My Week in Majorca

So, I'm back from Majorca and I feel like crying just a little. I went for a week and it was the fastest week of my entire life. It really doesn't feel two minutes ago that I was making my way to Newcastle airport at 3am to wait for my flight to Palma. Now I'm back here in England with the rain lashing against my windows and reality is magnified once again. No more laying by the pool with a refreshing drink or soaking up the beautiful rays of sunshine anymore (although, I think I did a little bit too much of that, as I've turned into some sort of reptile during the course of the week). It's back to life, and back to reality...

In this post I just want to summarise my trip a little and reflect on some highlights of the holiday.

I suppose I'll start off by talking about the smooth and pleasant flight we had out of Newcastle, which was completely free of turbulence and actually quite enjoyable when considering I'm not the biggest fan of flying. Having been my first independent holiday I was a little anxious about getting off at the other end in Palma airport and finding our shuttle rank to take us to the hotel. However, thankfully I found it really easily and we were on our way to Club Cala Romani in no time. The shuttle took around 1 hour and 40 minutes to drop everybody off at their destinations and our hotel was the last stop. Unfortunately I didn't get any sleeping done as I don't usually sleep very well on transport (unless I'm literally on the verge of complete exhaustion). After the long shuttle journey we arrived at our resort, checked in swiftly and made our way to our rooms to unpack and get our swimming costumes on ready to go and enjoy the beautiful Spanish weather. I cannot begin to explain how relieving and relaxing it was to grab ourselves an ice-cold refreshing drink and sprawl out on the sunbeds after around 6 hours of grueling traveling. The word "heaven" could qualify in the description?

Now, this type of holiday had only one thing in mind and that was relaxation. So, there weren't any trips or days out to Palma central city or anything like that. We just wanted to enjoy the weather, make the most of the all-inclusive food and drink, the music and the swimming pool for the week. And that's exactly what we did. 

Although, when I was out in Majorca I did have a couple of things I wanted to do/achieve -

1). Try a Mojito cocktail (achieved)

2). Get a Nutella crepe (achieved)

3). Get a braid (achieved)

4). Go to a nightclub on the island (achieved)

All in all, I was pretty successful at accomplishing those four things.

*Yes, that is some appauling sunburn on my neck and chest.

Once again, the Club Cala Romani hotel failed to disappointment, as it did last year. The rooms were spotless, the staff were extremely friendly and helpful, the food was fantastic and the selection was great too, the facilities were top-notch and I really cannot finding anything to complain about.

One particular aspect of the hotel I enjoyed this year more than last year was the entertainment though; as I didn't think too highly of it prior. We enjoyed almost every night's show and found ourselves wanting to go back every night for more. They had a great selection of entertainment for all ages that had everyone laughing and clapping. 

During our stay we also met some lovely people at the hotel who performed the entertainment nights and they really made the last two nights of our holiday so enjoyable. We ended up going out with them to a couple of bars in the town of Calas de Mallorca and also checked out two nightclubs called Jupiter and Tiffany's which were great as they played a range of UK/US music that we were familiar with but also some Spanish tracks too which gave both nights a nice holiday twist. 

Two things I have noticed about Spanish nightclubs though is that people dance very differently (not like the fist pumps you see in Cooper Rose) and secondly, people don't have virtually anything to drink which is really refreshing to see. Admirably, they go out to dance, socialize and generally have a good time. I didn't see one drunk person there at all.

I now have extreme holiday blues and seem to be stuck in a rut of wishing I was back there enjoying it all over again. I even looked online to see how much it would cost to go back next month, so that's saying how much I enjoyed my time.

My Week in Pictures

Recently I've been inspired by a lot of different bloggers and although I've seen this type of post featured on several blogs over the years, Uglyfaceofbeauty's blog influenced me to do a post of this sort.

In today's post I'm going to share with you a few snaps I've taken throughout my week and summarise the last 7 days. I didn't take a picture every day, but just when I thought it would be symbolic of something significant I've enjoyed or been doing.

1). The first picture shows my iPad - kind of self-explanatory. I haven't used by iPad a great deal since I got my new smartphone for Christmas, which is a sin considering how much the things cost! However, I dusted it off from under my bed and have been really enjoying reading and discovering several new blogs on it. Sometimes my smartphone screen isn't quite large enough, but with an iPad it's perfect magazine/notebook size that is easily readable. Some blogs I've been loving recently are Deliciously Ella, Lady Smart, Green Kitchen Stories and once again Uglyfaceofbeauty. 

2). Secondly, the picture showing the scrambled egg on toast was my creation earlier this week - yes yes, I know, truly exquisite. Needless to say scrambled egg doesn't require a great deal of skill to make, but I was getting bored of cereal and toast so I thought I'd mix things up a little and try to make something I'd never made before. It came out pretty well and I decided to add a few bits of cress and a touch of tomato sauce to give it a little flavour. 

