5 more destinations on my travel hitlist

A while ago I posted the top 5 places on my travel bucket list. But there’s nothing like coming back from a trip to make you think about all the other places you really want to go to!

I’ve realised I was way too optimistic in keeping it to just 5, so I’m going to do a part deux, in order to give myself more things to tick off (or, stress myself even more with regards to too many places, not enough time and money!)

Lisbon
It looks so quaint, with it’s winding streets and old fashioned street trams (I’m a sucker for a tram). I’ve never been to Portugal as it’s never really appealed for a beach holiday, but city-wise it has a lot to offer me. I also want to go to Porto which is full of bright coloured houses. It’s possible to do both in one trip, travelling by train in between.

 Lisbon

Tokyo
Wow. Tokyo just looks amazing. So bright, so busy, so frantic. I think it would be like nowhere else I’ve ever been and probably quite exhausting, but a total experience and feast for the eyes. Again it would be good to combine with more of Japan, like Osaka, and the connecting journey by bullet train would be a bucket list experience in itself.

Tokyo

Athens
The history! The architecture! It’s in Greece! (I love Greece!) I’ve looked into it and it’s feasible to add onto a trip to Santorini – fly into Athens from the UK, across to Santorini and then back to the UK. So hopefully, when we finally get around to going to Santorini, we can do Athens as well.

Athens

Krakow
I’ve never been to Poland but it looks fab. I always imagine it as a winter city break, wandering round all wrapped up and eating stodgy Eastern European food, but apparently it’s beautiful all year round. Warsaw is also on my list. It never used to be, as I imagined it to be very Eastern Bloc and grey, but a work colleague went a couple of years ago and said it was very beautiful.

Krakow

America
OK, so this is a huge cop out as I’m naming a country rather than a place! But it’s my blog and I make the rules! So much of America still to see. New York. The Deep South. Nashville. Dallas. Back to San Francisco to see more of it. So many possibilities. Next time we head over there I think we’ll make the most of the flight (both time and cost) and do a couple of places in one visit. Internal flights in the US are so cheap that it makes absolute sense.

America

So much of the world to explore…

What’s on your list?

Thanks, as always, for reading! x

5 things that are totally the norm in Greece…

…but would blow your mind in the UK!

Greek flag

 

I know (and love) how part of going away to other countries is adapting to new cultures and seeing how other people live. Some things that happen overseas, that seem completely normal in situ, are actually totally bonkers when you transfer the concept to UK life.

  1. Not flushing toilet paper down the loo
    If you’ve never been to Greece I can imagine this one coming as something of a surprise. Basically the sewage pipes aren’t big enough to cope with…er…bodily waste and paper, so standard practice is to put your loo roll in the bin. Whatever you’ve done with it. Pretty gross, but it strangely becomes the norm!
  2. Shower cubicles
    Shower areas  in Greek holiday apartments can range from a tiny shower tray with a flimsy curtain to a drain in the ground and no shower screen. Shower holders are unusual so it’s a balancing act between stopping the shower hose from spraying everywhere while you lather shampoo in your hair.
  3. Wine – price, service and glass size
    Local wine is ridiculously cheap in Greece. We paid as little as 3 euros for half a litre (that’s about £2.50 for the equivalent of two large glasses in a pub in the UK – I was in my element). It’s served in a jug; sometimes glass, but sometimes a bashed up tin one like you used to get water from in the school canteen! Wine glasses are tiny tumblers. Which means you end up feeling incredibly naughty / like a hero because you’ve had 8 glasses of wine with dinner.Wine in a metal jug
  4. Free stuff
    From free crisps and nibbles with every drinks order, to water melon or dessert after a meal, to another jug of wine or an after dinner spirit, the generosity of Greek restaurateurs knows no bounds! And who doesn’t like free stuff?Free watermelon
  5. Cats wandering around restaurant tables
    There’s many hashtags on instagram dedicated to Greek cats as they are a prevalent feature of the mainland and the islands. They wander freely around the streets, on the beach and in restaurants, lingering by tables for scraps from tourists who can’t resist their cuteness. These pics are actual cats in actual restaurants from my recent holiday in Finikounda. The little ginger guy climbed up the table to steal our bar snacks!

It’s all part of the charm of the country. In case I haven’t mentioned it in previous posts, I love Greece!

