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*This avoiding Malaria post is a collaboration

Malaria is one of the deadliest diseases in the world. It is an infectious disease contracted from the Anopheles mosquito that can affect anyone, from children to the elderly. According to WHO, approximately 400,000 people die from this disease every year. Many of these deaths stem from life-threatening health complications like kidney failure that malaria causes. For this reason, prevention and treatment for this disease are important. Treatment and prevention efforts have helped substantially reduce the number of people who contract the illness.

In the United States and many other developed countries, malaria has been eliminated since the 1950s. At this time, the disease was only common in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Island. However, according to researchers, the number of imported malaria cases has risen steadily since the 1970s. Therefore, the disease has spread to many states and countries like North America, Mexico, Brazil, and the Caribbean Islands. For this reason, travelers are required to practice tips for avoiding this infectious disease when they travel abroad. Below are some of these tips.

Research the location or travel destination

The first way to avoid malaria when you travel is by researching the destination. As mentioned earlier, most developed countries have managed to eradicate and keep their malaria cases minimal. However, second and third-world countries are still a hotbed for malaria contraction. Therefore, as you plan a trip, one of the first and most important things you should do is research the destination and see its malaria situation. Note that diseases vary in different destinations globally. Therefore, even if a country is not known for its malaria cases, you may acquire important information about other diseases. In your research, make sure you find out how much malaria occurs in an area and when. Most of the time, the answers depend on the altitude and climate of an area.

Visit your healthcare provider

The next thing you should do is talk to your healthcare provider. Let them know that you will be traveling and your destination. Ensure you visit a doctor four to six weeks before you depart for your trip. This is because you may need several vaccinations before traveling. Some of these vaccinations may need time to work in the body.

Additionally, your healthcare provider may require you to update your vaccinations. For instance, you may require booster vaccines for conditions like measles, polio, and influenza. Additionally, your healthcare provider will have information on certain countries that may require specific vaccinations. Some of these countries will not allow you to enter them without proof that you have had the specified vaccines. For instance, you cannot enter Saudi Arabia without a Meningococcal vaccination. In the case of malaria, your health provider will offer you some healthy tips to avoid or detect the disease. Your health provider may provide you with a medication to prevent infections (chemoprophylaxis). Therefore, visiting a doctor is a good move to avoid malaria and other diseases when traveling.

Guard yourself against mosquitoes

The next thing to do if you still travel is to protect yourself from mosquitoes - the disease carriers. Mosquito bites transmit the parasite that causes the disease. Most of the time, mosquitoes seek you out in attempts to bite you. They usually detect human warmth, the carbon dioxide you exhale, and the odor of your sweat. You can avoid mosquito bites by avoiding staying indoors between dusk and dawn, which is usually the time when they are most prominent.

You can also guard yourself against mosquitoes by covering up your bare skin, especially when you are outside at night. You can also use repellents and insecticides, which usually deter the mosquitoes. Apply the products to your bare skin or clothes. You can also burn mosquito coils or use heated insecticide mats in living and sleeping areas, especially at night. Additionally, you can use insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

Remember when travelling

You do not have to avoid trips to areas with mosquitoes cases. All you need to do is prepare yourself and learn how to protect yourself from contracting the illness.

*This distance learning post is a collaboration

Learning is a lifelong passion of mine – so it always makes me laugh when people celebrate finishing school as though their education is over. Honestly? That's when my true education started and I've learned far more valuable skills since finishing university than I ever learned during my three years. This is the real opportunity for you to develop a passion for learning without pressure, studying purely for the joy. You might be motivated to grow your personal skills, your hobbies or to level up in your career – but you're making that choice for yourself, not for some standardised test.

Like me, many of you guys are travellers who either already have, or plan to take time out to travel. It might be a few months, or a full year – but it's an opportunity to take time away from work and education. My question is – have you considered studying while travelling? Distance learning courses are more accessible than ever and there has never been a broader range to choose from. We are so lucky to be able to access education materials, and to have the opportunity to grow our skill set from anywhere in the world. Why not use that privilege to transform your future by investing in yourself now?

Why should you consider studying while travelling?

If you're taking time out to travel, it could be the perfect opportunity to study or learn a new skill. So many of us just don't have the time when we're working full time, we're exhausted by the end of the day and don't feel motivated to take a course. But when you remove that extra pressure, learning can become fun again. Suddenly taking a few hours to study per day in the morning or evening doesn't seem that much. If anything, it can really help to add structure to an unstructured lifestyle! You might be moving from place to place, but you can still create your own routine around your studies.

