Well Hey There!

 Almost a year a two months since my last post, surely that must be some kind of record! A lot has happened - I was really lucky (and worked  3 jobs for six months!) and got to spend 5 months of last travelling, and three weeks after I got home, I moved to Bristol to start University....! Reading about what was happening on November 25th 2013 is a bit of a trip down memory lane, so I thought I'd show you what I've been up to in pictures (if any of you lovely people are still out there checking my little blog!)

Studio 54 themed NYE with the girls - fair to say gin & prosecco is a safe mix if you want to have no recollection of your night! 

Me and my sis got planning for our respective trips....

And we somehow got tickets to see my idol in life, Beyonce!! A fantastic weekend with best pals, brunch, wine, bey - what more could you ask for... 

Before I knew it April 10th arrived, and I flew to Bangkok for 8 weeks travelling South East Asia on my own.

Starting with 10 days in an elephant sanctuary! One of the most amazing experiences of my life, and met some fantastic people.

Discovering beautiful pai in northern Thailand 

Travelled with Maddie and Evy, both of who I met up with again on my trip...

Taking the slow boat to Laos over 2 days, so beautiful 

With evy in Laos- we stayed together for 6 weeks!

 
So.many.waterfalls.

My view on the 27 hour bus to Vietnam

Cham Island/Heaven?

Lovely Kailey trusted me on my first solo drive, and we explored Cat ba island!

Halong Bay was pretty great too...

35km cycled around Siem Reap & Angkor Wat, definite highlight!

Before long i was flying over to the US for another 7 weeks of travel.... red cup anyone?

Baseball with the sibs

July 4th in Pittsburgh!

Joined by my bestie Ruby in NYC for 5 weeks travelling.. starting with the Letterman show..

Top of the Rock

Osheaga festival in montreal ♡

Catching up with our friend from schook Marianne in Ottawa!

Niagara Falls...

Quick trip to visit Evy for 4 days in Utrecht amd Amsterdam

Too much bestival fun..

FRESHERSSS

Formal baby

Oh.. and ruby  an impulse tattoo...

There is so much more I could write, tell and show you, but there's  time for that!

Shuffle

These are my top songs from the last few weeks - I've been visiting pals in Leeds, partying with my girls, singing Karaoke at work, cheering on Ruby in her half marathon and a lot more, so it's quite a mix of music I've been listening to!

Today is exactly one month to christmas! I LOVE this time of year, and last week had a rare Saturday off. I popped on my Xmas playlist, made a cuppa and sat down to wrap presents for the afternoon (Not to boast, but they look pretty lush)... I'm sure I'll do a seperate Christmas post soon, so for now I'll just leave my fave festival tune, The Pogues.

Saturday was Karaoke night, and although I was set on not singing before I went, of course we ended up getting up & having a go! We did Crazy In Love, but the performance that stole the show was definitely Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse Of The Heart...  bold but brill!

Ruby ran the Norwich Half Marathon yesterday! She's gone from never having run to a pro runner in just a few months, and did absolutely amazingly. She's raised over £800 so far for Marie Curie in memory of Monty, and we're all so so proud of her. We cheered almost every single runner like mad for the entire 3 hours, and had a brilliant day! This is my song for you lady.

A night out with my fave sisters the Gibbs gals always means two things - great cocktails and even better music! While sipping on a cherry bakewell cocktail (best.thing.ever.) we danced to some great tunes - this one has been stuck in my head since, such a classic!

And a few others that've been on a lot generally....

Fleetwood Mac Sweet Little Lies

Young & Beautiful Lana Del Ray

Arctic Monkeys covering Drake's Hold On

X

Lily Allen

Lily Allen's new single Hard Out Here is being released tomorrow... but it's already created some controversy (just read the Youtube comments)! I love that this girl will say what's on her mind, and address social issues that the media try to ignore... Sometimes she's commenting on drugs, poking fun at being bad in bed (awky sitch!), or having a go at ignorant people. Her new song is just as opinionated yet catchy as is her style, but the video's a little confusing.. Lily, I love your sarcasm but how does the lyric' "I don't need to shake my ass for you 'cos I got a brain" work when you then have half naked gals twerking through your video!? She's making a fair point, and having a laugh with it which I love, but surely it would've been more effective if you got guys doing it... Don't be a Robin Thicke! Lets get some half naked guys on instead, I think most of us gals would appreciate that a lot more... To be fair, the girls look incred anyway, and the song rocks. Love your style gal, want to hear more from you soon! X

Love a Live Lounge...

Radio 1 live lounge is one of my favourite things to listen to; although I like the acoustic versions of artists' own songs, I love hearing them cover something completely different. Here's a few of my favourite live lounges over the last few years and why they're so great....

Ben Howard covers Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen Such a great version!! This man is beautiful anyway, but he manages to turn this repetitive generic pop song into something mysterious and haunting- l.o.v.e.

The Noisettes cover When You Were Young, The Killers  This is just pure & lovely. Great orchestration, and pulls back a pretty full on song. Delicious.

Arctic Monkeys cover Katy On A Mission, Katy B Alex Turner makes this song. Just beaut.

Adele covers Promise This, Cheryl Cole Great voice, turns a v. average song into a lovely little piece.

