Get Me to Guernsey!

Holidays, they make us happy right? Holidays for me are an adventure, a chance to explore a newness and to take a break from hard working days. So as we enter the sunny season I find myself sat at my desk permanently procrastinating, thinkin’ about what paradise I could try and pop off to next. The page tabs at the top of my screen are a line-up of holiday sites, travel blogs and maps, most just earmarked as ideas for when I feel I can afford it. Some tabs, showing more affordable short city breaks or short haul destinations are the ones I linger on longer, and feel could be a real possibility within a breathable budget. I like far-flung places, I like to feel I’m reaaallly getting away from it but I’ve recently been looking closer to home and it’s hit me that there’s so much worth exploring, within easy reach. I grew up travelling a lot with my family, I was a lucky gal, my Dad holds a real wanderlust and instilled in me that travel is the best way to invest your time and money, as a result, I’m always dreaming of new places to discover. Chatting with Dad on the phone the other night we agreed that getting to and from the airport is often the most frustrating and faff-some element of a trip – he has always adored a ferry crossing for its ease and elegant sail – so it got me gettin’ onto the idea of a ferry trip somewhere, as an affordable getaway this summer.

Isle of Wight, Jersey, Holland, France, there’s lots of coasts which I’m curious to explore but I’ve yet to visit the gorgeous Guernsey and, I’m tellin’ ya, the idea has kinda got me hooked. This cute, calm and cultured Channel Island is pretty simple to get to, and it’s affordable too, whooop! With its crackin’ coastal cliffs and blissy beach resorts like Cobo Bay, I’m wondering why I haven’t stepped my feet onto its ground before now. Ferries can be ace because they’re open for all; families with cars, couples on foot, or a solo traveler with a bike, and, you get to relax, eat, stare at the sea, and start your holiday from the moment you get on board.

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Getting away, be it on your own *fist pump to my fellow solo travelers out there* or with loved ones, is sooo important for your headspace and your health, but I’m realizing it doesn’t always have to be real far away. Channel Island holidaysare a great option if you want to get away but don’t want the hassle of a very long journey. Guernsey is a gem, you can camp, do a luxury stay, keep it at an easy budget or go on walking tours and stay in a new place every night, this little land mass has a whole heap on offer. Whether you love local food, wildlife, beaches or water-sports, it kinda has something for everyone, plus you can easily island hop to Sark to do some kayaking or, hey, there’s a sheep racing weekend in July ya know? Just imagine all the sheep and sheepdogs you could stroke! You can also hop to the tranquil car-free island of Herm, or pop to St Malo for some French fun. On Guernsey itself there is so much to see you won’t be bored. Castle Cornet is an 18th century harbour fort with military museums showing this island’s wealth of history. Hauteville House is the bloomin’ beautiful former home of Writer, Victor Hugo. I personally adore looking round old homes, they make for magical imaginings. I loooove animals, those and travel are my favourite things in the world, and in Guernsey you can watch dolphins and sea birds if you opt for a marine life day trip….yay, sunny day trippin’ with new things for my eyes to see? Yass! I’m in. Get me to Guernsey.

Going North West To One Of Mexico’s Most Livable Cities

Travel and adventure are what makes my heart happy, so I’m always looking to learn of new places to explore, especially ones that aren’t on the radar of regular tourists. I’ve been a lucky girl who has seen lots of places but Mexico is so far, still unexplored by me. It’s now being nudged to the top of my travel list though, for it’s history and sights which I really wanna see. In the northwestern state of Sonora, Mexico is having a little industrial revolution. The city of Hermosillo was voted to be the one of the nation’s most livable cities in 2013, it’s up and coming, and you can see why. A recent spur of automobile production, improvements to local education, office buildings being born and artistic cultural revivals, the city is now getting kinda competitive as a cool and cultural place to visit. With a population set to be around 850,000 by the end of 2018, the city is fast becoming the powerhouse of not just the state but the region too; I wanna see it before it becomes busier. It’s the capital of Sonora and like all capital cities, the history of Hermosillo is fascinating and goes far, far back. There’s archaeological evidence of the most earliest residence of settlers coming there 3,000 years ago, ooof, that’s a lot of lovely stuff to learn about! 

