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imageThere's no doubt about it, backpackers may give it the bigg'un about how few items of clothing we need and how we can survive with just a bar of soap instead of all those luxury beauty items - it's true, most of the time when you're on the road you realise you need very little luxury to have the time of your life. But there are times when every single one of us craves a treat, misses some of those home comforts, or just doesn't want to share a room with seven other people! We all get pushed to our limits in order to keep travelling for as long as possible, and often we don't realise how much we have sacrificed in order to extend our trip, to make our money last and to keep going just that little longer. I know I'm guilty of it as much as the next person and can remember several times where I have sacrificed staying somewhere nice for an absolute hole just so I can save those pennies to do an awesome boat trip or yoga retreat. I like to weigh things up and instead of ever turning down an experience, I just see which I would rather have - more often than not, a luxurious night in a big, comfy bed with a hot shower is the first to go. But then there are those times when I just can't stand the thought of staying in another dorm, listening to someone snoring as I lie awake knowing I have to get up in a few hours. Those times when all I crave is space to unpack my bag and some time on my own - we all feel like that sometimes, and it soon becomes all we can think about.

I've noticed in my ten months travelling that there are some things that just stay in my mind, things that I perhaps never fully appreciated until I came away. Particularly recently, because I've just moved into my own place as part of my new job and have all my food provided for me - I'm suddenly living in more luxury than I have for nearly a year. And it's really making me realise how grateful I am for even having the opportunity to go away and experience other cultures, to be both deprived and enriched at the same time as I learn to truly value what I have. So in the spirit of being grateful, and of dreaming of far off luxuries - here's my list of 35 things you really learn to appreciate when you've been backpacking for a while:

  1. Personal space - whether it's the crowds in Asia or just finding room for your bag in an Aussie hostel.
  2. A good night's sleep - either you're up all night partying or someone is getting up early to catch a flight.
  3. Your mum's cooking, or your dad's, just those comforting foods that remind you of home.
  4. Supermarkets - nothing beats a good supermarket, 7/11s in Asia, IGAs in Oz, they just don't measure up.
  5. Your own room - being able to shut a door on the world at the end of the day is such an amazing feeling.
  6. A double bed - oh god after battling dorm life, top bunks and all the rest, starfishing is just heaven!
  7. Shampoo and conditioner for your hair type - not just half empty bottles you found in the dorm shower.
  8. Clean kitchenware - in a hostel kitchen shared by 40+ people this can be a rarity.
  9. Finding all your food in the fridge where you left it, no milk missing, or beers stolen.
  10. Sitting on an actual sofa and watching TV - the first thing to go when I left, but perfect for hangovers.
  11. Having wifi all the time, and being able to rely on the connection.
  12. Having phone signal all the time!
  13. Having your hair cut, or your bikini line waxed by a woman who can speak English.
  14. Being able to plug into sockets without using adapters.
  15. Not pulling out coins from six different countries every time you pay, then having to sift through them.
  16. A quiet night in - can't believe I'm saying it but sometimes it's all you crave instead of another night out.
  17. A whole wardrobe of clothes to choose from instead of wearing the same outfit, yet again.
  18. A really good roast dinner - sorry but I've not found one yet other than back home.
  19. Christmas in the UK - nothing beats it.
  20. Showering without wearing flip flops.
  21. Not being woken up by the sound of someone having sex below you, or above you, or next to you.
  22. Good chocolate - it just doesn't taste the same overseas, especially in hot countries.
  23. Not having the scars, scratches and bruises that come with traveller's legs.
  24. Actually having a night out where you look glossy and groomed instead of sweaty and scruffy.
  25. Having your washing done for you instead of having to wait for a hostel washing machine to be free.
  26. Not being eaten alive by mosquitoes, bed bugs, sand flies and whatever else wants to eat us.
  27. Being up-to-date with every detail of the lives of those you love. Being able to be there for them.
  28. Being able to talk to your best friend on a whim instead of dealing with such a huge time difference.
  29. Hot showers. 'Nuff said.
  30. Simple foods like beans on toast instead of all the spicy curry in Asia.
  31. More exciting foods instead of living off beans on toast and instant noodles.
  32. Being able to buy your alcohol from a supermarket pretty much all the time instead of bottle shops.
  33. Not having sand at the bottom of all your bags and shoes.
  34. Not having permanent flip flop tan lines.
  35. Having a car and not having to rely on public transport.

