So, it's officially nearly time for bookings to open for the 2016 season of the Yacht Week.

(October 27th is the date... *cough cough* my birthday if anyone fancies buying me a ticket ;) )

You may have read my 'Yacht Week Uncovered post' a few weeks ago?

If not, quickly, click here and read it.

Croatia is the original route for The Yacht Week, and the only one i can go by (yet).

The famous sailing holiday also runs in Turkey, Greece, Italy, BVI’s and Thailand.

All TYW routes emphasise on different aspects, be it sailing, exploring, relaxing or partying.

Croatia is known to be one of the crazier routes and is definitely one of the biggest routes - particularly over Ultra festival where the route accommodates over 100 boats!

So… providing you love people (interacting with them), a few drinks, sunsets, beautiful places and, being on water obviously…

Here’s why i think The Yacht Week is your next best move:

1. It will be the best thing you ever do

Simple as.

Honestly.

Okay okay, i’ll get specific...

2. Release your social butterfly

Perhaps you have a job secluded behind a computer screen, maybe you work from home or you just don't get to socialise as much as you'd like to.

The Yacht Week guarantees the biggest injection of socialising, you could ever want, into your life.

3. Plenty of LOLS

Sailing in a group of up to 700 (and sometimes more) people means that there will be some sensible ones, some boundary pushers and as always… some absolute idiots.

TYW guarantees banter and a serious workout for your tummy muscles.

4. The best venues

Not only are you having the absolute time of your life with the best people you’ll ever come across, but all in the surroundings of beautiful new corners of the world.

TYW hires out only the most epic venues on the island for the parties.

It really is such a shame that TYW is only a week.

It won’t seem long enough, but at least i can guarantee you will never be bored.

5. You'll realise what life is really about

It’s only when you burst the bubble you get so comfortable in at home, that you realise how much there is out there to experience.

The simple concept of friends, a few drinks, a positive attitude and a willingness to leave problems at home is all it takes to have an epic week.

It’s hard to not take that back home with you.

6. Discover but without moving a limb

Most boats will choose to hire a skipper (at an additional cost) to do, and organise the majority of the sailing aspect... after all you are on holiday.

With a skipper you don’t have to be up at a certain time to leave for the next island, and you don’t have to worry about falling asleep on the job.

Just lay back and enjoy...

7. Create special bonds & memories noone will understand

You know when 'you had to be there to get it'?

When attempting to tell family and friends what TYW was like and what you did, there will be many moments where words will fail you.

You simply cannot put TYW into words.

8. 9th wonder of the world?

Whether you love it or hate it, i genuinely believe the yacht week is something everyone should experience.

There was a moment after 4 days of drinking and partying that my body hit exhaustion and my relationship with vodka hit the rocks. But that was soon a distant memory and i would do it again 10 times over.

9. You'll have new homes all over the world

Everyone on TYW is an equal.
Everyone simply wants to have fun and you’ll make as many best friends as you’re willing to have.

The exact same thing that led you to book The Yacht Week will be lying dormant in everyone you meet - a common ground through which you all connect.

Post Yacht Week, everyone will welcome you to stay at their homes in hope that you meet again. Before you get a chance to forget where they live... they will already be in your Facebook friend zone sharing the photos.

10. Just let go

The Yacht Week really is the definition of letting go.

Leave the stresses, the work, the time keeping and the routine, at home.

Embrace the weather, the culture and the relaxed lifestyle.

If you dont have the time to backpack but feel that you’d love to. The Yacht Week, for me, is everything I love about backpacking in one intense week. GO FOR IT.

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Have you done The Yacht Week?!

N O T H I N G like the real world.

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♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

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WATCH MY EXPERIENCE AT THE YACHT WEEK CROATIA, 2015

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The likelihood is, you haven't actually heard of Edmonton?

And therefore, have no idea where it is in Canada or what on earth you can do there?

I was in the exact same position, until I was lucky enough to go on a trip with Edmonton & Jasper tourism earlier this month to suss the whole thing out.

I soon gathered from speaking with the locals that Edmonton is the no-need-to-brag-but-has-everything-to-offer Canadian city, falling quickly behind the likes of Vancouver, Toronto, Whistler and Jasper when it comes to tourists.

Edmonton is still undergoing a lot of construction and is very much up and coming, so if what it has to offer now is only a taster of what is to come...

Edmonton is definitely the one to watch.

Edmonton's gorgeous downtown landscapes, trendy neighbourhoods, humungous shopping mall and close proximity to Jasper National Park are merely a few of the highlights I discovered about Canada's hidden gem.

Earlier this year KLM launched a brand new air route from Amsterdam DIRECT to Edmonton, which now opens Edmonton up to a whole new European audience.

It's time for Edmonton to shine & it has every right to do so.

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Edmonton events to put in the diary:

Edmonton International Fringe Festival

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When to visit?

I visited Edmonton 29th Sept - 5th October and couldn't have wished for more gorgeous weather (for this time of year). Blue skies, 20 degree temp and just the odd downpour.

This time is considered to be fall (autumn) in Edmonton. Temperatures have already begun to descend and leaves are desperately clinging to the trees. We were lucky enough that the leaves found their inner strength to hold on for our arrival and so we got to see Edmonton in a blanket of mesmerising oranges and yellows.

Edmonton has similar seasons to us lot here in the UK, but with slightly more contrasting temperatures.

In the winter months (Nov-March), Edmonton see's average temperatures of -8 to -20deg. Pretty cold, but apparently it's a dry kinda cold, disguising the extent of the chill slightly.

In the summer months(May - Sept) temperatures average between +17 and +25 deg.

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What to do?

Whilst we were in Edmonton we got to try a diverse selection of activites, from a Segway discovery of the North Saskatchewan River Valley in Downtown Edmonton (Segway River Valley Tours), to learning about the history of Edmonton at Canada's largest living history museum - Fort Edmonton.

One evening, we ate and drank our way through Edmonton's quirky, trendy neighbourhood of Old Strathcona, which at this time of year is filled with Pumpkin Pie goodness.
I recommend: El Courtez Mexican Kitchen, &27 + MEAT.
A gorgeous walk within itself is through the gorgeous Whyte Avenue on which a few of the restaurants were situated & also home to our hotel - Metterra Boutique.

Another day had us visit North America's largest shopping mall - West Edmonton Mall, a holiday destination within itself.

In the mall lies pretty much everything.

One of the world's largest indoor waterparks, a life size ship, aquarium, theme park, haunted house, a full sized ice rink, cinema, a number of food courts and over 800 shops.

Oh and a super cool themed hotel - Fantasyland Hotel (which has now been added to my bucket list!!)

Edmonton, too, has a real urban creative flair and to show for it, scattered around the city, there are lots of public art displays.
I visited the Talus Dome installation which was pretty cool & my friend also took me to a hidden, illegal may i add, and dangerous if you climb it, spot called - 'The end of the world'.

P.s. I am in no way encouraging this activity.

If you have a car or have the time, it is DEFINITELY worth heading just under an hour outside of Edmonton to Elk Island National Park.

Here you can book onto a tour and witness the organisation that played a crucial part in reviving the Bison from being extremely close to extinction.

Within the park you can spot a diverse selection of wildlife and if you time it right, you may encounter the beauties themselves... the Bison.

By evening you can catch the incredible sunset over Lake Astotin& by darkness, Elk Island, also a Dark Sky Reserve, will display the most gorgeous blanket of stars. This is also a common place to spot the Northern lights, but of course - it's never guaranteed.

If your Edmonton schedule isn't already full, you can also drive 4 hours west of the city to reach the world famous Canadian Rockies. Adding a completely contrasting dynamic to your trip, Jasper's beauty will capture you even further. With some of the most beautiful drives in the WORLD, Jasper is the perfect add on to your Edmonton trip.

