The 'doable' travel wishlist

Well, it's safe to say I LOVE exploring & travelling so as the years drawing to a close I am already planning my next adventures. I was planning to title this as 'my 2017 wishlist' but I think I got a little carried away with all the places that I want to go and realised they weren't doable in year lol. So instead it's a wishlist that slowly and surely I'll complete (prays to God to give me the funds to do so) Travelling can be hard because unless you're doing it on your own getting everyone to want to go to the same destinations as you, the same time of work etc can prove difficult. Not forgetting the fact that certain places are places you'd ideally go with a partner & considering I don't have one of those it's not always easy (lol awwwkwarrd).

Anyway, as much as I love a holiday to say - spain, I love holidays that are different. Holidays that aren't just holidays but ones you learn from. Travelling teaches you things that can't be taught in education - difference in cultures, food, drink, styles of living, manners. But anyway, instead of me preaching I'll get to the point.

1. Dubai

Even though I ticked this off my wishlist in 2016, I have a lot of places to recommend to you guys and to be honest I just love talking about the place! It is amazing. You can't drink there but to be honest it is that good that you don't even care. Quick tip, July over there is a KILLER for heat - I went with three friends and our bodies adapted to the 50 degree heat, however locals told us that around January - April is a good time to go. I stayed at Jumeriah beach and it was to die for! My recommendations are: Hilton Dubai Jumeriah beach hotel - the customer service was amazing - I promise you, you will be treated like royalty in this hotel! The cheesecake factory - Once again the service was amazing and not to mention the food, I could not fault a single thing in this restaurant. We stayed for one week and ate there at least three times! Aquaventure Atlantis The Palm - The BEST waterpark I have been to, the rides, the layout, the food and drinks, the view - perfection. Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi - All white with splashes of gold, it was flawless - you get given clothes and scarfs to cover up with (almost died in 50 degree July heat) but it was well worth it. 

2. Iceland

I can't stand the cold but the thought of Iceland really does tickle my fancy. Big puffa jackets with fur hoods, real hot chocolate, ugg boots = heaven. Northern lights, warm blue lagoons, glaciers, waterfalls, caverns, canyons I want to see it all! 

3. Thailand

Hopefully putting my deposit down to city hop in Thailand for 14 days in a few weeks! I have wanted to go for years now! There's so much that I want to do and see here I just hope that 14 days is enough. I have a whole heap planned and will be going with the two girls that I went to Dubai with so I know that it will be amazing! We plan to go to moon parties, eat street food, take yoga classes, visit the grand palace, temples, take boat rides, see elephants, visit national parks - basically everything that can be done there, we want to do lol.

4. New York

I think I speak for the majority when I say that everyone has wanted to visit NYC after watching the Lost in New York home alone as a kid. (or maybe it's just me) I'd love to visit New York in the winter - it looks super cute, well on home alone it does anyway. Walking across the brooklyn bridge, seeing the statue of liberty, shopping, being in times square, watching broadway shows, eating at five guys, visiting central park is a must for me.

As you can tell I love talking about travelling so excuse the long blog, hope you enjoyed it & if anyone has any comments then feel free to comment. Happy New Year guys!

xxx

Should a man pay on the first date?

I'm going to start by saying a HUGE thank you to everyone that read my last blog, the views & comments I had were un-real so thank you it means a lot!!

But back to the point of the blog - earlier today I went to the gym, when I got back home nothing on TV was tickling my fancy so I decided to watch a whole heap of vlogs. You know what it's like once you get on you tube, one video turns into ten and before you know it you've been sat for hours watching them lol. Anyway, I came across a podcast type of vlog where a group of men and women discussed and debated common 2016 questions. One of these was 'should a man pay on the first date'. It had me hooked because I couldn't believe how deep men and women actually look into it. One of my favourite sayings is 'it's not that deep' but boy oh boy it is! Strap yourselves in because if you're anything like me you'll love hearing all the different angles people come from with this question.

