Nova Silver Flower Earrings Review

Starting life in 2004 as a boutique jewellery shop in Norwich, Nova Silver are an established jewellery brand, well known in the jewellery industry but now looking to increase their awareness to the general public. Selling both through their shop, and through a wide range of stockists Nationwide, their jewellery is pretty and affordable.



Selling jewellery that is both classic and contemporary, their designs range from simple silver jewellery without any adornment, to quirky on trend pieces, to jewellery inlaid with precious stones such as turquoise, rose quartz and amethyst. 

 Nova Silver are working with a number of bloggers to spread the word about the company and to this effect they sent me a pair of rose gold plated earrings to review.

 Now if you have been following my blog, you may remember how much I love rose gold. I just feel the colour is so beautiful and adds a real warmth to your skin.  So I was delighted when a pair or flower earrings in rose gold plate turned up at my door.



These pretty earrings have an intertwined flower design that hang beautifully from earring posts. When you wear the earrings the rich gold colour catches the light, and shines beautifully.

Geo-Ramona rose gold plated earrings

The quality of the earrings are excellent, they appear well made and are priced very reasonably at only £20.

These earrings are part of the Geo range, new to Nova Silver for 2014.  The Geo range focuses on geometric shapes which are hugely fashionable for Autumn Winter. This range uses bold regular patterns and incorporates the trends for mixed metals such as silver, yellow and rose gold plating. Pieces from this on trend range were selected to feature on the International Jewellery London Catwalk this year.

Kitten silver 'Bunny Rabbit' Pendant

Another range that Nova Silver make is the Kitten range, a young fun collection that takes its influence from nature. Dove and bunny rabbit pendants mix with lucky clovers and sea star pendants and many other nature influenced designs. With the majority of prices being in the £20 to £30 bracket you really can't go wrong if you want a present for a friend or a treat for yourself.

You can follow Nova Silver on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest designs and offers.

Tell me, what do you think of the designs I have featured?
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Christmas Gift Guide 2014 And Giveaway Ends 30/11/14

It's that time of the year again where you will be thinking about Christmas, and if you are like me, you will be wracking your brains what to buy your loved ones. So have a look at my Christmas Gift Guide for that inspiration and when you are here don't forget to enter my Christmas giveaway where you could win all the lovely items below.
For Your Daughter 


Silver Biscuit Necklace From Lily Charmed £30

For your daughter or niece, what about a biscuit charm necklace from Lily Charmed? Lily Charmed are a British company that have their eye on the trends.  They sell beautiful personalised jewellery with a wide range of charms, in silver and gold plate. Pick from well-known charms such as initials, hearts and flowers to more unusual ones such as angel wings, cupcakes and even a flying pig! 

They also have 'create your own gift software' on their website so you can see how your bracelet and charms will look before you buy. Most of the necklaces and bracelets also come on a card so it is easy to give as a gift.

You can read my review of the biscuit o'clock bracelet here and don't forget to sign up to their newsletter if you want to find out about the latest jewellery and special offers. A super gift for the young ladies you know.

For Your Mum


Amelia Silver Earring and Necklace Set From Warren James Jewellers £25

The high street and online jeweller Warren James Jewellers, sell a wide range of well priced jewellery that make perfect gifts. This Amelia sterling silver cubic zirconia set, sparkles like diamonds, is rhodium plated, so it keeps it's shine and looks impressive. Perfect to wear with a little black dress at Christmas and New Year parties it is only £25. A great set for the look of diamonds without the cost. 

If you are thinking of proposing over Christmas or New Year they also sell a wide range of gorgeous diamond engagement rings, in yellow and white gold and many with big savings too.  With over 145 stores nationwide and free delivery over £49, it's the place to go, for people in the know. 


For Your Sister Or Best Friend



Personalised Ipad Mini Case From Oakdene Designs £28.50

Protect your Ipad with this Ipad mini case from Oakdene Designs. This team of designers and manufacturers based in a little village in Surrey, source all their materials from British suppliers. The case makes a really thoughtful gift as you can personalise it with a 'word cloud' of words that sum up the person. A similar case is also available for an Iphone as well.

