PRODUCT: The 3 Items You Never Pack on Holiday, But Should!

1.  Come Under My Umbrella

The word ‘holiday’ shouldn’t really follow with ‘rain’ or ‘brolly’ – so when I arrived in Sydney wearing boots and a thermal coat, I wondered who the hell advertised Australia as one of the most desired climates on earth. Was this really it?

It soon became apparent that parts of the world other than Britain receive rain. Shocking, I know.  As any Brit will tell you, we’re prepared for any kind of weather. And complaining about it is something we’re rather good at, too. But… when I leave the UK I refuse to acknowledge that rain will fall. Save yourself the ordeal of looking like a soaking tourist: pack a light weight brolly.

2. Take A Look

A mirror: small and compact. If you find yourself camping this small essential could be your greatest wing-(wo)man.

3. Be On Time For That Trip

 Don’t always rely on your phone or it having power, pack a pocket size alarm clock. Truly one of the most essential travel products you could pack.

TOP 3: Feeling good on board

The ultimate goal is to feel and look less hagged when you land. With these top 3 trump cards you can arrive at your destination ready to go and get ’em a little faster.

1) STOMACH IT

Two key ingredients to settle the stomach are ginger and salt. I tend to eat a bag of ready salted crisps pre-flight, but ginger biscuits do the trick too. This controls travel sickness and levels out your system for a gentle flight.

2) AGUA

You can buy a large bottle of water once you’re through check in. Although on-flight you’re entitled to as many cups as you wish, a bottle ensures immediate rehydration and lots of it.

3) COMFORT

The temperature alternates frequently and your destination will probably be of a different climate to your departure. Flights usually provide a blanket, however, make sure you have socks and jumper at the ready for that layering moment during flight and landing.

Street Art, Chile: “You’re Viewing a Style of Art that’s still Scandalous”

“You’re viewing a style of art that’s still scandalous”

When there‘s talk of art it is often the Mona Lisa or one of Gaudi’s grand designs that come into play. But there’s something to be said for street art. Notably in Santiago de Chile. There’s a unique presence to graffiti and street art – two similar but differently defined terms, I have come to learn.

.Graffiti.

Has more association with spray cans, letters and stenciling

.Street Art.

Draws to landscape and tends to be free in style and technique

Whatever the definition, it’s got my attention. Knowing that the artists sketch these images at night, at their own risk, makes the work more exciting and somehow more personal – an individuals triumph against societies ‘do’s and don’ts’. You’re viewing a style of art that’s still quiet scandalous. It’s an art form that’s been coined as ‘visual politics’ by Blue a graffiti artist from Sweden, which I feel helps explain Santiago’s art rather well.

The scale of graffiti in Santiago is still some of the most spectacular I’ve seen and by that I’m not just referring to the quantity (there is a lot) but rather the detail on offer. It was an important time for students to express themselves in 2011 as protests took to the streets daily for better quality in education. This caused a lot of nervy-excitement. It’s a city in major transition, growing in modernity, yet at first glance the whole place is covered in naff spray paint – even on high-profile buildings and monuments.

It could be said that I was out of my comfort zone and needed a bit of time to adjust to the markings. Growing up in a little village, you don’t see much street art or graffiti, but that’s certainly made me notice it more and question the form. After all, when you’re away from home it’s easy to take note (and dislike) the unfamiliar, constantly searching for homely similarities. It wasn’t until my second visit to the city that I began to understand and enjoy this form of expression and get past my Hampshire expectations. That’s not to say a lot of the paint isn’t just swirls of pointless mess, unable to decipher words or images. I got talking to a local taxi driver who said he didn’t like this type of graffiti either, but then he stopped by a piece of street art, showing colour and definition quiet rightly saying:

“Si, bueno!”

Camping Out: Mega Amazing or Mega Stupid?

First impressions can have quiet a big impact on people. My second, third and fourth impression of camping weren’t all that good, either.

ASSOCIATIONS WITH TENT ACCOMMODATION:

• It takes a very long time to set up – unless you have a scout member with you

• The level of comfort is at an all time low

• Weather is guaranteed to be bad. It rains (heavily) every time

A new found love for camping has, however, presented itself. It may well be down to the decent weather that made my bitter attitude fluff up a bit – but the whole experience can really be rather exciting, even marginally comfortable, and give you a true sense of adventure. You just have to go with the right people and the right weather.

This transition happened in California when my budget was strict. To tell you the truth, I’m all the more glad for it. The campsites had fire-pits where you stocked up your firewood and doubled up to make a BBQ grill. There was a fantastic mission to create our meal with basic tools (an army knife) and the foil we cooked in was also used as our fine dining equipment.

Accompanying this challenge was managing the entire setup in the dark, eventually with a head torch – a camper’s true best friend.

Of course I was wearing every piece of clothing I’d packed by 7pm- but the food was sizzling, our little tent was poised and we had an Alaskan beer in hand – this really was alright. There was also no sign of rain.

HOW TO MAKE CAMPING A SUCCESS:

• Take some padded bedding: blow up beds with duvets are a treat

• Ensure you have a good supply of beer

• Basics are essential: foil, army knife, head torch, matches

• Go with decent company

• Park close enough to the loos for that emergency night dash

• Take full advantage of the surrounding wilderness

The following day you will be woken up as the sunrises, warming you up ready for the adventure ahead.

Take Me There: 5 Steps to Meeting New People in the City

“Someone once told to me the loneliest of people

are those that live in the city.”