More of that on my Jasper posts... stay tuned.

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You know me, i'm more of a visual girl (although i know, i do a good job of blabbing) so here's Edmonton's beauty in photos to inspire you that little bit further.

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Have you done been to Edmonton?!

What did you think?!

↠

Watch my Canadian Adventures come to life in video:

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

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After spending my first two days in Canada exploring Edmonton, we woke early on 01.11.15 to drive 4 hours West on the Yellowhead, arriving little before noon at...

Jasper National Park...

Home to the Canadian Rockies.

Jasper National Park was established in 1907, and is the largest of it's kind in the Canadian Rockies totalling 10,878 square kilometres.
Jasper National Park joins with another adventure capital - Banff National Park, connected by the Columbia Icefield Region.
(I'll be exploring these in the next post!)

Jasper is a popular choice for Winter sports lovers, hosting the famous Marmot Basin Ski Resort - claim to Canada's highest base elevation.

But JNP has so much more to offer beyond it's winter wonderland (which I totally insist on coming back to visit), & we were here to experience some of it's finest offerings.

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Before even checking into our hotel, we headed straight to our first adventure - Sulphur Skyline Hike. This is one of Jaspers most popular day hikes, an 8km forest and mountain side trek, with an elevation gain of 2300ft (700m).

It a pretty consistent uphill trek but there are plenty of opportunities to stop off should you get tired.

For some reason I was filled with energy when we arrived and I stormed to the top in an hour.

When you reach the top, the view is pretty surreal and shows the rockies through a 360 panoramic.

The kind of moment I live for.

After an hour of admiration, reflection & regaining breath at the summit, we descended back down to where we started & took to the Miette Hot Springs to relax our aching muscles.

Having worked up a serious appetite we headed to another epic destination for a exquisite fire side dinner, just a 40 min drive away - The Stone Peak Restaurant at the Overlander Mountain Lodge.

It's worth a visit just for the food and table view of the Rockies, but should you be seeking accommodation - they have the CUTEST of mountain lodges available to hire.

We rested our tired eyes and legs at The Crimson Hotel in the centre of Jasper Town.

Jasper Town is like a little dream town& reminded me straight away of Franz Joseph in New Zealand - REAL cute.

Jasper felt like I'd entered my initial expectation of Canada.

Wooden lodges and timber beamed restaurants filled the few streets that make up Jasper. Canadian flags rumbled in the bitter winterly winds the mountains were sending us and Jasper the Bear was ready and waiting for me to take a photo with him.

It felt cosy in Jasper& our hotel - The Crimson, made it even more so.

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The next day of adventure in Jasper had us ascending another mountain (with the wonderful assistance of Jasper SkyTram) to gain another spine tingling showcase of the Rockies. In the afternoon we went on to horse ride, eat at Famoso Pizzeria and took a walk around Jasper.

Our last day in Jasper had us venture off further into the Rockies into the Columbian Icefield region for some Glacier adventures... but you'll have to stay tuned until the next post for that!

MASSIVE T h a n k y o u
to Jasper Tourism for the intense thrills,
unforgettable images and
opportunities for reflection during my stay.

I feel so lucky to have these experiences and will continue to be grateful for the amazing things I get to witness.

Mollie x

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Other hotspots in Jasper:

- Maligne Lake Boat Tour

- Spirit Island

- Maligne Canyon Ice Walk

- Lac Beauvert

- Bear & wildlife spotting

- Dark sky observatory (Jasper is Dark Sky reserve)

- Canada's #1 public golf course

- Whitewater rafting, mountain biking, rock climbing, camping, & fishing

- skiing, snowshoeing & snowboarding

- Jasper dive adventures at Patricia Lake

- Rocky Mountaineer Scenic Train

See more on the Official Jasper website here

Jasper temptation in photo form:

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Have you done been to Jasper?!

What did you think?!

↠

Watch my Canadian Adventures come to life in video:

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

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So I guess you COULD say, I've saved the best for last.

That's if, like me, you love an adrenalin rush and live for moments that take your breath away... literally.

Something this day was by no means short of.

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We began once more from Jasper, after another amazing nights sleep at The Crimson Hotel, and headed down Highway 93 (Icelands Parkway) to the Columbian Icefield where Jasper National Park meets with North of Banff National Park.

The columbian ice field region is home to 6 ice sheets, and we were here to explore the biggest one of them all - the Athabasca Glacier, one of North America's biggest attractions.

First we headed nearby to the Glacier Skywalk, a walk suspended in the air from the cliff face, on which you can experience an intense walk over a 918ft drop where only a sheet of glass is saving you.

So there I was, cock sure, fearless and willing to walk first, I stepped out onto the Glacier Walk and instantly lost my footing nearly falling flat on my face (felt like nearly over the edge) due to some melted ice on the glass! I just about captured the moment on my GoPro (watch here)... hahahah that taught me!

(The staff work to keep the area dry but due to the snowfall I had just chosen an unfortunate moment!)

Be c a r e f u l!

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Despite scaring the life out of me, the snowfall was a blessing. The immaculate, glittering sheet of snow that has fallen through the night was making the landscape pretty surreal.

We arrived at the Columbian Icefields Centre where you can park your car, should you have one.
(They also have an incredible hotel here, Glacier View Inn, with an INSANE wake up view over the glaciers!).

From here we embarked on the Brewster Ice Explorer where we ventured by coach for 5 minutes until the roads became icey and mountainous.

Here the monster snow vehicles, specially designed for extreme conditions, picked us up for the remaining 15 minute ride to the toe of the glacier. Along the way the driver shares a wealth of knowledge about the formation, facts and deterioration of Athabasca Glacier, before you hop off and soak in the atmosphere and view for yourself.

Fun fact: The Ice you walk on, on the Glacier, is as thick as the Eiffel tower is tall!

You are advised to not actually walk up onto the Glacier due to the risk of large ice pits being camouflaged by a thin layer of snow.

As much as the adventurer in me likes to push boundaries, I figured my mum probably wanted me home alive.

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For Lunch we continued south down Highway 93 before switching to Highway 11 (David Thompson Highway) where we entered Banff National Park and arrived at McKenzies' Trail West.

Here we dined on the ranch in true cowboy fashion (they have stables here too for riding / horse hikes) before heading opposite to Icefield Heli Tours where we had our minds blown on a Helicopter tour over the most incredible coloured lakes, waterfalls and glaciers.

I have been lucky enough to experience a helicopter ride before, over Franz Joseph Glacier (New Zealand), but it was no less surreal than the first time.

I mean you cannot comprehend the feeling of rising and falling between fluffy layers of cloud as you fly over emerald green lakes and between mountains that could be from another planet.
It's exhilarating.

For a minute you experience the freedom of a bird and, lost for words, you can't help but fall deeper in love with the beauty gracing our earth.

It was a hard high to come down from, but like a bunch of kiddiewinkles on Christmas eve, we grinned the whole way back to Edmonton.

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What an end to a truly inspiring and heart warming trip.

Once again I have been reminded of just how much there is out there to explore and how little i've seen in comparison. My travel bug is stronger than ever and I already can't wait to experience more of this incredible country.

Canada, thank you endlessly for having me.

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Banff National Park Bucket List:

- Peyto Lake Lookout

- Lake Louise

- Snowshoeing

- Dog Sledging

- Canyon Icewalks

- Lake Minnewanka

- Moraine Lake reflection

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My adventures in photos:

Backpack - Kanken | Fur Hood Coat - ASOS | Leggings - Lorna Jayne|

Timberlands - ASOS

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Have you been to Canada?!
What did you get up to?!

