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April Newsletter

Just back from my TV interview with That's Oxon thanks for having me guys! 🎥📺 #selfie #interview #TV #travel #blogger

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 14, 2016 at 9:06am PDT

 

Hi everyone!

I know I say this literally EVERY month but I cannot believe that May is here! April seemed to whizz by; I went to Cardiff, Liverpool and London and had plenty to keep me busy in between.. Read on to see what I’ve been up to over the last 30 days!

I had my best month EVER for stats

Love receiving notifications like thissss… April has been a crazy month for me! Thanks #wordpress! 💻📝

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on May 5, 2016 at 10:23am PDT

 

So this is pretty motivating, and I love kick starting my monthly updates with some good news! April has been a record month for me, and I’ve had my best ever stats on the blog! I’ve received over 2400 page views alone, more than 250 new followers across Instagram & Twitter and have written and responded to tonnes of emails! My stats really are booming and I am so thrilled that all my hard work is finally starting to pay off and my little blog is getting NOTICED! Thank you as always to you, the readers who really do make a difference! <3

I was featured in the press (and on the telly!)

 

*NEW POST!* Journeys with Jessica in the press.. head over to the blog to see where I've been featured lately! 🎥📺

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 25, 2016 at 11:26am PDT

 

So this month has been absolutely CRAZY in terms of exposure and press attention for my blog! Who would have thought that little old me would make it onto the TELLY?! I was interviewed by The Oxford Mail for my UK Blog Awards nomination which was subsequently posted in their sister paper, The Witney Gazette. I was then contacted by a local travel company owner to see if we could work together, and was also asked to take part in a TV interview with local company That’s Oxfordshire to talk about my how my blog all started. PHEEEEWWWW I’ve never been so in demand 😉 Seriously though it’s been a bloody mental month and I am exhausted but so happy that my blog is starting to get noticed on a much larger scale!

I attended my first ever travel conference in Cardiff

 

 

So I’ve blogged about this soo much but I literally had the best time everrrr at my first travel conference! Traverse 16 was so motivating, inspiring and SO much fun – I met tonnes of new people, made new friends and best of all gained so much confidence. Read my highlights in my separate Traverse blog post – for anyone thinking of attending next year, no matter how little or how much experience you have, just GO FOR IT!

I ran 5 miles for Oxford Children’s Hospital

 

On Sunday 17th April I took on my biggest physical challenge yet by completing a 5 mile run around the beautiful grounds of Blenheim Palace. I was raising money for Oxford Children’s Hospital on behalf of my work team, LET US RUN, where we raised just under £100. A fantastic day was had by all, and I completed the run in just over an hour – considering I had done barely any training at all I didn’t think that was too shabby! If you’d like to donate to Oxford Children’s Hospital please visit my Just Giving page.

 

I went to Liverpool for my cousin’s hen do

hendogirls.png

I was sooo excited to be reunited with all my beautiful family for my cousins hen do at the end of the month. We all headed into Liverpool city centre for a wonderful girly evening and were totally glammed up. We had a superb three course dinner at the quirky Alma de Cuba restaurant, then headed to the chic Palm Sugar bar for cocktail making before ending our night in style by hitting Liverpool’s finest clubs. It’s safe to say there were a few sore heads the next morning, but it was so lovely to be reunited with my beautiful family and I can’t wait until the wedding!

I attended UK Blog Awards 2016!

 

 

So as many of you will know I was SHORTLISTED as a top ten travel blogger at this years UK Blog Awards, beating over 150 other bloggers in the same category. I was so shocked, nervous and excited all in one go and couldn’t wait to attend the awards! I’ll do a separate post about this once I’ve caught up on all my other stuff, but I can tell you that I had the most AMAZING evening and didn’t want it to end! I stayed in the swanky Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel and got to review that for the night which in itself was incredible! I wasn’t a winner on the night,  but to have even been at the event was just such a fantastic experience and I’m so grateful to you lovely lot for voting for me – I certainly wouldn’t have been there without you! Watch out for the full blog post and juicy gossip coming soon 😉

 

 

Soo that’s what I got up to this month, April you’ve been totally crazy! My line up for May is looking equally as hectic with plenty of trips lined up including a weekend in Bournemouth and a luxury spa weekend in Gloucestershire. It’s also going to be my last month at work (OHMYGOD) which means I’ve got sooo much organising to do between now and my Contiki tri in June!! Tell me how your April went by leaving a comment in the box below – I’d love to hear from you!

