ad | A Trip to Majorca with Jet2 Holidays

I don't know about you, but one of the things I found most difficult about the pandemic was being unable to travel. I absolutely could not wait until the time I got to take to the skies again and visit a new country. So I was naturally thrilled when I was invited to experience some winter sun with Jet2 Holidays!

Summer Trip Plans: Liverpool

I don't know about you, but it's been over a year since my last holiday and I am desperate to get out on a new adventure! Now that the Government has announced hotels can (hopefully) reopen on 17th May, and with foreign travel guidelines staying uncertain, I've been planning a summer trip to visit my family in Merseyside for my birthday, including a stay at my favourite UK hotel- The Titanic in Liverpool.

OOTD: Rainbow Skirt & Dr Martens Leonore Chelsea Boots

Dr Martens boots shown in this post were gifted
I think it's time to accept that summer is behind us now. Out go the sandals, and in come the ankle boots. And thanks to Dr Martens, I'm going to have super cosy feet all winter with these Leonore Chelsea Boots.

Visiting Agra and the Taj Mahal

When you think of must-see places in the world, the Taj Mahal is going to be pretty high on the list. For me, it was proper bucket list territory, so I couldn't wait to experience it on my India tour. We ended up visiting at sunset and it was just perfect!

Exploring Delhi with On The Go Tours

Last April, I was travelling home from uni when I opened my email and found I'd only gone & won a trip to India! I'd entered one of my Austria photos (from this post) into a photography competition run by On The Go Tours and they'd picked me to experience their Taj Express tour. Having wanted to visit India for many years, I was thrilled! Our trip started in Delhi, where we had three whole days to explore the city.

Since our flight would have arrived late on day one, we opted to book an extra hotel night and arrive a day early. We stayed at the Jaypee Siddharth, and it was one of my favourite hotels of the whole trip, even if the Diet Pepsi was extortionately expensive in the hotel bar... and the fact that we had a party happening on the patio under our window every single day. This early start gave us the opportunity to get our bearings a little- let me tell you, we needed that time! We've all seen footage of New Delhi with its chaotic traffic and vibrant bustle, but nothing can prepare you for just how busy it is. It was quite overwhelming at first, and although we quickly got used to the pace of Delhi life, it was nevertheless a culture shock.
After spending the first day recovering from the flight and venturing outside the hotel for a quick McDonalds (ever the culture vulture), we met up with our group at the welcome meeting. On The Go operates group tours, so for our trip we had a local tour guide and driver accompanying us everywhere, as well as four other travellers: a South African couple and two Australian men. It was a great chance to meet new people from different walks of life and gave a sense of camaraderie to the trip- especially when things went wrong! 






Denim jacket: Simply Be Blouse: Boohoo Skirt: Boohoo
This slow start gave an odd aspect to the trip, where we were in Delhi for three nights but only really experienced one day there. The second day was when things really got going. We met our group in the lobby and headed off to Old Delhi for a rickshaw ride around the bazaar. Unfortunately most of the shops were closed because it was a Sunday, but we still got a sense of the area. Weaving between the narrow labyrinthine streets, getting stuck in a bottleneck behind a jubilant celebration and watching monkeys scurry across the dangling wires overhead was the ideal way to experience Delhi life. 
Our ride ended at Jama Masjid- India's largest mosque. Standing in the courtyard of the red sandstone building really brought home the scale of the building, elevated high above the city. We could only see a small amount of the inside as it is largely reserved for worshippers, but the intricacy of the work was breathtaking. Even though it stood right in the heart of the Old Delhi bustle, there was a sense of peace to the whole site.
This was a busy day of sightseeing, so we only had a short time to explore the mosque before heading off to our next stop: the cremation site of Gandhi. The Raj Ghat- the memorial for Ghandi- is located in a park less than 1.5 miles away from the Old Delhi bazaar, but it's like a different world. Set in a lush green park, with colourful flowers lining the pathways, you can hear the birds tweeting. Visitors move leisurely around the park, and speak quietly, respecting the significance of the site. (Well, mostly. As we took our shoes off to enter the area of the marble platform, the American woman in front of me was being reprimanded for carrying her shoes in. She insisted she didn't mind holding them, completely missing the point that she wasn't actually allowed to do so!) 
Our next stop was another site of death. I was surprised by how prominent death was as a theme to the tour, but of course that's my specialist subject, so I found the whole thing incredibly interesting. This time we headed to Humayun's tomb. Humayun was a Moghul emperor in the 1500s and when he died, his wife commissioned this grand memorial. The grounds now contain several other tombs, including one for an unknown person. All four sides of the grounds are identical, so you have to be careful not to lose your bearings, and adorable little Indian palm squirrels scarper about around you. They look just like chipmunks and they're so much cuter than our squirrels!

