When she’s not planning amazing Traveleyes trips, Holiday Researcher Emma loves nothing more than exploring the world! Here she shares her most memorable experiences…

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved travelling. The whole experience, from choosing a destination to the roar of the plane as it takes off and then finally arriving, is something I’m so incredibly lucky to do. I’m also lucky that travel has given me some of my best memories and I wanted to share some of those with you here.

Watching the Sunrise In North Carolina
North Carolina isn’t the most usual holiday destination, but when there’s free accommodation on offer, who can say no? Sandwiched in between a trip to New York and Miami, I found myself in the idyllic coastal destination of The Outer Banks for 7 whole days. On one of the days, a couple of my friends and I planned to go watch the sunrise the next morning. However, when 6.30am rolled around, my comfortable bed was too good to leave. But, hearing my friends leave the front door, I was instantly full of guilt. How often was I going to be in North Carolina to watch the sun rise over the ocean?

So, suddenly full of energy, I jumped out of bed, pulled on my shorts and hoodie, and ran barefoot out of the huge wooden house we were staying in. My friends – way ahead of me as they’d taken the bikes – were already set up on the beach as I made my way across the street and through the sand dunes. I made it just in time to watch the sun peek above the horizon and turn the sky into a patchwork of beautiful blues, purples and pinks. It was honestly so beautiful. As the early morning sun started to light up our faces and warm up the sand, we decided to head back, and I vowed never again to miss an early sunrise.

Learning to Love Hong Kong
The first time I went to Hong Kong, I really didn’t like it. The crowds, the hectic streets, the expensive price of everything. No, this place wasn’t for me. But, I had a month there before I travelled to Australia, so I had to learn to love this mad city – otherwise I was going to be miserable. So, I tried to get on board with how this city worked. And after about 10 days, I started to get it. I started to understand what people loved about Hong Kong and I started to fall in love with it myself.

From the enormous skyline that glitters through the night to the strong smell of incense at Man Mo Temple, and from the Mid-Levels Escalator that takes the effort out of walking up Hong Kong’s steep hills, to the beachy islands that are incredibly serene compared to the skyscraper heavy city. Plus, the food is incredible – I’ve never tasted char siu bao (fluffy steamed dumplings filled with sweet BBQ pork) quite like it ever again. I went from hating Hong Kong to being completely obsessed and there’s no doubt I’ll be back time and time again.

Going Stand Up Paddleboarding In the Lake District
The Lake District lies a little closer to home, and that’s where I had one of my most unexpected favourite travel moments. It was a cold March afternoon and I was staying in Ullswater, one of the most dramatic areas of The Lake District. There was still snow on top of the hills from the previous week’s big snow storm – and I was about to put on a wetsuit and spend 2 hours on a stand-up paddleboard in the chilly waters of Britain’s second largest lake.

Crazy? Yes, but I wasn’t going to let a bit of cold weather put me off. And I’m so glad I went out on the water that afternoon. I felt so small against the back drop of the tall mountains and it was so peaceful too – there was nothing to hear apart from the rush of water as I pushed myself and my board around the lake. One of my favourite parts, strangely, was falling into the freezing water after trying to do a trick our guide showed us. I felt my brain freeze – like the brain freeze you feel when you eat too much ice cream – but things like this make a good experience and I’d happily suffer a bit of brain freeze to do that afternoon all over again.

Walking to The Sydney Opera House for The First Time
You know when you have imagined somewhere for so long that when you’re there, it’s such a completely surreal experience? That’s how I felt when I first saw the white shining sails of the Sydney Opera House. It was my first full day in Sydney, and jet lag had most definitely arrived. So, in a bid to kick the tiredness out of my system, I went for a wander around the city. I asked the hostel reception for directions down to Circular Quay – where the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are – and, without thinking, I set off on my walk in completely the wrong direction.

Instead of turning left, I turned right out of the hostel doors and ended up taking the longest route ever to the Opera House. Nearly 3 hours later, I finally made it to Circular Quay. First, I saw the Harbour Bridge peeping over the tall buildings of Sydney’s CBD, and then I saw the glorious Sydney Opera House. It looks a lot smaller in real life but no less magnificent than I thought it would. I stayed around Circular Quay all afternoon, soaking up the atmosphere in the warm September sun. Every time I saw the Sydney Opera House after that, the excited feeling I felt when I first saw it never left, and I doubt it ever will.

Road Tripping Around Ibiza
Ibiza is well-known for its crazy party and clubbing scene, but it’s also got some of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever encountered. When I visited for the third time in 2017, the quieter side of the island was the one I wanted to experience. So, with a rental car at my disposal, I spent 3 days road-tripping around this compact Spanish island.

Sometimes the sat nav didn’t work – like the time the car almost got stuck on an extremely rocky road – but when it did work, I got to find some of the most secluded beaches on the island and some of the coolest sunset spots too. Not many people realise Ibiza can be like this, but there are only small pockets of this island where parties go through the night. The rest of the island is a little beachy haven that’s well worth exploring.

 

 

 

What are you favourite travel moments? If you’ve got any from your Traveleyes trips, let us know – We love to hear what great experiences you’ve had?