WHEN IN: THE CAYMAN ISLANDS

It may be cliché to say it but this year has been a roller coaster – and that's to say the least. Without going into too many details, I unstitched my life and started again. I went from quietly unhappy to obviously all over the place and have somehow landed in a brand new happy place; a happier place than I thought would be possible for me this year. It brought with it a new favourite person, a new home, and a new destination to explore. Everything happens for a reason, right?

Like the kind soul he is, Jord took me on an unforgettable adventure to meet his Camanian family and welcomed me into his world. We watched sunsets on the beach, danced in the streets of George Town, stroked baby turtles, went out to sea in a kayak, drank endless milkshakes, had a tan off, and (somehow) fell even more in love with one another. It was the perfect trip and I'd relive it again in a heartbeat. Thank you for finding me, Jordan. I love you with all that I have.

Sometimes pictures speak louder than words, so here's are a few of my favourites from our glorious 8 days in the sun.

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WHEN IN: ROME (FLORENCE, VENICE, VERONA & MILAN)

Have you ever fallen head over heels for a foreign land that you've never even visited? Welcome to my TED talk. For as long as I can remember, my heart has longed for (and belonged to) Italy – a place that, until earlier this month, was still on my travel bucket list. So what's a girl to do? Get her Eat Pray Love on, of course. And that's exactly what I did, with a month's warning. That's right – eight days, five cities, one girl, and a ~very~ heavy rucksack. Andiamo!

City no. 1 – Rome ★★★☆☆
My first stop (as well as my last) was in the Italian capital – aka Roma. On my first full day in Italy, I spent most of my time wandering around Vatican City – cathedral climb of 545 steps, included. If you've visited yourself, you'll know that what I'm about to say is no exaggeration; St. Peter's Basilica took my breath away. I'm talking both inside and outside – as well as on top of. The Vatican Museums were also spectacular, but they actually made me feel slightly uneasy. Walking through the ~many~ galleries (I genuinely got lost at least 3 times), I couldn't help but think about how expensive they must have been and how expensive they must still be, whilst there are so many people in our world that struggle to get by day-to-day. Yes, they may be beautiful but does that justify not using the space to serve a better purpose? Such as sheltering the many homeless on the street? Moving ~away~ from politics, I also fitted the Trevi Fountain – aka the busiest tourist attraction I have EVER visited – and the infamous Spanish Steps into day numero uno. On my return to Rome at the very end of my one-woman mission, I spent the afternoon exploring the Colosseum and the surrounding area. Another breathtaking building, for sure, but incomparable to others earlier in my trip. All in all, Rome is a typical capital city – full to the brim of tourists, historical sights, and more graffiti than I could have ever envisioned. I wouldn't say that I disliked it, but Rome was definitely my least favourite Italian location.

City no. 2 – Florence ★★★★★
My oh my did my heart beat for Florence. I can honestly say, hand on said (beating) heart, that I have found my new happy place in the city of Firenze. Such a stark contrast to Rome, Florence felt far more quaint and packed with far more culture than I ever expected. From strolling around the streets in the early hours of the evening – market stalls, included – to reading my book on a park bench as the night slowly crawled in, I felt two glorious feelings – a) safe and b) at home. The galleries were overwhelming (in the very best way), the squares were brimming with incredibly talented artists, and the streets were lined with gelato shop after gelato shop after gelato shop. I know, priorities right? Of all the cathedrals (i.e. one for each city) that I gazed upon during my Italian adventure, Florence's took the cake. And the icing. And the cherry on top. One late afternoon, I climbed up a hill and ~many~ stairs to Michelangelo's Square, which gifts the most incredible views of the city that stole my heart. And right in the middle of the skyline? That cathedral – that duomo. Florence, you made me feel like me again.

