101 things in 1001 days: Travel somewhere new in Europe

June 17, 2015June 17, 20157 Comments

On Thursday the 19^th of May, six wonderful friends travelled to Manchester in preparation for an early, yawn-inducing, flight to Copenhagen, Denmark. Denmark may not be the first country that comes to mind when envisioning a ‘friends holiday’ but the image of six, recently employed graduates, struggling round one ageing laptop and eating Sainsbury’s basic salt and vinegar spirals may help. The headline would read “Stony broke recently graduated human beings try to escape Stoke-on-Trent.” Three hours, a headache and one rebooked flight later we had secured a three night stop over give or take one flight, one of the nights in a hotel and any idea of getting to the airport.

Friday morning full of the obligatory cooked breakfast and a vodka and orange (with at least one shot incorporated) we boarded the flight and two hours or so later we arrived in the bustling capital. As I nearly caused a queue meltdown, mistaking out ticket numbered 006 for 900 and nearly queue jumping over one hundred people we boarded the train to the hostel. Checked into our darling, quirky hostel our minds turned to food and our second drink of the day.

We ambled down the stunning cobbled streets of this wonderful city. The streets were incredibly beautiful and I was shocked at how many cyclists were on the road. A number of times cyclists rang their bells to get us to move out of the way and make room. We ended up finding ice-cream, going to an Irish bar and the hostel and drinking a lot more than we thought we would. A day well done in my eyes

On the Saturday it was the birthday of the wonderful Ollie Birch. Deciding to explore the city and make our way to a number of Botanical gardens we set off into the city. Accidentally veering off course we spotted three swan pedalo’s and with the sun streaming down on us we took to the water. At one hundred Krone for the hour (five pounds each) we spent the next sixty minutes pedalling up and down the water, chasing each other, naming the swans, and generally causing a great deal of trouble. The park was beautiful and we could see the runners sprinting round the water, gearing up for the Copenhagen Marathon scheduled for the very next day.

Leaving the swans, with not too many scratches, we made our way to the Botanical gardens. Filled with every flower you can imagine, poisoned, flowered, blossoms, we entered the greenhouses that were hot and humid and spent the time spotting tiny little orange frogs. Tom and Harry continued their want to re-create statues and artwork from around the city and many giggles were had as they attempted the regal poses. That evening we hunted out a bar to watch the Eurovision Song Contest. Drinking cider, diet coke and red square vodka and singing along to the acts we finished the night in a local McDonalds. Bang on.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLLLLLLLLIE

The next day, we finally sought out the Little Mermaid statue. Although we decided not to really plan every day to the minute it was the one attraction that kept being mentioned when people learnt of our trip to Copenhagen. Not before our first Danish pastry and coffee for breakfast. Walking down towards the coast line we spotted a little café; orders ranged from chocolate and custard to croissants to covered in coloured sprinkles. I chose a terribly sweet pastry covered in little seeds and a black coffee and it tasted oh so wonderful.

We passed the harbour, a replica statue of David, a number of fountains, boats and the weather really picked up. Beautiful sunshine splayed out across the harbour. The little Mermaid although beautiful was squandered by the sheer number of people desperately trying to climb upon the statue but we had a good view and she is a wonderful statue to say the least. We spent the rest of the day exploring; we found a windmill, an old abandoned army barracks, a memorial, saw the Marbled Church and ate loaded open sandwiches.

We spent a lot of the trip exploring and walking around the vast and beautiful city and it felt so wonderful just to see it without any preconceptions.

Later than evening the city was incredibly busy but seeking out a restaurant we were lead to the back of the establishment and taken down a number of steps. Realising a little later that we were in a completely different restaurant we ordered and were quickly dismayed. The food was cold, wrong and damn right horrible and the female pirate model in the bathroom who had lost both of her arms was the last straw (although cause a lot of giggles.) We quickly left, with a little money off the bill and went to find some drinks. Finding a bar we asked if we could have the menu the reply ‘We do whiskey, gin, vodka, what more do you want?’ went down a storm and we spent the rest of the night in the hostel bar, drinking Piña coladas (renamed Penis Colliders,) doing tequila shots, and playing pool and air hockey.

