9/30/2013

20 Random Questions Tag | Just Add Ginger



I have only just really entered the realm of YouTube after having just my blog-baby for over a year. And after a little bit of a break, at the weekend I decided it was time to sit down and show my channel some love! 

This is the "20 Random Questions" tag. And now, I TAG YOU! 

You can join in this tag by answering the questions in the Comments section below, or posting a response to my video. 

Thank you again to Sarah for creating the questions for me! 


The Questions:


1. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?

2. What Disney princess would you be?
3. If you could have any super power what would you pick?
4. Hit shuffle on your playlist - what's the song?
5. Favourite friends episode?
6. Your house is on fire and you can only save one thing - what is it?
7. Invisible for a day - what do you do?
8. If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now - where would you go?
9. Most loved movie?
10. Most hated movie?
11. What did you have for breakfast today?
12. Pjs - long pants or shorts?
13. What's the one book you would take to a desert island?
14. You can only have one item of make up forever more - what is it?
15. What's your go-to meal to cook to impress someone?
16. Bath or shower?
17. What do you want to be when you grow up?
18. What's the weather like right now?
19. Tea or coffee?
20. What was the last thing that made you smile?

9/27/2013

On the Nice List...Ultimate Christmas/Birthday Wishlist


It is official....

There are now only 12 Fridays until Christmas!! EEEEeeeeeeee!!! 

I'm not going to lie. I'm a HUGE fan of the festive season/. I love everything about it; the food, the music, the wrapping up warm and snuggling by the fire.....snow. It all just makes me want to dance around like a big ol' looney!! 

And. Because today I was feeling very excited about Christmas, I decided to do an Ultimate Christmas/Birthday Wishlist. These are the top 10 products/things that are on my personal wishlist and that I hope to get myself by Christmas or my birthday on 9th January (not what I expect to see underneath the tree!) 

(These wishlist items are in no particular order....!)

1) Mac Eyeshadow Palette: I am a new MAC fan as of this year. I think it's a fantastic brand, and I am the proud owner of 3 of their lipsticks. But. I would love to own a neutral eyeshadow palette too. Every time I go in to a MAC shop I am blown away by their selection of neutral shadows, and I would be so happy to add some to my make up collection

2) Subscription to GlossyBox: At regular intervals, I find myself going on to the GlossyBox website to look at their subscription options. I have held off so hard, but I really think this may have to be a Birthday present to myself. I love receiving post, and getting a box each month full of beauty goodies might just make me "eek" in delight!

3) Benefit Rockateur Blusher: I am a big fan of Benefit as a make up brand. All the products I have from there have never let me down. A blush is, naturally, next on my list, and I think Rockateur would be the best match for my skin....hence why it is on my list. Plus, I really like the packaging...something quite "rock and roll" about it (hehe.)

4) Real Techniques Make Up Brushes: I have a confession to make.....I don't really own very good make up brushes. The ones I do have shed like crazy and I'm constantly finding random hairs on my face! I've heard soooo many good things about the Real Techniques brushes (they have a sponge out now too,) that I really want to give them a try. 

5) MAC Pigment: This goes hand-in-hand with the eyeshadows. A MAC pigment has been on my list since I started getting more and more into YouTube and blogging. So many of my favourite beauty gurus have amazing things to say about the pigments, and if I got one in a neutral-ish shade, I can double it up as a base and an eyeshadow!

6) Yankee Candles: Come Winter, you will always find me with a candle burning, or incense on the go. I have never owned a Yankee Candle, but have been in to the shop in town lots, and sniffed everything in there. I can only imagine what their Winter/Christmas fragrances are like! 

7) Champagne Bucket: For the past few weeks, I have been gradually overhauling my house and having a massive spring clean and re-desigm. One night over dinner, Boyfriend and I were talking about the plans I had, and somehow champagne buckets popped up in conversation. Well. Since then I have been obsessed with the idea, and really, really, really, want one. Especially one on a stand that can go by my dining table!

8) LUSH Spa Validation Facial: If you haven't been to a LUSH spa yet, you need to. I have been two times now and it has been an amazing experience. (You can read my review of my first visit here) Next on my list is their facial. I have never had a facial before, and I know getting one done there would just be a beautiful experience! 

