Blog

THAILAND

23.01.2021

Why I love Thailand? It really has a lot to offer! First of all it is a safe destination and perfect if you are a solo traveler, in a couple or on a getaway with friends!

Thailand has some of the best beaches in the world, with white sand and crystal blue water, amazing food, beautiful islands, exotic animals and a great nightlife.

It is a good destination both for a relaxing trip or if you are into clubbing.

Phuket is perfect for its nightlife, Bangla Road in Patong (Phuket) is packed with clubs, pubs, cabaret, live shows, karaoke, and some of the craziest experiences you could imagine (not for the faint-hearted!)

In Patong you get to see a world-famous LGBTQ cabaret and there is nudity everywhere you look- NOT A DESTINATION FOR FAMILIES!

You’d better just grab a light suitcase and do the rest of your shopping here: you can find some amazing deals: handmade clothes, crafted jewelry, custom paintings and portraits, all for incredibly small prices. On top of that it is a local habit to negotiate the price on everything, even at the mall, so be sure you would get some really good bargains.

You can get amazing clothes starting from £1 and have a dinner for two at a fancy restaurant and only pay a tenner. The climate is really hot and humid so you need very light clothing made of natural fibre. You can find anything you need here.

Thai people are incredibly friendly, so don’t be surprised if random strangers are seeking conversation. Just don’t buy things you don’t want. Street sellers are everywhere, day and night, it is a city that never sleeps- what is good is that you can find anything to eat or drink whenever you want- everything is always open.

Food is incredible, Thai coconut soup served with Jasmin rice is something I now dream of every day.

Feel free to experiment Thai cuisine or just stick to what you know: you’d be surprised how many Irish pubs are here: you can find British food, whiskies, Tennent’s and Guinness.

Please don’t eat street food and only go to the restaurants and takeaways- there is a high chance of food poisoning if you eat from the motorcycle food carts. One of my friends got really ill after eating lobster from one of those. Just play it safe. You should be aware that water here is not good for drinking.

From Phuket you can book day trips to Phi Phi Islands, James Bond Island, birds, tigers and elephants sanctuaries.

Except the speed boats, these would guarantee some really relaxing time.

Phi Phi Islands and James Bond Island are something to see once in a lifetime: the nature here is amazing, and no wonder lots and lots of Hollywood movies were filmed here: including Avatar, The Beach, Star Wars and James Bond. Everything here just looks out of another world.

There are beach bars where to rest with a Pina Colada, watch the wild monkeys playing and lots of domestic and friendly cats are EVERYWHERE.

The animal sanctuaries are lovely despite what everyone says. Before coming to Thailand I heard a lot about animal cruelty here, and I was in doubt whether to visit them or not. The reality I found is totally different. Animals are well treated and fed, people here really have a connection with animals: I met a family that were living in a cave to feed and protect an endangered bird species.

The truth is some of the animals in the sanctuaries are there because of their loss of habitat and lack of food in the wild. I haven’t seen any form of mistreatment at any time and animals seemed happy.

On the other hand, during my first day in Thailand I got to see some wild elephants on village streets eating from piles of garbage- and that really got me saddened.

In the sanctuaries I got to feed a very wild crocodile, found some snake eggs in the jungle, petted tigers and gave barrels of cucumbers to baby elephants: no idea they loved them so much!

Thailand is a life-changing experience and I encourage everyone to go. I know I will as soon as restrictions are over! It is a vibrant realm and really has a lot to offer. Whether you are into adventure or more laid-back, there is something about this place for everyone to love.

TRAVEL LUGGAGE AND PACKING

29.01.2021

What kind of travel bag I recommend? Simple! A lightweight trolley bag!

We all like shopping wherever we go and then start stressing if we are over the allowed weight and if we need to pay extra to the airline to be allowed to take our luggage on board.

Some trolleys can go over 10 kg when they are empty, which doesn’t help at all.

I love IT LUGGAGE BRAND, all their suitcases, trolleys and carry-on luggage are incredibly lightweight, starting from less than 1 kg!

All their bags are made to a very high standard and tested to resist a lot of handling. They even offer a ten year-guarantee for all their bags! If something happens to your luggage during this period of time or it is proved to be faulty you can contact them and they will repair it or even replace it for you!

They offer a variety of cabin luggage, hard and soft luggage, and they have many classy collections and designs to choose from.

What I really like most about these bags: THEY ARE INEXPENSIVE. I once spent over £100 for a carry on luggage and it cracked after 2 flights; I definitely don’t recommend expensive travel bags. Expensive travel bags can bring unwanted attention, and is best to keep your valuables safe in foreign countries-flashy bags are a big NO-NO. Designer luggage bags are often made of plastic, and although they look great, they won’t get you too far.

Samsonite is another brand I like, however their bags can be too expensive for lots of people.

I’ve had 2 IT travel bags for over 4 years now, and they are spotless! I prefer the soft material ones, as they are less bulky, and I’ve got them in neutral colours. Their suitcases are the only ones that I’ve never experienced any problems with –especially with the zippers-no matter how loaded the bag is! (Ladies, we all know what I mean!)

Some general packing tips you should take seriously to avoid a headache upon arrival are -to use garment bags and toiletry bags.

Garment bags can help to keep your favorite clothes wrinkle free, especially if you despise ironing like me!- even if you fold the garment bag in two- the clothes inside it will stay smooth and save you time upon arrival.
Toiletry bags are great to keep your cosmetics, shower gel, lotions and potions in place-and avoid accidents like leakage and staining everything in your suitcase.
Hope this helps,
Till next time,
A.