imageAll of these are things we talk about longingly about with other backpackers over long nights by a fire on the beach, over beers by the swimming pool, or when we meet other travellers. But as much as we talk about how amazing it would be to have a nice long, hot shower with luxurious products before getting into a huge double bed in a private room, we also know we wouldn't give up this life for the world. That these bed-bug infested rooms and long nights out are worth every second. That the feeling of sand between your toes and those moments when you catch two people at it in the bunk next to you aren't all part of the experience. That we've never felt freer and happier than we do right now. And that every sunset and sunrise brings new excitement into your life at the prospect of what is to come. Home comforts are great, but nothing beats adventure. If you fancy a little luxury and want to leave the kids at home, why not check out the adult-only holidays available at Tropical Sky?

What at home comforts and luxuries do you miss when you're away from home? Do you like to treat yourself every now and again when backpacking? 

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imageAfter Fraser Island, we had one night to party in Noosa and then we're on our merry way again, hitting the road on the Greyhound to Airlie Beach. This one was all set to be one of the best places we visited. Not only was it a beautiful place with lots to do, the gateway to our next adventure on the Whitsundays but it was also where we would be reunited with one of our best friends from back home. We rocked up with two friends in tow, Louise and Jennifer had been on Fraser Island with us and just happened to be booked on the same bus as us, into the same hostel and the same Whitsundays trip! After a long night on the bus, we were all wrecked and had to walk across town laden with heavy bags to the hostel thanks to there being no hostel pick up service. We were staying at Nomads, which was in process of fusing with Base. After Nomads in Noosa our expectations were distinctly lower and we were dreading seeing what we would be staying in for the next few days. We were pleasantly surprised to see how lovely the hostel was - one of the best looking hostels with small lodge style dorms spread across a lawn and set around a swimming poll and volleyball net, the six bed dorms were clean, comfy and spacious. I would hugely recommend the hostel, just don't expect much from the staff. They were some of the rudest, most unfriendly and unhelpful people I have met since travelling.imageimageOur days were spent sunbathing by the pool, lagoon or on the beach - the choice of all three was brilliant and the lagoon was one of the nicest and deepest I have seen - just a shame it was so cold! On one morning, we decided to go for a run and explore the coastal path which is definitely worth a walk - it's absolutely beautiful and takes you the length of the bay. Plus you get to walk through the harbour which is full of yachts and you can pretend you're super rich and about to board your own. We ate out a few times, particularly at Fusion, which was just down the street. It was always there for us when we were too lazy to cook breakfast and we even had lunch one time. The food and the wifi was good, and it was very convenient being the closest cafe to the hostel, but the service was pretty slow and forgetful. Most of the time we cooked at the hostel, although it was a bit of a bummer having to put down a deposit for every kitchen item we needed to use, including chopping boards and knives.imageimageThe nightlife was pretty good in Airlie Beach, it was great having one street with all the bars and hostels on it, and there was alway something going on whether it was live music, karaoke, BBQ's or something else. We spent a lot of time at Magnums and the Irish bar, but also checked out a lot of the others including a nice cocktail bar down the street. The crowd was great at most bars and you could see why so many people got stuck there when they just planned to pass through. Our friend had been living and working there for months and planned to stay there until her visa run out - she was actually working on one of the Whitsunday cruises. We had the best reunion after nearly two years without seeing her, within seconds it was like we'd never parted ways. Much rum was consumed, many stories were exchanged, laughs had, and we ended up getting matching tattoos - all on Mark's birthday. Then we headed out to meet our friends for food and drinks where I had arranged a surprise for him, a group of our closest friends from Fraser Island to come and join the birthday celebrations. It was such a fun night with our whole Whitsundays gang and some of the Fraser crew partying the night away after a movie trivia quiz.imageimageThe best day we had in Airlie was hands down the day after the birthday celebrations when we were all hungover and needed something fun to distract us from how tired we all were. We ended up going to the inflatable water park and paying just $16 for hours of acting like kids, running around the inflatables and slipping off into the water, attempting to climb ropes and skidding across the giant climbing frames. It was hilarious and so much fun, definitely worth the money, although it did remind us were not as young as we used to be - it was a hell of a lot more exhausting for us lot than for the kids who were running rings around us. It was a perfect final day to have in Airlie Beach before heading on towards Magnetic Island for another adventure. I would definitely recommend planning in a few days for Airlie Beach, we stayed for about four or five around Whitsundays and it was nice to have a few days both before and after - especially to hang out with everyone from Whitsundays after the trip. The hostel is perfect for your stay as it's well positioned and has everything you need - minus smiley staff. Airlie Beach was definitely one of the best places on the East Coast - I could understand why so many ended up getting stuck there, I think we would have if we didn't already have our whole trip booked.imageimage

 

Did you love Airlie Beach? Can you recommend any good places to eat and drink there? Have you had any good reunions with friends while travelling?