Particularly for longer-term travellers, or budget travellers, you will find that travel involves a lot of waiting around. There's a lot of long bus, plane and train journeys, a lot of delays and layovers. How you choose to fill this time could be the difference between taking a holiday and building your future. Sitting there in an airport waiting for your flight is a perfect time to crack out those reading materials and to brush up on another chapter. This is actually how I built this blog and business – I spent hours and hours reading, researching, learning, writing and creating while on overnight buses. If I can achieve that on a bus travelling at lightning speeds down dark, winding roads – you can definitely complete that course!

Girl in white top, black shorts and hat on ladder leaning against wall with pink angel street art in mexico

Five types of distance learning courses to study while you travel

Improve your GCSE or A level qualifications

Many first-time travellers will take time out before university – particularly if they're not sure what they want to study. If you didn't get the grades you wanted, or perhaps you've suddenly found your passion but you didn't get the right exam results to actually get in. Don't fear – your life is NOT over! Teachers, parents and society love to make us feel like it's now or never, we only get one shot to get it right, but the truth is there are a lot of pathways to where we want to end up. Sometimes not choosing the traditional method can be the best thing that ever happened to us.

Distance learning while taking time out to travel could be a great way to discover a love of studying and a passion for the topic on your own terms. You might need to retake an English or Maths exam to get the right grades, or you might fancy taking another A-level so you can get on that university course. Why not consider opting for an online GCSE course and try studying while travelling?

Learn a language or how to teach one

During lockdown I finally completed my TEFL course, and while I may not have been studying while travelling – I'm so glad I completed the distance learning course. While I was travelling in South America, I was also studying Spanish online, and I've previously been studying German while I was living in Hamburg. It's a really valuable skill, to be able to speak another language, and one that definitely deepens your experience and connection to a place. Whether you take it slow with an app like Duolingo or Babbel, or you want to commit to a full course, there's suitable options for all abilities. Why stop at learning a language when you could learn to teach your own language? Completing a TEFL course is a great way to expand your earning potential by giving you the option to teach online or abroad.

Diversify your skill set to change or advance your career

Often the most popular reason to commit to studying while travelling is because you want to change your life. If you're taking time out to travel, the chances are you're either on a study or career break. The chances are, you were pretty fed up with your life and ready for something new, something different. Distance learning provides you with an opportunity to start building your future. Creating your dream life alongside getting the freedom you so crave. For most of us, it feels impossible to study alongside working full time – it's exhausting! But if you're already taking time off to travel. Well, it gives you the brain space to focus on learning a new skill.

You might want to level up to edge your way into the next pay grade by getting additional qualifications – maybe a diploma? Or you might fancy branching out into a new department perhaps by advancing your health and social care or IT skills? If you're self-employed, or fancy setting up your own business, it could be a great time to take a course that will give you the skills you need to be successful. Why not take a course on accounting, social media or marketing? They're all super important things that you will need to know.

Take a personal development course

We're all a work in progress and if you ask me, that's one of the greatest joys in life. There's always so much more for us to learn, so many ways to grow. It might be that you want to focus on changing and improving something about yourself. Which in turn, could have a huge impact on your career, your relationships and your happiness. Maybe you want to focus on improving your finances and money management skills. Or it's your communication skills that need work. Some people might feel the need to focus on their self-confidence and public speaking. While others might focus on their business skills. Take care to research courses and ensure you are getting the best bang for your buck. There are so many out there, it can be daunting to know where to start.

Follow your passions and do it for fun!

Don't forget, distance learning doesn't always have to be about taking the next step in your career. Perhaps there's something – a skill – you've always wanted to learn. Maybe it's more about choosing something outside of the norm and challenging yourself in new ways. For example, I'm passionate about wellbeing and mental health. During the summer, I spotted that Yale University were offering free access to a wellbeing course, so I signed up! It wasn't about getting a certificate or "qualifying". It was about studying something I truly loved and was interested in purely to learn from an expert. It's the same reason I choose a lot of the non-fiction books I read. So whether it's candle-making or cross stitch, writing, art or even gardening. Why not study simply to get creative and try something new?

Girl in white top, black shorts and hat leaning against wall with yellow and blue street art in mexico

Two blog posts you should read before choosing a course:

Whether you're travelling or still stuck in lockdown, we are so lucky to have such a wealth of opportunity at our fingertips. Education is such a privilege and those of us living in the western world have unlimited access. We shouldn't hesitate to take full advantage of the amazing online courses available to us. This post includes the full range of amazing online courses, plus access to discounts and free courses.