I'll start with my personal opinion - I'm all for equality and part of that means that we can't pick and choose when we should be equal with a man and when we shouldn't. I personally think that a man should never be expected to pay the full bill, to me that's hypocritical because as women we strive to be equal to men. I would never in a million years go on a date with a man and bring no money because I'm EXPECTING him to pay and I'd never not see a man again because he didn't pay. (don't get me wrong dating can be pricey as hell so it would be nice if he did)

So, when a man doesn't pay I wouldn't knock any points off him (yes in my head I have a little check list - we all do to a degree.. I think) but when he does pay especially on the first date (boys take note) he gets a whole heap of brownie points just as boys would give girls brownie points for paying. It's a two way thing and that's what some women fail to see. Boys, although we want equality we also still want a little chivalry - a gentleman. Hold the door open for us, maybe pay for the first meal, pull our chair out for us. In contrast to that, men probably want a women that will break the typical cycle and pay for them.

Back to the vlog I watched, one of the girls was adamant that a man should always pay for the first date no matter what. Her argument was that if a man's ran her down and wants her time then he better know that he's paying! If he didn't, she'd pay but never see him again! It was a huuuuge turn off for her. Now for me, that's a little far (but maybe I just can't afford to be so picky lol)

Another woman was saying that if the man asked her out for a first date then she'd 100% expect him to pay, but if she asked him then she'd 100% pay - and to be honest I can kind of back this point. One woman was also saying (and I agree with this so much) that if a man doesn't pay on the first date that she'd question what kind of relationship he wants from her. She'd think that all he wanted was her body because he's not willing to make that effort to impress her. Definitely agree.

Now for the men's perspectives! Ladies, the men thought deep about this! They were saying that the majority of the time they would always pay even if they weren't feeling the girl because they just wouldn't feel right letting the woman pay and because if they did like the woman they'd want to impress her. (kinda cute) But, if a woman didn't even make the gesture of at least showing her purse or pulling out the money then they'd question the date. Apparently (and to be honest this shocked me a bit) there's girls out there that will go to a club with NO money what so ever and 'finesse' a man - end up getting drunk for free, and get home for free. So, to them if you didn't even grab your purse how can they distinguish you from the 'finessers'?

They were also saying that they understand the whole gentleman thing and understand that that's ultimately what most women want but they were offended that some women wouldn't even consider a second date if the man didn't pay for the first one. Their argument was that they're man enough to know that it's good will to pay without a woman hinting it to them. (makes sense to me)
They were also saying that if they paid for the first few dates without the women paying for any then the women were asking for the relationship to fail before it had even begun. Dating can be expensive, so if one week or one month was a bit tight for them then even if they wanted to see the girl they couldn't because they knew that she wouldn't pay!

Everyone will have their own opinion, these kind of questions get me thinking a little so I thought I'd blog it. Hope you enjoyed!

xxx

Love yourself girl or nobody will

What defines a man? It's not what he wears, what type of car he drives, what type of hair cut he has, what size he is. So why is what defines a woman in society based on how much make up she wears, how much flesh she shows, how she talks and the places that she goes to. What defines US because we are EQUAL? How clean hearted we are, how selfless we are, how thoughtful we are. These are the kinds of things we should think about when trying to sum a woman up.

Now, I've not done a blog post in a while and today I was meant to upload my 'health is wealth' blog but after two events I postponed it and quickly wrote this one in the space of a few hours. I went to an event on the weekend -it was a rave style night so no-one wears anything fancy. Just a simple jumpsuit and trainers or shorts and trainers - not your average night out attire but to be honest it was nice to have a change! Anyway, I wore a lace up body suit, denim ripped shorts and a pair of trainers. 

A man came up to me the next day, pushed up his face and his exact words were 'you wore shorts to a rave' and the two words he then used to describe me were 'dirty' and 'disgusting'. So, in this small minded mans head if I'd have worn trousers and heels that would make me a good woman? but because I wore shorts I'm less of a woman? His facial expression insinuated that because I wore shorts I was asking for attention or asking to get violated. No, maybe I'd just tanned and wanted to show my legs off, maybe I used to be a size 20 and wanted to show my figure off.. the possibilities are endless.

