Remembering a Truly Fantastic Holiday

I haven’t blogged in a while because the day I had planned to do so, I instead very spontaneously rushed up to Scotland to see my Granny who had fallen ill. It was all very last minute but I’m very glad I did, despite just getting back from LA and being very sleep deprived (luckily & very kindly of him my boyfriend took some days off to drive me).

I had intended to write about my trip to LA, but I think I might save that for another time in favour of reminiscing about a family holiday I took before I started this blog. Now, we didn’t travel to anywhere exotic or far away on an aeroplane, instead we went for a trip down history lane (my Grannys history, that is) and road tripped around Scotland & the areas there that are significant to her.

It was one of the best holidays I have ever had and I look back so fondly on it. We kicked off the roadtrip taking a ferry from Oban over to the Isle of Mull. On arrival we drove up to the famous town of Tobermory with its colourful assortment of houses lining the seafront. We had rung ahead whilst we were on the ferry to book ourselves in to a tour at the Tobermory Whisky Distillery. Unfortunately the actual factory was closed for the Summer so there wasn’t any whisky in production, however we still got a good look at the machines and processes that occur there an had a taste of their single malt and Ladaig whisky.

 

Jon on the ferry

The next day we travelled up a winding, one track road to Glengorm Castle which stands grandly overlooking the sea. It was a blustery, but mild day and we were able to walk right into the Castle (which is a B&B) and have a good old look around. The scenery was breathtaking and the whole atmosphere inside the castle was so relaxed we felt as though we were guests ourselves.

Afterwards we treated ourselves to tea and cake at their lovely cafe and Jon and I took the opportunity to walk around the grounds and explore one of their many walking trails. It really is a fantastic destination if you’re a keen walker, there are also lots of quaint little cottages dotted around the estate that can be hired for a very reasonable price.

After polishing off our delicious cakes we made our way back to the car and headed back to Tobermory where we had booked ourselves on to a whale watching tour. By this point the weather had taken a turn for the worst and unfortunately the boat had no shelter so we were open to the elements and the rain continued to drizzle throughout. However, we did see some seals and various sea birds so it wasn’t all that disappointing.

After the boat had docked at the Marina we got settled in the car again and headed to the ferry to catch our ride across to Oban. Once landing we made our way up the hill to our stunning B&B for the night- Dungallen House. The house overlooks the bay which is a beautiful view, particularly at night when the lights of Oban are twinkling.

The next day we prepared ourselves for a busy one, planning to visit lots of destinations- most of which held some significance to Granny. Firstly, McCaigs tower which was just a skip, hop and a jump away from the B&B in Oban. Here, we were able to look out on the whole of Oban at the spectacular views.

We also visited Loch Etive where we stopped for lunch at a lovely little seafood restaurant called the Pierhouse. After lunch Jon and I went crabbing at the end of the pier using a bit of bacon as bait. Suprisingly we caught around 30 crabs, releasing them back in as soon as we’d had a good look at them, or posed for a photo!

We spent that night in a hotel just out side of a little village called Ballahulish, which is where my Grandad grew up and overlooks yet more magnificent views of the lochs.

The next day we prepared for the last leg of our road trip as we made our way back to my Grannys house through the highlands. After journeying round the foots of the hills we landed at Dalness Lodge-  the house used in Bonds ‘Skyfall’, which is nestled in the hills of Glencoe. As a child my Granny spent many holidays here as her aunty was the housekeeper, and what a fantastic way to spend your Summers. The landscape is completely untouched and just calls out to be explored- Jon and I took off in search of finding some salmon in the burn (unfortunately we had no luck), but we had so much fun climbing down the rocks to the  waters edge.

After some sausages that we cooked on our stove we packed up the car for the last time and headed home. We had such an adventure and I look back with such great memories of our spontaneous albeit short, but completely fun-packed holiday.

There is so much to see and do in Britain- such beautiful landscapes on our doorsteps- it has certainly made me appreciate this wonderful country and I am already hoping that we can return to these wonderful places once more.

I Wore a Ball Gown & I liked it

I was very gladly invited to accompany my boyfriend on a boat trip down the Thames as part of a work do for a client that he works for.

The dress code was ‘dress to impress’, which naturally doesn’t give much away. We concluded that this probably meant ‘come in whatever you feel comfortable in’. However, never being one to miss out on an opportunity, particularly when this involves getting all dressed up, I immediately headed for my local dress hire shop in a bid to find something glam and unique that couldn’t be found on the high street.

A bonus about hiring dresses is that you spend a fraction of the price on a dress that would cost a hefty sum to buy. In reality, I hardly ever wear the dresses that I purchased for big events, ball gowns only surface from my wardrobe when I have a ball/wedding/special occasion to attend, which lets face it- is pretty rare. Hiring seemed the perfect solution.

So after trying on a selection of dresses that the shop owner helped me pick up, I decided on a long gold number with a sparkly bodice and a slit up the leg. My boyfriend hired a tux with a waistcoat that had gold detailing so that we could match.

 

 

 

The evening was lovely and we were spoilt with free champers all night and the cutest array of minature food, including hamburgers, hotdogs and fish and chips. I think it is safe to say that we were definitely the most overdressed.. but why squander an opportunity to wear a ball gown?!

