Porto was the last stop on our 10 day summer city break after four days in Madrid for the Madcool Festival, then a few nights in Lisbon. We caught the train from Lisbon to Porto so our welcome to this beautiful city was the stunning São Bento train station. The interior is covered in azulejo tiles depicting scenes from Portuguese history. It was truly stunning and worth checking out, even if you don’t arrive by train.
We then wandered through the city on the lookout for our next Airbnb apartment. We were situated in downtown Porto in the Ribeira historic centre and again had a balcony with a stunning view of the Douro River. I was super organised for this trip and managed to book the accommodation months in advance and it really paid off. 
^^ You might also spot a decanter of Port sitting next to me, a very nice welcome present from the host. Ben made the most of that throughout our stay.
After basking in the sun for a few hours overlooking the riverside we decided to go down and explore it. There were heaps of people out and eating in the early evening dusk, but as we wandered past the restaurants it looked like there was two extremes, either really lovely Michelin-esque places or overpriced tourist traps – neither of which suited us that night (I’m sure we could have found something by getting on Trip advisor but we were following our feet that night). So we walked up from the riverside promenade to the city centre and ended up at a cheap and cheerful Chinese Restaurant.
I hadn’t done much research about what to do in Porto, it being the end of our trip but I did know that we had to get to a port house and we had to go to the Livraria Lello bookshop.
Livraria Lello is credited with inspiring the Hogwarts library form JK Rowling and it is easy to see why stepping inside.
You line up (it definitely helps to book tickets in advance online) and enter the most lavishly ornate shop on the street but you can’t see inside it’s so dark compared to outside. 
As your eyes adjust to the change in light this amazing staircase comes to life in front of you. Are you feeling like Hermione yet?
You climb the well-worn red stairs and find yourself in the library of your dreams.
Don’t forget to look up, it’s pretty spectacular from all angles. 
Of course it’s no secret, so you will be sharing the space with hundreds of other tourists. Once you can’t take the crowds anymore head out and have a wander around the neighbourhood.
We went for quite a walk actually and headed over the Dom Luis bridge to the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the Douro River. This is where all the port houses are. The only one we had heard of before was Taylors so we decided to head there.
Our friends, who had been in Porto the previous weekend, had raved about the brilliant coffee cart they had found by chance and told us to look out for the green van. So when a green van came into view as we stepped off the bridge we thought it was the perfect time for a much-needed refreshment stop. We will second their recommendation, Combi Coffee is awesome. I got a milky iced tea and we sat looking back over the river.
It was so hot outside so it was nice to finally make it (up the hill!) to Taylor’s port house and enter the temperature controlled cellars. We did a self paced audio tour with a tasting in the gardens at the end. 
^^ Some pretty peahens joined us for our tipple, too.
On a bit of a schedule for our day in Porto, we couldn’t linger, although we would have loved to (must go back!) and we caught an Uber to make it to our next meeting point in time.
This was for our Taste Porto food tour. We did the Downtown Porto Food Tour which starts near the Bolhão food market. We got a walking tour of the city, along with its interesting history and ate so much food along the way. By the time we finished the three and a half hour tour we were so full we couldn’t even contemplate dinner. Such a great way to experience the city and really good value for money. Do this if you go to Porto!
My highlight was the different flavoured éclairs from Leitaria Da Quinta Do Paco. Sweets of course! I think Ben’s was the cured meats and flame grilled sausage from Taberna Do Largo. This is a great little bar and we hung about after chatting American politics with the honeymooning American couple on our tour. I felt bad as Trump had just been elected so they must have been defending their country the whole trip.
We spent the rest of the night perched above the river drinking our port and plotting how we can stay in this city forever. I definitely think we saved the best city for last. 
We slept late on our last full day of holiday and had a great value breakfast in what we thought was a cute cafe, but it turns out that it is an Argentinian steak restaurant called Belos Aires. The decor is somewhat misleading but they do a nice all you can eat continental breakfast. 
It’s in the Baxia area, which is worth going to as the streets look like this ^^^.
Being our summer holiday, we were determined to spend our last day on the beach. So we headed out to Foz which is where the Douro river meets the Atlantic Ocean and a nice seaside town. Our Airbnb host recommended we take the tram that almost left from our doorstep and follows the river out to the sea.
Ben was a bit excited about tram riding! So much old school mechanics.
When we arrived at about 12 o’clock, the beach was still shrowded in fog. We wandered along the promenade and out to the wharf, hoping it would burn off. Some locals were already set up on the beach, although you could barely see the water in front of them. We took it as a sign that eventually the sun would come out.
