Discovering Iceland for the first time

In recent years Iceland has become more popular among tourists than ever before. With it's dramatic landscapes, bubbling volcanoes and soothing hot springs, there is so much to explore in this country where fire and ice co-exist. The moment I saw photographs of Iceland on Instagram I knew I had to go. I don't usually don't choose to go on cold holidays (I don't deal well when my toes are freezing) but it was too beautiful to not visit.

Time of year

Picking the time of year really depended on what I wanted to see. In my heart I knew I wanted to at least try to see the Northern Lights (although this didn't happen) so the best time to visit was between September through till April, therefore I picked February. Although this wasn't exactly in the midst of Winter and the sun shone for at least 8 hours the temperature at times was still below freezing, meaning some serious layers were required. When I was packing I turned my nose up at my hot pink thermal top and was like maaaaaan this isn't fashionable but trust me you won't care about fashion when you get there. The only country that is freezing and really cares about fashion is Russia. I really owe it to that thermal top, I could have been a lot colder. So i guess top tip number one, pack your thermals and some serious walking boots.

Money

One thing Iceland is extremely well know for or Scandinavia in general is how expensive it is. You think London is costly, well London is like shopping in PoundLand when you visit Iceland. When I was there all my money went on transportation and meals. Unless you have all the money in the world you won't be going shopping in Iceland. The most I bought was a fridge magnet which was £8 alone. Meals were also rather expensive coming on average to £20 each for a meal. So my best advice would be to not eat out all the time. We found a local supermarket called Bonus which was much cheaper than any of the small convenience stores and bought ourselves a little sandwich making kit so we were only eating out for one meal a day. 

Transportation

On holiday I like to take it easy and that normally means taking taxis, coaches or public transportation. However, in Iceland what I would recommend is hiring a car. I know what's going through your mind. What about driving on the other side of the road? Are the roads not really icy? Is it not easier to take another form of transport? Well I'm going to stop you right there. Hiring a car is actually a lot cheaper and more practical than any other form transportation also the cars in Iceland are built for these weather conditions. Hiring a car means you can drive the 40 minute drive from the airport to Reykjavik with ease, drive to the blue lagoon or even discover the Golden Circle in your own time without the need for paying an extortionate amount - did I mention Iceland is expensive already?! We hired our car from an airport dealer called Budget cars and it cost us £70 each for the entire time we were there with only £40 extra between us towards petrol. Getting to and from the airport alone was £30 each as was the Blue Lagoon and on top of that Golden Circle tour we found was £100 each. Therefore we saved ourselves £50 each or more from hiring a car. 

Accommodation

Although there are quite a few cities in Iceland, Reykjavik is definitely the place to stay for first timers. Being the country's capital with the largest population in Iceland (just over 120,000), this city definitely has the most to offer in terms of discovering Iceland's culture through art, restaurants and history. You can choose to stay in the city centre which can vary on expense depending if you want to stay in a hostel or a swanky hotel. Or you can stay somewhere a little walk out where there are also buses available - which is what we did. We stayed at the Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Natura which was a 25 minute pleasant walk in to the city centre or a 4 minute bus journey. The bus pass was free from the hotel which was a massive bonus for those nights full of snow blizzards. The hotel itself was lovely with a great restaurant/bar and even came with a gym for those fitness fanatics like myself. 

Restaurants 

As I mentioned earlier eating out can be expensive in Iceland but there are some quirky places which you should definitely try. The Laundromat was number one on my list. I discovered this kooky restaurant on Instagram the week before I flew to Iceland. The point of this restaurant is to have somewhere to do your laundry but also socialise and eat in a comfortable environment. The average price was around £20 for a meal. Another great place was Eldur & Is which translates as Fire & Ice. This amazing little find does incredible sweet and savoury crepes and is perfect for brunch or breakfast. With a price tag of only £10 per meal - extremely cheap in Iceland - what have you got to lose.

Activities 

As for activities, there is honestly so much to see in Iceland but you've got to make sure you do the basics in your first time. In Reykjavik itself you need to see the best view of the city from Hallgrimskirkja (the largest church in Iceland) and visit the Harpa, the iconic concert hall (recently featured in Black Mirror).  Relaxing in the Blue Lagoon with a facemask is also a huge must. Though it is very touristy, it's a calm and serene place and you really feel the health benefits after. Finally last but certainly not least, The Golden Circle. This is where the car comes in handy due to it being a four hour round trip. On the drive alone you will see astounding views of the Icelandic countryside and Mount Esjan. You might even be lucky enough to see Arctic Horses -  my favourite bit. Although, the stops along the way such as Thingvellir National Park, Geysir and Gullfoss make the trip so worth worth while and make you appreciate the Earth's natural beauty.

