A Bit of Holiday Daydreaming

It’s been two years now since I’ve been abroad, although it seems like an eternity. Whilst I can’t complain too much as we’ve been relatively unaffected by the pandemic and we still managed to go away to the Norfolk coast for a week this Summer, I still feel as if there is something missing in my life that only a holiday can fill. Fortunately, we are getting married next year and with any wedding comes a honeymoon; the ultimate trip of a lifetime. Pandemic or no pandemic; we plan to do this properly. But, before I begin the barrage of blog posts about that, I also have begun thinking about a trip to pamper myself after what has been a very stressful year. My requirements for this trip are simple; sunshine, sensational food and lots to do. Over the last few weeks I’ve been working with Jet 2 Holidays to discuss trips and to help me plan, and I thought that this blog post should detail my thought process so that it helps you plan your next trip.

First things first; where can I travel? In the United Kingdom, we have an ever-changing traffic light list. Whilst the principle of stopping the spread is obvious, it has caught a few people out (a friend of mine was almost stranded in France!). A useful tool for this can be found here to prevent you getting caught out. Now, Jet 2 Holidays has actually just opened shop in Bristol airport, which is really convenient for people in the West, but also for people nearer my area who want to avoid the hustle and bustle of Heathrow and Gatwick. Jet 2 Holidays also offer a great tool for looking at city break offers and lets you look at a map of Europe to plan where to go and it gives you a list of places and costs so that you can compare them. Alternatively, a standard list of departures from Bristol with Jet 2 can be found here, as well as city breaks here.

Whilst I was checking out these really handy tools, I noticed a few destinations that really popped out to me. Firstly, and probably inspired by Love Island, is Majorca. This is somewhere I’ve actually never been to and I am curious to see what the island is like. I recently saw the quieter side of the island on a property programme and a vision of sitting by the coast, drinking a cocktail and sunbathing, is idyllic. Not only that, but the cost of flying there would be minimal in comparison to other destinations, meaning that it wouldn’t break the bank whilst we are saving for the trip to end all others.

Another destination that I have been contemplating is Corfu. Greece massively appeals to me at the moment, to the point where I have been looking at it for a stop on our honeymoon. Corfu is one of the cheaper islands and, as such, gives you a flavour of Greece before you return to one of the bigger hitters. We have actually become such fans of the food that we actually have ‘Greek Night’ each month now, where we create our own homemade flatbreads filled with fried chicken gyros and homemade tzatziki. Whilst it is one of our highlights, I am pretty sure that we could learn a lesson or two by visiting one of the Greek islands.

Lastly, I want to revisit the Canary Islands. Some of you may remember that Jack’s family actually live out there half of the year and so, for us, Fuerteventura is naturally on the list for a cheap holiday. However, whilst there I think it would be a perfect opportunity to venture out into the other islands and see how the culture changes. I would very much like to one of the smaller islands that is less touristy. This is nothing against Lanzarote or Tenerife, they just don’t appeal to me as much as somewhere like La Palma or El Hierro; somewhere a bit more off piste. With a visit here, you would need to fly via Jet 2 Holidays from Bristol to one of the larger hubs of the Canaries and then take a smaller, local plane (apparently an experience in its own right) to one of the smaller islands.

That’s a preview into my daydreaming lifestyle as I sit writing this on a gloomy autumnal day here in the UK. Each passing day brings me ever more longing to go abroad and I cannot wait to get back on a plane…

My Travel Tips and Recommendations

Flights

My usual go-to for booking flights is Skyscanner, the flight search engine. What I love about Skycanner is that you have various options depending on your situation. If you know where you want to go it’s easy – all you need is to search for your destination and dates, and you are provided with all flight options to choose from. If you haven’t decided on your next trip yet, you can use the Everywhere tool for inspiration and to find the cheapest places to fly to.

Accommodation

Whenever I plan my travels Booking.com is my best friend. The website is super easy to use and provides a whole range of accommodation from fancy resorts to budget hotels. Jack and I also regularly use Airbnb – in particular, for staycations in the UK.

Things I can’t travel without

As a travel blogger and keen photographer I never travel without my trusty technology. Always packed are my

Canon EOS M3
GoPro Hero5 Black
I’m also saving for a DJI Mavic Pro

Travel Insurance

It is so important to be prepared for all possibilities when travelling and you simply shouldn’t travel without insurance. When looking for cover I would personally recommend World Nomads or the Post Office – both are affordable and certainly won’t break the bank.