When you move to Oz you realise that popping to a new country whenever you have a spare weekend is not really a thing. It was definitely easier to sustain a travel blog in London when fodder like sleepy Galician villages or bookshops in Edinburgh were a short hop away. But I’ve found a way around this distance and that’s by bulking up my travels into one big trip. Hence the travel madness that will be May.
What’s Happening In May?
Lot’s, I tell you! As the title suggests I’m off to explore 4 different destinations in the next 4 weeks. From Oz to the Caribbean and the Med. Here are all the juicy deets.
London
This Thursday I’m heading to London to pop into the Traverse travel blogging conference. I attended the first ever (I think) Traverse in 2013 but have unfortunately been absent ever since. It’s one of the best conferences I’ve ever attended for travel blogging though, combining insightful workshops, panels and the best parties. This year’s event is set in London so I couldn’t think of a better excuse to visit my former home and then head to the Home Counties to visit family.
I’m staying at the superbly located One Aldwych during the conference and have just enough time in my schedule to pop into Covent Garden to stock up on some Great British High Street fashion. (M&S I’m coming for you.)
Antigua
After spending the Bank Holiday with family I’m off for my first beach break of the month in glorious Antigua. The theme of this trip I’m taking with one of my fave bloggers, Vicky Flip Flop, is zen. (Could there be a better theme?) We’ll be spending our time at two different Elite Island Resorts – St James’s Club Antigua and Pineapple Beach Club – who you may remember I have big love for from my previous Caribbean jaunts. On this trip Vicky and I will be undertaking difficult research tasks such as road-testing the resorts’ spa treatments and yoga classes. (Hard lyfe!)
I’m most looking forward to trying out one of the floatfit®CARIBBEAN aqua base® classes at St James’s Club Antigua. From my understanding it’s like taking a HIIT training class on the ocean – they’ve got these innovative floating mats that keep you above water. I’ll probably spend a lot of time falling off the mat but that’s not a bad way to cool off mid-class, isn’t it?
Follow along #AntiguaZen
Greece
In the second half of May I’ll be continuing my zen mission with Vicky in the Mediterranean. In association with Olympic Holidays we’ll be spa-ing and Greek Salad-ing (totally a thing) across 3 Greek Islands – Skiathos, Alonissos and Skopelos – singing Mama Mia, here we go again at least once per day! All my happiest childhood memories consist of holidays on the Greek Islands so I cannot wait for this grown-up girlie getaway in Greece.
Follow along #GreekZen
Perth
Last on the agenda for my travel mad May is a long weekend in Perth. To break up the flights from Sydney to London I used some air miles to redeem a business class flight to Perth. (Virgin Australia operate a flat bed on this route that I’ve been dying to review.) I’ve got a long layover in the airport on the way out but decided to use the journey back to explore Perth and have arranged for Justin to fly out and meet me there in order to do so. We’ve put together a tentative agenda involving Rottnest Island, Fremantle and Cottesloe Beach but if any Perth-based peeps have some insider tips please send them this way.
A Little Favour Please
In other news, the nice people at Flight Centre UK have nominated me for a Travel Blog Award. It takes 2 seconds to vote – I’m in the Expat Category. Thank you and please.
And Now To Pack
Packing for this trip will be interesting. Very interesting. I can feel a post brewing about how to survive 4 weeks with one suitcase….
Follow Along
I’ve obvs be posting about all these adventures as I go. You’ll find different snippets across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with blog posts to follow as soon as I get decent internet connection. The hashtags that Vicky and I will be using for the Antigua and Greece trips are #AntiguaZen and #GreekZen.
Acknowledgements & Thanks
Parts of the above trips are sponsored by kind people at Olympic Holidays, Elite Islands Resorts, Kuoni and One Aldwych. Special mention to Tippett PR for once again spear-heading the kind of projects that get me seriously excited about my job. And thanks in advance to Vicky who has signed herself up to multiple weeks in my company (insert evil laugh here).
What an exciting month for you Jayne! Who woulda thought five years ago when your 40before30 blog was one of my main sources of bloggy inspiration to start, that I’d get to spend TWO weeks with you in such awesome locations. Very excited for our May time plans. It’s going to be fuuun! X
Me too! Love when a plan comes together like this. See you soon Flippers!! x
Sounds like you’ve got a pretty decent May ahead! Looking forward to seeing your articles on Skiathos, Alonissos and Skopelos, always love hearing about different islands to visit in Greece! Enjoy all the sunshine 🙂
Me too, can’t wait for sunshine and tsatziki!!
Hi Jayne,
I’ve voted for you. Good luck. Looking forward to hearing about your travels. Have a fab time!
Thanks so much Janice!
Just voted for you! This sounds very exciting- I love the look of that exercise class, though I think I’d be spending an awful lot of time in the water!
Lisa | http://www.whatlisadidnext.com
Me too. I’ve got mental images of me spending the whole class just trying to get back on the mat. Guess that counts as exercise though right?
Just voted! Hurrah!
Sounds like lots of fun, I need some zen in my life. Looking forward to hearing how it goes… and most looking forward to catching up at Traverse this week 🙂 xx
Thanks Jen, can’t wait to catch up too -it’s bee far too long xx
Such an exciting month for you Jayne! I stayed at Pineapple Beach Club when I was 7 years old, and St James’s Club last year – you’re in for such a treat!! They’re both gorge! And YES to Karen at Tippett PR, she rocks. Defo one of the best PRs to work with,
And you already have my Perth tips 😉 hehe. Just remember; Rotto, Leighton Beach + Bib & Tucker, il Lido at Cott beach, Freo + Little Creatures, and Whisk Creamery in Subiaco!
C x