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imageThe incredible natural beauty of Noosa has made it a highlight of the east Coast for me, even now after having finished the trip I still look back on it as one of my favourite places. I wasn't expecting much after Brisbane, if anything my expectations had been lowered but I was blown away by how much I loved Noosa. It helped that we were back by the ocean and were staying with a National Park right on our doorstep - I'm definitely less of a city girl and more of a nature lover. We were unfortunately staying at Nomads hostel which not only was one of the dirtiest hostels I've ever stayed on - throughout Asia and Australia - but it was at the bottom of a huge hill we had to climb every day to get to the beach. Any of my Norfolk readers will understand my aversion to hills after being raised in the flattest part of the UK. The hostel was horrible - the kitchen was unusable and the staff were not very helpful - I don't mind if they want to get stoned all the time but it would be great if they could actually function in their job instead of staring at you blankly and giving you the wrong keys twice.imageimageThe hostel might have been rank, but we barely spent any time there. Up first in the morning, we were out running through the national park and discovering more and more beautiful viewpoints, sunbathing on the beach, walking through the woods and up to the sunset viewpoint, and just discovering the area. On our first day, we did a big walk at sunset through the coastal path of the National Park, it was gorgeous. The ocean on one side and the woods on the other, koala bears clinging to eucalyptus trees, so many viewpoints to stop and and enjoy watching dolphins playing in the waves. It was stunning and obviously a popular route from the numbers of people walking along with us and running the path. We decided to try a run the next day and explore the other paths through the woods - there were several to choose from and I don't know how anyone could ever get bored of them.imageWe spent our days sunbathing on the beach or exploring the town which was filled with places to eat and shop - sadly I had no money to enjoy the shopping! One evening we walked up to the sunset viewpoint to watch the sun go down and this is definitely worth a look - offering a beautiful view across the whole of Noosa bathed in a golden glow, it's one of the best things to see there. Although it was pretty chilly on the walk down, as soon as the sun set in Noosa you started to feel the difference in temperature. Our nights were pretty fun too, especially when we returned to the hostel for a night after our Fraser Island trip with the entire gang and partied the night away. It was a hilarious night filled with way too many drinks and laughs, and we even managed to win some pretty awesome prizes! Nomads at Noosa had the best prizes on offer of any backpackers hostel I have seen so far so definitely get in on them! The boys managed to score a free Whitsundays trip and I won a free North Island Kiwi Experience Pass for New Zealand for doing nothing other than putting my name in a raffle!image

What did you think of Noosa? Do you prefer cities or being out in nature?