After a long day of exploring the city, we were driven back to our hotel, via a quick stop off outside the vast Indian Parliament building. A couple of hours rest was followed up by our welcome dinner, where we were treated to the most delicious lentil curry. It was a tiring day but certainly worth it for how much we got to see. And we still had another 7 jam-packed days to go...
Thanks to On The Go Tours for this prize. In the interests of full transparency- the competition was open to everyone and I have not received any compensation to write these posts. Affiliate links have been used in this post.
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Too Cool to Pool with PrettyLittleThing

When I was about 12, I got my first bikini. It was blue and yellow with starfish motifs on- very cute! A year or two later, I'd decided I was too fat to get my stomach out and, for the next decade, I resorted to wearing only tankinis or one-pieces. And then, in my late 20s, I had an epiphany. What if I just wore what I actually wanted to? I tentatively tried a bikini on and walked around a hotel swimming pool. And you know what? It was liberating! Since that day, I haven't looked back. I absolutely love a bikini and with fashion sites like PrettyLittleThing offering gorgeous swimwear in a range of sizes, it's getting easier and easier for me to find my perfect beach outfit.

One Night in Dublin

It seems odd that I've been to so many countries in Europe but, until 2019, I'd never hopped across the Irish sea. Although maybe that's not so surprising when you consider my first trip across the Scottish border wasn't until I was 24. Still, I'd always wanted to visit the Emerald Isle so when Hayley suggested we pop over for a night, I was quick to agree. Although it was a short trip, I think it was just the perfect amount of time for us to get a feel for the city.

Original Tour London Christmas Lights

When I was little, my dad would drive up to central London in the run up to Christmas so we could see the Christmas lights on Oxford Street and Regent Street. He'd drive along the streets (I know, crazy!) and I've never forgotten the feeling of being wrapped up in a cosy car watching the festive lights through the window while listening to Christmas music... and that bagpipe player that used to stand outside Hamley's. I'm sure I didn't imagine that. Did I? Anyway, when I was contacted by Original Tour London to experience their Magical Christmas Lights Tour, I immediately thought of those times I spent marvelling at the streets of London all lit up, and I just had to try it out.

50 Days of Christmas with Boots

The days are getting shorter, the air is getting crisper and there's definitely a sense of anticipation brewing. Christmas is finally approaching, and I'm already getting myself organised with gifts for my loved ones. Everybody knows the festive season begins when the Boots Christmas Gift Guide comes out, so who better to turn to when looking for the perfect Christmas gifts? I've chosen three people in my life who are sometimes tricky to buy for and picked the ideal gift to show them I really know them. 

OOTD // Embroidered Jeans with CurveWow

As I've mentioned a lot lately, I've been challenging myself to take more risks when it comes to the clothing I wear. At the moment, I'm really into skinny jeans. Having worn nothing but black skinny jeans through the entirety of 2006- 2010, it's funny that these days it seems like such an intimidating prospect. I'm absolutely loving my foray back into denim though, and I've had so many lovely comments both online and off. When CurveWow asked if I'd like to try an item from their collection, I saw these blue embroidered skinny jeans and absolutely fell in love. To my delight, they're even more beautiful in real life!

Top: Primark (similar here) Jeans: CurveWow Shoes: Primark (similar here)

OOTD // Embroidered Midi Dress with Lovedrobe

Sometimes all you need is to put on a pretty dress, do your hair all nice and have a fun evening with your loved ones. I have found the perfect dress to do just that. This black embroidered dress from Lovedrobe is so pretty, the ideal garment for getting dressed up, and I feel amazing in it! 

Dress: Lovedrobe Shoes: Peacocks (similar here)

OOTD // Denim Pinafore with Lovedrobe

Lately I've been trying really hard to push myself a bit when it comes to clothes. As much as I love my skater-skirt-and-t-shirt basics, I've enjoyed experimenting with my style a bit more recently, and trying out shapes and looks I wouldn't usually go for. When Lovedrobe contacted me, I kept this in mind and decided to try this denim pinafore. I loved the cute retro feel, and I had an idea straight away of how I could style it. Luckily for me, the risk absolutely paid off!