9) A Kitten: For the past ,five, nearly six years, I have been harbouring a desire to have a pet cat. As a teenager, my family had pet cats, and every time I go to see my parents, I am wrapped up in a big furry ball of love for their cats (even though one attacks me.) I'm naturally both a dog and cat person because I grew up around both, but my house is not big enough for a dog really, so a kitten is on my wishlist first, just because of the limitations of space! 

10) Make Up Brush Holder: To go with my make up brushes. It all ties in with my house ideas and re-design. I'm in desperate need of a new storage system for my make up, and a utensils pot, or pencil pot, would be the perfect place to store brushes. Slightly quirky, and there are such a great variety of designs out there!

What's on your Ultimate Wishlist?





Blogtember 2013: Musings over Chai

 Go to a coffee shop. Order a favorite drink. Write about what makes you happy and what makes you sad. Or write about anything you'd like! Bonus points for including a photo from the coffee shop. (I recommend downloading Ommwriter and bringing headphones along!) *if you can't make it to a coffee shop, at least leave your usual space and write someplace new.


Okay....I'll admit it. It is not in fact Thursday and I am not in fact sitting in a coffee shop. 

I'm posting my Blogtember  post for yesterday, today. 

Yesterday I was in too much of a fluster to post anything. I was so tired on Wednesday night that I had a really broken nights sleep (does anybody else get this?) On Thursday I was running on Empty, my Warning light flashing, and it was of course, the busiest day of the week at work! It was such a crazy day. 

In the evening. I popped into town though for a The Body Shop VIP event to celebrate the launch of the Honeymania collection. 

Afterwards, I went and sat in Caffe Nero and sat admiring my lovely new products over a steaming hot mug of Chai Latte. 


I'd never had a Chai Latte before, and to be honest, I don't really think it was my cup of tea *groan*! It tasted a little bit like I was drinking gingerbread dough..... And once I had that image in my head drinking the rest of the mug was difficult. 

I tried so hard to take a picture of my goodies in Caffe Nero, but the woman on the table next to me kept giving me odd looks, and I got shy. 

After I try out all of my shiny new beauty products I think I'm going to smell like a tropical, chocolatey, sweet milkshake. 

Yay for yummy-smelling products! 




9/25/2013

Blogtember 2013: I Never Meant to Hurt You

Write about a time you screwed up - a mistake you made

Firstly - I can't believe I missed two days of Blogtember. I had every intention of blogging everyday. but sometimes life takes over, and I have been getting really tired. Yesterday, I was in bed, asleep, at 9.15pm! I think that's the earliest I've gone to bed in a long, long time! 

In my life, I don't usually dwell on the mistakes I make. I accept them, learn from them, and try to become a better person because of them. But sometimes, there are mistakes that I make that I do regret, because I end up hurting people in the process. And whether intentional or not, this is not a good feeling! 

For today's post, I'm going to go back 6 years to my penultimate year at uni. 

Burlesque Birthday Party

I was just coming out of a really tricky time in my life, and trying to re-discover who I was. Something had happened - a recent argument - between a uni friend and me, and it was really niggling away at me. 

I had arranged to meet up with another friend at uni for a night out at the SU, but deep down I knew this probably wasn't the best idea. I was still a bit down in the dumps, wasn't feeling myself, and didn't want there to be any tension for what was meant to be a good night out. 

I ended up cancelling on my friend.....But then went to the SU anyway! 

It is probably the dumbest mistake I could make. I really ended up hurting somebody's feelings, to the point where we couldn't be friends any more, and all because I let something get to me, tried to change circumstances to make things better, then went and betrayed a trust. It wasn't done intentionally - to be honest, I can't even remember how I ended up going out - but to this day I still wish I could go back and change the way I handled things. 

I could've just arranged a girly night in instead! 

So. 

Moral of the story. 

If you're going through a mind scramble and you are in a bit of a funk, don't mess your friends around. 

And if you are reading this and are the person that I hurt, I really am very sorry. It wasn't my intention, and believe me, it's something I wish that I could rectify. 





9/23/2013

Blogtember 2013: Life Lately

A "life lately" post. What you're up to, how you're feeling, how you're doing on your goals, etc. Bonus points for great photos!


I'm not going to lie....

I am SO happy right now. 

For a long time I felt really unsettled. I felt as though I was stuck in a bit of a rut, but lately, I have really gotten myself out of it. I feel like I don't stop now. I work Monday to Friday in a job that I absolutely love, I'm going to college to gain my Playwork Level 3, I'm really involved in my blogging, and I've been spending loads of time (probably too much time) re-organising, re-designing, and generally giving my house a bit of much needed TLC and sorting. 


