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Staycations

The London staycation: staying Aloft on the Eastside

Staycations are back, baby!

It’s been a while since my last staycation, but as one of my favourite things to do, I was never going to ‘stay’ away (ahem..) for long. Easing myself back in,…

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  • Staycations
  • Feb, 17, 2024
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5 UK staycation alternatives for that Soho Farmhouse vibe

As Soho House continues to build its empire of city centre clubs for its members, it’s simultaneously increasing the number of members who can’t wait to get the hell out of the city centre….

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  • Staycations
  • Sep, 23, 2020
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The UK staycation: sleeping over at Mollie’s Motel

Another day, another UK staycation… This time, however, we are getting out of London and heading to the countryside. On a BUDGET. Still keeping it glam, though, with an overnight stay in Oxfordshire, …

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  • Staycations
  • Sep, 15, 2020
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Staying over at Soho Farmhouse: cabin tour

Everybody deserves a birthday treat. But keep your jewellery and designer bags. I’ll take a hotel stay, thanks. Make it a mini-break, make it somewhere luxurious but cool, make it glam but still chill….

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  • Staycations
  • Sep, 14, 2020
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The London staycation: a sleepover in Southwark

London has its fair share of quality hotels and, just because I live here, I shouldn’t have to miss out. My love of a London staycation is well documented and, any chance I get…

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  • Staycations
  • Sep, 01, 2020
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5 Simple staycation ideas to try this weekend

I love staycations. I think I’ve already made my point on this? But in the current climate, when we’ve all got cabin fever and are desperate for a break, I don’t think we can…

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  • Staycations
  • Jul, 31, 2020
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Live the luxe life locally: plan your perfect staycation

With all that is going on in the world right now, you’d be forgiven for thinking we are living in the End Times. Many of us have been stuck eating, working and socialising in…

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  • Staycations
  • Jul, 30, 2020
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My Weekends With Ned

Call me forward, but I really couldn’t wait to spend my first weekend away at Ned’s. Rolling around in his bed, lounging around just about every room in his place and generally misbehaving. It…

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  • Staycations
  • Oct, 22, 2018
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The London Staycation: Hoxton Holborn

staycation

steɪˈkeɪʃ(ə)n/

 
 a holiday spent in one’s home country rather than abroad

Just because you can’t get away AWAY, doesn’t mean you cant get away (…if you get my meaning?).  If you’re short of cash, short of…