Love Jess x

💃🎉👯 #liverpool #hendo

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 23, 2016 at 1:16pm PDT

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Hotel review: Park Plaza Westminster Bridge – A Little bit of Luxury in London!

 

So this is the view from our room…. 🇬🇧😍

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 29, 2016 at 6:29am PDT

 

I have just returned from a fantastic weekend away in London with my best friend – we were in town to attend the glitzy UK Blog Awards which I was SHORTLISTED for in the travel category (more about that in another blog post)! The ceremony was held in the swanky Park Plaza hotel in Westminster and it just so happens that I was at the very same hotel last October to review their bar and restaurant! When I heard that the Blog Awards were to be held at the hotel though I couldn’t resist booking a room and bringing my best friend along for the ride. Here’s my full review of this stunning property…

parkplaza

The location

Situated at the end of Westminster Bridge and overlooking Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament and The London Eye, the location of this hotel is truly enviable. The hotel’s most unique feature is its prime position at the heart of London, just a stones throw from two tube stations, numerous eateries and some of the most iconic tourist attractions in the entire city.

 

 

The stunning Westminster Abbey can also be found within the vicinity, just a 10 minute walk away, and the Embankment is just around the corner – the beauty of this hotel’s fantastic location is that you can explore a huge part of London without even needing to hop on a tube!

 

#thisislondon 😍🇬🇧

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 30, 2016 at 1:58pm PDT

The room

The hotel is laid out over 14 floors and is made up of 443 superior rooms, 512 studios and 64 suites/penthouses. For the purpose of my stay I was upgraded to an executive suite with iconic views – basically I had an ENORMOUS studio with separate living room, bathroom and bedroom and had the most stunning views I’ve ever had the privilege of waking up to! On my left was Big Ben and The Houses of Parliament, and on my right was The London Eye – could you get a more iconic view of London?! Our suite (room #1291) was 12 floors up giving us panoramic views across Westminster and we literally felt on top of the world.

I am SO missing waking up to incredible views like this! 😍😍 #traveltuesday #london

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on May 3, 2016 at 7:40am PDT

 

The double bed was super comfy, with fluffy pillows and a snuggly duvet, while the living room area with sofa (which could also be made up into a sofa bed) gave the suite an added sense of space – super handy when we were getting ready for the awards! The bathroom was sparkling clean with a huge sink, mirror, bathtub AND separate shower cubicle and plenty of towels as well as two dressing robes and slippers – that was a beautiful touch and it really made us feel as if we were right at home! The room also boasted tea and coffee making facilities, a mini bar, Elemis bath products, two flat-screen LCD TVs, 24 hour room service and free WiFi throughout.

 

The facilities

Being a 4* hotel, I anticipated that there would be an abundance of facilities on offer to guests throughout their stay, and I wasn’t wrong! The hotel boasts two bars, two restaurants, an exclusive executive lounge (upgrades only), fitness centre and Mandara spa with sauna and steam room as well as a swimming pool. Oh and you’ll find a coffee bar, ballroom and meeting rooms a plenty.. what more could you want?! The reception areas also offer the perfect chill out seats with the most incredible views across Westminster Bridge.

 

Through the looking glass… yeah I see you #bigben 😍

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on May 3, 2016 at 7:54am PDT

Brasserie Joel and Primo Bar are located on the first floor, both of which are extremely popular with guests and tourists alike – you can read my separate reviews for both of these here. We actually dined for lunch at Brasserie Joel and had the most amazing meal – the set menu was fantastic value for money at just £13.95pp – who said London hotel prices had to break the bank?! Big thank you to Gregory and Didier for looking after us!

