Mollie Bylett | A Travel and Lifestyle Blog

You know those overcast English days I was talking about?

Yeah - we arrived in Westport to another one of those.

But instead of wallowing in self pity and sun withdrawals, we decided to hop onto an activity.

One that none of us had done before... Paddle Boarding.

The wind was bitter and we already knew the water would be freezing - but we reluctantly tugged on our wetsuits anyway and headed to the van that was taking us down to the river.

We started off on our knees and soon enough found the confidence to stand up, which was actually surprisingly easy.

The board is pretty well balanced and so we didn't end up in the water every 10 seconds like we thought we would.

As long as you keep your feet in the right place anyway...

Multi taking the paddle and my GoPro stick sometimes meant i was whisked into a bush or a tree, if i didn't keep an eye on the river, but when theres a selfie involved...

(Crazy 'I will not hit that fast approaching tree' concentration face.)

We paddled down the river for about half an hour before the sun decided to join us half way - perfect!

At the bottom of the river we hopped off our boards and loaded them onto the van before heading back to the hostel for a shower.

(We stayed at Basil's Hostel - find it here.)

After warming our fingers and toes with a hot shower, we had most definitely worked up an appetite. The hostel owner recommended a steak place which we initially rejected due to our 'backpacker budget restrictions'.

However if you pop to the hostel reception you can pick up a little discount card which means you get a beer and a steak for $15 NZ Dollars (about £8).

Never one to resist a discount, we all agreed on the steak.

(None of us could really find the energy to search elsewhere anyway.)

Denniston Dog (find them here) is a 5 minutes walk from Bazil's hostel and is a little red and yellow building, which you can identify below...

Can I just say it was probably the nicest steak i've ever had, AND it comes raw on a stone hot grill so you cook it yourself to your preferred taste.

It was like something you'd find in a quirky hotspot in London, so I was super impressed.

Take a look for yourself...

It was served with fries (equally as amazing) which were crispy on the shell and soft inside, alongside a salad which had the yummiest dressing on.

I give this meal a 9.5/10 which is strong but well deserved.

So if you head to Westport out of choice or on the Kiwi Experience - make sure you head down!!

To finish off the day, the Kiwi Experience had organised and welcomed us down to the beach for a bonfire.

We were tired but didn't want to head home and suffer FOMO.

WHAT is fomo? i hear you ask...

This is a term i have learnt since being in New Zealand...

The 'Fear Of Missing Out'.

So yes, we didn't want to miss out & joined everybody on the beach...

With a bag of marshmallows, biscuits and some driftwood off the beach we toasted the marshmallows on the fire and squidged them in between biscuits for a chocolate less smore.

Perfect.

For a place that had not much going on... we had a 'sweet as' (New Zealand slang) day!

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from New Zealand...

Mollie xxxx

For the first week of the Kiwi Experience (hop on hop off bus) I admittedly felt like I was on a bit of a school trip.

The bus will recommend activities, accommodation and along the journey you will also stop off together at certain ‘hotspots’ which are worth seeing but not staying the night for. For example, ‘The Pancake Rocks’.

So yeah i felt like I wasn’t getting as much freedom to roam and explore as maybe I wanted. But the next stop was a 2 day-er so we would be able to make our own way about.

We arrived in Franz Joseph (lower side of the West coast & home to the Franz Josef Glacier) to our accommodation ’The Rainforest Resteat’.

The place was super cute and one of the most stunning so far. It was almost like a little ski resort with huts and log cabins everywhere, surrounded by beautiful snow capped mountains.

Now as i’ve said before - i didn’t do any research into New Zealand before i came so i had no expectations of what i’d be doing and i actually had no idea there was a Glacier here either.

From hearing the gossip, i realised that the Glacier was in the top 5 things to do in New Zealand so suddenly i was intrigued and wanted to find out more.

There is a main ‘tour centre’ in the small Franz Josef highstreet where you can book and look at what activities are on offer.

(You can find their website here.)

They include hell flights in and around the Glacier & Glacier hikes, all varying in price and duration.

The most common one which we went for was the Ice Explorer $299 in which you get a heli up to the glacier and then have a 2 hour trek through the ice and its features.

Unfortunately hundreds of people were disappointed when over a week’s worth of trips were cancelled due to bad weather on the Glacier. It’s very weather dependant because of the safety of the helicopters and no many how many times you moan (we tried) there is literally nothing they can do about it.

After setting my sights on seeing this natural beauty (and going on my first helicopter) I didn’t want to leave without seeing it but we just couldn’t wait around incase the bad weather continued.

So in a state of FOMO (remember the term i introduced to you in the last post?) I opted in for the helicopter ride over the glacier for 35 minutes.

Although the weather was cloudy and by no means perfect for viewing - it was honestly one of the best experiences i’ve ever done.

The Franz Josef Glacier (12km long, slowing moving river of ice).

If you'd like to see some video footage then check out my latest cover of One Republic - I lived, as i put together a montage of footage from my travel so far including the hell ride!

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOX9LpJ3IPw

After having my breath taken away, me and the girlies headed just across from our hostel to the Glacier pools to relax and warm up…

There are 3 pools varying in temperature and it costs $20 (about £11) to get in.

Once our tummies began rumbling we headed back to the hostel and cooked ourselves some dinner.

Backpacker style-y…

…before cosying up in front of the communal fire.

Holding true to their ski resorty type accommodation, they have a bar on the complex with indoor and outdoor areas. We had our first proper night out with everyone here and was really good fun (even more so when your bed is a 1 minute walk away).

I really really enjoyed my stay in Franz Josef and would highly recommend a visit to the Glacier if you ever find yourself in New Zealand.

The pictures really don’t do it justice, seeing such a natural wonder is breath taking and from the close proximity of a helicopter.. well it’s a moment I know i won’t forget anytime soon!

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from New Zealand...

Mollie xxxx

After a couple of my favourite days so far in Franz Josef, we were back on the Kiwi Experience an heading towards our next stop - Lake Wanaka.

As usual the Kiwi Experience stopped off at a couple of hotspots along the way for refreshments and photo opportunities.

When the sun is shining New Zealand's beauty reaches its peak.

Or just when there isn't low cloud blocking the mountain skylines.

Today we were in luck and managed to squeeze in a few Selfies along the way.

The drive from Franz through to Wanaka involves driving through the Haast Pass, one of the most beautiful drives in New Zealand.

The stunning reflection of Mount Cook in Lake Matheson.

Fox Glacier...

Thunder Creek Falls...

... which apparently you can't visit without pretending you are drinking the waterfall.

It was quite a picture without the waterfall...

We then headed on through to Lake Wanaka...

Lake Wanaka is home to a beautiful town that accommodates for backpackers, families and luxury travel seekers.

The town is indulged within the most beautiful mountains and sits alongside the 4th largest lake in New Zealand. Lake Wanaka is 45.5km long and is 311m deep - pretty massive huh.

Pretty cold too.

(I'll save that story for in a minute).

It's the kind of place that makes you feel instantly at home - well it did me.

There are lots of beautiful lake front bars and restaurants, with views to die for and the best thing is - it's peaceful.

It didn't feel overpowered by tourists at all, which is nice (even though I'm a tourist).

I sat with the girls for about an hour or two on the lake front with an ice cream and just stared into the serenity of the lake, watching the world go by.

We had arrived in the afternoon so it was soon time to be thinking about dinner. As we decided on what to eat, I decided that I was going to go for a pre-dinner swim in the Lake.

As we had been sat with our ice creams i had watched a group of teens swim out to this viewing platform which is suspended in the lake (the perfect place for a photo).

Always keen for a challenge and a good photo, I popped on my cozzie and left the girls cooking dinner. Perfect...

