October in Numbers

 October is one of my favourite, and also least favourite, months all in one. It's bittersweet. It's my birthday month, so all of the celebrations that go alongside that are very exciting but it's also a reminder of how quickly life is passing by. It's been a good month though and I'm excited to see what the rest of 2017 has in store!

3 books read - I've read some excellent books this month including the rest of The Story of a Secret State by Jan Karski, and the one I'm reading now (The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas). Both are insightful and very eye-opening.

1 concert - I went to see Zara Larsson with two of my best friends, and we had the best time dancing the night away listening to some fabulous songs.

2 trips to London - At the start of the month I went to see my friend Mary, and we got Vapiano which is an Italian chain we discovered in Stockholm. It was lovely to catch up, and wander the streets of London. The second trip was during birthday week, and I went with the family to celebrate my younger sister's graduation. It was a lovely trip, and so nice to spend a few days in London.

4 nights out - So unlike me, but I actually had a fabulous time. I went out twice with Dan, and it was so nice to spend some quality time together having a dance.

1 graudation - My younger sister graduated at the end of October at the University of Greenwich. I was so proud to see her up there collecting her first class paramedic science degree.

1 birthday - I am officially 24, which is insane. I'm excited for what my 24th year has in store for me.

October has been such a fun-filled month. I've really enjoyed spending quality time with my family and friends, and filling the month with birthday celebrations. I'm a very lucky girl!

How has October been for you?

A View from the Top

Whenever I am in a new city, one of my favourite things to do it get 'up high'. Whether that be a rooftop bar, a tower or climbing a hill, it's definitely something I seek out when I'm exploring a city. There's just something magical, and breath-taking, about seeing the city from up high. It's a great way to spot famous landmarks, but also to get a feel of the wider city. I thought I'd include a couple of my favourite high up spots so far!

Anywhere up high, New York City

New York City is magical from above. Our hotel room on the 32nd floor was insane, and 230 Fifth on Fifth avenue was an incredible bar offering stunning views of the city, especially the view of the Empire State building right in front of your eyes. I cant wait to go back!

Pfaffenthal Lift, Luxembourg

This free lift, and platform, in Luxembourg city was 65 feet above ground and offered stunning views of the 'Pfaffenthal' area of the city, and one side of the Casemates du Bock. There's also a glass viewing platform which was scary at first, but very cool too.

Rooftop restaurants, Lindos

Any of the rooftop restaurants in Lindos will offer you some truly gorgeous views of the town, with it's whitewash buildings, the acropolis and the sea on either side. The perfect place to enjoy dinner and relax throughout the night.

What are your favourite viewpoints around the world?

23

 I can't believe it's time for a birthday post again.

Every year seems to fly by faster and faster, especially when I'm having fun. The last year has been one of change. So much has happened including changing jobs, moving into a new house with Dan and travelling to five new countries.

Work is no longer a stress for me, and I love coming home to Dan in the evenings and watching something silly together whilst we make dinner. This year has taught me to stop living for the weekends and enjoy the time I get in the week too.

I've also realised that there's a limit to what I can and can't take, and that life's far too short not to be happy. So, I made some changes and the changes were what made this year so good!

I'm really enjoying my job, and am very grateful to have supportive colleagues. I really really love living with Dan, it's brought us even closer than we were before and has reaffirmed that of course we're meant to be! We have such a good time, from cooking dinners to cosy nights watching big bang theory.

And finally, I've visited some incredible countries. After wanting to visit Ireland and Poland for years, we took trips to both countries which was even better than I had imagined! I've also added Sweden, Czechia and Luxembourg to my list whilst travelling with new travel companions - Mary and my parents. There's something I love about seeing somewhere new so much, and I'm so pleased I was able to travel more this year.

Here's to the next year. I'm so looking forward to what being 24 will bring!

5 Things to Watch this Autumn

Whilst I'm not much of a casual TV watcher, when I find a series I like, I'm hooked and have to binge watch as many episodes as possible. One of my favourite things about the Autumn is the great telly that comes back, and getting stuck into a series on Netflix. There are so many great shows on at the minute, but here are my five favourites at the moment.

Our Girl

I love this programme, and I'm so glad it's back. The third season started off with quite a bit of criticism but I genuinely really enjoyed it. Michelle Keegan is fantastic as Georgie Lane and Captain James is the ideal eye-candy for cheering up a dreary Autumn evening. I'm excited to see what else this season brings.

The Good Place

Dan and I started this one on a whim one day, and we're both so glad we did. The show is set in heaven, The Good Place, and follows Eleanor who's pretty sure she's not meant to be in heaven. There's a plot twist at the end of season one to keep you interested, and the episodes are short and sweet at 20 minutes long.

