Saturday 26 August 2017

How to become confident when flying long-haul alone



It’s good to often reflect on how much you change and develop as a person. Ten years ago I would never have even dreamed of travelling or flying alone to another country. Ask me now to meet you on the other side of the world, and I’m there in a second! As I’m very fortunate to be able to travel the world often, a lot of people ask me how I manage to take so many flights alone. I have friends and family in various countries around the world, so I like to go and visit as much as possible. Over the years, I’ve mastered a few ways to help me stay calm and confident when travelling and taking long-haul flights alone.


Prepare for your flight


Try to think of everything you’ll need whilst in the air. I used to take sickness tablets to make me feel better before a long haul flight, but luckily now I seem to have gone past that stage. When I was nine years old my first long haul flight was to India and I had air sickness pretty much the whole way. It was awful and I was worried that it would put me off travelling when I was older. I'm so glad that it didn't. Basically anything that makes you take your mind off things is great, such as headphones to listen to your favourite music and even skincare products to use whilst on the flight. The more prepared you are, the less anxious you will be.


Speak to people around you


You’ll generally find that people are really friendly and when I’ve travelled alone, I always find people to talk to. Once I was on a flight back home from Thailand and I met a lovely Australian couple who were travelling to London. They were so friendly and it was really interesting to hear some of their travel stories. Saying hello to the person next to you on the flight could really make your journey a lot more fun.


Look after yourself


This one may seem obvious, but so many people forget it. Move around the plane as much as possible (when the seat belt signs are off) to stretch your legs. I’ve mentioned before taking some skincare bits with you so that you can do a mini skincare routine on the flight. This is where those travel size bottles come in useful! Also, drink plenty of water as it’s so easy to get dehydrated on planes. With long haul flights, there are usually two or three meals so I always ask for water with all of my meals.


Use the time wisely


A 12 hour flight on your own can feel really long. However, I always try to use my time effectively. After watching a couple of films and having a quick snooze, I use the time to reflect on things, write down lists of what I want to do and future goals, and plans for my future. I love taking my notebook and pen with me when I travel, as I find that I’m always thinking about things that I want to jot down and getting inspired by the different places.

Taking the plunge and booking my first long haul flight alone all those years ago was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done. It made me more confident and made me want to travel more. My first flight completely alone was a 12 hour flight to Thailand where I went to stay with friends. Since then, I’ve flown to multiple countries alone, both for work and for leisure including Dubai, Norway, Belgium, Scotland and Germany. It’s great to travel with people, but if you ever need to travel alone then I urge you to do it, as I’ve never looked back. I’m really excited for more of my trips abroad in 2018, some of which I will be flying alone again.

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” - Neale Donald Walsch.



I hope this blog post inspires some of you, and I would love to know any travel plans you have coming up?

This gorgeous blue lace bardot dress is from Boohoo and you can shop it here.

Photography by Kirstie Melville.

Wednesday 16 August 2017

What to wear for a summer wedding

What to wear for a summer wedding


Wedding season is in full swing so I wanted to share my thoughts on dressing as a wedding guest during the summer. Pastel colours and frills are my favourite for summer, as they go so well together and are perfect for day to night looks. If you have time to change that's great, but I personally prefer to wear the same outfit throughout the day.

What to wear for a summer wedding


The dress


Obviously the most important aspect of your outfit is picking the dress or outfit. I personally prefer to wear dresses, but there’s plenty of other outfit ideas, including skirts, trousers and two piece outfits. This floral ruffle dress from Y.A.S at ASOS is so feminine with the pretty frills and pastel colours. The details such as the back of the dress make it extra special and also a little bit different.

What to wear for a summer wedding


Colours


I’ve already mentioned this point, but choosing the right colours can really make all the difference to your whole look. For a summer wedding, I would recommend soft pastels and light colours as they look great both in the day and night. This gorgeous dress has a flowery pattern on which again adds to the style.

What to wear for a summer wedding


Accessories


A clutch bag always looks great with wedding guest outfits, as you don't want to be carrying around too much for the day. This trusty gold clutch bag is my go to handbag for special occasions. As there was so much detail on this dress already, I decided to wear some simple pearl earrings. The shoes are from Pull & Bear and have a definite Chanel vibe!

What to wear for a summer wedding


Photography by Kirstie Melville.

Sunday 13 August 2017

The top five things to do in Venice

The top five things to do in Venice


If you follow me on Instagram (@radhikarecommends) you'll know that I recently went to Venice for a city break with one of my university friends. It was lovely and hot in June and I wanted to share my top travel tips and the best things to see in Venice if you have a short amount of time. I was there for four days, which in my opinion, is plenty of time to see the best sights and also have time to relax and take it all in.

Piazza San Marco 


We were lucky enough to find a hotel that was literally a few metres away from the main Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square). It's very crowded in the day, but I would recommend getting there early to take photos. The stunning architecture of the Bascilica San Marco and Doge's Palace can be admired from the Square, as well as the Campanile Tower.

The top five things to do in Venice


Campanile Tower


If you want fantastic views over the whole of Venice, I would recommend going up to the top of the tower in Piazza San Marco. Although it's very windy when you get up there, you can't beat the views over the city of Venice.

The top five things to do in Venice


Burano 


A lot of people don't get to see the hidden gems near Venice, but Burano island is a beautiful island full of buildings in pastel and bright colours. It's lovely to walk around for the morning before it gets too hot. There's also some great lace shops and restaurants to stop off at for lunch.

The top five things to do in Venice


Doge's Palace 


This museum was actually the first attraction we went inside and it was one of the best. The art on the ceilings was breathtaking and the history behind the Palace is fascinating. I would highly recommend visiting.

The top five things to do in Venice


Gondola ride


I know some may find it cliche but the gondola ride I went on was so good! It's a great way of seeing Venice and all of the canals and you get some great photos. It can be very expensive but highly worth it.

The top five things to do in Venice


Have you ever been to Venice? What did you enjoy the most?