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.

A handy guide to interrailing

For many youths, a well-known right of passage is heading off on a 'gap YAH' in between college/sixth form and university.

As you know, I'm a massive advocate for parring off daily life for a bit of travelling, however heading off on a gap year was not an option for me when I finished sixth form. Had I chosen to defer university for a year, I would have welcomed a substantially larger student loan into my life, following the... ahem... lovely Tories' decision to hike up university fees.

Not one to miss out though, my best mate and I planned a little interrailing trip for the September after graduation, so we could hold onto our university years for just a couple more weeks, before starting our careers in the real world.

We donned our backpacks and headed onto the trains of Europe, two incompetent map readers, excited for adventure. If you're thinking of doing the same, here are a few tips to bear in mind.

How to pack

Think hand luggage, but less. You're going to be lugging this suitcase/bag/backpack cross-country for HOURS on end. I opted for a rather large backpack (and, at just under five foot, it looked particularly large on me) that clipped around my chest and waist, while my best mate opted for a slightly smaller one, just over her shoulders. Both faired us well.

In terms of packing, you're only gonna have the bare necessities:

- Being "made up" is going to be more about a slap of lippy, rather than a full face of bronzer, blusher and the like, before you get any Kylie Jenner ideas. Also, get teeny tiny toothpaste, shampoo sachets, and basically miniature everything.

- Roll clothes to make them as small as possible, packing just over the right amount of underwear for each night, but only half the outfits - try and keep it to around three bottoms, and maybe six, or seven, tops that you can wear on rotation, and mix and match.

- Choose fabrics that you can easily wash in a sink and that dry easily, just in case you need to give 'em a rinse at any point.

- Your main bag should hold a smaller day bag and muchas plastic bags (for dirty/wet stuff), and everything in your bag can act as a buffer for souvenirs. Somehow, we managed to carry porcelain masks from our second stop in Venice all the way home, keeping them in one piece.

- Spray deodorant IS YOUR FRIEND.

- My friend also had the smart idea of bringing non-perishable snacks, which are great for in between meals, or late night snackage.

- Chances are, you'll be travelling with a fair bit of dollar on you. Split up your pennies into different parts of your bag and, also, ALWAYS keep some, along with your passport and EHIC, on your person. See if you can get one of those money cards, if you're not taking your credit card with you (though you may need it for proof of ID at your hotel). We also had a little book where we noted down our hotel info and key phrases in the different languages.

Be mindful of the check-in and check-out times of your hotels/hostels/b&bs. If you have a particularly early check-out, or particularly late check-in, you may end up lugging your bags about on your sightseeing adventures for a bit. It's worth finding out if you can store your stuff anywhere, for example, at the lockers in Gare Du Nord in Paris.

View from the train between Austria and Switzerland

Trains

Obviously, when interailling, trains are a massive part of the whole shebang. Unfortunately, unlike the Interrail Pass would have you believe, it isn't as simple as just buying the pass and heading on your way. Boo.

On the Interrail website, you'll find a comprehensive list of the rail services across Europe that partake in the Interrail initiative (click here to go directly to the PDF). South Londoners, you'll be pleased to know Southern Rail isn't on the list (lolololol). For the ones that do take part, yes, all you'll need to do is buy the pass, and fill it out with your intended destination before you set off on that leg of the journey (make sure you do fill it out before you step on the train, though, otherwise you could get fined by a ticket inspector).

Don't fret if you require a train that doesn't appear on this list, though. It just means you a) may need to buy a separate ticket, or b) need to buy a ticket AND make a reservation. Erm, why am I going to pay MORE money after the pass, I hear you ask? Well, the majority of local and international trains you will take are covered once you hit the continent, but the additional costs you incur will be things like overnight trains. Avoid these and avoid fees. Seriously; avoid night trains like the plague, if you can. Our first train journey, Eurostar aside, was the overnight train from Paris to Venice. I had visions of The Tourist - that 2010 film with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie - as we boarded the train to make the same journey. Ah, cute, they have little cabins. Hmmm, sweet, the lounging sofas turn into beds. Err, shite, it's a bit claustrophobic. OH FUCK, BED BUGS. Mmmhmm. That's how it went down over the course of 14 hours.