One of the more surreal adventures along our trip was a boat excursion to an abandoned fortress set upon an island. We stumbled upon the chance to go thinking that it would be an informative trip and we would learn a little more about Denmark and Copenhagen. As we neared the fortress it soon became clear that this maybe wasn’t the place you would like to be left for two hours waiting for the boat: it honestly looked like a still from Shutter Island. We entered the fortress and read a few of the informative signs. However as we wandered through it felt as though they had just run out of money. The ceilings were covered in both stalactites dripping down onto the grubby floors. Harry decided around this time to pretend to be a terrifying zombie and scare the living crap out of me. His zombie impression is perfect to say the least saying that

On the suggestion of the boat guide we went down a staircase into the cellar. There, there were no lights, and odd noises echoed through the rooms. Inside were odd pieces of materials, rusty pipes, old machinery and linen. It was terrifying to say the least. Deciding to film our endeavour, Sarah’s camera decided to corrupt the video adding more fear and after I stepped on something and shrieked loudly we ran back up to the safety of the light. Deciding the café was better for us, we spent the next hour drinking frothy hot-chocolates, fluffy chocolate cake and cooing over a six week old Labrador puppy named Melly.

Deciding to venture back into the fortress, we found a bike, albeit with a flat tire and decided to teach our friend Harry to ride a bike. With Tom and Ollie grabbing the back and Sarah, Dani and I screaming “pedallllll” we all fell into fits of giggles as Harry *cycled* through the musty fortress.

We spent the rest of the afternoon talking in a tiny little bar, drinking cider and coffee with baileys and set out to find somewhere for dinner. We ended back at the first restaurant we found on the first day, and truly loved reminiscing about our trip.

It’s a little difficult to get it all in but I honestly had the most wonderful, wonderful time away. Not only did I have an incredible time seeing a stunning, exciting, interesting city but I did it with the most wonderful people possible. I haven’t managed to get everything in (we did so goddamn much over four days) but hopefully you’ve had a little insight into our trip to Denmark.

30 thoughts that run through your mind during reading whilst waiting for the bus

June 12, 2015June 12, 201510 Comments

Happy Friday readers, hope you are wonderfully well this lovely Friday. I wrote the post 45 Thoughts Whilst Writing a Book Review and thought it would be fun to write you another thought-style post. I unfortunately still cannot drive, so my mode of transport is a twice-daily bus to and from work. I cannot tell you the number the times I’ve almost or have missed the bus due to having my nose stuck in a book so here are my 30 thoughts that run through your mind during reading whilst waiting for the bus

1) Work is over, time to get home and binge watch ‘House of Cards’/’Breaking Bad,’/’Friends’

2) But first, have to get this bloody bus ride home done gah

3) There should have been one already,

4) Hmm..trusty book, this will kill some time

5) I’ve lost the book mark, oh worries me

6) *flips forward several pages*

7) *flips back several pages*

8) Ah, here we go.

9) Gah it is blowy today, my dress is going awol

10) Shucks, it’s cute though

11) Is it odd to read whilst at the bus stop? No, course not

12) Oh gah the wind keeps blowing my pages about and I can’t concentrate

13) *beep* oh hello fellow colleague making your way home whilst I stand in the wind waiting for this goddamn bus *waves*

14) I must have been here half an hour. At least.

15) Oh it’s been five minutes.

16) What was I doing again? Oh reading,

17) Wouldn’t it look cute if I instagrammed this?

18) YES

19) *snaps picture* okaaaay, Instagram, apply filter

20) Bookworm at the bus stop 2K15 #bookworm #booklyfe

21) Gah, I am a social media legend

22) Back to le book, oh this bit is good, so glad this bus is a little late

23) *Reads Intently*

24) Shit is that the bus?