We realised as we waited around, that we were a bit matchy. We are big fans of mint green, apparently.
Happily, the sun came out strong in the end and we lay in the sun taking intermittent dips in the sea all afternoon. Bliss!
Ben then snapped photos all the way home on the tram and even managed to get a pose from some hangers on.
We waved goodbye to the tram and headed back up to our all too welcoming balcony. There was a decanter of port to finish – not to mention some white wine for me, too.
After what seemed like a whole week of great eating we struck out by saving the best for last, Tapabento. Don’t miss this place while in Porto. I had rung up to try to get a reservation as we arrived and the only time they could accommodate us, was for an early lunch just before we flew out.
We were one of their first sittings for the day, but as we got through our meal it soon filled up. For good reason, the food here is exquisite. We shared two starters, one main (the wild prawn risotto) and a desert. 
Look at me staring lovingly at that fruit of the forest tart. I really wished I had ordered one all to myself! A great way to end the trip. We left so satisfied and raving about Portuguese food and hospitality all the way back to Luton.
Porto – I really hope we will be back soon!
Tiles, trams and tarts in Lisbon!
Belem is home to the Monument to the Discoveries above commemorating the Age of Discoveries in Portugal. A time of great exploration and the begining of globalisation.
I knew we couldn’t miss Pena Palace though, as the colours were so striking in photos I really wanted to see it in person. This is where my fascination with tiles really started, too. There are so many different textures and colours in this place.
You can tell I had the camera most of the day as I have dragged Ben in to pose for me.
After three great days at 
The Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest royal palace in Europe with 2,800 rooms. We explored about 23 of them on the ticketed tour and that was a long trek!
The temple sits in a big park so we stopped for a while to have a picnic and read our books in the sun. It was weird to see an Egyptian Temple in such a different setting, but nice to know it was gifted to Spain. There is an Egyptian obelisk in Paris that, according to our bike tour guide, the Egyptian government keeps asking to be returned.
Muniz was a little family run bar on 
We had a gorgeous morning for the park and wandered as long as our legs would take us, feeling righteous for getting up so early on holiday.
^^ practicing our selfies.
It’s so nice looking over photos of our summer holiday while rugged up in woolies and slippers. It’s making me so excited about what this year will bring for sure, I’m in full holiday planning mode. Bring on spring and summer!
We arrived to a storm in Madrid. As our taxi from the airport passed through the city, with windscreen wipers going hell for leather, we all looked at each other like ‘how it this going to go down?’ we had only planned for the sunny Spanish summer.
Today the headliners were Green Day and for me, they were the unexpected highlight of the festival. They put on such a good show and I forgot how many absolute tunes they have written throughout the years. Definitely see a Green day gig if you get the chance, even if you wouldn’t call yourself a fan.
We closed out the night by seeing MIA. A big change from the mainly indie rock bands we had seen all weekend. She was fabulous! Owning the stage in a brilliant red suit!
All in all great fun for our first European festival, and our first proper festival since Glastonbury.
The drive from Rome to Sorrento was one of the most eventful in my life. Italian drivers have such an infamous reputation, but up until this point we hadn’t really experienced it. We had been driving the whole week with a GPS that was out of date, so most of the time it was spot on, but every once in a while it would advise that we turn down a road that no longer exists, or tell us to go left at a T-intersection that is now a round-about, things like that. Sometimes we would miss the correct turn, but it was no worry as the GPS would just re-calculate and we would be on our way again.
As the sun was setting we pulled into our 
We finally hit the coast the next day, driving the 
This is one of Jake’s group shots. We’re standing on what is called The Terrace of Infinity, a natural balcony over the cliff face, opening up endless vistas of sparkling blue waters and the colourful coastal towns below. We tried to have a bit of a snoop around the hotel’s dining areas and pool, too. All I can say is – if I ever win the lotto this will be my first stop. 
We drove in to Positano as our final stop for the afternoon. It was everything I had hoped it would be, a gorgeous jumble of pink and peach houses cascading down to the sea.
We ambled through the narrow cobbled streets down towards the beach, stopping for ice cream on the way and played cards as the sun set over the hills.
The next morning we were on our way to Naples and with heavy hearts saying goodbye to the lovely, romantic coast.
We sat watching it all unfold while eating some of the best pizza in town from 
Better late than never right? It is just over a year since we embarked in one of the most interesting and relaxing holidays I have ever had and I have finally organised myself with some pictures and words to tell you about it. There is so much to say I have split this post into two parts. Part Two coming soon.
