Switzerland: the must see cities for people who don't ski

Switzerland is one of my favourite places in the world. Its natural beauty is breathtaking; I could never tire of the country’s tranquil waters and panoramic mountainscapes. That said, I probably could tire of how spenny it is - ha!

The Swiss Alps are often the country’s main draw, entising visitors from far and wide with its world-renowned ski resorts and apres-ski lifestyle. While I love the idea of a post-ski hot tub session in a quiant wooden cabin, I’ve never strapped on a set of skis in my life, and don’t have high hopes for my balance and coordination if I were to try it. However, never say never: maybe one day!

Away from the slopes, I have visited the country a few times: on my interrailing adventure, on an impromptu Christmas break with a friend, and also to meet up with friends I’d made on a tour in Cuba. So, here are my top cities if, like me, you wanna see Switzerland without the skis:

Brienz

On my first visit to the country, I visited Lake Brienz and… just wow. The whole area was quintessential Swiss with fir trees and bright blue water. It took us a little while to find our hostel due to the language barrier, which was not great in the pouring rain, but once we found the place and the skies cleared up, our spirits lifted - and stayed that way for our entire stay. To date: it was the cleanest hostel I have stayed in (our next hostel on the trip, in Paris, put me off hostels for life). The town is compact and quaint, and we spent our days strolling around the water, admiring its beauty.

Interlaken

Close to Brienz, you’ll find the well-known Interlaken. This area is home to more tourist shops and offers a pretty mountainside town. On our visit, we headed upwards to Harder Kulm, which overlooks the town and affords fantastic views of the bright-blue lake and neighbouring mountains from a height of 1,322 metres above sea level. As well as soaking up the views from the platform, we enjoyed a laid-back lunch up in the mountains too, with my favourite Swiss drink, Rivella. The ascent and descent via funicular means the views start before you even reach the top.

Lucerne

Speaking of stunning views from lofty locations, Lucerne also delivers. We made our way up to a viewing point at Bürgenstock Resort, which offered 360-degree, far-reaching lake views from above. The beauty was breathtaking.

Back on street level, Lucerne is just as spellbinding, whether in rain or shine (we had both!) The Altstadt (old town) is like something out of a fairytale, with wooden bridges, medieval architecture and, of course, its eponymous lake.

Zürich

Switzerland’s largest city offers a cityscape of turrets and modern buildings alike, backed by mountain ranges in the distance and, you guessed it, a central lake! Are you seeing a theme yet? I felt really at home in the city; familiar shops coupled with alfresco dining and city walks along the river bank. We also headed up to Lindenhof, a park with some great city views.

During our visit, some protesters dyed the lake a bright green, which gave off a St Patrick’s Day in Dublin feel.

Geneva

If you’re living the high life, Geneva is a city sure to be on your list. The city positively glitters with high-end jewellery stores and lavish supercars. They weren’t the only thing that glittered during our visit: it was December, so there were Christmas lights by the waterside and trinkets lighting up market stalls and shopping centres. Come daylight, we made sure to see the landmark Jet d'Eau.

During our visit, we attempted to head into the Alps; however, due to bad weather, we had to turn back part way through our journey. We disembarked the coach for a few minutes though, just to get our boots into the snow!

As we were visiting around Christmas, we hopped on a train from Geneva, headed to the Montreux Christmas Market. It did not disappoint. From delicious warm chocolatey treats to mulled wine, golden curios to a ‘flying Santa’s sleigh’ in the sky, it was a real winter wonderland.

Market stall. Image: Hannah Varney,

Have you been to Switzerland? What is your favourite town or city?

Here's what you should know before flying in a pandemic

Title image: Unsplash - Jerry Zhang

Pandemic. Coronavirus. COVID 19. Social distancing.

Are you sick of hearing these words yet? I know I am. However, it’s better than being actually sick with the contagious disease that’s swept the world.

My time living abroad was heavily impacted by the Coronavirus and the associated rules, restrictions and guidelines surrounding the outbreak. Ultimately, it has resulted in me returning to London earlier than I had planned, as it strictly limited my work and travel options in a way no one would expect, or want, from a ‘year abroad’. While it wasn’t the year I had planned, I still 100% made the most of my time, and learned so much, but it’s early conclusion meant boarding a long-haul flight amidst a pandemic - potentially pretty risky! After checking whether or not you are eligible to leave the country (rules vary from country to country), here are the ways you can prepare for this new way of flying:

Before heading to the airport

Choose your mask wisely: I have three different types of mask: two disposable styles I acquired at the beginning of the virus and a reusable cloth one. While I usually prefer the reusable one, I find the disposable ones more breathable - essential when you will need to sleep in a mask on a long-haul flight.

Turbulence-blurred pic - but look at the space!

Bring what you’ll need with you: Sydney Airport’s Duty Free, WH Smiths, and the majority of other outlets are completely closed at the moment, and I presume it is the same in most countries that are taking this pandemic seriously (…) I was able to get some water and chips from an open kiosk, but gone are the days where you can browse magazines, sweets and perfumes for ages before your flight.

