In all the excitement, however, I didn’t really take the time to read up on what to expect from a Safari and I admit, wasn’t really prepared! Today I want to tell you a little about my experience and some top tips in order to make sure that when you go on Safari you will be more prepared than I was!

We booked ourselves onto the Cheetah Safari from Somak Holidays. We chose this itinerary based on the accommodation ratings, value for money and of course, the areas for the best wildlife spotting opportunities. The Cheetah Safari was made up of 7 nights exploring across Kenya, starting at Nairobi airport and travelling across the country exploring some world famous reserves. We stayed in several places:

We started with 1 night at the Aberdare Country Club, then moved onto 2 nights in the Ashnil Samburu Camp were we really felt as if we were among the wildlife at Ashnil Samburu with the monkeys running around the camp and elephants coming right up to the fence which was amazing. We loved being able to look out over the waterhole at the Serena Mountain Lodge during our 1 night stay before moving onto 1 night at the luxury accommodation at Lake Naivasha Sopa Lodge and finally 2 nights Ashnil Mara Camp in the Masai Mara which was the perfect last stop on the Safari – we saw lots of amazing animals here and loved the friendly and relaxing atmosphere which is just what you need after a long day of game driving.

When it comes to highlights from our trip, we had so many great experiences. Our main reason for going was of course to see the awe-inspiring wildlife and we were blown away, especially the elephants at Ashnil Samburu and seeing a Cheetah and her three cubs up close on the Masai Mara.

Another aspect that we hadn’t considered before going on our Safari was the rugged terrain of Kenya! Although some of the roads were relatively smoothe, a large number are nothing more than bumpy dirt tracks with ditches and potholes, or only half made so we frequently found ourselves thrown about in our seats, despite being in a large 4x4 Land Cruiser! We may have had the odd bump and bruise but the experience really wouldn’t have been the same without it!

Lastly, we loved the whole atmosphere of the trip, our driver and everyone at the Camps was so friendly and eager to make our stay comfortable – not forgetting our Safari companions, there were 6 of us in our car, who made the perfect Safari family.

Now, here are some top tips for preparing for your first Safari.

Our first mistake was to pack our usual sized suitcases - just because you are allowed 30 odd kg doesn’t mean you have to take that much with you. We quickly realised that having a big case was going to be a bit of a trial, especially because we had to fix 6 visitors and a driver’s worth of luggage into our cars along with us! Take a smaller case. Don’t overpack. The camps all offer laundry services and keep in mind most of your time will be spent in your car either in the reserves or travelling between them so you won’t need serious outdoor footwear which is heavy and space hungry.

As I mentioned, most of your time will be spent in your vehicle, especially when driving between reserves which can be 8 hours apart! I recommend packing some sort of entertainment to keep you from getting bored. I downloaded a few audiobooks which kept me going.

Accept the fact that you are going to be bitten by all manner of insects and come prepared – think repellents and bite creams, I suggest long pyjamas which you can tuck into bed socks to avoid getting bitten at night, a onesie might be the best option! Many of the camps are made up of glamping style tents so no matter what you do, bugs are probably going to get in. Don’t forget to organise anti-malaria pills and other vaccinations before travelling.

Seeing as I mentioned the tents, it’s worth considering who your Safari buddy is. Luckily, I went with my sister who I am pretty close to, so the limited privacy didn’t bother us too much. Take note - the shower and bathroom facilities are often just cubbies inside the tent with glass doors and no ceilings! 



Another thing you will have to accept is that you will probably have a funny tummy at some point on the trip – I am vegan and only drank bottled water but still had a dodgy tummy at the end of our trip. Stock up with anti-diarrhoea tablets and remember to keep yourself hydrated. Make your own rehydration drink with bottled water, a little salt and a little sugar.

On a Safari it’s all about the animals and shooting amazing photos to take home and make your friends jealous! Invest in a telephoto lens for your camera to avoid disappointing photographs. Although some animals do come really close to the vehicle some, such as leopards, you may only see from far away and up high in trees. I only bought my telephoto lens the day before we left for Safari and I am so glad I did. I got some fantastic photographs of the wildlife that I will treasure forever. Here are a couple of my favourites.