The Vamps cover Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High, Arctic Monkeys Love the jazzy edge to this- turned an already brilliant song into something a little bit different. Brave to take on such a hit, but definitely works! Also gets credit for putting R Kelly in...

Any favourite suggestions?

running around...

It really happened! A month ago today I ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London with my friend Jo & cousin Mo for the Stroke Association. None of us were runners before April but we had a lot of motivation and incredible people to be running for, and nothing was going to stop us! It was a beautiful day, lots of sunshine and tonnes of people cheering us on (felt the the real Marathon!) and as we ran past Big Ben I couldn't really believe it was finally happening... (About 8 miles later I was all too aware it was really happening!). 

  It's one of the nicest routes; we went through Hype Park, St James', past Buck Palace and along the Embankment. Lots of amazing sites around, but the runners were the real sight. It was so moving meeting people running for the same charities, or in memory of particular people, and on the final stretch me & Jo definitely got a little teary seeing all our friends and family cheering us on. 

  To date I've raised over £900 which is amazing (here's my page & my fab messages!), and the support from friends and family throughout training was the only thing keeping me going at points. But if there's one thing I learnt it's that ANYONE can do it. Put your mind to something, whether it's a physical/mental/personal challenge, create a "training" plan, or a path to achieve it, and you really can do it. 

(Top- Mo & I, bottom Jo & I) 

Who Knows Where The Time Goes....

How are we already in September!? And worse, even nearer to October!!! My brain still thinks we're in May, and the weather's so up and down it feels like it could be any time of year.. It's taken me a long time to get around to a summer summary, but here we go; my summer in pictures! 

After Prom, me & Alex flew out to Budapest and spent a month travelling Eastern Europe through Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia. It was so fab (and hot!) and I can't wait to get going on my next trip now! 

Clockwise from TL- Prom, Sarajevo in Bosnia, Coffee time, Hvar Island, Alex in Budapest, Jelsa on Hvar, Budapest, Plitvice Lakes in Croatia, Mostar in Bosnia. 

Me & Miri spent a week in Versailles and Paris exploring & reading Hemingway & eating/drinking great food and wine. Yaz fractured her ankle so couldn't come, but that means we will have to do a return trip! :-) 

Clockwise from TL- Me & Miz, Love locks, the Seine, Cake! Car, Shakey & co. , Versailles, Versailles & Miz, Paris. (Miri's Photos).

And hot off the press!!

Me Miri Yaz and Ellie :-) 

So a sneaky photographer took these pics of me & my pals on A-level Results day- we had no idea until we looked in the paper that evening!! Quite lovely though :-) 

Then me & my friend Jo had an article written about us which was also in the paper! We're running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in 13 days, having only started running in April. We're both running for the Stroke Association, as it's a charity close to both our hearts. Exciting!!

And Finally! My best pal Ellie was nominated for young carer of the year!! Very Proud best friend here!! El's brother Rory is autistic, and whilst caring for him, she also has volunteered at Rory's school and local youth club for years. Very lovely news, if there's anyone who deserves it, it's Ellie! :-) 

So that's a brief summary of my summer!! It's been full on and crazily busy as ever, and some fabulous memories were made :-) I've realised never to take a friend or (anyone for that matter) for granted, and how lucky I really am to be surrounded by such a wonderful people. Happy end of summer! X

Summer-Summary!

It feels very bizarre to be writing after over a month away.. This summer has been full on, and looking back to what I'd planned it's definitely panned out a little differently! Exams are over & I got the results I'd only dreamed of so that next October I have a place at Bristol Uni to do English! Until then I'm having a year out to work/travel/chill, but I might try and tick off some extra summer things... Here's what happened to my Summer plan..

• 22 days exploring Eastern Europe with my pallo Alex. BEST time. I want to go back. Magic.
• Afternoons/evenings in the sun at the Playhouse Bar A standard Norwich occasion, many a cheap tea/G&T was had..
• Visiting the fam in Brighton (beach & Downs trips!)  Postponed.. 
• Picnics & lunches al fresco- One of the many joys of travelling!
• Revamp of the blog (watch this space!) - Still to come but still in the planning..
• Taking & Using my camera everywhere- Still getting used to this
• Stay with Eleanor when she's back from Cambodia - LUSH 3 days! Missed my girl but fab to catch up!
• (Find a job & keep the running going grumblegrumble) - Actually managed both of these & excited for what they will bring in the next few months...
• Plan the best Results evening EVER so I don't care what the results are...Results night was... big!
• A week in Paris with Yaz & Miri to make up for missing Latitude! Yaz fractured her ankle!!! Me & Miz had a fab time but we missed our baby. 

• Go to Louis' deli French conversation classes so I can eat cake & get back into speaking it again - If I get Monday pm off work, this is still the plan... 
• Go to loads of  jumble & car boot sales - Fingers crossed!
• Maybe attempt surfing.. This may be a step too far.. - I'd do this anytime of year so not really a fail..

It's been a fab summer in many ways, but hard in others.. Now our lovely friends are off to Uni, the reality of leaving school & growing up is hitting me but I'm so excited for everyone- there are so many wonderful plans, and fantastic futures to fulfill, and I can't wait to see what happens in the next one/two/three years!