Two Days in Berlin

Buying £9 flights to Berlin when you're a little wine drunk with your friend may not be the most practical thing ever, but hey everything happens for a reason and you're only a student with 4 hours worth of lectures a week once right?! 

I'm very thankful for that bottle of Sauvignon Blanc which cost more than my flight, because Berlin has got to be one of the coolest cities I've visited in a while.

The word cool gets chucked around a lot, but Berlin really embodies- it's full of edgy, beautiful people, bars where the furniture is on the ceiling, pop ups and vintage shops, and of course the nightlife is infamous.

Spontaneous Sightseeing in Singapore

It's official, I'm a little bit greedy when it comes to travelling. The second I'm back from a trip (or even still during one...) I'm planning where else I can go. I've got an ever-expanding bucket list of about thirty places I'm desperate to visit, and I'm determined to get through.

Travelling's one of the most important things in my life, I get restless staying in one place for too long, and I'm always dreaming of some far off exciting land. It's what makes life exciting in my opinion. It's experiencing a whole new way of life you never could have imagined, or seeing landscapes conjured straight out of your daydream, or an assault to all of your senses which hits you in one go. Whatever your experience, I think you're changed and shaped by every trip you make, from the people you meet, to the sights you see. 

You'd think that in this increasingly global world, people would be becoming more open and welcoming to others from all walks of life, but it doesn't seem to always be the case. So many people are closed minded, and shut off to any possibilities, taking out their fears and resentments on anyone who is different to them. But I think travelling is the best way to open your mind and change your perspectives, and make you realise that the world is far bigger and more amazing than you possibly could have fathomed.

Give Something More Than Presents This Christmas

Did you know that more than 1 in 3 families across the UK are just one pay check from losing their homes? (Shelter)

As I was walking to university the other day, I came across an all too common sight: a man, bedraggled and lonely, sitting on the side of the pavement with a cup placed in front of him.

No matter where you are in the world, countryside or city, so-called 'developed' country or 'developing', you can't escape the pervasiveness of homelessness. It's an issue with no borders, no end in sight, and for most people who struggle with this every day, little to no hope.

Why Beijing Should Be On Your Bucket List

When you think of must-see travel destinations, I bet there are a few destinations common to many others- Bali, Paris, New York, Rome, New Zealand....

Beijing probably isn't on the top of that list, or even at all.

But it should be.

If I'm honest, I had relatively low expectations of Beijing before I spent two weeks there this summer. I had pictures of somewhere grey, pollution so thick I could barely see the tops of buildings, and an oppressive atmosphere with the whole internet censorship.

I could not have been more wrong!

How To Style | The Statement Coat

Remember me? After starting the year with such high hopes about regularly blogging, it gradually petered out until I ended up posting nothing all summer.... I was definitely stuck in a blogging rut, and couldn't think of any posts I was desperate to write. I think after exams, the last thing I wanted to do was write and concentrate, and I was barely home this summer (although I will never complain about how much travelling I've done).

I'm back feeling ready to write, photograph and get creative again which is the best feeling, and I think living in London during Autumn/Winter helps, because it's definitely my favourite time of the year to live here. We've got it all- overpriced artisanal coffees which taste like Christmas, huge parks to crunch through all the fallen, burnished, beautiful leaves, lights and magical evening walks along the Thames, and ALL the food markets.

After being in Norway for six months, I'm back in London and I have to say, I've missed it. My first proper week back has been a wonderful whirlwind, reminding me of how much I love this city. 

This statement coat has been worth every penny, taking me from Summer to Autumn with ease- instead of chucking it on top of dresses during balmy evenings, I'm toughening it up and cosying up in it as I match my Autumnal surroundings.

What I've Learnt From Studying Abroad

I know... it's been a while! The last few months have been a whirlwind of exams, making sure I'd seen everything I'd wanted to in Oslo before I left, moving back home, and adjusting to life back in Blighty. Towards the end of my time abroad I'd felt like I was ready to come back home, but I found coming back harder than I thought I would.

It takes a while to get used to somewhere, and by the time I left Oslo, I'd really carved out a life for myself. Strangely enough, moving back home felt like leaving behind normality and what had become my main life. It was weird losing my independence, leaving my new friends and returning to old ones, getting used to another lifestyle, and just generally returning to my old life as a very different person.

Initially, I was terrified of moving abroad and having to start over again, but now I was scared of going back to my old life, when I felt that I'd changed and grown so much. Living alone, in a strange new country, really makes you aware of who you are, and I've learnt so much. It's taking time, but I'm slowly adjusting back to my life here, with memories which I know will last a lifetime. 

5 Hours in Copenhagen

Spontaneity is the key to numerous incredible experiences. Saying yes on a whim can be one of the best decisions- who knows where it'll take you? This weekend it took me on a free trip to Copenhagen on an overnight ferry (I use the word ferry extremely loosely, it was more like a floating amusement centre) from Oslo and back again in time for uni work on Monday.

Or at least that was my intention. The final instalment in one of my favourite book trilogies came out, but reading is educational... right?

I wrote a post about my trip to Copenhagen last February, but daym seeing this beautiful city illuminated in sunshine rather than muted by heavy clouds has given me a whole new love for it.