February Newsletter

Hello everyone,

So I know that we are wellllll into March now but I’ve been meaning to post my February newsletter for AGES and I figured that it would be better late than never! My February was spent catching up with friends and doing lots of bloggy stuff – I’m currently working on redesigning my site so hopefully I’ll start unveiling this soon. I also squeezed in a trip to Brighton and cheered my(single) self up with a Valentines night out! Here’s how my February went…

I decided to take the 12 Trips Challenge

 

 

So this year I’ve decided to take the 12 trips challenge and book one day out/evening stay per month for a whole year! I’ve already booked a number of trips for the first part of this year and am excited to see what the rest of 2016 will hold! Are you taking part in the 12 trips challenge this year?

 

My #Londonin4 challenge was promoted by VisitLondon.com

 

 

I also took part in my first ever Twitter competition this month, anyone that knows me will know how much I LOVE London so I couldn’t help myself when I noticed that VisitLondon.com were asking followers to tweet their best 4 photos of the city. I was pleased with the images I’d chosen and even more pleased when their official Twitter page shared it! Over 70 favorites and 22 retweets made it one of their most engaging posts – yayyy!

 

I headed to Brighton for the first time!

 

 

I was sooo excited to head down to Brighton for the first time EVER at the end of the month when I visited my best friend! We stayed at her house in Littlehampton, not far from Brighton, but headed into the city for dinner, drinks and a night out as well as a whistle stop tour of the major attractions during our time there. I LOVED Brighton and cannot wait to return soon!

 

I celebrated National Rare Disease Day

 

 

Right at the end of the month I decided to share something personal to me as part of National Rare Disease Day which took place on 29th Feb. I’ll keep this brief as the blog post speaks for itself but I’m proud to say that, although I suffer with an illness, I won’t let it stop me from enjoying my travels!

I went to the theatre… again!

 

Opening night of @chicagomusical what a show!! 🎭🎷 #theatre #musical #oxford #chicago #fridaynight #allthatjazz

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So I know I’ve been to the theatre a LOT lately but I think this is probably my last show for a while! I headed to Oxford New Theatre at the start of the month for the opening night of  Chicago the Musical, the UK tour. The show was incredible and the cast were amazing – we had such a good night and it’s something I would recommend to everyone – who doesn’t love a bit of all that jazz?!

So that’s it, my overdue February Newsletter is complete! Hope you enjoyed reading- what did you get up to last month? Stay tuned for some HUGE news coming soon on the blog….

Love Jess x

Brighton ready 👯🍸 #brighton #drinks #nightout

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24 Hours in Brighton!

 

Hi everyone,

So this weekend I returned from a super short stay in one of the most lively cities in the UK – and what a blast it was! Brighton is a trendy seaside resort brimming with quirky cafes, bars and restaurants as well as a multitude of high street and designer stores. You’ll also find Britain’s answer to the Taj Mahal, a similar looking London Eye and one of the best piers in the country! On a time limit and wanting to explore as much of the city as possible? Read on for my guide to exploring Brighton in 24 hours…

Where to Stay

 

Brighton has a huge range of  hotels from grand buildings with glorious sea views to small, tucked away hostels and B&B’s for those on a budget. The Hilton and Mercure are particularly impressive with a prime sea front location whilst the Travelodge in the centre of the city offers good value for money.

 

I actually stayed at my friends house in Littlehampton, around a 40 min drive from Brighton, but if I returned I’d love to stay at one of the central hotels so I could be in the heart of the action (and avoid the taxi ride home at silly o’clock in the morning!)

 

What to See

 

There’s LOADS to see and do in Brighton, least of all Britain’s answer to India’s iconic Taj Mahal! The Royal Pavilion is a beautiful building right in the centre of the city and is perhaps Brighton’s most visited tourist attraction.

 

 

 

There’s also the world famous pier with its dazzling lights and candyfloss stalls, the pier that got burnt down twice (it’s still half standing in the sea!) and a decent sized Ferris Wheel offering views of the sea and surrounding city.

 

In addition, you’ll find a Sealife Centre, Museum & Art Gallery and Theatre Royal as well as the pretty marina.

Where to Shop

 

 

Brighton is brimming with high street and designer stores as well as quirky, independent and locally owned shops offering handmade goods and quality clothing. Head down to Churchill Square for world renowned stores all under one roof- perfect on a rainy day!