Get familiar with the airlines’ and destinations requirements: With these new times, comes new changes to travelling. Qatar Airways, with whom I flew back to London, require all those flying to wear a mask *and* a face shield for the duration of the flight (apart from when eating). They provide the face shield. There is a form you must fill out from the UK government website within the 48 hours before you land in the UK (not that they chased up or checked any of the details once I arrived, or self isolated…) I flew once while in Australia too, to Byron Bay. For this trip, while there were no prerequisites on the flight, our AirBnbs requested us to present a negative COVID test result.

While on board

Maintain your distance: Thankfully, on my first flight (14 hours, 55 mins, oh boyyyy) it was SO empty. Upon check in, I asked how many people were on the flight, and was told less than 100. Then, at the gate, the staff did a headcount and counted only 42 people! I had a whole row to myself, with no one in the row behind me, in front of me or next to me, and was able to fully stretch out. The staff were SO attentive as they had so few people to look after; the turbulence was pretty bad, and a kind air hostess kept reassuring me, topping up my wine and bringing me impromptu snacks. The second flight was a little more full - one person per row - so best believe I kept my mask and shield securely on. It’s worth noting my first flight was from a country whose borders are currently closed, hence the minimal numbers: apart from temporary visa holders, like myself, you have to apply to the government to leave the country, and they have it approve it before you can fly.

Prep your ears: This may sound like a pretty obscure statement, but behind your ears will be pretty sore for a day or two after a long flight in the pandemic. I usually wear glasses when flying, instead of my contacts, but coupled with the mask loops, the band for the face shield and the airplane headphones, my ears did hurt; one friend suggested popping some Vaseline on behind the ol’ things, or using bobby pins to pin back the mask and shield band.

Keep clean: Wash ya damn hands before and between meals. Wipe down the surfaces around you. It’s pretty simple.

On arrival at your destination

Do I need to self isolate?: I could talk for hours on this matter, but I’ll try and keep it succinct. In Oz, you arrive in the country, they put you on a bus, and you’re driven to a government-mandated hotel for 14 days of self-isolation. It may seem tough, but it has worked to minimise community transmission. Hey, look what happened when people breached the rules in Melbourne; numbers got out of hand (similar to “London on a good day”), and they went into stage 4 lockdown for months.

According to the UK government website, if you come *directly* from Australia, you don’t need to isolate. Stupid rule, because Australia is one of the furthest countries from the UK and apart from one carrier who sells direct flights from Perth - who isn’t even running these flights at the moment - you will have a stopover. Qatar isn't on the list, so I had to self-isolate on my return. I had no qualms about this; we are in a pandemic, it makes sense. However, what shocked me is that, apart from being asked if I’d filled in the form at check-in in Sydney, and when I disembarked the plane, NO ONE CHECKED. No one asked to see the form. No one has contacted me to see if I am at the address I said I would be. There was literally NOTHING stopping me from stepping out of Heathrow, making my way to the nearest Tesco and licking every fruit, vegetable and handle I could reach. I could have got on the Tube. I could be house hopping right now. Apart from a temperature check at Qatar, how do they know I don’t have Covid and I’m not spreading it? They don’t. I was mixed with people who were coming from all over in baggage reclaim. Anyway, the point of this rant is to check if you need to self-isolate - not that BoJo and crew seem that concerned...

Give yourself time to adjust: This one is most applicable to those who are migrating during the pandemic, rather than having just gone on a holiday or a short-term trip. My experience with the Coronavirus thus far has been guided by the Australian government, and they have approached the situation very differently to the UK government. My opinions, and criticisms of the UK public and government, may be at odds with some of my friends and peers, but the proof is in the pudding… just compare the numbers and soak in what a shambles the UK’s response is *upside-down smiley face.*

I felt totally at ease going to restaurants and into the city back in Oz because of how strict the rules were initially, and the steps that continue to be taken; at the time of publication, the cases to date in the whole of New South Wales since March are less than a 10th of London alone. I’m anxious being in this city, if I’m honest, and I’ve no desire to socialise in London right now; there is a far larger chance of me catching it, and passing it on here. I’d love to travel, given that my time in Oz was cut short, but rather than fearing catching it in a different country, the idea of sitting on a plane with Londoners is a big no-no for me.

If you do need to isolate: Make sure you maintain healthy eating and exercise, where possible. That sounds like such a naggy mum thing to say, but it’s so easy to get into your head when you can’t go outdoors for 14 days, especially when you weren’t expecting to come home when you have. Amongst other things, I used the time to job hunt and to plot how to surprise my family and best friend with my early return (it was easy to keep up the time-difference texts because of jetlag!)

What do you think about flying during this pandemic? Do you think it is okay to go on holiday at this time?

Finding your freedom: working from home

This piece has been written by a guest writer, Gwen Payne.

As young adults, we’ve all been conditioned to follow the same path as our parents, which is to work a 40-hour-per-week job and then retire with the pension in place. But times are changing, and the things that worked for generations past don’t necessarily fit into our 21st-century, 20-something lifestyle.