Religious roots  – Mexico is mostly, a really religious nation, with Catholicism as the dominant choice. It was brought to the country by the Spanish and has stayed as the chief church. The La Catedral de la Asunción (also known as the Cathedral of Assumption) is a place where locals living in the city come to worship and it looks like something you’d wanna put on your list of things to see in this city. The architecture is very early European style Baroque with an elegant emphasis on detail and grandeur. Painted in pale sandy yellow, the entire cathedral has a classic Mexican charm. Either side of the building are the two towering pillars that both have large iron bells which ring almost every day. I adore seeing places and forms of worship in the world. With no religious leanings of my own I’m intrigued by the variations of peoples devotion, it fascinates me, and places like this cathedral, well, the grandeur just makes me gasp.

Desert landscape – The largest desert biosphere reserve El Gran Desierto del Pinacate is right there in Sonora. The amaaaazing volcanic landscapes (El Pinacate) and sand dunes (Gran Desierto de Altar) have meant it has become part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the architecture of Sonoran Stadium is actually inspired by this one-of-a-kind natural monument.
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In the courtyard – Contemporary and very cool, the Courtyard Hermosillo looks like an ace place to stay. When I’m dreaming of travel I always check out hotels to see which one I’d wanna book, this one looks like a pure paradise. Verging on the near perfect score of 5 out of 5, the service seems superb, and the cleanliness too. The hotel stands conveniently next the large Plaza Sendero mall that is just 350 meters away, so Mexican shopping can be on my list too. All good hotels in hot places have a pool, and the pool here looks like perfection. If you don’t have time to pop out to the nearby local eateries, the hotel restaurant Centro will feed your energy stores with classic Mexican cuisine or room service. The rooms have hip modern decor that mixes Mexican and Western styles, it is always nice to have a bit of home comforts while away. With wi-fi and big televisions too, you’ll be able to upload your Instagram pics from the day and watch a movie before bed, a holiday haven indeed. 

Tribal history – Sonora is a happy home to 8 indigenous groups and seven of them live in their own autonomous regions, which I think is wonderful. The Yaquis are the indigenous group with most inhabitants, said to be around 35,000. Sonora’s state symbol is their Danza del Venado (Deer Dance) which represents a battle between the hunter and deer.

It’s really rare to find a city that thrives in a subtropical and desert environment, and with it’s traditions and history, Sonora looks like a place I really wanna visit soon.   

Adventure Accomplished

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Close your eyes and jump! I said to myself as I hit the *Book Now* button on a 10-day solo trip to Bali. I wanted my very own adventure, just for me. I wanted to become my own best friend and learn to rely on myself, but I was also kinda terrified. New territory, new terrain, somewhere as far away as possible where all I recognised was the skin on the back of my hands. A self-proposed challenge, I faced it fuelled by a whole heap of anxiety and anticipation. I wanted to do this to grow. I had to.

Bali, well, it bloomin’ embraced me. New sights, sounds and smells surrounded me so densely that I didn’t have a chance to feel alone. Engulfed by new experiences, my eagerness to explore replaced the doubts which had dominated, my senses were too preoccupied with pleasure. I based myself in Ubud, a haven of Hindu traditions. Green, green rice fields, temples and streets strewn with the prettiest Canang Sari; twice daily handmade flowery offerings to the gods, thanking them for peace. Such a calm pace of life I could hardly even contemplate for life back home, their dedication to devotion defied my usually busy life. This calmness was the coolest feeling I have ever had.
image-5Walking the patchy pavements avoiding holes and uneven surfaces, I felt I was forever stepping carefully over these sweet scattered offerings, so many that the streets looked like they’d been littered with Party Poppers, explosions of cute colour at my feet. Scooters swarmed like mosquitoes, injecting a rush of activity, Mothers straddling bikes, no helmets, with children held on laps, trusting their own way of life. Markets had a super stench in the heat. Leather, spice and sweat coupled with constant calls to buy, all stimulating my senses to the point where, I could not stop smiling.

