,

Contiki Grand Southern Tour Part Three

Last night in #florida 💖🇺🇸 #staugustine

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

Miami rooftops 🎉🇺🇸 #saturdaynight

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

Hi guys, part three of my Contiki trip is here!

After we left Orlando we visited three other cities in the state of Florida before making our way down to Georgia, Charleston and Raleigh. We’ve had a hectic week exploring lots of different places; highlights have included parasailing on Daytona Beach and hopping on a thriller speed boat ride in Miami! Here’s how the past few days have turned out…

Miami

 

I'm in Miami bitchhh! 🇺🇸🎉🇺🇸🎉 #noregrets #grandsouthern #miami

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

I was sooo looking forward to reaching Miami as it’s somewhere I have always wanted to go and I certainly wasn’t disappointed! We spent time on the famous Miami beach swimming in the sea, checking out the trendy range of bars, shops and restaurants and hitting up some of the many clubs dotted around this iconic city. We also went on a thriller speed boat ride across Biscayne bay and ventured out to Star Island where we saw the homes of famous A-listers including Brad Pitt,  Jennifer Lopez and Sylvester Stallone. Miami was incredible and I would go back in a heart beat!

Daytona Beach

 

Another day another beach 🇺🇸🌊 #daytona

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

We made our way to Daytona after spending two nights partying it up in Miami so it was a welcome break when we were able to chill out on the beach and soak up some sun! We ventured down the promenade, visited the arcades and rides, hit the shops and also had a little movie night down at the local cinema. My absolute highlight was parasailing along the beach; being hoisted 600ft up in the air, cruising along with the waves lapping down below and watching dolphins swimming in the distance – possibly one of the best things I have ever done in my life!

St Augustine

St Augustine 😍🇺🇸 #Florida #contiki #noregrets

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

Ah this place is so beautiful!! I didn’t expect much from this little town at all, but St Augustine has been one of my favorite locations on the tour so far! We explored the historic fortress, cobbled streets and old buildings during our short stay and it was one of the most picturesque places I have ever been to. For those of you who like Spain or anywhere with a Mediterranean vibe, this is the place for you- it really is beautiful!

 

I went to infinity and beyond in space today 🇺🇸🚀 @nasa #USA #america #nasa #contiki #noregrets #kennedyspacecenter #grandsouthern

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

After our stay-over we made our way to Savannah via the Kennedy Space Centre and stopped to explore NASA HQ for a while! The centre was interactive, informative and so interesting and we certainly saw some iconic space sights during our day there – we loved going to infinity and beyond!

Savannah

Arrived in #Savannah and it is BEAutiful! 🇺🇸😍 #Georgia #america #USA #contiki #noregrets #grandsouthern @contiki @statravel

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

Much like St Augustine, Savannah turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip! We spent two nights in this beautiful city exploring the cobbled streets, local restaurants and bars and soaking up the Georgian history. We also took a ghost tour around the haunted streets of the city stopping at a couple of spooky sites to see if we could check out some paranormal activity. Savannah is a beautiful place and I’m thrilled to have spent two nights there exploring everything properly!

Charleston

 

#Charleston 🇺🇸🇺🇸

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

This was one of my favourite spots but unfortunately we had barely any time at all to explore this little gem! Brimming with cute café’s, shops, bars and restaurants, the city’s harbour also boasts resident porpoises and other sea life. There was so much history and culture on offer in the city and I just wish we had the time to see more!

#tbt to this place in #Charleston 🇺🇸 #America #USA #contiki #grandsouthern #noregrets #throwbackthursday

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

On our way back from Charleston we stopped at Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, home to America’s last large scale romantic style gardens. This is also the site where a number of slaves were kept during the slave trade in America and we learnt a lot about the history of this as well as exploring the beautiful gardens, local petting zoo and original house owned by the Drayton family.

Raleigh

 

 

We literally only had one night here in this little place and really didn’t get to explore much of it at all, but we did have dinner and check out the adventure land where we acted like big kids playing go karting, laser quest and mini golf! I’m not sure what there was to explore in Raleigh but it looked super cute.. answers on a postcard please!

I can’t believe that I’m now on the final stretch of this trip and in just a few days time it will all be over! I am having the time of my life and so don’t want to go home! My final few days will be recapped in part four of my blog and I’ll post this ASAP.

Speak soon!