Our beds for the night... (Paris to Venice train)

Bonus, the tickets did come with pillows and blankets, and the rocking to sleep was quite soothing. That free-falling feeling you get when you're overtired, but actually happening in real life because of the train stopping? Not so much.

Hotels vs hostels

After the journey to Venice, we were SO grateful to be in a proper bed for the night. There is a common misconception that to travel 'properly', you have to slum it. Nah, mate. Not for us. And it doesn't have to be for anyone else either. The hotel in Venice was a simple 3-star abode, but we found it to be more than satisfactory. Scratch that actually - it was great! Staying in 3-star accommodation keeps costs down (so you can spend on actual experiences) and the majority put on breakfast as part of your room cost. You only need a base anyway, because you're out exploring all day, but you don't have the worries, or the reservations, of staying in a hostel.

That said, though, we stayed in two hostels while on our trip: one in Switzerland and one in Paris. The one in Switzerland was on Lake Brienz and the only accommodation we could find that didn't cost an arm and a leg. We spent an hour looking for it in the rain to find that, actually, we had passed it about ten times - I told you: we were not good with maps! Once inside, there was such a good vibe. The rooms and bathrooms were SPOTLESS and the staff were so friendly and helpful. Our time in Brienz was so restful (and so picturesque); I cannot recommend the village and the hostel enough.

Now, Paris... a slightly different story. I love the capital of France SO MUCH but, let me tell you, that love ceases with its hostels. The last night of our trip was spent in the noisiest, dirtiest place I've ever laid my head (and you read about that train ride above). For someone who is known to be unable to get into bed without showering first, whether drunk, sober or physically maimed, I vetoed stepping in that shower, even WITH FLIP FLOPS. It was nassssssssty. Defo go hotel in Paris. Or b&b. Our b&b in Innsbruck was so lovely. You get your own room, but just had to share a toilet and (very clean) shower room.

Beautiful Brienz

Must dos

We did SO MUCH on our travels, but my personal highlights include the following:

- Generally just being in Venice, Italy: I had wanted to go to Venice for years. I love water and love Italy, so a combo of the two was perfection. We ended up getting so lost at one point, but the city was just so perfect and picturesque that it didn't matter. Well, it kind of did because we had a boat tour booked, but we just blagged our way onto another one later that day. Don't listen when people say it smells. We were there in the midst of a September heatwave and it didn't smell at all.

- The Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, France: Kimye spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend part of their wedding celebrations there and I can see why. The Palace of Versailles was exquisite and it was nice to get out of central Paris for a while (again, note that you'll need to buy a Metro ticket for that trip).

- Heading to the zoo in Innsbruck, Austria: Heading to the highest zoo in Europe was exciting in itself, as we passed all the huge coloured houses on our way. What I loved about Innsbruck as a whole was the feeling I got from the mountains that towered over wherever you stood. It felt like we were protected in a (massive) cove. The zoo itself was quite blase about their Health and Safety, but I loved it as you could get pretty close to the animals.

- The train ride between Austria and Switzerland: Just look at the beautiful view above! Like the train in Oslo, it pees all over the Central Line.

I could go on for hours and hours, and thousands and thousands of words, about my interailling trip, but it's commendable that you've got this far! If you have any questions about interrailing, or need any tips, just hit me up.

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.

How to survive camping if you're a bit of a princess

Last year, I went to my first ever festival. Hell, it was the first time I had ever camped in my life. I was never a Brownie, or a cadet, and as an adult, I am more of a hotel than a tent kind of gal.

