The Wanderlust Tag

Hey ladies and gents (if there's gents reading this - you truely are gents, cuties!)

Everywhere I turn now I'm hearing the phrase 'wanderlust'.

My manager is Australian and says that Australians are born with 'wanderlust'

I'm just sitting there like 'wander-whut?'

So it's the strong desire to wander/explore the world.

I get it!

This is something I'm definitely growing into.

For quite a long time I had serious issues with flying - panic attacks, projectile vomiting, hysteria. You know, casual symptoms of fear?!

But when I moved to Manchester I had to get over it, I had to fly alone.
And guess what? I'm okay with it now!

I have the biggest urge and desire to travel, and hopefully one day (when I win the lottery/find rich travelling partner/somehow manage to get my finances in check) will get the opportunity.. 

So I thought I'd do this tag and get thinking about where I want to go and explore...

LET'S GO.

Where was your first plane to?

The lovely isle of Jersey. I think I was three? I don't remember much from that holiday except that in the zoo in Jersey my pram was hi-jacked by monkeys. True story.

Where have you travelled to that you would love to visit again?

Easy - California/Nevada! I was ten when I journeyed across to the West Coast of America. Being ten in America in 2002ish doesn't get you much, yes you get to go to Disney and Seaworld and Legoland, and every souvenir you brought back was adorned with The Powerpuff Girls (I swear, I'm talking clothes, books, CD case, backpack). But now I'm 22, and obviously of the legal drinking age in America (WOOHOO, official sign you're an adult) I want to go back to Las Vegas and have a proper blow out. Also I want to go back to Los Angeles and stalk Kim Kardashian and her family. WHAT A GIRL GOTTA DO TO GET ACCEPTED INTO THAT FAMILY.

You're leaving tomorrow, money is no object, where are you going?

The Caribbean. All my friends, all my family, maybe invite Rihanna along. WE GON' HAVE A CARNIVAL. It's heaven on Earth, from the photos I've seen anyway!

Preferred method of travel; planes, trains or car?

Am I weird that I love trains? Like I mean decent trains. I'm talking first class from Manchester Piccadilly to Euston type situations here. And if they were faster. You get to see SO much more on a train. I was in Switzerland in October and the train we took to Vevey went the whole way around Lake Geneva. It was increds.

Favorite travel website?

I can't lie, it's not exciting. It's Easyjet. Can't get enough of those big sexy orange planes that fly me to the homeland and back. It's not my favourite out of choice, but it's definitely my most used. 

Where would you travel to just to eat the food?

I am such a foodie - mentally. I LOVE cooking programmes and food. In reality I'm a chicken when it comes to trying things, but in my head I'd love it. I'd probably say Australia? Some of the dishes they create on Masterchef Australia BLOW ME AWAY. They have so many inspirations from across the globe in their cuisine, that I just want to try it. 

Is there a place you would never go again?

I've never had a holiday that was so bad that I would never go again... Benidorm maybe if I had to choose? I think it's one of those places you need to go to once, experience it, come home, wash yourself clean and then never relive it again.



Can you recite your passport number from memory if asked?
I'm quite weird, and can remember numbers/postcodes/addresses/random shit quite easily. But I don't fly on my passport that regularly, as I live in Northern Ireland and usually fly domestically (i.e to England) I fly on my driving licence! So I can repeat that number, but not my passport number!

Do you prefer the window, aisle or middle seat?
Definitely the aisle, I love being able to stretch my legs out, even though I've got relatively short legs it's really satisfying! I hate the middle seat, I always get into elbow wars with the people on either side of me!



How do you pass the time on an airplane?
Always a magazine, buy it at the airport, read it on the plane, and give it to the air hostesses as I'm getting off. It's turned into a bit of a tradition! If I'm knackered though I will sleep and probably drool on someones shoulder (sexy); and then nearly have a heartattack when the plane touches down and we hit the runway. I've screamed before it scared me that much when I woke up. Awkward.

After doing that tag I'm now desperate for a holiday somewhere exciting...
If only I could win the lottery and be able to satisfy my travelling cravings!

Hope you all enjoyed this tag!
Is there anyone you've been that you would recommend?
Or anywhere you would love to go?!
Let me know in the comments! xx

Family Time!

Hiii!
Last week I was lucky enough to have a visit from my Dad, little Brother and Step-mum!

They came over to visit me, so I just thought I'd let you all know what we got up to and share some pics!