Alternatively, Brighton is also well known for its kooky shopping streets, The Lanes, where you’ll find cafe’s, patisseries, craft shops, record stores and clothes shops aplenty.

https://www.instagram.com/p/_AEsWkHKdI/?tagged=thelanesbrighton

Where to Eat

As it’s such a huge city, Brighton has no end of foodie places on offer from well known chain restaurants including Bills and Bella Italia to locally owned independent Indian restaurants and fish and chip shops!

New #coconut colada made with #Venezuelan #rum – #latin #Wednesday in #brighton

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Head down to the seafront where you’ll find an abundance of high end restaurants and luxury eateries including the fantastic Salt Room serving meat and fish specifically.

Where to Drink

Brighton is well known for having a colourful nightlife with its its array of lively bars, clubs and pubs it’s certainly an eventful night out! Big clubs in the city include Pryzm and Vodka Revs with well known pubs including Wetherspoons and Walkabout also making an appearance.

Brighton ready 👯🍸 #brighton #drinks #nightout

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So there you have it, my complete travel guide to a city break in Brighton! Hope you’ve enjoyed the read – stay tuned for my February Newsletter coming up next!

Love Jess x

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Travelling with an illness… Happy rare disease day!

rarediseaseday

Hello everyone,

This is slightly personal and I wasn’t sure if I should post this at first but, after realizing that today was a special day, I couldn’t help but put this blog post together. 29th February is Rare Disease Day, an annual event which provides the rare disease community across the world the opportunity to increase awareness of rare diseases and highlight them as a public health priority to government departments. I actually have quite a rare condition which does impact my life, particularly as an avid traveller! Here’s my story…

When I was 18 I started to become poorly. I was being sick, weirdly leaking from my breasts, having severe headaches and generally feeling very tired, faint and dizzy. It took all of my energy to just do even the smallest of tasks. After endless tests, prods and trips to the doctors an MRI scan on my brain showed a small growth and I was finally diagnosed with a microprolactinoma. Put simply, a microprolactinoma is a benign, pea sized tumor on the pituitary gland in the brain which causes an imbalance of the hormone prolactin in the body. At first I was completely terrified, hearing the words ‘brain’ and ‘tumor’ in the same sentence was overwhelming and I was upset, confused and scared. I had no idea what a microprolactinoma was, and a Google search was filled with forums of other women, and even men, discussing how the condition had impacted upon their lives.

The thing that jumped out at me most was the subject of fertility, and the problems that a prolactinoma can cause. In many cases the hormones produced by a prolactinoma make it difficult for women to conceive, and this is something I really struggled to comprehend. Anyone that knows me will know how much I love children and that the only thing I’ve ever really wanted to do in life is be a mum. The thought that I may never achieve what I’ve always dreamt about is completely crushing, but I know there are other options available and many women have gone on to have children despite suffering with a prolactinoma.

Nowadays my life consists of regular doctors appointments, 3monthly blood tests, 6 monthly hospital appointments with my consultant, occasional MRI scans and 9monthly appointments at the eye hospital to check the tumor isn’t pressing on the back of my optic nerves. It’s been almost 5 years since I was diagnosed. At first I was told I’d be on tablets for life, but earlier on this year I came off them for the first time since 2011 as my consultant wanted to see how my body would react without relying on the tablets. I was feeling really healthy and doctors were pleased with my progress.

Unfortunately, just before Christmas last year I started becoming unwell again and symptoms from my initial diagnosis were coming back. My headaches were getting worse and I was feeling similar to the way I felt right at the start of my illness. In November I was advised to go back on my medication after blood tests confirmed my prolactin levels had increased significantly. I’ve been on the tablets since then and my next check up is mid March so hopefully there will be a slight improvement and I’ll start feeling better soon!

 

Back in October I ran a fun run for The Pituitary Foundation, a charity who have been incredibly supportive of my condition over the past 5 years. I managed to raise over £300 for the charity and you can donate to my JustGiving page at any time – better late than never! You can also donate directly to Pituitary’s Rare Disease Day as well.

I suppose what I’m really trying to say is, even if you have an illness or a medical condition, DON’T let it limit your life! Make the most of every single day we have on this beautiful planet and, if you travel a lot like me you can still live your life to the full and do whatever the hell you want (within reason!) Although my symptoms affect me daily and my appointments limit me to the amount of time I can spend out of the country, I know that things could be so much worse and am just thankful that I am being well looked after by the fantastic doctors and consultants at Oxford University Hospitals.