City no. 3 – Venice ★★★★☆
Having heard quite mixed views about The Floating City, I opted to only spend 24 hours in Venice – and what a 24 hours it was. Yes, ~massively~ overcrowded in the popular areas, but a small piece of my heart belongs to the endless bridges that line the city's backstreets. Walking into St. Mark's Square, I audibly gasped at the sight of the cathedral – what a magnificent building. Climbing (via elevator) the tower to the side of the cathedral – St Mark's Campanile – offered incredible views of the water and the smaller islands opposite. As evening rolled in, I decided to take a stroll to Ponte dell'Accademia to take in the Grand Canal in all its glory. Sat on the other side of the bridge, and overlooking the large span of water where cruise ships come and go, was that night's restaurant. I scoffed a pizza, obviously – but also treated myself to a gorgeous glass of Rosé. After enduring the hectic nature of Venice in the day, it was the most wonderful feeling to experience the peaceful side of the island, too. It really is a beautiful city.

City no. 4 – Verona ★★★★★
It would only be right to describe Verona – the city infamous for its connection to Romeo and Juliet – as both dreamy and romantic. Besides Juliet's balcony, the Arena, and the the cathedral, I didn't have much on the itinerary for Verona. Instead, I took the opportunity to spend 48 hours relaxing, shopping, and taking a gazillion photos – 10/10 would recommend after 5 days of non-stop sightseeing. Having found my happy place on a hilltop in Florence, I stumbled across a close contender by the River Adige. Sat on a wall overlooking the water, switching between reading my book and people watching, I felt more zen that I have in a very long time. When I did take a wander, I was overwhelmed by just how many 'Letters to Juliet' (most of which written on the walls themselves) there were. And they weren't just limited to Casa di Giulietta – the city's walls were overflowing with them. I actually managed to walk by the cathedral just as Sunday mass was taking place, meaning I got to experience an authentic Italian service, and I spent an afternoon getting lost in some magnificent gardens. Verona, you did not disappoint.

City no. 5 – Milan ★★★★☆
Last but by no means least, Milan was the last 'new' city on my tour before I headed back to Rome for one last night. Having spent the week prior in three small and peaceful cities, my hopes for Milan weren't quite so high. Originally super excited to visit one of the world's fashion capitals, my expectations had taken a nosedive. But – to my surprise – my heart adored Milan just alike every other city. Everything about the city was so intricately designed – even the train station took my breath away. Despite being the only cathedral that I did not enter on my trip, the view from the outside was alike no other. Right in the middle of the city, I strolled around the surrounding shops whilst I took its glory in. My favourite find? A three-storey chocolate and sweet shop, of course. They even had a bakery. A BAKERY. I also had the chance to set my sights on Samuel L. Jackson, live in the flesh – but I didn't realise it was him until my brother confirmed via text a few hours later. Oh Milan, you really were unique. I'll definitely be back.

My heart always has – and I can confidently say now that it always will – belong to Italia. Just you watch this space.

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REASONS TO: VISIT BERLIN

Next on my whistle-stop-tour of holidays that I never blogged about... Berlin! It seems like a lifetime ago that Jack and I hopped on a plane and flew circa 700 miles to the capital of Germany. We still called Manchester our home, I hadn't yet been blonde, and the pair of us were only 22. A lifetime ago, I tell ya!

Hand on heart, Berlin is one of the best places that I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. Jam-packed with more history than you could ever fit into one city break (and home of the best hot chocolate I've found to date), Berlin won me over, fair and simple. And here are the top five reasons why:

The TV Tower – or Berliner Fernsehturm, if you will. Jack and I (and my dad, for that matter) have a thing for going to the highest point that we can to ~really~ take a city in. In Berlin, that was the TV tower. We had breakfast here on our first morning and looked out as the German city rotated around us (or as we rotated around it, should I say). Plus, it was a great point of reference whenever we got lost. If we could see the TV tower, we knew how to get home!

The Berliner Dom, i.e. Berlin's Cathedral. We had to pay for the pleasure of going inside but boy oh boy am I glad we did. I remember walking into the central room and just stopping in awe at the breathtaking beauty of the ceiling. I bloody love cathedrals, I must say. Better still, we climbed to the very top and waked the 360° around the building. The views weren't quite as good as from the TV tower, but I would 10/10 recommend.