...or so it would seem.

So apparently the people i saw swimming were CRAZY.

I won't go into details but I honestly had a near death experience with no-one on the shore watching me. (Sorry mum - hehe).

So the temp of an average commercial pool is around 27deg.

Our average body temp is 37deg.

And the average temp of Lake Wanaka is 8.9 - 20deg.

I have NEVER been so cold in my life.

Cold enough that my body froze up completely and i lost my breath, drinking a bit of Lake Water along the way (at least it was fresh mountain water).

Oh and I caught the whole thing on my GoPro, but I won't share that horror movie with you.

All I can say is, do NOT attempt to swim these fresh water lakes without some kind of thermal layering! And if you are crazy enough to do so make sure you have someone on shore watching you...

New Zealand providing yet another memorable experience.

And I certainly won't be forgetting this one any time soon! Haha!

Shop my swimsuit here

Of course once I got to the platform, I HAD to get a good photo to make the experience worthwhile. Looks pretty huh :)

(you better agree after all that.)

Proving yet again that you shouldn't judge someones life by a photo - you never know what goes on behind the scenes!

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from New Zealand...

Mollie xxxx

Queenstown, Queenstown, Queenstown, where do i start?

All I can say is that I LOVED this place.

This is the place people will tell you about / warn you about.

It is Queenstown that attracts the adrenalin seekers / the party animals / the food lovers / the view lovers / and the people lovers.

All of which I am.

It is a pretty small town, cosy i’d say, everyones close knit and by the end of the week we felt like we were completely at home.

View onto Queenstown

A typical street in QT filled with shops / cafes

We stayed at The Nomad’s hostel (website here) located right near the lake front for 8 days which I cannot fault for fellow backpackers.

Cost? $31 a night for a bed in a dorm.

Includes? Breakfast 7-9am, Dinner 6pm.

It was clean, busy with travellers and walking distance from everywhere you need.

Wifi / hairdryers / laundry at an additional cost.

Now instead of documenting each of my 8 days here, and boring you all, I am going to list...

My top 10 things to do in Queenstown.

(in my opinion, obviously. And in no particular order.)

1. The Nevis Bungy Jump / Adrenalin rush

Queenstown is the adrenalin capital of the WORLD offering over 200 activities for those seeking a thrill. Activities include, canyoning, bungy jumping, sky diving, jet boating, fly boarding, white water rafting etc etc.

Fly Boarding, Queenstown...
Click here to watch a video of the Fly Board in Action!
Book here.

Now, something that has been on my bucket list for a while is a Sky Dive.
Something I actually wanted to do.
But the girls I was with were set on doing the Bungy, something I said i would never ever do. Weirdly, another case of FOMO kicked in and well...

Somehow I found my self signed up for a bungy and next thing i knew i was preparing to face my fear on the 3rd largest bungy in the world. Brilliant. Life begins once you step of out of your comfort zone… right?

Book your bungy now... click here BEFORE YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND!

2. Walk to a view

There are many beautiful views to see in Queenstown, some of the best being the ones looking down over the town. We did the Queenstown hill walk up to the 'Basket of Dreams' which gives you the view in the picture above.

If you're feeling super energetic (and not hungover) then there is a crazy good view from a higher peak called Ben Lomond. I didn't get the chance to do it (sadly) but here's a photo my friend Rob took up there...

And if you're feeling like anything but exercise after a night out in Queenstown... then you can catch a Gondola up to a pretty awesome view and there's the option to 'Luge' or gondola back down.

(You can even get dinner / ice-cream at the top).
(Read more about it / buy tickets here).

3. Cookie Time Cookies

Um… I guarantee you will not be able to walk past this cookie shop without turning straight back round for another whiff of their freshly baked cookies.

We certainly couldn’t. My mouth is watering right now at the thought of them.

You can by a cookie on its own, with milk, with ice-cream or in a smoothie.
Oh and they have 2 for 1 Happy (cookie) hour between 6-7pm every night.
See if i can tempt you...

One cranberry and white chocolate cookie, one milk chocolate cookie, served with one scoop of salted caramel and cashew ice cream and one scoop of double chocolate fudge ice cream.

4. Sunset by the lake

If the suns out you will find that everyone (literally) heads to the lake front about 7pm - 9.30 (summer) for the sunset.

You can’t drink in most of the hostels so the lake is where people will be pre-drinking and enjoying a cider with music and friends.

The lake is even cold enough to chill your drinks for you. :)

The vibe down here at sunset is my perfect kind of vibe - the 'no-one has a care in the world' kinda vibe.

5. Frisbee Golf

Just around the side of the lake there is a park in which there are tennis courts and a frisbee golf course.

You can buy frisbees, or hostels will loan them to you if you ask at reception.

We went for a round with a few drinks which certainly nearly ended up with the frisbees in the lake...

6. Ferg Burger

THE place to eat.

Everyone will be telling you about this place.

Apparently it has been voted one of the best burger bars in the world. And I can see why. There is ALWAYS a queue here and at busy times you can be waiting about an hour for your burgers!

You can have just about anything on a burger and the best thing? It’s open pretty much 24hour (closing for an hour 5-6 maybe).

7. Hangover Cures: Rehab, KiwiYo, Subway, Pita Pit & Starbucks.

Queenstown is the King (Queen?) of food.

There is so much choice for eating.

It is here that my Subway and PitaPit virginity was taken.

The KiwiYo (Frozen yoghurt) was a reminder of home and super refreshing on a hot day.

And as for Rehab (MY FAVOURITE) - if you’re immune system is hanging low, this is your spot.

I WISH they had one of these in London.

Fresh juices / smoothies / baked potatoes with the cleanest and purest of ingredients.

8. Milford Sounds Trip

They say not doing this trip is like going to Egypt without seeing the pyramids. Basically an essential.

Unfortunately we had booked on a day which was overcast so some of the peaks were hidden in cloud and it was a little cold.

The bus takes you from Queenstown on a 4 drive to the sounds where you board a boat for a couple of hours and have lunch before heading back.

Our bus driver gave us a geography lesson en route on how the Glaciers work and how they formed this beautiful piece of nature which i actually had no clue about and found extremely fascinating.

I was then able to appreciate the views ALOT more because i could understand what i was looking at.

It's a very long day, 7am start and 7pm return, but like I said it's a must.

Highlights of the trip? Filling up our bottles from the fresh water falls, seeing the Fur seals lazing on the rocks & getting right under the waterfalls on the Milford Cruise.

9. Chill out by the lake.

One of the things that i loved so much about Queenstown is it's atmosphere. It’s soooooo chilled and friendly and I found myself more relaxed than i’ve been in a long time.

Queenstown is hugged right around Lake Wakatipu and so there are lots of little walks alongside it for a little wander. Inbetween all that partying QT will lure you into, make sure you take some time out to lie by the lake and just watch the world go by.

10. Fat Badgers

THE place for extra large pizzas and extra large beers. Head here with a group of friends and share a 21inch pizza and some HUGE beers without breaking the bank.

♡

I hope I have given you the temptation you need to head to QT. I know it’s already been added to my ‘places to go back to’.

If i was coming to New Zealand to work, i would come here. There are job vacancies everywhere and a pretty high turnover of staff due to the number of people travelling + working, so i don’t think it would take long to find something.

Queenstown - it was an absolute pleasure.

No doubt I will see you very soon.

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from New Zealand...

Mollie xxxx

Wooo hook - We made it!

Touchdown in Australia - my first time down under :)

So, for the next 4 weeks myself and my friend Hayley will be travelling down the East Coast from Cairns - Sydney. Exploring Australia is something I have been itching to do for a very long time - so I can’t WAIT!