If, like me, you live with a health condition and travel often I’d recommend the following tips on travelling safely:

– don’t over exert yourself or feel like you have to keep up with people, take it easy and take each day as it comes

– remember to take your medication, different routines often bring forgetfulness!

– don’t suffer in silence.. tell someone! Even if you don’t want to go into detail about your illness just inform someone so they can keep an eye on you

– don’t get fed up with your illness, remember that there are millions of people suffering across the world, most probably worse off than you if you’re still able to travel! Keep your chin up and carry on as normal

I also have another condition, a recurring cyst on my ovary which causes me pain every few weeks, but that is a WHOLE other story! So I’ll leave you with this parting line… Happy Rare Disease Day people – get out there and grab life with both hands… you’ll regret it if you don’t!

Love Jess x

 

 

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I'm Taking the 12 Trips Challenge!

Hey everyone!

So I thought I’d follow on from my recent Bucket List post and share with you some of my upcoming travel adventures for 2016! I’ve been inspired by Monica Stott from The Travel Hack to take the annual 12 trips challenge which, in essence, means taking one trip a month for the next 12 months! The trips could range from exotic weeks away in the Maldives, to short weekend city breaks in Europe or even a little day trip to London here in good ol’ Blighty. With so much to see and do in this beautiful world the choices are endless, and the trips can be as basic or as luxurious as you like!

I’ve decided to take part in the 12 trips challenge as I LOVE visiting new places and I’ve also set myself the task of visiting 25 countries before the age of 25! I’ve ticked off ten so far but I’ve still got a fair few to go! So, without further ado, here is the first part of my 2016 travel plans which showcase some of my 12 trips challenge.. the rest will all fall into place I’m sure I hope!

January

What a show! Literally had goosebumps the WHOLE way through! Incredible. 😱🇬🇧🎭👏

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I kick-started my 2016 with a day trip to the capital with the fam to see the fantastic Les Miserables in London’s West End. We spent the day shopping on Oxford Street, exploring  Covent Garden and stopping for lunch at Leicester Square. I’m always wanting an excuse to revisit my favourite city so this made the perfect little day trip!

February

My only planned trip for February is the cosmopolitan city of Brighton. Me and my friend are meeting up with one of our besties who moved there last year and we can’t wait to hit the shops, bars and clubs.. oh, and the beach too although it’ll be FREEZING this time of year!

PS. Thanks Sophie for the insta inspo!

March

At the moment March is the ONLY month I haven’t got anything planned for!! Hopefully I can be a little bit spontaneous though and book in a little visit somewhere- I’m thinking a day trip to Bath Spa for some shopping and a ladies lunch? Failing that I could always just go into Oxford for the day.. I mean, I know it’s my home, but it’s SO BEAUTIFUL that it must count as a trip? Right?!

April

April will see me returning to London as I’ve been shortlisted to win BEST TRAVEL BLOG at the UK Blog Awards 2016!! I still can’t believe I’m shortlisted and it hasn’t quite sunk in yet! This will be my first EVER awards ceremony and it promises to be an incredible night in Westminster – I’m totally honoured to be attending and will be so excited to share this journey with you all!

May

Bournemouth is beautiful today! ☀️ #bournemouth #bournemouthbeach

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I’m currently looking at not one but TWO trips for this fun filled month – okay, so I know that’ll break the rules but it will be worth it! I’m hoping to head to Dublin for a little city break during the first bank holiday – Ireland will be another country to tick off my list! And I’m also going down to Bournemouth for my best friends hen do (I’M BRIDESMAID AND IM SO EXCITED!!!)

PS. Thank you Hayley for the insta inspo!

June

🎉👯🌹😘

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June is my super duper top secret month which I’ve planned but I can’t share any details yet!! I promise that all will be revealed in March in a special post but until then my lips are SEALED!! Oh, and at the start of the month I have TWO weddings to attend to – one in the Cotswolds and the other in Liverpool the very next day! I cannot wait to see my best friend and my cousin get married! I am most definitely feeling the love at the moment! <3

July

July will see me head to the beautiful Scandinavian capital of Stockholm in Sweden for my first EVER bloggers conference! I’m heading to TBEX Europe with some of lovely fellow travel bloggers Sophie, Emma & Victoria and we cannot wait to explore the city, learn more about our industry and of course meet lots of amazing new people! Wait, did somebody say closing party?!