If you've always dreamt of working online while you travel, but just don't understand how to make it a reality, this post is for you. It shares nearly 40 ideas for digital nomad jobs. Including loads that you won't have even realised you could choose as a career. The digital world is always changing and there is more opportunity than ever before. Do your research and it could help you choose the distance learning course to help you create your own online business.

Have you taken a distance learning course? Would you like to? What would you like to study?

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*This lockdown activities post is a collaboration with Regatta

As we approach the one-year mark of this pandemic, it's seems a good time for reflection over the rollercoaster that was 2020/21. With no real signs that Coronavirus will become a thing of the past anytime soon – yes we're still in full lockdown here in the UK. It seems more important than ever that we adapt to the way things are, that we manage to find small joys and ways to cope in the upcoming months. As I write this, I'm actually feeling my very best self – or at least the best I have felt in the last year. It's a rare feeling and one I want to celebrate after a particularly difficult January. Over the last year, I've no doubt that we've all felt the lowest of lows, so when we feel these highs, it's so important to celebrate them.

One thing that I have been so grateful for over this last year, is that I flew home to the UK as soon as the pandemic started. While it hasn't been without its challenges, Norfolk really has been the best place to spend this time in lockdown. I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by pristine nature, forests, beaches, rolling fields, rivers and all the wildlife you could want. It's been a great healer and such a big part of maintaining my wellbeing and mental health during the last 12 months. I'm all about harnessing the power of nature to heal your soul. There's nothing quite like the sound of the wind in the trees, or the waves lapping at the shore to clear your mind and quieten all that external noise.

girl profile in brown hat with green dress and patterned scarf, Forest bathing in Norfolk, snow, outdoor lockdown activities

Switch off and reconnect with Mother Nature

There's no doubt we've all become "outdoor people" during the pandemic – I've never seen so many people out for walks! While it's super important to stay active and find lockdown activities that get you moving, we mustn't forget that getting outside can transform our mental health. But, only if we let it. You may be getting your 10,000 steps in every day – but are you really allowing yourself to experience the outside world? When is the last time you went for a walk without any distractions?

So many of us plug in our headphones and listen to a podcast or music full blast – or we might be scrolling on social media the whole time. We're not truly present in nature so we don't get to feel the full healing benefits of our surroundings. If you're more of an "inside" person but you've been struggling with your mental health during lockdown, perhaps stepping away from the screens could be just the medicine you need. Reconnecting with Mother Nature and disconnecting from the constant stressful buzz of news, updates and notifications.

girl profile in brown hat with green dress and patterned scarf, Forest bathing in Norfolk, snow, outdoor lockdown activities

Lockdown activities to boost wellbeing

Choose a new route to walk

Shake things up and try going somewhere new. You might not be able to travel due to lockdown restrictions but mixing up your usual walking route can make a huge difference. Instead of wandering on autopilot, you're much more likely to notice things. Even walking the same route but back to front can make a huge difference. You might not be lucky enough to live in nature, but can still get creative even in a city – why not walk in the opposite direction or head towards a new park? If there's any water nearby, try a walk along the river or ocean instead for a change of scenery.

Forest bathing – breathe it in

I am so lucky to have several beautiful forests right by my house and they have become my favourite place to run, walk and explore during the pandemic. Have you heard of the Japanese phenomenon of "forest bathing"? It's supposed to rebalance the mind and help reduce stress – something we're all in need of right now! I can honestly say it really works – I only learnt the term after I had already unintentionally been forest bathing for years. Next time you're in the woodlands – take your time, slow down and listen to the wind in the trees. Breathe in the scent of pine, listen to the squirrels running along the branches and hear the crunch of the leaves beneath your feet. You could even try outdoor meditation as one of your lockdown activities.

girl profile in brown hat with green dress and patterned scarf, Forest bathing in Norfolk, snow, outdoor nature activities

Brave the cold and go wild swimming

Growing up by the ocean – I used to be a lot braver and go in the water no matter what time of year. Now that I'm older, I definitely feel the cold a lot more. However, I can't deny the healing power of water. After all, we're 70% water, so it makes sense that we feel so at peace by the sea. I won't deny I much prefer tropical waters. But a cold shower, or jumping in a cold plunge is supposed to be super good for boosting circulation, flushing out those toxins and making you feel pretty damn alive! Check out the Wim Hof method for more information. If you're not quite ready to jump in the ocean – why not start by blasting yourself with cold water for a minute at the end of your shower?