Something we have an opportunity to do that our parents could never have imagined is to work from home, starting from the beginning of our career. Whether you wish to travel while working, living that nomad lifestyle, or you’ve started your family and want to spend more time with the kids than the traditional way of working allows, the following tips can help you get started.

Defining your goals

Before you quit your day job to pursue a remote position, it’s prudent to define your goals to yourself. Do you want a more flexible schedule? Would you like to spend more time with your family, or is your goal to work while travelling? These are all excellent benefits associated with remote work, but, as Vox points out, there are definite downsides, too. If you do not want to be in your workplace 24/7 or are a social butterfly, you may be better off in an office a few days a week at the very least.

Best work-at-home jobs

For the most part, anything that you could do from a work cubicle, you can do from home. If you hope to work from home full time, one option is seeking out traditional employment with a non-traditional arrangement. Many companies offer remote positions doing anything from software development to call centre to marketing or internet research - especially at the moment, with the COVID rules in place. You may also find a full or part-time job answering telephones, processing medical claims, or working as a virtual assistant. Don’t be afraid to change your career.

Starting your own business

Another option is starting your own business: if you have experience as a bookkeeper, for example, or recently graduated with a degree in accounting, you could start your own business helping local business owners manage their money. If you’re an artist or photographer, you can even sell these skills, although it may be necessary to leave the house on occasion for a photoshoot or to paint a mural. Perhaps you can babysit, take care of other people’s animals, or do other domestic duties that your office-inducted neighbours may not have time to do.

Promoting yourself

Whether you’re working from home as a freelancer, or starting your own business, you’re going to have to learn how to promote yourself and your skills!

Starting a podcast is a great example of how to do just this, and it’s an excellent way to connect with your customers while marketing yourself in your best light. A podcast can also increase the number of email subscribers – a crucial component to marketing – while also allowing your personality to shine through. Keep in mind that to set yourself up for success, you’ll want to master a few key steps, like establishing a schedule and format for your program.

You’ll also need to become super social media savvy, and Small Business Trends stresses the use of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms to get your name and mission out into the public.

At the end of the day, working at home is one of the best ways to achieve the ever-crucial life/professional balance. And there are many opportunities that you can take advantage of that your parents never could. So, whether you want to start your own business or hold a traditional nine-to-five, but from home, there has never been a better time to jump headfirst into the work-at-home world!

Gwen Payne is a stay-at-home mom with an entrepreneurial spirit. Over the years, she has mastered raising her two daughters while side hustling to success through small ventures based on her passions -- from dog walking to writing to eCommerce. With Invisiblemoms.com, she hopes to show other stay-at-home parents how they can achieve their business-owning dreams.

Small tips for feeling safe abroad

As a female traveller, even more so when solo, it’s important to feel safe in your surroundings. Travel is all about seeing in the world, and, yes, taking risks, but not ones that are gonna see you in a less than savoury situation or with a travel insurance claim the size of your (broken) arm.

I've been lucky enough to only have twice really felt unsafe abroad - and both times, I had a companion. Once, roaming the streets of central Naples late one night, the other on a deserted beach in Bali in the pitch black, unsure exactly how far we'd walked down the sand, and with the equivalent of just £2.50 between us after dinner. But #memories, eh?

You can’t always know what situations you’ll end up in - that’s the beauty of travelling somewhere new - but there are a few little nuances you can adhere to for your own peace of mind.

Money

First things first, with the obvious stuff. Whether you’re carrying a card or visiting a country that deals predominantly in cash, protecting your money is always a big worry. If you’re walking like JLO in Hustlers with paper in every pocket, it’s recommended that you split your money out between bags and pockets, so at least if someone does attempt to nick it, they haven’t got it all; this is what we did when interailling. Another hard-and-fast rule is to wear one of those small bags under your clothes to store your passport and money - quite a dad one really, because it’s not very outfit versatile.

Piazza San Marco, Venice - interailling trip

Another recommendation from personal experience is to DO YOUR RESEARCH on the money sitch in the country you’re visiting; I learned this the hard way on my trip to Cuba. Cash is king there, ATMs only work with certain card providers, and even then, sometimes it’s just the luck of the draw as to when your card works. As it’s a closed currency, my first opportunity to get money out was at the airport… to no avail. I made my way to the first casa (pre-booked airport transfer, phewww) and, basically, spent about three hours with minimal Wi-Fi trying to sort it, ending in the kindness of my parents and a stranger. GAHD.

Valuables and security

In regards to other strangers, speaking with a few solo female travellers, sometimes a lock just doesn’t cut it. For personal and belonging safety, some people sleep better using one of those portable door locks for peace of mind - no one else can get in your room at night.

Personally, the steps I take to protect myself and my valuables are to have a scanned image of my passport available and always wear a cross body bag, which is harder to walk past and steal. If you are opting for a backpack, ensure your valuables are stored in the pocket that faces your back, as again, this is harder for thieves to get access to.

