Life | OHMYGOD #blogfortrek WINNER

I am in a total state of shock, still. I woke up from a night shift this afternoon, about half 12 to see Trek America had tweeted they'd announced the winner of their #blog4trek competition. I sleepily checked the page to see which lucky girl had got it and when I saw my name, I couldn't believe it. It's such a cliché but I actually couldn't believe what I was reading. I've been squealing and dancing ever since; you know that total elation when something seems just too good to be true? that happy feeling in your tummy and the glow you seem to emit? I've got that today! it's like a happy warm furry cat constantly on my chest- such a lovely feeling.

Long story short, I've been totally buzzing all day, and haven't stopped talking about it to any one that will listen. I'm never, ever lucky with things like this and it's made me so happy! I keep finding myself on the Trek America page researching the Westerner 2 and imagining what it's going to be like.

I want to post a huge, huge thank you to the panellists; i'm honestly so, so grateful. You don't know what this means to me! A big thank you also to lovely PR lady Michelle, who's put  up with my excited garbled emails and hundred questions. Obviously thank you Trek America for opening up this opportunity for me and sending me on the trip of a life time!! and thank you to anyone that liked my photo in the second round, or read my first and third round entries. I'm truly lost for words with joy.

Commiserations to the other 4 girls who got through to round three with me, I honestly never expected it to be me who won. My blog is probably the smallest out of the lot, and their entries where all so fantastic!

I am planning lots of posts leading up to the trip, obviously during the trip and probably a sad little post during the come down afterwards! I hope you'll come along with me and it will inspire you to travel, even if it's just exploring your home town!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm off to continue to dance round my room. I'm not sure I've annoyed my neighbours enough yet with my squealing!

Competition | Third round of #blog4trek entry!

Guys, I can't believe it either but this photo got me through to the third round of the Trek America #blog4trek competition! It was so much fun to put together; I took my paper cut of the iconic Statue of Liberty and went to a local American Diner that actually I'd never been to before. It turns out they do the best pancakes ever (and I was never a fan!) and have a really cool interior, which was perfect for my pictures. I'll definitely be heading back because those pancakes were a dream.

How cool that Trek America are already helping me discover new places, ones that sit right under my nose in my home town! 

For the third (and final...eeeek!) round of the competition we have to write a piece on why we should become Trek America's next top blogger (enter Naomi Campbell looking fierce and saying something scathing  about my outfit...gulp. Just kidding. I hope?) so here it goes, and let's keep our fingers crossed! I was inspired by this quote that I love...

So let me tell stories :)

Why should I become Trek America's next top blogger? 

Well...

There once was a girl, ginger and pale, 

Who loved nothing more than to be on a trail.

A travelling girl, she flew up up and away

to Vegas and back all in one day.

This travelling girl, so nimble and quick

soared over San Francisco and Hollywood in a tick. 

From state to state she hopped on her way,

seeing sights, iconic landmarks- but never could she stay.

for this travelling girl was imagining these trips

Devouring books, blogs, souvenirs and pictures.

All in her head.

On the train, at work, in the car, and in bed

these dreams taunted our traveller constantly who instead

had grown up, trapped, in a small town by the sea 

in cold England and it was not where she wanted to be. 

She spent hours and hours deciding where she would first want to see

Or even live. Maybe love. 

To dance and eat, dip her toes in foreign sands, get blisters on her feet

from walking so far. Through those dreams of hers, for real this time.

"Those photos could be mine!" 

She wanted to see, and really feel, the energy of these places, to smell them for real

To decipher accents and create memories galore,

Her life was just fine without travel, but she wanted more

For life is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.

And nothing scares our traveller more than an unfinished story. The world is her stage!

So let her play on, bring back stories and tales,

Take her on this two week trek and let her see what it entails

To take on the Westerner 2, and she'll bring home with her 

poems and memories and not a few pictures

Which she'll put on her blog for all to read, 

In the hope that her travels will indeed

Inspire at least one to go forth and conquer,

Create new dreams, and something she longs for-

To encourage new travels, and therefore new tales. 

"Tell them stories" she was told "they need wind for their sails" 

She'll never forget, never stop spreading the word

Of how travelling with Trek America will set you free as a bird.

So "why should we pick you" I hear you ask?

Because I'm the one who will make this trip last :)

Competition | #Blog4Trek my entry!