Other gift ideas from Oakdene Designs include mugs, coasters, posters and white boards. I love their transparent photo frames, where a photo is taken and printed onto a glass pane which is then framed. Unique, and different presents that make excellent gifts.

For Your Brother



Hematite And Silver Cufflinks From Augustine Jewels £65

It's very important to look the business if you have an office job. These silver and hematite cufflinks by Augustine Jewels are simple, chic and smart. Inspired by the granite rock found in the peaks of the Swiss Alps, these luxury cufflinks create thoughts of adventure. I can just imagine them being worn by James Bond. A perfect gift for the modern gentleman. 

Augustine Jewels also make exquisite jewellery, each collection inspired by places from all over the world. Their jewel cuffs are stunning statement pieces, and would make that special accessory for Christmas and New Year parties. Hope my husband is reading this, hint hint!

For Your Dad


Ted Baker 6oz Stag Hip Flask From buyahipflask.com £28

If you know those men that like a tot of whiskey or two, what about this cool Ted Baker stag hip flask from buyahipflask.com? If you want to read my review of this item, pop over to my blog post here.  The design is traditional yet has a modern touch, and it holds a good 6oz of alcohol. The flask makes a great gift, boxed in a Ted Baker box, and is surely a quality item your dad will love.

Buyahipflask.com sell a range of classic and contemporary hip flasks including Celtic designs, sports designs, leather wrapped hip flasks and simple plain flasks. They even sell one for ladies.  The one stop shop for all your hip flask needs. 

For The Man In Your Life


Personalised Beer Keg By Personalised Bottles £39.99

This 5L beer keg by Personalised Bottles makes a great gift for the beer loving man in your life, and can be personalised with a message and photograph. The light amber ale has a floral aroma and subtle bitter taste and would be happily welcomed at Christmas time by those beer loving men ( and women). As the only online retailer to sell personalised beer kegs in the UK, you can guarantee that this is a gift worth giving.

Personalised Bottles also sell a range of items including wine, champagne, vodka and whiskey bottles and all being able to personalise online, for that delightful touch. 

This would make a great gift for that beer loving man in your life, be it son, brother, boyfriend, husband or dad. For the man who has everything. 

For You


Scottish Food Hamper By Caledonian Hampers £44.99

It's always lovely to have a hamper as a gift at Christmas, and I can't imagine anyone not pleased with this Scottish hamper by Caledonian Hampers. Beautifully presented in a silk box packed with wooden shred, it contains such delicious items as fruity strawberry jam, and tasty Scottish fudge to authentic apple and ale chutney and traditional premium haggis.

A tasty treat for yourself, or a relative, you can imagine this going down a storm on Christmas day.  Other hampers are available on their site and start at only £25.99 and with free delivery online, the website is well worthing checking out.

As a special offer to my readers, If you enter code jewelnov10 when you check out, you will get 10% off any order placed by 30th November. You can also order but delay delivery until nearer Christmas if you wish. 


You can win ALL these goodies worth over £280 including

A Lily Charmed silver biscuit necklace
An Ameila silver necklace and earring set from Warren James Jewellers
A £50 voucher from Oakdene Designs
A pair of silver hematite cufflinks from Augustine Jewels 
A Ted Baker stag hip flask from buyahipflask.com
A personalised beer keg from Personalised Bottles.
A Scottish hamper from Caledonian Hampers

For a chance to win please enter the competition by completing the Gleam questions.
You can tweet daily for an extra entry and click daily for an extra entry too
You must be 18 + to enter and it is open to residents of the UK only.

* prizes are coming from separate suppliers please allow up to 28 days for delivery

Good Luck!



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Flint Plus Flint Skin Care Review

FlintPlusFlint is a family run British company that run a chain of cosmetic clinics throughout the UK. With the experience and expertise they have gained with over a million skin care treatments they have now developed a range of skin care products, that you can readily buy online.
Maxine Flint said; “It was important to us to create a series of simple products using active ingredients that are easy to use, not crazily priced and most importantly really work."
They also take quality extremely seriously and use many of the active ingredients in medical dermatology products but at a more realistic price for the customer.

