Tag: holiday

Holiday, Lifestyle, Vacation

Travel With Me: Rochester

by hannah maisieLeave a Comment on Travel With Me: Rochester

Two travel posts back to back; what a jet setter haha!

After the best weekend in Bath, I spent the next weekend in Rochester in Kent with my friends and it was the perfect little weekend get away. I have never really visited Kent, I have only driven through it so I was pretty excited to spend a long weekend exploring.

We stayed in a cute little holiday camp which was great as my friend has a 3 year old daughter so we knew we would have entertainment for her in the evenings. Of course when we arrived, we were greeted with rain but that didn’t damped our spirits and we were eager to see what was on offer at the site. Once we unpacked and sorted ourselves out, we chilled and had some dinner before heading to the clubhouse for bingo and the evening entertainment.

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Saturday was such a sunny day so we ventured to Amherst Fort followed by a afternoon visiting Rochester. The Fort was really interesting, there is a huge tunnel system that was used during WW2 which was pretty cool! I know I say this about every new place I go to but I really did fall in love with Rochester, it was so quaint and quiet and the castle and cathedral were incredible. We had a wonder and then found a crepe place so of course I had to have a nutella filled crepe. We headed back to the holiday park to go on some of the amusement rides and to go on the 2p arcade machines. The weather was so perfect so we went to the onsite restaurant for dinner and sat outside – it was actually like we were abroad, I could have sat there all day. After heading down to the beach to collect shells and pebbles, we retreated back to the caravan for face masks and movies.

Sunday was our last full day so we wanted to make the most of it but in pure British summer style, it absolutely bucketed it down. We tried to visit the on site Fort but rain just made it so unenjoyable that we headed back to the restaurant for lunch. Luckily the sun decided to show its face again and perfect timing as there was an ice cream van outside.

On route home, we headed for afternoon tea at Fleur de Th̩ which was one of the best afternoon teas I have ever been too. The sandwiches were so fresh and instead of giving you loads of little cakes and tarts, you got to pick a slice of one of their homemade cakes РI of course went for Victoria sponge and it was to die for. We then headed back home where I think I napped for the majority of the day but it was the loveliest little girls getaway with my best friends.

-Hannah X

Holiday, Lifestyle, Personal

Travel With Me: Bath

by hannah maisie4 Comments on Travel With Me: Bath

To celebrate our 2 year anniversary, Jack and I visited the historic town of Bath, Somerset. It’s been somewhere I have wanted to go to for so long so I couldn’t wait to get there.

It was exactly how I imagined it; quaint and full of quiet, cobbled side roads. We arrived last Friday at about half 2 but couldn’t check in to the hotel until 3 so leaving the bags in the car, we decided to go for a little wonder.

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I was so surprised by how many independent coffee/tea shops there were and knew I’d have to take advantage of the home made scones they were selling too at some point; but let’s come back to that. We naturally found a pub and ventured in. The pubs there were some of the cosiest I have ever seen so over a pint and glass of wine we planned the rest of our day.

 

My grandad told me that the one thing I had to do in Bath was visit the Royal Crescent where all of the houses bend round in a semi circle so we decided to do this one first. It was so unlike anything I had seen but was pretty cool and surrounded by a huge park. After a little stroll, we headed back to check in to our room and freshen up for our anniversary dinner.

Saturday, our full day in Bath. We got up pretty early as we knew we wanted to make the most of the day and headed straight for breakfast. After seeing Hannah’s instragrams of her time in Bath, we ventured into Pickled Greens for Toasties and coffee and it was the perfect fuel for our day. I much prefer going to smaller places like that because as well as giving money to smaller businesses, the food and drinks are actually so much nicer and fresher.

 

On to the Roman baths. You can’t go to Bath without heading into the baths to learn all about the history. It was really cool to see how well everything has been kept and interesting to think about what it used to look like. I love history so this was definitely a highlight for me. Now, remember how I said earlier about taking advantage of the scones, it was time. We found a cute Georgian tea house and went in for a pot of tea and probably the biggest scone I have ever seen. I loved it! The place was decorated perfectly and there was classical music playing throughout. We then had a little look around the shops and the local indoor market before heading back to the hotel to freshen up again for dinner.