3). Next image shows the book The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I'd refused prior to give into the hype about this book but since the film came out in cinema and hype was constantly ongoing I caved and decided to just read it. I was blown away by this book completely, it really is a beautiful story. Even if you're not a massive fan of reading I highly recommend you give this book a shot - you'll be pleasantly surprised. P.S. I love Augustus Waters.

4). Another dish this time - not cooked by me, and it looks about a million times better. My family and I went out for a meal to a local pub/restaurant just for a change and I ordered vegetable tagliatelle with a chicken breast and salad. I'm trying to be somewhat healthy so I thought this option was steering in the right direction. At least I hope. It was yummy though!

5). Last but not least I've been packing for my holiday to Majorca which is tomorrow. I can't believe it! When I was booking it it felt like years away, but here it is. Thankfully I'm all prepared, clothes, makeup, shoes, books, bags, and all the rest are packed and ready to meet me on the beautiful Spanish island. Hello sunshine! 

Review: The Other Woman

I'd heard from a few different people that this movie was definitely one to go and see - and they were all right. The basis of the movie focuses on the marriage between Kate (Leslie Mann) and Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) King and how their unity deteriorates as a result of Mark's unfaithful intentions. We see a love quadrilateral form you could say, as Kate soon realises that Mark is having an affair with two other women - Carly (Cameron Diaz) and Amber (Kate Upton). Although these are just the women she finds out about, there are plenty more where they came from. 

As Kate finds out about her husband's despicable ways she actually grows to form a strong friendship with the two other women who are being played by her husband; particularly Carly. The three women unite to seek revenge on Mark and teach him a well-deserved lesson. Quite understandably they want to see him suffer so they begin with small insignificant punishments such as sneaking laxatives into his drinks, putting his toothbrush down the toilet, feeding him bad smoothies, etc. However the retribution soon escalates and things get pretty fiesty.

The main element I liked about this movie was the ideology of friendship. Despite the movie's genre being rom-com the narrative steers away from the sickly sweet amorous predictions and magnifies the importance of friendship and unity among the three women. The ideology highlights what it's like to have true friends who stand by one another and help through the bad times - the theme of romance almost took the backseat in this one, which contrasts a lot of the regular rom-com's. Although, despite this, there is still a flicker of flirtation between Carly and Kate's brother Phil (Taylor Kinney). So for the hopeless romantics there is still something there for you too.

The humour was also really to my taste as well - very lighthearted and witty which I found quite refreshing. Nicki Minaj's performance as Lydia also added to the movie as she played the role of Carly's gossipy, over-dramatic secretary. I found a lot of her quotes to be laugh out loud hilarious and her contribution definitely added an entertaining touch to the narrative.

At the end of the day, I love it when a movie's ending equilibrium comes around and everything goes exactly how it should - and in this case, justice was served (and it's real good). 

I'd highly recommend this watch if you have a taste for laid-back and lively comedy movies with a hint of romance and a good theme.

Review: Bad Neighbours

Firstly, the movie encapsulates comedy at its best. Fratboy Teddy (Zac Efron), moves into a Fraternity house with his college friends next door to early-thirties couple Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne). The two have just recently become new parents and are coming to terms with the fact that they can no longer party like they used to in their youth and too are realising that they actually enjoy peace and quiet and the aspects of grown-up life. Therefore to have bunch wild guys move in next door who want to drink beer and party until the early hours is a difficulty they are faced with.

To begin with the relationship between the couple and the fratboys is peaceful and loyal. However a turn of events evokes conflict between the neighbours and war is officially declared. Realistically Mac and Kelly want the college kids to get suspended and move out of the neighbourhood - but they grow to understand that it won't be that simple. Throughout we see both parties tackle it out to catch out one another, pull pranks, make jokes and all in all make each others lives complete and utter hell. 

One particular aspect of the film's structure I can applaud is its element of humour. Despite the movie being an American production I found myself suitably satisfied with the banter and witty comments. I can find a lot of the time that American humour is very different to the British humour I am used to; however I didn't fail to laugh all the way through this film. 

I also didn't feel as though the narrative was rushed and that everything was covered in the 137 mins very well. Sometimes films of this length can be hurried and flaws can be identified in the storyline but everything fell into place well, for me.

Overall, the acting performances from the stars Seth Rogan, Rose Byrne and Zac Efron were all very applaudable. I also thought that Dave Franco's role of Pete was very well played and I found him really funny. Once you see the film you'll understand why, watch out for the bit where they're all having a Robert De Niro party; I was in stitches. 

On the whole I really have nothing to criticise about this movie, I thought it was all really well done and filled with humourous content that had me laughing out loud.

Definitely a must-see. 