We define ourselves.. our mind, our thoughts, our bodies they are what defines who we are. The second thing that brought this post on was when I was queuing up for the event I could hear girls that were dressed in the exact same clothing as me and all my girls, basically slating us for NO reason what so ever. (we all looked buff that night so we didn't pay attention) but my point is if women aren't even empowering women how the hell is society supposed to.

Ladies, everyone struggles with being judged there was a point where I wouldn't eat in front of people because I was so concerned with what people thought of me. (I would now eat 4 cheeseburgers in front of a crowd of people and feel no way lol - hog alert) Seriously though, if you can't be arsed wearing make up one day, then don't wear it! If you want to wear something that not many would wear, then wear it! If you want to attend every event, then do it! If you want to be a size 16, then be it! 

How we dress and what we wear does NOT define who we are! Love yourself, enjoy your beauty and never let ANYONE whether it's society, magazines, a man or a woman tell you any different. We slay, all day erry'day and always will (if I could insert some emojis right now I would).

When I eventually start vlog'ing I'll say a whole heap more about attitudes towards women and stereotyping but for now I'll leave it there. I hope it was a worthy post, do you baby girls and never any one else.

xxx

My favourite missguided steals this month

1. Quilted Waist Faux Leather Mini Skirt Black

2. Grey Faux Suede Perspex over the knee heeled boots


3. Choker neck chunky tunic cream


4. Satin wrap mini dress chartreuse


5. Gold wide holographic metallic choker


6. Ribbed high on neck bodysuit khaki 


7. Strappy lace triangle bra black


8. Cropped cami pj set pink 


Just a short and sweet snippet of my miss guided wishlist at the moment! From the perfect party dress to elegant lingerie miss guided always have it covered at a fair price.

xxx

Every day skin care routine

Women and men don't often agree on much, but one thing I know we all HATE is bad skin. Going to sleep with clear skin and waking up with a breakout of spots is the worst. For some people, one missed product or one day of not caring for their skin can cause them to break out. However, for me the three main things that make me flare up is:
1. Food - Junk food is my skins worst enemy, after my break up I went through a long phase of eating absolute crap because I knew that no-one would be seeing the flab under my skinny jeans (we all know they pull all those rolls and love handles in lol). Anyway, not only was it making feel rubbish - my skin was breaking out in spots, becoming greasy and looking washed out. Fruit & veg for me is one of the best things for my skin.
2. Use of too many products - Too many skin care products can cause me to break out in spots. I don't know why, it just does. I keep my routine down to a minimal for this reason, as well as saving time.
3. Lack of sleep/stress - I work nights and can be working until 7am some days so I often don't get the amount of sleep my body actually needs and my skin doesn't half let me know it the next day! The right amount of sleep leaves a glow in your skin, gets rid of dark circles under eyes and reduces break outs.

I know everyone has their own routine but I thought I'd share mine as recently I've tweek'd it a little after getting tips from other blog posts that I have read.

So first things first, tie my hair up in a bun and put a towelled head band around my hair line so none of the products get in my face.
Stage 1 - Garnier Micellar Water
I only recently started using this after seeing a bunch of bloggers and friends rant and rave about it. I put a little on cotton wool pads and begin taking my makeup off. I start with my eye makeup, take off my highlighter then once it's all off give my face a final cleanse. It leaves my skin feeling 10x lighter and cleaner than makeup wipes do.



Stage 2 - Simple kind to skin moisturising facial wash
I've found that any other brand of facial/exfoliating washes result in my skin either becoming too dry or breaking out in spots. However, the simple facial wash works wonders on my skin. I begin by wetting my face with warm water, squeeze about a tea spoon of the product on to my palm then rub it gently into my skin staying clear of my eyes. I have an oily nose and on particularly bad days I mix about a table spoon of epsom salt into the facial wash and massage it into my nose.