I visited a Hindu healer, with no idea what it would hold. After him repeatedly banging hard on my head and pushing his thumbs so forcefully into my closed eyes that I wondered if it was a joke, he told me, I had to be my own hero.

As I spent my last evening watching the sunset at Tanah Lot, I took it all in, every single bit of it. I’d had monkeys on my head, eaten fruits I’d never heard of, shared a bedroom with lizards and lingered with locals. I had done this, I had navigated my own adventure. Faraway from anyone I knew, I felt an intrepid confidence blooming. Teaming tour groups around me, selfie sticks obstructing the view, and with a somewhat hands-on tour guide trying to sit too close, I caught on to just how far I’d come. I realised right there, I already was my own hero.

Mon Dieu, Dior! An Impulsive Pop to Paris

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So, Paris is always a good idea, so the saying goes, and I kinda think it’s true, as I discovered when I impulsively popped to the very pretty city. Paris played host to what I can now confirm to have been a dreeeeam exhibition of Dior, and since it opened in July 2017 I had been properly pining to go. I wrote it off as too indulgent and costly, but, when I realised I had no plans for New Years Eve, and that the exhibition ended in early January of 2018, well, the pangs for Dior proved to pull me towards booking a solo trip. A treat for myself after a very tough year. ‘Couturier De Reve’ (dressmaker of dreams) was an exhibition I just couldn’t miss. I imagined being an old lady and saying ‘I nearly went to Paris to see that amazing Dior exhibition, but didn’t go in the end’, and that thought made me sad, so I booked a seat on Eurostar, and went.

Pop! Paris was calling.

It did cost me money, and it did feel feel indulgent, but it did make me very happy and I’m so bloody glad I went. Dior did not disappoint, not one teeny bit. Paris itself was wonderful, an exciting and elegant city, and travelling alone was just what I needed, (more on the city and travelling solo in my next posts) but Dior, damn, it was divine. Celebrating 70 years since The House of Dior was created, it was an exhibition of epic proportions. I’d arrived late one afternoon so wandered down to The Musee Des Arts Decoratifs so that I knew where I’d have to get to the next morning, and what the queuing set up was like. Getting there from my hotel was straightforward as the Metro was real easy to navigate, and even though the museum was due to close in an hour the queue was still wiggling a long way down the street. Gah, I’d have to pitch up real early in the morning to ensure I got in on my only full day in Paris. So I got there bright and breezy with a croissant in my tummy on the morning of New Years eve, and the queue was pretty short. Phewf! I stood and chatted in line with a lady from Stockholm and we got in as soon as the doors opened. I kinda knew I’d be flabbergasted by it all, my tummy was all of a fizz with excitement. It totally blew me away. Like a combination of all the best bits of any fashion exhibitions I’ve seen in my life, this was simply spectacular. I’m a girl in love with dresses, and this Dior show was dress paradise. It was insightful, educational, expertly curated and so, so beautiful. There were loads of rooms, each completely different to the next, and it covered Dior himself and his design beginnings and went on to showcase the work of all the designers at the helm of this house up until now. It was an absolute heck load of lovely. And, as a vintage dealer who has often referenced his iconic New Look outfit -which defined a decade of dressing- to see that in up close was pretty fluppin’ brilliant. It was busy, but calm, all of us in awe of what our eyeballs were seeing. The final room of course had been instagrammed to the heavens and I was most excited to get in there for real. It was like a fashion finale with everyone in there like, literally gasping at the utterly magical feeling it created. Sparkling lights like stars moving around the high painted ceilings of this grand space, music kissing our ears, and dresses, showstopping dresses which I’ve only ever seen in fashion history books, right there in front of my own face. I don’t think I’ve ever been this immersed or amazed by an exhibition before, absolute perfection. Dior sure made my dreams come true in Paris that day.

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