 

 

Unfortunately we didn’t have time during our stay to visit the Mandara spa, complete with its sauna, steam room and pool, but it did look incredible! A wide range of beauty therapy treatments, from massages and makeovers to waxing and hairstyling, were on offer to guests for competitive prices. Next time I will have to make that all important spa trip!

The breakfast

Anyone that knows me will know that I love my food and, as it’s the most important meal of the day, breakfast is always a big part of my hotel stay. I enjoy a mix of continental and full English so was pleasantly surprised to see that pretty much every breakfast food imaginable was on offer the next morning! I was sort of expecting everything to be continental (and healthy) as Park Plaza is a large European and worldwide chain but thankfully I was able to devour a hash brown (or 5) and a couple of good old British sausages!

 

There were two breakfast rooms, one in the same place as Brasserie Joel, and the other on the lower floor. Both rooms were huge and more than adequate for serving breakfast – there were SO many people yet there was plenty of food to go round. We had been told that the hotel was fully booked so I can imagine that there were thousands of breakfasts being tucked into over the bank holiday weekend!

The staff

I was so impressed with the lovely staff at the hotel, all of whom were attentive, approachable and friendly – nothing was too much to trouble. From the reception and front of house staff to the waitresses to the housekeeping team, everyone was so welcoming and really made our stay such a happy one.

After lunch we returned to our room to find a beautiful dessert platter and a note that had been left on the side – this thoughtful gift really added that extra special touch and I felt so lucky! We were treated like VIPs the whole weekend and it was truly wonderful.

 

Agathe from the reception team also took the time out of her day to show us the executive lounge; an exclusive area for guests looking to relax in a quiet part of the hotel. Complete with all inclusive breakfast and afternoon food and drinks buffet, indoor atrium and views of Big Ben, an upgrade to the executive lounge is a unique experience worth splashing out on!

 

So there we have it, my full review of the beautiful Park Plaza Westminster Bridge. I honestly cannot recommend this hotel enough and I would encourage anyone who wants to sample a true taste of London to book a room and enjoy a little bit of luxury! For more information on this hotel or to book a room please visit their website directly.

 

Thank you SO much to all at Park Plaza for a wonderful stay – I will certainly be back!

Love Jess x

NB. This was a partly sponsored post and I collaborated with Park Plaza for this review but all thoughts, opinions and images are totally my own.

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My first travel conference: Traverse16

 

So I’m just back from my first EVER travel conference, and what a weekend I had! Traverse 16 was held in the lively Welsh capital of Cardiff this year and the city stadium made for a fantastic venue. I was super impressed by Traverse; they were welcoming, friendly and the whole atmosphere was relaxed and informal yet completely informative and helpful – I learnt SO much! Here are my top highlights from a fun filled weekend…

 

I met so many new people & have made some wonderful friends

We've arrived at the #traverse networking party! Hellooo free food and drinks 🎉🎉 @lucyronan

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 8, 2016 at 1:43pm PDT

 

So I have known the beautiful Lucy Ronan from Faraway Lucy for the past few months now – we are both shortlisted as finalists in the UK Blog Awards – and we decided we would FINALLY meet by attending Traverse together for our first ever networking conference. Naturally we were both a little nervous but it actually really helped that we were together and I think we boosted each others confidence by sharing ideas and discussing everything we had learnt from our differing workshops.

I also met the lovely Sabina Trojanova, Emma Hart & Sophie Davis from Girl vs Globe,  Paper Planes and Caramel Waffles and Sophie’s Suitcase respectively – we finally met girls!! – and it was lovely to put faces to names as we have been in touch with each other in the virtual blogosphere for so long.

 

I attended workshops with industry professionals and expert bloggers

So many reasons to visit #cardiff 📷🇬🇧@visitwales @traverseevents #traverse16 #findyourepic

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 11, 2016 at 11:23am PDT

 

I took part in three workshops and two one-to-one sessions during my days conference – I had such a jam packed day but I loved every second! I also took the opportunity to speak with the sponsors who were showcasing their brands and I met some really interesting people. My favourite workshop was ‘How to take the Leap into Fulltime Blogging’ with Monica Stott of The Travel Hack– this was incredibly helpful and I was full of admiration for Monica after seeing first hand how she has turned her hobby into a career.