I am the last person my friends or family would ever expect to go to a festival, but with a new "just say yes" attitude, free tickets from work and a trusting friend, I headed to the Isle of Wight 2016. And guess what? I actually had the best three days; it's a strong contender for my best weekend of last year. So, after a second visit this year, and amidst festival season, here's how to survive a festival when you're a bit of a princess:

Choose wisely

Choose the festival wisely. Isle of Wight has a nice, chilled crowd, the music is varied and, perhaps most importantly, the mud isn't too bad. It's probably best to start with one like this, if you're not after a baptism of fire. Holy water? Holy mud wash, more like.

Embrace it all

You have to embrace your surroundings for what it is. And 5* luxury accommodation it isn't, even in the VIP section. Once you make peace with the fact your shoes will get muddy, the toilets will smell, and lose yourself in the notion that it doesn't really matter what time it is, you will have fun. The first thing I did was don my wellies (you'll care less about mud then), pack a small bag with cleanliness essentials and stuff I would hate to be stolen (phone, keys, glasses) and set up the tent with my sleeping bag. That way, I know I will have everything I will need with me at all times, and any worry will melt away.

Tent

Try and get to the site during the day, so you're not attempting to put a tent up in the dark. Last year was the first time my friend or I had ever put up a tent and we did pretty well! It may have taken us the best part of an hour, and we may have had a smidgen of help from the owner of the tent (over the phone) and our tent neighbour, but it stayed sturdy for the whole three days. The same can't be said for the tent our friends put up for us this year. Arriving at dusk, they put up the tent, which promptly fell down while they were in the main arena. Cue hours of walking, a plea to the police and a night in the welfare tent! Thankfully, they found it and put it back up, ready for our arrival.

Pitch up not too close to the path, near - but not too near - a toilet, and close to something that you'll remember when it's dark, you're drunk and there are a million tents. Last year was a tent with a large flag on top, this year was a sign that said: "purple 1" and two orange tents in quick succession.

Pack strategically

Ain't nobody got time for two pulley suitcases and a holdall. Bear in mind you're going to be on grass, if not mud, so carry your stuff in a backpack or a holdall. A word to the wise: don't carry a bag on one shoulder. You will have to walk for a while, whether it's along the pier from the ferry or through the car park, and that shiz gets painful! It's not the weight, but rather the thinned strap pushing into your shoulder. Also, carry a smaller bag that you can wear once you leave your tent.

The main items, aside from wellies, tent and sleeping bag that you will need are:

- Plastic bottles (either to fill with water or alcohol to consume in the campsite area. No glass bottles are allowed).
- Wipes - this is your toilet roll, your shower, your glitter remover, your mud decruster. Bring a big pack of baby wipes to leave in the tent, and a handbag sized one to carry around with you.
- Hand sanitiser - good for your life and sanity.
- An old phone that has an incredible battery life, or your normal phone popped on airplane mode. If you do the former, make sure you have an emergency contact saved, as well as the numbers of the people you're with. 
- Double the amount of socks you think you'll need.
- A spare outfit, along with one for each day.
- Lots of plastic bags - these become bins, keep things dry if it rains, and generally come in handy.
- Spray deodorant - which can double as perfume.
- Lippy and hair bobbles: pop your hair back for the weekend and dress up your face with some lippy.
- A light jacket that can be easily tied around your waist, but will keep you warm in the evening and can double as a mat when you sit on the ground.
- Plastic cups - you can drink out of them, brush your teeth into them, and make some arts and crafts, if you're feeling particularly boho.
- If you're a contact lens wearer, opt for daily wear ones, rather than monthlies. Your hands are no where near as clean as they are at home, and you don't need an eye infection to go with your three day hangover at the end of the weekend.

Food
To save money, bring breakfast stuff that will store well (like breakfast bars, or cereals if you like cereal without milk) and lots of water. Bring any alcohol, poured into plastic bottles, but be mindful that you'll only be able to drink it at your tent. 

The rest of your meals can be bought from the many many stalls. In my opinion, the food is quite expensive, but the drinks are London prices. Opt for stodgy foods if you don't want to spend too long on those portaloos...