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imageNow I'm sure many people are going to seriously disagree with me over this one but that's fine, I'm just sharing my experiences of this city. We arrived after a few hours on the bus and were already feeling blue after leaving the Surfers gang behind, hungover after last night's drunken antics and exhausted from travelling. We arrived at the hostel - we were staying at Bunk - and were surprised to see how huge it was after staying in such a small place in Surfers. To be honest - I much prefer the smaller hostels, they're so much more personal and welcoming, the bigger ones always seem to remind me of a slobby version of a Travelodge - functional and impersonal. I was pretty unimpressed when the girl on the counter said our room was ready but we couldn't check in until 2pm - it was 9am. I know the hostels have their rules but considering the room was ready and clean it seemed a bit rubbish we couldn't be allowed up there for a shower and some sleep. Instead we had to wander round the city waiting to be allowed to check in.imageimageNow we only had three days in the city, which I know doesn't give you much of a chance to get a first impression - particularly as I've found most who love Brisbane are the ones who have ended up living and working there. But I was pretty disappointed, it was such an unattractive city after the likes of Melbourne and Sydney, it seemed so unexciting after the previous places we had been. On our first full day there, we decided to go for a long walk around the city, through the harbour and botanical gardens, around the city and beyond. We spent hours exploring the city and by the end of it we felt no different about Brisbane - we found no hidden gems, we found no really stunning views across the city and we met no one exciting along the way. It was such a shame and I so wanted to find more in this city, to find something I loved, but it just wasn't for me. It seemed strange, although we made the best of it, I couldn't find anything I loved about Brisbane like I did about Sydney and Melbourne. That night we went out for drinks at a great bar down the road which had a live band on, that was probably the best part of our time in the city, but it was quickly followed by the worst.imageYou may have already read about what happened that night in this previous post - about how we met this young lad who was staying in our room, how he was pilled up to the eyeballs, and how he ended up pissing all over our dorm while we slept. How we woke up to find puddles of piss everywhere. Not impressed was a serious understatement. Luckily that day we had already planned to vacate the hostel early and head to Australia Zoo for the day - thank goodness as it gave the cleaners chance to work their magic. Australia Zoo is a fantastic day out - I don't normally agree with zoos but this one is great as it really looks after the animals better than many. We caught the train first thing from a station round the corner and after about an hour and a half of napping we arrived and climbed on to a bus to reach the park. I had bought us discount tickets using the Groupon App and would really recommend it as they were about half price! It was so easy and quick to get there, and we must have spent about a good six hours walking around, watching shows and visiting the animals. We could have easily stayed longer but the skies were starting to look stormy.imageimageIn the end we treated Brisbane like our recovery time between Surfers and our next destination, Noosa. I think the city would have made more of an impression if I went there to work, or if we weren't so exhausted, but we'll have to leave that for another time as we were already packed and ready for our Greyhound and ready to get the hell out of there. Excited for the next few days in Noosa before we were due to head on our Fraser Island tour!image

 

What did you think of Brisbane? Did you stay for a short or long time? What did you love or hate about the city? 

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imageWhether you're writing it just for yourself, for your family and closest friends, or an audience of thousands every month - writing a travel blog can provide you with a home for all your previous memories, photos and experiences. All those amazing moments you had while travelling through the jungles, mountains, cities and deserts spread across the globe are combined into one amazing story, with you as the main character. So many travellers I meet carry with them a travel journal, as do I, which is a lovely way to keep note of thoughts and moments along the way, but in today's modern age, a blog is an even easier way to combine all your photos, words and videos into a multimedia collage of your time on the road. For those who haven't been following Absolutely Lucy for as long, I actually started this blog as a lifestyle blog around a year before deciding to come travelling, I then developed it into a travel blog as well so I could capture every moment and share it with my readers along the way.

Travel blogging along my journey has been one of the best things about travelling - not only because I get to share it with you guys, but simply because I love to write and doing this has given me a reason to. I love that I can look back over my time in Asia and Australia, and find all my pics, videos and stories in one place, I love that I can share it with friends who were there at the time and others who would have loved to be. Even better, my stories and experiences have given me the opportunity to reach out and help advise or inspire others to face their fears and to go out and do the same. I've heard from so many fellow travellers who have read my blog and been inspired to start their own, or who wanted advice on how to go about doing it, and it's great to be a part of. So many say to me they wish they could write, that they are jealous of those who can, but that should never stand in your way when it comes to blogging. In blogging you don't have to write a certain way, it's all about your unique voice and how you express yourself. If that comes in the form of a picture diary, or homemade videos then who cares?

10 reasons to keep a blog while you travel:

  1. It's fun! You love writing and find it a great outlet for everything that's stored up in your head, so why not pour out every memory on to the page so you have a record of it?
  2. You've had some pretty damn amazing experiences since travelling, many of which took your breath away, so why not share them with others?
  3. One day, ten years from now, you could be sitting in a cold office looking out the window at dreary, rainy old Britain as you work a job you can't stand - create something that will keep the daydream and the memory alive.
  4. It gives you focus and something to work on creatively, it's so easy to get lost in a backpacker life of going out every night and sunbathing every day but never achieving anything you can measure. It's nice to have something to show for your time.
  5. It looks good on your CV to show you have great computer skills, social media experience and the drive to create something you're not being paid for.
  6. It can grow into something amazing if your blog actually gets noticed and draws enough followers, you could end up doing it for a living!
  7. It's fun to share blog posts and videos with your travel buddies after you've parted ways and to relive the memories and the jokes.
  8. It's a great way to connect with other travellers and other bloggers - I ended up becoming great friends with two travel bloggers I never would have met if it weren't for blogging and arriving in Phuket at the same time. Plus you can offer advice and tips to other backpackers.
  9. It helps you keep track of the days, what you did and when - after six months or even a year of travel, the days kind of blur into one and it's easy to forget.
  10. What else are you going to do while you're laying in a hammock by the pool?! With most travellers carrying laptops or iPads with the. These days it's pretty easy to keep up. I do all my blogging on an iPad mini and its been a dream to work on, plus great for storing all my pics and videos, and it's way smaller and lighter than a laptop.

