It's Good to Get Lost

To wake up in a new city, in a country you have only seen through photographs and movies is a beautiful thing. Setting off for the day of exploration, with only a map for guidance is the start of a new adventure. You never know what challenges, or people you will encounter. For anyone who knows me from a bar of soap, they’d know I’m directionally challenged. I am from one of the smallest cities in Australia, where I have lived my whole life and still can’t remember how to get to friends houses. So it didn’t come as a shock to many people, when I told them of the amount of times I got lost whilst travelling. As an estimate, I would say I had no idea where I was for 30% of my trip. Yet each time I spent hours searching for my seemingly close hostel, it was the kindness of a stranger that helped me find my way. Generally the people couldn’t even speak English, but they saw a young foreign girl lost in their country and decided to help. 

▲

On the day of my departure back to Australia, I was in the capital city of Croatia, Zagreb. I had a 5pm flight out, so I decided to make the most of my last day and venture into the city centre. I bought some clothes, tactically bought a water so I could use a little café’s toilet and some medication as all the partying in Budapest had given me a pretty gnarly chest infection. I walked back to the hostel without getting lost, packed up my belongings and headed to the bus station. I arrived to the bus station with time to spare and a massive internal smile going on as I realised this was the first time in three months I had successfully walked to various places I hadn’t been before without getting lost. It’s fair to say I was killing it, thinking that with all this travelling maybe I was getting the hang of maps and directions. I got on the bus to pay the driver, scrimmaging through my bag, my heart dropped. I didn’t have my wallet. No, no, no please tell me I had my wallet. I realised I must of left it at the hostel. The bus driver could obviously see my worried and just generally annoyed expression as he said he would take me to the airport for free. I said thankyou, but explained how I had left my wallet at the hostel and I had to go back to Australia and would need my money, ID, cards etc. At this point I was holding off panicked tears, thinking I’m going to miss my flight when the driver told me to follow him into the office of what I’m assuming was the boss. There were a few men speaking Hungarian to each other, when one of them got me water, told me to sit and asked for the name of my hostel. They rung my hostel to confirm my wallet was there, I thanked them so much for their help and said I was going to walk back to get it.
“No, no, no!” they grunted, “I drive you.”
So one of the men drove me to my hostel, collected the wallet, drove back to the bus station and I still made it on time for the bus to the airport.

That day I learnt that Croatian bus drivers are my new favourite people and I couldn’t even explain how thankful I was for the kindness of those men. I also learnt not to be cocky, because there’s always something else ready to bite you on the bum when you least expect it. And lastly I learnt, that it is much easier to live a directionally challenged life than a forgetful one.  Next time, I think I’ll stick to getting lost.

Why Social Media is Harming our Mental Health

Social media is taking over the world… or the way in which we see it at least. Lately, I've been noticing how my mood changes when I spend excessive time on Facebook and Instagram verse when I am actually out and about interacting with the real world. We all know we shouldn't be on our phones so often, yet when we find ourselves with a spare minute it's spent browsing the news feed we have already read and re-read five times this morning.

▲

When we are browsing through Instagram and Facebook, we forgo the scent of grass, the smile of a stranger or a connection between friends to stare into a screen. We put the present on hold, while time keeps ticking and the day carries on. Time is spent comparing our lives to our 'friends' or broadcasting our own selected highlights to our followers. If I were to scroll down my news feed, I would see a mixture of skinny girls posting provocative photos of themselves, models, celebrities, happy couples and friends hanging out together. All the while I'm wishing I was as skinny as her, as pretty as that girl, I wish that guy would like me and that I wish I could be travelling the world. I want her life. The craving of things we don't have or feelings of missing out are not unfamiliar to most people.
   I have a friend who is constantly on social media, consequentially she is never fulfilled with her own life and is constantly comparing herself to others. It's unhealthy to base your perception of yourself on other people's lives. Social media becomes like a popularity contest based on how many likes you got on your latest photo or how many followers you have. All this hype seems like an important thing at the time, yet we must remember that it doesn't correlate into anything outside the screen

Too many young people are basing their real world worth on their presence in an non-existent, cyber world. Do yourself a favour and turn take a break.

Mykonos: Chora

We've all seen the white washed buildings and narrow footpaths in pictures of the islands, but nothing compares to the real thing. The white buildings with blue balconies and doors are beautiful, it's as if you have stepped into a time lapse and have been taken back a hundred years. Walking through the streets of Mykonos town is an experience in itself. The streets are so narrow that you have to squeeze against the side of buildings or even go into shops when cars go past to avoid being squished. There are a lot of bathers shops and little boutique jewellery and hand made clothing stores. If you plan on shopping, then be prepared to forego your next meal as the prices are expensive rightly so from the mass of tourists that flock to the town. It's also a good idea to take cash, as there are limited ATM's and a lot of restaurants and shops don't accept card.

▲

You have to go to one of the many cute little cafe's for a milkshake or crepes. If you want to splurge a little there are some beautiful restaurants overlooking the ocean.

Go up to the top of the town and checkout the iconic windmills, not only are they impressive to look at but they give you a beautiful view of the town.