 

 

Our last morning was so bittersweet because I didn’t want to go home at all but I knew that saying goodbye to this trip meant that we can now get excited for Madrid in October.  We headed for breakfast to set us up for the 3 hour journey home and had one little last wonder around before getting into the car. The journey home wasn’t too bad and we managed to do it in one go. I’ve now been home a week and I am pining to go back so badly!

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-Hannah X

Holiday, Lifestyle, Vacation

Can’t travel? Sell your holiday and get your money back!

by hannah maisieLeave a Comment on Can’t travel? Sell your holiday and get your money back!
Can’t travel? Sell your holiday and get your money back!

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Travelling is something everyone looks forward to- the new culture, the history you’ll learn, and the food, of course! We neglect to believe that, sometimes, plans change. Sometimes you even have to cancel your whole trip. It happens more often than you think. You’re left feeling disappointed that you missed a vacation, in addition, you’re left frustrated that you’ve paid for a trip you couldn’t attend. Countless times, travel reservations are non-refundable, so if you can’t go…that means you lose the money you’ve paid.

It looks like you’re not alone. Millions of people have found that they have lost money on unused travel bookings, usually for non-refundable flights or hotel reservations. However, there is one thing they fail to realize; there are ways they can sell their non-refundable travel reservations safely and easily!

How to get a refund for your non-refundable travel reservations A much-needed solution has been created by SpareFare.net. The company has created a secondary marketplace for travel reservations. SpareFare connects people who have bought flights, hotel rooms or even complete holiday packages, but have found that they cannot use them, with those that are looking for a chance to take advantage of discounted travel.

By utilising the service, those who originally bought the holiday can recover at least some of the money they paid, whilst the people buying can often save as much as 50%-60% of what they would originally have paid. It is a win-win situation for both sides! Not only do you receive a great discount, but as a trusted platform, both buyers and sellers are protected from fraud. Moreover, SpareFare acts as an intermediary, making things progress smoothly throughout the whole process.

Now that the basics have been presented, how does the reselling actually work?

Selling an airline ticket

Before you can consider transferring your flight, you must check that your airline allows name changes of the ticket holder. More often than not, it is allowed – over sixty airlines allow for name changes! The change takes 1 minute and is done through the passengers’ online account. Usually, there is a fee for the name change, and this varies by airline and fare type. If you find that a specific airline’s policy does not allow for ticket name changes, then it may be worthwhile contacting them to see if you can get further details. A full list of all airlines which allow changes can be found here.

Selling a hotel room

Hotel reservations are even easier to sell! You’re usually asked to call the hotel with whom you have a reservation. From there you can inform them you need to change the main guest name within the reservation. More often than not, there will be no fees to be charged with this, however, you should always check with your hotel, just to be sure. If you have booked through Expedia or Booking, you can change the guest’s name through your online account

Selling a package holiday

A package holiday usually comprises of flights, transfers, hotels and any other extra features associated to your holiday. In this case, you will need to speak to your personal travel agent. The option to transfer your holiday will either be a part of their terms and conditions, or, if you cannot see it in there, you could always speak to someone to find out whether or not it is possible and if there will be any fees to pay. Please remember that if the travel agent is based within the EU, then they must give you the option to change the name on the reservation, by law.

The process as a whole

One of SpareFare’s many perks include protection to both the buyer and the seller. Not only do they make sure that the process is safe, but they also help to ensure that the price is fair too.

The process of selling or buying through SpareFare is:

1. The buyer will put forward a price that they are happy to pay.

2. The seller then decides whether or not they want to accept or decline the offer. The bidding process will take into account the current price of holidays and flights, all to make sure that a true discount is applied and that an over inflated price is not charged.

3. The seller will be responsible for changing the name on the booking, only once the buyer has sent over the money.

4. The buyer confirms that everything has been received and is correct.

5. The seller will then receive their money once the time of the travel reservation comes. This is to ensure that they do not change the names back on the booking and cheat their way out of money.

Of course it’s upsetting to realize you cannot attend your holiday, however, with some help from SpareFare, you’ll soon forget about your inconvenience- you will have redeemed some of your money from the unused trip which you can use for your next holiday!