Why epsom salt? I originally discovered it after my car crash and started putting it in my baths to help with my aches and pains as well as soak my feet in it after a long shift. I then researched into it and realised how good it was for your skin! It's a versatile product that draws all the dirt and chemicals out of your skin, helps with muscle aches and works as an exfoliater!
Stage 3 - Kind to skin hydrating light moisturiser
I love simple products as they are free from artificial perfume or colours which means that once my pores are open they don't sting or get clogged back up. This moisturiser is lovely and light on my skin and doesn't leave it looking shiny. I rub it into my skin and neck and leave it to work it's magic.


Stage 4 - Vaseline lip therapy
Nothing expensive, nothing fancy - just plain old vaseline to keep my lips soft and hydrated! I don't tend to use lip exfoliater unless I REALLY need to (which to be honest is probably about once every four months). As long as I always keep vaseline in my hand bag my lips always remain moisturised.

So that's it - a simple, quick routine that I use on a morning and night time to keep my skin as healthy as I can. Hope it helps!

xxx

Somedays different

Well everyone that knows me knows that I start the majority of my sentences with 'someday's' - 'someday's smile', 'someday's shut the fxck up', 'someday's different', 'someday's stay at home'. I think you get the drift. For those that have never heard me say it, you're probably wondering what the hell I'm talking about so I apologise lol. Anyway moral of the story, that's where I came up with this evenings blog post title (not that you even care).
Let me begin before I go off on another tangent.
So, my main reason for this blog post is because I'm SICK of the same old places and the same old events! Now don't get me wrong I love a good night out and have two coming up but it's not the be all and end all. Ending my night at maccies at 5am is not the only thing that signifies a good night.
I want to try new food places, go to random local events like food markets and festivals, go to the theatre, go somewhere small and cute for the weekend like Scarborough, meet the girls for a drink in a bar we've never been to before. Like I said before, 'someday's different' lol.
So although next week I'll be ending my night eating a cheeseburger and chips at 5am, I've also planned a few different things to do.

The lady boys of bankok in Leeds!
Yep, you read it right! I'm spending my friday night before work, watching the show live in Leeds. Why? .. well why not? I'm definitely way more excited than I should be. Tickets were only £14 for an hour and 45 minutes show - so me, one of my best friends and her mum (aka my second mum) thought we'd go and see what all the hype is about. Glitz and glam, dances to favourites like Shakira and Beyonce oh and alcohol you can't go wrong really.

Magical lantern festival


Once again I'm way too excited for this, giant lanterns for Christmas spread across one of Yorkshire's parks I'm going to be like a kid in a candy store. (don't worry I am taking my best friends nephew with us but to be honest that's just an excuse for me to go without looking weird).

Billy Elliott in theatre

Billy Elliott is one of my favourite films and it's finally coming to the Theatre in Manchester. I REFUSE to miss it.

xxx

Pointless but needed

Well, I'd love to say that the reason that I've not posted anything in a while is because I've been sooo busy with work, night outs and uni but the reality is my minds been blank and I've been extremely lazy (story of my life). I'm laid in bed, tired as hell with a re run of the bake off playing in the background and switching to and from online shopping and writing this 'pointless but needed' blog (pointless because I don't have a purpose when writing this and needed because it's been a few weeks since my last post).

So, it's my best friends 21st birthday event 2 weeks today. She's having a 'white with a splash of gold' theme and no doubt she's the type of person that will turn up in BRIGHT red to be the star of the show. Girls, you know when you've got a big night out planned and everyone's finally all going to be in one place your imessage chats are always screen shots of potential outfits you're all thinking of buying. Partly so that you've all got the dress code right and partly so that no-one buys your outfit (this has happened to me a few times). If i could insert the rolling eyes emoji right now I would.