First stop - Cairns.

Cairns, like us, is the Gateway to begin / end a lot of peoples travels. The Cairns - Sydney route is a popular one as is the route in reverse.

So here you’ll find lots of groups of people from all walks of earth. We met a fair few Australians too that come here for their ‘holidays’.

For them I guess it’s the equivalent of hopping on a flight to Europe for us, and I would go as far as saying this is how I imagine Magaluf to be.

We stayed at the World Famous Gilligans Backpackers (visit their website here), which was recommended to us as ‘THE place to stay’ so we were super excited upon arrival.

The dorms were decent sized and cleaned regularly, the kitchen was spacious and clean and the pool was perfect.

So I cannot fault it as a place to stay. It is also within walking distance of everything you’ll need be it the super market, seafront, restaurants etc.

The nightlife however wasn’t my kind of vibe. At all.

Infact it was somewhat my worst nightmare.

Aside from a couple of pubs and bars (Woolshed is quite good) - Gilligans is pretty much where it’s at.

There’s a large bar and seating area…

…and then a club with another bar + dj.

Now I’m trying not to come across snobby, because I’m not, I would never judge people but I did witness ALOT here with my maybe slightly innocent eyes.

I’m all for having drinks and a good night, but when theres a complete lack of respect from men and a lack of respect from girls unto themselves, well… it’s just not my cuppa tea.

Anyway, I’m not going to go on - i’ve heard a lot of people say they love it here. Maybe I was unlucky with the crowds.

But it just wasn’t for me.

I’m more of a chilled atmosphere kind of girl, where you can talk to people over a few drinks and not feel like i’m being targeted in a cattle market.

As for the rest of the city, it’s very... city like.

It's laid out a bit like a grid and you'll find the streets are covered with tourist shops, food stalls, restaurants and pubs with outdoor seating. As you can see in the picture above.

In the day, most people will congregate around the man-made Lagoon.

It is here in Cairns that you can’t go in the sea because of the jellyfish, so there is no public beach...

The lagoon is beautiful though. It’s located on the sea front, so the view is still stunning, and you can just lie around and swim for free.

You can even hook up to the Cairns community wifi for free (backpacker dream).

There is a marina a short walk away too with lots of nice spots to have a drink / ice cream.

Have you ever had Chai Ice cream?

I have... HEAVEN!!!

Thank you Australia :)

On the front here, a little further along, they run free exercise classes throughout the day which is pretty cool. Having not exercised properly for the 3 weeks since i’ve been travelling - I was instantly signed up.

I made the 7am Boxercise class the following morning (sounds early but you want to avoid the 35 deg midday heat) and sweated until my heart was content.

Every muscle in my body ached the next day.

So if you’re here, make sure you check it out, you can find out more about classes etc on their Facebook page here - Cairns Esplanade.

Aside from partying at Gilligans, lazing by the lagoon, or eating ice cream there are actually plenty of options for the restless here in Cairns.

A few recommendations I have for you:

- SkyDive at Mission Beach - book here. (best place in Aus apparently)

- Bungy jump - book here)(not as big as NZ Nevis though!),

- Uncle Brians Rainforest Tour - book here (we didn’t have enough time)

- Snorkel / dive at the great barrier reef - Book here

- Overnight stay to Fitzroy Island

- Hartley's creek crocodile adventures - book here

We did a Great Barrier Reef Snorkel and also went to Hartleys Crocs, so bear with me, there’s more coming right your way...

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from Australia...

Mollie xxxx

As i’ve mentioned in the past, and as I’m sure you are all aware - the East Coast of Australia is a very popular route for travellers.

People come from all around the world to see what the East Coast of Australia has to offer be it the Great Barrier Reef, Fraser Island, Whit Sundays, The Gold Coast, Byron Bay & Sydney - to name a few.

Cairns is sat at the the top of the East coast and is where most travellers will start or finish their route.

The attraction of Cairns?

It’s the gateway to one of the 7 wonders of the world.

The Great Barrier Reef.

Snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef has always been up there at the top of my bucket list and we had come to Cairns to do exactly that.

We booked a full day trip through Cairns Dive Adventures which cost $119 (around £65) including lunch, snacks, snorkel and stinger suit hire.

We all met at the boat on the harbour promptly at 7am, ready and raring to go.

The boat crew sized us up for our snorkels and flippers before offering us a culpa and some biscuits (they were immediately in my good books).

We first dropped off some passengers at Fitzry island which I had never previously heard of and was actually stunning so that is somewhere else you could come and spend the day / night.

It was 2 hours on the boat before we arrived at the reef and along the way we were safety briefed and told all about the devastating degradation of the Reed due to the ozone layer, or lack of it.

Another thing i didn't previously realise the extent of.

Inbetween chats and cups of tea we headed up to top deck to tan / selfie it / look out at the beautiful ocean we were endlessly encountering.

We even managed to spot some dolphins swimming and jumping around the boat which was a beautiful bonus.

The day consisted of 2 snorkel spots in the outer reef, one before lunch and then one after lunch.

You can also opt in for a dive too for an added $50 which isn’t bad at all.

We saw some beautiful coral and fishes (including nemo and dory) in beautiful clear waters which was quite surreal.

Sadly you can tell the reef is damaged and as we were told by many - it’s just not what it used to be - leaving most slightly underwhelmed.

The outer reef is where most of the reef still remains so make sure you book a trip specifically to the outer reef if you can (like our one).

After working up quite the appetite we tucked into a fresh lunch before heading to the next snorkel spot...

Apparently the reef will have completely gone within the next 70 years which is gutting, but I was none the less thrilled to have experienced it and seen the utter beauty of what I did see.

If I don’t give you enough temptation, you now only have 70 years to get your butts to the Great Barrier Reef…
Like they say... when it’s gone it’s gone.

For the money and the experience it was great value for money and i would recommend it to all of you.

♡

After spending a day on the reef we had one day left in Cairns to explore and I realllllly wanted to see crocodiles.

The travel agents were only affiliated with certain tours and so only had expensive or far distanced options.

Luckily, we got chatting to a local on the reef trip and he recommended a place called Hartley’s Crocodile Farm.

At Hartley’s they have preserved a 10 hectare habitat for the Crocs and many other species in which you can tell they are very well looked after.

Throughout the day there are many things to do.

You can hop on a boat around the lagoon where the guide will feed the crocs right by your window so you can see the agility and intelligence of the crocs up close and personal.

You are given a map upon arrival with all the different times of shows and places to be. These include things like feeding time with the Koalas / Wallabies & a crocodile attack show.

Something for everyone - if you like animals that is...

Hartleys is located around 35 min drive from Cairns, which is a beautiful drive within itself with many beaches to stop off on your way should you wish.

We rented a car for the day between 5 of us which was $16 each (around £8/9), and then the Croc Farm entry was $35 each.

You can check their website here for special offers / opening times.

I LOVED seeing the crocodiles because I have never seen them in real life - nor have i seen koalas or wallabies, so it was a really unique and special experience.

Another trip i’d say is well worth doing if you come to Cairns :)

♡

All in all Cairns wasn’t quite my social vibe on this occasion (read my last post) but it more than delivered on lifetime memories and experiences.

A massive tick off my to-do list - thank you Cairns.

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from Australia...

Mollie xxxx

Coming up... Sailing the Whitsundays!

WARNING: This is one LONG... but very beautiful blog post.

Potentially one of my favourites so far.

It's full of photos though don't worry, an easy post-Christmas scroll for you all.

I'll give you a minute now to go and get a cup of tea (maybe some cake too).

So we arrived on the Greyhound bus at Airlie Beach, dropped our ever-heavy backpacks at our hostel and went to explore.