↠

Watch my Canadian Adventures come to life in video:

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

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So yesterday marked 22 years of my existence.

I decided there was no better way, than to begin the day in my favourite place, London, with some of my favouritest people.

Somewhere I had worked as a part time hostess a few years ago now, but never dined at, was the first place that came to mind...

Duck and Waffle

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Duck and Waffle is located in East London (Bishopsgate), and is the highest restaurant in the UK, boasting unrivalled views over the city.

You can dine here for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and late night menus.

Basically whenever you fancy because they are open 24/7...

YES YOU HEARD.

24 HOURS 7 DAYS A WEEK.

To make a reservation click here

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Because I know how incredible the view is, I had the crazy idea of going for sunrise which, at this time of the year, is 6.30am.

My wonderful friends agreed with my crazy idea and we all set our alarms at 5.30am for a sunrise adventure.

Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate completely.

The low cloud and high altitude of the restaurant meant that we were suspended in the clouds for our breakfast so didn't get the lust after sunrise.

However at around 7.45am the clouds begun to clear and we finished our cups of tea with a glorious view over London.

So whilst the weather may not be a guarantee should you come here, the incredible menu is.

We devoured a range of breakfast treats, with which we all fell in love and soon forgot about the cloud.

I shared Columbian eggs (Scrambled egg, avocado & chorizo on sourdough)

the homemade nutella and banana waffle with one of my friends.

We may as well have licked the plate clean.

IT WAS AMAZING.

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I continued my birthday with some shopping, a coffee at my FAVOURITE tea shop (Amanzi in Soho), catching up with friends before heading back home for a spa evening at Nirvana with my mum.

Dreamy.

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Here's to another year of adventure.

Thank you for all the birthday messages :)

♡

Mollie xxxx

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Birthdays are a WONDERFUL excuse to get everyone together, and as you probably know, mine was this week.

I grew up in Berkshire (South West of London), so I have a bunch of my best friends back here and then a bunch of friends up in London where I engage in all my blogging/ singing work.

After a Duck and Waffle Birthday Breakfast with my London girlies, I headed home last night for a second birthday celebration.

We headed somewhere a little different.

Somewhere I have heard people endlessly raving about, but never actually been myself.

Top Golf in Surrey

Other UK locations include: Chigwell (Essex) & Watford (Herts)

THERE ARE LOADS OF LOCATIONS IN THE US

Check out the website here

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SO... What on earth is Top Golf?

Be it a date night, a weekend session or a chilled catch up with your best mates, Top Golf offers a venue, an activity and guaranteed entertainment.

You'll be allocated a booth for the evening from which you hit microchipped golf balls into an array of targets on the green.

The Top Golf system will do the math and a score board located in each booth will reveal the leaderboard.

Get competitive or get ridiculous... the choice is yours!

The best thing?

You can order food and drink to your booth
(where you have a table and chairs also)
so you can play, eat & sip your cocktails all night long.

(The food menu is REALLY good. I'm talking... pulled pork burgers, calamari, nachos, sweet potato fries)

See the full menu here
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FAQ's

Do you need to have played golf before?

NOPE! Only a couple of the girls had been to Top Golf before. The worse you are... the funnier it actually is!

Do you need your own golf clubs / outfit?

Nope! Rock up in whatever you fancy (there are heaters but it's basically outside) & golf equipment is all provided.

How do you get involved?!

First grab a group of friends, choose a location, pick a day...

& BOOK HERE (or just turn up)

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Top Golf hold special nights (the music and atmosphere gets turned UP) on Fridays & Saturdays - see more here

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Us girlies loved it so much we have decided to make it a regularly occurrence - an excuse to catch up more often.

Next time we may to try the FootGolf (same concept but with a football) haha!!

Amazing.

Thank you Top Golf for having us :)

♡

Mollie xxxx

My Top Golf Experience in photos:

A photo posted by Mollie Bylett (@molliebylett) on Oct 29, 2015 at 2:12am PDT

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First things first, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being 'taken' in your twenties either.

I'm certainly not here to preach breaks ups and single life, i'm just saying, if you do find yourself single, don't cry about it - EMBRACE IT.

A great relationship should never hinder you or your life,

only enhance it.

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Being single is wonderful.

And I can tell you one thing for sure.

It's a hell of a lot better than spending your youth

with the wrong person and having regrets later on.

Right now, I feel completely fulfilled with my life and it has nothing to do with a guy.

Possibly the most liberating feeling ever.

My happiness is in my hands.

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Here's some reasons I think being single in your 20's is a wonderful thing:

1. It's time to figure out who you are

Knowing who you are and what you want will be the means around which you build yourself a happy life.

If you tie your existence to someone else and never give yourself the chance to discover who YOU really are, how will you know what's going to make you happy long term?

2. Go Travelling!

(You saw it coming!)

Move to a different corner of the country if you fancy it, pack your bags and do a year abroad or simply go backpacking for a bit with your best mate.

Being single means... you can just go.

You'll have no emotional pulls from a relationship swaying your decision and you won't feel trapped by anything.

3. Concentrate on your career

Find something that makes you excited to get out of bed in the morning. THIS IS YOUR PRIME TIME.

You'll never have as much energy, drive and spare time as you do now. Forget date nights and chilling every weekend with your boyfriend.

Throw e v e r y t h i n g you have at life and

CHASE THOSE DREAMS.

4. Become independant

Learn how to do things by yourself.

It's great having help from others, but being confident in the knowledge that you could survive by yourself will be your strongest foundation.

It will ensure that you never stay with someone for the wrong reasons, because you know really, you could do it without them.

5. Embrace freedom & be reckless

Get it all out of your system. Do silly things. Stay up all night and go to that after party. Book that trip to Ibiza with your friends this summer. Kiss 3 different boys at the same party.

Do whatever you fancy...(within reason, come on now)

& don't be sorry about any of it.

Mistakes are the best way to learn.

6. Step out of your comfort zone

Let's face it, some people get a little too comfortable in relationships. So much so, the relationship becomes simply a habit and making any sort of changes becomes pretty daunting.

Being single means you have nothing to fear change of, and change actually becomes an exciting prospect. Taking a leap of faith could turn your life upside down and well... bring it on!

7. Be selfish with decisions

Being single mean you only have to worry about number 1.

If something makes you happy you do it & if it doesn't you don't have to.

And that's absolutely O.K because you have noone in your ear making you feel guilty.

8. You have the rest of your life for all that

Enjoy being single, and enjoy your friends being single too! You have the rest of your life to do the whole settling down thing.

In your 20's you will have the highest percentage of single friends before you get sacked off for engagement parties, family holidays and husbands! Make the most of it/them!

9. Learn to love yourself

Loving yourself is sometimes easier said than done, but its the best investment you will ever make.

If you don't have a healthy relationship with yourself, i can tell you now, you won't have a healthy relationship with anyone else.

10. You'll be happier when you do settle

If a relationship didn't bring you want you wanted, it'll have showed you what you don't want.

By dating the wrong ones, you'll know when you've found the right one, and when you do you'll appreciate them more.

You'll have confidence in knowing the grass isn't always greener and you'll be less likely to be led astray.

When you settle, you'll hope it's for good, so make sure you've shopped around first and you won't want a refund on your final purchase. ;)

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Thank you for reading!

What are your thoughts?!

Leave me a comment below and let me know!

♡

Mollie xxxx

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It takes place once every year and happens to be one of the biggest events on the travel calendar.

What is WTM?!

Press, organisations, businesses, start ups, students and tourist boards from all over the world come together for one big travel bonanza - World Travel Market.

A week filled with parties, meetings, conferences, talks and general conversation.