Connect with the wildlife

There's something so beautiful about seeing animals in the wild – it sparks something in us, a natural curiosity. Here in Norfolk, we have deer that roam around the woods, birds, squirrels and even wild ponies just five minutes from my house. Our area is so quiet that the animals have become so tame and friendly, often they'll come right up to you to say hi. It honestly fills my heart with joy to connect with these animals – they're just so pure. Watching the birds soar through the skies, or even seeing those happy dogs wagging their tails on their daily walks. It really is such a small thing, but something you can do no matter where you are or what your lockdown restrictions might be. Even if you're not able to leave your home – it doesn't stop lockdown activities like birdwatching from the windows.

girl profile in brown hat with green dress and patterned scarf, Forest bathing in Norfolk, snow, outdoor lockdown nature activities

Capture the beauty of nature

If you're looking for a way to become more present in nature, why not try capturing it? Perhaps you're an artist or painter or a keen photographer like myself. It's a great way to ensure you're paying attention to every small detail. I haven't felt inspired to pick up my camera much during the pandemic – but when it snowed last week I couldn't resist dusting it off to capture the photos in this post. I felt so inspired and it really made the day feel even more magic. If you're not feeling artistic, why not write or journal – these can make great lockdown activities? Or you could even go foraging for wild herbs or berries and use them to cook with.

Explore the world at night

Don't forget nature doesn't disappear at night! It's a whole new world out there when the sun sets and the stars come out to play. Why not take a walk during the full moon, or go stargazing? If you're shielding or trying to avoid people – it's also a great way to get outdoors when it's a bit quieter (particularly if you live in a busier city).

Which outdoor lockdown activities have helped improve your wellbeing? Can you recommend any others?

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*This post is a collaboration

I've just picked up my ticket for tonight's draw and it seemed a perfect opportunity to share my bucket list trips for if I actually won! It's something we all dream of – that financial security and opportunity to live our best lives worry-free. Imagine being able to travel the globe without the constant thought of work in the back of your mind. What about finally being able to book that dream trip and go all out with luxury hotels and the most expensive tours? As we get older, not travelling enough is always the regret that hangs over so many of us. So why wouldn't we want to prioritise travel if we had that golden ticket? Lottoland provides you with the opportunity to win your favourite games which could set you up to win as much as the winner of each lottery draw. Instead of entering, you bet on the result and if you have the matching numbers, you could win more money than you can dream of. No more would travel mean budgeting and saving, instead you'd be able to go anywhere you please, no matter what the cost.

Charter a Superyacht

A superyacht is a luxury yacht built with state of the art accommodations and designed with one thing in mind – to provide the guests on board with their every desire. Everything about this tour is up to you. You select the travel dates and you decide the destination. Some of the most popular destinations are:

The ship comes with ample services. You and each of your guests will have private quarters. The rooms are warm and comfortable. With this tour, you have personal guides who are experts in the area. Your guests have the same great care you are given. Food, drinks, snacks, music, activities, and any other detail that you want is meticulously created per your instruction. Every cabin has a view of the sea. If a yacht isn't quite your style, why not try booking one of the many cruising sailboats available?

Touring Australia

It could take months to tour Australia. It is a massive country. But you can take a tour to the most exciting parts of Australia, including:

Of course, you can add or remove any city you want. Most tour companies will create an Australian vacation that you and your guests will never forget. They can do this because they own a few seaplanes, yachts, helicopters, and luxury jets. They also work with (only) the best experts in the areas they travel to. If there is something you want on your trip, you will have it.

Luxury Train Trip

In the not too distant past, travel by train was the way to go. Built originally in the late 1800s, people with money would rather take a train than a horse and buggy. Even in more modern times, many people travel by train. Sometimes it’s the most effective and the only way to get around. But, you probably do not immediately think of train travel when you think of a luxury trip. The "Orient Express" was a long-distance passenger train service created in 1883 and it was synonymous with luxury. Over the years, the train has been a hotbed for celebrities, royalty and even spies! The train featured parlour cars, sleeping cars, and gourmet meals served in elaborate dining cars until World War II put a stop to this. After stopping service in 1977, the carriages were bought and restored by a millionaire, James Sherwood, who relaunched the Orient Express in 1982. Today you can experience the original luxury with the modern comforts you enjoy, on a trip designed by you.