Companies are constantly changing their prices, rates, and offers to appear more competitive to new customers, but those with existing loyalties can capitalise on these shifts. Of course, the inconvenience of changing aspects such as bills and shopping is what puts most people off, but now, it’s easier than ever to make a small change which could save you a lot of money.

Here’re some top tips for how you can save money at home and every day through very simple little manoeuvres.

You’d be surprised how much power you have

The state of home phone and broadband has changed significantly, even just over the last couple of years. The rise of mobile phones, mobile internet, streaming platforms, and video gaming has significantly altered how suppliers approach the market. As you might assume, many landlines are becoming a thing of the past, with mobile phones being the main contributor to landline usage falling by 50 per cent between 2012 and 2017. As such, those who want to a new landline brought in or have an existing landline can haggle down the price with relative ease.

A lot of home phone deals are tied to broadband bills these days, to keep the phone offering relevant. Here, due to a great deal of competition in the sector and many services actively improving their offering, it’s possible to negotiate a better price. Simply by calling your supplier, you can ask for a better price on your plan or a plan that better suits your usage – both of which will save you money. Potentially, for more savings, you could just do away with your home phone altogether.

Cutting your biggest bill
Any homeowner’s most significant bills are bound to be their mortgage. Regardless of how well you initially negotiated the fees or the quality of the rate that you were offered, mortgages become more expensive at the end of their initial terms. This is why people are coming around to the idea of remortgaging periodically throughout the duration of their loan.

However, most people are put off by this prospect, with mortgages being hard and time-consuming to land in the first place, making remortgaging appear to be an arduous task. This used to be the case, but now that professional remortgage comparison brokers like Trussle have set-up shop online to help you compare mortgages, finding a more favourable deal when it’s time for you to remortgage to avoid hefty increases in payments is very easy.  Bad credit loans can be easy to get but be sure you can pay them back.

If you have to take a short term loan, be sure to only go to reputable brokers like Little Loans. 

Make the most of supermarkets wanting loyalty

Opals have a couple of drawbacks. They are porous substances so if you have an item of opal jewellery, do not use perfume or hairspray around them, as they will lose their lustre. They also aren't as hard as other diamond alternatives so are best used in earrings and necklaces, not in rings that are worn every day.

As you can see there are several diamond alternatives that won't break the bank. What do you think of my ideas?

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The floorplan

When looking at houses, pay attention to their size and floor plan. You want the house to be as practical as possible for you and your family – so make sure that you know how many bedrooms you require, whether your furniture will fit in seamlessly and how the space will complement your lifestyle.

When looking at houses, you need to think long term. So even if it suits you now, you’ll need to think of ways that your life could change and how your new home will accommodate these adjustments – i.e. having a child/more children.

How close it is to amenities

This is a key factor which often shapes many buyers’ final decisions. When on the hunt for a new home, take a look at the location that it’s in. Is it situated close to the shops? Or maybe it’s a short walk from a pub and restaurant?  If you don't have a car is it on a regular public transport route? How are the schools in the area? This last point is extremely important to parents or young couples planning a family.

Think about what you want to have nearby and focus your attention on finding a property near that. There’s nothing worse than settling for a house in a location that’s not convenient for you.

The kitchen

This is one of the first things that homebuyers look for – a good kitchen. It’s no secret that kitchens can be pricey to renovate and have fitted. So by looking for a house with a new kitchen (or at least one that’s done to a good standard), you’ll save some money in the long term.

Of course, this isn’t always possible. So if you’ve found your dream house but it doesn’t have a kitchen that’s exactly in your style, then you could always have a new one added over time. There are plenty of kitchens to choose from, including stylish german kitchens online, vintage styles and sleek futuristic-looking kitchens.

The bathroom

Another key room that you should pay attention to is the bathroom. It's another room that could cost you a lot to renovate, it’s a good idea to find a house with a bathroom that’s done to a high quality. When looking at the bathroom, see what condition the tiles (if there are any) are in, along with whether the room has any mould. A new bathroom could cost a lot to install so think about that when you are looking for a home.