Pinafore: Lovedrobe Turtleneck: Primark (similar here) Shoes: Simply Be

OOTD // ELVI jacquard mini skirt

When you're plus size, you pick up a lot on what other plus size folk say about clothing brands. It's not as easy for us to just walk into any high street shop and pick something up off the rails, so word of mouth is super important. One of the brands I'd heard a lot about was ELVI, particularly about how generous their sizing was. When I got an email asking if I'd like to try out one of their pieces, I was really excited to find out for myself whether ELVI lived up to the hype. Let me tell you now- I was not disappointed!
Top: Primark (similar here) Skirt: ELVI Leggings: Evans Boots: ASOS

OOTD // Denim & Gingham with Yours Clothing

We've already established that I pretty much wear dresses, or at least skirts, every single day of my life. I think I own one pair of trousers, one pair of dungarees and that's it in terms of two-legged garments. But sometimes I think maybe it would be nice to experiment a bit more. When Yours Clothing got in touch and asked if I'd like to try out an outfit from their new collection, I saw this as the perfect opportunity. 

Shirt: Yours Clothing Jeans: Yours Clothing Shoes: Primark (similar here)

Der Glöckner von Notre Dame // Visiting the theatre abroad

I've been 'learning German' for the past 2 years or so. By which I mean occasionally having a little go on Duolingo and trying to translate the German sections of tampon leaflets and shampoo bottles. Armed with this practical experience, I decided I could totally visit the theatre in Germany and watch a musical performed entirely in German. How hard could it be?

A Good Night's Sleep in collaboration with Leesa

Isn’t it funny how when you’re a child, you’d do anything to avoid going to bed, but then you become an adult and suddenly the most important thing in the world is getting as much sleep as possible? The only problem then, of course, is that you rely on optimal conditions to get a good night’s sleep. Rather than falling asleep wherever you happen to be, you need a dark room, quiet surroundings and, most importantly, a comfortable mattress. This is where Leesa comes in. Specialising in simplified, three-layer foam mattresses, Leesa are committed to giving everyone the best sleep possible, and gave me the opportunity to trial one of their mattresses to try out the experience for myself.

OOTD // Pink Clove Skater Dress

I cannot resist a skater dress. There's something about the loose fit and flowing fabric that I just find so comfortable, and they look cute too. I also happen to love a wrap dress, so throw the two together and you pretty much have the perfect dress recipe for me. This particular plus size dress is from Pink Clove and I'm absolutely in love with it!

Dress: Pink Clove Shoes: Primark (similar here)

Best Destinations for Plus Size Travellers

Travelling the world throws up all sorts of problems for us plus size folk. What are local attitudes like? How fat-friendly is the transport? If, like me, you're also not very fit, then are there lots of steps or steep hills to climb? It can be pretty daunting trying to plan a trip when you don't know what to expect, so I've asked some fellow plus size travel bloggers to recommend their favourite destinations.

Caribbean Travel Wishlist

As you probably know (because I won't stop banging on about it), I recently visited the Caribbean for the first time. It was everything I imagined it to be and more. The bright blue sea, the powdery white sand, the sunny skies... right down to the chilled, friendly vibe. It's definitely whet my appetite for these beautiful islands and I'm already making plans to visit again. Although I stayed in a hotel last time, the idea of a villa intrigues me. Your own private space where you can relax without worrying about other people. No loud parties coming from the room next door, no rush to get to breakfast before all the good food has gone and, crucially, nobody to judge you when you unleash your giant inflatable swan into the pool and start snapping photos. Luxury Retreats specialise in finding the perfect accommodation to match each traveller, with over 300 destinations including houses in Anguilla, St Lucia, the Bahamas and beyond. With this in mind, I've done a little research on the Caribbean islands and come up with a travel wish list, with three nations I'd love to visit.

Summer Frights with The London Dungeon

Being a literal Master of Death an' all, you'd probably expect me to be pretty hardy when it comes to spooky stuff. You'd be wrong. I am a massive wuss! 15 years ago I put myself on a self-imposed horror film ban, which is still standing, because the nightmares I got afterwards would be ridiculous. Hearing a creak in the house at night, or the shadow of a tree branch brushing past my window, is enough to make me cower under the duvet in fright. Yet, for some reason, there is one terrifying pursuit that I absolutely love to put myself through: The London Dungeon (oh, and also graveyards, but that's not really relevant to this post). My first visit to the London Dungeon was for my hen do, and I loved it so much that I visited the Edinburgh Dungeon shortly after my wedding too. This summer, the London Dungeon are putting on special adults-only after-hours events, and I couldn't resist going along to check it out.