Helen’s 7 Steps to Travel Planning

*Collaborative piece I like planning. I especially like planning travels and I’d like to think that I’m pretty good at it these days. An element of surprise can be nice, but the planning stage does require some organisation. These are my seven steps to planning any trip. 1. Check the Government Website The British Government website has a list of all the countries British citizens can visit and various pieces of travel advice about each country. It’s particularly useful if you want to travel to a country with political unrest or with areas where conflict is ongoing. We found it really …

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11 Travel Highlights of 2017

2017 has been another epic year of travelling. I’m lucky enough to have visited some amazing places. In no particular order, here are some of my travel highlights of the year. Hopefully, they can give you some great ideas for your 2018 travels! 1. Living in Paradise: Isla Holbox I made my love of Isla Holbox very apparent in my blog post about it. White sands and blue water make it a must on any trip to the Yucatan peninsula. Swap Cancun for Holbox if you want a slower pace and friendlier vibe. I can’t praise this island enough and …

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Are You Getting Married Abroad?

Since returning back to Bristol over a month ago from Bulgaria, life has been busy. I thought November was going to be a quiet month, but, something happened. After nearly four years together, Mitch (AKA The Ambling Bristolian) and I decided that it was about time we made a promise to each other. The following days and weekend were spent celebrating with family and friends. We were pretty overwhelmed with congratulations and love (thanks, everyone). Nobody tells you quite how many questions you get asked when you get engaged. How did it happen? Did he get on one knee? When …

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My Love-Hate Relationship With Hostels

Fellow Bristolian and lovely editor of Bristolian Backpacker, Mitchell Labiak, shares his love-hate relationship with hostels.  Hostels are the bread and butter of backpacking. Staying in a hostel as opposed to a hotel is the difference between telling people you are “going travelling” and telling people you are “going on holiday”. At the best of times, they are cheap, friendly, and helpful places where you can meet other travellers, feel somewhat at home, and save money on your trip. And at the worst of times? To paraphrase Tolstoy, “All good hostels are alike; each shit hostel is shit in its own way.” …

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Don’t Panic: How to Deal with the Most Common Travelling Issues

*Collaborative Post With travelling comes the opportunity to slip up and make mistakes. It happens – and it happens often, with nearly every tourist running into an issue shared by thousands of others across the world. Fear not, as there are ways to avoid common problems, as outlined below. Overpacking One of the most common issues with travellers crops up before they’ve even left home. You need to be strategic with your packing. Otherwise, you could find yourself overloaded once you’re abroad, especially when travelling long-term. There’s nothing worse than having to lug a huge, heavy suitcase around. Remind yourself …

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Why I Love Sending Postcards

Anybody who knows me well will know how much I love postcards. So, you can imagine how sad I was to learn that the oldest UK Postcard company closing. Mitch understands that on all of our trips some of my time will be spent browsing and buying postcards. This is followed by finding a post office and learning how to say “stamps” in a new language. I love writing and sending postcards. Here’s why. Postcards are Personable When I post a status on Facebook, 559 people can read it. I am (effectively) talking to 559 at one time. Giving them …

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