A Coastal Reset: Digital Detoxing on the Gower Peninsula

Growing up in an increasingly digitised world has increased the importance of self care breaks and digital detoxes. When I want to unplug myself from technology and social media, I take myself to the Gower Peninsula, South Wales. Having been there every summer since I was born, there is no better sanctuary than the beautiful miles of beaches available. From a surfer’s haven at Llangennith, to tucked … Continue reading A Coastal Reset: Digital Detoxing on the Gower Peninsula

Roots and Routes

Being Bangladeshi was never an essential part of my identity. My connection to Bangladesh was mostly through stories from my parents, traditional (delicious) food my mum cooked at home, and the Bangla I spoke with them – though, to be honest, it’s more of a Bangla-English mashup that they’ve learned to understand after years of hearing their kids mix and match both languages. I finally … Continue reading Roots and Routes

Third Culture Kids: Identity Across Boarders

‘I was born in England, but my mum is from the Netherlands and my dad is Syrian.’ It is a sentence I’ve uttered countless times throughout my life. But the answer to the common small talk question ‘where are you from?’ was far from simple for me. Born and raised in the UK until the age of 5, living in Aleppo for 2 years, and returning to … Continue reading Third Culture Kids: Identity Across Boarders

Ecotourism

With a global climate crisis and climate anxiety on the rise, many travel lovers must take a step back to review their approach to travel. With new climate obstacles emerging, a new form of tourism has also been gaining popularity: ecotourism. Traditional tourism is characterised by being beneficial to the traveller and the traveller alone, and having detrimental effects on the environment and communities exposed … Continue reading Ecotourism

I Found Myself in Bali

Journey to Bali, Indonesia I found myself in Bali. ​A phrase I’ve repeated over and over, and only sometimes in jest. Since this life-changing experience my friends and boyfriend often tell me to shut up when I bring it up. It’s also a question I get asked all the time. Did you find yourself in Bali? ​Truth: Yes. ​Initially Bali hadn’t been my first-choice travel destination. I … Continue reading I Found Myself in Bali

Threads of Tradition: Connecting Journeys and Memories

Who doesn’t know someone with a fridge full of magnets from places they’ve visited? Many of us have a special something we like to bring home—postcards, trinkets, bracelets, or even photos. But travel traditions aren’t always material. They can also be experiences like trying local food, exploring markets, or taking the same photo pose at every destination. These rituals connect one journey to the next, … Continue reading Threads of Tradition: Connecting Journeys and Memories

Teaching, Tasting and Touring Europe

Every travel destination and experience is incredibly memorable and important to me regardless of when, where or who I went with. My family holidays to Cornwall or Greece mean just as much to me as city breaks to Dublin or London and girls’ holidays to Spain, though I find the trips where I go solo end up being the most challenging and therefore, the most rewarding. After spending the summer of 2023 working at … Continue reading Teaching, Tasting and Touring Europe

Memories made in Tunisia

This year, on the second of September, I joined my partner and her parents on their holiday to Tunisia. I’ll let you in on two of my favourite memories. One isn’t of the holiday itself, but actually from the journey in travelling there. I have a fond memory of the time spent during the delay of the flight that I often revisit with affection. It was no more than a few hours but those of you who have flown before will understand the pain and boredom of prolonged sitting on airport seats all too well.My partner and … Continue reading Memories made in Tunisia

Under All the Pretty Lights: A Trip to Cardiff Bay to Trace the History of Nadifa Mohamed’s The Fortune Men

‘This is a story that belongs to Butetown.’ – Nadifa Mohamed, Acknowledgement to The Fortune Men. I get a rare moment of pride when I read a novel set in Cardiff. Normally, I prefer to use fiction as an escape into countries I’ve never been to and cultures I’ve never experienced; stories set in harsh Siberian winters, or the drab Midwestern suburban counties of America. But … Continue reading Under All the Pretty Lights: A Trip to Cardiff Bay to Trace the History of Nadifa Mohamed’s The Fortune Men

One Keychain at a Time

Last summer, when I went to Italy with my sisters, I unintentionally started a little tradition: collecting keychains from every place I visited. It started in Verona, where I picked two keychains shaped like keys, one for me and, of course, one for my mum. Then, in Lake Garda, I found a beautiful golden one with engravings of the lake, and at our final stop in Venice, a Venetian … Continue reading One Keychain at a Time

Mementos

Ever since I can remember, I have been super fortunate to travel the world. From city breaks to relaxing on a white sandy beach to exploring the USA. As a Starbucks enthusiast, a tradition of mine, in every place I travel to, is to visit a Starbucks, order an iced latte and purchase one of their location mugs as a precious keepsake. It is so important to me … Continue reading Mementos

Danger of Travel: Misconception or True?

Travelling is one of the best ways to expand your horizons, but there is no denying that safety concerns are often on our minds. We’ve all heard the stories: dangers lurking in places like Rio, pickpockets in Barcelona, or civil unrest in Budapest. But are these fears truly justified, or are they just misconceptions fuelled by media and hearsay? When planning our next trip, most … Continue reading Danger of Travel: Misconception or True?

Does Distance Make the Heart Grow Fonder?

One of my best friends lives over 2000 miles away from me. We met online 4 years ago so we’ve always been long distance. As we’ve grown older, our lives have become a little busier. We don’t always have the time to send the daily flood of messages we used to during the pandemic. But we’ve grown closer over the years even with an entire … Continue reading Does Distance Make the Heart Grow Fonder?

A Review of the York & Whitby GIAG Trip

I recently joined a two-day “Give It a Go” trip to York and Whitby, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. From start to finish, the trip was well-organized and stress-free, with a comfortable coach ride that allowed us to relax and enjoy the journey. In York, I had the chance to explore some incredible attractions. The York Chocolate Story was a sweet highlight, where … Continue reading A Review of the York & Whitby GIAG Trip

Overcrowded and Unwanted: How Locals In Popular Vacation Spots Are Starting To Reject Mass Tourism

A growing tide of resentment is sweeping across popular holiday hotspots as locals, overwhelmed by the influx of tourists, begin to push back against the costs of mass tourism. With 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals in 2024, this summer marked a tipping point for many locals increasingly concerned about over tourism driving up housing costs, harming the environment and eroding the fabric of local communities … Continue reading Overcrowded and Unwanted: How Locals In Popular Vacation Spots Are Starting To Reject Mass Tourism