Piazza del Duomo, Milan

Know the roads and public transport systems

Think of that one friend you refuse to get in a car with. The one that speeds, swerves and brakes like an absolute lunatic. Now, imagine a couple hundred of them on the road. Not to generalise, but this has been my perception of drivers in Italy (sorry sorry sorry). In Rome, we witnessed a good couple of crashes, and I literally thought I would take my last breath on the roads of Napoli. In fact, personally, I feel like Milan and maybe the outskirts of Verona are legit the only Italian cities I've been to that recognises the zebra crossing as what it is. When you’re abroad, there's so much more to the roads than just driving on the other side of the road - get online, and get familiar with the ways of the road, whether you’re a pedestrian or gonna get behind the wheel yourself.

If you’d rather keep the costs and time down, public transport is the best way to get around the city when your feet will only take you so far. As a born and bred Londoner, metro systems are like child’s play - if you get tired of walking around Manhattan (unlikely, but okay), or need to get from Montmartre to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, their systems are well priced and easy to follow; plan your journey on CityMapper and you’ll be away - if you’re staying centrally, there’ll always be a metro station close to your hotel or AirBnb.

Now, if you don’t want to get behind the wheel, or stretch your legs, but want to see all the sights above ground, any regular readers of this website will know I LOVE a city sightseeing bus. The costs vary, as do the length of time each route takes, but sit tight, pop your headphones in, and enjoy being whisked from one landmark to the next, with absolute minimum effort, and maximum safety, really.

Passing the Colosseum, Rome, on a sightseeing bus

Be aware of the country’s customs

...and I don’t mean Customs at the airport - though being familiar with those will defo save you a hell of a lot of time on entry to a country (Australia and the US are quite strict). A quick search online or chat to someone has visited the country before is enough really, just to get the heads up about what’s going down. For example, in Morocco, it’s frowned upon for women to have their shoulders, knees or chest area on display. It’s not a rule, especially not for tourists, but you will draw a lot of unwanted attention if you rock up in your spaghetti top and hot pants, that’s for sure. On our tour, two girls who didn’t adhere to this did get more attention than they bargained for from locals, which is not justified, but equally, I think you should respect the expectations of a country (within reason) if you have actively chosen to visit.

All covered up in Fes, Morocco

Natural surroundings

This may seem like a weird point to include but bear with me. There are vastly different climates all over the world; from not getting bitten alive by mosquitoes in Bali, when you’re allergic to their saliva, to not falling in the glacial lagoon’s icy waters that would cause your heart to stop in three seconds in Iceland, you gotta be careful. From personal experience, I’ve learned not to try and climb Prague’s Petřín Hill in the deep dark depths of January, because it’s icy AF and it will take you over an hour to do what should be a 15-minute, uphill walk. Again, all it takes is a simple Google search - easy peasy.

What little tips and tricks do you abide by to keep a little safer on your travels?

Places almost too beautiful for Instagram

Ah, Instagram, how you have changed the way we holiday and city break. I’d be lying if I said when I take photos on holiday, I wasn’t at least sometimes thinking of how it will look on the social media app, but equally, I like to print my photos for albums. You know, in case some mega virus comes and eradicates 15+ years of photos on my laptop, and also, I just quite enjoy spending an afternoon leafing through photos, just like we can do with our childhood memories and those from generations before.

Much like the beautiful beaches post, there are many other spots I’ve visited that really are breathtaking; in fact, I don’t think a photograph does them as much justice as being in the moment and drinking it in with your eyes. Here are my faves (ironically, with pics).

South Coast, Iceland

I’ve waxed lyrical to anyone that will listen about Iceland in the winter. I stayed in Reykjavik, which was lovely, but the real showstopper for me was the day trip along the south coast. Between snowcapped mountains, rough arctic waters, black-sand beaches and vast open spaces in pure white, I literally felt like I was between a James Bond movie and an intrepid explorer.

Key stops for eye-photos (anyone remember that guy in Hall Pass who blinks to take a mental image? lolol) are the hilltop village of Vik - to one side you have a beautiful black-sand beach with dramatic waters, and then the other side a steep mountainscape - Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon with its magnificent icebergs and icicles, and basically anywhere in between the two. When we stepped off the coach for a leg stretch, I literally couldn’t believe I was on the same planet as London.

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Another coach ride, another epic landscape stretching out toward the horizon; this time, the waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, driving along the Amalfi Coast. We made our way from Sorrento to Piazza Flavio Gioia in Amalfi, around an hour and a half away. Throughout the drive, we passed beautiful hillside towns, more and more mountainsides that came into view at every turn, village churches and the like. The true gem is, though, the sea views! It literally stretched out towards the horizon and looked almost like a solid navy block - my phone and camera couldn’t capture its vastness. At some points, due to how the roads wound, it felt as if we were hovering above the ocean.

Vinales, Cuba

Straying away from the coast now, Vinales brought lush Cuban countryside into my life. Sitting on the rooftop of our casa, we took in the vineyards, the orange trees (which took some broken explanations between our hosts and ourselves, despite actually knowing the word ‘naranja’ lolol) and farms. Each time, it felt as if myself and my roomie had been housed in the furthest casa from our G Adventures pals, but this time, it definitely paid off as we had the most beautiful view. Even our host’s garden was gorgeous, bountiful with flowers and fruit. Of course, the actual village feel, salsa clubs and incredible rum are other things that just can’t be captured in a photo…

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Up in the Rif Mountains is the blue city, Chefchaouen, which is fast drawing tourists from all over the world. Many make a beeline for the same spots that they’ve seen on Instagram, but I can’t stress enough how beautiful it is at every turn - in fact, the best spots are where there are no tourists at all. Weave in and out of the calming blue-hued medina and you’ll find an intriguing doorway or alley not a stone’s throw away (as well as a cute stray cat).