Travelling is something I love to do and am very passionate about; my whole ethos in life is 'if it'll make a good story, do it'. I want to be able to thrill my children grandchildren with the stories of my life and the adventures I had, much like my parents and grandparents do now! I'm so determined to take my skills as a midwife and work all over the world, one of the many reasons I chose my career is that I will always have a job in any country I go to.

With that in mind, Victoria's (inthefrow.com) account of her journey across the states with Trek America completely captured my imagination. I can imagine nothing better than leaving reality for a while and making memories with new people. Victoria definitely inspired me to start saving for my own epic journey across America; then her and the lovely people at Trek America completely changed the goalposts and opened this competition to win the two week Westerner 2 trip, which looks ideal to sate my travelling appetite (for now!) 

Ergo, I spent the morning plotting and planning what I would pack for a weekend away. My boyfriend and I often go for spontaneous trips away to cities in the lovely United Kingdom and I have very fond memories of them all. With Valentine's just around the corner I decided to photograph what I would pack for a lovely weekend away with him in the capital, London baby! We've been plenty of times but I don't think London can be beaten for diversity and we've barely scratched the surface.

Beauty wise, I stick to what I know when I'm travelling. I'm not very good at packing lightly though, so to save you going through my entire skincare and makeup routine I've pictured just the essentials...I wouldn't want to spend too much time in the morning getting myself ready and wasting precious exploration time, so these quick fixes are first in the bag. 

I plan the clothes I'm going to take day by day, to minimise wasted space. I'd wear a different pair of jeans to the ones pictured, therefore taking a whole other option...sneaky huh? I think, seeing as it's Valentines I'd throw in these gorgeous heels from Miss Selfridge and the beautiful floral top underneath from (brace yourself) George at Asda to wear with jeans for the Saturday night out. For the day times I'd want something comfortable that also made me feel happy and confident! This selection of pastel jumpers from Forever 21 and Topshop fit all these criteria as well as layering well under my favourite leather jacket to keep me warm, and could be worn with either blue or black jeans for a bit of variation. Top with a stylish hat and these adorable tapestry boots and it's an outfit fit to see the Queen in! 

After the meal I'm presuming we'd have (eating out is my favourite thing to do, and no-one wants to cook for themselves on a weekend away!) I'd come back and slip into something more comfortable...probably this silk PJ set, also from Asda! My boyfriend would probably appreciate the change from grubby animal print bottoms and one of his t-shirts and, as it is valentines, I'd pop this bottle of prosecco to end the night. Perfect! 

I'd make sure the extras I took fitted into a small-ish bag that I could sling over my shoulder...nothing worse than pushing onto a crowded tube with a large handbag and having chronic aching shoulder pain from its weight by the end of the day! Obviously my purse and Oyster card is a must as well as my camera to capture it all on film. I'm very careful when I go away to take a camera to save special moments forever, but I'm also wary of living the weekend through the lens. One of my favourite musicians Dallas Green (of City and Colour and formerly Alexisonfire- check him out if you haven't  already!) once made everyone at his gig put their phones and cameras away and just experience the moment rather than miss it by trying so desperately to remember it. It is a notion that has definitely stuck with me and so whilst I always make sure to take my camera away, it's not a tragedy if it's left in the hotel room! 

I'd also pack a small notebook to make lists of what I wanted to do, what we did and record special memories on our return to the hotel each night. I love doing this 'thought per day' type thing on trips away as it allows you to remember things that couldn't be photographed, funny things you said or saw. 

I'd sneak my kindle in to read whilst travelling if Jack fell asleep, or to entertain myself whilst he was in the shower. He has been known to take longer than me to get ready, so it's definitely needed! 

Whenever we're somewhere new I can't resist picking up some souvenirs and these two lovely cards are ones I've had from previous trips away. I'm yet to send them, they look so pretty I'm just not sure I can! 

Last, but by no means least, my phone is a vital essential whenever I'm out and about. iPhones are especially useful as there is a wealth of travelling apps to enhance your weekend. These are just some of the ones I'd make sure I had to hand for a weekend in London! 

I hope you enjoyed reading my entry as much as I enjoyed writing it! Keep your fingers crossed for my entry to catch the lovely judges eyes, but even if it doesn't it's given me such wanderlust I'm all the more determined to make my travelling dream a reality!