How could this be so? Surrounded by bars, cafe’s and every other social sphere you could dream of.

When I moved to Sydney I truly believed networking and meeting new people would be a breeze. 2 months in and I was getting worried. Moving to a new city without a knowledge of geography or contacts?  Not so easy.

Luckily travelling has made me aware of the simplicity in approaching new people, but that doesn’t make it easy when you live and work in a new city. Routine kicks in and dynamics change.

Here are 5 steps to ensure you get out, meet new people and get your dose of social gratification!

1. Meet Up

Meet Up is a  site accessible to any city you’ve just moved to. You’ll soon realise that the people attending these events are in the same situation as you.

Pluck up the courage to meet some like minded people, whatever your hobby or interest you’ll find a group here. Highly recommended and it helped me out a lot.

2. Organised Trips & Events

Remember that long list of places and events you wanted to see when you moved to the city? Start ticking them off – book yourself a weekend trip or even a group tour. All you have to do is turn up and get talking!

3. Learn a Language / Join a Class

I soon signed up to an evening Spanish class as a way to meet people that shared an interest in the Spanish culture. There’s always an interesting reason to why people are studying a new language: holidays coming up, boyfriend speaks a different language, moving to Spain, one day I’d like to retire to Argentina…

It was also at this evening class that I met some very dear people to me. There’s more to class than making notes. Plus, a new language can take you down many new avenues.

4. Join a Sport / Join the Gym

I’ll admit, this wasn’t my first channel of meeting people. Who wants to make conversation to a sweaty stranger? (Unless they’re an athletic male, of course). But you’d be surprised, 20 women getting together for a Pilates class every week soon transforms into a gossip fest about those squidgy bits and a beautiful friendship is formed.

You can also tick off that new years resolution.

5. Work

OK so you’ve just spent the entire week working together and the last thing you want to do is spend your weekend socialising, too. Get past this awkward moment and you might just find that Office Clerk has something interesting to say. Maybe not, but it’s worth investigating. People have lives that you don’t talk about in the office.  A bottle of wine always helps.

A Friday night drink could be the ticket.

6. Housing

Viewing an open house sounds like an odd way to meet new people,  but at an open day  is a great way to meet others in the same situation. You could even become housemates in the near future. Funny how things work out if you just make a bit of effort to stay in touch.

Do you have any tricks to meeting new people in a new city?

GAME: Don’t talk to me. I’m on the train and I’ve forgotten how to function as a human being.

I’m not afraid to tell you that moving to Sydney gave me a social shock. In a city that moves fast – and stylishly I might add – it wasn’t long before I noticed everyone  on the train totally ignoring each other.

English: Alarm clock Polski: Budzik

We were all huddled into this train carriage, sleepy and hatefulto our alarm clocks.  Now we were forced to stand together, trying desperately to avoid eye contact. Most people were on their I-phones talking to other, far more attractive people, miles away. The whole situation seemed utterly stupid. The worst thing is, when a woman showed the courage one day to break this social fix and speak to me – I wasn’t really sure how to respond.

Polite – Of course.

Short – Yes.

Awkward? Absolutely.

It was as though I had forgotten how to function as a human being and …talk.

I  confess, there are mornings when I’d prefer not to be bothered and cut off with my headphones.

At first Sydney was a city to explore and communicate in. It was easy, too. Being a tourist allows this sort of conversational fling with people – you have grounds to talk and leave. Now though, Sydney is a city I live in and the task of communicating with other Sydneysiders is one of speculation. It’s not that people won’t talk, it’s just  seems to be a case of social timing, social etiquette and of course location. Why would I talk to a stranger just because we’re heading in the same direction? Because otherwise the journey is really bloody boring. That’s why. Plus the stranger happens to be tall athletic and handsome.

A friend of mine has a dear Mum who commutes to work in the UK. After doing this for a decade she’s found a small group of ladies that catch the same train every morning and these people have become friends. They even meet outside the train stop, wining and dining in the small sphere of Hampshire. Isn’t that lovely? And here I am, digitally able to communicate to you all and I can’t even roll up a decent conversation on the train with a mere mortal.

If I’m brave enough, I might just change this. Care to join me? Maybe we could start with a smile?

EAT: The Ivy Bar, Sydney

“…When you tell a Brit there’s a rooftop pool with a cocktail bar attached to it…you can guarantee attendance …”

Locate me: The Ivy is tucked down the alley of 330 George Street, 
2 minutes from Martin Place Station.
Arrive before 10 and avoid the $20 charge

You can choose between two entrances. Which ever one you choose, you’re going to be blown away.

Stairway One…

Leads you to the Main Bar. The space is huge and caters to any manner of taste:

The big sofa’s to chill out on

The dance floor

The outside/inside courts

Eat some Thai or simply take a seat on one of the balconies

You can relax or move in a variety of comforts. Yah, it’s cool, but it’s also very corporate. If you go between 7 and 9  the atmosphere is buzzing. The suits are looking good and the evening has that happy Friday feeling. Past 10 it takes on a club vibe and a different style of dressed attitude to accompany the scene.

I prefer the early hours when the nights just kicking off, whatever your mood or taste – come and have a look. Dress a little nice, too, its that kind of place.

Stairway Two…

You’re now in the pool.

Need I say more?

More you say? There’s a regular happy hour kicking off at 5-7pm.

For further details please see: http://merivale.com.au/ivy
READ ON: Cocktail bar Sydney (australia123business.wordpress.com)