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Tutor

Are you well versed in a particular subject? Why not use that to your advantage and tutor those who are struggling in that subject? Sometimes all a person needs is a little support and a tutor is a perfect person for this. You can even teach online in the comfort of your own home, all you need is a headset and a laptop. GCSE maths online tutors are becoming very sought after so it's a good idea to look into it.

Pet sitter or walker

Something that is great if you love animals is a pet sitting or pet walking job. People who work long hours may need you to walk their dog when they can’t and those who have pets but need to travel may require someone to come in and check on their pets.  You can be very flexible with this business which is perfect for many people. You can even travel the world and have complimentary accommodation house sitting as well as pet sitting.

Freelance writer

This is one I personally do and it can be very lucrative if you get the right clients. If you have a solid grasp of the written word then you may want to consider giving this a go. Qualifications aren't essential either, just the ability to write accurately. You can even use online spelling and grammar software to help you such as Grammarly.

Cleaner

Another great job for setting your own hours is cleaning - you can easily build up a solid client base, especially if you live in a small village where you can have a monopoly on clients. It may not be the best job for you if you don’t like cleaning but if you adore it, why not make some money from it?

Event planner

Are you someone who loves to plan birthday parties and celebrations? Why not utilise your skills and turn it into a career? Start small by planning events for friends and families then get the word out there and expand your business. Good organisation skills are essential, and most mums have that!

Virtual Assistant

Many people amass a collection of high-quality jewellery over time, such as diamond rings, expensive gold chains, or pricey watches. Although it may never happen, burglary is a real potential threat, and your most valuable belongings can be at risk. If you own a lot of expensive jewellery, learn more about to get it insured and determine if this is the right idea for you.

Protect against theft 

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We all know how much we feel refreshed after a good night's sleep. The kids (and the husband!) seem much more manageable, and we can cope better with the ups and downs of daily life. There is so much documented evidence of the health benefits of sleep that it's one of most people's goals - to get a good night's sleep.

Of course, that isn't always possible. It can be hard to fall off to sleep, you need the right environment to sleep comfortably and then if you wake up, sometimes your thoughts can keep you awake. Everything seems just that little more worrying at 3am. I know that since I have become older, I seem to wake up in the night and my thoughts start racing and I find it hard to get back to sleep.

The benefits of a good night's sleep

The benefits of a good night's sleep are well documented and the NHS website links lack of sleep over the long term to poor concentration and low mood and also more serious health conditions like obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Sleep and memory survey

One thing I didn't realise about the lack of sleep you can get, is the link between this and poor memory. Recently TEMPUR® decided to look into this further and conducted a sleep and memory survey in the UK.

TEMPUR® are a brand with an important scientific background. TEMPUR® was first created by NASA in the 1970s to cushion astronauts during lift-off as they journeyed into space. Over the past four decades, they have spent time and money into research and now produce mattresses, pillows, beds and accessories that evenly distributes weight and pressure as you sleep.

The aim of the survey conducted by TEMPUR® was to explore the link between the effects of a poor night's sleep on memory. For the survey, 5000 respondents aged over 18 were questioned. These are some of the results.

• Over half of those surveyed believe that the lack of/poor sleep makes their memory worse.
• Women are most likely to be affected by poor memory after a poor night’s sleep (59%).
• Those who rated their sleep as excellent or good reported an average of 7 hours of sleep per night.
• Those who rated their sleep quality as poor reported an average of 5 and a half hour's sleep per night – this group were more likely to rate their memory as below average.

They also looked at mattresses and the effect on sleep, with 4 out of 5 people surveyed believed the right mattress is essential for a good night's sleep. The most well-known mattress in the survey was TEMPUR® with 80% of people saying that they had heard of the brand. As you can see anecdotally people do feel a lack of sleep affects their memory. 

TEMPUR® Comfort Cloud Pillow Review

To help me get a good night's sleep TEMPUR® recently sent me the TEMPUR® Comfort Pillow Cloud - a pillow made of thousands of micro cushions. 

The issue for a lot of us is that, over time, it can kind of feel like some of the life has drained out of our homes. Well, that's not the way it has to be. With that in mind, here are just a few things you can do to bring some new life into your home.