Instagrammers That Give Me Wanderlust

"You miss 100% of the shots you didn’t take."

- Wayne Gretzky

Instagram is definitely my favourite form of social media, whether is is because pictures speak a thousand words or that I don't notice so much negativity and moaning because the picture is used to draw you in to the comments, I love that this app has helped me develop my creative skills and get to know some fantastic people from all over the globe. (My feed is here)

London - Big Ben, South Kensington and The V&A 25-08-14

Day two in London consisted of a very lazy morning for me, enjoying having a massive marshmallow-like queen size bed all to myself before heading into the city for one last meander around London before my big trip. I started down in South Kensington at the V&A Museum because I have wanted to go for ages now taking in the exhibits and the architecture.

London - Columbia Road, The Shard and Tower Hill 24-08-14

Going to London this weekend was a great escape for me and a chance to see how I coped on my own in preparation for Australia, as well as hitting a few tourist spots and things on my bucket list. I met up with Emma and her friend Ellen from Instagram (check out their feeds here and here for incredible pretty pictures) on the Sunday for a wander down Columbia Road Flower Market which was wonderful and so busy making it interesting to try to get a good shot.

This is the time...

" This is the time for small pay checks and big memories" 

It's nearly two weeks to go until my trip and time seems to be spreading past me and slipping through my fingers. I am experiencing a complete swing in emotions from excitement all the way to panic and a small bout of annoyance when I found out my car needed some work doing, long story, my fault (Possibly).

I still have things to get but I know they are quite easy I just need to go get them.  I'm making packing lists, shopping lists and to do lists which feel me like they never end and then trying to narrow down those lists so that I try not to take more than I need to, especially since I know that I can buy anything I forget when I get out there.

My main saving grace has been the amazing support I have received from people excited for me. I'm almost past the point of talking about it because most people seem to want to hear every detail of what I have planned for the next year but I don't have that much planned. I want to go with the wind and see whee life takes me for once, I'm getting fed up of having every moment of my life planned and planning. Now I just want to get started, even if it scares me a little.

Australian Bucket List or 20 Things I Want To Do Down Under

"Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon"

- Paul Brant

I am a bit of a list writer now-a-days so writing a bucket list of things I want to do while in Australia was only natural really. I'll be honest I may have had a list like this prepared for while but since following some of the Australian Territories on Instagram my lust list is getting a bit bigger. Here are some of the things I want to do/see in Australia.

1. Climb the Sydney Harbour bridge
2. Swim and snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef
3. Hug a koala (yes seriously)
4. Try kangaroo & crocodile steaks
5. Visit Uluru
6. Watch the New Years Eve fireworks in Sydney
7. Surf at Bondi Beach or Byron Bay
8. Take in the sunset at Mindil Beach, Darwin
9. Visit Phillips Island for the penguin parade in Victoria
10. Photograph the Milky Way in the Outback
11. See the Aurora Australis (the southern version of the Aurora Borealis)
12. Visit the Whitehaven beach and the Whitsunday Islands
13. Watch sunrise or sunset at the Eureka Sky deck, Melbourne
14. Learn about the Aborigines 
15. Cage dive with a Great White Shark.
16. Swim with whale sharks at Ningaloo Marine Park reefs
17. Feed the dolphins at Monkey Mia (maybe swim with them too if they let me)
18. Skydive.
19. Drive the Great Ocean Road
20. Visit the Pink Lake near Esparance, WA

Music That Inspired My Adventure

"Respond to every call that excites your spirit" 

- Rumi

I love music. It has the ability to suit every mood we have, remind us of a memory when a certain song was playing, lift your mood when you are feeling low and bring people together. When I first started piecing together the plan for my adventure last December I found a lot of music made me imagine the beaches I would visit and people I would meet, food to be tasted and sunsets I would watch. 

Today's list is a playlist of a few of the songs that made me smile, dream, believe and finally adventure. I hope you enjoy

• LA Calling - Crystal Fighters
• La Da Dee - Cody Simpson
• Life's For The Living - Passenger
• Wake Me Up - Avicii
• On Top Of The World - Imagine Dragons
• Brand New Day - Kodaline
• Best Day Of My Life - American Authors
• Brave - Sara Bareilles
• Thunder - Passenger
• Dust - Eli Young Band

What makes you want to take an adventure?

4 Weeks To Go

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can"

- Arthur Ashe

Its four weeks to go until my adventure and I will admit I’ve been getting quite worried because I don’t feel like I have everything sorted. Today I managed to finally make some headway on this and have ordered myself a small, light sleeping bag from Go Outdoors, which I have just picked up, and have narrowed down a daysack to a nice Berghaus 25L daysack but I just need to take a look at it in Go Outdoors when I pick up my sleeping bag because it is currently on sale at Blacks in Nottingham.

I can’t believe how quick the days are passing now. Apprehension and nervousness has started to settle in but at the same time I know in my gut I have made the right choice to go out to Australia travelling. I think once I have tried packing my case this weekend I will know that I don’t need half of what my brain is telling me to take at the moment.

It was lovely as well today because I got to see a lot of my dad’s side of the family including my Aunt and Uncle who live in Spain; it was nice to have been able to see them before I go.

So the countdown is on! 4 weeks till take off!