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*This is a guest post written by SpareFare but no payment has been received for this*

 

-Hannah X

Holiday, Lifestyle, Vacation

Travel With Me: Lisbon

by hannah maisie4 Comments on Travel With Me: Lisbon

Olá!

I am currently suffering with the worst holiday blues after returning from a city break to Lisbon with Jack. I had been excited for this trip from the minute I booked it and it didn’t disappoint and we have already decided that we need to go back to explore all the little gems that we missed because Lisbon is full of them!

This was both our first time in Portugal so we didn’t really know what to expect but I definitely think it is up there with one of my favourite countries I have been too; from the little tiled streets to the grand plazas overlooking the river; it was all perfect!

Day 1:

We had a morning flight so we go to the airport with plenty of time to get some breakfast and we were also in a prime spot to see President Trump fly in on Air Force 1 which was pretty cool; even if it was Trump. We arrived to our hotel and it was perfect, very cosy and had a great view of the mountains but we didn’t even stop to unpack because we wanted to get out and explore straight away. We walked around Praca do Comercio, soaked in the views of 25 de Abril Bridge and grabbed a lovely dinner in the Beer Museum before getting an early night to prepare for our first full day.

 

Day 2:

None of the days had clear agendas but we knew we wanted to go to the aquarium so we decided to do this first so we made sure we done it. From Praca do Comercio, we got the 728 bus straight to the aquarium which was only about 20 minutes away and spent the next few hours looking at all the fishes and the cutest fluffy sea otters. As we headed back it started to rain so we did what the whole of Lisbon decided to do and went to see the famous Time Out Market. The market was amazing, you could get any kind of food you want but you might have a hard time finding a seat. We opted for a pastel de nata from Manteigaria which we heard about from our favourite food show ‘Somebody Feed Phil’. I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing they were, definitely the best I had while we were there. Once the sun came out again, we wondered up to Castelo de S. Jorge and took in some of the best views I have ever seen!

 

Day 3:

You can’t go to Lisbon without going to see the Belem Tower so this is what we did on day 3. Again, we got the bus from the main square and travelled about 25 minutes in the other direction from the aquarium, I feel like I am a pro at the Lisbon public transport! We went straight to the Tower and it was stunning, there was even a man playing Disney songs on his violin which just made it so much more special. We then took a stroll through to Belem Town and soaked up the sun in the gardens before heading back towards the hotel. Of course we found a bar so we sat outside in the sun enjoying the sun. We went for dinner and the strolled down the cobbled streets with an ice cream and macaroons and it was perfect.

 

Day 4:

Our last full day was very bitter sweet; we headed over the river to climb to the top of Cristo Rei which gave the most amazing view of Lisbon and made me feel like I was in San Fransisco which is number 1 on my bucket list so I was a happy bunny. We then headed back down and popped to Ponto Final Restaurant for a drink before heading back to the ferry. Of course as it was our last day it rained so we used this to do a bit of shopping before heading back to the hotel to chill before going out for our last dinner.

 

Day 5:

The saddest day as we were heading home. We had a afternoon flight so checked out and headed straight to the airport. I would have given anything to get off the plane and stay in Lisbon as it has become one of my favourite cities as now has a special place in my heart.

-Hannah X

Holiday, Lifestyle, Vacation

Travel With Me: Paris

by hannah maisie18 Comments on Travel With Me: Paris

Bonjour!

It was recently my boyfriend’s birthday and what better way to celebrate than with a trip to Paris. I mean as they say ‘Paris is always a good idea’.
I have been to Paris before but this was Jack’s first time so I was so excited for show him around.

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We took the Eurostar and arrived at around 2pm on Saturday. Luckily our hotel was only about a 15 minute walk from Gare du Nord so it didn’t take us long to get checked in and get rid of our bags. The hotel was absolutely perfect! It was decorated with monochome wallpaper with splashes of bright colours in the form of pillows and curtains.

After a quick freshen up, we took a short 20 minute metro ride to the Eiffel Tower because where else would you go to first? I forgot just how beautiful the Eiffel Tower is and I felt so happy to be back. After a good photo session, we headed to a small bistro for a spot of lunch before planning our next stop, Arc de Triomph. There was a little bit of construction work so the photos aren’t great but it was still beautiful nonetheless. The Arc is the start of Champs Elysees so we took a little wonder and did some window shopping before heading to a bar for a few drinks and then on to dinner. On the way back to the hotel, we saw the Eiffel Tour as it was all lit up and sparkly. This is one of my favourite sights in Paris and even though we only saw the top, it was still stunning.

