A Day Onboard MV Oriana

Hey Owlets,

If you've ever been on a cruise before you'll know that your first ship is always the most special - it's the one that started everything and it will forever live in your memory. Well for Dad that first ship was a long time ago and has since been scrapped - as a child he went on the original Oriana in 1976 and it's always kept a place in his heart. So much so, in fact, that he's always wanted to experience the magic of the current Oriana. 

Having learned that this season would be her last he was absolutely devastated because he'd never get pay her a visit. Considering since my first P&O cruise I've been singing "you make my dreams come true" after it being on repeat in one of the lounges, I had to do as the song says. A few months later, the lovely team at P&O Cruises invited us on board for the day to explore the namesake of Dad's first ship.

Free Things to Do in London

Hey Owlets,

I always love getting messages from you asking for advice when you’re travelling to the UK, but the number one thing I hear is that you want to visit London but you’re worried about how much everything will cost. London is an incredible city to explore but it can be EXPENSIVE; going to the big attractions can set you back as much as £30 a ticket and in my opinion it’s just not worth it to be rammed in with hundreds or thousands of other tourists doing the exact same thing.  Instead, turn away from the big attractions in favour of these gems that make exploring London a lot more affordable, but also unique.

A Guide to Supporting Independents in Bath

If you've been reading The Owlet for a while you may have noticed that I seriously love Bath. It's got something for just about everyone and it's crammed full of independent shops and people turning their passions into their livelihoods. I love supporting small creators but sometimes it can feel a little daunting knowing where to go and who to support, especially if you're new to the city, so here's my list of everywhere to eat, drink, shop and stay when you're in Bath.

Rediscovering Magic on MV Azura

Two years ago I went on a truly life-changing holiday. For once the over-used, cliche phrase was correct - I became a travel blogger, got addicted to cruises and most importantly I was finally happy with my life. But it seemed that nothing lasts forever, when I revisited the ship that started it all and experienced my first ever bad cruise - I never knew there was such a thing.

In all honesty, I thought the magic had gone. For a minute I considered that maybe it was my fault - maybe I’d become so used to travelling that I expected more. Maybe I just wasn’t a cruise person anymore (I was definitely wrong on that last one).

Then I went on P&O Azura.

23 Things I've Achieved in 23 Years

Hey Owlets,

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK but it’s also my birthday today. Having celebrated three birthdays online, I’m beginning to run low on ideas - I’ve done “follow me to….”, “20 Things I learnt at 20”, a bucket list of things to do before I turn 21…. honestly I think I’ve done just about everything at this point. But while I’ve been busy focusing things I want to do, at no point have I ever stopped to think about what I’ve already achieved, and I think not appreciating ourselves is something we’re all guilty of. So, here we go then - 23 things I’ve achieved in 23 years. Grab a cuppa, this is going to be a long one.

Goodbye Independence of the Seas

Dear Owlets,

If you’re at all interested in cruising from the UK you’ll probably have already heard by now that Royal Caribbean basically blew up the UK cruise industry by deciding to cancel 2020 sailings and take one of their most beloved ships back to the USA full time. I know she’ll still be sailing, but it’s unlikely I’m going to sail on her again, so now seemed like a good time to say my goodbyes.

Two years ago, Independence of The Seas changed my life - she was the original holiday of a lifetime and appeared just when I needed her the most (with a little encouragement from my parents). I met the kindest people who inspired me to be the best me. I came home, took a step back from my life and set about ditching anything that didn’t make me happy. At 21 years old I basically clicked “send to trash” on my life and started again, and it was so worth it. 

April in Pictures

Hey Owlets,

Be careful what you wish for! I haven't published a "Month in Pictures" in so long, mostly because the first part of the year is never very interesting then because everything came at once I was drowning in content. I'm still buried under photos to edit and to-do lists to tick off, but I'm a master procrastinator so let's ignore that and have a chat instead!

Inside the new Bristol Fashion Week

Hey Owlets,

One of my first ever "blog things" was a trip to Bristol Fashion Week way back in 2016 only months after I'd started The Owlet - I had basically no idea what I was doing and reading back now that post is an embarrassment, so feel free to go have a laugh at my expense. That was the first and last time I posted about the show, and there's a good reason for that. For years Mum and I had the tradition of going to the show together followed by dinner, but at no point when I was watching the array of perfect women walking down the catwalk did I feel represented. While the size 8-12 models looked beautiful no one looked like me, so we stopped going. This year, however, Bristol Fashion Week has had a makeover of it's own, promising that the new look "Bristol Fashion Week Festival" would bring equality and accessibility for all, so of course I had to go take a look.