So what products do they make, you may ask? Well the products include moisturiser, exfoliator, serum, lip and eye cream amongst others. 


Interesting packaging - first aid for the skin perhaps?

What you first notice when the products arrive is the packaging. The black, almost dark grey boxes are decorated with a bright cross, this makes me think of the products as being marketed as "first aid for the skin". 

I was sent the primer to try myself and the eye hero for my husband.
SPF 30 Primer - £25 for 50ml

 What they say about the primer, "A defensive primer for protection against harmful UVA, UVB and UV rays. Containing Venuceane™, Mongongo oil and OSILIFT®."

Firstly, importantly, the primer has a SPF of 30. Nothing ages like the sun so this is a bonus in my opinion, as it provides UVA and UVB protection as well as doing the job of keeping of your makeup in place.

When I applied the cream lightly to my skin, it appeared to absorb well. What I noticed was that it made my skin feel incredibly soft. This must be the Mongongo oil that is used to nourish the skin. Mongongo oil is an oil that has been used for thousands of years by the Bushmen of the Kalahari to protect their skin. 

 So after a few minutes, where I allowed the primer to settle on my skin, I applied my make up on top.  Did it make my makeup last longer? Yes I felt it did, and it also left a natural sheen on my skin.

I think this primer is particularly good for those with dry skin due to the oil used in the formulation. Although it is primarily a primer is is also marketed as an anti wrinkle cream, and I felt that my fine lines and wrinkles appeared softer and seemed plumped up after a few days of use. This is due to OSILIFT® which is a natural sugar made from oats.


Eye Hero - £37 for 15ml

What they say about the Eye Hero, " A brightening, smoothing cream for eyes and deep wrinkles containing active ingredients EYESERYL®, Beautifeye™ and Gransil DMCM-5."

 EYESERYL works directly on under eye puffiness, Beautifeye helps rejuvenate the eye area and lift the upper eye lids and Gransil DMCM_5 provides a soft focus effect to lines and wrinkles

 My husband used this product as he has deeper wrinkles than me, although I have to admit I did try it once. It feels light and silky on application to the skin. 

 After using it for a number of days, my husband said his skin appeared softer around the eyes and he also felt the eye area was slightly less puffy. On observation the wrinkles around his eye area did appear less pronounced, in my opinion.  To see a big improvement I think you would have to use it over a long period of time.

 Would we buy these products in future? I would certainly buy the primer as a treat, and I would highly recommend it for those with dry skin. The Eye hero needs a longer trial period to see how effective it is, but early results were promising.

 Flint Plus Flint say, "We are so convinced that it works that we’re offering a full refund to anyone who is not completely satisfied.” How often do you hear that these days?

 For more information visit http://flintplusflint.com/. 

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Eternal Collection Review

Today the lovely Lucy from The Parent Game Blog is reviewing a sparkly pendant from the jewellery website Eternal Collection on my blog. Lucy's blog

Once your children become grown-ups it gets harder and harder to think of unique and special gifts for them for birthdays and Christmas. Partly, because you’ve had 18+ years to buy them everything you can think of, but also because they often have an income of their own, which means they buy most of the things they want. So I was really pleased to be asked to review the website Eternal Collection, for something lovely for my daughter, who is nineteen soon. I thought this would be a lovely, fun, easy task. Well, it was certainly lovely and fun, but it certainly wasn’t easy! I was staggered at the vast range of different items available, everything sparkly and tempting. Not just jewellery either, some fabulous scarf rings and hair claw clips too.

I could have pottered around that website all day, there was such a wealth of different jewellery items to choose from. In all kinds of different price ranges and styles. Costume jewellery purchased comes with a 30-day full satisfaction policy, which is extended over Christmas, so it makes an excellent choice for armchair gift buying. I eventually settled on a necklace and, as I was still struggling to choose from the amazing selection, I picked out a turquoise one, as this is her birthstone. The item arrived really quickly and the quality was obvious from the moment I opened the package. First, there was the lovely box, with silver writing beautifully embossed on the top. 


Inside, the item was protected by a square of foam, ensuring it arrived in perfect condition and, beneath that, it was carefully wrapped in tissue, which gave it a real air of quality. I was immensely impressed with the packaging, but that was just the tip of a sparkly iceberg! 