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Day 2 started pretty early because we were heading home in the evening so we wanted to get the most out of our day. It was hard because the bed was so comfy, I had to pry myself out! We started by having a stroll towards Le Louvre where we stopped for a spot of breakfast and the most amazing hot chocolate I have ever had. Honestly, I am still thinking about it. We were going to go into Le Louvre but the queue was so long so we took a stroll along the Seine towards Notre Dame, somewhere that I had never been before. As we arrived, the bells were ringing and I instantly got all the Disney vibes and thought of Quasemodo. It was also at this point that I realised I had lost a glove which was the saddest thing because it was so cold.

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We headed back over towards Champs Elysees and stopped off at the petite palais for another hot chocolate and some macaroons and to warm ourselves up. It was so beautiful and the pieces of art they had there were incredible. Now, no trip to Paris is complete without some shopping and I took full advantage of the Sephora there, who else loves their sheet masks?!

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While making our way back to the hotel to pick up our suitcases, we stopped off for some dinner which was so bitter sweet because it was lovely to find another bistro tucked away down some quiet side road but it also meant that it was nearly time to head to the station to get home.

We arrived back in London at about 9pm on Sunday and to say I was sad to be home was definitely an understatement. We both had the most amazing time and I was so glad to celebrate Jack’s birthday in one of the prettiest cities. We are so desperate to go back and will definiely make sure we stay for longer.

Have you ever been to Paris?

– Hannah X

Fashion, Holiday

Tenerife Style Diary

by hannah maisieLeave a Comment on Tenerife Style Diary

Ciáo!

Okay, wrong language but let’s roll with it. I recently went away for a week to Tenerife with my friends and wanted to share some of my evening outfits; I love these posts so let’s hope I can do this one justice too. I didn’t take outfit photos everyday so let’s start from day 2.

Most of the evenings were pretty much the same of exploring Playas las America’s and trying out the best deals from each bar. It would get a little repetitive if I went into detail about each one so let’s get straight into the outfits.

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Top: Primark
Skirt: Boutique
Shoes: Topshop
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Dress: New Look
Shoes: Primark
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Top: Primark
Jumpsuit: New Look
Shoes: Topshop
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Jumpsuit: Primark

Usually my wardrobe consists of black clothing so on holiday, I like to make sure I go for pieces that are a lot more colourful and this year I definitely went over the top with Yellow but it’s summer so why not. Now it’s October, I have gone back to me dark ways haha!

I am so sad to be back – I know, I say this every time I write a blog post about a trip but honestly, this week was the best; none stop laughing with some of my best friends. Oh, and not to mention the sunsets!

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What are your holiday ‘go-to’ outfits?

– Hannah X

Holiday, Vacation

The Travel Tag

by hannah maisie2 Comments on The Travel Tag

I’m going away to Germany on Tuesday and have been in holiday mode since we booked it back in April, so what better post to get up than a good old fashioned tag.

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1. What’s the best place you’ve ever been to?

I have a few but the one place that sticks out the most is definitely New York, I could happily move there. That place has my heart.

2. Do you prefer going abroad or a staycation?

Both! I love going abroad and visiting new countries but there are still so many places in the UK that I would like to visit.

3. What are your fashion holiday essentials?

Depends on the trip, if it’s a city break then shoes are my number one essential, you need to be comfortable. But if it’s a beach holiday then probably swimming costumes, I am always in the pool.

4. Who’s your favourite person to go travelling with?

This will be my first holiday with my boyfriend so I’m sure he will become my favourite travel partner or my friends, as it would be a trip full of so much laughter and great memories.

5. What’s your favourite holiday memory?

One of my favourite trip memories is sitting in Central Park in NY with the sun shining through on ‘Strawberry Fields’ listening to a man play songs from The Beatles on his guitar and all these strangers gathering around to sing along. Such a beautiful sight.

6. If you could only go on holiday to one place for the rest of your life, where would you choose?

Probably Florida as I could live in Disneyworld forever!