Love Jess x

 

Savannah ghost hunting with my #contiki fam 👻💀👻💀

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

 

Savannah and Charleston, you've both been beautiful!! Next stop Washington DC 🇺🇸🇺🇸 #noregrets #contiki #grandsouthern

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

/by
,

Contiki Grand Southern Tour Part Two

 

Baseball baseball ⚾️⚾️ #Memphis

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

Hey everyone!

Part two of my American adventure is here! Sorry about the wait but I’ve just been having too much fun to blog 😉 Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been everywhere from New Orleans to Miami and I’ve had a blast! Here’s what I’ve been doing…

Fortworth/Dallas

Ah Texas you stole my heart! I absolutely loved my time in this state and Fortworth/Dallas were one of the highlights for me. We strolled around the western town of Fortworth and explored the historic stockyards before making a day trip to Dallas. We visited the Sixth Floor Museum, the site where the late president John F Kennedy was assassinated, and paid tribute to him at one of the many memorials around the city. We also visited the Dallas Cowboys football stadium for a private tour which was a fantastic experience and somewhere definitely worth stopping if your a sporting fan! There’s so much I haven’t seen of Texas and its one of my favourite states so I’ll definitely return one day!

 

 

Stockyard station at #fortworth 🐴🚂 #Texas

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

Memphis

After crossing the Mississippi river, stopping at Texarkana, and being in two states at the same time, we made our way towards the rock n roll city of Memphis, Tennessee. We toured Graceland, the home of Mr Elvis Presley, and visited Sun Studios where the likes of The King, Johnny Cash and Jerry-Lee Lewis recorded. We also hit up Beale Street for some epic nightlife and watched a minor league baseball game at the Memphis Redbirds Autozone Park. Memphis was such a vibrant city with so much to see and do; if you’re a music fan this is most definitely the place for you!

 

 

 

New Orleans

New Orleans was a funny place for me, I still don’t know how I feel about it and I’ve been thinking about this since I left there! It’s not that I didn’t enjoy myself, it’s just that I felt there wasn’t enough to see and do to make it stand out for me. I felt the whole place was hot, busy and slightly smelly but that may have been all the sewage problems! Having said that, I had a fantastic time alligator hunting on a swamp boat and enjoying some authentic jazz music down on French street!

 

 

We also explored the local flea market to pick up some bargains and saw the fairytale square of Jackson Square both at night and during the daytime. I may need to return to central New Orleans in order to get the most out of this city as we were staying in the downtown area, but I’d love to hear your thoughts or tips on how I can get the most out of any potential future visits! I also did an Instagram takeover for Travelex UK during my time in the city – head over and check out their Insta page to see my selection of photos!

 

 

Panama City beach

Panama City Beach was one of the hidden gems of Florida and I had a wonderful time with the most amazing view from the hotel room! We spent most of our time at the beach, having dinner and exploring some of the local shops. Panama was beautiful and I really could have done with one more night there!

Orlando

Orlando was one of the highlights for me, mainly because I went to the happiest place on earth!! For any of you that know me well enough, I’m the worlds biggest Disney fan and have been wanting to visit Walt Disney World for as long as I can remember. My dreams finally came true in Orlando and I spent 15 hours running around the parks like a child from dawn til dark! I watched the parades and the fireworks, went on tonnes of rides, ran around after characters and just soaked up the Disney atmosphere in full. I had the time of my life at Disney and can’t wait to go back one day! 💖

 

 

After Orlando we ventured to other parts of Florida and have just been to Georgia for two nights checking out the charming city of Savannah! As you can tell, I’m a little behind on the blog posts but I’ll write again with part three ASAP.

Don’t forget you can still follow my adventure on snapchat @jessica16_x as well as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Until next time!

Love Jess x

 

Finally found my dream horse 🐴🐴 #Dallas

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

#Texas you've been a blast! Next stop #Memphis 🔫🇺🇸🎉 @contiki #noregrets #USA #america #contiki #grandsouthern

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

/1 Comment/by

Ready, set, USA here I come!

Ahhh my last day at home before my big American adventure tomorrow!! ✈️🇺🇸@contiki #noregrets

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

Guys, I can’t believe I’m saying this but this time tomorrow I’ll be boarding my plane to Los Angeles ready to start my big American adventure!!!! OHMYFREAKINGLORD!!! Time has literally flown by since I booked my trip with STA Travel back in January (shout out to Joe for being so amazing) and I cannot believe the big day is almost upon me…

For those of you who don’t know, back in March I announced that I’d quit my office job in order to travel the world, grow my blog and try to make a career in the travel industry. First on my wanderlust list is an epic road trip with Contiki Holidays across America, from LA to NYC, taking in the bright lights of Las Vegas, Miami and Washington along the way. Back then it all seemed like a fantasy, just a distant dream, but now it is actually happening and it’s just starting to feel a tiny bit real!