Boyfriend has been & is super-busy at the moment, which means that we only really have been spending time together at the weekend. It makes it really special, and come Thursday, I start to get really excited that it's nearly the weekend and that I'll be seeing him. 

I'm not really one to usually get overly-gushy in public, but he is the main reason I am so content and at ease right now. I am one very lucky Ginger to have found him. 


I've also been spending lots more time with my friends. Because I don't live near my family, having a really strong circle of friends is really important to me because they are my family up here, and more recently, my Northern "family" have become so much stronger. Whether it's mine and Saloca's Pudding Clubs (which have recently become filled with excitable talk about blogging and decorating discussion,) spending time with Boyfriend's family, or going to visit Spotto, time I spend with my friends - which always was so important to me - has now become even more special!


I also feel that my style has really come in to its own. I have become a lot more experimental with fashions over the past year, and now I think I've found a style that I really like and works well for me. Stering away from jeans, which have a habit of not fitting me properly (I have a really hollow back,) I've been going for skater skirts, dresses, and fit and flare styles a lot. I've also not been buying so much, but instead, going for clothes I know I can wear for both day and night events. This means that I can save more money for the home improvements I'm planning....

....which has also been on my mind a lot lately. 

I've finally almost moved things in to my office. My DVDs are nicely arranged on a stand, all my stationary is collated in one place, as are my technological gear for blogging/vlogging, and my loft is empty of everything that isn't mine (finally!) I have a proper place to store all my beauty products and jewellery, and I've put all of my clothes into categories and they now have their own areas in my wardrobe/chest of drawers. My bedroom is almost unrecognisable! Here are the things on my "To-Do" List: 

  • Buy wall sticker for bedroom.
  • Find storage boxes to categorise my make up 
  • Source wood to build bar in living room. 
Yes. That's right. I'm going to have a BAR downstairs. I really enjoy having people round, so a bar would be a perfect addition to my living space. It probably won't happen until the end of the year/next year, but I am so excited! I'm going to call it 

"The Ginger Bear" 


What do you think? 





9/20/2013

Prairie Charms: Project Blogger | Just Add Ginger



Just over a month ago, I was contacted by Prairie Charms and asked if I wanted to take part in "Project Blogger" collaboration (click the link to find out more). I was instantly overwhelmed and excited. I had never taken part in anything like this before! So, of course, I immediately jumped at the chance to be involved!

I, being me, of course had to do my research first and find out more about Prairie Charms and the products they sell. 

Oh my GOODNESS! 

I was instantly drawn in by all the pretty, girly, sparkly, beautiful things. What made me even more happy, was spotting that 10% of profits go directly to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity, and the "Kiss it Better" campaign and this really touched me! Any company that takes the time to give back to an amazing cause - whether great or small - gets awarded instant Ginger Stars in my book! 

As a part of "Project Blogger," I was kindly given 50% off any part of the collection. And therein lay my first issue...

There were just SO many pretty things to choose from! 

But instead of going for the jewellery section, I decided to focus on hair. Over the summer, I was really into hair accessories (mainly floral crowns/headbands) so decided to carry on the theme and go for some hair accessory pieces. 

It took me ages (and one 40 minute phone call to Mama Ginger to help discuss and finalise my options) to decide what I wanted to try out. But after an agonising evening of trying to choose my products, I went for the: 

Farrah Glitter Bow (Burnt Copper): $15.00 (full price)
Suri Crown (White): $24.00 (full price)


Just Add Ginger blog

For the next week or two I waited on tenter hooks for my lovely goodies to arrive, until, one grey, typically British day, they popped through my letterbox.

Okay ... Firstly we need to talk about the packaging.

Now. I know they say"never judge a book by its cover" but I hate to say tat when it comes to buying things, I really, really do! Call me superficial, but the way that a product is packaged says a lot to me about the quality of the goods and the company.

I was not disappointed. My goodies didn't arrive in a brown envelope, parcel or package. Oh no. But in a shiny, glittery, bright and beautiful  purple envelope. Just looking at it made me feel excited and full of eager-anticipation about the contents. 

Each of the hair accessories were individual wrapped, with the Suri Crown nestled in a bed of bubble wrap for extra protection. I also was really happy and surprised to find an extra hair accessory in with my bow and crown (I believe this may be because I spent over £10, which, I think, is such a sweet idea.) 