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  • Staycations
  • Nov, 07, 2016
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@divawithabackpack
A couple of days in #Zurich is just what anybody’s doctor would order. All those mountains and lakes, all that fresh air.
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Then there’s all that cheese, all that chocolate and all of those cocktails. And some bloody good local wine(the Fendant was chefs kiss). Not so healthy now, are we?
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So what did we get up to?
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A fun stay at #boutiqueHotelJosef - an easy sprint from the main train station when you need to race for a 630am train (we’re getting to that. Next post). 
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Pretty much bottomless fondue @swisschuchi washed down with several glasses of the aforementioned Fendant and walked off with a trek along the river and up to the #Lindenhof viewpoint.
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A bit of culture @landesmuseumzurich , a trip to the #TopofZuich at #Uetilberg for the best views of the city with a mountain backdrop and an afternoon @lindthomeofchocolate just so we could try every random flavour of Lindor going (cheesecake, anyone?!). And go back for seconds. And a couple of hot chocolates too.
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Then, of course there were the five- star cocktails. @widderbarzurich in the Old Town, inception Margaritas @latebloomers.zurich , @roter_delfin where they gave us a postcard to write to our mate while a bit drunk AND ACTUALLY POSTED IT and the seriously glam @bar_am_wasser which deserves ALL the awards.
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People were lovely - especially our pal Yost at the tourist information desk who saved us a FORTUNE on train tickets (leaving some change for Aperols in St Moritz - big thanks for that!). Weather was perfect. And don’t believe the lies - it was cheaper than London (I guess that makes London REALLY expensive?!).
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More to come. Let’s see if I can get through posting before my next trip (which I might have booked already…?)
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#visitzurich #visitswitzerland #solotravel #solotraveller #solotraveler #solofemaletraveler #solofemaletravel #solofemaletraveller #blacktravelfeed #blackgirlstravel #zurichcocktails #divawithabartab #divawithabartabontour
A journey is from A to B. . Is it though? ‘Scuse A journey is from A to B.
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Is it though? ‘Scuse me while I throw in an A.1, 2 and 3 along the way. The destination was Zürich and London has 6 airports…but it also has train stations, #eurostar has sales and once on the continent you can get almost ANYWHERE. 
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This is how I ended up dipping my toes into the #slowtravel  pool, booking a day train and a couchette on a night train for about the same price as a BA flight (advanced booking is the trick here…). And how I bought myself a bonus afternoon in #Amsterdam.
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Catching up with a friend and getting more of a ‘locals’ experience, wandering through the back streets and canals  away from the tourists and stag dos. A stroll through a crowded farmers market selling the giant wheels of cheese and the biggest tulips I’d ever seen (seriously mutant). An iced americano @saintjean.nl , seemingly THE hype coffee spot followed by early evening picantes, laced with mezcal, served with a side of bitterballen.
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A perfect, sunshiny afternoon, just hanging out, catching up with gorgeous people. Just the thing set me up for a  12-hour overnight train journey sharing a compartment with three randoms, stuck in the top bunk with a shaky ladder and no air con.
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Why do I do these things to myself?!
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#solotravel #solotraveller #solotraveler #solofemaletravel #solofemaletraveller #solofemaletraveler #blacktravelfeed #blackgirlstravel #traintravel #nightjet #divawithabartab #divawithabartabontour #divawithabartabontour
As is tradition, I wait until a week after getting As is tradition, I wait until a week after getting back from a trip before I do any ‘proper’ posting. My philosophy is, a few quick stories on the road, but there’s no way I’m spending my precious travel time editing pics and composing paragraphs of supporting text. Nah… Travel first, then reflect a while, then post.
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The fact that dragging it out a little also extends my post-holiday happy? Pure luck, I’ll take it!
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So, new series. A story of trains: of Eurostars and Nightjets. Of scenic trains and funiculars. Of regular-degular railways and metros. Of airtrains and, ok fine, a couple of flights thrown in for good measure ( every time I try to be sustainable, I mess it up…).
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In short, this is me travelling to #Amsterdam , #zurich , #saintmoritz , #newyork and #Singapore over one week. Some time with friends, some time solo, snow, scenery and a lot of cocktails. Crazy (it’s me, soooo…) and exhausting, but  so much fun - forgive me in advance for milking it a little!
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#solotravel #solotraveller #solotraveler #solofemaletravel #solofemaletraveler #solofemaletraveller #blackgirlstravel #blacktravelfeed #traintravel #glacierexpress #divawithabartab #divawithabartabontour
Can’t believe we’re almost done with 2024. Lit Can’t believe we’re almost done with 2024. Little surprised we’ve made it this far, tbh, but I’m trying to be positive…
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Looking back at the good bits of 2024 should cheer me up a bit.
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I started the year with a resolution to gift myself a monthly travel moment - home or abroad - to ensure I always had the motivation of something to look forward to. Well, that lasted until…February. That’s when I realised that ‘mini’ moments somehow still ended up costing ‘maxi’ money, and saving my cash to plan for something bigger was more cost effective.