1a

I’m not sure what I’m more excited about; the prospect of taking a helicopter ride across the Grand Canyon, or doing a swamp boat tour down in New Orleans! What I do know though is that I’m going to have the adventure of a lifetime and make so many memories. What’s more is that I’m doing it ALL BY MYSELF with no one to hold me back or bring me down and I am so excited to stand on my own two feet, experience a totally different life and just enjoy my month long adventure with my fellow Contiki travel mates.

Now that I’m all packed, my dollars have arrived and I’ve checked into my flights online I can finally start to countdown to my American adventure and look forward to my epic trip ahead!

 

For those of you that are wanting to come along for the ride please follow me on social media as I won’t have the time to write actual blog posts until I return to the UK in July. I’ll be posting as many photos as I can though as and when I have WiFi access so that I can keep in touch with my friends and family back home. As always, you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as my new Snapchat account @jessica16_x

So I guess this is it… see you on the other side!

Love Jess x

/by

May Newsletter!

Hi everyone,

For the first time in agggeeesss I’m finally writing this newsletter before the month has even ended – normally I post my monthly newsletter way in to the next month just because I’m always so busy! However, now that I’ve quit my job, I’ve magically found the time to put this newsletter together for you. I have had a RIDICULOUS month; I’ve been busy every weekend and now don’t have a free weekend til 9th July but I am absolutely loving life! Here’s how my May turned out…

I’m now officially a full time traveller

 

So that's it, I have finished working at Martin and Co, never thought this day would come! It has been such a big part of my life for the past five years and has brought me so much happiness! I've met so many wonderful people, made the most amazing friends and have memories to last a lifetime. When I was 18 everyone told me to go to uni and enjoy being young instead of getting a full time job but, you know what, working has been the best thing for me and has made me into the person I am today. I'm strong and independent and have worked hard day in day out to make a better future for myself. Now that I'm able to support myself financially I'm finally able to achieve my dream and travel the world, something that wouldn't have been possible had I not been working. I will miss everyone so much and the memories will last a lifetime. I've been a blubbering mess ALL DAY but I know in my heart the time is right for me to leave. Time now to enjoy the bank holiday weekend and celebrate my long awaited freedom… Happy Friday y'alll 🎉💐🎊

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

I can’t believe this has finally happened… I have now officially left my admin job after five years to travel the world! I was incredibly sad to say goodbye to my wonderful friends and colleagues, but I knew I was doing the right thing by leaving. I now feel an overwhelming sense of freedom and cannot wait for my future travel adventures! First stop, LA baby!

I dealt with my first ever piece of criticism

 

👊👊

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

This was something totally new for me; in my two years of blogging I have never once received a piece of negative feedback about my writing until a few weeks ago, when my latest post for Yahoo Style UK was published. I had put together my pick of Britain’s Best Cities and received some pretty nasty comments within just a few hours of the post being published. A lot of the commenters were just trolls, or spammers, with nothing better to do, but it still hurt and made me doubt my credibility as a writer. I have however turned a negative into a positive, saw the attention as a backhanded compliment, and will use the criticism constructively when writing my future posts. Have a look for yourself by reading the article, and the comments, and  don’t be afraid to tell me what you really think!

I enjoyed a fantastic spa weekend

 

#throwback to last weekend's home from home 📷🏡 @cotswoldwaterpark

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

My beautiful sister Hannah celebrated her 21st birthday a couple of weeks ago and it was certainly one to remember! We spent the day shopping and having cocktails at a rooftop bar in Oxford before enjoying a posh meal out in the evening as a family. We then booked a surprise trip to  the wonderful Cotswold Water Park Four Pillars hotel for a girly spa weekend away and we had the best time!

I finally downloaded Snapchat

 

Finally caved and got #snapchat.. go add me on there! @jessica16_x 🙋🙋

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

So I’ve FINALLY caved and downloaded the phenomenon that is Snapchat after years of saying I’d never do it! I kinda couldn’t be bothered for yet another social media account but I realised that Snapchat is a really fun way of showcasing my travels and allowing my followers, friends and family to see what I’m doing and where I’m travelling to, especially as I’m going to be in America for a month. Don’t forget to add my username jessica16_x to keep up to date with all my latest adventures!