Especially good if you're coming to visit Surrey/Sussex & want to know what kind of things there are to do!

Wednesday 30th July

Everyone arrived at the gloriously early time of 8.30am, I was off work and actually had to get up a lot sooner than I would have had to if I was working! We went into London basically as soon as they arrived, had some breakfast at EAT (my first time, I know it's a chain but it was actually really good!) First we did a little bit of sightseeing and then traveled out to the Imperial War Museum!

Below L-R: The Shard (Photobombed by my Brother!), Big Ben, and a Horse Guard.

View of the Thames taken from London Bridge!

  IWM was SO busy, like there was hardly room to move, and for someone with a little bit of claustrophobia it was freaking me out! It's recently just reopened with a new exhibition so I think that's why it was so busy! 

I'm pretty uncultured, I can't deny it, and usually museums don't interest me that much but the First World War exhibition which has newly opened was so interesting, I actually really enjoyed it! 

A little bit of the Berlin Wall. 

Huge-ass rocket and plane. 

Might make this my new saying?

The first pair of Uggs?!?!

A picture taken in Northern Ireland during the height of the Troubles.

We then chilled at Westminster for a while, had some lunch, went for a walk down the Embankment (and discovered some cute deckchairs along the way (see below) and then headed back towards Gatwick because we were all bloody pooped.

Thursday 31st July

Thursday was my dad's birthday (Happy Birthday again Dad) and we went off to Brighton for the day. 

Hopped on the train and in less than 30 minutes, we were there! None of us had ever been to Brighton so it was very exciting!

It's literally the nicest place, so happy, the weather was gorgeous, had fish and chips on the beach, had shandys in the cutest pub, we all got sunburnt, we went on some amusements and we went in the sea.. It's basically the perfect holiday isn't it?? Mind you, the stones on the beach look easy to walk on, they hurt!!

Typical Tourists...

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Family shot! Me, Dad, Irene and Ryan!

Dipping my feet!

Friday 1st August

 We kind of wanted a more chilled day because we'd exhausted ourselves the first two days so we headed off to Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent. This place is hugeeeeee. It's similar to the Trafford Centre with the shops it has, it's one you could go to with a lot of money and blow it in quite a short period of time!! 

We dandered round and bought what we wanted (I'll do a separate post even though I didn't buy much!) and then played Crazy Golf. These things are kind of family traditions, Dad and I will always go on a water ride if we see if, and as a family we'll always play crazy golf or go bowling if there's the opportunity! We're all really competitive so it's so much fun! I actually even managed 2 holes in one! I was so proud of myself!! Dad was the overall champion, but obviously we let him win coz it was the day after his birthday ;-)

We ate a lotttt that day! Started the day off with a Toby Carvery all you can eat breakfast - naughty but very nice! We all had drinks at Comptoir Libanais, a Lebanese restaurant we'd never heard of! I had a Mira Frozen Blended Lemonade which was mint, lemon, lime and orange blossom lemonade - so refreshing! We all had Krispy Kreme and then finished it off with a trip to Byron Burger. So much food but SO good.

Saturday 2nd August

This was my last day with everyone so I can't lie I was a moody little bitch, I didn't want them to go :( We went to Windsor to see the Changing of the Guard, because we've all missed it everytime we've ever been in London! Windsor is the cutest little town, check out the crooked house in the smallest street in the UK!

 

As I've said I'm not really into history, and unlike IWM which is free in, it was £16.75 for a student to go into Windsor castle, I felt guilty so I decided to sit it out, relax, shop and drink coffee while my family looked around! My brother did send me a snapchat of what it looks like inside the gates though!

My brother and me!

After that I drove them to Stanstead and they flew home (after quite a few delays I must add!!) and I drove back to Gatwick! I had the best few days and I was so glad to see them! I've booked flights home for September now so at least I know when I'm going to see everyone again which has cheered me up no end!

I know this was a long post (sorry!) but I hope it maybe gave you a few ideas of places to go if you're ever coming to visit! If you have any questions or want any more details of prices etc leave me a comment or tweet me @RachelVennard and I will do my best to help!

Thanks for reading, and can I just say thank you to all my new followers!! At the start of June I had 2 followers (1 of which was myself!!) and I now have 28 Bloglovin followers! I'm astounded, thank you so much!! I will do a giveaway when I reach 100 followers (even if that is 3 years away) so please recommend my blog to anyone you think might like to read it!

lots of love xxx