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 And plan I did. I’ve been a very lucky bunny this year, with some great travel experiences courtesy of my epic bargain-hunting skills (if I may say so myself…) and a lot of perseverance - if you want a cheap flight, sometimes you are going to have to spend an overnight layover walking laps around an airport for 7 hours because paying money for a hotel would defeat the object of getting a bargain. At least I got my steps in…
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Madness like this has meant trips to the #twahotel in #NYC, en route to take to longest flight in the world (again) over to #Singapore, then #KualaLumpur, then up to #Penang and back by train and bus, then back home via #doha .
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I did a ‘day’ trip (via Flixbus overnight each way) to the #parisolympics to watch track and field, then spent my birthday in #themaldives , travelling via Malaga, Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Bangkok and Istanbul .
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Like I said. MADNESS. And cocktails. Lots of cocktails. 
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Anyway, I’ve been lucky to have some very bright moments in a year that’s been less than shiny for many, and for that I am beyond grateful. Here’s to 2025, wishing good health and happiness to you all. Let’s hope the only madness next year is of the travel kind…?
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#solotravel #solotraveller #solotraveler #solofemaletravel #solofemaletraveler #solofemaletraveller #blackgirlstravel #divawithabartab #divawithabartabontour #blacktravelfeed
New month already? October properly flew by. I don New month already? October properly flew by. I don’t think I really did anything that productive, other than be pissed off that I was no longer in the Maldives.
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Oh, and @londoncocktailweekofficial of course.
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It’s basically my HolyWeek. It’s my annual excuse to run around London exploring new bars, getting holiday inspo from international takeovers and enjoying drinking cocktails on the daily. What’s not to love?
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So watch the reel and play spot the bar. In there somewhere you’ll find: a takeover @sidehustlelondon featuring @limantourmx @leyendabk and @candelariaparis , @viajantebar , @42__gymkhana , @thepinebar , @scaleslondon , @lyanessbar x @thedeadrabbitny takeover, @amarobarlondon x @moebiusmilano takeover, @nightjar x @1930cocktailbar takeover, @disreputebar , @sambaroomlondon , @commondecencylondon x @iichiko.shochu takeover featuring @barkumiko @barhighfive @bargoto_nyc @katanakitten_nyc , a bar crawl led by Cocktail Week and @thepinnacleguide Head Honchos Hannah and Siobhan stopping at @kwantmayfair @velvetbysalvatorecalabrese and The Spy Bar @raffleslondon.theowo , the bar @nobulondonportman and, finally, @sketchlondon .
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That’s a lot of cocktails. No wonder I had to keep a low profile for the rest of the month…
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#londoncocktailweek #londoncocktailweek2024 #thepinnacleguide #londoncocktails #londondrinks #worlds50bestbars #londonbars #bestlondonbars #bestbarsinlondon #instacocktail #drinkstagram #cocktailsinlondon #divawithabartab #divawithabartabontour #flashbackfriday
Definitely worth it. . After 3 days at a very beau Definitely worth it.
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After 3 days at a very beautiful resort, it was time to drag myself back to the reality that I am, at heart, a #budgettraveller
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“But I’m in the Maldives!”, I whined (I do that a lot…), “there’s no such thing as BUDGET!!!”.
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Oh yes there is…
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If you stay in the bubble of international 5-star resorts , sea plane transfers and all-inclusive meals, you’ll drop a fortune. And tbh, once you leave the airport, you could be on any random paradise island on the planet.
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However, with a little bit of research, I learned about ‘local islands’. Rather than privately ‘owned’ by resorts, these are inhabited by Maldivians who (only) since 2009 have been able to claim some of the tourism market from the multinationals and open guest houses, restaurants, watersports centres etc. and generate income . This means tourism that is perhaps a little more responsible, that puts money directly into the pockets of the communities, and is also super affordable.
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Based on reviews, I chose #dhiffushi . You get the same white sand, the same blue sea, the same sunshine…from about £30 a night. I did an incredible dolphin cruise for about a third of the price the resorts were asking. Delicious restaurant meals? £6-7.
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Ok. The beaches are not as manicured. You will see some rubbish and there are no staff assigned to spray for mozzies every night. Guest houses are more basic, but at my place @portiahotel they did try to add a touch of design - and the hospitality was great. You also have to be incredibly respectful of the local culture (as you should anyway). The Maldives are 100% Muslim. There is no alcohol outside of the resorts and, if you want to hang out in swimwear, you are restricted to the tourist bikini beaches. Male or female, you just can’t walk the streets half-dressed, people live here.
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Small price to pay. I loved the vibe and people I chatted to were doing a whole island-hopping thing, using speedboats and local ferries to jump between local islands. I could definitely see myself doing that.
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Maldives on a budget? HELL YES.
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#visitmaldives #budgetmaldives #solotravel #solotraveller #solotraveler #solofemaletravel #solofemaletraveler
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