VLOG / 5 WEEKS IN THAILAND

Hi guys!

I'm pretty sure you all know someone who has either been or is going to Thailand because lets be honest - Thailand is bloody popular! You might be thinking "Is it really worth the hype? Is it really that great?" and I'm here to tell you that YES, YES IT IS.

Not only is Thailand cheap and VERY VERY hot, the country possesses some of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, stunning sunsets, crystal clear water, culture, a huge range of adrenaline activities and most importantly - amazing nightlife!

I tried to capture as much of Thailand on camera as possible so hopefully you enjoy the video I've put together - it took AGES but I'm really happy with it! My video making skills are definitely improving, although I'm still holding out for the day I can afford a Mac so I can use a better programme than Movie Maker *keeps dreaming*

xxx

WHY I DECIDED TO GO HOME AFTER 9 MONTHS OF TRAVEL

No one in their right mind would choose to go home after weeks, months or even years of travelling unless they absolutely had to. I guess the most common reasons for going home are a) you've run out of money or b) your visa has run out or you have commitments at home like a job to go back to. Yes it's normal to get homesick and it can make you want to go home, but usually backpackers tend to stick it out and the pulls from home ease with time. So why did I decide to go home when I didn't have to?

My Australian working holiday visa was still valid for another 7 months, I had no time constrictions, plenty of money in the bank, plenty of friends and it was easy peasy to find a job. A few of my friends couldn't understand why I wanted to go home when I was in a better situation than most, but the truth is... I was fed up.

I'll start from the beginning. My first 4 months of travelling were amazing. My savings took me to Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, the Australian outback and New Zealand and aside from giving up my time to do a bit of volunteering, my time was completely my own and I had no commitments whatsoever. It was 4 months straight of partying, exploring and meeting new friends. IT. WAS. WILD.

Of course all of this partying comes at a price and in 4 months I'd spent around 70% of my savings. I had enough money to continue travelling but I knew it wouldn't last long and I was nowhere near ready to go home, so I decided to get a working holiday visa for Australia. After 4 months of enjoying myself I was more than ready to slow down and commit to working full time - that was until I ended up living and working at a hostel.

For the first 2 months things were great. I met a guy (who just so happened to be a party animal and a big drinker) and before I knew it a huge group of us were going out every night and I was so content being smitten that work became less and less of a priority. I even called in sick one day cause I'd been invited on a road trip to the Great Ocean Road, and there was another occasion where I had an interview for an amazing office job but decided to turn up smashed because I'd drank too much the night before. As irresponsible as that was, I don't regret any of my decisions because those first 2 months in Melbourne were so much fun - which at the end of the day is the most important thing.

When I finally decided to get my act together and dedicated myself to working as many hours as physically possible, that's when everything started to go downhill. I'll talk more about my job situation in another post, but at one point I was working 3 jobs and basically ended up running myself into the ground. I wasn't getting a lot of sleep, I wasn't partying as much or having as much fun and getting treated like shit at one of my jobs was slowly taking its toll on me. Over time I noticed my mood was changing and it basically got to the point where I couldn't pull myself out of it. I eventually quit one of my jobs so I had more time to enjoy myself and to see if it would improve my mood, but the damage had already been done.

A period of transition was also taking place at the hostel I'd lived and worked at for 4 months, which definitely played a factor in why my mood was so low. The hostel used to go through 'waves' of new guests and new employees every few months as people would inevitably leave to move into flats or move to a new city/country. When I first started working there, they had just taken on an influx of new staff after the last lot had left (including the guy I was seeing) so we all bonded and formed an instant friendship group that lasted a good few months. But when everyone slowly started to leave, the whole mood of the hostel changed and it stopped being as fun and exciting as it once was. Dare I say... it became boring. We knew there would be an influx of newbies soon, but as my mood was already low from everything else that was happening, I knew I needed a fresh start so decided to move to Brisbane.

Turns out, Brisbane didn't make me happy either. If anything, it made me even more miserable. There aren't as many job opportunities in Brisbane because there isn't much of a backpacker scene and it's a smaller city compared to Sydney and Melbourne. So although I found it easy to get a job in hospitality (2 in fact, although the hours were ridiculously low), that wasn't what I wanted at the time. I was dying for an office job that paid well and would give me a stable routine with my evenings and weekends free, but it was honestly impossible. I didn't leave 3 jobs in hospitality with good hours to work another hospitality job with rubbish hours.