Festivals are a great way to escape, so I can't say enough: go, go, GO!

How to prep for a long-haul trip without freaking the F out

Once the flights have been booked and the hotel paid for, you can get properly excited for a holiday. It's now a solid plan and not just a flash-in-the-pan, kinda-something-I-wanna-do idea anymore. But when you're going cross-continent there is a lot to consider...

Going to a brand new continent, filled to the brim with food, people and cultures you have never encountered before is exciting. But, how are you actually getting there? I don't mean by plane, train or automobile (lol, if you're going to a different continent by the latter two, good luck), but rather, what do you need to do in order to prepare for a long-haul trip?

I'm preparing for a trip to Bali in April and, having never been to Asia before, it's a minefield and a half. I am SO excited, but a lot more prep is going into this trip than a standard weekend away to Europe.

Here is a little checklist to make sure your preparation is as smooth as freshly shaved, beach-ready legs:

Use your friends

"It's all London, baby!" If, like me, you live in this multi-cultural city, chances are you have made friends from all corners of the Earth, who will have a wealth of knowledge you can fully exploit. The amount of information I've asked of my friend from Malaysia, who has travelled all across Asia, is unreal. From water quality to estimated taxi prices, it saves on SO MUCH Googling and you may find some extra little nuggets of info that you wouldn't have got online.   

Connecting flight?

There are a few things to consider. Firstly, check the layover time. Anything over four hours can be a drag, especially if the stay is overnight. One friend spent four hours overnight in a Greek airport, which could have easily been avoided for an additional £50. Unless, ya know, you're open to splashing out even more on a hotel, once you’ve inevitably given up on those rock hard airport chairs. A comfy bed, they do not make. 

If you do have a long daytime layover, see if you can do a bit of sightseeing. Have a Google: check if the city is easily accessible from the airport and if you need a visa to enter the country (i.e. leave the airport). If the answer is yes to the first and no the second, grab your camera and venture outside of terminal 2.

Lastly, check the suitcase limit on both flights. On large international flights, the accepted weight may exceed the amount allowed on your smaller connecting flight and you will run into additional charges. This can easily be done online during, or after, booking. 

Jabs

Some countries recommend you receive certain injections before travelling to specific regions. For example, when staying by a rice field for a long period of time in Bali, it is recommended you get your jabs for Japanese Encephalitis (that is not some sort of STI, FYI). Some injections are required at least a month, or two, before you travel, so give yourself some time and do your research.

It's worth booking an appointment with your doctor to chat through what they recommend, as they can give some pretty good advice. My doctor advised not to pick up my prescription for a particular injection until two hours before my appointment, and not to listen to the chemist if they advise I just pop it in my fridge at home.

Also, see if you can find out what injections you had at school. If you're in your early 20s, you may still be covered by the tetanus and diphtheria jabs you had in your Year 8 assembly hall.

Liquids    

Bask in the glory of being free from those pesky, carry-on only liquid restrictions. It's hard enough sticking to the under 100ml rule already, let alone being a make-up wearing woman. Try being a contact lens-wearing asthmatic who loves good nails, bright lips and soft skin. It’s like a game of Tetris and, sometimes, somethings gotta give (sorry shampoo, its gonna be a 'hair up all holiday' kind of trip).

Post-conditioner and toothpaste, head to the chemist and grab mosquito spray, Savlon, anti-septic gel and hand sanitiser. These little bottles will come in SO handy, even if you do end up smelling of lemon all holiday. Better that than being eaten alive and getting Malaria, eh. 

Beware of the time difference

Speaking of meds, a little tip for right before the trip: if you take the pill, prepare some alarms on your phone. The time difference will f up your pill-taking, and therefore your cycle. Obviously, when you're fifty thousand feet in the air with your phone on airplane mode, God knows what the actual time is. Set your alarm for 24 hour intervals, taking into consideration when your phone will automatically change time zones, once you've landed. 

Happy planning!