Farrah Glitter Bow

Just Add Ginger blog
Farrah Glitter Bow (Burnt Copper)
Just Add Ginger blog
Hair by: Helen Cameron (Glam Hair & Beauty, Liverpool)
The first item I road-tested was the glitter bow. And I absolutely love it.

I can't do a lot with my hair, so having good quality, easy-to-use, beautiful accessories is great for me. And the Farrah Glitter Bow is no exception. The clip is a crocodile style, so easy to slide right in to your hair, and the bow itself is stiffened into shape, so there is no risk of bow-droopage (not a good look.) 

But what made me squee the most was the glitteriness (Ooo....new word!) There are both big and small glitter particles in the bow fabric, which are always catching the light and sparkling away. This just automatically appeals to my magpie tendencies. The colour of the bow also complemented my hair to perfection. It was a great choice. The coppery/orangey tones of the bow will be perfect for Autumn, and Summer, and Spring, and all year round. Yippee! 

I wore the bow out for a whole day, and it did not slide down my hair. It did start to tip a few times, but to be honest, I think that was the way I put it in my hair (my amazing hairdresser friend Helen put it in for me in the photo above - my way went in a bit lop-sided I think.) When I took the bow out, it didn't get caught up in my hair either, which was also a brilliant attribute. Sometimes, clips or hair ties or bands can get caught in my hair, and I lose loads of hair strands trying to get them out again. 

Suri Crown

Just Add Ginger blog

I think if I had been around in days gone by, I would have either been a flower child of the 60s/70s, a woodland faerie, or a creature living out in the woods, because I just love wearing flowers in my hair, walking around barefoot, and just always being as close to nature/outside as possible. 

So, as you can imagine, I got on with the Suri Crown like a house on fire! 

At first, I was a bit dubious. Not because of the crown itself, but because I er.....well...I have a head that's slightly on the.....larger side, so things sometimes don't fit me too well. Metal headbands (which the crown has) can sometimes dig in and start to hurt. But I didn't find this at all with the Suri Crown. Hazzah!! 

The comfort factor was amazing. I wore the crown all day one Sunday and it was like I wasn't wearing a headband at all. 

Just Add Ginger blog

As with the glitter bow, I was really impressed with the quality of the crown. The bubble wrap packaging had kept all the beautiful white roses in tact, and they were all standing up beautifully. The flowers weren't too big either, so I didn't look like I had an even bigger head. I'm not a huge fan of OTT crowns anyway, so if, like me, you want something a bit more understated, I can't recommend this crown enough. 

I got quite a few compliments wearing it too. The Suri Crown is a great way to add a touch more detail to an outfit without going for jewellery, and the white roses are a perfect choice for an all-year-round accessory! 

I can't recommend Prairie Charms enough as a website. The prices are really reasonable (I haven't spotted anything over $25.00,) so budget friendly. The products that I received were beautiful and well-crafted, and I really admire the fact that they donate a percentage of their profits to charity. 

If you're looking for products that are super-girly and have a hint of whimsy, then head on over to the Prairie Charms website and have a look at the pretty goodies they have on offer! 

For more information about the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity click here

9/19/2013

Blogtember 2013: Deception

 Creative writing day: write a (very short) fictional story that starts with this sentence: "To say I was dreading the dinner party would be the understatement of the century."
The story does not necessarily need to have a conclusion - you can leave your readers wishing for more!

To say I was dreading the dinner party would be the understatement of the century. 

I hated big social occasions. They made me feel claustrophobic. So many faces, all laughing and smiling and joking, pretending to share a mutual bond over the latest runway show they had attended in Paris, or gloating over the fact that Margaret had to get corrective surgery again on her nose after the surgeon botched the first job. 

It was all a load of crap. The falseness. The lies. The bullsh*t. 

But I was there for Simon. Playing my part of the dutiful wife. It was important I did. He needed me. Put on the make up, zip up the cocktail dress, and paint on the smile for one night and then it would be over. 

Reaching for a flute of champagne as a waiter floated past, I headed for the balcony. I needed air. Oh who was I kidding? I needed a cigarette. Alcohol and nicotine. They were the only things that would calm me down. 

The cool summer breeze caressed my cheek and I instantly felt soothed. Fumbling with the clasp of my purse I scrambled inside to find the pack of cigarettes. To my luck there was one solitary soldier left. I fished him out with relish, then dug back in to my bag in search of a lighter. 

