Travel | UK Lifestyle Blog

Things Every Solo Traveller Needs To Know

I absolutely love travelling with my partner and my friends – but sometimes I like to travel solo. I first did this when I was 20 years old and went to university in Australia as part of a study abroad program, and it was exhilarating. From there I also did a little bit of solo travel around New Zealand and South East Asia.

Nowadays we’re all queuing up to enjoy the perks of holidaying by ourselves as well as meeting like-minded people with whom we share a mutual interest. However there are a few tasks that we believe all solo travellers should master. Having an emergency plan in place for if you get sick, heaving suitcases that weigh a ton off the carousel and making sure that you’re not a victim of dodgy pickpockets or scammers trying to sell you ‘authentic’ precious jewellery or knock off ‘designer’ bags.

😱➡️ Single for the Holidays - 4 Great Ways to Travel Solo

How To Cope With Luggage Alone

When you’re travelling alone, your luggage needs to be very manageable as not everyone will be happy to lift something, or even look after your bags just while you ‘nip to get some water’ so you should work out bathroom breaks and kiosk purchases beforehand.

For example use the facilities before you collect your luggage, or, if you’ve got hand luggage, see if the accessible toilets are free as you’ll have extra room to move about. While on public transport wedge your bags into the corner of the luggage rack, no one will steal heavy bags that are too awkward to reach.

What To Do If You Get Sick

This is probably the issue that puts most people off singles holidays, but it’s easy to navigate if you know how. Become super friendly with hotel staff that way if you do fall ill you can call down to reception, those on duty will then be sure to check in on you regularly and bring you anything you may need. It also means that should you not improve they’ll arrange for a doctor to visit as well and help gather your travel documents in case you need to go into hospital.

How to Avoid Expensive Accommodation

A survey by an insurance company has shown that 74% of people have chosen to use Airbnb when travelling alone to avoid extra charges. The study conducted by holiday home insurance company, Schofields Insurance, revealed more about their accommodation preferences when travelling alone. The survey showed that:

44% have stayed in an Airbnb property
18% have stayed in hostels
65% have stayed in hotels

Additionally:

Out of those who stayed alone in a hotel, 78% had been quoted an extra single person supplement.
74% of those staying in an Airbnb property did so to avoid extra charges levied by hotels.
Hostels appealed to 35% solo travellers because they liked the communal aspect, whereas 29% chose them solely because they were cheaper than other options.

Snap Perfect Pictures Without Help

If you know you’re going on holiday alone; then the best bet for taking photos will probably be a selfie stick or something similar. If you aren’t a fan of selfies, then try rotating the camera to face you, holding it at arm’s length as far away as you can and then taking a picture.

Failing that you can ask someone to take a picture for you so look for people who’re friendly, with others and speak some English. Approach someone who has a better phone, or camera, than yourself as this way they probably won’t want to steal something so basic, compared to their own, and they probably know how to take a decent picture too.

How To Dine By Yourself In Restaurants

Many travellers feel uncomfortable about dining alone but it needn’t be the social nightmare people think it is. Don’t pretend you have someone coming because it’ll just be awkward for you and the staff when no one turns up. Just request a ‘table for one’ which is common in many European cities anyway.

You’ll get used to it. Enjoy your meal while reading a best-seller, glossy magazine. Alternatively, do something productive such as planning the next route, catching up on their travel blog or writing emails and or postcards home. This means they’re busy but not completely unapproachable if anyone wants to start a conversation.

Sam Charles 2018-05-10T18:21:34+00:00 May 2, 2018|Travel|

Surviving a 24 hour Business Trip to London Without Breaking the Bank

It’s almost been two years since I launched my digital marketing agency, Float Digital, and business couldn’t be better right now. On Friday we’re heading to London to meet with one of our loyal clients, discuss the successes of the campaign so far and work out a plan for the future.

We live in Cornwall, meaning a trip to London is a whopping 546 mile round-trip. This gets pretty expensive when there’s two of you and you need to pay for accommodation near your clients offices near Mayfair. We need to strike a balance so that we’re comfortable, efficient with our time but also sticking to a budget (sticking it on the company credit card isn’t quite a fun when you own the company!)

Here’s our tips for surviving a 24 hour business trip to London without going mad or breaking the bank:

Travel in Style

London has plenty of fairly reasonably-priced public transport options. From the tube to buses and overground trains, you have your pick of how to get around. Using private cars can be reasonable, especially if you use them sparingly. Consider the fact that you can often get away with walking from one place to another, and you only need to use transport for longer distances.