In contrast to my point about tourists, head up to the Spanish Mosque at sunset (go a little earlier to nab a good spot) and watch as the sun goes down - like most sunsets, it’s so hard to capture on a phone, but in real life, the oranges and pinks over the blue town is gorgeous.

Ubud, Bali

From the monkey forest (take your camera out at your own peril) to the rice fields, Ubud is incredible, and somewhere you need to just open your eyes and immerse yourself in, rather than hide behind a camera or phone. Even dining at some restaurants, like Indus, the sprawling rainforest is before you and you can’t capture the sounds or scents with anything but your mind and eyes. We saw a thunderstorm in the distance (weird, when you’re sitting outside, dry) and it just looked so tiny and insignificant in comparison to the trees below. I took loads of photos when heading up into the rice paddies, but again, I really feel it doesn’t fully capture how we felt when we were there; we felt as though we were in authentic Bali - few tourists and locals at work.

How to actually pack light

"This holiday will be the perfect time to crack out this playsuit I have only worn once in six years," I tell myself as I cram yet another outfit into my small suitcase, preparing for a three-day city break. 

I know I'm not the only one; a lot of us are guilty of seriously over-packing when it comes to travelling. I ended up hauling a suitcase around London and Sydney that literally weighed just under half my body weight - one, I might add, that took me 50 minutes to zip up on my way there and ended up being split into another two bags on my way back because I didn't want to commit to leaving anything behind.    

However, with more and more airlines adding heftier and heftier charges for luggage, it's time to start learning to pack light. I spoke to my brother, Taran, who has travelled to Milan, Oslo and Madrid with just a backpack. Here are his top tips:

First things first, why do you travel with only a backpack?

“I like only having one bag to carry. It makes going through the airport faster and I have everything in one place. I only have space for essentials, so I use everything I bring, and also, when the check-in is late, or check-out is early, I can go and explore without any issue.”

What is actually in your backpack?

“Aside from clothes, I only pack the following:

- Underwear for the number of days

- Socks for the number of days

- Passport

- Currency

- Credit card (just in case)

- Camera

- Phone

- Chargers

- Adaptors

- Toiletries (in small airport bottles)

- Wet wipes

Okay, so how do you pack minimal clothes?

“Don’t bother with spare shoes, spare jeans, spare towels or bulky clothing. Wear one jacket and a plain pair of trousers - these can be transformed into two outfits when worn with two different coloured, patterned or style tops.”

Are there any negatives to travelling with just a backpack?

“The bag can get heavy, and things at the bottom of the bag are not always easily accessible - but with smart packing, you can put the essential things you’ll need at the top.

Also, if something spills, everything is wet. I always try and put things in waterproof bags or put the bottles in an outside pocket.”

What are your top tips for someone who struggles to pack light?

“Start with what you need to get you through the day, your passport, money and travel pass. Then only bring one any extras, where possible - one pair of shoes, one pair of trousers, one lipstick; and if you can do without at home, you can do without it while travelling, and by that I mean shaving, painting your nails, that kind of thing.

I always do a beauty regime the night before, so I stay fresh for longer. Do a face mask, shave, any grooming really. And always remember, worst-case scenario, you can buy anything you desperately need when you’re abroad.”

Do you have any top tips for packing light? Send them my way… I defo need them.

What a clean-living novice learned on a wellness getaway

What comes to mind when you think of the words ‘clean living’? Bare feet, hessian clothing and an abundance of quinoa at every meal? Those were the images that instantly conjured up in my mind upon hearing those words – until very recently.

Earlier this week, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Conscious Living Retreat taster, a wellness getaway organised by Lucy Mills, founder of Your Ideal Fit and a globally recognised Pilates instructor, who emphasises the importance of mindfulness and body biomechanics when striving towards your fitness goals, and how it’s all about being in tune with your own body. Together with Sjaniel Turrel from Chemistry of Wellness, Lou Ashton from VivoBareFoot, Skyler Shah from Yatay Yoga and Lauren Lovatt from Plant Academy, the two-day, one-night event – a taster of a longer event taking place between 14th June and 17th June 2019 at the gorgeous West Lexham Manor in Norfolk – Lucy immersed me in world of clean, conscious and natural living, a world I had never really set foot in, or been inspired to set foot in, before. I came away inspired and having learned quite a bit - here’s what I discovered:

It’s okay to be out of your comfort zone

I’m a total urbanite; I’m also a millennial who loves being online… oh, and I had never attended a Pilates class in my life. I had reservations about attending the retreat, with images of sitting at the back of the class in a pool of sweat while the other attendees stretched like gazelles, before sharing tips on how to get the perfect crunch in their homemade kale crisps. Now, there were kale crisps (delicious, FYI, especially the ones with a bit of spice), but my preconceptions about the Pilates classes were totally unfounded.