Anyway, these messages have been going on for at least a month and the majority of my girls have got their outfits sorted. Picky old me on the other hand is still here stressing because I need to lose my belly fat in 2 weeks and I'm yet to find a dress that I actually want. My choices are limited as the outfit HAS to be white. I've finally added three to my wishlist and I think it's about time I actually ordered them all so that I can try them on.

1. Premium bandage lattice front gold ring midi dress white

2. Halter neck lace criss cross midi dress white

3. Gina Gado Dress in white

I've got skin care and fitness blogs coming soon so look out for them (I'll try not to leave it so long this time).

xxx

Go get 'em tiger

I feel like in this generation it's easy to lose sight of what actually matters. Social media is constantly displaying people dressed in their nicest clothes, at the most popular events, in the nicest cars and it makes people strive for these things just so that they don't miss out. (now do not get me wrong my instagram only shows my best pictures) we're all a victim of it. I can hold my hands up and admit that I've gone to events and places knowing fully well that I won't enjoy myself just so that I can say I've been. Finally, I'm putting the typical party places and holidays on hold and doing something that will better my future. I'm going to the South of India for a month! 















Now, if the bold writing and exclamation mark wasn't enough to tell you how excited I am then this blog will. The past year has been an emotionally draining one for me (I'm not ready to start getting too personal) but put it this way after putting in all your time and effort into a number of people and situations for it to back fire on you it makes you motivated as hell to finally, just finally do something for yourself.



















I've aaaalways wanted to work with vulnerable children and volunteering abroad has been something on my bucket list for years. I'm finally making one of my dreams a reality. I've put the deposit down to travel to Kerala (South India) for a month teaching disadvantaged children how to speak, read and write English. Although the trips not cheap, totalling at £900 (without flights) I couldn't let the price put me off.

What will I be doing day to day?

I will be working in a local orphanage with children that are desperate for love and attention. I will work with local school teachers planning and teaching lessons for the children Monday to Friday & planning extra curricular activities for the children to help them gain key skills that many of us take for granted. Many of the orphans are only babies and volunteers like me get the chance to show them the love they deserve. Whether it's a kiss and cuddle when they cry, a night time story or simply just teaching them how to share with others I will get the chance to provide them with the warm, loving environment that they may not have always had. 

On the weekends, once I have planned all my lessons I am free to explore nearby towns and beaches. Visit the local markets, climb a mountain, river raft, see untouched beaches, visit temples, see elephants and lions, waterfalls, national parks, get a henna tattoo, visit spice farms, do yoga (and finally I will breathe). Yeah, I think you get the jist - I just want to experience it all! Kerala I'm coming for ya.

xxx

My Autumn wishlist.

As much as I love summer and sun, it gets to a point where I am weirdly excited for big coats, onsies and oversized knitted jumpers. Of course, once I get caught up in the cold, wind and rain I want summer back again. I 100% prefer online shopping than actually having to leave my house so I thought I would share my Autumn wishlist with you (hopefully my bank balance actually allows me to buy a few of the items come pay day).

1. Rexx Mustard Round Neck Side Split Jumper ( Pretty little thing ) - £18.00

Just the right amount of comfy and just the right amount of sexy! This is a must buy for me for exactly those reasons. A little oversized and baggy for comfort, knitted for warmth and a side slit for that sex appeal - you really can't go wrong. Dark nights don't always mean you need to stock your wardrobe with dark colours and this mustard colour means you won't go unnoticed! I already have a pair of leather leggings and thigh high boots that would work wonders with this jumper.

2. Miss Selfridge petite padded jacket - £69.00

This is my perfect idea of a 'go to' coat. You can't go wrong with the colour black as it can be put with anything! The detailing of padding as well as the fur trim on the hood elegantly turns the coat from being a 'plain jane' to something that stands out.

3. Nike tech fleece tracksuit - £65.00

Girls, we're allowed to be comfy too! Lounge wear and tracksuits are on the rise for girls and this winter I'm going to make the most of it. Team with a plain white or black top underneath and a pair slides or trainers and this is the ultimate 'chill out' outfit. I love tracksuits because as comfy as pj's are, if you suddenly decide to go out or someone unexpected comes round you have to go and get changed. Where as tracksuits on the other hand allow you to relax in style yet still be acceptable to go out in. 