The zoo – and if you're shocked by that statement, you don't know me from Adam. Berlin's is by far one of the best zoos I've been to (are you sensing a theme here?). Jack and I found the hippos particularly fascinating... that is until they started to eat their own poo. Yep. Hippos are p-r-e-t-t-y gross. My only regret is not getting a picture in-front of the incredible elephant entrance gate to the park. But there's always next time...

The history. Having focused on WWII and the Cold War for most of my history education, Berlin sure was interesting. The remainder of the Berlin Wall (albeit heavily spray-painted) was a heart-dropping thing to see, along with the bright pink pipes near Checkpoint Charlie that symbolised where the wall once stood.

And last (but ~certainly~ not least), the hot chocolate. It was to die for. And, in true Forrest Gump style, that's all I've got to say about that.

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WHEN IN: LUXEMBOURG

As my Facebook status very cleverly stated, us two shmucks (i.e. Jack and I) headed to Lux for two days of... well, we didn't quite know what. Booking flights to Luxembourg was ~the~ most spontaneous decision I've ever made (which, if you know me at all, isn't hard to come by). On a cold day last November, my phone lit up with an incoming email from Jack's Flight Club: *weekend trips* flights to Europe. With no upcoming trips on the horizon, how could I say no?

So yes, a bit of a random choice, but it was a lovely trip nonetheless. With only 2 days to explore the city, we managed to stumble across more parks and inhale more hot chocolate than I thought possible. We're just big kids, really. After landing on Saturday evening and taking a (longer than anticipated) stroll to our hotel, we sat back, relaxed... and watched The Simpsons in French. Standard. Not many places were open on the Sunday (bad research on my part, woops) and so we headed for what we know best – food. After a little bit (*cough* a lot) of google-mapping, we opted for a cutesie restaurant called Urban. One word: yuuuuum. Next up? We decided to do the Wenzel Circular Walk – a route recommended to us by a friend's boyfriend's dad (yes, really). It was a beautiful walk around the historic areas of the city that we managed to cram with many a game of 20 questions. Once our tired legs had had enough, we made our way back to the hotel for an afternoon nap before making a beeline for a local Chinese. Food is always the best part of travelling, eh?

Monday morning came – we packed our bags, checked out, and walked back into the city for a final few hours of Lux. We made our way into the old town and found ourselves in a cool burger place called Lux'burgers. Once our server found out we didn't speak French, however, all niceties went out the window. Despite the weird atmosphere, the food was top-notch – so we couldn't really complain. What is it with us English and only speaking one language?? After a cheeky photo shoot that overlooked the Adolphe Bridge, there was one last place that we wanted to explore: The Belgian Chocolate House. We walked out one gift bag heavier and a whole lot happier – and that's what holidays are all about, right? Plus, the fridge magnet we brought home is in the shape of a spoon. Winner.

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REASONS TO: VISIT LISBON

In my brief hiatus (read: t-o-t-a-l abandonment) from this here blog, I successfully stuck six more push pins into my imaginary cork map. Rather than ruin the magic of each location with my terrible memory, it seemed much more fitting (and much less demanding) to simply share the very best bits. Enjoy.

Think back to August of last year. I won't blame ya if it takes a moment; summer feels like a lifetime ago. Well, Jack and I packed our bags and hopped on a plane to the home of scrumptious custard tarts. Yep, you guessed it – we paid a visit to Lisbon (I mean, the clue is quite literally in the title). I'd heard more than a handful (an armful?) of raving reviews and so I had set the bar fairly high... which made it all the more disappointing when the bar was knocked onto the floor.