So there’s my travel plans for the first part of 2016 – who knows, things could all change but I’m pretty sure that’s what my diary is going to look like for the next six months! I will of course reveal my secret June plans soon but, until then, I’d love to hear how you’re all going to be taking the 12 trips challenge? Keep me posted!

Love Jess x

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Britain's Most Romantic Getaways

Hi everyone,

For all you lovers out there you’ll be well aware that it’s coming up to the highly anticipated Valentines Day this Sunday! If however you’re single like me, you’ll just be excited for the half price chocolate that’ll be on offer in stores the next day 😉

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In all seriousness though, whether you’re attached or not, Valentine’s is a great excuse to escape for a little weekend away. I’ve put together some inspo from all corners of the UK and thought I’d share seven of my FAVOURITE destinations for that all important romantic getaway…

Bath

Oh beautiful Bath, where to begin?! Located on the banks of the River Avon, this Roman World Heritage city is one of the most visited in the UK and is truly something special. For an unforgettable romantic experience head to the Thermae Bath Spa for a series of treatments and bathe in naturally warm mineral waters whilst enjoying incredible panoramic views across the entire city. Bath Abbey is also a sight not to be missed, especially when it’s all lit up at night!

Oxford

Ok, so I know I’m biased as I just happened to be born here, but Oxford really is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! From the cobbled little side streets to the iconic university buildings and the bustling covered market, Oxford has it all. Go punting along the River Thames, enjoy afternoon tea in a posh hotel or explore some of the world famous Harry Potter film locations; with so much to see and do in Oxford you’ll never be bored during your romantic getaway!

York

Like Oxford, the ancient city of York is bursting with hidden cobbled streets and cute little cafes and shops just waiting to be discovered! Aside from shopping and enjoying some of the many eateries on offer why not take a step over to the dark side and explore the fantastic York Dungeons or take a ghost walk around the city? You’ll be sure to cling to each other as you tour the beautiful Minster and learn all about York’s varied history from its Roman, Viking and Medieval times!

Edinburgh

This Scottish capital is on my wanderlust wishlist and is somewhere I’m just dying to visit. Edinburgh has so much to see and do and is one of the prettiest places in Britain with an added touch of romance. Visit the stunning Edinburgh Castle, head to the local zoo (home to the UK’s only koala bears!), catch a show at the Royal Lyceum Theatre or hit Princes Street for some serious shopping. With so much to see and do you’ll be sure to have a fantastic time – don’t forget to wrap up warm though as the Scottish winds make for some sub-zero temperatures!

The Lake District

Late afternoon in the Lake District in northern England. 👍🏼

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The Lake District is England’s largest national park home to almost 3000 square kilometers of rolling countryside, beautiful mountains and yep you guessed it, an endless amount of lakes. Take a boat cruise along Lake Windermere, explore the market towns of Keswick and Kendal or enjoy some traditional English food in one of the many old pubs and inns dotted about the region whilst admiring the stunning scenery. For those of you who are a little more adventurous why not get in your sports gear and attempt to climb some mountains? You know you want to…

The Cotswolds

So I’m biased AGAIN (hey, I’m allowed to be😝) but for a quintessentially romantic countryside break you just can’t beat a stay in the beautiful Cotswolds! I’m lucky enough to have been brought up here and I do take it for granted, but there’s so many places that I’m STILL exploring even now! Head over to Bibury, Burford or Bourton on the Water for cute little days out; you’ll find shops, cafes and restaurants aplenty all set in the prettiest of locations. For somewhere less touristy try Broadway or Chipping Campden which are equally as beautiful!

London

How could I NOT include our very own capital city in this special wanderlust list?! Although somewhat commercialised and highly expensive, there’s just something about London that sees people returning time and time again, especially when there’s a special occasion to celebrate! For something romantic I’d recommend taking a dinner cruise across the River Thames or hopping on the London Eye for unparalleled views across the city. If extravagance isn’t your thing grab dinner in Soho or catch a theatre show in the West End.. the options are unlimited in London and you’ll be spoilt for choice during your romantic stay!

So there you have it, that’s my pick of the most romantic getaways in the UK! Where else would you include in yours? Have you been to many of these places before? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

💜Happy Valentine’s Day you beautiful people!!💜

Love Jess x

NB. Thanks to Quiet Achiever, Love Great Britain & World Places for the Instagram inspo in addition to my own pics!

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