Airlie beach is a small village, with a couple of main roads/ strips, one of which you can see in the photo above. All the hostels and amenities are along these strips making it viable to walk everywhere and crawl home after a couple of ciders.

The tourism here is pretty much soley driven in by the fact Airlie beach is THE gateway to The Whitsunday's.

If you have no idea what The Whitsunday's are - you're in the right place.

Here at Airlie beach, much like Cairns, there is a communal lagoon because swimming in the sea is advised against due to the jellyfish lurking around - particularly this time of year (December).

But we aren't fussy where we sunbathe if I'm honest...

...ALSO, if any of you ever come here you have to try the smoothies and food at a place called 'Wisdom' which is just next to the Lagoon.

My favourite being the Sweet potato quiche and their 'Bliss balls'.

So anyway, we only had one day to sunbathe and explore (hard life) before boarding a 3 days 2 night boat to explore The Whitsundays.

For the one night prior to the boat we stayed in Beaches Backpackers, which couldn't be in a better location, was clean and one i'd highly recommend for those dorm - hopping.

Black tunic - shop here // Kanken Backpack - shop here

// Bikini - shop here

Okay okay enough of me talking, down to business...

...or down to scrolling.

It's time for me to show you around The Whitsundays - 74 island wonders located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.

TIP: If you want to get on a specific boat i.e. the Clipper party boat, don't leave it until last minute like we did (in peak season) because they are sold our for weeks in advance.

All aboard!

Day 1

At 1pm, we walked down to the harbour and boarded the Condor boat, setting sail at around 2pm.

We sailed for around 2 hours into The Whitsundays, sunbathing and meeting our fellow cabin members on the way.

We stopped for a spot of snorkelling & lunch at Ravens Cove followed by more sunbathing as we sailed to Hook's passage for our overnight anchoring.

Day 2.

5.30am wake up call, 6am breakfast, 6.30am Sail to Tongue Bay aka Whitehaven Beach... voted the 3rd most beautiful beach in the world...

Are you ready?

The sand is literally the most beautiful sand i've EVER walked on.

'The sand is minute powder-size grains of quartz and has been assayed at 99.89% pure, well above the minimum requirement for glass-making and suitable for the finest glass for optical lenses for binoculars.'

Demonstrated wonderfully here by my feet...

The sand stretches for nearly 7km and is snuggled by the most beautiful clear waters.

A piece of heaven on earth.

... until you get pied by a wave whilst trying to look peaceful in a photo.

haha.

Let the photoshoot commence...

Moment of appreciation for my beautiful travelling partner...

The early start and all the hard work sunbathing and modelling had worked us up an appetite and so we headed back to the boat at midday where lunch was already waiting for us...

The afternoon saw us head to Mackerel Bay another snorkel spot which was really beautiful - the coral was really stunning here and we saw a million beautiful fishes again.

Still no sign of turtles... and we were ITCHING to see them :)

We swam the afternoon away before sailing to Stonehaven Beach for our second night.

The sunset really was stunning and it was one of those evenings that I'll remember when i'm old and grey.

We were completely at peace with a cold cider in one hand, best friend in another and a view that reminds you what a beautiful world we live in.

I live for moments like these.

We all enjoyed a few more ciders together before crashing out after to a long day exploring!

The cabin was way too hot to sleep in and so most of us opted to sleep on deck.

Not the comfiest place i've ever slept but it did mean falling asleep under the most beautiful blanket of stars and waking up to the sunrise at 5am...

(sleepy selfie...sorry Hayley)

Once my partner in crime woke around 6am, we grabbed a bowl of cereal and a cup of tea and enjoyed the peaceful bliss that accompanied the remainder of the sunrise...

DAY 3

Our final day sailed us to our last snorkel spot at Langford Reef.

By this time we had been completely spoilt by the Great Barrier reef and were actually hesitant about bothering to getting wet for another hour of coral and fish.

But in honour of people at home working, we didn't complain and jumped straight in...

... which turned out to be the RIGHT decision because look who we found?

Sweet.

Toooooooootally.

As you can imagine, we had MASSIVE GRINS on our faces for the rest of the day.

We saw about 4 turtles which was pretty surreal - another old and grey kinda moment.

Followed by Mr. Stingray...

Shortly followed by Nachos back on the boat.

All in all - a cracker of a last day wasn't it?

We docked around midday back at Abel Point Marina, before reclaiming our backpacks and reflecting on the trip.

I throughly enjoyed the experience and will back up the claim that you can't come to Australia without seeing it.

♡

Hopefully I've captured the beauty of this trip through the photos - but honestly it still doesn't do it justice.

This is one you're all going to have to go and do for yourselves.

I know i'm forever nudging you all in the direction of 'GO TRAVELLING' and well, just a warning...

I won't be stopping any time soon!

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from Australia...

Mollie xxxx

Coming up... Exploring another BEAUTY - Fraser Island!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all you lovely lot!

Yes you :)

Incase you hadn't noticed, I've spent the last 2 months of my 2014 on the other side of the world and so I bought in the new year over here in Australia at a festival in Byron Bay which was epic!

It did however mean that i was pretty much internetless for 5 days & had to leave my laptop in storage so as a result i experienced a few heart palpitations at not being able to blog for nearly a week.

But I gathered it wasn't the END of the world (hope you've forgiven me) and well... there was nothing I could do about it, so now I have a back log of adventures I'm itching to tell you all about!!

More of that later...

♡

I'm really here just to say thank you so much for all your love and support this year, be it my blog or my music.

Watching my blog and music grow this year has made me happier than ever and I'm ridiculously excited about 2015 plans and to share every step of my journey with you.

2015 for me is about staying true to myself & always living a life i'm proud of.

If ever i find i'm not happy, i know i will find the strength to make a change and i hope you find the courage to do the same.

I hope your year is filled with laugher, happiness, dream come trues and lots of love.

Let's make it a good one.

Super excited to have you on my journey.

Let's do this.

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from Australia...

Mollie xxxx

Now, this has to be one of my favourite adventures so far.

It also happens to be another photo heavy one, so if you're about to put on the kettle, do it now and head straight back.

(Worth it, promise.)

SO.

Another 'must do' along the East Coast of Australia and one you may well have heard of before is Fraser Island - the world's largest sand island.

A few fun facts about Fraser Island for those of you clueless:

- The island stretches over 123km in length and 22km at its widest point.

- The island is world heritage listed (beauty that is crazily protected and preserved).

- The island is the only place in the world where rainforests grow on sand dunes at elevations of over 200m.

- You will find lots of wild Dingos, rare birds and endangered species here.

- The island is home to over 100 fresh water lakes.

We had NO idea what to expect, or what it looked like and I can tell you know... it most certainly exceeded all of our expectations.

We went with a 2 day / 1 night tour through Cool Dingo Tours which cost $335 dollars and included all food, accommodation, transfers & the 4WD tour experience.

So off we set on an 8am ferry from Hervey Bay over to the land of the unknown.

(Tours depart from either Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach).

We spent the two days exploring the island on this super cool pink 4WD.

You can also book onto a trip where you drive smaller 4WD jeeps around the island, which admittedly look cooler and you can drive them yourself.

But after experiencing the difficulty of the roads I'm glad we had our gal Kirst on hand.

Oh wait, why are the roads difficult i hear you ask?

Perhaps something to do with the fact - they DON'T exist.

Aside from the roads running through the 2 resorts on the island, the only way to get anywhere on the island is on off road sand roller coasters - i kid you not.

Obviously, the caution needed to drive from one place to the next is pretty high which can cause journeys to be pretty long.

Would be handy if they have a motorway right?