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Since I only begun focusing my blog on travel at the beginning of the year, I hadn't previously attended the event. And by the time I realised I wanted to attend, I was already going to be missing 3 days, due to a trip to Paris. (Seeing as it was travel related - i think i'm forgiven).

So, fresh off the Eurostar, I headed straight to the Excel in East London for a quick whiz around the stands.

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More than anything, my WTM experience has probably tripled the length of my bucket list.

Countries, places and experiences I never knew existed are now in the forefront of my mind and I am literally lost for where to go next.

Anywho, I thought I would share a few of the places that stood out to me that I'd like to experience in the next year, if not two.

(A girl can dream... right?)

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Zimbabwe

- Bungy jumping over Victoria Falls

- Micro lighting over Victoria falls in the moonlight

- Camping in and amongst the wildlife

- Witness some of the most gorgeous sunsets in the world

Japan

- Cherry blossom landscapes

- Incredible food

- mt. Fuji

Vietnam

A backpacking destination I'm just dying to explore.

Lake District, UK

Somewhere so close to home, filled with so much beauty, that I hadn't even considered.

Iceland

A massive bucket lister.

Ice caves, polar bears and the phenomenon that is the Northern Lights.

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Thank you for reading!

WHAT'S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?!

Leave me a comment below and let me know!

♡

Mollie xxxx

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I’m currently sat outside Pie Face in Brisbane Domestic airport, rinsing their wi-fi and waiting for my last connecting flight to Hamilton Island.

YES I'm in AUSTRALIA! WOOHOO!

Being sat with this coffee in London seems like a lifetime ago now, yet it was the last thing i did...

I’m planning to blog as i go throughout my trip here in OZ so i'll leave my reasoning for being here, until the next post...

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25 hours ago... you would have found me in a little cafe in London that satisfied my wanderlust nearly as much as standing on foreign land.

Nearly, i said... but not quite.

I’d like to tell you about a little hotspot crawling distance from Waterloo station, a place in itself thriving with travellers making their way in and out of our beautiful capital...

Four Corners Cafe

see website here

If there’s anything that gets a silly childish grin on my face, it’s maps, bucket lists, quotes, and basically anything and everything travel related.

From the moment I walked into Four Corners Cafe, i don’t think that grin left my face, not even for a moment.
Let me show you round...

Filled with nothing but travel momentos, memories, inspiration and furniture, it goes without saying that this cute (yet little may i add) cafe is solely designed for us daydreamers (& coffee lovers).

Oh and just to assist you whilst you daydream, they have an incredible selection of coffees and cakes, alongside some daily soup cauldrons.

Just to give you an idea of the goodies on offer, we shared a slice of banana, butterscotch and popcorn cake, alongside a slice of the most incredible gooey flourless brownie.

Need I say more.

I couldn’t go another day without telling you.

H E A V E N.

↠

So if you find yourself waiting for someone at Waterloo, or with a spare hour as you wait for the Peak hour to disperse, hop on over.

Pop this address in your Google maps:

12 Lower Marsh

London

SE1 7RJ

and thank me later!

P.s. They are open
Mon - Fri 7.30am - 6.30pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
& closed Sundays.

↠

Thank you for reading!

P.s. would any of you guys be interested in travel meet ups? I'm thinking of hosting some, in London, and eventually around the world!

Leave me a comment below if you think you'd be interested and where you are in the world :D

♡

Mollie xxxx

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HAVE YOU SEEN MY LATEST VIDEO?

Watch my Canadian Adventures come to life in video:

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So if you're with me on Snapchat (molliebylett) you may already know why I'm back out here in Australia.

And if you missed it - it's a good job you've popped over here cause i'm about to tell y'allllll again :)

I'm out here for a project unlike anything i've done before.

↠

Together with Contiki, Surfrider Foundation and 10 other Storytellers (Digital Influencers) we are here to discover, travel, explore and share our story.

A story about a subject that is affecting and destroying the beautiful world we live in.

If we want to continue to travel and explore (i know i do) then we need to do OUR PART in preserving nature and preventing the damage from getting any worse.

Did you know...

270,000 metric tonnes of plastic currently floats in the ocean?

One million sea birds and 100,000 mammals die annually from ingesting or getting trapped in plastic?

And most worryingly of all, we eat the fish that eat the plastic.

↠

During the next 10 days, as a team, we will be exploring some of the incredible things Australia has to offer and also witness the destruction that is going on first hand.

And i'll be taking you every step of the way.

If you've been with me for a while, you'll know that I backpacked the East Coast of Australia last November and you'll too notice that I will be revisiting some of the same spots along the coast.

But for a different cause, with different company & doing completely different activities, I can only feel blessed that I get to witness it all again.

(If you're planning to backpack - see my Whitsunday Backpackers experience here)

36 hours, 3 planes, 2 transits, 1 boat and 1 taxi later, I made it to Airlee Beach - the gateway to The Whitsundays.

After unpacking and reminiscing as i strolled through the quiet little town of Airlee beach - we headed to Cactus Jack's (a Mexican restaurant on the sea front), where we met the rest of the dream team and begun bonding over some INCRED food.

Jet lag had us all in bed pretty early and ready for our 6am start.

As much as it was a serious struggle having missed 2 full nights sleep due to the flight over from London, NONE of us were complaining.

Are you ready for an adventure?

I'm actually heading out for dinner right now, so will have to fill in the blanks and save the details in the post for later. But these photos are just too beautiful to hold back.

I have a feeling you'll agree...

↠

Thank you for reading!

♡

Mollie xxxx

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Continuing our adventures after an incredible couple of days sailing the Whitsundays, we headed back to Abel Marina port where our Contiki bus was waiting to take us to our next destination.

It was a long journey kinda day, as we headed 8 hours down the coast to Capricorn Resort in Yeppoon. A random location you may think, but we were here for our first active experience with Surfrider Foundation.

Incase you missed my last post (click here to read), I’m out here in Australia doing an environmental project with Contiki Travel and Surfrider Australia.

11 of us will be telling our story as we witness both the incredible beauty that Australia has to offer but also the devastating effects of Plastic pollution on the beaches and marine life.

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It’s time to spread the word.

To show you what destruction we, humans, are doing to the earth & what we can do to take responsibility.

↠

The Surfrider team met us at our hotel bright and early at 6.50am before leading us on a 4X4 ride through the dunes to Little Five Rocks Beach, a secluded pocket of coastline.

Little Five Rocks beach washes up an incredible amount of plastic due to its positioning, the tides and the swells, and we were here to witness it.

I’ve been to many a beach in my time but I’ve never noticed any significant plastic pollution aside from the odd piece here and there.

Honestly the moment we walked onto this beach, my jaw dropped.

Packaging, bottle tops, fishing equipment, crates, bottles, flip flops, string, toothbrushes… you name it - the lot.

It was honestly as if someone had set the whole thing up.

Like they had come down to the beach and just emptied a skip full of plastic onto the beach to prove a point.

In just under an hour we collected 112kg of plastic - and believe me, we could have gone for days.

Really we only just touched the surface, on just one single beach.

It’s not okay. It’s heart breaking. It’s real. Not only is it ruining the gorgeous natural beauty we are blessed with but it is killing marine life and being invested by fish.

And to think - we eat these fish.

There are traces of plastic in all of us.

The consequences of plastic pollution are vast, dangerous and still, the problem is getting worse by the day.

We may not be able to change the law on the use of plastic industrially, but we can change our association with and usage of.

Today’s beach clean was incredibly eye opening. Even just in the last few days I have actively been noticing just HOW MUCH day to day activity involves plastic.

Try it yourself. Just for today, be conscious of everything you use and come in contact with. How much of it is made out of plastic?

If there’s an option to avoid plastic, particularly single use of the stuff - take it.