25) Where the hell is my ticket… oh that was the book mark

26) F****

27) No money on me! But wait, I see you Mr Bus Ticket

28) Although, the bus is now 1000000 metres away

29) At least I’ve got a book right

30) Now where was I? *reads*

I really enjoy writing these posts; something a little more creative from yours truly. Now where is that bloody bus?

A thank you from mylittlebookblog

May 3, 2015May 3, 20159 Comments

So, it’s Sunday and the end of this celebration of mylittlebookbookblog. I’m going to keep it short because I’ve waffled enough this week.

I’ve learnt a lot blogging and I’ve learn a lot about myself in doing so and to be honest with you, I think that this blog has ultimately saved me from a number of cripplingly scary moments. My life right now is a little in limbo and it’s terrifying. I’m not sure what I want to do let alone where I want to be and in the last ten months I’ve seen the worst of myself and the panic that comes from graduating and feeling a little lost. But this blog has brought out the best of me.

I have felt so wonderfully supported and this blog has been a life saver and I just wanted to really say thank you. From my mushy emotional and slightly whimsical heart. Because you are the best people that I could have ever wished for. All the authors, the bloggers, the tweeters, the likers the commenters and the emailers (these are not words) but all of you. Thank you. Thank you so much and here’s to another year of this pretty goddamn wonderful tiny space of the internet that I have found I’m able to call home.

Two Year Anniversary of mylittlebookblog!

April 9, 2015April 15, 20155 Comments

Afternoon readers, a little news from my little book blog. On the 29th of April 2015 I will be celebrating the two year official anniversary of mylittlebookblog.com. I can not believe how much this blog has given me in terms of confidence in my writing and reviewing, the sheer number of authors, readers, publishers and book bloggers I have met who have been such a joy to get to know and the number of books I’ve read and been introduced to. I will be celebrating the two years blogging between the dates of the 29th of April and the 3rd of May and would love as many of you to get involved as possible. Whether that’s a guest post, helping me with a give-away in terms of prizes or just sharing my blog posts on the day. If you would like to get in touch please comment or email me at mylittlebookblog2014@gmail.com

Thank you

Piano from a 4th storey window: Jenny Morton Potts

March 25, 20151 Comment

Good evening readers, hope you’re all well unlike me, a little sick bunny. It seems I have caught a tummy bug which left me rendered completely useless yesterday. After being rudely awakened by my housemate, I heaved myself out of bed to go and purchase whatever it was she was complaining about. Hauling a sick ridden body out of bed dressing it in patterned black, red and white leggings, an orange t-shirt and a pair of blue fabric pumps and a massive coat with a fur hood I must have looked comical. I cannot wait to move away from the drama of where I live. Before I get too off topic there are a number of reviews that were supposed to be posted days ago but I’ve been so sick I haven’t had any time to sort them and amongst packing for the move last week. I’m hoping to get them written up ASAP so if you’re waiting for a review it’s on its way I promise. So, without further delay onto today’s review.

Lawrence Fyre and Marin Strang aren’t like other people. He is the eccentric owner of failing Sargasso Books in the Brighton Lanes. She is an ex-Jehovah’s Witness and isolated Spanish teacher. If they live together in his illegal, beautiful, rope laddered lock-up; can their love overcome their losses? Original, sexy, very funny and deeply moving. An author in complete control of a number of unforgettable characters and emotional highs and lows, Jenny Morton Potts leaves the reader breathless, and wanting more.