Planning Your First Holiday Abroad

So it's official - I'm going to Majorca in July for 7 days. *Happy dance.* I've been wanting to go abroad on my own for ages but since finally turning eighteen I have plucked up the courage (and saved enough money) to finally go ahead with it all. 

Last year I visited the island of Majorca with my family, we stayed in the location Calas De Mallorca, and I truly just fell in love with the place. The weather was great, the area was so scenic and beautiful, the water was crystal blue, the facilities were top-notch and all in all I knew it would be a great place to have my first independent holiday. I also know that it's guaranteed that I'm going to be safe when I'm there as I know the nature of the location and my way around.

For students planning their first holiday without their parents and would like to know about my experience sorting out everything, here are the steps I took towards organising my trip -

Deciding how to pay for your break 

Now, I'm a student who is currently unemployed due to the fact I'm committing myself 100% to my degree. Therefore, I am a little skint (like every other student). Although, the little bits of money I do have coming my way I have chose to save and contribute towards my holiday. In all honesty I never thought I'd be able to make up the amount I needed but everything came together eventually and I was able to go ahead.

My advice if you're a current student wanting to get yourself away somewhere for the summer is to save everything and anything you possibly can. Maybe cut down on those wild nights out? Live off cheap food? If you're that desperate to go that is! Even save any birthday money or Christmas money you get - it all counts. And you're last option is to find a job (good luck with that!) if you really aren't in the right financial position to do any of the previous mentioned.

Concluding where to go on holiday

Whether it's somewhere you've been in the past, like me, I'm sure everybody has somewhere in the world they'd love to visit. As an undergraduate it's maybe not the best option to book a 3 week holiday to Miami because that would be well out of our budgets - guaranteed. However the Balearic islands, Greek islands and parts of Spain are usually pretty reasonably priced depending which travel firm you book with. And on top of that they're ideal places to visit if you are a young person who'd like to experience holiday nightlife at its best. 

Looking for the best deal

This could mean either visiting a travel agents such as Thomas Cook, Hays, Thomson, etc, and asking about potential hotels, flights and all the rest. Although, I emphasise that it's important not to go with the first deal you come across. It can't hurt to get a few different price quotes from several places and see which best suits you.  Or, you could go down the route I did and look online for holiday packages. I looked on websites such as lowcostholidays, Easyjetholidays, and Sunshine for all-inclusive package deals. Although, when booking online I strongly suggest that you look around for reviews of other people's experience with bookings to ensure that the website is legitimate, reputable and most importantly secure (when paying). In the end I went with Sunshine as their holiday deals were extremely reasonably priced and almost every review I read was incredibly positive.

Booking with a parent by your side to confirm the details

When you've finally decided how you're going to fund your holiday, where you're wanting to go and which holiday deal you'll be going with - it's time to book it and finalise everything. For first-timers it's probably advisable to have somebody who's had experience booking holidays before by your side to tell you that you're doing everything how you should be. Despite the fact that you might find it extremely straight-forward it's not worth the risk of perhaps misreading or misunderstanding something and you're holiday not going how you'd like it to. 

Sorting travel insurance

Never ever think that you'll just skip the insurance because it's going to cost you another £20 or so. The truth is that you can never be too careful and don't just think "Oh it won't happen to me" because that risk isn't worth it. Imagine if you have a fatal accident on holiday and need to pay hundreds of pounds of medical expenses and you can't enjoy your holiday. With travel insurance you are secured and compensated if anything like that were to happen - also if your passport is lost or stolen, if you miss your flight, lose your luggage etc. Again, looking around for a good deal that is trustworthy and well-known is advised. I decided to sort my travel insurance through Lloyds.

Buying the necessities

Right, so you may be completely without cash after you've just forked out £400+. But, particularly if you're a girl, you know that you need to get some new holiday clothes and essentials. I recommend having a look in vintage/charity shops and seeing what options they have because quite often I find designer pieces that are nicer than what you can buy on the high-street; so it's definitely worthwhile having a browse. You also can't go wrong with Primark, it has everything you could ever need at ridiculously low prices. It would be worthwhile to construct a holiday checklist of what you already have and what you still need to buy. For example the typical stuff you wouldn't buy all year round like sun cream, flip flops, a beach towel, tinted moisturiser etc.

Review: The Kite Runner

I suppose I should begin this book review by saying that prior to reading this novel I have also read another of Khaled Hosseini's works titled 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' which is an absolutely fantastic story - so I had high hopes for this one too.

Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-born American novelist who was born in Kabul in Afghanistan, which is where the majority of this novel is set. Hosseini lived in Kabul for most of his childhood and then moved to France and shortly after seeked asylum in the United States, where he soon became a citizen. Therefore imaginably the setting, culture and lifestyle of this novel will have probably resembled the way of life he experienced living in Afghanistan, which means that the reader can grasp a vivid understanding and image of what it was like to live in Kabul during the late 1900's. 

