Drink More Water

I honestly believe my 'secret' if there is such a thing.. is water! I know you read and hear all the time about how much water we should be drinking but it is honestly the truth, just do it!
Our bodies need so much water just to function and work properly. I don't believe 2 litres a day is even enough! I can drink about 4 litres a day and still want more.
 I was a weird child, even when I was an infant and went off milk around 6 months old the only thing I drank was water, I remember my mum even trying to trick me into trying lemonade and would tell me it was water but I would just spit it out. I had nothing else until the age of 15yrs then I started venturing out, or maybe just fell into peer pressure haha. I was even embarrassed going to birthday parties because all the kids use to drink soft drink but I didn't, I would literally dehydrate myself just because no one ever offered water at kids parties when I was young and I was too scared to ask for it as they would think I was weird..
 Luckily It didn't affect me too much growing up and I am so thankful now that I was like this, I am still the same, I still love water and I have never had a glass of any soft drink to this day.. unless it had alcohol in it :/ whoops.
 The benefits of drinking water are unlimited though, we need so much water just to circulate the nutrients around our bodies and keep hydrated. I am a sucker to thinking the more water I drink means that all that chocolate I just ate will wash away haha I know this isn't correct but it makes me feel better and maybe it works a bit ;) lol.
But honestly, carry around a bottle of water with you every where you go so you remember to keep drinking it!!
But yes if I have a secret, as some of my friends tend to think I do, it is drinking lots and lots of water! I am the water girl!!

Memories over Material

When I look back on all my travel memories not only from Europe but throughout my life, I no joke smile, it brings me so much happiness and I wouldn't change a thing.
Money is always there to be made, memories last your lifetime. Make as many great ones as you can while you can!
Tomorrow is never promised..

New Zealand - Christchurch & the Earthquake

Those days you feel like you want to go somewhere new so you just do it! Well this was a trip to certainly remember.
Never in my life have I felt more scared and helpless.. I arrived early hours of the morning on Sunday then the following night I was woken up by the feeling of someone constantly moving around in a bed. Soon realising that is was an actual earthquake, lasting about 2 minutes in total that actually felt like 10 minutes. Apparently this was kind of a normal thing for people that live here in Christchurch, however not usually lasting that long which scared me even more at the time knowing that one had never been that long before!
 I was then woken up about 2 hours later to loud sirens going off and a knock on my door.. Tsunami warning, it seriously felt like something you would see on the movies.
 We all had to leave the house and try and go in land away from the beach as where I was staying was about 1km away from the water.
 The roads were jam packed and the traffic wasn't even moving, i think my body went into shock as I couldn't string a sentence together and my legs wouldst stop shaking. I was just imagining a huge gush of water to come flooding through from behind us.
 After what felt like hours, we finally made it further inland to a friends house. I still didn't feel safe, as we were only 14km away still and waters can potentially go past 16km.
 After staying up all night watching the news fearing for my life and saying my potential goodbyes to my loved ones on the phone, it looked as though there was no tsunami coming our way :/ Thank god.
 The rest of my time was beautiful there though, Ive never seen such green land it brought back memories of being in the highlands in Scotland.
 There are so many cute cafes, definitely the best fish and chips and the scenery is spectacular in most places and Im pretty sure the people that live there are some of the nicest people I've met in the world!

However my next visit to New Zealand will be Queenstown :) apparently this is a must do!

Hamilton Island

Ive always wanted to visit the islands so I decided to convince my family to come away with me as they rarely go away.
Hamilton island is definitely that tropical island everyone would love to visit, reminded me of a smaller version of Waikiki beach in Hawaii.

 The water in the marina when you arrive is a beautiful blue and you feel in paradise strait away.
The island however is really quite small, with accommodation they give you a golf buggy to get around which is all you need, feels like your in your own little world.

It is really just a relaxation destination and quite over priced as expected. There are only a couple of restaurants and cafes to eat at and one little general store.

Magnificent views can be seen pretty much everywhere and it is really romantic if you were to go with your partner.
Snorkeling and paddle boarding are definitely a must on Catseye beach. There are a number of sea turtles that you might see if your lucky too. I saw and swam with two :)

There are also a few different trails and hikes up the mountain. Passage Peak offers sensational views and is so majestic and peaceful early hours of the morning, but just warning it is quite a hike!
Day trips can be done to Whitehaven beach which is beautiful and worth a visit, you can get there a few different ways depending on your budget too.
Lots of wildlife around and so many cockatoos, they are cute but very naughty. They like to visit on the balcony and one of them stole my whole cheese - packet and all, was pretty funny at the time.

I will definitely be back!

Which way?

I saw this quote today - it got me thinking again about how many people just follow the crowd. I must admit yes I do as well with certain things its hard not to with a lot of things actually. But in other aspects of my life I choose not to.
Im at a time in my life where I watch everyone around me following the crowd, doing things because they feel they are at that stage in their life to do so because thats what everyone else seems to be doing. I have always been one to believe in choices, yes I even got it tattooed on myself haha.
 But don't make a choice based on what everyone else is doing or what society makes you feel like you should be doing.
You have to remember that this is your life and your happiness so you do what you want to do and never compare your life to someone elses because you are not them and this is your journey.

Don't be afraid to travel on your own

Seriously don't be afraid.. what are you afraid of? Yes I know sometimes its daunting being all on your own in another country but really there is nothing to be afraid of. 