The item itself was clearly well made. Crafted in sterling silver, the chain was thick enough to ensure it would last but still delicate so that it didn’t swamp the pendant. The beads that made up the pendant consisted of white shell pearls and Swarovski crystal embellishments, which sparkled brilliantly in the light. I loved the little chains supporting the beads, it created a really lovely effect. The beads were a little bigger than they appeared in the picture, which suited the style of the piece, but, if you are unsure, the size of each pendant is listed in centimetres in the item description.




I have really enjoyed reviewing this website and am confident there is something for everyone in the vast selection. Eternal Collection also has a Facebook page and Twitter feed to keep up with developments and new additions to their ranges. Perhaps give them a try for your Christmas shopping, you’ll be amazed when it arrives!
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Charming Lily Charmed

Lily Charmed is one of those small British jewellery companies that are original and different.

 The company was launched in 2011 by cousins Marcus Pearce and Lucy Lee, and named after Marcus' daughter, the charming Lily.  They create jewellery that is personalised and make their items unique with the use of charms and message cards.


Beautifully packaged jewellery

The charms themselves are lovingly made in the UK by Lily Charmed themselves. The company prides itself on it's customer service and listening to their customers, so each charm can be ordered in a polished or satin finish. I personally feel that this is a lovely touch as a matt satin finish gives a very modern and unique touch to the charms they create. I chose to review a custard cream charm bracelet for my review.



Many of their products come with a thoughtful gift card

What I loved about this design is how unusual it is. I am a bit of a foodie and this charm is quirky, unique and different. The biscuit charm comes on a silver belcher chain and is adjustable to size.

 I think this dainty bracelet would be an ideal gift for a daughter or sister. It also comes with it's own gift card so you wouldn't even have to buy a card - how great is that?!

My cute biscuit charm bracelet.

The detail on the custard cream is amazing, in fact if it was a cream colour I think you would even consider eating it due to the attention to detail. Of course this beautiful silver charm is not edible in the slightest, instead designed to be worn and appreciated as a thing of beauty on your wrist!

If you pop over to the Lily Charmed website I think you will be delighted with the lovely charms on offer. Charms available include all the usual ones such as initials, musical notes, hearts, flowers as well as the slightly more unusual ones such as angel wings, owls and even a flying pig!  You can even see how the charms look like on the chain you choose on the website with a simple drag and drop technique, where you can create your own gift.

You can follow Lily Charmed on Twitter and Facebook and soon I will be offering you the chance to win a Lily Charmed necklace in my big Christmas Gift Guide and Giveaway, so be sure to follow my blog to find out more.

Let me know, what do you think of the biscuit o'clock bracelet?
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Styling My Celeb Man Crush

English: Hugh Jackman at the premiere for Real...
English: Hugh Jackman at the premiere for Real Steel in September 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It's no secret, I have a crush on Hugh Jackman. It may be the lovely smile, dark good looks or his personable approachable way. Or perhaps the fact that he is an amazing actor, whether playing tough guys or those characters like Jean Valjean from Les Miserables, that have a vulnerability, he can transport you to that moment in time. One thing you also notice is that he is always smiling for the camera and although he is snapped everywhere you never get him confronting the paparazzi. He seems like a genuine Mr Nice Guy.

So when New Look asked me to work on their Man Crush Monday campaign I only had one man in mind, and that had me thinking, which clothes would Hugh wear and for what occasion?

Hugh is a family man and he loves nothing better than picking up his kids from school, so one look for him would be a casual, easy to wear look -  a simple dressed down effortless style.  As you can see, the prices below are great. Hugh, if you are listening you don't need to go to the high end luxury fashion boutiques, take a trip to New Look instead. The chinos are slim fit, the hoodie is warm and easy to wash the kids sticky handprints off, the trainers comfortable and easy to wear, and the dark grey burnt out t-shirt is a modern classic.