Taking a class in the evening, before dinner, and in the morning, before breakfast, Lucy expertly walked us through each position in a way that was easy to grasp, even if you’d never laid your bod on a yoga mat before (we used sustainable ones from Yatay Yoga, which were super comfy and non-slip – ideal for those sweaty, shaky, where-even-are-you-lower-ab-muscles moments). In her rather soothing voice, she used relative examples that you could visualise, such as rolling your hands along a tennis ball, so you could get the correct form and movement. We worked the movements step by step, starting with simple movements and working our way towards the more demanding holds slowly and, somehow, you’d get there without realising – the sign of a good teacher! Lucy was constantly reassuring and helpful, and I never once felt silly, awkward or inadequate in the classes. In fact, I felt pretty damn good about myself. Lucy’s previous clients include celebrities, royalty, exercise newbies and people who are rehabilitating from injuries, and it is easy to see why they seek her out.

Plant-based food isn’t plain nor boring

Probably my biggest takeaway from this trip: I was truly inspired by the menu created by the Plant Academy’s Lauren Lovett. While in recent years, I have become more mindful about eating healthily, I often don’t feel full after a meal without meat or fish, and those who know me will know I have a rather unhealthy obsession with fried chicken.

However, the food at the Conscious Living Retreat was divine. Lauren initially began cooking as a way to address mental health and its relationship with food, and how you can support your mind with cookery. She founded Plant Academy in East London, where you can learn to cook scrumptious plant-based dished that not only taste great, but are great for your body and mind, too. “To get people to eat well, you not only have to make food delicious; you have to make it cool,” she said to Cotswold Life.

Lauren created meat- and gluten-free courses at the retreat, with some ingredients foraged by Danny Seeley from the local area. I chowed down on dishes such as coffee roasted wild beets with Chimmicuri, zucchini fillets with candied pecans, and confit carrot lox on cultured buckwheat pancakes, and delicious desserts, like fermented lemon posset with hot berries and toasted coconut ginger biscotti. It wasn’t all herbal teas and water either; sipping on mulled pomegranate juice, I could have almost been drinking red wine, while the next morning, my turmeric latte warmed me right up. After this retreat, I most definitely want to incorporate some more flavoursome, filling plant-based dishes in my repertoire.

There’s so much to ‘conscious living’ that we don’t even consider

There are so many parts of our daily routine that we don’t even give a second thought to – or I know I don’t, at least. Listening to the panel at the retreat, made up of Lucy, Sjaniel, Lou, Skyler, Lauren and Isabelle Colville (who owns West Lexham Manor), I realised how many aspects of my life I do automatically, with little regard for the impact on my body or the environment around me.

On the second day of the retreat, we took part in a natural beauty workshop, run by Sjaniel, who has been a make-up artist for over 20 years. She showcased make-up from Twelve Beauty, Jillian Dempsey and Green People, and as someone who has used the same foundation for the last 10 years, I learned a lot in regards to the environmental impact of certain ingredients, as well as its effect of my skin and hair. For example, I never realised the amount of silicon that appears in the products that I use, and the way it creates a barrier around my skin and hair, preventing them from breathing… then washes down the plughole, leaving a film of plastic in its wake.

Being mixed race, and being one of three ‘people of colour’ on the retreat, it was pretty obvious that there is a lot of progression still to be made in the natural beauty movement, especially in regards to creating make-up to suit a range of skin tones – something Sjaniel herself recognises. However, the products I tried left my skin feeling soft and light, which was great.

After lunch, we also listened to a talk from Lou from VivoBarefoot, a company who create shoes for a range of activities that mimic being barefoot – the natural way to walk. She described how with regular shoes, our feet are squished, elevated, moulded in certain ways, whether in trainers, heels or other types of footwear. With VivoBarefoot, these are all addressed in their designs.

Sometimes you just need to switch off

My favourite part of the retreat was the location. From the moment we entered the main barn, which was dimly lit and smelt incredible, I knew I would love this place. West Lexham Manor sits in 21 acres of sprawling grounds, with a barn house, treehouses, a manmade lake and a rustic, country getaway vibe. I slept in a barn en-suite room, adorned with exposed wooden beams and symmetrical images on the walls. The colour scheme is earthy, with calming bluey greens, and dark and light woods. The bathrooms in this room type are huge, with a lovely deep bath and underfloor heating.

Elsewhere on the grounds, you can stay in treehouses, wherein some, trees literally grow through the room.  Isabelle explained that West Lexham was created to be a ‘nest’ to grow oneself – as was their journey in building it. They wanted to create a place of subtle education for living in an eco-friendly way, and used a plethora of upcycled materials, for example, some tables are made from garage doors, while the toilet block for glampers was built using the floor of the Norwich Theatre Royal. The hotel is run on around 90% renewable energy; the sustainability message is all-encompassing through the food, atmosphere and physical attributes of the abode – down to the little touches, such as drawer handles and humourous notes. The beautiful welcome note from Lucy said it all, really: here you can “exhale the London madness.”