I went to Bournemouth for my best friends hen do

 

Last night in #Bournemouth with my girly, the beautiful bride to be! 👰👸💖 @kirstymichelle11 #prinnys #bride #bridesmaid #besties

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

Ahh Bournemouth, I hadn’t seen you in so long! A couple of weeks ago my best friend and beautiful bride to be, Kirsty, and eight of us other girls headed down to the coast to celebrate the hen do. The sun was shining and particular highlights of the weekend included outdoor fun at Go Ape and watching The Dreamboys show at Halo Nightclub. In between the partying, jumping off trees and staring at hot guys on stage we found the time to sunbathe on the beach, eat ice cream and go shopping! The big day itself is tomorrow and I’m so honoured to be Kirsty’s bridesmaid! <3

I met the Prime Minister

 

 

So this isn’t blog related AT ALL but, yeah, I met the Prime Minister of Great Britain last week and I just thought I should share that with you! Basically in my old job (sounds so weird saying that) our office was opposite David Cameron’s office and we knew he was in town so we got him to pose with us to support our team Twin Town Challenge, a charity event we had taken part in. I don’t think many people can say they’ve met one of the biggest political leaders I the world, so this HAD to make the cut on my May newsletter! 😉

I’ve been reviewing like crazy

 

 

For some reason May has turned into a month long review-fest right here on the blog! I’ve been reviewing everything from hotels and restaurants to afternoon teas and lunch menus. I have thoroughly enjoyed reviewing some of the most beautiful places in and around the Cotswolds over the past few weeks, including Ellenborough Park and Villandry Bicester Village, and have loved sharing them all with you. If you are a brand or PR company and would like me to provide a review for your product, client or company then please do get in touch as I am looking to take on new, relevant projects all the time!

I celebrated my two year blogiversary!

 

So today marks two whole years since my first ever blog post and the day that Journeys with Jessica began! I look back to the day when my little blog was started and I can't believe how far I've come! My journeys have taken me to so many places, from Reykjavik and Prague to Disneyland, Budapest and Barcelona and I've even been nominated for an award!! It only seems fitting that, now, two years on, I'm about to embark on my biggest adventure yet and travel across America for a whole month! I couldn't be more excited for my future and cannot wait to focus on my blog and try to acheive my dream of becoming a full time travel writer! Thank you to EVERYONE who has followed my blog since 2014 and to all my readers who continue to support me – I wouldn't be where I am today without you! Here's to the next two years and many more in the blogosphere! Love Jess x

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

Can you believe that my little blog has been going for TWO WHOLE YEARS already?! Where the heck has that time gone?! For something that started as a small hobby for me I feel it’s really taken off; who’d have thought I’d still be doing this all these months later and even be nominated for an AWARD for it?! The time has absolutely flown by and I have been so proud to watch my blog grow. Thank you to YOU, you beautiful readers, for your continued support and endless love. <3

So there you have it, told you I’ve been busy! I won’t be doing a June newsletter next month as I’m going to be travelling across America for 27 days on my epic Contiki adventure! I am so so excited and will be having way too much fun to be blogging BUT you can come along for the ride too by following my journey on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook AND Snapchat now that I finally have it!

Hope you all have an amazing few weeks and I’ll be back in the UK from mid July with soooo much news for you. Until next time!

Love Jess x

 

New hairrrrrr 💇 #selfie

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

/by

UK Blog Awards #UKBA16

 

I’ve recently returned from one of my blog highlights of the year, the fantastic UK Blog Awards which I was SHORTLISTED for as a top ten travel blogger! I attended the awards with my best friend and had a fantastic evening; the event was super-duper cool and was held in the stunning Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel. Organised in association with Debenhams, Odeon and Hills Balfour, the awards were also sponsored by EventTrees who transformed the ballroom into an enchanted forest wonderland to commemorate Roald Dahl’s 100th birthday year and the release of his latest film, The BFG. Although I didn’t win the coveted Best Travel Blogger award I still had an amazing time…here are my best bits!