The Silver Sturgeon departed from the Savoy pier and docked at the London Eye. The lit up buildings and bridges across the Thames were fantastic to see and the night was very enjoyable.

We booked in to a hotel for the night so that we had somewhere to change before the evening & it meant that we didn’t have to worry about transport all the way home. The next day we enjoyed a wander around London, taking in some sights and visiting the Saatchi gallery and the Imperial War Museum. We also stopped in at House of Fraser on Oxford Street and had a lovely cream tea in their restaurant which was decorated in an adorable shabby chic theme. 

It was fantastic to spend my days off together and to do something a bit different and out of the ordinary, its these get aways that create the most memorable moments to cherish.

 

 

My Skater Dress Obsession

Since I’ve been back from my trip to L.A I have been spending some quality time with my family and my boyfriend- in fact I’ve been very extravagant and have lunched both days (oh, to be a lady of leisure), done menial tasks such as food shopping and some slightly more satisfying tasks that come in the form of shoe shopping- which also led to a naughty purchase of a H&M dress. 

As I was browsing the rails of H&M I realised that whenever I go clothes shopping these days I always veer towards the same item. In fact, put me in a clothes shop and I seem to have a radar/some sort of weird instinct that naturally leads me to pick out all the skater dresses.

They’re just so easy: easy to wear, easy to style, dress up or dress down, flattering on all body shapes and fun and frivolous….all sounds great, but it got me thinking.. when did I become so predictable with my fashion sense?.. how did I get so safe?

I wouldn’t say I was ever a Lady Gaga styled fashionista, but being an art graduate I have had my moments of out-there fashion choices. I distinctly remember believing I had emulated Alice in Wonderland- I had this denim floaty dress that I loved and these white tights that I wore constantly. This was circa age 17. 

Ok, so the age of experimentation is behind me- at around 21 years old when I was getting really passionate about my artwork at University I decided to channel all my creativity in to that- that was my creative outlet, I didn’t need to express myself through fashion anymore- and thats probably when it fell to the wayside, or at least took a back seat.

So, I decided today that I’m going to stop being safe with what I wear. I don’t mean I want to start wearing crazy, whacky stuff- maybe just throw myself out of my comfort zone a bit. 

With that said, this truly, truly is (I’m vowing for it to be) my last skater-style dress purchase.

 

 

My 4 Days in Rio De Janeiro

Yesterday I got back home from Rio. Despite only being there for around 48hours it was complete bliss and I feel as though I got a good taste for their culture.

We arrived quite late on the first day, I think around 3am UK time which is 11pm local time in Rio- just about time to get in to my pj’s and climb into bed to wind down with a film and catch some z’s. I had downloaded ‘Blackfish’ a documentary about Orcas in captivity in Seaworld, Florida – and it was excellent. I watched it again last night with my boyfriend, it really pulls on your heartstrings and certainly made me consider my views on keeping animals in captivity for the sake of entertainment. 

Anyway, returning to the subject, on my first day in Rio we walked to the local supermarket for breakfast and then headed to a Havaianas shop in the hope of picking up some bargains (seriously everyone in Rio wears them and they’re ridiculously cheap over there). Unfortunately none of us had clocked on to the fact that it was a Sunday, so after a long walk across town we descended on the shop to discover that it was closed- fail. So, instead we walked back to the beach outside of our hotel and lay out with a caipirinha under the clear blue skies. I read a little of my book and had a dip in the sea before we returned to the hotel in search of the swimming pool.

As the cool breeze had picked up a little and after I had tested both the pool and the jacuzzi I went up to my room and ordered dinner from room service. This  was quite a momentous occasion for me as I have never once in my life ordered room service. Note to self- there is a surcharge (so I could have eaten the same dish by the pool for £4 cheaper) but hey, it felt very luxurious to be eating dinner in my white, fluffy gown in bed! So much so that I ordered it again the following day!

After a good nights sleep I headed down to reception and met up with a lady who wanted to do some sightseeing. I had hoped to see Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain but the crew had seen both on previous trips so that was unfortunately off the cards. However, we decided on visiting Rio’s Botanical Garden and they were truly stunning. Besides the fact that it was exceptionally good value for money (the return bus fare, entrance fee and a can of fanta came to 15 reals which is under a fiver) there was so much to see and I could see Christ the Redeemer high up on a mountain in the background. It was so serene and peaceful and I felt truly relaxed there. The bus ride also gave me the chance to witness some of the real culture there instead of the touristy sky rise buildings of the location our hotel was in. The favelas (which is a term for a shanty town) extended all the way up the mountainsides in an array of colours, it really was unique to anything I’ve seen before. The vegetation was so lush and wild- with plenty of palm trees and rich greenery everywhere, it was so visually inviting that my eyes were constantly darting around.

We returned back to the hotel with enough time to spare for a another film (‘Into the Wild’- again, fantastic!) and a nap before our flight.

Would I go back? Definitely! I hope I can return with work again. Personally, as a holiday with my boyfriend, family or friends it’s not at the top of my list, I’d have to look in to prices a bit more- however, it really is a unique place and their culture is fascinating with lots to do and see that isn’t possible anywhere else in the world.

The view from my balcony- perfect for sitting out with a book and a drink.

Looking at all the hotels from the beach.

Sunning myself on the beach. This is the life!

I had never seen such tall palm trees. These were amazingly tall.

Obligatory Christ the Redeemer shot.