Let me know if you’ve been, would like to go, would hate to go – tell me your Greece thoughts 🙂

Thanks, as always, for reading! x

5 things I go through after I’ve been on holiday

A week ago I was in Lanzarote. I already had a drink in my hand and was sitting by the pool.

Now I’m at work and cold. Pah.

Welcome to reality

(image from The Beijinger)

Here are 5 things I always go through after I’ve been away from home.

Denial
It’s not over yet. It’s not over til I get home. It’s not over until it’s bed time. I’m not going to bed, because then it will be over. I DON’T WANT IT TO BE OVER!!!

Alcohol withdrawal
What do you mean I can’t have a glass of wine with lunch?

Hunger
Why do I have to wait until lunchtime to eat? Why am I only having one course for dinner? WHERE’S MY DESSERT???

Tiredness
Why is my alarm going off? When can I have an afternoon nap? Why aren’t siestas compulsory?

Memory loss
End of first day/half day/hour back at work – have I ever even been away?

Already counting down to the next one!

Thanks, as always, for reading! x

5 things to consider when leaving a Tripadvisor review

I rely heavily on reviews when it comes to booking hotels, restaurants, or even visiting attractions so I think it’s important for me to contribute honestly to review sites as a “thank you”; putting something back in for other travellers. Plus good reviews are just as important as bad – people are often vocal when they have something to criticise or complain about, but credit where credit’s due is important for both the business and the customer.

I had an email from TripAdvisor telling me that I finished 2015 in the top 1% off Birmingham reviewers, with 56,093 readers (go me!) so I must be doing something right!

TripAdvisor top 1%

Here are my top 5 tips for leaving a review.

1) Use correct spelling and grammar. If you can’t articulate yourself well, who’s going to take your opinion seriously? (clue, not me)

2) Only review things that are within control of the establishment. Marking a hotel down because it rained for your whole trip is just dumb. They can’t control the weather!

3) Be reasonable about expectation vs. reality. Going to a restaurant in Spain and then complaining they don’t serve chips shows a lack of culture and brains.

4) Be honest but tactful. Not happy? Explain what the problem was with facts, not just by saying “everything was shit”. If the food was cold or your order was wrong then say so, without getting personally rude about the chef or waiting staff.

5) Be sensible. Visiting castle ruins and complaining there isn’t a lot there is just a waste of your time typing and a visitor’s time reading.

Are you a review writer or reader? Let me know any daft ones you’ve seen!

Thanks, as always, for reading! x

I’ve been nominated for a Liebster award!

How exciting!

Liebster award

This is my very first award nomination, and I’d like to thanks my parents, my husband, every restaurant I’ve ever been to, H&M, my home delivery courier and the post office…

Oops, got carried away there!

In all seriousness, thanks to the lovely Holly at Closing Winter for including me in her list. Sometimes it feels a little bit like I’m in no-mans-land with this blog (can you hear that tiny violin?!) so it’s nice to have some interaction. Thanks Holly!

Check out Holly’s blog for make up finds and general loveliness.

The Liebster award helps to promote the smaller blogs with 200 followers or less and the rules are as follows:

  • After being nominated, make a post thanking and linking the nominator.
  • In that post include the Liebster Award logo.
  • Nominate up to 10 other new bloggers with 200 or less followers.
  • Answer the 10 questions posed to you by your nominator.
  • Make 10 questions of your own to be answered by your nominees.
1. Why/how did you choose your blog name?

I knew that I would be talking about all sorts of thing, hence “this, that and the other” and I switched that to tatt due to my tattoos.

2. What was your favourite birthday?

I’m not really a birthday person, because it’s so close to Christmas (20th December) so I always feel a bit cheeky asking people to do stuff, although everyone always makes an effort. Most memorable is probably about 3 years ago when we had massive amounts of snow and our friend’s band couldn’t get their gear to the pub we were all going to and it seemed like it would be a washout but people walked miles to get there and our friend cobbled together some kit and did an impromptu solo gig instead with all the pub locals singing along.

3. Do you have a favourite beauty product you can’t do without?
I’m very partial to Collection’s Extreme liner – it’s my go to eyeliner and very easy to use. Also have much love for Nivea Fruity Shine lip salves which were only released this year but have done wonders for the state of my mouth!

4. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I couldn’t leave my family behind, so I probably couldn’t live in another country permanently. But I’d like to spend a year, or maybe a summer, in Los Angeles. I’ve been there 4 times and it’s so chilled and laid back, with the best climate.

5. If you were given £1,000 (or $1,000) to spend, where would you spend it?
On a travel website. I’m always thinking about where I want to go next and what I want to see.

6. Do you have any animals?
No. I couldn’t deal with the stinky cleaning up!

7. If you could create your own range of beauty products, which company would you like to work with?
Probably one of the ranges I grew up with – Seventeen or Rimmel. I like accessible products that you can experiment with. I’m not into high end beauty.

8. What’s your favourite TV show/s at the moment?
I just recently got into Homeland (I know, late to the party), so I’d probably say that

9. What food do you absolutely hate?
Baked beans! It’s more than hatred. It’s a phobia. I can’t look at them. They make me shudder and heave. Bleugh!

10. What’s your favourite season and why?
Summer, 100% without a doubt. Lighter nights, less clothes, beer gardens, freckles and eating outside. I flourish in summer and hibernate in winter!

My nominations are:

http://www.sophiecliff.com/ 

http://charlotteactually.me/ 

http://msmistryblogs.com/ 

http://brunette-lady.blogspot.co.uk/

I wanted to nominate a couple of other people too, but they have too many followers to qualify, the lucky ladies!

And here are my questions for my nominees! (and anyone else who’d like to join in)

1. If you could only shop at one clothes store for a year, which one would it be?

2. When and where was your last holiday?

3. What’s your favourite band or genre of music?

4. What’s your worst bad habit?

5. Who’s your celebrity crush?

6. Would you ever consider plastic surgery?

7. What’s your favourite cuisine?

8. Have you ever fallen over in public?

9. What was the last book you read?

10. Do you have any tattoos or piercings?

Thanks again to Holly, and I look forward to reading other people’s responses – don’t forget to let me know in the comments that you’ve done it!

7 years and counting – it’s my Wedding Anniversary!

Well, not just mine obviously. It takes 2 people to have an Anniversary. And I couldn’t be happier with who I get to share mine – The Husband.Love blocks

Although I refer to him quite a lot on here, I don’t share a lot of detail about him. I don’t really think it would be fair, because this is my blog and my choice to share my thoughts with the world few people that read it. I shouldn’t really drag him into it.

But because it’s a special day, I’ll tell you a little bit about him and our marriage.

  • We were very good friends for 2 years before we got together, so by the time we became a couple we already knew all the bad bits, the exes, etc!
  • We’ve been together for 10 and a half years
  • We moved in together after just 8 months (I didn’t wait for him to ask me, I told him I was moving into his flat – no point hanging about when you know it’s right!)
  • We don’t have, or want, any children. It’s just “not us”
  • We got married on a beach in Mauritius, just the two of us
  • We had a “second wedding” the day after we got home for family and friends (a renewal of vows ceremony)
  • He’s 7 years older than me, but just as silly and daft as I am
  • He has long blonde hair, 2 full sleeve tattoos, wears earrings and looks NOTHING like when we got married!
  • He owns a red sparkly Harley Davidson
  • He’s a MASSIVE music geek, and knows the release year of pretty much everything ever, even stuff that’s not his genre
  • He still makes my heart go boom-diddy
  • He’s my best friend in the whole wide world

Here’s a picture of us on our wedding day.

Us on our wedding day

And here’s one of us taken at Moseley Jazz Festival this summer.

Us at Moseley Folk Festival

Here are 10 of the (many) things I love about him:

  • He’s seen me through some tough personal emotional and mental times, with more to come, and been my absolute rock
  • He occasionally lets me plait his hair like he’s my own personal Girls World
  • He thinks that wine cures everything and always tells me to have one more glass
  • He always smells delicious, even after the gym
  • He’s very very funny and daft and indulges me in silly in-jokes
  • He uses the blonde girl in the orange jumper phone emoticon to represent himself when he texts me, because he knows it makes me smile
  • He’s always got hair product I can borrow
  • He’s tall so I can wear the highest heels, and has really manly broad shoulders to give good cuddles
  • He loves clothes and always gives me good advice when I buy stuff (only if I ask for it, he’s not a control freak!)
  • He accepts me, warts and all

The last one might be the most important of all. I’m not the easiest person in the world to be in a relationship with; I’m very untidy, I have too many parcels delivered, I can be short-tempered and irritable. My mental stability has been questionable in the past, I drink too much and I’m constantly nagging to go places and see stuff.