So as the blurb suggests Marin Strang is a Spanish teacher whose life hasn’t quite gone the way she wanted it to; having to live on a wage from numerous temporary teaching contracts and coming out of a rather painful breakup she’s in a bit of a sticking point; in limbo as to what she should do next. An ex-Jehovah’s witness but with ties to her father who remains a loyal member, Marin finds her days wandering The Lanes in Brighton a shopping spot and ends up in the a café named Number 8. Here she meets Lawrence Fyre, the owner of the (failing) store Sargasso Books. The two, after a number of chance meetings enter into an intense relationship but a number of hiccups including his sister and the intriguing Nina could force their relationship to fail. Will their relationship rise or flounder? You’ll have to get hold of a copy to find out!

So, there’s the book in a nutshell; now you could be forgiven for thinking that this is a rather stereotypical boy meets girl style plot-line but it’s more than that. Firstly I have to commend the author for getting the feel of Brighton down so very well. I could feel the blustery wind and see the cobbled lanes full of brightly painted houses, it’s incredibly evocative of the little seaside town. The writing style is wonderful although a little difficult to get into to start with. It reads almost like a stream of consciousness, which we don’t experience all too often as a reader and when mixed with dialogue and narrative it was a little different at the start. However as you get more stuck in the words rise and fall in a very smooth almost lyrical prose which I thoroughly enjoyed.

In terms of plot line it is the perfect mix of both tragedy and love story and the whirlwind mix throughout is both tender and comedic. The two main characters are wonderfully written both quirky in their own rights but written with a real feel of human warmth and understanding. They come alive with each other and the conviction of their relationship is maddeningly exciting and euphoric. The pace is fast and forward thinking, it ricochets off with such breath taking speed that I found myself reading chapter after chapter without noticing.

I think what makes this book is the style; it is a unique and unforgettable writing quality that is both quirky and gripping. It also allows for the highs and the lows of the novel to really come alive and punch the reader in the jaw which is exactly what I wanted from this novel. It is a love story but it also intertwines personal growth, the pressure to conform to society or religion and trust in the relationships we have. It really made me sit up and listen and made me think about my own place in the world that I find myself in. Overall a stylish and quirky read that was a wonderful mix; thoroughly enjoyable.

Happy New Year…

December 31, 2014December 31, 20143 Comments

So I spent a lot of time thinking about my post today on New Year’s Eve. See, I’m not the biggest fan of this holiday and that’s because it always feels a little negative. It’s notably because we’re constantly looking to the future and trying to perfect ourselves, sure that it will reflect on the next year. New Year is all about change and I’m not sure that I want to. 2014 has been a year of change, but I’m the happiest I’ve been in a while. When I was looking at all the New Year posts deciding what to write and what to say I found this quote and it speaks volumes to me,

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential. ~Ellen Goodman

I think that is probably the most wonderful quote to sum up my thoughts on New Year. Why do we sit wishing for a better year. I’m going to take it day by day, taking each new experience as it comes. This year I’m not setting any resolutions, but instead I’m going to remember why 2014 was so wonderful, and how I, can enjoy 2015 even more.

101 things in 1001 days: Travel somewhere you have never been before in GB

November 17, 2014Leave a comment

Good evening my lovely, lovely readers. This post come from a very content little blogger. I’ve had a wonderful weekend and now I’m all snuggled up on the sofa finishing another of 101 challenges but I’ll come to that soon. There will be new reviews up tomorrow so if that’s what you’re looking for then I’m sorry but tonight it is a post about a road trip to Glasgow.

On Saturday morning, way to early for my liking, I stumbled into a taxi to Stoke Station, grabbed myself a skinny caramel latte and took the train up to Crewe. After a quick train hop I was on the train to Glasgow with my delightful mother. Three hours later, a little tired and with aching legs and heads ringing (small children on trains can be a little tiring) we reached Glasgow. A day spent looking walking through the lovely trailing of streets of Glasgow we a number of stunning art galleries and traipsed the streets shopping.

A number of magaritas in the early evening and a wander back to hotel we were in for an utter treat. The hotel was stunning; with modern rooms filled with little beautiful lines and treasures on every surface we were shocked at how beautiful it all was.