Perfect for picking up the kids from school
zip up hoodie £14.99, grey burnt out tee £9.99, grey stretch chinos £19.99, dark grey canvas trainers £7.99

Hugh's easy going nature and charm makes him look effortless when presenting awards - the most notable being the 2009 Oscars.  I therefore also wanted a very smart dressy look for him. Well New Look came up trumps again, see my outfit choice below. I would never have thought you could buy a tux and a shirt with a bow tie from New Look, but, guess what, you can.

Perfect for hosting the Oscars
black tailored jacket £27, black sateen trousers £9, waistcoat £11, white ribbed contrast bow tie shirt £13 - all in the sale

I said earlier, Hugh is a big family man, well he is also a very loving husband. He has been with his wife Deborra-Lee for a number of years, sorry all you lovely ladies out there! So I also want to style him for a romantic meal out with his wife. The tweed jacket, and v neck jumper are classics that never go out of fashion and the look is updated with slim fit dark jeans and navy brogues with contrasting soles.

A romantic meal out with the wife
brown tweed jacket £44.99, navy shoes £24.99, navy v neck jumper £14.99, dark blue slim fit coated jeans £34.99

So what do you think of the way I have styled my celeb crush. Did you know that New Look also sell men's clothing?

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Ted Baker Hip Flask Review from buyahipflask.com

Dads can be difficult to buy for, be it Christmas or birthdays, I find myself wracking my brain on what to buy my dad.  He is a man of simple pleasures is my dad. He doesn't read or use technology and he's not really into sport or has any major hobbies. He does like his food though and the odd tipple. 

 That had me thinking - what would be the ideal Christmas present for my dad? A hip flask, that's what! So I was really pleased when buyahipflask.com sent me a hip flask to review this week. 


buyahipflask.com is one of those shopping sites that you wish you had found ages ago. All different types of hip flasks are here, from modern contemporary hip flasks, to traditional Celtic designs, to leather wrapped hip flasks and even ladies hip flasks, with cute feminine designs.

 I am a keen supporter of British businesses and I am also pleased to report that a large majority of their hip flasks are "made with pride in Sheffield". They are also incredibly proud of their customer service and believe in honest and reliable service, quick delivery, competitive prices and happy customers.

Ted Baker Stag Hip Flask

This Ted Baker hip flask I was sent has an attractive countryside design on it, of a stag besides a river with mountains in the background. The design is printed on leather which binds the flask. It comes in a really lovely gift box too which adds to the luxury feel of the item. It is a 6 oz hip flask so it can hold a decent amount of whisky or rum or whatever your favourite drink is. 

Great packaging and a lovely design makes this feel like a quality item

 What I loved about this hip flask is that it really feels like a quality item. The lid is screw top and it feels air tight as if leaks would be impossible. The Ted Baker logo is embossed in leather and appears hand stitched onto the design too. This would make a great gift for that discerning man in your life. They even sell ladies flasks too, and I love the ladies Ted Baker hip flask below.

Ted Baker Ladies Hip Flask

 So would I buy from them in the future? I certainly would. With a range of nearly 400 flasks and free shipping too they are definitely that go to place when you want to buy a hip flask. They are also happy to offer a free 365 day return policy if you change your mind or decide the flask is simply not suitable * terms and conditions may apply, and what company can say that these days?

Tell me do you know someone who would appreciate a hip flask as a gift? What do you think of the designs?
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Blogger Competition With The Real Effect Jewellery Ends 07/11/14

The Real Effect sell beautiful hand crafted jewellery made from silver and sparkling gemstones. What is so special about the company is the fact that they go to great lengths to ensure their gemstones feel as real and luxurious as diamonds.





To find out more about the company I asked them some questions.

 When did you start the company?

The Real Effect was founded under its previous title “Goldstyle” in 1981 as a passionate & hard working family business. Our way of thinking is simply that quality jewellery makes quality business, to this end our brand is centred on delivering fine quality products at attainable prices.

Tell me what makes The Real Effect special?

We believe in the charming yet beautiful nature of a hand set product. A smooth sterling silver surface is combined with rhodium plating to achieve a mirror like reflection. Rhodium is a very precious finishing metal that has been known to cost as much as gold.

The piece is then hand-set with European cut, cubic zirconia; zirconia is a step above the crystal, glass & base metal of many competitors and has the highest resemblance to real diamonds. The result is a marvel of affectionate detail, polished to perfection.