7. Is there anywhere you’d avoid going?

Definitely not, I want to travel everywhere and anywhere.

8. Where was your first holiday?

My first holiday (I think) was to Walt Disney World in Florida.

9. Do you prefer relaxing or doing things on holiday?

A good mixture, I love days by the pool or at the beach but I definitely think if you’re spending money to visit a country, then you need to go out and explore it.

10. What are your beach bag essentials?

Suncream, headphones, a book, sunglasses and a big bottle of water.

11. Where are you travelling to next?

Germany and then Tenerife in September, how exciting!

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Where’s your next trip to?

-Hanah X

Fashion, Vacation

Barcelona Style Diary

by hannah maisieLeave a Comment on Barcelona Style Diary
Barcelona Style Diary

Hola!

Over the New Year, I spent a week in Barcelona with some of my favourite people. I completely fell in love with the city; the beach, the food, the weather, the little-cobbled side streets and of course the sangria!

Obviously being December/January time, I prepared myself for cold, rainy days but was pleasantly surprised to be greeted every morning with blue skies and sun…I actually forgot what sun on my skin felt like. I spent every morning trying to strategically throw some outfits together and I’m here today to share those with you.

Day 1: For the most part; day 1 was spent travelling, doing a food shop for the apartment and having a walk around before dinner. I spent most of the day in jeans and a jumper, which was pretty boring but I did freshen up and change my outfit for the evening.

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Shirt: Primark Skirt: Lipsy Chelsea Boots: ASOS

Day 2:

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Top: Boohoo Skirt: Lipsy Chelsea Boots: ASOS
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Jumpsuit: New Look Clutch: Topshop Shoes: Primark

Day 3:

 

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Shirt: Primark Skirt: Lipsy Chelsea Boots: ASOS
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Dress: Lipsy Chelsea Boots: ASOS

 

Also – Massive thank you to my best friends Zoe and Amy for being the best and taking all these photos.

-Hannah X

Fashion

Lanzarote Style Diary

by hannah maisieLeave a Comment on Lanzarote Style Diary

I had the best holiday to Lanzarote with my two best friends and one of the highlights was spending the evenings getting ready to go out for the night. Obviously, we couldn’t get dressed up without taking a few pictures on the balcony so here is my Lanzarote style diary.

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What are your go to holiday styles?

– Hannah X

Holiday

Wanderlust Tag

by hannah maisieLeave a Comment on Wanderlust Tag

It’s that time of year when a lot of people travel abroad for a week or two in the sun and that has got me thinking a lot about traveling and where I want to go to next. I’ve seen quite a few tag posts working their way around the blogosphere so of course I had to do one too.

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Your most treasured passport stamp?

I actually only have two stamps on my passport and they are both from New York and I love them. NYC is my favourite place in the world so I love looking at those two stamps.


Can you recite your passport number from memory if asked?
I don’t; my brain and numbers is the worst combination! 


Preferred method of travel: planes, trains or automobiles?
I know a lot of people don’t,  but I absolutely love flying; especially if it’s a long haul flight where you can just sit and get lost in the countless films and tv shows they have. Also, there is nothing better than looking out the window and being above the clouds.


Top three travel items?
Camera, Sunglasses, Friends 😉


Hostel or hotel?
Hotel. I wish I could say hostel, but a nice hotel would win every time!


Are you a repeat visitor or do you explore new places?
A bit of both. If I’ve gone to a place I enjoyed then of course I’d go back, but theres nothing better than visiting new places and seeing other parts of the world.

Do you read up on your destination (culture, history, safety) or do you wing it?
Again, a bit of both. I always read up on hotels and stuff and whats around where I’m staying but its no fun if you know everything before you go; it’s nice to be surprised.


Favourite travel website?
I love a bit of trip advisor but apart from that I don’t really go on travel websites; I prefer going on Youtube and watching people’s blogs from trips.


Where would you recommend a friend to visit? Name city and why.
London. It’s covered in history and impressive architecture and it has so much to offer. I love it going and exploring areas I haven’t been to yet.


You’re leaving tomorrow, money is no option, where are you going?
America; probably the West coast to San Francisco and LA; with a trip to Disneyland too!


– Hannah X