There is so much more I want to do in Iceland such as going to see the seals, whale watching or even trekking up mount Esjan and I hope to be able to return there at some point in the near future as there is so much more to explore. I hope these tips help you discover Iceland the best way...

24 hours in Lisbon

I'd never been to Lisbon before (or at least my Dad said I had when I was little but I couldn't remember) so obviously I jumped at the chance when I was going to be in Portugal for a short holiday. I only had 24 hours so had to make it count, but Woooooooow it was worth it!

As soon as I got off the plane I was straight into it. The taxi driver listed her favourite places to us and I put in some research too and scheduled our day. I know, I know, it's good to be spontaneous... but not when you have 24 hours. So after lunch we started exploring while of course popping into Bershka on the way. I mean a girl's got needs and a girl needs jeans.

Here's my top things to see or do in Lisbon -

1. Castelo De S. Jorge

Price - 8, 50 € per person
This was a recommendation by the taxi driver and I totally underestimated this landmark. Not only was the Castle itself beautiful but the view of Lisbon was incredible, and best of all you got to enjoy it with a glass of wine from the 'wine with a view' stand. Yes the wine was pricey but I can honestly say it was worth it, the atmosphere was so relaxing. After a cheeky glass of wine you can then go on to explore the castle itself and walk along the top of the building.

2. Praca do Comercio

This beautiful square near the Tagus River is definitely something that needs to be seen with it being one of Lisbon's grandest squares. Many, many years ago everyone arriving in Lisbon by boat used to disembark here, and the Praca do Comercio symbolised the entrance or gate way to Lisbon. Grab a cocktail in one of the squares many restaurants or just relax by the sea front and enjoy the view.

3. Amoreiras 360 View

Price - up to 5€ per person
If you only have a short stay in Lisbon like myself and don't have time to visit every single attraction,  have no fear you can now see it all from the sky! I would have never known about the Amoreiras 360 View if it wasn't for a large billboard outside the airport - but that's advertising for you! It is a little walk out of the city centre and up a hill and at first it seemed quite unusual being at the top of a shopping centre, but when you reach the top it is the most impressive panoramic view. You can witness the whole of Lisbon right before you're very eyes - Lisbon Cathedral, Cristo Rei and so much more. I found the best time to come here was an hour before closing time as we had pretty much the whole of the viewing platform to ourselves.







4. Sala de Corte
Price - up to 40€ per person

After living in London for so long I know that the most amazing restaurants are those that tourists never usually find from wandering the streets. Therefore, researching quirky restaurants helped me discover the little gem Sala de Corte, a steak restaurant in the heart of Lisbon totally devoted to meat, so if you're vegan or vegetarian you might want to sit this one out. When we first arrived I knew instantly it was popular as there was already a queue of people waiting for a table. Though we waited for 40 minutes, we were able to soak up the atmosphere with a drink outside, and boy was the food worth the wait.


Of course this lively city has so much more to offer and explore than just the options I have suggested  but these are definitely my top picks. So go and discover Lisbon for yourself and if you need anywhere affordable, quirky and central to stay try the Passport Hostel... you won't be disappointed!

Ubud's Monkey Forest

Now what can I say about Ubud? If you are looking for a fast paced and eccentric environment you are definitely thinking of the wrong place. Ubud's calm and relaxed atmosphere is soothing for the soul, everything can be taken at your own pace. Try some yoga  (even if you can't touch your toes), eat vegan or maybe check out some markets and discover something unique. Out of all the places in Bali, this was without a doubt my favourite. I wish I had longer to just be there, or even live there for a month or two but all I had was a few short days. So as you can imagine I tried to pack everything I could in. However, the number one thing I was so determined to experience was the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. I have a mad love for animals.

In the busy little town the one thing you don't expect to see is 12.5 hectares of open forest with over 700 monkeys hanging around, but Ubud is no normal place. Now when I first heard about the Monkey Forest I've got to say I was a bit nervous, I mean to an English girl who is used to the local wildlife being pigeons, monkeys was quite the step. Building up to this experience I had seen wild monkeys in other parts of Bali (e.g. the top of the volcano) and let me tell you I would have taken pigeons any day. They stole food, hissed and even took a woman's flip flop from her foot. However, the monkey forest was different.

Yes I arrived a bit apprehensive and I tell you what the sign telling me 'not to stare a monkey in the eye' or 'don't run in the forest as this only spurs them on more to chase you' did not put me at ease. I walked through the forest to begin with on egg shells and the monkeys were everywhere. Me and my friend so wanted to feed them but we were petrified (though we did not want to admit it). One thing I would totally recommend doing if you felt like me was talking to the monkey handlers. They calmed us down instantly. We told them we wanted to attempt to feed the monkeys and they were all for it.

