This pretty sums up Oktoberfest last year 😜 🍻😁 Check out my Munich highlights to see what I got up to! 🇩🇪 Have you ever been or were you planning to go this year? 
Visiting a Botanical Garden is often top of my solo travel itinerary, but whenever I do, I feel like a MUG because I’ve paid to see nature 🙃🙃 What makes you feel like a mug when you (used to) travel? 
If you're in Berlin and you're after a good breakfast - and somewhere to take #aestheticaf pics for the 'gram - check out @anevereverendinglovestory because this pancake was BANGING 😋 
Since I don't know when I'm going on my next city break, I'm revisiting my last one this week - a post-Oktoberfest trip to Berlin. I was only there for three days and I didn't get up to much, so I think a revisit during the summer months is needed. And hopefully one day, a barista at Starbucks will spell my name correctly 🙄 
#FromTheArchives XV: 🏡 HOMESTAYS 🏡 Prior to Sri Lanka, I'd never done a homestay and never considered doing one tbh, but having read several posts about them and seeing the 9+ ratings on booking.com, I booked two for my trip and I'm glad I did. The first one I stayed at was Little Ele Safari Lodge and I was one night as I was going to Udawalawe National Park the next day. The owner was also a tour guide and knew a lot about the park and was very respectful towards the animals. He provided a great dinner and breakfast and the accommodation was super cute. The second homestay I stayed at was Wins Heaven (pictured), which was by far the best place I stayed at during my trip. The host and her husband were really friendly and on the day of the attacks, she got in contact with me to check I was safe. When I was leaving, she insisted that I let her know when I arrived at my next stop, which was thoughtful of her ☺️ It's NOT a walkable place to get to, but it had great views, they provided a big breakfast and they even saved me this piece of cake from their son's birthday party...again, so nice of them! I love a hotel, but if you want a truly authentic experience, I recommend staying with the locals for a few days. Would you ever consider a homestay? 🤔 
#FromTheArchives XIV: 📝 PLAN YOUR ITINERARY 📝 I like to organise a trip and plan out where I want to go, when I want to go and how much it will cost. Whilst I like to keep it flexible, I don’t think Sri Lanka is the best place to just rock up and plan as you go along, so I recommend at least roughly planning out your route. But live your life if you’re about that spontaneous life. This was my route: Colombo > Tangalle > Udawalawe (National Park 🐘) > Ella (Little Adams Peak ⛰, Nine Arch Bridge) 🚃 > Haputale (day trip) > Nuwara Eliya 🚃 > Kandy > Negombo > back home. The iconic train journey from Ella to Kandy (or vice versa) is one of the most popular activities people include on their Sri Lanka itinerary and it’s worth it. You can book a 1st, 2nd or 3rd class ticket and reserved or unreserved. I booked a second class reserved ticket before I arrived and whilst you don’t see many locals, you do get a comfier experience. It’s a 7-hour journey in total - long AF - so spend a night or so in Nuwara Eliya, visit a tea factory or have high tea 🍵 
#FromTheArchives XIII: 🤑 MONEY TIPS 🤑 - Don’t be an idiot like me and think you won’t need a sim card because YOU WILL 🤦🏾♀️ Wifi wasn’t the strongest and the extra £70 I spent on my phone bill STUNG ME. - Carry as much small change as possible as most of the country runs on cash. However, DO get a @monzo (or a similar card) as it’s perfect for travel ✈️ You don’t have to alert them when going abroad, you can withdraw up to £200 in 30 days without any fees and they don’t charge any fees for paying by card. - Not really a tip, but be aware that the tourism market is still developing. Some things didn't feel like good value for money, accommodation in particular. Constant power cuts, big AF cockroaches and general lack of amenities/service meant the prices I paid weren’t always justified. But overall, Sri Lanka is a very affordable place to travel! P.S If you want to use a tuk-tuk/taxi, try to use Uber Tuk or get your homestay/hotel to arrange it for you because these drivers are scammersss 😂 
#FromTheArchives XII: 🍛 🍤 FOOD IS LIFE 🍤 🍛 It wouldn’t be an appropriate revisit without me talking about food, right? Here are some of my favourite food places I visited: - Barefoot Cafe in Colombo - beautiful garden cafe vibes, koi fish ponds! - Cafe Chill in Ella - it is very touristy but it had a nice vibe and great service - The Grove in Dikwella - pricier than it should be, but I enjoyed eating outside whilst hearing the ocean. Speaking of food, if you're a meat-eater, maybe stick to fish or veg. No shade, but the meat I had there wasn't great 🥴 Maybe I was just unfortunate. The fish curries, rotis and seafood were fab though. And don't judge me for having chips 🤫