THE LURE OF LUMINESCENCE - Bioluminescent plankton, Maldives

Photograph by Doug Perrine, Alamy         A little bit of magic in the Maldives. I’ve heard stories of these mystical blue lights dancing around and gently lighting up the shores of Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives. Since recent shots of the phenomenon has graced news pages I've been sent a number of messages along the lines of ‘You need to see this while you’re living there!' At a glance it almost seems too cool to...

Read More

HANG ON, I'M READING! -Spanish Journal W3

I’ve come to the end of week three in my attempt to teach myself Spanish. I learned something interesting this week about language learning and it’s one of the top reasons I believe people give up. While sitting st my desk, stuck on an exercise in the TYS book I began feeling like I was never going to get anywhere. The dreaded thoughts came flooding in Had I even learnt anything so far? Is Spanish something I just can’t learn? Much less on my own?...

Read More

DITCH YOUR FRIENDS AND TRAVEL SOLO

Annecy, France. The chair of self discovery. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..”  Wise words from a wise man. I could sit here and tell you countless reasons solo travel triumphs over group travel (in most cases). There's nothing greater than discovering yourself while...

Read More

STARS COME & GO BUT SOY SAUCE IS FOREVER: Spanish Journal W2

"Stars come and go but soy sauce is forever."-The line I've created to overcome my initial issue with having two versions of "I am" in Spanish. Me llama Ashlea. Quien es usted?De dónde es ustedes? Soy Australiana- yo vivo en las Maldivas. Tego vientedos años. Encantada! Success! I can say with a grin I’ve reached my mini conversation goal this week & can now introduce myself and ask where someone's from. Translation (here’s hoping I actually...

Read More

LESSONS IN LUXEMBOURG - A terrible way to save money

The worst way I ever saved money and the crazy road trip that eventuated from it. Elbows, knees and converses to the head. The dull tension brought about from the power struggle as you gently wrestle for space, the soft tingling of pins and needles as your limbs go numb and the unpleasant aftermath as they painfully wake from kicking the door or someone else while trying to stretch it out. This was the result of my money saving quest gone wrong....

Read More

ABC, 123 & WORKING OUT THE PLAN: Spanish Journal W1

Hola, mis amigos! I’ve come to the end of week one for my latest challenge: Teach myself Spanish in the Maldives. (Read about how it started by following the link) First and foremost can we just take a moment to absorb the fact that it’s actually been a week since Fin de año? A week since I was sitting on a rock watching the fireworks and welcoming the New Year out here in the middle of the sea. How time flies. So far so good with sticking to my...

Read More

NEW YEAR NEW LANGUAGE

Okay! HELLO 2014. What a year! Leaving Holland, returning home, hating it, moving to Malaysia, being relocated with work to the Maldives, a bunch of return trips here & there around asia, ticking off a number of cities on my list back in Europe. It's been a pretty fun filled year to say the least! Let’s not dwell though. Out with the old and in with the new, right?  I’ve taken that advice on literally and decided to semi-retire on my...

Read More

KNOW WHEN TO SAVE AND WHEN TO SPLURGE

There’s no point travelling if you’re going to just eat bread, sit drinkless in bars and wander around window shopping the city. Half, if not all the joys of experiencing another culture or country for what it is comes with tasting the local cuisine, downing the tip top wine and the once in a lifetime experiences and opportunities on offer. Unfortunately most of the things that bring with them special and exciting feels generally come with...

Read More