I thoroughly recommend the Conscious Living Retreat, whether you’re a novice like me, or well into your wellness – I was inspired and enlightened on this way of life, with many of my misconceptions changed within the short 24 hours.

Lucy’s next full retreat takes place between 4th October and 7th October 2019, with a series of workshops, classes and country walks – find out more here.

Five travel hacks for the time poor and the over-planners

We all want to travel, right? Who in the history of the world has ever said they hate holidays, they don't like relaxing, or absolutely can't stand discovering something new?! However, the niggly bits can irk us; booking cabs, finding your EHIC, packing the right plug adapter... when do we find the time for that?! 

We can sometimes make the mistake of over-planning and, in turn, feel like we've had a shit holiday because we haven't ticked every last thing off the list. I, myself, was guilty of this for years; sacrificing the very few lay-ins we get during our working years to make sure everything was seen, heard and tasted. It took a while, but I'm slowly letting loose. 

If, like me, you are one of these people, here are a few hacks to strike the balance between getting your holidays worth out of a country, but without stress-planning and skipping out on the actual relaxing bit of a holiday. 

Bank holidays

Incorporate bank holidays into your trips away; it's a free extra day of holiday to use as you wish. Although most bank holidays fall in a school holiday, meaning potentially higher fares, if you book far enough in advance, you can totally minimise it. May Day is one of those rogue ones though, so book off the rest of that week to get nine days off in a row, using just four days of annual leave, or perhaps just head off on a long weekend instead. A lot of publications (for example, Stylist) post guides on how to maximise your annual leave allowance each year, so defo check that out. 

Fly early or late

If you can't get time off work, Friday evening flights are your best buddy. You can head to work, then head off to the airport straight from the office without losing any annual leave - or using it to just sit in the airport, or on the plane #winning. Alternatively, if you've managed to bag a Friday off, opt for the early morning flights, particularly for short-haul. Yes, it's a ball-ache to drag yourself out of bed at a time you'd usually be hurling your drunk arse IN, but like with the evening flights, you minimise wasting actual sociable/sightseeing/eating/drinking hours in transit. 

Have your must-sees

These are the non-negotiables; a list of sights, restaurants, or activities that you would be gutted to tell people you'd missed once you're back at home. Big or small - Paris' Eiffel Tower, Rome's Colosseum, Prague's castle district - it's up to you, and don't let your travel buddies make you deviate from them. You can buy tickets online, so you're not wasting time in long queues, or you can set a day, or two, aside and just hit your list in one go (then head to the hotel spa to soak them weary feet!)

But, at the same time, go with the flow

One of my most chilled out holidays was an impromptu one to Milan. There are a couple of things I would have prepped differently had I had more time, but we saw the Duomo, had the best gelato in town (judging by the huge arse queue we waited in) and loved our time away. We actually ended up seeing more sights than we thought we would, and have funnier memories, such as not seeing the proper Last Supper painting, but instead a smaller, reprinted version in a cafe across the road from the Santa Maria delle Grazie.  

Live like a local

Wanna hit the best bits, but don't have the time to actually find out what they are? Get other people to do it for you! I'm joking... kinda. Getting advice from local people on the best things to do, the must-visit places to eat and where to find the best deals will ensure you get a fully authentic experience in a city. Granted, different people have different views on what's affordable, or what constitutes as a good time, but you'll find some real gems that you might not have otherwise come across. Before you head off, ask people in travel groups on Facebook, or even just chat to locals while you're out and about. Everything is researchable these days - even opinions of people on the other side of the world. And, if you really don't have time, just put the question out into the interweb before you fly and Google Maps each one from your hotel once you've arrived, finding the closest ones. Simples.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab that credit card and get booking! The August bank holiday is a-coming...

What Bali taught me, other than how to cope with bugs

My trip to Bali last year was unlike any I'd taken before. For starters, it was the first time I'd had a layover in my life (and, for someone who is scared of flying, that was a BIG deal), but it was also the first time I'd been to Asia - somewhere that wasn't hugely Westernised - and it was quite a culture shock for me.

Looking back through photos, there are a lot of things I learned on that trip that I think we could do with integrating into our own lives in the UK. Of course, I know we all have our own traditions and ways of life - and I am very proud to be British - but these little takeaways stayed with me long after I touched down at Heathrow:

Be approachable

Try not to have a face like a slapped arse when you're in public - which can be hard when you have a natural resting bitch face, like mine. The Balinese people always seemed to have a smile on their face and would say hello as you passed them by. As a Londoner, I am naturally sceptical of strangers, but as the trip went on, I found myself sometimes even being the first to say hi when we passed someone in the street.  I felt at ease to go up to strangers and ask questions, too. Obviously, at home, the biggest test of this attitude is public transport behaviour. Instead of giving in to the knee-jerk reaction to look away when I catch someone's eye, instead, I try to smile. Hell, on a coach to Norwich recently, I chatted to my seat neighbour for the full three hours and loved every minute of it. You may not always feel like it, but you can really make someone's - or your own - day. Oh, and Christine, if you're reading this, HEY!!