They started to call a monkey over with that little clicking noise they do and instantly one came strolling over. However, it was not the one i wanted! I didn't fancy my first monkey experience to be a toddler sized MALE monkey with quite frankly the biggest genitals ever. I instantly said no and asked (begged) for a smaller monkey. He tapped the monster on the head and off the Male one went. This time he sat me down, gave me a banana (stereotypical monkey food) and I waited. Sure enough a much smaller female monkey came along. Perfect - this monkey seemed friendly.

Now I originally thought monkeys would have sharp claws that would dig deep in to my skin. Boy, was I wrong. Their little hands were so soft as they climbed up you and they were very light footed. The female monkey took the banana out of my hand and just sat and chomped happily away on my head until it was done and then climbed off. Also a tip - apparently if you don't want a monkey on you anymore you just start walking and they get the hint. After this short but wonderful experience, of course I wanted another go. This time however, he gave some other sort of monkey food - not completely sure what it was but I'm sure it was delicious. Sure enough another female monkey but this time with a baby attached (CUTEEEEE!) came wandering towards me.

Just like last time the monkey climbed up and I awwed and oooed at how cute her and the baby were. She climbed on my shoulder and reached out to my hand and it was all going so well, until.... WHAT IS HAPPENING. I felt suddenly warm. Now i know what your thinking, Bali is a roasting hot country in Asia and it was probably the sun. Yes my friends, I thought this too and I still wished it was this until this day. However, if you haven't already guessed this friendly little fellow or it's baby was taking a wee on my back while feeding. Classy. My fresh white top was officially stained and for the first time ever I could say a monkey has weed on me. If you would like to see this experience in pictures take a look at my collage below.

Despite this minor blip, this day was definitely a one of a kind experience and is definitely a must do. Even if you aren't brave (or stupid enough) to try feed a monkey you can always get the comedy factor of seeing a monkey steal a man's food.

Singapore In 48 Hours

Now 48 hours is barely any time to spend in this futuristic city but if this is the case there are definitely some things you need to do/see.

I went to Singapore in May this year and let me tell you it was incredible. The city was spotless and everything was so sci-fi, it felt like something out of the future if I'm honest. I wouldn't have been shocked if a floating car had zoomed by (very back to the future I know). I only got to experience the city for a few short days but there are definitely some places I would not miss out on if you've never been before.

1. Marina Bay Sands

This hotel is so insane. If you've never seen it before it is literally three 55 story buildings joined together by a huge boat on the top. I've have not seen another hotel like it, not even in Vegas. Now, I'm not writing this part to go get you to stay at the hotel. I mean you could if you wanted, heck I would of if I could afford it *cough* £400 a night *cough*. Despite that, you can just go to the hotel without staying in it, unfortuntley the only downside is you can't swim in there amazing infinity pool but there is plenty more to see. I would definitely recommend going to the Bay to see the hotel itself but also going inside. To get the best view in Singapore going to the observation deck is definitely necessary. Whether this means you just go to have a look around or go to the bar at the top of the hotel to sit and have a cocktail and enjoy the view, both are worth it.

2. Sentosa Island

Sentosa Island i.e. The State Of Fun is a must do. There are so many different activities to do on the island - definitely something for everyone. I didn't get to go all around the island, however, I did manage to fit in two activities. We started off the day by zip lining over the jungle canopy and the white sandy beaches. Now this is a total must do and I loved every minute of it. I did this with the company Mega Adventure and even though I'm not a huge fan of dangling 75 metres up in the air I don't regret it at all. In my opinion, it was over way to quickly. Universal is also another must do on Sentosa. From huge rollercoasters to a Madagascar log flume to Far Far Away Land, you've got to go to one of the first theme parks in Asia.

3. Gardens by the Bay

Singapore is the greenest city I've ever experienced. You expect it to be fast paced and intense but actually it is quite the opposite with the help of the many green areas there is to offer. You can find a place in the Garden's by the Bay and be completely by yourself. Perfect, I know. You can relax in the Chinese Gardens or by the Dragon Fly and Kingfisher lakes. If relaxing isn't for you, discover the Cloud Forest or stroll among the clouds on the skyway. You almost forget you are in a city...

4. Clarke Quay

Now if partying is your thing, you must check out Clarke Quay. It's Singapore's vibrant after dark play ground. I got recommended this by a friend as when the sun goes down and the working day is over, Clarke Quay is the place to be. With it's range of quirky restaurants and cute bars, wining and dining is definitely on the menu. It's also very easy to bar hop and try many of the different places Singapore has to offer. However, if you want to continue the party into the early morning why not try the clubs.

5. Raffles

Now if you want to have a classy evening why not try the birth place of the Singapore Sling - Raffles Hotel. It's pretty pricey but where else can you do this in the world. It would definitely be on my to do list. Enough said.

I'm sure there is so much more to see and do in Singapore like the amazing shopping etc. but these are just a few of the parts I wouldn't miss. Now go explore and book yourself on the first plane there, you won't regret it!