But somehow, it works. And it works brilliantly. And I hope we have many many more years to come.

I know he’ll read this at some point, so:

“I love you Husband!”

15 reasons I’d hate to be Queen

Well done to her Maj, QE2, for becoming the longest reigning monarch ever. What an achievement! Do you reckon she put her dancing shoes and some 50s music on last night and had a rollocking good night at the palace? Busted out some moves in the kitchen and maybe drank some Kopparberg cider and a couple of flaming sambucas?

No, me either. And that’s just one of the reasons I’d hate to be Queen!

Queen clipart image

Here are 14 more:

1) You have to be really clean and tidy. Have you ever seen the Queen with dinner down her front after a posh international dinner? No. Have I ever been seen with dinner down my front? Regularly.

Food spillage2) How does she sneeze? Like seriously – when I sneeze it’s like there’s a small earthquake happening inside my nose. I have a dust allergy so I’m quite often really snotty (attractive!) and my sneezes can be massively wet and icky (I’m not flirting with you, don’t get the wrong idea). Has she had the lining of her nose removed? What if she has hayfever or gets pepper up her nose? How does she avoid sneezing?

3) She can’t really experiment with appearance, can she? I mean, I know she’s a bit older now so her Queen uniform probably suits her, but what about when she was younger? What if she saw Twiggy in the M&S adverts looking like a fox in her 60s and thought “one fancies trying a pair of skinny jeans”? Or wanted a tattoo or nose piercing?

4) She probably never gets to veg out on the sofa in a pair of baggy joggers eating cheese on toast. There’s probably only foie gras and truffles in the cupboards. And she couldn’t just nip down to Sainsbury’s to grab a loaf and some cheddar.

Cheese on toast

5) You wouldn’t be able to use social media. Queenie never gets the joy of sharing her thoughts in a blog or on Twitter (although there is a Queen Twitter account which is pretty funny, and worth a look here). She never gets to post drunken photos of her and Philip on Facebook, or check her Timehop to see what she was doing this time 5 years ago.

6) Her eldest son is waiting for her to die and she knows it. Has been for years. How can you give your son love and affection when you know he wants you out of the way?

7) She can’t pick her nose in public. Or scratch her bum. Or rearrange a wedgie which started while she was sitting in the car. Come on, we all do it when we think no-one’s looking. But in the Queen’s case, EVERYONE’s looking!

Keep calm and scratch your bum

8) No sandals. That’s actual Royal protocol – members of the Royal family don’t wear sandals. What a travesty. You wouldn’t get that new season excitement of painting your toenails red and busting out your new ASOS gladiators.

9) Lack of anonymity. Never being able to jump fully clothed into a swimming pool in Greece because you’re drunk (me). Never doing Halloween backing vocals for a friend’s band dressed as a witch (me again). Never getting your face painted, or going to a festival or the Christmas market.

10) Having to be nice to people you might not like. The bloke from the middle East who’s a bit of a dictator? Can’t call him a knob because we need their oil. The leader of China who smells funny? Can’t sit at the opposite end of the table to him when he’s your guest of honour.

11) Boring hair. Seriously, she’s had the same hair for 63 years. What if she fancied doing a Helen Mirren and going pink? Or getting some extensions? Imagine knowing that you couldn’t change your barnet.

Helen Mirren pink hair

12) Not being able to go on a beach holiday. Never lying in the sun with sweat trickling between your boobs, your hair sticking to your head and holding your tummy in so you don’t bulge over your bikini. Not worth thinking about.

13) Having to stay with the silly old duffer Prince Philip. She might have fallen out of love with him yonks ago. She might never have been in love with him. She might have her eye on one of her aides at the palace. But she’s not free to follow her heart.

14) NEVER WEARING LEOPARD PRINT!!! This could be the worst one of all!

Leopard print

In spite of all her wealth and travelling and power I think it would be a pretty rotten job. I won’t be applying.