The Real Effect is more than a name, when someone wears the Real Effect; we want to provoke a sense of character, feelings of confidence, quality & beauty. We want to instil the effect of reality that the real effect stands for; we do this with the quality of our product. 

What are your favourite pieces?

We don't have a specific favourite piece as we love all of our items! However this is one of our most popular rings below.

What are the price points?

Our products tend to range from £30.00-£150.00. However we do have some unique items that cost around £350.00. 

What are your plans for the future?

We have many plans for the future; our main plan for this year is to create a bigger awareness around our brand. We already have many stockists in the UK and Ireland.


Bloggers Competition

Today I have some exciting news. For those of you who have a blog, would you like the chance to win one of three gift vouchers to spend on The Real Effect website? Yes? I thought you would!

To enter my blogger competition in conjunction with The Real Effect you need to write a blog post about the company on your own blog. The post must be a minimum of 350 words

Judging Criteria

1) Write a brief introduction to the company The Real Effect.
2) Pick a maximum of two items from their website to feature, and say why you like these pieces chosen.
3) Include images of the jewellery - you can take these from their website.
4) Include a link to the company's website - a no follow link is fine.
5) Make it as creative as possible.
6) Leave a link to your blog post below in the comments section and a method of contacting you if you win ( Twitter id, email or Facebook link)
7) Follow @TheRealEffect on Twitter and tweet your entry with the hashtag #RealEffectBlogComp

Prizes

There will be three prizes, all are vouchers to spend on The Real Effect website.

1) £100 voucher
2) £60 voucher
3) £40 voucher

Terms and Conditions

 You must comply with the judging criteria for a chance to win a prize.
The winners will be picked by The Real Effect and their decision is final. 
If you do not reply within 28 days The Real Effect reserve the right to pick an alternative winner.
Please allow 28 days for delivery of your prize.
Closing Date 07/11/14

Good luck!

* This is a sponsored post
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Win £30 With Voucher Bin - ends 28/10/14

A guest post by Voucher Bin.

 Hello my lovely readers! I know a lot of you love to save money, so today I have a great voucher site to share with you and a fabulous competition too. So over to Voucher Bin to explain all.

Ever landed on a page which gives you enormous amounts of discounts on almost all kinds of stores? When I say almost ALL consider the below - fashion, home decor, flowers,  electronics,  accessories,  entertainment,  dating, baby and child, automotive, business and so on and so forth - yes, the choices are so vast and so different from each other. 

 When you first login on Voucherbin.co.uk, you will notice that the site is very neatly made. It has clear options to check for latest discounts, the categories across which the discounts are available, the expiry of the hot offers and customer reviews. 

On the right top corner of the website you will find an option called "Why use Voucherbin?" which will help one understand the total number of active vouchers and utilized vouchers which will only build your trust in the website's incredible offers.



VoucherBin “Hot Coupons By Email” module lets you subscribe for newsletter through your email to get real time alerts about the best and hot deals every day.

The VoucherBin savings calculator application will help one understand the kind of savings one can avail in order to make the fullest of the site. Select the category and budget and the number of active coupons which suit your requirement would be displayed for you. 

When we talk about online shopping there are some things which bother us - like the guarantee of a particular offer availed, the cost and time of shipping the order, the quality of the product ordered and the modes of payment and their convenience. Every store on the website will ensure 100% satisfaction in all the above. 

I remember the time when online shopping was something which was considered highly risky. But gone are those days when this was the case. Nowadays it is the pleasure of sitting in a place and having the order delivered at the doorstep which makes this kind of shopping an everyday phenomenon. And a lot of our visitors are willing to vouch for the above website, and save money in the process. Let us know if you do that as well.

Today Voucher Bin is offering my lovely readers a chance to win £30 Paypal in cash. So what are you waiting for, visit their site, and then come back and enter the competition below.
Entry-Form

* In collaboration with Voucher Bin

Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com - See more at: http://www.theprizefinder.com/content/%C2%A330-cash#sthash.DzcwvEig.dpuf
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My Travel Bucket List

Are there places you've always wanted to go to or sites you've always wanted to see? Me too! So I have decided to make my Travel Bucket List - a list of places I want to see and experience before, well, I kick the bucket.