4.  Oatmeal faux fur trim cape cardigan - £60.00

Although it's a little pricey for what it is, I'm a sucker for a fur collar. You could wear the simplest of items under this cardigan and still look dressed up! Pair with black ripped jeans, a black vest top and some ballet pumps for a casual look or change to a pair of heeled boots for a dressier look.

5. Off the shoulder knitted tan jumper (missguided) - £15

I ALWAYS have those few items I buy for the cold months that don't keep you warm but still can't help buying. This jumper is definitely one of those! As you will eventually realise I love the colour nude/camel as well as the off the shoulder look. A slicked back bun hair style, big hoops and a pair of skinny jeans and you're good to go. 

'Poutin 'ell' - Kylie Cosmetic review

Unlike the majority I don't keep up with Kardashians. However, Kylie's lip kits caught my eye from the get go. Seen as though I only wear highlighter on my face, my main make up focus is my eyes and lips. After buying my first MAC matte lipstick 'taupe' many months ago I gradually progressed to liquid matte's and I've not looked back since! I'm no makeup fanatic but I have to admit, liquid lipsticks are becoming my guilty pleasure (behind chocolate of course).

I don't have a natural talent for makeup like some, so finding lip liners that actually go with the lipstick I decide to buy is probably much harder than it should be. I think something matches in the store, I get home, (and girls you know how excited you get to try a new purchase out) try it on and realise I've just wasted a fiver that I'll never get back on a lip liner that's completely off colour, so when I realised Kylie's lip kits have both the liner and lipstick all in one I knew I had to try it out.

Now, considering they're not the cheapest items in the world I decided to go for 'Kourt K' which I've already tried and LOVED. The second lip kit I bought was 'Brown Sugar'. The packaging it came in was to die for!

Both lipsticks feel light on your lips, last the full day and even when you go to take them off it can be quite difficult - sneaky tip: put vaseline on your lips then wipe the lipstick off with a makeup wipe. I loved both of the colours and each lip liner was the perfect match. I paid approximately $65 for my order including shipping and it was well and truly worth it. However, I found that there were a few down sides to Kylie's collection. I found that 'Kourt K' wasn't as easy to apply as most liquids and I could only get an even finish by filling my lips in certain places user the lip liner. After a few coats of the lipstick it became quite tacky on the lips ( mind you, I find that with most liquid mattes). The final down side was receiving a note through my letter box stating that my delivery was at the Post Office and before I could receive it I would have to pay an extra £17 - but that's a customs charge so we can't hold Kylie responsible.

Despite the downsides, the positives definitely out weigh them and I can't wait to try out and share more of her collection with you in the future! My eyes are set on the glosses and metal collections!

xxx

It's a start

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You've always got to start somewhere. After going through my first ever relationship break up, a few spots of bad luck, the holiday of a life time (oh and months of procrastinating) I thought what better time than to finally start something for myself. As the old saying goes 'out with the old and in with the new'. I'm not going to lie even after pestering Siri with endless questions about how to start a blog and a lot of research I'm still sat here CLUELESS but I guess you don't know if you don't try. 

My best friend is practically like a sister to me and is always telling me to have more confidence. After my break up it was clear to see that she was going to take this time to knock some sense into me. After endless lectures on 'self worth' and 'how to love myself' LOL - I'm sat laughing because I know she's going to be reading this literally laughing out loud. Anyway 1000 lectures later, I do. Hence why I'm having the balls (excuse my language) to write my own blog. 

The hardest part of starting a blog was thinking of a name. Boring old me came up with bullsh*t URL's like 'ellatalks' and 'ellasworld'. It's ok you can laugh too. Finally after some help (once again from my sister from another Mr) 'thejunkboxsite' came about. To cut a long story short, I talk a lot of junk and now I can put it all on one site for others junk talkers to read!

xxx