After a coffee and brioche and realising there was nothing more we wanted to do in Pisa, we made our way to the car and started the road trip. First stop, Florence.
Throughout the whole trip we stayed in a fantastic group of holiday parks. They are situated all over Italy and offer cabins, campsites and camper van sites. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the group, but I do know the places we stayed. As we left a site and paid our bill we would get vouchers for other sites in Italy, Perfect for travellers on a budget. The campsites were always situated just outside a city and offered cheap, clean accommodation. We would leave the car there and take public transport into the heart of the city which meant no stressful city driving, no parking fees and no hassles. We stayed 
The advantage of staying outside the city is as we were driving out we found this great viewpoint over the city.
^^ I slept a lot of the drive through Tuscany as I was still recovering from a cold. But I woke for the photo stops..and to goof off in group shots.
As I said, the walking tour left us outside the Vatican. We hadn’t planned on going in at all, but when we got there something compelled us to go in and see it for ourselves. The queue in at midday though was (no surprises here) long! So, uncharacteristically for us, we paid for a guided tour, allowing us to skip the queues and find out a few of the secrets and stories of Vatican City on the way. I’m glad we did as I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this.
Our last stop in Rome for the day was the Trevi Fountain. We fought our way to the front of the crowds to throw our pennies in and make a wish before running off to catch the last train out of the city.
We hadn’t been home for two years and 10 months when we touched down in Wellington on a gorgeous sunny Friday afternoon. One week before Christmas and the start of a four-week holiday. I felt so many things getting off the plane and hugging my mum, dad younger sister and best friend who had all come to the airport to meet us. Tired being the number one thing after a gruelling 26 hours in the air and 6 hours waiting at airports in Dubai and then Sydney. I also felt relieved, happy, nervous, excited, sadness and so, so, so much love.
Home was a funny word while I was at home. 
Also, how could we forego these views!?!
So many hours chatting in cars…
And so many beautiful views. This is Maraetai Beach on the outskirts of Auckland City.
I hope you enjoyed my photo round-up of our New Zealand trip. I have a few more photos to come of two really special days out. A day out at the zoo with my dad which was my Christmas present and as my birthday present, day out at 
Today things really started to feel Christmassy for me. I have had a day indoors wrapping presents, writing cards and drinking tea. It’s been bliss. I’m wearing my (non-brand) Ugg boots and my thickest woollen jersey and have been watching the winter sun’s slow decent through the sky out the window.
^^^ Ben bought me an advent calendar this year so I can count down the days…
It’s going to be nice to be there for the present opening in the morning and just be on the same time zone in general for the holidays. I always find it funny over New Year’s when I suddenly get bombarded with all these (usually drunken) messages midday on New Year’s Eve. I’m sometimes still at work and not even in party mode yet.
For my 29th birthday Ben and I went camping and it was the best!
Oh, and did I mention the view? Endless rolling hills and cornfields overlooking your own private beach.
^^^ Our first home. Thankfully it withstood the elements, the coastal wind has flattened a fair few tents at this site.
We were met by some disinterested cows and our first glimpse of the gleaming white cliff faces this section of coastline is known for.
It seemed like the perfect place to stop off for some lunch.
^^^ A bit of a paddle was in order, too.
As we dragged our weary legs back over the cliffs we had energetically scaled a few hours before, we decided a swim was in order. The sea was warm from the days heat and sparkling in the slowly setting sunshine. We stripped our sweaty outer layers and plunged in for a refreshing dip.
A birthday dinner of fish’n’chips at Lulworth Cove completed the day perfectly.
We stopped off at the ever popular and supremely crowded Bournemouth beach for a swim and ice cream on the way home. It was jarring after the tranquilness and quiet of the campsite though and we didn’t stay long.
Here is a quick photo round up of a recent weekend I spent in Torquay and the surrounds. The trip was almost wholly unplanned and as most spontaneous ideas are, completely and surprisingly brilliant. I really has no idea what to expect of this little seaside town in Devon, but as most around me can attest, I have been raving about it ever since.
For a moment it looked like the weather was going to well and truly crash in on us, but luckily it passed with just a few sprinkles of rain.
On the hunt for the best fish ‘n’ chips in the area for dinner we also stumbled across the best view of the weekend, Babbacombe Bay. Good spot for a picnic huh? I can highly recommend 
But alas, once we got closer we found it was pebbles.
You go down to Babbacombe beach by a very steep cable car.
Ice creams are a must at the seaside.
Nice spot to watch the world go by…. and serenade it.
When can I move in? Even the roses match!
Unfortunately we arrived too late to pick up any cheese! Better planning is needed next time.
andieinspired 