"Do you need a light?" His voice. Soft, and smooth, like honey, drifted into my ears. I would know that voice anywhere. I put the cigarette to my lips and let him light in. I inhaled slowly, enjoying the taste of the nicotine. It calmed me instantly. 

"I'd hoped I'd catch you out here," he murmured. The sound of his voice send a shiver up my spine. 

I felt him draw closer to me. It made me nervous. He made me nervous. I took a long, hard drag of my cigarette and kept my eyes forward. I couldn't catch his eye. I couldn't let him sense my fear. Half-scared and half-excited I was glued to the spot.  

The sound of the balcony door sliding open made us both turn. For a moment I caught a glimpse of him. Pressed grey suit, emerald tie, two-day-stubble. He looked like a god in the dusky haze. 

"Oh there you are you two. You'd better finish off your sneaky fags. There about to serve dinner. And you know how David gets when dinner is served late." 

The door slid shut. 

That was Rachel for you. Always a stickler for time and routine. Always desperate to stay on the good side of her husband. Living on tenter hooks trying to be the perfect housewife, the perfect hostess. But in reality, she was just a robot. 

"Come on, we'd better get back." His dulcet tones filtered into my ear and I gasped in delight. His whispers sent another shiver through me. He moved his lips from my ear and gave me a singular kiss on the cheek, his hand running up my arm slowly. 

"Your husband will wonder where you've got to."

 ....




9/17/2013

Blogtember 2013: Such a Good Feeling

A memory you would love to relive.

The three years I spent as an undergraduate were some of the best of my life. I met so many amazing people, worked hard, played hard, and pulled several all-nighter surviving on toast and jam which has made me have an aversion to too much bread ever since. I laughed, I cried, and I fully gained my independence. 

While all those years were amazing, the memory I would go back and relive was when I found out I had got a 1st Class in my degree. I had worked really hard for three years, but my second year had been particularly difficult, and I had to power through. I was hoping I had just done enough to get a 2:1, but when that envelope came through my door my heart literally leapt into my throat. 




Walking out onto that stage at my graduation ceremony was one of the proudest moments of my life. I'd proven to myself that no matter what you're going through, or how hard life gets, if you focus on the positive, stay strong, and carry on, anything is possible! 

I'll just never forget the shock, excitement and utter elation I felt when I heard that envelope pop through the letterbox and found out I had chased my dreams....

.... and caught them!





9/16/2013

Blogtember 2013: A Poem for Person X

Write a public love letter to someone in your life. (It doesn't necessarily need to be romantic.)










Dear Person X, 





You're the one I'll always turn to,  
When blue sky turns to grey.  
The one I'll always dream of,  
at the ending of the day.  





You're the one who'll always make me laugh,  
When my head has does nought but frown.  
No matter how you're feeling,  
For me you'll act the clown.  





You're the one I love to kiss goodnight,  
You're the one I love to hold.  
You're the one who warms my cold reptilian heart,  
Amidst the Autumn cold.  





You're the one I can talk to all night,  
Whether deep in thought or talking sh*t. 
You're the one I can rant at when I'm stressed,  
You make no big deal of it.  





Thank you for making me so happy, 
Thank you for being you.  
Thank you for how you make me feel.  
Please know how much I do love you!  



 


Xxx










9/13/2013

Blogtember 2013: This is Me

 A self portrait

 My self-portrait was inspired by Kate at http://diariesofanessexgirl.com, who created an amazing self-portrait for today's Blogtember Challenge. It's so difficult to get to know a person through an image, so I decided to annotate my self-portrait with a few of the adjectives that I think help sum me up.....

This is Me






9/12/2013

Blogtember 2013: A Change for the Better

Discuss ways that blogging or social media has changed you.

I have always loved writing. 
I remember the first story I ever wrote - it was in a The Flinstones spiral bound notepad. I wrote it about some of the people in my class at primary school. Nearly everybody wanted to be in it. 

I carried on writing all the way through school and into uni, going on to do a BA in Creative & Professional Writing and then an MA. 

And by the time I'd finished all that, I needed a break. 

Not a break from writing, but a break from writing on demand. Writing stories. Writing the same thing all the time and not having a break to write anything much else. 

This is where blogging and social media comes in. 


Through blogging, I can carry on writing, but in a way that I really enjoy. I can set my own schedule and work to my own timetable and pace without fearing that I'm going to miss a deadline or disappoint people. When I've had a crazy day, or am feeling sad, or poorly, I can turn to my blog and everything becomes a little better! My blog - and now my channel - are my babies, and they mean so, so much to me.