(Reusable bags, coffee cups, travel toiletries etc)

More on how you can take responsibility and help preserve our incredibly stunning planet coming soon as we head on another Surfrider adventure in Sydney.

STAY TUNED.

↠

Thank you for reading!

♡

Mollie xxxx

See for yourself...

(Share this post for me, and for the planet. Let's make a difference.)

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When I found out we were returning to Byron Bay on this tour with Contiki and Surfrider -

THE biggest smile immediately stretched across my face.

I've been lucky enough to witness some incredible places, not only this year, but in my lifetime, and the two places I've always have a special place in my heart for are Byron Bay & The Gili Islands (Indonesia).

I found peace in both places, I felt at home & I knew I'd return someday, if it was the last thing I did.

I obviously never expected to come back this soon, which made the matter SO much more exciting.

↠

On the way down to Byron we stopped off at Currumbin Sanctuary, where we got to hold a Koala and feed the kangaroos, before continuing on to Byron...

↠

Byron Bay

I don't know whether it's the

gorgeous weather I was blessed with both times,

the friendly people,

the laid back atmosphere,

the health conscious organic shops with the most gorgeous of menus,

the beautiful beaches,

the clear waters,

the hippy fashion or just the general good vibes in this place,

but Byron Bay stole my heart all over again.

My favourite moments in Byron:

- Grabbing an Acai Bowl for breakfast and sitting on the beach

- Goats cheese and Pumpkin salad at Byron Fresh Cafe

- Homeware and trinket shopping in the little shops (making friendship bracelets hehe)

- Dolphin and turtle Kayak tour to Watson's Bay

- Chill out and watch the surfers on Tallows Beach

- Watch the sun set at the lighthouse

- THE BEST Falafel (street beside Byron Fresh Cafe)

↠

Thank you for reading!

Have you guys been to Byron?!

What were your favourite spots?!

♡
Mollie xxxx

You can read My Guide to Byron Bay here

Read my Christmas day in Byron here.

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After sailing The Whitsundays, par taking in our first Beach Clean on Five Rocks Beach and letting our hair down in Byron Bay, we had already been blown away on several occasions by the beauty that Australia has to offer.
And, in the case, of the beach clean, the utter destruction human activity is having on this beauty.

But the trip didn't end there...

We continued to explore Australia Contiki Style, stopping off at a Cattle Station in the outback (UNREAL), Spot X Surf camp in Coffs Harbour & last but not least, Sydney.

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Cattle Farm, Yeppoon

Initially, when we were told we were staying on a Cattle farm in the outback for a night, admittedly, we all looked at each other and raised our eyebrows slightly.

Smelly animals, bud ridden beds, no phone signal and the potential prospect of... having to talk to each other.

UH OH.

Haha, i'm just kidding... well kind of.

Ever ready for an adventure, we all arrived, prepared to embrace what ever it was we were about to be faced with.

To our surprise - we couldn't have been more wrong.

Introducing... The Old Station

This state of the art, spacious and very much impeccable barn was a DREAM.

We all dumped our bags in our cute little bunk bed rooms that circled the outside of the barn before heading inside for a cup of tea and some fresh warm bread drizzled with golden syrup.

The rest of the afternoon had us explore the ground of the farm on the tractor, get whizzed up into the air by the on site open helicopter before freshening up before a night of ciders and karaoke in the barn.

Oh and inbetween all of that I fell very much in love with their farm dog who has a wonderful name... Molly.

A night without access to the outside world was a much needed reminder that, life DID exist before technology and there is nothing more beautiful than uninterrupted human interaction.

↠

Spot X Surf

Located somewhere north of Coffs Harbour and South of Byron Bay, this little gem of a place took us, once again, by surprise.

We were told that the accommodation was really basic and so to not expect much.

Yes, there were many a bug to go around and no there was no air conditioning. But the low expectation had us all gob smacked when we saw the location.

Only gone and got ourselves a self catered waterfront cabin.

A mere 10 steps from the beach, a balcony over looking the ocean and a kitchen with a sea view - I fell immediately in LOVE.

We spent the rest of the day surfing, lounging and joking around before joining the rest of the camp for a communal dinner of homemade Chicken Curry.

Whether you're staying in a teepee, a dorm room or waterfront cabin here at Spot X, be it for 4 days, 4 weeks or 4 months - I instantly got the vibe that everyone becomes one big family.

Backpackers, travellers, surfers and alike all immerse themselves here in a authentic surf lifestyle, before continuing there adventures up and down the coast.

Whether you'd like to enjoy the surf, learn to surf or become a surf instructor, Spot X caters for all.

As we all huddled around the campfire and listened to local musical talent - we all dreamed of staying longer.

Thank you for having us Spot X.

(If this sounds like your thing, add it in to your Australia trip! See more here.)

↠

Last stop... SYDNEY!

The last stop for us on this incredible tour of Australia with Contiki and Surfrider Foundation was Sydney.

Here we checked into the Travelodge located in a perfectly central spot next to Hyde Park.

Our itinerary was packed as usual and began with a twilight climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Last time I came to Sydney was at the end of my 7 weeks backpacking trip last year. I didn't have the budget to do the Bridge Climb despite being desperate to, so I was over the moon that not only we got to do it this time... but we got to do it at twilight - the best time.

Our next couple of days included a trip to Avalon, one of the Northern beaches in Sydney, where we met Surfrider and participated in a reuseable bag workshop.

From physical donations made to the charity, the team at Surfrider make thousands of bags by hand for distribution across Australia.

Their work is breaking boundaries and they even have local supermarkets offering the FREE use of these bags to avoid unnecessary plastic bag use.

We, too, got hands on with making our own reusable bags before heading out into the annual Avalon market bonanza and putting them to good use.

Our last day had us visit the world famous location of Bondi Beach.

Filled with award winning restaurants, hot surfers and beach side hang outs this iconic stretch of beach can't be missed on your trip to Sydney.

When we were told we were to participate in our final beach clean here at Bondi - I was a little confused.

I've been to Bondi before and it never struck me as dirty, but i knew i was about to be proven wrong.

Every morning the beach is raked of litter to allow thousands of visitors each day to enjoy it. But even so, the raking only just scratches the surface.

As we rummaged around and begun to dig beneath the first layer of sand - what we found was heart breaking.

In just under an hour we found SO much rubbish, including 1476 cigarette butts, which, for a non smoking beach - isn't cool.

The truth is, we all need to take responsibility for our part in this. Laziness just isn't good enough.

If you, like me, LOVE exploring the beauty of this earth we need to act sustainably, otherwise generations to come will have nothing to enjoy.

Plastic is a massive problem.

And the problem is getting bigger.

Plastic is destroying the ocean, the marine life, the beaches, and eventually... will destroy us.

It's toxic and it's making its way into our food chain.

We need to use plastic responsibly and avoid its use wherever possible.

We need to make sure we don't litter and recycle wherever possible.

We need to act and not ignore.

Thank you Contiki and Surfrider for an unbelievable and unforgettable experience.

I know it has changed my attitude to plastic use and consumption and I hope you guys can think twice now too.

Stay tuned for a video on my YouTube this week where you can come behind the scenes with me on this adventure and find out a little more about the amazing work that Surfrider does :)

↠

Thank you for reading!

Have you guys been to Australia?!

What were your favourite spots?!

Read my Top 20 things to do in Sydney here

Read about my roadtrip to feed the Kangaroos in Morisset, Sydney here

Read my adventure into the Blue Mountain, Sydney here

♡
Mollie xxxx

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After spending my last Christmas sipping fresh coconuts and lazing in the sunshine on Byron Bay, i feel well over due a Christmas.