Jane the Virgin

Season four has just been added to Netflix (weekly), and I am so excited about this! If you've never watched it, it's probably one of the best shows I've seen in years. It's funny, and the characters are mostly warm and likeable. Jane is one of my favourite characters ever, and this show is one to watch if you're needing a good laugh!

Riverdale

I'm definitely not the only one who is excited for this programme to be back... We're yet to decide if we're going to watch this one weekly, but either way I can't wait to get back into this one. Riverdale is based on the Archie comics, which I've never actually read, but I think the cast is excellent and the stories draw you in every episode.

The Big Bang Theory

I'm about ten years late to the party with the one, but Dan and I are obsessed at the minute. If you've never seen it, the show follows flatmates Leonard and Sheldon, and their scientist friends. The shows are hilarious, and perfect for putting on when it's dark and cold outside.

What are you watching this Autumn?

Why I Want to Explore More of the UK

 Exploring the UK is something I have wanted to do more of for a while. Whilst I have visited a fair few places in the UK, there are still lots of place I'd like to head back to, or visit for the first time! There is so much more to see than the little South Eastern side that I tend to stick to currently.

I've spoken on here before about how much I love travelling, and exploring new places, and recently I've been realising that I've been missing out on discovering my own country. I might have been to Liverpool, Bath and Brighton, but I haven't seen the beauty of the Lake District, or spend some time on a beach in Cornwall. Both of which are things I'd very much like to do. It feels a little bit like I've been ignoring some of the beauty of my own country, in place exploring the beauty of places further afield. The UK has so much more to offer than I've experience previously!

One of the main reasons that I want to see more of the UK is to know the history of my country a bit better. I've always enjoyed history, and visiting castles and other historical places but there are so many places I'm yet to see! High up on my list are Stonehenge and Hadrian's Wall. The UK has such a rich history, and there is so much more for me to learn.

Not only this, but the UK has so many amazing and vibrant cities I'm yet to step foot in. Manchester has always appealed to me, and I quite fancy Newcastle. I fell in love with Edinburgh last year, and I'm desperate to see more of Scotland after that trip. The best thing about exploring more of the UK is that more often than not, you can fit it into a weekend. This is great, because you get to see more of the world without having to use up your annual leave!

Potentially, it might also be a cheaper way to see more of the world. Sometimes going abroad can be more expensive, and you are limited on ways to save money. Whereas, if you travel in the UK, you can save money by cooking yourself or driving somewhere instead of using public transport.

Hopefully in the next few years I'll be able to see more of the places on my own home soil. If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

Have you seen much of the UK?

Center Parcs, Woburn Forest

I love Center Parcs. Being surrounded by nature, having access to some fabulous places to eat and cycling around a contained village - it's magical. I've been a few times in England before, and once in Holland, but Dan had never been so when we found a deal at the end of September - we knew where we would be heading for a week of R and R! Woburn Forest is the newest of the Center Parcs, I believe it opened in 2014.

We decided to book ourselves a stay in one of the three-bedroom executive lodges which also have a personal sauna. Whilst this may have been a bit extravagant, it was worth it for the week we stayed in the lodge! The lodge was gorgeous, so spacious (even bigger than our own house!), and it meant we were able to properly relax and enjoy some quality time together. We both fell in love with the modern kitchen, and actually cooked some different meals which we have wanted to do forever. As some of the restaurants are very pricey on site, it was so handy to have our own kitchen to make lunches and save a bit of cash.

Most mornings were spent in the lodge; relaxing in the sauna, reading our books and just generally enjoying taking some time out. The massive 'L' shaped sofa got a lot of use, and it was lovely to have trees right outside our door. We saw squirrels, rabbits, pheasants and even a frog! We went on a couple of walks in the forest, and made the use of our bikes whilst we could.

Center Parcs can be quite expensive if you want to do a lot of the different activities on site, but one of the best things that does come included with your ticket is access to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise. We went every day during our stay, usually in the evenings, and it was so much fun! I even plucked up the courage to go on the Tropical Cyclone ride. I'd definitely recommend going in the evenings though, as most of the families will be back at their lodges and you won't have to queue up for the rides (bearing in mind we didn't go at a weekend, or during the holidays!).

We did decide to pay for adventure golf though, and we were glad we did. Whilst the course isn't massive, it took us around 45 minutes to get round and it was so much fun! With a magical forest theme, it was decorated really nicely too. Dan also persuaded me to play a game of pool in the Sport Cafe which was good!

Our midweek stay at Center Parcs was exactly what we needed it to be, a week of R&R. If you don't fancy heading abroad but really want to escape everyday life, Center Parcs is one of your best bets.

Have you ever been to Center Parcs? Did you go to Woburn?