Fiji’s Laucala Island COVID hide-away

COVID has put a strain on all of us. Who would not want to take their family and friends to a completely private island that has every luxury known to man? Who wouldn't trade their masks and X’s on the department store floors for a white, sandy beach and hour-long spa treatments? This trip to Laucala Island includes charter flights on Fiji Airways’ Airbus A350. The group can be up to 20-people and you must book a minimum of 7-nights on the island.

This tropical island is an unspoiled gem of the South Seas, The island is designed with 25 luxury residences, each with a view of beauty and each with total privacy. But, the residences and all other buildings were designed to protect nature. Many of the foods prepared at the resort are grown on the island, and the people who care for the guests live on the island. When they say you are cared for, they mean it. Your happiness is important to them.

These are just a few of the destinations you can visit if you win a big prize and suddenly have money to burn. But there are more. If you can dream it, you can make it happen. As they say, just about everything has its price. So, enjoy your dreams. One day, you might be able to make them all come true.

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It's amazing how much the industry, and the way we form blogging partnerships with brands has completely transformed during my six years of blogging. When I was just starting out, there were very few bloggers out there – and only a few well established ones. These days it can feel like everyone has a blog and it's much more difficult to shine in your field. However, as the industry develops further and brands realise the true value and marketing potential in blogs and social media channels. It provides a host of new opportunities that simply didn't exist five years ago. It's a double-edged sword, while the competition may be fierce, there is also more opportunity available than ever before.

How can brands work with travel bloggers?

There are so many ways to work with travel bloggers. It's easy to get caught up in the semantics of blogging partnerships, collaborations, advertisements. But it all essentially boils down to the same key ways we have of working together:

Often partnerships will combine multiple of these options and can even lead to longer-term blogging partnerships. I still work on an ongoing basis with some of the first brands I formed collaborations with. There is so much more to be gained from these ongoing collaborations for both the brand and for travel bloggers UK. The audience engages so much more with the product and advertisement when they know it is a brand the blogger truly endorses. As a brand, it's worth looking at the influencers who are happily promoting and shouting about your brand even without payment. They already have an established audience who is engaged with what they are saying. It's just one small step forward to start selling the product.

How to get the most out of blogging partnerships?

Brands who are looking to work with bloggers should ensure they research before reaching out to bloggers. Remember – it's not just about the value the blogger can provide you with – it works both ways. The key to successful collaborations with travel bloggers is all about the preparation. Focus on these key details:

  1. Target audience – does the brand's align with the bloggers'?
  2. Engagement – does the travel blogger have high numbers, or a genuinely engaged audience?
  3. Goal – what are you aiming to achieve with the collaboration?

Depending on whether your goal is to raise awareness of the brand, to launch a new product, to increase the brand's DA and statistics through link partnerships or to attract new customers. For each of these goals you would reach out to different types of influencers within the niche, you would also form different types of partnerships. One great way to cut out the need for masses of research is to partner with the Get Blogged Marketplace which does a lot of the legwork for brands. With an already established client-base of bloggers from all niches, including UK travel bloggers, it makes it easy to reach out and connect with the right person for the job.

By speeding up the process of gaining backlinks to your site, it provides steady organic traffic by revolutionising your search rankings. The Get Blogged team organise everything through their easy-to-use platform which allows you to focus on your business. As a blogger who has worked with Get Blogged on multiple projects, I find the platform super easy to navigate and the messaging really clear. Also the service/payments are some of the most efficient I've experienced as a freelancer.

Five travel blogs you should be working with

There are so many amazing travel blogs out there, so it can be easy to feel overwhelmed when choosing who to form blogging partnerships with. But don't let too much choice stand in your way of advertising your business and maximising your earnings. Always consider the type of bloggers you are working with – within your niche there are several smaller niches. For example, this blog focuses on solo female adventure travel, while other travel blogs may focus on couples travel, luxury travel, student travel or even budget travel. It's also important to ensure you are promoting diversity and inclusivity by working with a range of bloggers including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, plus size bloggers, disabled bloggers and people from all backgrounds.

  1. Travelling Tuesdays – for the Generation Z traveller and newbie travellers
  2. Where Goes Rose? – solo female travel
  3. Kirsty Leanne Travels – plus size travel
  4. Mama Ayla Adventures – mother-daughter travel
  5. Fresh & Fearless – luxury travel

Don't forget, this solo female travel blog is always looking for new clients and businesses to form partnerships with. You can find out further information by viewing my media kit here. Or feel free to contact me to discuss working together.

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