Me and my friend Russell (who I moved there with) also found it hard to make friends because Brisbane isn't really a place where backpackers stay long term - it's more of a stop gap between popular destinations like Byron Bay and Fraser Island. I knew this before I moved there, but I guess I thought I'd get a full time job quite quickly so I could move into a flat with either long term backpackers or Aussies. Because that didn't happen, I was forced to live in a hostel with a bunch of guys who were never there and a bar that never seemed to be full. It was certainly different to the party hostel I was used to back in Melbourne where it was easy peasy to make friends. It probably didn't help that I moved to Brisbane with a friend (who already had a full time job secured) because 1) he was always at work so I spent a lot of time on my own and 2) because I knew I had my friend there for back up, it made me more anti-social and less bothered about making friends of my own. So what happened? I spent most of my days feeling extremely lonely but unable to drag myself out of my room to make friends. Seeing snapchats of my friends back in Melbourne having a great time made me feel ever worse and I started to really miss them.

After numerous phone calls home and plenty of tears, I decided that Brisbane wasn't for me and there was no point sticking it out just for the sake of it. But that was when my dilemma unfolded... did I really want to go back to Melbourne? I mean, I wasn't happy there either and a lot had changed at the hostel since I'd been away. It felt like my friends had moved on. Melbourne will always feel like my second home, but part of me knew it would be different second time round and I knew I wouldn't like it. The thought of moving to Sydney or Perth didn't really appeal to me either and eventually I realised what the issue was.

I was kinda over Australia.

It didn't excite me anymore. 

I was bored of working rubbish jobs and didn't see the point in staying somewhere that wasn't necessarily making me happy anymore. My mum and dad kept repeating the same sentence: "If you aren't happy, just come home." At first I wouldn't listen - going home felt like giving up and I'm not someone who gives up when the going gets tough. But the more I thought about it, the more I realised that I had been away for a bloody long time and it has to come to an end at some point - so maybe the 9 month mark was the right time? After all, I never set out to go to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa like a lot of people I knew did - I went away to travel. To visit different countries and experience different things. I couldn't compare my intentions with others as everyone was out there for different reasons. So yes there were people who couldn't understand why I was leaving when I still had 7 months validity left on my visa, but I knew what I left the UK for and it wasn't to set up a new life down under. In fact, the only reason I came straight home instead of continuing to travel was because of the weather in the countries I wanted to visit. I could have flown to Japan or China or the US if I wanted to, but I had my heart set on going when the weather was lovely and warm so decided to be patient instead of compromising on the experience I wanted.

So it was decided. I would spend Christmas in Byron Bay and New Year in Sydney before flying back to Melbourne for my birthday where I booked my flight home. As I predicted, everything at the hostel in Melbourne had completely changed and if I'm honest, I really didn't enjoy it. Luckily I only spent a night there before moving in to my friend's apartment, which gave me the opportunity to spend my last week exploring parts of the city I hadn't seen before and generally just staying away from the drama. Being back at the hostel, even on just a few occasions, assured me that I was making the right decision by going home and shutting the door on that chapter of my life. I wanted to leave on a high remembering the amazing time I had there with the people that shared the same experience as me, and I knew that if I stayed (with a group of people I didn't know and feeling completely out of the loop) I wouldn't remember it as fondly. Sometimes you just know when to call it a day, which is why a lot of people who arrived the same time as me all left around the same time too.

So that's why I decided to go home after 9 months of travel. Did I make the right decision? I think so. You're never fully going to know if you made the right choice in life, but right now I'm happy being home and slowly but surely my mindset is changing to a whole different way of thinking compared to when I was away. But that's for another blog post haha!

If you made it to the end - congrats!

Sorry it was a long one x

I’VE BEEN TRAVELLING FOR EXACTLY 6 MONTHS TODAY!

So for someone who rebranded her blog so she could blog whilst she’s traveling, I think it’s fair to say I’ve been nothing short of a disappointment. There are so many experiences that I wish I’d have written about on my blog so I could look back and remember everything but in all honesty, blogging hasn’t been a priority for me at all.