I'm talking, a proper English Christmas.

In my opinion, there is nowhere that does it quite like England, London if we are being particular.

The extravagant street lights and decoration, the hustle and bustle of late christmas shoppers, chestnut stands waivring their scent through the crisp cold air down into the tube stations and those gorgeous christmas days out we plan with our loved ones.

Those are my favourite.

Without being a Londoner it can be hard to know the right places to go.

So i'll share my research with you and give you a helping hand.

Grab your friend, your boyfriend, your mum or your grandparents, find a date in your calendar and head up for some festivity!

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1. Royal Albert Hall Christmas Festival

Join Raymond Gubbay's series of festive sing alongs and musical spectacles at the iconic Royal Albert Hall this December.

No better way to get in the spirit than with thousands singing you favourite Christmas Classic.

See more & book tickets here

2. Christmas blow out comedy at hammersmith

Thursday 10th and Friday 11th

See more and buy your tickets here

3. Grab tickets for the West End & dinner

Whether it's a festive pantomime (see pantos in London here) or a Musical - heading to the west end is nothing short of inspiring. Sing along to your favourite tunes, or escape into a magical daydream as you watch some of the most talented performers do their thang.

My fav's / recommendations: Wicked The Musical, Mamma Mia (my best friend is in it! WOOP!), The Lion King, Elf

4. Christmas lights, Oxford Street

One of my favourite things about Christmas is London is the lights. The whole of London lights up and it's so magical.

I can't help but smile as I dip in and out of the shops, greeted by these festive silhouettes.

5. Winter Wonderland

If you can't make it to Germany for the real deal, pop over to Hyde Park where you can shop in the wooden huts, indulge in a hog roast with a glass of mulled wine or even hit the ice rink.

Endless amount of fun.

Did I mention there a rotating carousel bar too?

See my visit to Winter Wonderland last year here.

6. Ice Skating

Are you the active adventurer?

Not afraid to embarrass yourself and fancy a bundle of laughs.

Wrap up and head to one of London's iconic Ice Rinks...

See the top places to skate this Christmas here

7. Traditional German Christmas Market on Southbank

Friday 20th November - Thursday 24th December

Clustered along the riverbank, our market's wooden chalets are filled with festive food, drinks, gifts and treats.

See website here

Opening times:

Sun - Thurs 11am-9pm

Friday - Saturday 11am-10pm

8. Prince Charles Cinema

Located near Leicester Square, Prince Charles Cinema will be screening Christmas classics all throughout December.

Kick back relax and make sure you bring some popcorn...

Tuesday 9th December
Miracle on 34th Street

Saturday 13th December
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Nightmare Before Christmas

Sunday 14th December
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Elf

Saturday 14th December
6.30pm Elf
9pm The Muppets Christmas Carol sing along

Sunday 15th December
Scrooged
Love Actually

Monday 16th December
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
Love Actually
A Christmas Story

Tuesday 17th December
Home Alone 2 (Lost in New York)

Wednesday 18th December
Gremlins

Friday 19th December
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Jingle All the Way

Saturday 20th December
The Muppet Christmas Carol
The Nightmare Before Christmas

Sunday 21st December
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Home Alone

Monday 22nd December
Love Actually

Tuesday 23rd December
Love Actually

Friday 26th December
Home Alone
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

Tickets from £7.50 - See website here.

9. Bumper Roller Disco at South bank

Now until January 17th

Hop onto this wooden floored disco popping up under Hungerford Bridge this Christmas.

Get your skates on, grab a glass of mulled wine or your favourite festival cocktail from The Mirror Ball Bar and head for the dance floor...

See website and grab your tickets here

10. Cinderella on ice

14th - 21st December

Watch this enchanting fairy tale be bought to life as Cinderella gets her skates on.

With your family or for a date with your best mates - this annual festivity at Alexandra Palace promises an evening of entertainment.

See more and book tickets here

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Thank you for reading!

Where are your favourite spots in London at Christmas?!

Share your knowledge below - i love finding new places to go :)

♡
Mollie xxxx

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Growing up my Christmas list was always endless.

There were so many things I couldn't afford and I pretty much wanted to have the latest everything.

Didn't we all?

But as we grow up, we get jobs, and satisfaction comes from being able to afford to buy all these things ourselves. Therefore being less likely to rely on Christmas to obtain something.

Now, as a travelled obsessed 22 year old, I would spend money on experiences over 'things' any day of the week.

So judging by what I'd love...
If it can't be plane tickets, Whitsunday cruises or Bungee jump passes...
Here's a selection of goodies that I think are perfect for any adventurer.

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My Christmas Gift Guide for a Travel Lover

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'Let the Adventure begin' pouch

Shop this item here

'Brb it's time for an Adventure' Luggage Tag

Shop this item here

Personalised mug

Shop this item here

GoPro Hero / Session

Shop the hero / Shop the session

Travel Notepad

I got mine as a present but they do similar ones in Urban Outfitters / ASOS / Not on the Highstreet etc

When it comes to adventures, I'm willing to pretty much try anything.
(I have a feeling i'll regret saying that).

I'm a wee bit of an adrenalin seeker (incase you hadn't already guessed), and I LOVE trying new things and making checks on my bucket list.

So when the invitation to Ski in Val D'isere landed in my inbox, my hand went straight up high and my reply bounced straight back with, OBVIOUSLY, a YES PLEASE.

A chance to FINALLY try out this skiing malarkey.

↠

Saturday 5th December came around soon enough, and so myself alongside 5 other travel bloggers, we met at Heathrow airport and flew to Geneva, Switzerland (the closest airport to access Val D'isere). Here, a transfer picked us up, and we drove 3 hours through the mountains, slowly inclining until we arrived in the magical resort of Val D'Isere.

We stayed in a gorgeous 4 bedroom (8 sleeper) apartment called Chalet Marwari which is one of the many gorgeous properties available to hire through UK specialist Powder White.

Powder White specialises in their bespoke services in top ski resorts, offering hotels, apartments and chalets to book for your stay. They also offer epic experiences and can/will organise as much as you need during your stay to convenience and tailor to your needs.

I'm talking everything from ski hire, transfers, lessons and passes, to restaurant bookings, hostesses and nightlife recommendations.

It really did take the weight off our shoulders, made the whole thing run so smoothly and allowed us to relax and focus on the skiing.

(Eating and Apres too of course).

We had the privilege of chalet hostesses during our stay in Chalet Marwari which was unREAL.

Anytime from 7.45am the girls would have a full spread of breakfast goodness ready to fuel us for the day. Eggs, bacon, mushrooms, granola, porridge, freshly basked croissants - you name it.

We would then head out and have lunch on the slopes before arriving back to our chalet in the afternoon to freshly baked cookies and coffee before champagne and canopes at 8pm and a full blown 3 course dinner at 8.30pm.

If there was still room, (which we managed to find), then this was followed by cheese boards and chocolates.

As you can imagine... we didn't go hungry.

I think i would definitely add the addition of a chalet host if i came skiing again. It saves you so much time and completely takes the stress of cooking and cleaning away.

After all, you are on holiday :)

View the Powder White website here to browse / enquire / make a booking.

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This early in the season (1st week of December), weather and snow isn't guaranteed to be great in Val D'isere, but fortunately our stay had fallen on two incredible days filled with both mounds of snow and cloudless blue skies.

We begun our first day with 2 X 2 hour ski lessons with Ski Generation who took us from the VERY basics to (some of us) skiing blue runs in just 2 days.

Apparently this is quite an achievement and this kind of progression would usually take 5-7 days, but I'm going to put it down to their patience and thorough teaching. Thank you Danilo!