When I started blogging, I didn't really know about any other blogs out there. I knew people wrote them, but I wasn't sure what was out there, or how to be involved in the bigger blogging community. Until I started watching more YouTube videos. Prior to blogging, I had only watched a few YouTube videos but when I started browsing YouTube more, this opened up a world of opportunities. I got introduced to more videos, then blogs, twitter usernames, Facebook pages, and pretty soon my little "Blogger's Bubble" began to burst and I was surrounded by amazing people who enjoyed doing exactly the same things as me, had the same hobbies as me, and liked make up, clothes, food and all things beauteous just like me. 

I started to read more blogs, and getting inspired to write more diverse blog posts myself - first more lifestyle ones, then, as I started to grow in confidence, beauty, fashion, reviews.....The more I wrote, the happier I was. 

And then I joined Twitter, and was overwhelmed by the beauty/fashion blogging community there was on there. I'm introduced to new blogs/YouTube channels everyday  People are always ready to offer opinions on products, or give out advice, and just support your blog and celebrate blogging and writing in general.




There is such a wonderful blogging community on Twitter and on Facebook that is so supportive of each other, and encouraging. Everybody is ready to offer advice, or guidance, and it's wonderful being able to share your passion with so many different people. I have become so much more confident since immersing myself in the social media community more, and constantly want to improve my blogging style to make it more enjoyable for other bloggers to read. I now want to actively sit down and teach myself about editing videos, creating and designing elements for my blog, and adding additional features to the things I create that otherwise I wouldn't have dreamt of doing.

There is no way I would have had to confidence to develop my JustAddGinger channel, or make a Facebook page without the blogging community. And I definitely wouldn't have had the writing opportunities I've had if I wasn't part of social media. I'm now fully embracing and celebrating being a blogger. 

Social media has given me the push I need to make my JustAddGinger baby bigger and better.

Dreams are there to be chased.



9/11/2013

Blogtember 2013: Fall Fashion Picks


"Share links to your favorite online shops, preferably with a few photos of your favorite items in each shop."

It's no secret....

I absolutely love clothes.....

...and shoes....and bags....and accessories... I love it all!

But when it comes to buying fashion pieces, I'm still a high street girl at heart. Nothing beats going to a shop and trying things on, rummaging through rails, and discovering that the shop has only one of your size left in that dress you love, and you've found it!

I do like a good browse online though. ASOS has been a favourite for years. I think their website is fantastic, and I love finding gems on there, and waiting for them to arrive in the post. It's the online store I religiously buy from every few months, because I am always so impressed with their collections and the quality of their clothing. The only time I have ever had to send anything back is when the sizing has been wrong.

I do also love looking on the H&M website. I was so happy when it launched, as I find that one H&M stores carry stock that sometimes I can't find in others. It's good to have all their clothing together in one place to look at so that I know what to look for when I go in to the shop itself!

These are my favourite online clothing stores, but I'm also a big fan of:

LUSH: https://www.lush.co.uk/
AMAZON: http://www.amazon.co.uk/
YANKEE CANDLE: http://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/

(I've yet to pop my Yankee Candle cherry, but I love looking on the website at all the amazing candles they sell and imagining what they smell like! *candle swoon*)

What are your favourite online stores?




Blogtember 2013: No Turning Back!

"Describe a distinct moment when your life took a turn." 

In May last year, I took the holiday of a lifetime and went on a Trek America tour to parts of Canada and America (The Canadian Pioneer.) I had booked the holiday on the back of a really hard time in my life. Knowing that I needed to do something major to give me some perspective, I booked a holiday as epic and as far away as I could manage!


 It was honestly the best thing I could have ever done! 

Being out there gave me so much clarity and time to think about my life; where I wanted it to go and how I needed it to change. I grew stronger as a person and came back refreshed and ready to take on the world. 

I met some lovely people, did some crazy things, and laughed so hard that my stomach ached! We toasted marshmallows, drank wine, played stupid games, and survived a night in the wilderness with a pesky raccoon sneaking around. 

It was definitely the best decision I ever made to go on that holiday, and I don't think I'd be where I am today if I hadn't have gone. I am in such a good, positive and happy place just over a year on, and so much has changed, that it's hard to imagine I was ever the same person I was before I went away!