WHY YOU SHOULD HAVE A GAP YEAR

It was only a week ago that our Instagram and Facebook feeds were filled with 'Last day of school FOREVER!' photos and snap chat stories consisted of teens everywhere embracing alcohol as if ending two weeks of exams was breaking a life of celibacy. But what those poor, oblivious school leavers don't know is most of them will be straight into uni life in three months wandering why they ever complained about college workload. Yes that's right, the summer holidays will consist of parties, beaches, festivals and the all too familiar "So what are you going to do next year?" conversation.

But what if I told you not to listen to your parents and society telling you your going to become a dropkick if you don't finish uni and get a job, that being a 'bum' for a year could set you up for life. Here are the reasons I've learnt, why taking a gap year is both practical and ridiculous amounts of fun. 

▲

1. It let's you see what life is really like 

Let's face it, the last time you didn't have to go to school for a full year you were most likely four years old. Not to say spending your days watching spongebob, following around your parents and playing games weren't worthwhile but you just didn't know how good you bloody well had it. The feeling of being able to happily fall into a TV series addiction without worrying about how the hell your going to finish an essay when Heisenburgh is being taken hostage by Thucko is like no other. Without school you can spend your time however you want to. So if you want to lay in bed and watch movies everyday you'll most likely end the year unable to fit in any of your previous wardrobe but boy will you  kill it in the Harry Potter Trivia game. Or if you decide to draw, surf, skate, play an instrument or whatever else takes your fancy, you'll find yourself developing skills and finding new hobbies you otherwise couldn't have. You get out what you put in, so spend your time wisely and you can achieve things you otherwise struggled to have the time to develop.

2. Travel 

This is an absolute must if your going to have a gap year. To be honest, I'd recommend getting a working visa and moving to another country to work and travel for the full year. The experiences and people you'll meet are indescribable and you will learn things about life and yourself that university could never have taught you. If however money is an issue, then work for 6 months then travel or settle for a couple of months holiday like I did. Regardless if it's a week or a year, backpacking is likely going to be the best experience of your life so far. I had the most fun I'd ever had and it completely changes your perspective on life, it opens you up to new places and experiences that you forget exist. So while friends were doing assignments and complaining about it, I was riding bikes through Paris, swimming in the Mediterranean sea, front row of a music festival with 400,000 others or exploring caves in Croatia. 

3. Work experience 

Imagine studying a course for four years then starting your dream job to realise you can't stand it or being unable to get a job because everyone wants someone with experience but you need that job to gain the experience needed. A gap year allows you to test out various career paths and allows you to see what you like or dislike in a job. For me, I found that I NEED a job that stimulates my mind and is constantly changing, I hate repetition and get bored very easily. Therefore jobs like a dentist, or detail assistant (Which I currently am) are not for me. You can volunteer in an animal shelter, land an internship that you otherwise wouldn't be able to do whilst studying. 

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/13244751/?claim=4md3gc6rsrt">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Follow my blog!

The Best Airport Fashion

You are packed and ready for your amazing trip, now just one more thing...what an earth do you wear to the airport? It's always a slight dilemma dressing for the airport, especially if your starting your journey in a cold climate and will end up in 35 degree heat. A puffer jacket just doesn't cut it, so we have brought you some of the most stylish airport looks so you can start your next adventure with bothstyle and practicality! 

▲

Hot weather! If you're lucky enough to be jet setting into the heat, then here are some looks that cater to your destination. Although all airports are similar temperature form air-conditioning, its important that you don't pack a big bulky jacket or pants purely for the airport trip. Layering is key! Bring one jacket and wear that on the plane, as any more and you are compromising shopping! A key trick to avoid a squished sun hat, is to wear it on the plane! I took my floppy hat across Europe and it has still remained its flop! This is because I wore it in airports so it didn't get squashed in the bottom of my suitcase. 

Cold weather! Are you arriving to a winter wonderland in Switzerland? Christmas in New York? Or maybe just Tasmanian summer… wherever your headed make sure you wear your biggest winter jacket on the plane. This will save room in your suitcase and can double up as a blanket on those long night flights. It's good to wear scalves as they add that bit of extra warmth and can be used as a head wrap to keep light out when trying to sleep.

Comfort! Make sure you're comfortable for your flight, it can often take three days of flying to even arrive at your destination so be prepared to be seriously jet lagged and don't take it out on the jeans that won't stay up right or the itchy Chanel sweater. Comfort is key for airport style. If you can rock a onesie like Rhianna then hell, go for it! Wear shoes that your feet will thank you for and clothes your prepared to live in for a couple of days. But remember, comfortable doesn't mean ugly. It means ultimate chic, effortless style to start your adventure with a bang!

The Ocean

The crystallised salt dries against our sun struck skin. Howling, thumping waves crash against the ocean floor. The indescribable clarity of floating beneath the water; an escape from our fast paced lives. The ocean is strong and mysterious, we can only guess what life breathes beneath the depths of the giant. It's deeper than the human will. It is a journey fit only for our imagination, while our bodies wait patiently ashore.

▲

I love the ocean, it's beautiful and refreshing and it keeps us in touch with our roots. I believe with social media and a constant expectation to fulfil social norms, we need a running with nature to clear our minds and realise the world is pretty amazing. I'm lucky enough to live in Tasmania, where we sport some of the world's cleanest and beautiful beaches. The only issue is there is only about two months per year where you can survive the waters without a wetly. Thank god for wetsuits. Here are some photos taken by yours truly, of camping and surf trips up the East Coast, Bruny Island and South Arm.