(I'm going to put together a 'Beginners Guide to Skiing' - if this is something that interests you and there's anything you'd like to know, leave me a comment so i can be sure to cover it!)

↠

Both days we ate lunch out on the slopes (Day 1 - La Grande Ourse, Day 2 - La Tete de Solaise), both of which were fuelled with wine and cheese dishes - mmm-mmm.

By the time we had skied our way through the afternoon and all the calories we had eaten, it was time for, dare i say it, the best part.
Taking the ski boots off and having a glass (or two) of mulled wine.

WARNING: When at high altitudes (like Val D'isere) you can easily become dehydrated and are also less likely to feel it. It is so important to stay hydrated to avoid headaches and nose bleeds. Drinking lots of water will also avoid you being drunk after 2 glasses of mulled wine (trust me... haha!)

Not an ideal situation if you still have to ski down the mountain...

I honestly couldn't tell you what my favourite part was about this trip. There was no single factor that made it...

The honest, interesting and beautiful company
The gorgeous weather
The snowy christmas vibes
Coming up with a glass of mulled wine
The endless, insanely tasting food
The bliss of skiing in-between epic mountains
Apres Ski

People always told me if I ever tried out a skiing holiday, i'd fall in love.

And that, i certainly have.

↠

Massive massive thank you to Powder White for having me, Swiss Air for transporting me,

New Ski Gen for teaching me

and Snowberry ski hire,

Roxy, Perfect Moment, Sorel and Quay Australia

for kitting me out!

Oh and to the amazing company I was blessed to be in the presence of:

Fraser, Powder White

Jess - thetravelista.com

Zanna - zannavandijk.com

Emma - girllostinthecity.com

Rachel - departmentofwandering.com

Leyla - thecutlerychronicles.com

Laura - heroineinheels.com

My first experience of skiing couldn't have been more perfect.

Love Mollie xoxo

↠

See my adventure in pictures:

DAY 2

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I can't believe Christmas is in 12 days!

WHERE HAS THIS YEAR GONE.

I have to admit, i'm a little behind this year.

I actually only started my Christmas shopping online last night...

but at least it's underway!

Check out my Christmas Gift Guide for the Adventure Travel Lover here

↠

Next thing to organise is outfits.

There are so many parties, get togethers, reunions and shin-digs this time of year and well... it would be a shame to wear the same thing to every one right?

Shopping - justified.

When I need an outfit quick (i'm sure many of you girls will agree), I usually head straight to ASOS, Topshop or Miss Guided.

Normally ASOS admittedly, as it's usually last minute and i have the unlimited next day delivery for £9.95 a year thaaaaang.

(SO WORTH GETTING).

My christmas dress this year is from Lipsy, but I have ordered a couple of other bits too.

These were my shortlisted favs - incase you're having trouble finding stuff!

↠

Lots of love and Christmas Adventuring!

Mollie x x

After an incredible 10 day adventure down under with Contiki, i extended my stay for another 5 days in Sydney to jam pack in some more exploring.

(Obviously).

As soon as my flights were booked, I popped a message to one of my best friends who, last year, moved over from the UK to Auckland, New Zealand.

We hadn't seen each other for over a year at this point, so to be on the same side of the world as each other and not catch up seemed crazy.

Fortunately she had some spare holiday left and managed to hop on a 3.5 hour flight over to join me on the last leg of my Australian adventure.

↠

As you know, I've been lucky enough to explore Sydney before when I backpacked the East Coast last Christmas. But for my friend, it was her first time. The day she arrived we put our tourist hats straight on, grabbed our cameras and took to the streets.

↠

The second day had us take on a roadtrip.

One of my favouritest things in the WORLD to do.

From following various Australian bloggers on Instagram (come join me - @molliebylett), I had made note of a couple of bucket list beaches that looked incredible on the East Coast.

One, I noticed, that kept popping up was...

Hyams Beach.

Hyams beach is renowned for having 'the whitest sand in the world' winning the Guinness World Record in 2006.

And, well, you know me.

I'm a sucker for a white beach, a blissful spot and a gorgeous photo - Hyams beach seemed to boast it all.

The idea was very quickly sold to me and, too, approved by my friend.

We decided to not book a car in advance as we wanted to play it by ear and see where the wind (nights out) took us.

This obviously meant missing out on some early bird deals online, but sometimes it's nice to escape routine and just be spontaneous.

↠

CAR HIRE

We ended up hiring a car from Redspot Car Rentals, located just on Hyde Park next to the Marriott hotel (where we actually hired a car to see the Kangaroos last time we were in Sydney).

We got a top of the range car fitted with Sat Nav for $100 AUD.

This included breakdown cover, lowered excess on any damage, an additional cost for being under 25, and just excluded Petrol.

We did 6 hours driving in one day though and it only cost around $40 between us (about £10 each).

The car was SO smooth to drive, and the service was pretty faultless.

The only downside was, the car rental shop shuts at 7pm so if you want to stay out later and make the most of your 24 hour hire, you can, but you need to find somewhere to park it.

Sydney parking is very much like London, few and far between and also very expensive. We managed to find somewhere near our hotel and just got up at 8am before the charge begun. Just an additional cost to bear in mind when renting a car!

↠

GRAND PACIFIC DRIVE

With a car finally sorted, we headed out through the suburbs of Sydney to begin our journey south to Jervis Bay - the host of Hyams Beach.

You can take the inland motorway to head south or drive along the coast, both of which take a similar space of time.

Obviously with a choice of a sea view or a non-sea view drive we went with the sea view option.

Little did we know we would be encountering one of the most beautiful drives Australia has to offer - the Grand Pacific Drive.

Just under an hour south of Sydney we joined onto this incredible stretch of road which took us alongside epic coastlines, beaches and rock pools all the way down to Nowra, through Shell Harbour, Wollongong and Bulli.

We had a long drive ahead of us and had only allocated a day for this roadtrip so unfortunately didn't have time to stop off and explore all the villages we found along the way.

If you do find yourself in this corner on the world, you can find out more about the amazing routes and stop offs on the Official Grand Pacific Drive Website HERE.

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HYAMS BEACH

200km later and a few wrong turns later we caught a glimpse of the water through the trees and knew we were close. We clamboured out of the car and down some sand laden paths down to the beach where we came across everything we had been hoping for...

My all time favourite sandals // SOLILLAS

Shop the animal print ones

Shop the blue ones here

Hyams beach really did give The Whitsundays a run for its money.

You know when you're looking at the sea and the colours are just out of this world.

So gorgeous you can't believe they are real.

Yep - Hyams Beach owned it.

I have to admit here, when we arrived some girls came over to warn us that a shark had been sighted in the shallow waters 3 times that day already.

Scary hey?!

But after all, we are in Australia, the waters are bath temperature kinda warm and apparently it's Shark season.

Just be careful if you do go! :)

After splashing around in the shallows, eating our picnic and dozing off in the afternoon heat, it was already time to head back to Sydney.

We would have loved to explore more of Jervis Bay and could have even stayed for a few days solely on Hyams Beach, but Sydney adventures were calling us back...

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Thank you for reading!

Happy adventuring :)

Mollie x x

Have you guys been to Australia?!

What were your favourite spots?!

Read my Top 20 things to do in Sydney here

Read about my roadtrip to feed the Kangaroos in Morisset, Sydney here

Read my adventure into the Blue Mountain, Sydney here

♡
Mollie xxxx

STAY TUNED FOR THE VIDEO of our adventure :)

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So it's 1 week till Christmas and I'm finally back in the country for more than a few days...

(which I'm surprisingly happy about)

This means not only catching up on (lots of) work, sleep, and with friends and family, but time to explore the incredible city that sits on my doorstep back home - London.

