Though we were traveling separately, we were spending the whole weekend together – or at least that had been the plan until Amy was unable to make it.

On Day One of the trip, Nat and I took the girls to school and then drove to Retford to catch the train. From Retford we traveled to London (though ended up delayed), where we would then catch the Eurostar. Neither Nat nor I had traveled on the Eurostar so it was quite exciting, but also a little nerve-racking when we found our seats had been changed. Luckily we were upgraded to Business Class and this made the change quite exciting!

From setting off in the morning at 9am, to arriving in Paris at 4pm (French time), the journey was fairly uneventful (despite a slight delay on the original train). When we arrived in Paris, we already had our journey to Versailles figured out and so we went about buying a ticket and catching the RER to where we needed to be. It was pretty busy on the first RER B to St Michel, but after that the RER C was fairly quiet and the journey took us around 20-25 minutes.

When we stepped off the train at Versailles, we used my phone to figure out where we were going for the hotel. It was only a 10 minute walk and the weather was pretty nice, despite having rained most of the afternoon while traveling there. On the way to the hotel, we actually spotted the Palais Des Congres, which was where our convention was being held the next day. Registration was taking place so we decided to queue up and get our pass, before heading to the hotel.

Getting our passes took about an hour but we knew it would save us time in the morning. However the hotel was literally a minute or two from there so we crossed over in front of the Versailles Palace and checked into our room. At first glance, the room was pretty spectacular. There was a double bed and a single bed, a lovely bathroom and a separate toilet. However while at a glance it looked nice, on closer inspection it could have done with a little TLC. One of the lights on the wall wasn’t working, a drawer handle was missing and the tablecloth was dirty. However it didn’t really matter to us and overall it felt like a nice hotel.

We settled ourselves in the room, unpacked somewhat and I also FaceTimed with the girls. At first we had planned to head out and see some sights in Paris and meet Amy from her plane, but when ended up not being able to come, we decided to just stay local to the hotel. On checking in we were given a 15% voucher for the hotel’s restaurant but since we weren’t sure what we wanted to eat, we decided to go for a walk and see what was nearby. We went past the Palace, this time walking around it to see how beautiful it was, then down back towards the station, all around the restaurant area and finally back to the hotel restaurant.

In the restaurant we were luckily given an English menu as Nat and I are both poor at French. She ordered a burger and chips while I ordered an artisan tart (which turned out to be more like pizza). I thoroughly enjoyed mine, though Nat’s burger came far too rare for her. Despite sending it back and it being cooked more, there were still parts that were rare and she really struggled to eat it.

After finishing dinner and paying the bill, we just decided to head back to the hotel and go to bed. Even though all we’d really done was travel, we’d pretty much worn ourselves out and we knew we wanted to be up early the following morning for the Fairytales (Once Upon a Time) convention that we were going to.

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Trips of a Lifetime

March 11, 2016 by Bel 1 Comment

This week my best friend has headed off to Florida for almost 4 weeks. A part of me is super jealous but it also makes me think back to this time last year, when we too were planning for the trip of a lifetime to Florida. In April 2015, we headed off to Orlando for two weeks and really did have an amazing trip. We stayed in a pretty nice villa, visited all the Disney Parks and of course took a trip to Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Since I’m not the type of person to re-visit places over and over, it got me thinking where I’d like to take the next big adventure. Here is my top 3 picks.

1 – California

Truth is, my main reason for wanting to visit California is Los Angeles. And my main reason for wanting to visit LA is Disneyland (and Universal). However that’s honestly not the only reason!

For a start, LA is somewhere I have always wanted to go. I think originally it was because Buffy and Angel were filmed there! However it’s also on the opposite coast to the only two places I have visited in the USA (New York and Florida) so it would be nice to see a bit further afield. I’d love to see the Hollywood sign, stroll down the Walk of Fame and maybe even explore a bit further, like San Francisco and the Golden Gate bridge.

2 – Italy

Though not technically the holiday of a lifetime, I can definitely say that Italy is somewhere I have always wanted to go – as have the girls. While a beach holiday would be lovely, especially somewhere all inclusive like loveholiday offers, I would also enjoy a sort of touring holiday.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is by far my top place to visit in Italy, but I would also love to ride a gondola, see the Colosseum in Rome, go to the Lake Como area and travel to Florence too. I have been to France, Germany, Spain and Denmark so it would be really lovely to add Italy to the list as well.

3 – The Northern Lights

Now technically visiting the Northern Lights, isn’t a place, but its definitely the purpose of the holiday for me. It probably wouldn’t really be ideal as a family holiday (though I think the kids would find it beautiful), I’ve always dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights in person.

There are several different places you can go to, in order to see Aurora Borealis. I always assumed I would go to Iceland, but Norway, Sweden, Finland and Canada are all valid options too. I read somewhere that in February, the Northern Lights can even be seen from Scotland, but I don’t think that would be as exciting. I would love to tie in this amazing sightseeing experience, with staying somewhere amazing too – like the Ice Hotel in Sweden.

There are many other places I would love to visit like; New York again (this time with the kids and Chris), Niagara Falls, the new Shanghai Disney and Paris (though I will be doing that later this year – twice!)