Now, let me be clear – Jack and I had a lovely three days in the coastal city and I'm sure it would have dazzled me had my expectations not been set so high. It's definitely worth a visit, so don't let my (badly thought-out) limbo analogy put you off. Here's what I ~did~ love:

- I adored the 'outdoor wallpaper' look that all the buildings were sporting 
- The inspiring graffiti around every corner gave the city a really cool artistic vibe
- The impressive views from the castle were well worth the steep climb (especially of the 17km Vasco da Gama bridge)
- Pena Palace is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen – it felt like walking into a fairytale
- The Santa Justa lift also offered incredible views of the city (top tip: don't wait in the mahoosive queue for the lift itself – take the 3-minute talk instead)
- Lisbon Zoo (yes, we visited the zoo) had such a lovely variation of animals and the cable car tour was definitely an interesting experience
- The transport system is so straightforward – for people who get lost a lot, we found Lisbon super easy to navigate
- The old-fashioned yellow trams give the city an authentic vibe (and if you're lucky/willing to queue, you'll get to ride one!)
- Lisbon seems to have a strange enthusiasm for sardines (!?) and has an entire carnival-themed shop where you can buy tins labelled with your birth year
- And who can forget the aforementioned custard tarts? Pasteis de Belem is ~the~ place to go. I'm drooling just thinking about them...

Perhaps Lisbon wasn't the be-all and end-all, but it definitely warranted taking a few days off from my (not so busy) schedule. It provided me with plenty of funny memories, one too many photos, and – most importantly – a tacky fridge magnet. So it ~was~ a winner, really.

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WHEN IN: NEW YORK CITY

And what an adventure it was! If you're a regular reader of my blog, there is a 100% chance that you know about mine and Jack's recent trip to New York City. As a joint 21st birthday present from both of our parents, we headed off to the most incredible city on Earth for four days of freedom and exploration. We managed to cram pretty much everything that we wanted to do into those four short days, ending each day more tired than the last. We honestly had the time of our lives—it was definitely the best birthday present ever!

After arriving on the Saturday evening (and making the mistake of walking 20 blocks to our hotel from the subway with two heavy suitcases... oops), we took a short walk out to Times Square. Absolutely shattered from the journey and the time difference, we headed home for a night of deep sleep before rising for a full day on the Sunday. We spent the day in downtown Manhattan at the World Trade Center Site. It was an extremely moving and emotional day, surrounded by the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks. After taking a small walk around the site ourselves, we paid a visit to the 9/11 Tribute Center. We looked around the building, having our hearts broken by all of the harrowing quotes and pictures encompassing the rooms, before we were then taken on a walking tour of the site by two 9/11 survivors. The ladies explained the layout of the site in present times, including the absolutely outstanding waterfalls that are positioned in the exact spots that the North and South towers stood, and then went on to tell us their own stories of the event. It was a truly poignant experience that I would recommend to everyone visiting New York. We then headed up the One World Trade Center for the spectacular views on the 102nd floor and were blown away by the beauty of the city.

Monday was spent on many bus tours. We headed on the uptown loop that took us all around the edge of Central Park and through the heart of the Upper West Side. Our tour guide pointed out the spot that John Lennon was shot, as well as showing us exactly which part of the park has been renamed 'Strawberry Fields' in his memory. As we headed further uptown, we jumped onto the Bronx loop to go and see Yankee Stadium! Although we didn't manage to go into the stadium itself, we saw its incredible stance from the outside and had a cheeky look in the official gift shop too. On the way back into Manhattan, we swapped back onto the uptown loop and travelled down the Upper East Side of Central Park along 5th Avenue. What a dream to see New York City in all of its glory! Just before heading out for the evening, we headed to the Top of the Rock. The views from the top were more than I ever could have hoped for. Let's put it this way; I have found my absolute favourite place in the entire world. It just completely took my breath away! We then headed down to Greenwich Village to a small comedy show. Jack and I had left tourist central and headed straight into the eye of the New Yorker storm! It was a fantastic experience to live just how real New Yorkers do and we had such a great evening eating fries and mozzarella sticks whilst chuckling away at Colin Quinn.