Phew...

That, they thankfully do...

The beach.

The motorway.

The beach = the motorway.

Fo' Real!

To get from one end of the island to the other you just drive like nutters beside (and inside) the sea!

We were having way too much fun and we hadn't even explored anywhere yet!

Our lodge accommodation...

Our 2 day Fraser Explorer had a jam packed itinerary from the word go, making sure we saw all the highlights that the island had to offer.

First up, the beautiful Lake McKenzie.

A fresh water lake to DIE for...

Sand fine enough to exfoliate with, water fresh enough to drink & apparently wash your face and hair with the water and it makes you look up to 10 years younger.

Not sure looking 11 years old was top of my Christmas list, but it may benefit some of you guys.

Dad? Mum?

Best thing about these fresh water lakes?

You can swim, splash dive and go crazy and still feel cleaner and fresher than before you went in.

Next up, after a picnic by the lake, Kirst 4WD'd us to a little spot where we took a 45 minute walk through the most beautiful and suddenly most tropical of rain forests.

The scenery is amazing - you can literally go from sand dune deserts to tropical rainforests in minutes.

We went straight into another beautiful walk to a little village where there used to be habitants on the island.

Obviously now, as a world heritage site, there are many laws and you can't live freely on the island.

At the end of our humid walk we were met with tea and chocolate cookies which is always a winner in my eyes & I may have even eaten 5 cookies.

But I'd just done 2 walks... so I'm allowed...

Right?

Before we knew it, the sun was beginning to set and we made our way back over the sandy roller coasters to our resort.

We all freshened up in the showers and together headed over to the Dingo bar for an awesome ALL you can eat dinner.

ALL YOU CAN EAT DINNER AND COOKIES.

IN THE SAME DAY.

10/10 rating for the trip so far.

Jokes aside, the food was really good and there was plenty of choice, so everyone was happy & extremely full.

The evening was then left to us to do whatever we fancied and so some of us headed down to the Ferry pier to watch the sunset...

Sunsets are one of my all time favourite places to be.

Ciders, sunset and good company.

Another 'i'll remember this when I'm grey and old' kinda moment.

So beautiful hey...

(the photo below OBVIOUSLY)

We gazed until the sun slid below the horizon, reflecting on how far we were from home and how lucky we were to be exploring such a beautiful place.

Not a care in the world...

Though we had had a long day, we somehow found the energy to meet some others from our tour in the bar for a few drinks and a bit of dance floor limbo.

We chilled with some lovely Canadians that were too staying in our lodge & had a night to remember.

The nights that travelling does best...

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from Australia...

Mollie xxxx

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2... IT GETS BETTER! :)

Day 2 of our Fraser adventure begun pretty early.

We all rolled to the Dingo bar around 7am for some breakfast before jumping straight on the Pink Wagon and heading out for round 2 of adventures.

We hopped straight out onto the motorway (the beach incase you haven't read Fraser - Part 1) for a 45 minute journey North along the famous 75 miles beach

Half way along we got the added option of a scenic flight over Fraser to get the full impact of the contrasting terrains and to see the sand dunes from above.

The flights were $75 Aus Dollars (around £40) and well... it was nearly Christmas and we didn't want another case of FOMO did we?

(You'll have to read back to New Zealand for the FOMO update).

So we went with the spontaneous decision of 'yes' and hopped on a flight, agreeing for it to be a mini christmas present to each other...

As well as the beach operating the motorway, it also operates the runways for the planes.

Infact there are only 2 places in the world that you can commercially take off and land on the beach.

Fraser island & somewhere in Scotland.

As you ascend up into the sky, the long and thin layout is immediately striking and like nothing you've seen before.

It's a completely sand island.

I mean - i find it so so amazing how all this has grown and formed.

If you some spare time, i highly recommend looking up how Fraser Island was formed :)

Butterfly lake from the plane...

Dunes...

And as we flew over the sea we even searched for marine life and we saw a group of sharks!

The pilot missed them, but there was about 7/8 and they appeared to look like Hammerhead sharks.

If not then something similar that resembles them!

AMAZING!

The flight was around 20 minutes and is a lot cheaper than most scenic flights you'll find in Australia / New Zealand - so it's well worth doing...

if you just love spending money like us...

Next up, a little further along the coast we reached the Maheno Shipwreck.

There's also a cool little story about how it was washed up here on the shore of Fraser Island, but I won't keep you.

Instead you can see the boat in action below and the shipwreck that is left today...

Que a few selfies with our new found friends Lee & Jay.

(love u guys)

Once again we hopped back on the pink mobile and continued up the coast on our beach motorway to the next scenic stop which was just a 5 minute photo opportunity at the Coloured pinnacles / sands.

By this time we were getting quite hungry from all the hopping on and off the bus (most exercise we've done in 6 weeks) but we had one more stop off before we could dig our teeth into anything...

Champagne Pools...

(unfortunately not filled with Champagne no, but as the sea crashes over into the pools it creates a fizzing sensation that resembles Champagne.)

An added extra that we were way too amused by was this sand that if stood on and wiggled around for long enough - you could sink down into.

Oh and a little help from Jay pushing me downwards assisted the process...

Completely indulged in being 6 years old again we had completely forgotten about the time and our hunger and so when we realised it was time to meet the crew for lunch we all flew back to the bus and tucked into our freshly made wraps.

...with sour cream & guacamole.

Still rolling with the 10/10 trip rating.

Post lunchtime we had 2 more activities for the afternoon.

It's just such a stunningly scenic island so even the drive along the 75 miles beach is an activity within itself.

And of course the crazy 4X4 driving is enough to keep the whole bus entertained...

...accompanied by Kirst's banging tunes.

NOTABLY the YMCA and the Christmas bangers she whipped out.

Anyway yes, back to the last activities.

The Indian Head lookout...

It is pretty common to look down into the water and see dolphins / sharks / turtles and whales here.

We didn't manage to see them all but we saw about 7 turtles swimming around which was pretty special.

Last and CERTAINLY not least, we headed back down south of the island along the beach to a spot called Eli's Creek - a fresh water creek running into the sea.

This has to be my highlight from the trip.

I haven't laughed so much in a long time.

If you have an awesome bus driver (like Kirst) they will have some rubber doughnuts tucked away in the van for you to borrow and tube down the creek.

Whilst the creek isn't THAT deep, neither is the doughnut meant for more than 1 person... we certainly gave it a go.

Infact, i would say we did the 4 minute run around 10 times, laughing harder, sinking lower and swallowing more water each time.

But the water is fresh as anything so that's just not an issue.

I took some hilarious videos and I'm in the middle of making a massive video montage so make sure you look out for it!!!!

We tubed until our hearts were content... actually until Kirst called us back for tea and cookies, nonetheless as you can imagine none of us were complaining...

After getting our fill of double chocolate cookies we finally jumped back on the pink mobile one last time for a christmas sing-along as we headed back to base to pick up our bags and catch the ferry back to the mainland at 8.30pm.

Fraser, Fraser, Fraser... how do i sum you up.

Without a doubt, a highlight of my time in Australia so far.

Honestly, like i always say, sometimes it's not where you are but who you're with that makes the memories.

Kirst - if you ever read this - you MADE our trip for us.

Lee, Jay and you lovely Canadians - if you read this - you also MADE this trip.

And for you readers... i can only say this is a MUST do trip if you find yourself on the East Coast of Australia.

♡

You can book the exact trip we did here for $335 dollars (Jan 2015)

Or simply view all the trips they have to offer on their website:

www.cooldingotour.com

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from Australia...

Mollie xxxx

1. Let go of the past.

The past haunts us, teases us, annoys us & wastes a lot of our time. Sure - learn from it, but don't get stuck in it. There is NOTHING you can do about the past now, time to let it go.