I’ve been on the road for exactly 6 months today – which even saying that fills me with a weird sense of pride and amazement that I’ve made it to this point already. I always knew that I wanted to travel for around 6 months, but you never know how things are going to work out so I’m honestly so proud that I’ve managed to make it this far and that everything has gone to plan. Not as if I had a plan to begin with… quite the opposite actually. I left for Bangkok on 13^th April 2016 knowing that I would embark on a 10 day tour with the company Real Gap Experience, but everything following that was completely undetermined – allowing me to 100% make things up as I went along. Since then I’ve travelled Vietnam with an American I travelled most of Thailand with, Indonesia with a friend from home, Australia, New Zealand and have somehow ended up back in Australia on a Working Holiday Visa.

That is the beauty of travel. You don’t need a plan. Your route can completely depend on who you meet, the weather, how much money you have… and in the end I believe that everything works out exactly the way it’s meant to. If I hadn’t have moved hostels in Koh Tao to be near some people I knew (even though I didn’t particularly like them), I never would have met my friend Catherine who I ended up travelling the whole of Thailand with. If I hadn’t have met Catherine, I never would have gone to Vietnam where I had the most amazing time partying on Castaway Island. If I hadn’t fallen out with my guy friend from home in Bali, I never would have met my friend Pam on a snorkelling trip who I ended up staying with when I first arrived in Melbourne. If flights to Darwin from Bali weren’t so expensive, I wouldn’t have spent a week volunteering at a dog shelter to kill time waiting for a cheaper flight.

So here I am… 6 months later, living in a hostel with a huge group of friends, working 3 jobs and saving money to continue travelling in 2017. Trust me, the life I’m living right now doesn’t feel real sometimes and I’d love to sit down one day and recap on everything so you guys can read about everything in greater detail. It might take me a while, but writing this post has made me realise how much I miss blogging so I promise you it’s going to happen. I’m so excited to update you all on what it’s like to live in a hostel and how crazy my job situation has been since arriving in Melbs, so keep an eye out for those!

xxx

TOP 10 PLACES TO VISIT IN THAILAND

Ahh Thailand... the land of beautiful beaches, golden temples and an ice cold 'Chang'. With such a big country to explore, where do you start? Here are some of the best places to visit that will leave you wishing you'd accidentally missed your flight home because you were too busy buying a toastie in 7-Eleven (hey it happens okay...)

1) Bangkok

The gateway to Thailand... Bangkok is certainly a city that shouldn't be missed. Drop your bag at the hostel and head down to the infamous Khao San Road for an experience like no other. Brimming with street food and clothes and souvenir stalls, why not try a fried scorpion or indulge in some retail therapy at seriously low prices? Fake Adidas for £4? Yes please! For a truly insane spectacle, head to Thailand mid-April to experience Thai New Year in the capital. Trust me, water fights don't get much bigger than that!

2) Koh Samui

If you follow the standard backpacker trail, the first island you will more than likely hit is Koh Samui. For your first taste of paradise, spend the day sipping cocktails on one of the island's many beautiful beaches and watch the sunset light up the sky in every shade of pink and purple imaginable. At night, head to the backpacker hot spot 'Ark Bar' and dance the night away on the sand with your new travel buddy's!

3) Koh Phangan

Let's be honest, a trip to Thailand isn't complete without that all important night out at the legendary Full Moon Party. Whether you're there for the Full Moon, Half Moon or Jungle Party, grab yourself a bucket and be prepared to party HARD. After all, that's what Koh Phangan is known for! Fancy a Sunday Roast to help fade away the hangover? Yes you heard right... look no further than the island's very own English pub! Keep an eye out for 'The Masons Arms' - it won't disappoint!

4) Koh Tao

It's easy to see why Koh Tao is often named backpackers favourite Thai island. The crystal clear water and gorgeous sunsets are by far the best you'll come across - the way the sea reflects the sky is just mesmerising. Koh Tao is famous for its scuba diving and snorkelling, so be sure to book onto a day trip or two and explore the waters for yourself. If it's a banging night out you're looking for, join the long stream of black vests parading the streets on the islands most popular bar crawl. Trust me, you don't want to miss it!

5) Ao Nang/Railay Beach

Most backpackers will tell you to go to Krabi, but along the way you'll discover that the main place everyone stays is Ao Nang (and for good reason!) Located on the Western Coast of South Thailand, Ao Nang is just a 10 minute taxi boat ride from the famous Railay beach - making it the perfect location for relaxing and partying. Apart from its prime location near Railay, the main draw to the area is 'Slumber Party' which, according to signs all over reception, is named 'the best hostel in Thailand'. Ask anyone who's ever stayed there and I'm sure they'll agree! (FYI: be prepared to stay A LOT longer than you first intended!)

