Amsterdam

Went on my first trip to Amsterdam, and it definitely won't be the last! Hopefully, the next time will be in the summer though because four layers of clothing weren't enough to keep me warm this time. My best friend and I booked this trip only two months before so it was quite spontaneous yet it was an experience I won't forget!

Where do I start? The buildings were incredible. The canals were fascinating and the food was even better. So many things to see and so many things to do. We did everything we planned to in the space of 3 days, and yet there's still things left to do for when I come back!

Our hotel was located in the museum square; a 5-minute walk from the IAmsterdam sign. We used the tram to get into the center of Amsterdam; it cost €17 for a 72-hour tram pass which was perfect! Once you get to the main bit of the city, there isn't much walking to do as everything is quite near to each other.

The main coffee shops were The Bulldog and 420 (if you go to 420 order their hot chocolate). Most of the streets were filled with coffee shops, restaurants, souvenir shops and even more food places. If you love food like me then this is a paradise. There's so many choices of Chinese, kebabs, Italian, Steakhouses, pancakes and more.

After it got dark we went out into the city to find the Red Light district. It was definitely something different... and it very packed with tourists and locals. Naturally, you were not allowed to take any pictures, so you'll have to go see what it looks like yourself.

The weather wasn't too bad during the day as the sun warmed us up a little. There were so many museums to visit, but we thought we'd go to see the Sexmuseum. Because when do you ever get to see a Sexmuseum? It was so much bigger than it seemed from the outside; about 4 floors I'd say? It was also kinda weird and funny, so if you're up for that then go have a look :)

Unfortunately, we didn't rent any bikes because it was just waaaay to cold, so I'll come back when the weather is nicer.

Bae

By the way, watch out when crossing the road, or just generally when crossing anywhere. I noticed that there's barely any cars on the road. Most people use the tram to get around and even more (crazy) people use the bikes. They're honestly everywhere. So watch out.

You can almost feel the cold in this picture...

So being with Patrycja obviously meant we had to find the "The Fault in Our Stars" bench. And obviously, we did with my great 'Google Maps' skills. It had like a hundred pretty locks on it, but other than that it was a rather ordinary looking bench.

Marrakech

Recently my boyfriend and I took a 4 day trip to Morroco. It was a nice way to spend a few nights in the sun and away from the British weather. I've never really travelled beyond Europe before so I wasn't sure what to expect. 

At first, I felt kind of out of place, and since it was the middle of December, there weren't many tourists around. Everyone was dressed very differently, not something I was used to. I tried to blend in a little by wearing a headscarf and hiding my bright hair but apparently that only made me stand out more. 

Many of the places we wanted to see were quite far apart so we used cabs to get around. After our first day, we learned that to catch a cab you simply stand at the side of the road and wave your hand. Always agree on the price before as some people may try to rip you off.

The only thing I didn't like was the number of locals on the main square with snakes and monkeys. The monkeys were chained up and the owners would walk up to you and try charge you in exchange for photos with the animals. We were later told that the monkeys have been taken from the Atlas mountains.

If you plan on coming to Marrakech, one of the must-see places is the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa, which is basically the tourist market. I didn't realise how big the market was until we got lost... If it wasn't for my data, it would have taken more than half an hour to find our way out.

The market is full of stalls selling lamps, spices, scarves and many other gifts. But if you want to buy something for a good price, you have to haggle your way to a bargain.

Another beautiful place we went to visit was the Ben Youssef Madrasa. This was actually right in the middle of the market, so wasn't exactly easy to find. Our lovely cabman took us half the way, but the rest we walked ourselves. 

To get in we had to pay a small fee, and after we got to explore the building as much as we wanted to. I fell in love with the colours and the design of the building, it's not something you get to see every day. 

To finish off our holiday we booked a camel ride and a tour around the Ourika valleys. It was an amazing experience and if you ever get a chance to ride a camel, do it. Mine obviously stopped off for a cheeky snack half way through.

If you like to go sightseeing and are looking for something different, take a trip to Morocco. You'll learn a lot about the peoples' culture, food and how very different they live their life. Most importantly, it's sunny in Marrakech all throughout the year! So if you want to take a break from the cold and the rain for a few nights, this is the place :)

Above is the Marrakech railway station, one of the many beautiful buildings we saw!

Shipwreck Beach

A few months ago, my girls and I traveled to Zakynthos Island for our first perfect getaway. During our stay, we decided to take a day trip to visit the islands' top tourist spot: the famous Shipwreck Beach. The easiest way to get to the beach was by boat. Although at the time an 8-hour cruise around the island seemed like a great idea... I would certainly recommend bringing extra sun protection and water!

It was a very exciting day for me; I love being surrounded by the sea.

The boat we were on stopped at many beaches and caves, allowing us to get off, explore and do some swimming. The main attraction of our trip was the most beautiful beach that I'd ever seen.  But be careful when you're stepping off the boat and be prepared to lose your flip flops! 

The waves were very strong and made it almost impossible to stand in the water. The white pebbles gave the water a gorgeous blue colour, yet leaving my feet swollen at the same time. That day I returned to the hotel tired and sunburnt, but it was worth seeing the beach and getting up close to the shipwreck :)

Besides sleeping through the last 2 hours of our journey, it was all definitely worth it. We managed to take some amazing pictures and do a little sightseeing. Always love a good boat ride!

*None of my pictures are edited/photoshopped