5 Types of Travelling I Want To Try

With exam stress looming, my mind can't help but wander to what I'd rather be doing instead - travelling. I've got two trips booked after my exams - Rome and Berlin and I cannot wait to get away. That'll bring my total up to 12 countries. Not bad for a 20 year old on a budget right? Most of my trips are very similar: short European city breaks with friends. Which I totally enjoy. However, as I travel more, the more adventurous I start to feel and the more ambitious I get. There's so many different ways that you can travel and so many I'd like to try for myself. 

Organised Tours

When I finish my placement year next June I have 30 days to stay in the US before my visa effectively kicks me out. I've been thinking about what I want to do with those 30 days and an organised tour seems like my best bet. It takes the stress away from planning the trip and it also allows me to see a lot of different states in a short amount of time. I'll be working on the east coast so a tour of the west coast would allow me to see more of a different part of the country. 

Heads and Tales, Edinburgh

One of my favourite things about Edinburgh is that there is no shortage of cosy, intimate bars. Huddled away on Rutland Place is Heads and Tales, an underground gin bar with an amazing cocktail menu. Charlotte was invited along and I came as her plus one. We hadn't seen each other in over 6 months so we were well in need of a catch-up. The low lighting, lit fire and comfy chairs made this bar the perfect place to chat away whilst trying out some fantastic drinks.  

Heads and Tales offer a GIY cocktail - gin it yourself cocktail.

Step 1: Pick a glass.
Step 2: Pick a gin.
Step 3: Pick a flavour.

I chose a rocks glass, Hayman Old Tom gin and cardamom flavouring. I wanted something unusual! It was a great choice as it worked so well. Charlotte opted for an orange blossom cocktail and really enjoyed hers too.

Inverness Travel Diary

Third year has been a very stressful time for me and as I kept finding myself saying down the phone to my mum 'I just want a break from uni for a while'. And so an impromptu weekend away occurred. We drove from Edinburgh to Inverness on the Friday afternoon. A 3-hour drive that ended up closer to 5 due to roadworks. When we arrived it was raining heavily so we checked into our hotel and headed straight back out for dinner. Starving! After doing a quick google I found a highly rated Italian restaurant called Little Italy and we decided to go there.  The food was beautiful and the restaurant was really cosy. After that, we went back to the hotel and essentially crashed as we were so tired. 

Edinburgh Edit: Caffeine & Cake

I was originally going to title this post: Coffee & Cake. But seeing as I don't actually like coffee, I felt it would be a tad unjust as I don't actually know if any of these places sell good coffee. But what I've gathered here are bakeries, coffee shops etc that are the perfect places to go if you're looking for somewhere for a 'coffee and a catch up' with a friend.

August 21

I first discovered this place as it's located between Edinburgh's central campus and the science campus (AKA my second home). A little bit off the beaten track but worth the visit. I stopped in one day on my way home with a friend and we had some tea and a little tart each. My choice was banoffee and my friend went for the classic strawberry. They were so beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Because it's not in the centre of town it's pretty quiet so would be an ideal spot if you're looking to get some work done.

5 Cities I'd Love To Visit

I love city breaks. I've never really been one for a pool holiday, I have a short attention span, and it wasn't until I started university that I started travelling for myself. On a city break, I can always find something to catch my eye. I've been really privileged in how much travelling I've been able to do over the last few years. But I've still got my eye on a few cities when that I'd love to explore. After getting my scratch-off map for Christmas, I'm obsessed with travelling to as many countries as possible. I have trips planned to Berlin and Rome for the end of may. After that, I've ticked off most of Western Europe. My travel plans now are set on exploring Eastern Europe and different continents with these beautiful cities. 

Dubrovnik

I don't normally associate European city breaks with sunshine but Dubrovnik allows you to take in the best of both worlds. Plus EasyJet have recently opened up a new route flying from Edinburgh so I can't really say no. After seeing Charlotte talking about her day trip there on her recent visit to Croatia I'm really keen to go and see the city for myself. It looks very historic and so, so beautiful. Another great thing about Dubrovnik is that you can go on day trips to Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Perfect opportunity to tick off a few countries in the one trip. 

Photo credit: Colours and Carousels

Edinburgh Edit: Cocktails

I've never really been a big drinker but I do enjoy the odd gossip over a cocktail or two with friends. Luckily for me, Edinburgh has an amazing selection of bars that offer amazing an unique cocktail menus. Ranging from bargain drinks to more high class treats there's something for every taste and every budget. I've summed up a few of my favourite cocktail bars here but there are so many more. What I love about Edinburgh is that new places are constantly opening so there's always somewhere fresh and exciting to visit. 

Panda & Sons

Panda & Sons is one of Edinburgh's worst kept secrets. On arrival at the location, this bar looks like a barber shop. Upon entering and passing through a bookshelf doorway, you'll find yourself in an underground bar. The atmosphere here is a bit higher class and the place is just indescribably cool. The cocktails are a little bit on the pricier side but they're worth it for the unique ingredients and the atmosphere. I'd recommend the Robinson Crusoe. Somewhere you just have to see for yourself.

Books Set in Scotland

When I think about the sort of books that I want to read more of it makes me realise that I'd actually like to read more fiction novels set in my home country: Scotland. I've read and loved a lot of books set here but I'd like to read a wider variety of Scottish literature. When I collate all the books that I've read that are set in Scotland there's a running theme: murder/mystery. Not entirely sure what it says about us (I'm fairly sure the murder rate is pretty low) but I do love a good murder mystery novel.

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh

This classic heroin tale is back in the spotlight after the release of the second film. I'm a fan of Irvine Welsh's work. If you're not familiar with the Scottish accent then you may struggle with this book as it's written phonetically. I even have to read it aloud to myself at points and this is how people speak where I'm from! That being said this book is packed with action and is really hard hitting. I'd really recommend it as a great intro to Scottish literature. 

Edinburgh Edit: Dessert

There's something so great about treating yourself to something sweet. Luckily, Edinburgh has a great selection of places to head to if it's time for dessert and you're craving something sweet. From ice cream to crepes, from smoothies to waffles. There's something for everyone.

Photo Credit: Elevator Musik

Mary's Milk Bar

Mary's is famous amongst Edinburgh residents and for good reason. This little gelato shop has some of the most inventive and exciting flavours that I've ever seen. Hot cross bun, baked fig and black sesame as some of the amazing flavours that are on offer. The flavours constantly change so a trip to Mary's is always unique. Located in the Grassmarket you can grab a cone and enjoy the view of Edinburgh Castle. If you don't fancy an ice cream cone you could sample their handmade chocolate or even indulge in the ultimate treat: a hot chocolate ice cream float. 

March Reading Wrap Up

March was an odd reading month for me. I didn't read at all for the first two weeks of the month. Then I totally devoured a book on holiday and totally got back into the swing of things. I ended up in a bit of a rut where I was reading lots of books at once but have managed to finish a few and will get around to finishing the rest of them in April. 

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

This poetry book is very popular at the moment. It's easy to understand why as the writing is so rich and emotive. This was the first poetry book I've read in a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only downside is that because there's very little on each page making it such a quick read. It only took me half an hour to read cover to cover which seemed so fast. It is a bit of an investment for the time it actually takes to read. However, I picked this up using Waterstones points so wasn't actually any money out of my pocket. 5/5 stars.