6) Koh Phi Phi

In need of a break from the constant sound of scooters racing along the streets and tuk tuk’s fighting for your attention? Look no further than the motor-less island of Koh Phi Phi! With no choice but to walk everywhere, you’ll soon fall in love with the island’s quaint streets, live music bars and popular party hostels that line the golden beach. For panoramic views overlooking the island, it’s definitely worth climbing to the viewpoint at sunset to watch the day turn into evening (although be sure to get there early as it can get really crowded!)

7) Monkey Beach

From Koh Phi Phi you can book a really fun boat trip that takes you snorkelling and sightseeing around the surrounding islands. The best part? Getting up close and personal with the monkeys at Monkey Beach of course! Don’t forget to bring your camera for the ultimate selfie!

8) Maya Bay

On the same boat trip from Koh Phi Phi you’ll eventually end up at the one place EVRYONE wants to visit… Maya Bay! Famed for its role in the Leo DiCaprio film ‘The Beach’, the stunning beach and mesmerising scenery is not to be missed (after all, where else can you say you’ve been on the same beach as Leo?!)

9) Kanchanaburi

Often missed on the traditional backpacker trail, the hidden gem of Kanchanaburi – located just 2 hours West of Bangkok – is definitely worth a visit if you fancy somewhere steeped in history and off the beaten track. With a heavy focus on the town’s war history, there are tons of places to visit including the Bridge on the River Kwai, the JEATH War Museum and an abundance of prisoner of war cemeteries. For some lighthearted fun, visit the breathtaking Erawan National Park or bottle feed a baby lion cub at Kanchanaburi’s Safari Park Open Zoo.

10) Chiang Mai

A trip to Thailand isn’t complete without travelling North to everyone’s favourite city… Chiang Mai! Whether you opt for a Thai cooking class, a day with the elephants, a Muay Thai boxing match, zip lining with wild gibbons or trekking in the jungle (or all 5 if you’re feeling adventurous!), one thing you’ll never be in Chiang Mai is bored!

I QUIT MY JOB TO GO TRAVELLING!

You don't even know how long I've wanted to write this blog post for. A few months back I decided to re-brand my blog to focus it more on travel, but since then I've barely written a single article and definitely haven't been 'wandering the world'. It's only now that I can finally announce my reasons for changing to a travel blog, and that's because...

I'M GOING TRAVELLING!!!

Let me tell you now, it's been a bloody long process. I made the decision to go travelling over a year ago when I returned from Australia - that 2 week holiday was all it took to convince me that I didn't want to be spending the best part of my 20s working in an office 9-5. There was most certainly more to life than that. I had no idea how long it would take me to save up the amount I wanted, so I always said I would go when the time felt right.

As with everything, there were unexpected hurdles along the way. I started a new job that had the potential to lead me on to a new career path, a career that I never thought was possible considering my lack of experience. Not only that, my job decided to enroll me on a Digital Marketing course (free of charge) where I would gain a Level 3 Diploma in Digital Marketing - another piece of the puzzle that would inevitably help me climb the career ladder. Before I knew it, my dream of travelling felt further and further away and I had no idea which way to turn. There was no way I was changing my mind (travelling is something I knew I HAD to do), but part of me couldn't help but wear my sensible cap and realise how lucky I was to be getting these opportunities from work that would help my career in the future. I eventually came up with a compromise: I would stay in my job a year as it would benefit my CV and I would complete my qualification, but when a year comes I would book my flight.

So that's what I did.

I've been working around the clock trying to finish my qualification early (thanks to the great relationship I have with my tutors) and finally everything is taking shape and working out how I hoped it would. I've been extremely lucky, but waiting for months and months on end for your life to kick into action definitely tests your patience. It's not been easy. For months my life consisted of work > gym > sleep > repeat (I sacrificed my social life so I could save every penny) and believe me, it's difficult to stay positive and upbeat when your life is so monotonous. I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel for ages and it really took its toll on my mood. But as the New Year approached, the excitement kicked in and it's now ONLY 38 DAYS until I board my flight to Thailand!!!

How does that good old saying go? "It won't be easy, but it WILL be worth it."

I don't know where I'm going or how long I'll be away for, but you can guarantee I'll be documenting it every step of the way on my little old blog :)

xo