I love to travel! Travelling feeds creativity and broadens the mind.

I left my home in Cornwall ten years ago… Since then I’ve lived in Bristol, Paris, Nice, near Rome on a sailboat and now I live by the lakes near Milan. I worked as a flight attendant for eight years travelling all around Europe and I’ve been lucky to travel to some other wonderful places around the world. There are still lots of places on my wish list to visit, but so far the following places are my favourites. In no particular order, here’s my top ten destinations:

Florida – I’m extremely lucky to have a wonderful friend who lives in West Palm Beach and who has welcomed us into his home several times. We’ve rented Mustangs and other beautiful cars and taken road trips to The Keys and Orlando. The weather and friendliness of the locals makes Florida an amazing travel destination which I hope to return to frequently in the future. Plus Disney World is there, need I say more?

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Australia – My boyfriend, James, grew up in Australia and so I’ve been very lucky to have been welcomed into his friends’ homes like family and really experience the Australian way of life. The Aussies are the best at BBQs, relaxing and having fun. I’ve spent time in Sydney and Brisbane and loved both cities. I hope to go back and explore the beautiful country some more.

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Singapore – We ended up in Singapore by accident on one of our trips to Australia. (We got stuck in Abu Dhabi so we decided on a different route.) We spent a few days there and it was my first taste of Asia. Singapore is beautiful, clean and ultra-modern. The people are friendly and I’d happily go back to experience the amazing water show again. If you’re lucky enough to go, make sure you try a real Singapore Sling and the delicious Chilli Crab!

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Bali – Bali was also an impromptu trip on the way to Brisbane. (Don’t try to arrive in Australia the weekend of Australia day on standby tickets!) We only stayed for three days and two nights so we didn’t get to explore much of the island outside of crazy Kuta. It was a shame because after studying the island in detail, there are so many other gorgeous places that I would like to visit in the future.

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Vietnam – We went to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) where we took our lives into our hands sharing the pavements with hundreds of scooters. The markets and street food were really interesting, mixed in with the more modern high-rise buildings. We visited the war museum which was a sad and humbling experience, but the city is fresh and full of life now. To escape the crowds we indulged in a trip to Phu Quoc, where we enjoyed white sandy beaches and even watched pearls being harvested in a pearl farm.

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Barcelona – I studied Spanish at university and I’ve spent quite a lot of time in Spain over the years. My favourite city in the whole of Europe, however, has to be Barcelona. There’s something for everyone with the history, the art, the beach and the delicious food. I’ve been there on a girly holiday, with my family and I’ve even done two solo trips to Barcelona, once just to try a solo trip and the second time to study Spanish. Barcelona has a charm that I’ve not felt anywhere else.

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Tanzania – I climbed Kilimanjaro for The Anthony Nolan Trust nine years ago and fell in love with Tanzania in the process. The people are warm, happy and very welcoming and the scenery is breathtaking. I spent a little bit of time in an orphanage there and the children were the kindest little souls I’ve ever met. They just wanted to connect, share whatever they had with our group and learn. The experience really changed my life, it inspired me to come home and enrol with the Open University. I would love to go back and explore the rest of Africa and hopefully even see the big five in the wild one day.

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Nice – I was working in Paris and not particularly enjoying living there (I’m a country girl at heart) when the opportunity arose to move to Nice. I jumped at the chance and never looked back. The Cote D’Azur is a magical place and the beauty of the coastline really has to be seen to be believed. Nothing can beat a cold glass of rosé on a hot day or trying out another fabulous restaurant in the beautiful old town.

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Dubai – I wasn’t sure about whether I would like Dubai after hearing mixed reviews about it, but I really enjoyed visiting. We have lots of friends living and working out there, so it was great to see them and experience the Middle East briefly. The city is ultra-modern and there’s so much to see and do there. I loved visiting Atlantis and experiencing one of the famous, fancy brunches with great friends.

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The Ionian Islands – Last summer we sailed from Italy to Greece and spent the whole summer exploring the Ionian Islands. We sailed around Corfu, Lefkada, Ithaca, Meganisi, Paxos and Anti-Paxos all of which were stunning. I’ve never seen the colour of the sea look so enticing anywhere in the world! The people are friendly and the food is wholesome and delicious. I would love to spend more time in such a gorgeous part of the world.

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Bonus destination

Italy – Italy is currently my home and there are too many beautiful places to name a favourite. The eternal city Rome, is unique and beautiful. It’s a real must see in your lifetime. I’ve also had the fortune to sail lots of the Italian coastline and the islands of Ponza and Elba will always hold a special place in my heart. You really can’t beat the food in Italy either!

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So do any of these destinations make your top ten list? Where are your favourite places to travel to?

Wishing you Sandy Toes,

Lou x