Im not saying just go and be an idiot, because yes there are things that can happen and of course you need to be smart while you travel, but it is honestly the best thing someone can do.

I can not explain how much you actually learn and grow as an individual when you've let go of all the hands you used to hold. 

So much is learnt that cannot be taught!

 

Ciao Bella Italy

Italy - gelato & affogato's yes please!

Ive been to a few places in Italy before and to be honest the first time I came here I wasn't that impressed, don't get me wrong it was good but I was expecting more. Then I came back and saw some of the coastline... OMG! Now one of my favourite places in this world, hands down Amalfi coast, Positano, Sorrento & Capri should be on the bucket list.
 Keep in mind it can be pricey thats why when I went here I stayed in Salerno which is quite close to Amalfi without the price tag. Its a great place to stay if you just want somewhere that isn't going to cost you an arm and leg and is central to everything. Close to the train, buses and ferries that take you to major cities or along the coast.
 My favourite day in Italy was definitely visiting Capri and probably still one of my favourite places that I visited on this trip. Capri is a small island just off the coast that you can easily catch a ferry across to, but make sure you go as early as possible as you will definitely want to spend at least a full day here.
My day here consisted of firstly an affogato of course (10euro later) and exploring the island, it is honestly so so beautiful, cute little shops, restaurants and incredible views all along the way. The walk to the top of the hill is worth it and plenty of stops along the way that offer spectacular views. The beach is that crystal clear water, however there is no sand only rocks, which are all white so it makes the water look even more perfect although they are not the comfiest to lay on.

 There are boats also that run all day that take you out around the island to check out some of the highlights, but I recommend if you have enough people definitely hire your own boat. Thats what we did and I honestly had one of the best days of my life. From going inside the blue grotto to swimming through the green grotto, the whole island has so much to see and do!

My recent Euro Trip.. First stop IOS!

Greeceeeee oh my goshhh well if your looking for that picturesque photo of crystal clear waters and white buildings everywhere then you've definitely chosen the right spot. Any of the Greek islands are amazing!!

However there was no way I was going back to Europe and not visiting my favourite place, IOS!

Not knowing how long I was going to stay in Europe this time round I only decided to stay a week on this beautiful island. Yes I had already visited IOS 3 years prior to this trip and also done a Contiki tour around Europe. But I decided to come back as it was my favourite island out of the four that I visited and I wanted a different experience from last time and a different experience around Europe, rather then sitting on a bus for a month with the same people..

So IOS what can I say, it is such a great place to stay especially if you are looking to meet great people (lots of Aussies) and party, a lot! Don't get me wrong there are plenty of nice things to do around the island but partying is definitely one of its strong points. 

 The island is filled with mainly youth and young adults aged from 18 - 35yrs, that love having a good time and plenty of drinks!

The bars don't start to get busy until around 2am and close around 7am, so if your an Aussie like me and used to going out around 10pm and being home at 2am you better start changing your body clock quick smart whilst staying on this island. 

Best place to stay would definitely be in Far out village, it seems to be where everything is happening, pool parties, great food and awesome staff. They also have varied accommodation that can suit anyone either on a budget or just looking for a nice place to stay.

Although if your coming for a quiet relax time on this island this place probably isn't the best spot for you, as in peak season it can get very loud. 

So its fair to say my body was certainly not ready for what this island had in store for me, its so hard to not get caught up with the partying and late nights as it has such a great vibe and every bar is freaking fun and the cocktails are oh so good to have during those warm days and afternoons.

 So I'm pretty sure I went out every night besides my last night as my body was pretty much dying, as much as I wanted to I had to say no. I ended up with a weird summer flu and losing my taste buds for no joke the next month. It probably didn't help my situation going out when clearly I was run down from no sleep either, but seriously if you go there you would understand.

Besides from the partying the island offers so much beauty and amazing food. Definetely go to Harmony, its a Mexican restaurant just on the other side of Far out village that does amazing Mexican food, sangria, cocktails and just a great place to chill out for the afternoon. There are also apparently incredible sunsets to watch on another part of the island but unfortunately i never made it to one of these as I was usually slowly dying on the beach still recovering from the night before.

So my first week back in Europe consisted of plenty of sun, cocktails, new friends and already amazing memories!

View from the top of the hill over looking Mylopotas beach (best area to stay) 

Good Morning!

I never use to be a morning person, I use to want to sleep in every morning and nothing could get me out of bed. These days I absolutely love waking up early, I love the feeling I get knowing I still have so much time in the day to do things. I think with anything its all about breaking that routine. I believe so many of us are stuck in the same routine and just get lazy or don't like change, but once you break free of that state of mind it can be so rewarding.
 Today I woke up and did a class down at my local gym, Ive been trying to get my fitness back after my travels, its slowly coming back but I know will take some time. Below is a photo I had taken before I went away, I was feeling great training hard and eating healthy, well most of the time..
I think its great looking back on old photos and being your own inspiration rather then looking to others for inspiration, remember everybody is unique so just try and be the best that you can be!

When reality finally hits..

So it has been nearly a month since I came home from Europe. How time flys, feels like just a dream now. Least I have my memories... and photos, oh soo many photos!!
I will be trying to blog more regularly now, just about life, travel, love, family, modelling, exercise and just random things I guess.
I should have started this while I was away or a long time ago, but hey theres no time like now right!