My Guide to Canggu, Bali

There was only ever one contender for where we would stay in Bali, and that was Canggu. My sister Helen has been living there for over two years and her stories of beach bars, cool cafes, and relaxed vibes instantly sold the town to me. Bali was never a huge wish list destination for me, the tales of drunk teenagers and raging beach parties isn't really the holiday vibe I go for, but Helen assured me that Canggu is not like this, and she's absolutely right. Once a secluded surfing spot, the town is now a busy haven of local businesses, whilst still retaining that relaxed and easy-going energy that makes SE Asia such a wonderful part of the world to visit.

Canggu, pronounced Chan-gu, is most definitely Bali's current slice of cool. It lacks the overrun resorts of Kuta and the hecticness of Seminyak, whilst boasting excellent surfing conditions, beautifully secluded accommodation, and some of the best food on the island. If I ever return to Bali I'll be back to Canggu in a blink of an eye.

Here's my guide for everything you need to know about this great, little town.

A 2018 Flat Update

Steve and I have been living in our flat for a year and a half now and I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by. Despite our tiny little space only comprising of three rooms, it's taken a while to get just right. I'm definitely not finished with the flat yet, there's a few things I'd like to add to the living room / kitchen area, plus we're still using a spare bed and bedside tables from my parents that I'd eventually like to replace. But aside from those extremely minor details the flat is more or less a finished article.

Giving up shampoo, my journey so far

My hair has always been an important part of my image. For a third of my life it was bleached blonde and when your hair is white, it's hard to not make a big deal of it. I loved having bleached hair, it really suited me and I enjoyed playing around with temporary colours. But it came with plenty of problems, the damage and upkeep being two of them. Eventually I got to the stage where I'd had enough of the straw like condition and frequent trips to the salon. I decided it was time to start growing out my roots and embrace my natural hair colour, whatever that turned out to be.

Memories of Indonesia

I'm not long back from a two and a half week trip around Indonesia, and boy what a whirlwind it was. The country is huge and we did our very best to see as much as possible, but now I'm yearning to return and see even more. Whilst we did travel around a lot, I found the trip pretty relaxing compared to our previous holidays, especially as the heat forces you to slow down. Island hopping isn't the most demanding of activities and save for a few treks and early starts I didn't return home feeling exhausted, which is quite often the case with the type of holidays I plan.

Out of Office: Indonesian Edition

Lovely new haircut from Dom at Rush Tower Bridge*

This evening Steve and I are off to Indonesia for just under three weeks. Obviously I'm excited. I'm excited to see my sisters, my friends, and to discover a new country. But I'm also a little scared. I'm scared of falling into the sulphurous blue lake of Mt Ijen, of being bitten by a Komodo dragon on Komodo island, and of not being able to protect my skin from sunburn. But hopefully I'll be ok and everything will go to plan.

HOTEL REVIEW: YOTELAIR, Gatwick Airport

I love an early morning flight, it means you arrive at your destination with an entire day of exploring ahead of you. However, I am not a morning person in the slightest and despite my 31 years of existence, I have yet to embrace the habit of waking up early feeling fresh. Fortunately for me I am willing to put myself through the discomfort of an early alarm if it means I get to jet off somewhere exciting. Nevertheless a 7am flight still fills me with a little dread so I've started to look for ways to make the experience of break of dawn travel a little easier. Say hello to airport hotels.

24 Hours in Maastricht, The Netherlands

Maastricht was the final stop on our whistle stop tour around the Netherlands. Despite it being a couple of hours away by train from Utrecht, it was en route to Brussels which is where we caught the Eurostar back to London. Maastricht is very different from the other cities we visited. Cultural similarities here are much more in tune with Germany and Belgium, compared to the north of the country which feels more Nordic in comparison. Because of this Maastricht ended up being my least favourite city but that's not to say I didn't enjoy our time here because I absolutely did. The city is traditional, picturesque, and full of history. Whilst you won't find concept stores, street food markets, or pretty canals like the rest of the country, you will find some excellent attractions and a sophisticated foodie scene. We spent just under 24 hours in the city and it was the perfect amount of time to see everything that took our fancy.

Here's my Maastricht city guide.

24 Hours in Utrecht, The Netherlands

Utrecht was the city that surprised me the most on our trip around The Netherlands. I didn't know much about it, except that it's the home of Miffy and my friend, Sarah. She always gives the city high praise and that was enough for me to add it to the itinerary. We had 24 hours to explore but it was not enough time, I definitely could have done with an extra day. But we squeezed a lot in and I'd love to visit again. Now that direct trains are running from London to Amsterdam and Rotterdam, The Netherlands is even more accessible. Utrecht is lovely, it's a small city that combines the the charm of the Amsterdam canals, with the alternativeness of Rotterdam thanks to a big student population.

Here's my Utrecht city guide.

HOTEL REVIEW: Mother Goose, Utrecht

The search is over, I've discovered my favourite hotel.

Three Days in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

I'd been looking forward to visiting Rotterdam, the Netherlands second city, for a long time and it did not disappoint. Completely different from Amsterdam, this urban jungle lacks romantic canals but makes it's own drama with modern architecture, big open spaces, and more than a touch of the alternative. Rotterdam is an ever evolving city with surprises around every corner. At first glance the city might look a little grey but once you've scratched the surface you'll find pops of colour everywhere, especially yellow, which is fine by me as it's one of my favourites.

Here's my Rotterdam city guide.

HOTEL REVIEW: Stroom, Rotterdam

The second stop on our Netherlands road trip was Rotterdam, and whilst accommodation in Amsterdam is expensive, Rotterdam is a lot more affordable. As always, I was in search for an affordable boutique hotel, and Stroom hit the bill perfectly. I was drawn to the minimalist, industrial design of the bedrooms, and despite the slightly 'out-of-the-city-centre' location, the hotel was a dream.

PHOTO DIARY: Amsterdam, Netherlands, October 2017

Amsterdam was amazing and most definitely lived up the hype. I'd been once before, when I was 17, but we didn't get much sightseeing done so I was excited to get back to the capital of the Netherlands and find out what makes it tick. Steve and I had four days in the city and we squeezed in as much as possible. Museums, cafes, food, beer, you name it. I left feeling like we had achieved a lot in a short space of time, but also that there was still so much to see.

DAY 1

Hello 2018

This time last year I said I didn't have many big plans for 2017, except to travel lots, and travel lots I did. The year started with Steve and I finishing up Christmas and New Year's in Ireland, visiting our family. Unfortunately we didn't make it back over in 2017 so a visit is definitely on the cards for this year. Maybe in the summer as winter in Ireland isn't the most pleasant of experiences.