 Travel Makes One Modest - You See What A Tiny Place You Occupy In The World - Gustave Flaubert

  Shutterstock.com

To write this I had to think of the type of traveller I am. Well I love travelling and adventure but I'm not the sort of person to go backpacking around the world, I love my comfort too much, and the security of knowing where I am sleeping every night.  However I want to dip my toes into the slightly more off beat places yet still have the security of knowing I am getting the best out of my journey, so to this idea I am considering guided tours. I think to get the best out of a place, sometimes you need a bit of guidance and advice, and need it planned for you. This will be a great departure for me as I am a big planner and love the control aspect, and some of the planning will be taken out of my hands but I think it will be worth it.  

 My current dream destination is Japan. I would love to see the neon landscape of Tokyo, the temples and history of Kyoto and to ride the bullet train on my explorations. To immerse myself in the Japanese culture - eating at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, taking a dip in the Onsen spring water and singing karaoke in a bar would be wonderful experiences.  It's amazing to think that by getting on an aeroplane I can be there in half a day. Did you know that this year is the celebration of 100 years of commercial flight? The freedom and opportunity to see interesting and intriguing places that air travel has brought the modern traveller is outstanding. 

 So this is my travel bucket list.

See the spectacle of the Northern Lights in Iceland
Stay in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese hotel
Take a wine tour of the Napa Valley
Soak up the atmosphere of Berlin's Christmas markets
Pap a Hollywood star in LA
Visit Pompeii, Herculaneum and Sorrento and see cities and people frozen in time
Admire the architecture at Red Square, Moscow
Stay in a ice hotel



 Ice Hotel Sweden
See a show on Broadway and take the Sex in The City Tour
Take a boat trip to Alcatraz and see where the 'birdman' spent his time
Drive along the beautiful Almafi coast
Swim in the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland
Admire the Gaudi architecture in Barcelona
Stay in The Hamptons
Ride on the bullet train in Japan
Witness the power of Niagra Falls
Visit Oxford, Windsor and Bray and eat at the Fat Duck
Ride a cable car up Lombard St, San Francisco



San Franciso

Stay in a white washed house in Lindos
Visit Cuba and have a mojito in a bar Hemingway visited
Tour the temples and gardens of Kyoto
Revisit Gretna Green where my husband and I were married
Enjoy the glamour of the F1 in Monaco or Singapore
Take a dip in the Therma Spa in Bath
Watch a magic show in Vegas
Journey from London to Venice on the Venice Simplon Orient Express 
Visit New England in the fall
See the pyramids of Egypt
Tour the Deep South of America including New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville
Walk the great wall of China



Tokyo 

You may have noticed I'm not bungee jumping in New Zealand or trekking in the Himalayas but this bucket list is personal to me. 

 I have been lucky enough to already do some amazing things on my travels. I have visited the tallest building in the world The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and had afternoon tea at a "7 star" hotel, the Burj Al Arab, also in Dubai. I have laughed at the hilarious comedians at the Edinburgh comedy festival and visited where major Hollywood films are made at the Warner Brother's Studios in LA. I have been to the southern most point of the United States in Key West, where I also ate lobster and Key Lime Pie on the beach overlooking the sunset. 
making memories in Dubai, Rome, LA, Vegas, Prague and Edinburgh

 I have sat and watched the world go by in St Mark's Square, Venice and seen the gondolas in St Mark's Square, at The Venetian, Las Vegas. I have driven through the desert from Las Vegas to Santa Monica and driven through the mountains to Loch Lomond, in Scotland. I have climbed every mountain like Julie Andrews in Zell am Zee, Austria and seen the Colosseum in Rome and imagined the horror and the spectacle of gladiators fighting. I have drunk mulled wine in the Christmas markets in Prague, and seen Banksy paintings in the streets of Bristol.  I have admired the wonders of Stonehenge and the shrine to Ianto Jones in Cardiff Bay... ok maybe I should leave that last one off my list.

So tell me readers, what is on your bucket list and why?
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