2. Stop waiting for tomorrow.

We are forever wishing for tomorrow, for the weekend, for the summer holidays, for christmas, for our birthdays, so much so that we completely disregard right now.

Life is happening right now.
Life is made up of millions of moments, and those moments are yours to shape right. this. second.

3. Stop comparing yourself.

Notice your mood before and after you've been on instagram / social media. You may be oblivious but half the time we go on social media in a good mood and come off in a much lower one - myself included.

Stop looking at other peoples bodies, food, clothes, holidays & houses and wishing it was your own.
A perfect photo doesn't mean somebody's life is perfect.
Remember that.

4. Don't be scared to make a change.

Life waits for noone.
If you find yourself unhappy with someone or something, find the courage to let it go. Remember great things never came from comfort zones, and the most rewarding moments always required a leap of faith.
You don't want to look back and regret anything, listen to your gut.

5. Own your mistakes.

We all make them. Sometimes we are too proud to admit when we have made a mistake, but you honestly just look like an idiot if you don't.
You will gain a lot more respect from others if you are honest with yourself.
It's all part of your journey.

6. Let people walk away.

A lot of the time we are in love with the memories we have of people and not the person that is actually standing in front of you realtime. Common mistake... don't worry about it we have all been there.
People change.
The person that once made you happy may not be the one thats going to make you happy now.

7. Stop wanting.

It's super easy to get caught in the trap of wanting things, possessions, moments and allowing your happiness to depend on them.
Truth is, you'll never really be satisfied because there will always be something else you want tomorrow.
Seeking happiness in material things will only ever be temporary.
Look for happiness in people and moments & treasure them.

8. Consciously hold yourself back from negative comments.

Whethers it's about people, the weather, your appearance or your life, make a conscious effort to stop yourself from vocalising these negative comments.
Watch what it does to your life, your relationships and your general mood.

9. Book the ticket.

'One day I will go there'
'Maybe ill do that next year'
Your life is happening RIGHT NOW, life waits for noone.
Be spontaneous, book it now otherwise you never will.

10. Smile at someone you don't know.

Kick start those endorphins.
It's very hard to not smile back when someone smiles at you, basic human interaction is the biggest breath of fresh air.
Next time you're walking down the street - do it.
IT'S FREE.

11. It's not what you have it's what you do with it.

There are people who have nothing happier than those that seem to have everything.
You've got what you've got, accept it and work with it.
The only thing standing between you and your happiest life is perspective.

12. Keep fit and healthy.

Sure have a drink at the weekends and treat yourself to that cake in the bakery. But try and find a good balance! You only have one body and you don't want it to give up on you before you've had all the fun. Look after it. :)

13. Take photos.

Life is never a smooth journey, photos are a perfect way to remind yourself how good you've got it and look back laughing when you're old and grey.

14. Don't worry about the future.

'You are heading out on an adventure and you can always change your mind along the way and try something else.'
Nothing is final.

15. The only limits in life are the ones you make.

Anything is possible if you have the courage to try.
Anything.

---------------

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love all the way from Australia...

Mollie xxxx

Before I begin, I just want to let you know that even though I have landed back in the UK now, the Australian Adventure is far from over (on my blog).

Cut a long story short, my worst nightmare came true.

My laptop crashed on my last day in Australia, the harddrive basically failed before I backed it up and i have currently lost ALL MY FILES (photos and videos).

Apple hold no responsibility for this and my laptop is currently with an independent company who are trying to retrieve my files / my life. It's been 3 days and i'm waiting for that phone call, so please can we all keep our fingers TIGHTLY crossed.

Anyway... what happens when we feel sad? WE EAT.

Queue a foodie blog post...

Reluctant to finish the adventures upon arrival back in the UK I messaged my friend Tilly (Twice The Health) and she insisted we had a day out to cure my travelling blues.

There is nothing I love more than being a tourist in my own city, and the great thing about London?

You can never run out of things to do.

So on Saturday we headed to Borough Market for the first time to see what was going down.

Despite the freezing temperature, the sun was out and London was looking as beautiful as I remembered it.

Making sure we wrapped up warm, we hopped on the tube to London Bridge (Northern and Jubilee line) grabbed a cup of Hot Spiced Chai and let the scent of a million foods lure us through the gates...

(literally the market is right outside London Bridge tube station).

Borough market is 'Londons most renowned food market'- heaven for any food lover, smell lover, sugar addict or culture lover.

As you roam through the hustle and bustle of market stalls, you'll find yourself inundated (happily) with tasters and samples of all the glorious food on offer.

(So basically you can come for your lunch).

From tea...

to Cheese...

to coconut pancakes...

to freshly baked breads...

to brownies, smoothies, chutneys, granolas, pad thai, sausage rolls and our FAVOURITE...

Honey Cinnamon Cashews... they have it all covered.

(I highly recommend you try these beauties if / WHEN you come here.)

You may have noticed the sign says 'Only take 1 sample please'.

As you also may know, I never do what I'm told.

So we grabbed a handful, flashed them a sweet smile and walked away.

The plan was to look around the market before heading for some lunch but we were quickly filling up on tasters and so had to DRAG ourselves away before our plan hit the fan.

But we really didn't make it very far before we smelt more goodness and were lured into yet another food outlet.

Introducing my new found love... WOK IT.

Automatically when i read menus my eyes will be searching for two things: sweet potato & goats cheese.

Even if I sway for a moment - 95% of the time - I am sold on that option.

So when i saw the sweet potato and buckwheat noodles on the menu, it was love at first sight, and we both surrendered to the order point where the lovely owner Richard greeted us.

The deal is:

You choose your base (noodles / rice),

Choose your mix / protein,

Add your choice of vegetables,

Pick your sauce

& then it is then all freshly 'wokked' for you in front of your eyes.

I love nothing more than fresh ingredients and a truly indulgent meal that doesn't leave you feeling guilty and diet desperate afterwards.

I went for the Sweet potato and buckwheat noodles with Salmon, brocolli, veggies and the Teriyaki Sauce.

Tilly went for the Courgette noodles with chicken, pak choi and brocolli mixed in the Miso - coriander sauce.

Apart from a couple of photo breaks, we both went completely silent after the first mouthful hit our lips.

The pots are so perfectly sized to fill you up but not stuff you, and the flavours are so crisp and fresh that you can't stop until you've eaten the whole thing.

I mean Tilly couldn't even control herself to not drink the miso remains at the bottom...

...oops!

Wok It is still considered in Borough Market but is located just outside as you exit the market stall area.

It has only been open a few months so make sure you go down and not only show your support - but treat yourself to a yummy wholesome lunch!

I promise you won't regret it!

(They are open every day but Sunday).

Wok It on Twitter.

You know, you don't have to be on the otherside of the world to go on an adventure and try something new. Sometimes adventure is right on your doorstep...

Borough market is perfect for an aimless wander, a catch up with a friend or simple to source some amazing local produce.

So if you'd like to head down to Borough Market (which I already know you will) then you can head to their website here:

www.boroughmarket.org.uk

to check out opening times, location etc etc etc.

Remember: Try the Honey cinnamon cashews.

(Pick some up for me too please.)

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

Are you with me on Instagram?

If not, why not? @molliebylett

So Christmas is over and naturally we are looking for the next thing we can get excited about.
For some it's Valentine's Day, some Easter and some, like me, bypass all of this and look forward to summer!

For those still in education / uni, it's coming to that dreaded time of exams, but the end is in sight & so is the Prom / Leaver's Ball to celebrate!