Perfectly thought out and stunningly beautiful; after announcing that I was to move in, we took a walk down into the town and preceded to devour a monster burrito and also a bowl of mussels and fries. Oh and two bottles of wine. The place was stunning and with the drink flowing we enjoyed the truly beautiful atmosphere of the little diner.

After the best night sleep in weeks, we woke to the stunning sights of Glasgow. A hearty breakfast later we were walking the streets looking at the stunning graffiti, the dazzling views and the bustling streets.

A few trips to a number of galleries including the light house and a trip to the river we took in the truly beautiful sights of Glasgow. The place was a bustling joy and although on arriving there I wasn’t sure I know I need to go back and discover more about this wonderful place!

I am a little whimsical at the best of times so as it is scotland I had to find myself a deep fried mars bar! I must admit it was Mumma B who finally tracked one down in a little chippy on the high street. The verdict; a lot like a nuttella crepe with caramel! I couldn’t finish it but the thought was there.

After a very long day we finally trekked back to the highstreet to find more cocktails; shock! We tried an excellent number including a very spicy but detectable martini (and a number of other cocktails!)

Two very tired travellers took the train back home and although a few wobbles getting back I had a very lovely sleep and a very tired but wholesome day at work!

I had a truly lovely weekend away; you watch out Glasgow, this little traveller will be back!

Blind Book Date

September 24, 2014September 24, 201414 Comments

Last weekend I had the sheer delight of visiting my two lovely sisters, (one true sister, one that I truly wish was,) up in Hull. My little sister Char and her housemate Kathryn have just moved into a delightful flat up in Hull where they will be entering their second year of university! These two lovely people never fail to put a smile on my face, and seeing them was the perfect weekend away from the daily grind of working a full time job. I must admit the 5am start, snuggled in my big winter coat and fur boots was less than lovely, but sleeping on the train is always a good way to counter the effects of very little sleep. I also had the joy of seeing my poor parents who had spent the last few days desperately trying to pack up all the bits and bobs that were apparently vital to my sister surviving the year ahead. (How does one person accumulate so much stuff?!)

Once we had dropped the two slightly hungover ladies to their music rehearsal Sunday morning (Margaritas in a Jamaican bar can lead to slightly fuzzy heads the next morning,) myself and the parents wandered over to the marina to seek out the museums. However on our way there I spotted these.

Read me,

How far would you go to find the man of your dreams? Sometimes love happens when you least expect it. Make sure you pour yourself a glass of wine or three!

Each of these lovely books had a handwritten tease to tempt you into picking up a copy. A mystery blind date with a book, it’s pretty special isn’t it! I wish I’d had time to pick one of them up and reviewed in however we were in a bit of a rush and I quickly too a snap. One of my things on my list to do is to leave a book somewhere with a note inside. I’m tempted to cover the book like this and leave a note inside explaining why; I think that could just make someones day.

Marco Polo: Thailand

April 21, 2014April 21, 20144 Comments

A different review today! I absolutely love travelling, and in the past years, I have travelled extensively over Europe; Paris, Orleans, Rome, Pompei, Florence, Venice, Koln, Belgium, Switzerland, and many others and further a field to places like Borneo in Malaysia. However one place that has so far eluded me is the bright lights of the beautiful Thailand. So, when the lovely Hayley of ‘bitterballenbruid.wordpress.com,’ (PLEASE go check it out, it’s an absolutely beautiful blog!) sent me an email to review this travel guide by Marco Polo, I was very happy to give it an honest review. Now I must admit I have never done one of these before, however I’m going to give it a very good go! So with no further a due, on to the review! Let’s go travelling to the delightfully beautiful and magical Thailand!