No matter how many countries I visit during my travels, and how many places I sometimes feel i'd rather live, there is a magic in London that never fades and always makes me glad to be home.

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I've been exploring London for years now, but the beauty of the city is that it is forever changing. I know that I still haven't even touched the surface of what London has to offer...

and that very much pleases my restless soul.

After climbing Sydney Harbour Bridge last month, it reminded me that London, too, has an iconic building to climb - The O2, something I was yet to experience.

So, not being one to hang about, I grabbed the most important lady in my life (Mum obviously) and insisted on an adventure...

(Hoping to make up for the amount of time i've abandoned her for this year! Oops...)

Yep... you guessed it!

The adventure begun with a climb of the O2!

FACTS ABOUT THE O2

(that i was previously clueless about!)

It's 365 metres in circumference to represent the days of the year...

There are 12 support towers reaching from the top to represent the months of the year...

and it is 52 metres in height to represent the number of weeks in the year...

Oh & one more for luck...

It would take 3.8 billion pints of beer to fill up all the space in the O2!

Up at The O2 opened in 2012 and has since see over 300,000 people ascend the roof for 360 panoramic views over London.

You can book a time slot to climb it in the daytime, or at night time as the city turns to twilight.

I prefer doing twilight / night climbs as cities can look a bit dull and industrial from above in the day (my personal opinion).

By night time, it doesn't matter what the weather, the sky fades away and the skyline beams with pretty lights and iconic silhouettes.

Either way though, really, the view is epic.

After a rather comical safety brief video, you are provided with a boiler-suit-type-thing and a pair of 'safe climbing' shoes to change into.

Next your harness goes on and gets checked (always helpful), your guide runs through a few safety guidelines and... you're off!

In terms of ability, the climb doesn't require too much physically.

It varies in 3 gradients, the first of which being the steepest, at which point you will be glad they insisted on wearing your 'safety shoes'!

The climbs do continue through the rain and it certainly provides great entertainment value!

We had a few drops of rain on our way back down but again, the shoes served their purpose. However, during the entire climb (apart from when on the viewing platform) you are attached by a harness that locks in its place should you slide.

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There's nothing I love more than fresh air and climbing to a point of perspective, so needless to say I loved this experience.

Such a lovely gift for a friend, partner or family member :)

You can book your Up at The O2 experience here

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Extra Info:

- Tickets are £35 for adults and the whole experience is about 90 minutes :)

- You have a pocket, in which you can take your phone and use it when you get to the platform at the top.

- There is a professional photographer who will take 3 photos at different stages of the climb which you can purchase at the exit

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Our adventure came in three parts.

The second part was a trip to Winter Wonderland (see my blog post here) for some hot mulled wine, some carol listening and a little people watching before heading to the final part.

A bar hidden inside a hotel called The Milestone.

From the elegant exterior of the hotel I would never have guessed it, but this hotel, lies on grounds where there once laid stables.

Before we even stepped inside the doored entrance, the doorman greeted us with a warm smile and welcomed us in, as if into his home.

The decor was instantly charming, and even more so when we set foot in The Stables Bar, our home for the evening.

The walls and furnishings in The Stables Bar adorned with vintage shades of green and brown whilst artwork and objects depicting traditional racing scenes fill every corner.

There wass a real cosiness as soon as we entered, and even more so as we tucked into one of their staple tipples.

We begun with champagne and a set of complimentary canopes, before perching at the rich mahogany bar and watching the incredible bartenders demonstrate their skills.

Even if you don't like Whiskey (this was my first experience!), the process and perfection in the preparation of the Whiskey before it is gently poured over the hand carved diamond ice structure sitting in the glass... is an event on it's own.

Voila!

Presenting... The Milestone Old Fashioned - A House blended and barrel rested Whiskey on the rocks.

Admittedly, this was a tad strong for my first whiskey sitting, but the citrus side escape definitely helped it slide down.

We also sampled their other signature cocktail - 'Breakfast at the Milestone' which was a bit fruitier, and went down a LOT easier.

I think i'll need to be eased gently into this Whisky drinking thing.

See the full cocktail menu here

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We finished with some Sesame seed chicken strips, one mojito and one berry based cocktail (which i can't remember the name of, sorry) as we chatted the rest of the night away.

The service and hospitality we received here at The Stables Bar is definitely worth mentioning.

The bartenders (Marco and Fabrizio) were brilliant, amazing infact, and assisted on every level.

Be it the details, their interaction or their incredible cocktail making skills - I would give them a solid 10/10.

They really did make the experience...

as did you Mum ;)

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For more information about Stables Bar and The Milestone Hotel you can visit:

www.milestonehotel.com

or call 020 7917 1000

The Milestone Hotel is at 1 Kensington Court, London, W8 5DL

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No better way to catch up than to put technology away and pick up a cocktail!

Thank you for reading!

♡
Mollie xxxx

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I always get asked which products I use, and after travelling a fair bit this year I have now started to find my favourite products.

I am by no means a make up artist, skin consultant or hair dresser but these are the products that work for me and that I love :)

When I'm backpacking I obviously keep my lotions and potions to a minimum, but should I have the space, these are the bits I like to have with me...

Thank you for watching :)

Mollie XX

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PRODUCT LINKS

My Acne experience blog post: http://bit.ly/1J0GSeY

A-MAY-ZING discounted beauty site : http://fave.co/1xstNSZ

P R O D U C T L I N K S:

↠// HAIR

Kerastase sun protection - http://fave.co/1mtKRGW

Kerastase sun range - http://fave.co/1mtKRGW

Redken Shampoo and conditioner - http://fave.co/1NvA8o7

Kerastase Shampoo and conditioner - http://fave.co/1mtKSuh

Tangle teezer hair brush - http://fave.co/1QxLkVd

Denman tangle tamer hair brush - http://bit.ly/1PhmabO

Oh Bee Hive Dry Shampoo - http://bit.ly/1m02H4p

↠// BODY

Hawaiian Tropic:

Silk Hydration - http://bit.ly/1NvApr0

Face protection - http://bit.ly/1me2zh1

After sun - http://bit.ly/1OfAdzG

Golden tint - http://amzn.to/1YsN418

Sure Deodorant (Trust me it's amazing!) - http://amzn.to/1YsN8hp

↠// FACE

Clarins:

Cleanser - http://fave.co/1T907TP

Wake up booster toner - http://fave.co/1NvAI5b

Daily energiser moisturiser - http://fave.co/1NvAL0T

Exfoliator - http://fave.co/1QxMd02

Origins over night mask - http://bit.ly/1S0mzAi

Nivea Hydrocare lip balm -

↠// MAKE UP

Nars Primer - http://rstyle.me/~7aGkE

Nars tinted moisturiser - http://bit.ly/1Yohwi9

MAC skinfinish powder - http://bit.ly/1k98u5E

Bodyshop Bronze Brush - http://bit.ly/1S0kZOG

Revlon Highlighting palette - http://bit.ly/1RwjU22

Benefit Lolli balm - http://rstyle.me/n/bgdt9n7cbw

NARS lip pencil - http://bit.ly/22gM5G1

LAQA & Co Cheeky tint - http://bit.ly/1mtKaNN

KIKO eyebrow pencil - http://bit.ly/1DVLPDl

Birchbox subscription service - https://www.birchbox.co.uk

Thank you for reading!

♡
Mollie xxxx

LET'S GET SOCIAL!
Come and join me on Instagram - molliebylett
Snapchat - molliebylett
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Ideas for a Christmas Day Out in London

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My First EVER Skiing Trip with Powder White in Val D'Isére, France

My Festive Season Outfit Picks this Christmas

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Climbing the 02 & Cocktails at The Stables Bar, London

My Travel Hair, Skin and Make Up Favourites