That's why I've teamed up with New Look for a little outfit inspiration post PLUS the chance to win a £40 gift card to spend online / instore with New Look.

(COMPETITION IS OPEN TO EVERYBODY - DETAILS BELOW)
*UK Entries only.

♡

(We all know a bit of online shopping does wonders for the soul.)

www.newlook.com/promandoccasions

So, the question is, WHERE DO YOU FIND THE PERFECT DRESS and HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE PEOPLE DON'T COME WEARING THE SAME ONE?!

You also have to be mindful of budget right?
Because let's face it, if we could all afford that one off Versace dress - it would be a lot simpler.

But we also don't REALLY want to turn up like Cady (Mean Girls)...

If you know me and my love for Jones & Jones dresses you'll know i'm a sucker for a dress that cuts in at the waist and then 'poofs' out a little. 

I think they are flattering on most girls figures and heightens a women's femininity.

Mean Girls Prom (2004)

High School Musical Prom (2008)

Having browsed through New Look's new prom and occasion range, I found a picked out my favourite dresses in the style i just mentioned...

1. Madam Rage Gold Metallic Dress - shop here
2. AX Parid Gold Metallic Skater Dress - shop here
3. Madam Rage Blue Jacquard Skater Dress - shop here

What do you think? Number 3 is my absolute FAVourite.

//

For me though, when you want to be unique but you haven't got the budget to be SERIOUSLY unique, it's all about accessorising. 

TIP: The more accessories you add the less and less likely someone is going to turn up the same as you.
(Pretty obvious tip really isn't it.)

Anyway, New Look's prom collection is filled with the most beautiful accessories, particularly loving the range of pastels in there - makes me feel like summer is already on it's way!

I've picked out my favourites to share with you, let me know what you think...

To view the full dress range click here.

& to see the full prom / occasion range including all of my choices above click here.

♡

COMPETITION: 

HEAD OVER TO MY INSTAGRAM (molliebylett) FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £40 TO SPEND ONLINE / INSTORE WITH NEW LOOK.

COMPETITION IS LIVE... NOW (all details on my Instagram). 

WINNER will be announced on Instagram this Sunday 25th Jan 2015.

GO GO GO!

♡

Have you decided what you're wearing to Prom / Leavers / that next special evening out?

And WHERE do you guys find those killer dresses?

I promise i won't tell anyone... :)

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

So yesterday I was invited by the lovely ladies at Motel Rocks to their #MotelBloggerBrunch held at The Folly in Central London.

The morning was full of yummy food, fashion, goodies and gossip.

What I would call a perfect morning?

Have a sneeky peeky for yourself...

We all opted for the healthy option of poached eggs on rye bread with avocado which was beautifully satisfying.

(10/10 for the Avocado - perfectly ripe!)

Breakfast was perfectly complimented with fresh juices supplied by Jess from Jessipes.

Looks yummy hey?

We then got a chance to look through the new summer and high summer collection.

I mean, i know i've only just got back from Australia BUT their new swimwear range has got me super excited for summer holidays!!

We were then all treated to a mini Christmas as we opened up a box full of goodies from MotelRocks.

Safe to say we were absolutely SPOILT.

Goodies courtesy of: Frank Body,St.Moriz, Motel Rocks, Polar Sport, Finnberry, Psycle London, Hotpod Yoga London, Little Miracles, Nip+Fab ♡

Thank you ♡

The Folly is yet another little hotspot in London that I never knew existed before this Brunch Date.

It is sophisticated, so beautifully decorated and located a 1 minute walk from Monument Tube Station. Perfect for a brunch meeting, or a stylish dinner date.

You can view their website & menus here: www.thefollybar.co.uk

Even the bathrooms were worth taking a selfie in!

Here's myself, Danielle (Idle Lane) & AJ (AjOdudu) taking a sneaky shot!

♡

Thank you SO much for having me Motel, I had the loveliest morning with the loveliest of girlies.

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

Come and join me on Instagram - molliebylett

View the Full Motel Rocks Range Here.

P.s. here are some of my current FAVS from the Motel Collection, some of which are in the SALE!

I think you'll probably know this by now but incase you have only just joined me (nice to meet you) - I LOVE TRAVELLING.

I LOVE adventure and everything that comes with it (aside from the bugs & spiders).

I love telling people about my adventures as much as I love hearing about theirs, and I genuinely can't see my life without travel in it anymore.

The thing is, you won't truly understand what I mean when I say 'it changed my life', until you've been yourself.

So therefore my job is to ~~force you,~~ try and inspire you to head off and explore somewhere new with my top 10 photos i've found over the last week.

Here goes...

1. 'The edge of the world swing'
La Casa Del Arbol in Baños, Ecuador

2. Picture perfect in Torres del Paine, Chile

(Sourced from WOW blog)

3. Haiku Stairs, Oahu, Hawaii

4. Cappadocia, Turkey

5. Trolltunga, Norway

6. Grand Canal, Venice, Italy

7. Laguna Salada de Torrevieja, Spain

8. Salt Flats, Bolivia

9. Victoria Falls, Africa

10. Festival of Lanterns, Chiang Mai, Thailand

WHAT'S ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

So just a little update from me...

If you've been following me & my adventures over the past few months you will know that I have been on the other side of the world exploring the beauty that is Australia and New Zealand.

However all of a sudden my blog adventures stopped. WHY?

NIGHTMARE...

Basically my MacBook decided to have a software failure on my last day in Sydney and so for 3 weeks I haven been having to face the fact that I may never be reunited with my laptop files i.e. ALL MY TRAVEL PHOTOS / VIDEOS.

There was a lot of crying involved and i know it's not the end of the world, but for a blogger / avid memory keeper like me - it sure felt like it.

On arrival back in the UK, I headed straight to the Apple Store in Reading where i was told my files had gone, my hard drive had completely failed and my laptop needed replacing.

In tears they told me that there was still a slim chance i could get my files recovered and would mean going to an external recovery company for which they quoted me anywhere between £300-£1200.

Not ideal for a just-returned-home backpacker...

WHO SAID YOU SHOULDN'T EMOTIONALLY CRY OUT ON FACEBOOK...

(Me).
Though I did exactly that & thank god I did.
My friend Matt responded to my cry for help & recommended a smaller local company that deal with 'techy computer problems' and suggested I gave them a call.

I spoke to Simon (Sibit) on the phone and felt like my macbook was immediately in safe hands...

THEN THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD HAPPENED...

I got the email yesterday from Simon (Sibit) which begun with 'It's time to smile...', followed by the wonderful news that he had finally been able to recover my files from my broken MacBook AND fix the software problem.

I AM THE HAPPIEST GIRL EVER...

I was literally beaming with a smile ALL day long yesterday, I am so so so so happy that they haven't been lost forever and I owe it all to the guys at Sibit.

If I'd have listened to the guy at the Apple store, my laptop would have been replaced and all traces of my data lost.

So i have now learnt to get a second opinion before listening to ANYTHING Apple say.

SO HERE IT IS.
THE BIGGEST THANK YOU EVER TO SIMON AND THE GUYS AT SIBIT.

They recovered and fixed it for me at a FRACTION of the cost Apple had quoted, and the service was faultless.

If you have any computer problems / issues, I highly recommend giving these guys a call and i have no doubt you will be more than impressed with the service and outcome.

They are based in BERKSHIRE, so whilst some of you may not be local to the shop, the money you save is well worth the journey.

You can check them out on Facebook here:

www.facebook.com/sibit

Or give them a call straight on: 01344 769090

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

P.S. BACK UP YOUR FILES - DON'T HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE!

Now, i get bored easily - but London never bores me.

Why?

Because there are ALWAYS new places to discover - i don't think you could ever see it all without something changing and something new popping up.