The sponsors

 

Got my best dress on and my best friend by my side… UK Blog Awards 2016 let's DO thisssss! 👯🎉 #UKBA16

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

Hosted in association with Odeon, the awards were sponsored by numerous companies across the various industries the bloggers were being judged from. We had Debenhams representing the fashion and beauty section, Hills Balfour representing the travel section and BMW flying the flag for the automotive section. Some fellow bloggers were even chauffeured by BMW to and from the venue (lucky sods!) as a courtesy package – unfortunately I wasn’t able to experience this but, as we were staying in the hotel itself I didn’t think I could complain too much 😉

 

The venue

 

 

The awards were held in the swanky Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel which I had the pleasure of reviewing during my stay. The hotel is one of the largest in London, with over 1000 rooms laid out across 14 floors, and views across the whole of Westminster. With the event kicking off at 7pm sharp, we made our way from our room on level 12, down past reception to level minus two, the ballroom, where we were greeted by staff members and huge Blog Award banners – we definitely knew we were in the right place!

ukblogawards1

Prosecco and canapes were thrust upon us as we entered the ballroom, and we were snapped by photographers and interviewed by journalists straightaway – oh the joys of arriving early! 😉 We had the whole of the ballroom floor and three large rooms to use throughout the evening which made us feel that extra bit special. Entertainment came in the form of a pop up cinema by Odeon (the popcorn was amazing) and a bubble show by Bubbleinc – such a fun concept and, seeing as I’m always in my own little bubble, I thought I might as well be in a REAL LIFE ONE!

 

Quite literally in my own little bubble ☁ ☁ #UKBA16

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

The speeches

The evening was kicked off with a welcome from our host, Kate Russell, journalist, reporter and author who won a UK Blog Award herself at the 2015 ceremony. Kate told us how her profile in the blogosphere has been heightened since her award win last year and how important it is for brands and bloggers to connect with each other in the ever changing world of social media.

 

Gemma Newton, founder of the event, was next to speak and she gave us a real insight into the blogging industry and how important it is becoming in today’s media. Gemma’s inspiring speech made all us bloggers think and take stock – she’s standing up for US and helping US to get recognised by experts, brands and industry professionals.. here’s to the gaining even more power in the industry over the next few years – bloggers unite!

 

The award categories

 

There were 18 categories in total, from weddings and photography to beauty and fashion to travel and lifestyle, with ten shortlisted bloggers in each sector for the individual and company entrants. There were over 150 bloggers nominated in each sector, so to be shortlisted in the top ten is massive achievement in itself!! I was lucky enough to be shortlisted in the individual travel section along with fellow TBloggers Vicki and Chris from Eat Sleep Love Travel, Lucy from Faraway Lucy and Ella from I am Ella. It was so strange to see all our names lit up on the big screen!

travelbloggers

Lucy and I met each other at Traverse16 – we got on like a house on fire and have remained firm friends ever since! This lovely lady was voted Highly Commended in our travel category and I was SO PROUD of her! Congratulations Luce you fully deserved the recognition – love you lots! <3

 

 

The dress code

 

Loved the dress I wore for my awards do on Friday.. Thankyou so much @officialrarelondon 👯👗 #london #rarefashion

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

We were under strict instructions to dress up as glam as we could when attending the awards; for the girls it was either cocktail or floor length dresses and for the boys it was suits all round! I’m so tiny that floor length dresses totally DROWN me so I thought I should opt for fun cocktail number to make me look at least a little glamourous! I chose a sassy little red dress by Rare London, I loved the fit and the style and felt it suited me down to the ground. Thank you Rare for a beautiful dress… I felt a million dollars in it!!

 

The social media exposure

Soo I got this little invite thru the post today.. 8 days and I'll be there! @UKblogawards #UKBA16 ✉🎉 #finalist

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on

 

I have had an ENORMOUS amount of new interest in my blog since I announced that I was shortlisted for this years awards. I’ve been featured in two newspapers and have been interviewed by a local TV company to share my blog awards story. I’ve gained hundreds of new followers across all forms of social media and have made virtual friends with so many people! The weekly #bloghour Twitter chat has also meant that I’ve been actively involved with speaking to event organisers, sponsors, industry professionals and fellow bloggers in the run up to the big night. Thankfully #bloghour will still be running every Tuesday at 9pm so I’ll still get my weekly blogger fix! I’m so grateful for all the exposure that UK Blog Awards has thrown my way and I’ve absolutely LOVED being a part of such a fantastic experience.

 

As I’m sure you can tell, I had a truly wonderful time and am already keen to enter into next year’s awards in order to be re-shortlisted; my next aim is to WIN one of those shiny trophies! A big thank you to everyone for making the event such a success, from the hotel staff to the wonderful organisers. I left with a massive smile on my face, a goody bag and finalist certificate in my hand and a giddy feeling in my heart, although I’m pretty sure that had something to do with all the free Prosecco…. UK Blog Awards, it’s been a blast!

Love Jess x

/2 Comments/by