Travel guides are the travellers, go-to. We hold them like sacred books that tell us the dos and don’ts of where we are going; where is the best place to eat a real Spanish paella? When is the best time to visit the London Eye? When is the best time of day to go shopping in Venice to avoid the siestas of the locals? How to get away from the tourist track in Berlin or where to buy the best peaches in Brussels? They are extremely important to travellers far and wide, whether travelling far or not-so-far, whether it is a short or long trip, with family, friends or even alone. Travel books are hallowed and we all know the dangers of using a bad one. But this one is a real gem and I’m going to tell you why! If you want to experience Thailand take this lovely little guide, packed with up-to-date attractions and go to places. No matter what you want to experience, food, attractions, sports, activities or just a little shopping this is a ‘go-to’ book. Marco Polo describes it’s book most impressively with the line; ‘most holiday makers want to have fun and feel relaxed from the moment they arrive at their holiday destination- that’s what Marco Polo Guides are all about.’ It’s a big claim but as I continued to look through the book I did feel very much in safe hands. Not only will you find out where the best place to stay is, in the exact location you would like to stay, but additionally the best night-life hotspots, tips on where to shop and what you will find most often on each of the different floors, but also tips for the budget. Whether you are a penniless student, or a high-flying tourist looking to spend all of their pennies you will find exactly what you need to plan your perfect voyage. Whether this is meditation or a search for exotic cuisines similar to the eating challenges on ‘I’m a Celebrity,’ or trekking and diving; Marco Polo reduces this to a size in which it is perfectly pocket-ready. This coupled with beautifully taken photographs and colour-coded locations help to make this book even easier to read and this makes the book even quicker to get to grips with!

One of the things I liked most about this book was its extremely simple but helpful layout. Colour co-ordinated for different locations including North, South and Central locations, whether you were looking for folklore dancing in Chiang Mai, or Pattaya’s floating market it is easy to search and read. Overall this is a simply laid-out book with many tips and secrets. We all know that Thailand is a world of alluring surprises distant and exotic, but this book condenses it perfectly into a hand guide that would fit into the pocket of any rucksack of any traveller. With the additional road atlas and pullout map you cannot help but think that the publishers of this book have not missed a single detail. The aspect I thought was the most special was the addition of a ‘blogs, and apps, section.’ Sometimes the most important part of a holiday guide are the real comments made by real travellers and by having a selection that relate especially to the location you are travelling to, is extremely helpful when planning a trip. Additionally I couldn’t get over how extensive this book is as it really covers everything a traveller would want from a trip! I could not believe the detail and the depth that this book goes into. This is further seen in the ‘insider tip’ notes on some of the descriptions, these are extra special details that allow you to get the most out of your trip; these include secret, less known spots, and more extraordinary or unusual activities; so look out for them!

Overall this is a simply lovely book that really gets to the heart of what travellers want; tips and tricks fused with perfectly co-ordinated and organised travel destinations. If you want something that covers an extensive guide of a certain holiday destination I would not miss a beat in taking this trusty book with me, right away!

Borneo…

April 7, 2014April 7, 20146 Comments

In 2010, I travelled to Borneo, and found myself in the most awe-inspiring new world; this photo, to this day, continues to take my breath away. I look and see a girl that was free and so happy and I think what I would give to be back there.I see my shark tooth necklace and my wooden bracelets that I collected whilst I was there and think there, my hardest decision was which colour my new one would be and what it would remind me of. I spent the month shifting dirt, digging the foundations for a new school, running litter pickings along the beach, teaching the local community the importance of keeping their community tidy, learning to scuba-dive, living in the jungle surrounding by creepy-crawlies, and mostly finding myself. I now live my travellers life through the books I read and the worlds I immerse myself in. If I could, for one minute make anyone feel how I felt having that photo taken, and feel so incredibly on top of the world I would…without a second of a doubt. For me, this is the ultimate picture of my happiness in the last couple of years; there is no place I would rather be. Whilst I surround myself with philosophical text books, with past papers and with piles of work I think to myself, one day I will go back there. I will find the person that I left there, I will get that feeling back, and I will find the real Lizzy Baldwin. Not the one I’ve been hiding.