Be graceful

I described Ubud High Street as a mixture between a road in Delhi and Covent Garden's Neal Street in the post about my visit. The noise and the culture were fabulous, but what did start getting on my tits was the constant calling out of "taxi? taxi?" every three steps. Mate, you've just seen me say no to your buddy, and yet you ask again?! It really reminded me of those soap sellers in Covent Garden. However, unlike these street sellers, or our cold callers for that matter, they actually take no for an answer first time. They don't push you, try to convince you, or anything. Because of that, I now try to be more graceful with my rejections of street sellers. Everyone's got a job to do, eh.

Stay true to your faith

I'm not here to preach to anyone; it would be inappropriate, hypocritical and, well, it's not what you came here to read. However, the Balinese faith is unapologetically strong, but in a subtle way, and I really admired that. An example is on our day with Ketut, he repeatedly, and seemingly randomly, beeped his horn. 5am, 10am, 3:30pm; it didn't matter. When we asked him why, he explained that it is considered a sign of respect to beep everytime he passed a temple. He could see I wore a cross around my neck, but didn't say it in a way to minimise my faith, or act as if his was more superior. That might sound like just not being a dick, but you'd be surprised at how many religious and Athiest folk I come across daily who don't act in such a way.

Be kind to animals

Okay, so our Ubud hotel did do a mass bug spray at 10am every day, and I absolutely despised how dogs were treated in the country, but on the trip, I got to see a lot of animals in their natural habitat. While they didn't necessarily treat their animals with the same dignity that we do over here, my British self being in such close proximity to these animals gave me a whole new outlook. Even seeing schools of fish going about their business made me sad that I eat them. Seeing turtles, monkeys and other wildlife just roaming made me more conscious of my recycling (or lack thereof) and made me want to do better for them.

We travel to learn, right? Experience amazing things and escape from our mundane lives? Like with all my trips, I tried to soak in as much as possible, but it just so happened that this time, it had a longer-lasting effect.

Scared of flying? Here's how to actually survive long-haul travel

What do you fear? Is it spiders? The dark? Being perpetually trapped in Oxford Circus tube station at rush hour?

I fear flying. Which, you know, is great and everything for someone who travels every two or so months, and wants to hit as many countries as poss before she’s dead. Awks.

Well, to be more specific, I fear the feeling you get when the plane takes off, drops, or lurches. That kind of free-falling feeling you get when a plane moves in any direction that isn’t straight. 

In May, I’ll be taking my longest flight to date - to Australia. And unlike on the flight to Bali, I won’t have a buddy to hold my hand or soothe me at any slight movements. Freaking out? Yeah, a bit. 

Having searched my brain, the internet, and my friends for any advice that isn’t OD on G&Ts or “distract yourself” (IT DOESN’T WORK, PEOPLE), here are a few non-bullshit ways to get through the flight and to whatever beautiful country you're heading to in one, non-nervous wreck piece.

Find your comfy place

I find the most 'comfortable' way to endure the tummy drop is to be sat forward in my chair, shaking one leg up and down while holding onto the armrest, or a (long-suffering) family/friend's hand. While I may actually look like I'm having a nervy b as my leg bobs up and down, I'm actually focusing on moving my knee to a beat only I can hear.

Centre yourself

“If there's turbulence, place your feet flat on the ground. And, instead of focusing on the shaking, take deep breaths and notice how your feet are still and never move. It helps with the feeling of being out of control,” says Emily, my lovely ex-housemate who is one of the reasons I’ll be getting on this long-arse plane to Australia in the first place.

Sleep whenever you can

Food > sleep (well, just), so usually I don’t mind too much if I’m woken up when food is involved. However, not on a plane. If you're lucky enough to bag a window seat, or you're sat next to someone who doesn't mind straddling your unconscious body when they want to head to the loo, food is technically the only time you have to be awake during the flight. Don't worry about jet lag or adapting to the new time zones when you arrive at your destination; that's ground-you's problem. Plane-you, enjoy the quick passing of time that comes with being in the land of nod as much as physically possible. If wine, Kalms, or something heavier (head to the docs for some sort of sedative) helps, then load up, baby. 

Don't give yourself anything extra to worry about

"Organisation is my tip. A mobile phone that works, a printed version of where your staying and the route of how to get there from the airport. That kind of stuff gives me peace of mind to just sit, relax, watch a few movies and fly," says Jess, who has flown all over Oz, Europe, and some bits of Asia in the last few years.

Keep flying!

Which sounds like an unhelpful “face your fear” comment, but it genuinely does get better. I bet my mum would never have thought that that 15-year-old who grasped her hand so tight and went green in fear on a short-haul flight to Spain would routinely fly on her own, let alone consider putting down her own hard-earned cash to do it for 21 hours... (f***. I need to not focus on this part :|) Yes, there have been many flights since where I have grasped for my friend's/flatmates'/personal trainer's hand at take off, but there have equally been many times where I was sat next to strangers and didn't have this comfort blanket. 

And, until this day comes, like I said earlier, there are always sedatives. Or wine.