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.

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!

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.

Why Tallinn Is the Hidden Gem You Should Visit

When you think of a fairytale setting, images of towering spires, winding cobbled lanes, colourful little houses and a bustling vibrancy to the place probably come to mind, right? Well enter the old town of Tallinn, a place I fell in love with in all of, ooh, maybe ten minutes.

A Weekend Break in Helsinki

Slowly, this blog has been becoming more and more of a travel blog, and I can't say I'm too gutted about that! The Erasmus student scheme has just turned 30 years old, and it got me thinking how grateful I am to have been able to study in Oslo as part of it. It's opened up places, people, ways of thinking and travel opportunities I would never have had- this weekend I'm going on a free (yes, FREE!) trip to Copenhagen with the café I volunteer with, and if that's not excellent payment for a few shifts I don't know what is... 

But enough about Denmark, this post is all about Finland, with a little bit of Estonia thrown in for good measure! I went on a lil mini-break last week with a friend, as it was a part of Scandinavia we'd both wanted to visit for a while. I wasn't really sure what to expect, Helsinki is a bit like Oslo in the sense that it's often overlooked by it's cooler Scandi neighbours, Copenhagen and Stockholm, but I would have to say it's a hidden gem!

What To Do On A Weekend Break In Bologna

Bologna probably isn't somewhere that's particularly high on your list of must-see places, but after having spent a weekend there, I completely fell for this quaint, charming little city. On a spontaneous whim, my mum and I booked a girls weekend there last week, and were immediately hooked when we got there. It's not as well known as Florence, or iconic as Rome, but it's stunningly beautiful, interesting and so unspoilt and untoursity.

It has three nicknames- the 'fat', the 'learned', and the 'red'. The first for its delectable range of restaurants, trattorias and food markets; the second for the oldest university in the world located there; and the last for the beautiful terracotta buildings stretching across the city. Amazing food, fascinating culture and history, and stunning surroundings- what more could you want in a holiday destination?

5 Underrated (And Cheap!) Things To Do In Oslo

I just had one of those wonderful weekends which really made me appreciate just how lucky I am. Lucky to have the chance to live and study in a beautiful Scandinavian city. Lucky to have amazing people in my life. Lucky to have the chance to really make the most of my time in Oslo, and to experience everything I possibly can.

Having visitors always makes me fall in love with Oslo more. Seeing this incredible city through the eyes of someone who has never been here before, seeing the awe at the vast, sweeping landscapes, and general delight at the way of life. A quick google will give you a long list of things to do and places to see here, but I wanted to add my own suggestions. These are five of my favourite things to do in Oslo, and things which I'd say are supremely underrated, like Oslo itself really.

1. Tobogganing