Use a private hire company, and you’ll likely get a lovely black Mercedes that’s much more comfortable than a carriage on the tube. This type of transport is PERFECT for turning up to client meetings in (nothing worse than getting off a sweaty tube to meet somebody for the first time, yikes!).

Get a Posh Flat

If I’m traveling over 500 miles in less than 24 hours, I need to be comfortable otherwise I’m going to be a grouchy b*tch. London has some of the most expensive hotels in Europe, so it’s easy to get caught up in spending loads of money on a room you don’t need. Fear not! You don’t need to stay in the Ritz for comfort.

Choosing to rent an apartment could help you save money, compared to staying in a hotel. There is a huge range of luxury apartments available online https://www.londonservicedapartments.co.uk/luxury-apartments/. You’ll feel much more at home when you stay in an apartment instead of in a hotel room. It’s way more cost effective because you can cook your own dinner, instead of going out to a restaurant after a long-day of back to back client meetings. You also get all the perks you’d get in a hotel, like a concierge and housekeeping.

😱➡️ 3 Secrets To Help You Make The Most Of London

Take your client for Afternoon Tea

London is also home to many Michelin-starred restaurants and world-class dining establishments. If you’re trying to choose the best place to spend your money and you don’t want to make every meal an extravagant affair, try choosing afternoon tea for your client meeting.

You can find lots of different themes and creative menus across the city, and you can have everything from cake and sandwiches to champagne and cocktails. Try looking out for deals online so you can save a little on a luxury location. You’ll make an impression but won’t be left with a hefty bill.

… Or “Woo” Them at an Exclusive Bar

If afternoon tea is a little too formal then consider going to an bar. Yep, a bar! That where we’re meeting when we go to meet our client – you need a membership just to get in. London is full of exclusive bars, where the well-heeled spend their evenings (and sometimes their days). The most exclusive places are private clubs, but there are plenty of places that you can gain access to if you want to.

The best thing to do is to be aware of the rules and how to get in. Check if there’s a dress code and follow it to the letter. See if there are any rules about reservations, minimum spends or group numbers to make sure you won’t get turned away or turfed out. I recommend you check these bars before you turn up to ensure it’ll be suitable for your meeting – you don’t want to turn up to a club!

Sam Charles 2018-05-09T15:22:36+00:00 April 30, 2018|Travel|

4 Natural Wonders That You Should See in Your Lifetime

Travelling the world is a wonderful experience which most people long to have. Being able to see as much as possible when you go on vacation will always make the trip feel more satisfying, providing you with stories, memories, and even new knowledge. To embrace this fully, it could be worth changing your approach to going away. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring four of the World’s best vacation locations for those that want to see the natural world.

Madagascar

Known for the huge population of lemurs calling this place home, Madagascar is a naturist’s dream come true. With hundreds of miles of uninterrupted forest which is largely untouched by humans, you won’t find many places in the worldwhich can provide the same experience as this island. There are hundreds of species of plants and animals here which can’t be found anywhere else, making it perfect for anyone with a love for nature.

The Galapagos Islands

It’s likely that you’ve heard of or seen a Galapagos tortoise at some point in your life. Growing to be one of the heaviest reptiles in the world, these mammoths can live for well over 200 years. Of course, though, these islands are also home to bountiful rainforests which are filled with unique creatures. Like Madagascar, these islands have had millions of years of isolation from the rest of the world, and this has lead to massive diversity in the natural features calling it home.

Costa Rica

Off the coast of Central America, it’s hard to believe that an island so calm and serene could be found in this troubled part of the world. With a hotel like the Courtyard San Jose Escazu, you will find yourself in the heart of a bustling city. From your room, though, you will also be able to see endless trees, as this area is home to dense rain forests. Planning to become carbon neutral by 2021, it’s easy to see that their environment is important to the people of Costa Rica, and this shows even more when you pay a visit.

Peru

Finally, as the last option on this list, it’s time to mix a little bit of history into the vacation pot. Peru, like the other options on this list, is largely covered by rainforests, giving it a huge array of creatures and plants to learn about. Along with this side of things, though, Peru is also home to a huge amount of ancient lore. Machu Picchu is an incredibly popular destination, being home to a series of very well preserved Inca ruins.

Hopefully, this post will inspire you to start working harder to plan your next vacation with nature in mind. The world has a lot to offer when it comes to all things green, and you have a huge range of options to get you started. Of course, though, you should do some research to find the best place for you, as everyone will have something different they’d like to see.

Sam Charles 2018-04-22T11:33:07+00:00 April 22, 2018|Travel|

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