The Kite Runner focuses on a young boy in the 1970's named Amir who is born into a fairly well-off family when considering Kabul's situation at the time. His mother died during his birth, therefore it is only him and his father - along with their servants Ali (his father, Baba's good friend) and Hassan (a Hazari who is looked down upon in society but despite this, is Amir's best friend). The novel looks at life in Kabul, how society dominates Afghanistan, good and bad relationships between the characters, the Taliban invasion and how drastically the country changes over the years. 

Amir wants nothing more than for his father to feel proud of him as a son and to love him how he loved his wife (Amir believes his father hates him for killing his wife during the birth but this is not the case). Baba is a good man who loves his son more than anything but is concerned that he is not like other young boys - Amir likes to read and write whereas most others enjoy more masculine activities. 

A large amount of the narrative spotlights the 'friendship' between Amir and Hassan and we watch their friendship deteriorate throughout the novel as a villainous boy Assef and his gang pick fights with Hassan over his Hazari background; but the plot thickens between these two characters. Despite Amir being his friend he struggles to defend Hassan and we see cowardice in every situation he is faced with, which leaves his father more concerned about his personality. As the old way of life in Kabul is destroyed as the Taliban roll up, Baba and Amir emigrate to the United States to build a better life for themselves away from the terrorism. Hosseini reflects back constantly to the friends both Amir and Baba make along the way and how each of them either develops or declines - Hassan, Rahim Khan (Baba's best friend), Soraya (Amir's wife) etc. 

One aspect of this book that I noticed instantly within the first few pages was Hosseini's incredible ability to set the scene and to describe both times and places. The author's in-depth descriptions allowed me to feel as though I was actually there in Kabul experiencing every event for myself - although thankfully not literally. I know myself that some books that try to set the scene and depict an atmospheric location can often focus too much on certain aspects and leave the reader quite bored and frustratingly waiting for some dialogue to get the narrative going. However Hosseini knew exactly how much description was just enough to create imagery and get the story off to a good start.

I love how this book is so emotive too, it had me feeling so many ways - happy, sad, relieved, content, panicked. The best way I can describe the story is one massive bumpy rollercoaster; one minute the story picks up and life is good and the next a turn of events causes a crumble in the narrative. I think it's always a good sign when a story can evoke so many different emotions. If I were to sit and read a book and feel absolutely nothing throughout I would find it to be an utter disappointment. I also found it admirable how Hosseini's character descriptions and portrayals successfully made me feel how I did towards each of them. For example, I despised Assef and his evil ways, I pitied Hassan to an unimaginable extent, I admired Baba for his generosity and genuine self etc. However the only character I didn't know how to consistently feel towards was Amir (once you read the book you'll understand why); sometimes I empathised with him and other times I didn't - but I think that was Hosseini's intention largely.

This truly was such a moving and equally devastating story that I couldn't have possibly enjoyed more than I did. If you like reading more non-fiction, real-life books I strongly recommend this.

The 1975 Album Review

If you're anything like me then you love the majority of chart music. Yes I said it. I may have sinned in doing so but nevertheless it is true. Usually every 2-3 weeks I scan the UK Top 40 to see if there are any newcomers as I really like to keep up-to-date with music. I refresh my 'To Listen To' playlist probably more often than is healthy but I like to stay in the loop. 

As a result of this regular routine I came across The 1975's single 'Chocolate' last year and fell in love with the track. I'm not really one of those people who has a specific favourite genre of music; I like a wide variety. I do like a bit of pop, soft rock, indie, electronic and some hip-hop too. 'Chocolate', for me, was just one of those songs you listen to as little as twice and completely just have a feel for. 

It took me several months of listening to the single (I listen to it even now and it has the same effect on me: I am still not sick of it) before I even thought to find out if The 1975 had other singles or even an album. Their debut album was released September 2nd 2013 but I only purchased it January of this year. 

Now let me tell you, I have been listening to this album for nearly 4 months and I cannot get enough. I must have replayed each song an infinite amount of times and am still in love with all of them.

As I said I love all of the songs from the album but the ones I particularly listen to a lot are The City, Girls, Sex, Talk!, M.O.N.E.Y and Pressure. The 1975 are described as an alternative rock band and the album does completely encapsulate the genre to a T. 

Besides the tracks on the album, another thing I cannot get enough of is the leader singer, Matt Healy's voice. He has such a raw and stripped-down vocal and it coheres so effectively with the instrumentals of each song. Admirably the band write their own songs too which is unsurprisingly not a common thing for artists/bands/groups to do in the music industry anymore. 

The 1975 are actually in the middle of their worldwide tour and to my dismay I have been unfortunate not to know anything about it until a few weeks ago. But there's always next year - hopefully!

I would give the album overall a 4.5 star rating. It's great so definitely give it a listen.

Here are my two favourite songs to get you started!