Tuesday rolled around and it was off to the Statue of Liberty we went! We jumped on a bus downtown, got on a very busy ferry, and headed to Liberty Island. I've got to say, the view of the statue is far more impressive from the boat than it is from standing underneath. The most impressive view from the island is definitely the skyline of Manhattan on the other side of the Hudson, especially with the newly constructed One World Trade Center standing loud and proud. It makes the Empire State look like a baby building in the background! We bought a few sandwiches and a packet of crisps from the diner and had a cute little picnic whilst staring out over the water. What a magical way to spend a Tuesday afternoon! After heading back over to mainland, we headed to Chinatown to experience an authentic Chinese meal. It was incredibly tasty food but with a very strange serving method—my food appeared on the table a good 15 minutes after Jack's did! We then took a walk through Little Italy and ended up at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. That little park holds a special place in my heart. I have never felt so completely relaxed in a city that I don't call home.

Wednesday came far too soon;  it was hotel check-out time! Cry! With only until 5pm to explore the rest of the city, we decided to head down 5th Avenue to experience some of the outstanding shops and then spend an afternoon in the glorious Central Park. We managed to find an incredible pizza place just a few blocks from the park where we shared a magnificent 17" beast. What a way to end a holiday! In Central Park itself, we headed to the zoo for an hour or so of 'oohing' and 'awwing', penguins being my favourite attraction as usual. Both Jack and myself were melting away in the sweltering heat and I have absolutely no idea how the animals were able to cope! Both bears were tucked away in the shade, fast asleep, and the snow leopard was nowhere to be seen. 5pm rolled around and we headed back to the hotel to collect our suitcases, walked to the subway station for the final time, and waved goodbye to our new home away from home.

There's no doubt about it; New York City is one of the greatest places on Earth. Have you ever been?

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LET'S TALK ABOUT: GAP YEARS

Photo by Nik Guiney on Unsplash

Leaving home and going to University after finishing my A Levels was always the plan - I never once thought otherwise. A few of my closest friends weren't heading off at the same time as me due to retakes, or longer courses, but none of them took a 'gap year' as such. I'd never really thought of it as a big deal. Yet here I am, a year and a half into my degree, wishing I had taken that all important year out from education, to spend time reflecting on who I am. Don't get me wrong; I am very grateful that I went off to uni when I did. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have met some of my absolute best friends, nor would I have met my boyfriend. I would not have some of the amazing memories that I have made over the last 18 months, and I wouldn't change that for the world. That being said, I can definitely see where a gap year would have benefitted me, and here is why...

01: The difference in teaching styles between A Levels and University
After going through a seven year school system leading up to your GCSEs, always being taught in the same style, the leap to A Levels can seem like quite a significant one. Although the content gets much more taxing, and there is far more to remember and understand, the same style carries on for another two years. Moving from one teaching style that you have been so indoctrinated with for almost ten years, onto a remarkably different teaching style, is a bigger feat than is ever made known. It's no secret that I found the difference completely overwhelming, and was the main factor of my almost drop-out after the first semester of first year. If I were to have taken a year away from education entirely, I would have been able to clear my head of everything that had been drilled into it for such a long period of time, and had time to think and reflect. To jump straight from one style to another was definitely not the best thing for me.

02: To go travelling for a year after your degree isn't quite the same
A lot of people have said to me not to feel regretful for not taking a gap year, as there is plenty of opportunity to go travelling and find myself after I've graduated - which I highly doubt. I'm sure that a lot of people do it, and I'm sure that they are successful in finding a decent job on their return, but it seems like a much harder way of doing things. When you jet off across the world for a year, you know that there is something waiting back home for you at the end of it. Unless you have a job locked down for the year after, if you go travelling after your degree, you are coming home to literally nothing... and that is terrifying.

03: Preparing for the social aspect of university
Although I would never class myself as an anti-social person, as I love nothing more than spending quality time with my family and my friends, I'm not the same as every other university student. I'm an introvert: I like to spend a lot of time on my own, I fear for meeting new people, and I'd much rather spend a quiet night at home than go drinking on a night out. That's not to say that I'm not a confident person - when put in positions out of my comfit zone I manage well, but they are definitely out of my comfort zone. If I had been travelling as part of a gap year, I would have picked up different ways of communicating with complete strangers, and would have felt a lot more comfortable in a drinking situation.

Did any of you go on a gap year? Where would you go if given the chance? Leave me a comment!

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