 

I also attended a writing workshop with Abi King of Inside the Travel Lab and a photography workshop with Kim Leuenberger – both talks were fantastic and I came away with so many ideas and so much inspo. Before the day was out I was lucky enough to book two 1-1’s with Skyscanner’s Tika Larasati and Julie Falconer of A Lady in London – thanks for the advice ladies!

I entered some competitions

Because who doesn't love dressing up stupid to try win a free trip ✈👓 oh hey @icelollyholiday @traverseevents #traverse16 #findyourepic

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 11, 2016 at 9:59am PDT

And here's another one.. This time for @expedia ✈🏊 @traverseevents #traverse16 #findyourepic @visitwales

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 11, 2016 at 10:03am PDT

 

Who doesn’t love a good competition, especially when there are travel prizes and free trips up for grabs?! I entered four different competitions during my day at Traverse, two included dressing up silly for Expedia & Icelolly to win free trips/credit towards a bookings (see above – I had so much fun) the other was a treasure hunt with ILOVENYPR searching for US themed clues to win (yep, you guessed it, a trip to NYC) and the last one was a Twitter comp with Surprise Trips – guess the ‘surprise’ European city and win a free trip! I had so much fun entering the competitions and chatting to the lovely sponsors throughout the day and I know so many others did too – unfortunately I wasn’t a winner but it’s the taking part that counts, right?!

I bagged tonnes of cheeky freebies

Oh hey freebies.. who knew I could pick up so much free stuff at a travel conference?! Thanks @traverseevents 🙋👜 #traverse16

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 13, 2016 at 9:41am PDT

 

This was a MAJOR highlight for me.. who knew there could be so many freebies up for grabs at one of these events?! As I walked through the door at home my mum was quite literally astonished as to how much I’d brought home – I left the house with one bag and came back with FOUR! Amongst my fabulous freebies was a lovely Expedia towel (and pen and paper clamp), a Traverse business card holder, a Skyscanner hoodie, a cute little monkey from Cathay Pacific and goody bags from Visit Wales and Wye Valley. Thanks folks, love all my new blags!

I networked the hell outta there

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEBJWZwNPuf/?taken-by=jessica16_x

 

 

As this was my first conference, the act of ‘networking’ was something totally new to me but I think I took it in my stride and seemed to do ok! Effectively, networking is just chatting with like minded people and making contacts; I was just happy to get my name out there and meet as many people as possible, plus I love a good chat- who doesn’t?!

I set fire to a table (I’m not even lying)

 

Lol. I know what you’re thinking; who even sets fire to a TABLE?! Well folks, it did happen – and I think Lucy and I wanted the ground to just swallow us up there and then. I have never been SO EMBARRASED and I’ve done a lot of crazy things in my time! I’m sure I don’t need to give you all the explosive deets (see what I did there ;)) but basically there was a waffle in a waffle box (obvs) and a candle and a table..and then there was a flame and a pint of water and Lucy got soaked… you get the gist.. nothing in my life has ever compared to how mortified I was on that Friday night! Talk about making a good first impression… #ooopppsss

So as you can probably tell I had a whale of a time at my first ever travel blogging conference and cannot WAIT until the next one! A big thank you to everyone at Traverse who made my first experience so worthwhile, especially Lucy & Ollie who were both hilarious and soo friendly and welcoming <3

Until next time Traverse!

 

Yesterday's beaut of a venue for @traverseevents… It's a good job I'm a football fan ⚽⚽ #traverse16

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Apr 10, 2016 at 7:16am PDT

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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

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Feb 12, 2016 at 2:33pm PST

 

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

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Feb 27, 2016 at 1:40pm PST

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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

A post shared by The Salt Room (@thesaltroombrighton) on Feb 24, 2016 at 1:01pm PST

 

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

A post shared by Jess Buck|JourneyswithJessica (@jessica16_x) on Feb 27, 2016 at 1:40pm PST

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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