Seeing as I am one of the world's worst decision makers, I LOVE it when someone recommends somewhere to me or when a PR company approaches me about doing a review.

(saves me doing the research).

So when Foxcroft & Ginger got in touch, i took one look at the menu and immediately accepted the invitation.

Foxcroft & Ginger is a casual cafe type restaurant in the heart of Soho - the food central of London.

There is an upstairs seating area fuelled by natural daylight...

And a downstairs arrangement with some urban decor that is to die for.

(Considered running away with it for my future NYC loft apartment.)

I took my friend Charlotte with me, and being the super indecisive pair that we are, we couldn't choose just one thing off of the menu.

So we ummed and ahhed over a Rekordalig (Strawberry & Lime obviously) until we decided to order... well... everything.

Bloggers being bloggers, there was obviously a 10 minute photoshoot session before anything was consumed...

You ready for the food marathon? Get your taste buds ready...

Something light and superfoody...

Something for the cold winters day...

Something for the Goat's cheese lover (me)...

Something for the Ricotta lover...

Something fodu-licious to dip your sourdough toast in...

Oh and something to pile on top...

It's safe to say F&G have a very versatile menu, one that would please the most contrasting of diners.

There was nothing we tried that I didn't like, but i did have some stand-out favourites and some things that were slightly underwhelming...

(the sticky duck burger :( for which i had high hopes.)

We both shared the dishes and absolutely LOVED the daily soup, which, on our day was Sweet Potato & Carrot topped with pumpkin seeds. We honestly couldn't get enough of it and would come back just in the hope we get served it again.

My other favourites were the 'Goats Cheese, Kale and Walnut pest, Figs & Candy beet on Foccacia' and the sourdough toast dipped in the 'tomato fondue'.

Both were filled with tongue tingling flavours leaving you unable to resist another immediate bite.

Nom nom nom.

My mouth is watering at the thought!

My piggy parter in crime this time was Charlotte (Things i do, think and buy) who is a vegetarian and she was more than impressed with the food choice & taste.

So for all you veggies - i can give you the seal of approval!

After devouring our way through the menu we headed upstairs to see the daylight & tempt ourselves with the hot drinks menu.

Of course we had no restraint and were sold on the Hot Chocolate and Vanilla Chai...

... both of which perfectly hit the spot and warmed us up ready to attack the cold winds outside.

Overall we absolutely loved it here at Foxcroft & Ginger. The food was super yummy and flavoursome and the atmosphere was perfect for a chilled out vibe & catch up with your closest friends after a spot of shopping on Oxford Street.

♡

We ate from the Lunch menu, but there is also a separate Brunch and evening menu which even offers yummy pizzas!

(you can see the menus here).

Oh and one more thing...

If you head down on a Monday night you can grab any pizza and a beer for just £10!

www.foxcroftandginger.co.uk

If you're in SOHO and would like to dine here just chuck:

3 Berwick Street, Soho
London W1F 0DR

into your google maps and you're on your way!

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

Thank you very much to Foxcroft & Ginger for having us - we will certainly be seeing you again soon :)

There's nothing I love more than treating myself to new Gymwear. If anything going to motivate me to get in the gym it's a new comfy pair of leggings and trainers.

I never really think to go into sports shops on a typical day's shopping though - i tend to buy most of it online - namely ASOS.

Since Rita Ora bought her new collection to Adidas, the brand has been bought back to my attention and I can't get enough.

So I thought i'd share my new purchases with you along with some other similar items that I love:

Other gym throw ons that I love:
(click on the photo's to shop the item)

Other bottom half beauties I'm lusting after:

Unfortunately I bought these Polka dot Roshe Runs in Australia and they don't seem to sell them here in the UK, but i've found similar ones that I'm loving...

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

♡

Thank you for reading, lots of love...

Mollie xxxx

This month marks 1 year since I begun a course of Roaccutane to treat my acne. The best decision I ever made.

Didn't realise I had suffered with Acne? Read my blog post about it here.

I was on Roaccutane (very strong, medically prescribed tablets) for 6 months and my skin changed dramatically in that time. Now I have my confidence back to wear no make up and I am no longer hiding from people in the street.

The roaccutane stays in your system for 12 months after you finish the course and so in that time your skin continues to improve. My scarring is continuing to reduce over time and I couldn't be happier to know that this is my skin today, makeup less.

02.02.15.

My skin isn't perfect, but i don't need perfect.

I get a lot of messages from girls who are currently struggling with acne, and so i just wanted to say to all of you...

It will go. Your skin won't be like this forever, just stick with it, grit your teeth and keep trying until something works.

You can see here the difference in my skin from 1 year ago and now.

My experience with Acne has made me value my skin SO much and I vowed to look after it as best as i possibly could from there on.

So, after many of you asking, I'm going to let you know the products I used during the treatment and what i use now:

During the treatment...

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser & Moisturising Lotion

You skin becomes very fragile and dry on Roaccutane and so you need something as gentle, hydrating and perfume free as possible. I was recommended this brand and it did the job perfectly.

After the treatment...

Clarins

Daily energizer cleansing gel

Extra comfort toning lotion

Daily Energizer Cream

Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil

I was always put off by the higher prices on these products comepared to drugstore choices but because my skin was sensitive and so valuable to me - i couldn't put a price on looking after it.

They all smell so good, are super kind and hydrating to my skin and I won't be changing my routine any time soon!

P.s. don't be put off by a face oil, use the right amount and they don't make you oily! There is even an oil to treat oily skin! One of my must-have products now!

Whilst taking roaccutane my skin completely dried out and i got quite bad patches of eczema & very dry lips. Both have now settled but i do get the odd patch come up on my arm.

To treat both of these I used these products:
(Eumovate prescribed by the doctor)

♡

If face products are something you really really cant afford to spend money on then that's understandable. 

There ARE cheaper options, & websites (You can shop Clarins on my secret discount site here).

I actually took some of the Nivea sensitive range travelling with me because they were less valuable if I lost them and they come in great travel sizes too.

I was very satisfied with these products and would too recommend these for post - acne skin (or any skin). :)

Nivea Sensitive Day Cream - shop here
Full range - shop here

♡

Hope you enjoyed the post! 
Are there any other routines / posts you'd like to see on my blog?

Let me know in the comments below!

♡
Thank you for reading, lots of love...
Mollie xxxx

Paddleboarding, beach bonfire and fresh steaks ♡ Westport, New Zealand

Franz Joseph Glacier - My first heli ride :)

Drive from Franz Joseph through to Lake Wanaka ♡

Queenstown, NZ ♡ My TOP 10 things to do whilst you're here...

Touchdown in OZ! Cairns, Australia

Great Barrier Reef & Hartley's Crocodile Farm - Cairns, Australia ♡

Airlie Beach & Sailing The Whitsunday's ♡

♡ HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! ♡ A few words from me...

Fraser Island - Exploring the world's largest sand island. Part 1.

Fraser Island - Exploring the world's largest Sand Island ♡ Part 2.

My 15 little New Year's Resolutions ♡

Borough Market + WokIt Noodles - Being a tourist in my own city...

Time to get your Prom On! NEW LOOK GIVEAWAY ♡

Brunch with Motel Rocks at The Folly ♡ & my Motel Wishlist...

10 photos sure to kickstart your inner travel bug ♡

My MacBook Issues, Sibit & Why you shouldn't always listen to Apple...

Lunch at Foxcroft & Ginger, Soho

New Gymwear Alert! Ft. Adidas & my new Roshe runs

NEW VIDEO! Backpacking Australia - Tips, Tricks and Help planning your trip ♡

My Skin Care Routine - During & Post-Acne ♡