Why did you start a travel blog? If you haven't already - would you?

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killingThis year has been a particularly good year for me in terms of actually watching stuff and seeing them through to the bitter end. I'm not the greatest at watching TV series or knowing what everyone is talking about from that latest episode of (insert current series of the moment here). I hold my hands up and say I never watched Breaking Bad and Gossip Girl... my only defence is that I was too busy and that I'm far too easily distracted to remember to catch up! I always start out with good intentions, but then end up missing an episode and forgetting to catch up, before you know it I'm a series behind and lose all interest. But this year, something magical happened. I gave up on my laptop and got an iPad that has changed my life. The boyfriend signed me on to his Netflix account, and since then I haven't seen the light of day.. Okay I'm not that bad, but I have seriously been loving watching things at my own pace. But which series have hooked me in?

The Killing

Please tell me you have all been watching this? I used to be addicted to CSI - I'm not sure if loving programmes about sick individuals is normal, but I know I'm not alone in this so no judgement here. I find the whole psychology of murderers and others who commit serious crimes really quite fascinating, and I love how fast-paced and gripping the programmes are. The Killing in particular has a brilliant way of keeping you completely detached from the murder itself, yet you really become attached to the characters - I adore Holder. But I also love the twists and turns - the way you're convinced one thing has happened and you know who is guilty, and then something happens that turns all your expectations on their head. It really is very well-written and I love the way it has been filmed - so dark. I've been watching the American version, but I hear the Danish version is even better - it's definitely on my list to watch that one as well. Just as a sidebar, me and the boyfriend also steamed through Luther this year - which I absolutely LOVED. It helps that Idris Elba is ridiculously sexy, but the story-lines are also brilliant.

Orange Is The New Black

Easily the best series centred around an all-female cast for years, in fact I don't remember watching another that I found quite as engaging since Sex & The City. The characters were brilliant, funny and original, the story was completely unlike anything I have watched before, challenged the viewer and kept us hooked from the beginning to the end. Everyone my age was watching and loving it - and I don't think I have heard such a buzz about a programme since Breaking Bad, but this offered a totally different viewing experience. There's something very different about an all-female cast that really provides you with a totally different storyline, if the same had been done with an all-male cast I'm sure it would have been a very different programme. I wasn't really that bothered about the main storyline that followed Piper, but I loved the bits between her and Crazy Eyes, and all the supporting characters - they were all so funny and worked really well together. I really can't wait for the next series.

The Passage & The Twelve

Sadly, this hasn't been such a good year for reading. As a former literature student I am embarrassed to admit how few books I have actually read this year, but again, the time has got away from me and working three jobs does cut back on your reading time. I certainly plan to more than make up for it next year while relaxing on a beach in Thailand, and already have a huge reading list of books to finish over the next 12 months. I am pleased that of the few books I have read, some of my favourites have been among them including one that I never thought I would have the chance to read. I've still managed to read some pretty interesting and diverse books - one series about the drug smuggling industry and life in prison in Bali based on a selection of interviews conducted by a journalist in the nineties - these were a fantastic read and I would really recommend them (Hotel K, Snowing in Bali). I also really enjoyed re-reading the Hunger Games books ahead of the release of the latest film, and I re-read some of my favourite books by Margaret Atwood - Oryx & Crake and The Year of the Flood - ahead of the release of Maddadam (a sequel I never even realised was being written!)

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These were all brilliant reads, but my absolute favourite of the year had to be reading a book called The Twelve, which was the sequel to a book that I happily declare as one of the best reads I have found yet, The Passage. This dystopian horror story was released in 2010 by Justin Cronin, beginning in 2014 and spanning more than 90 years, the novel details an apocalyptic and, later, post-apocalyptic world that is overrun by vampire-like beings who are infected by a highly contagious virus. What begins as a project to develop a new immunity-boosting drug based on a virus carried by an unnamed species of bat in South America eventually becomes the virus that transforms the world. The story follows colonies of humans who attempt to live in a world filled with superhuman creatures who are continually on the hunt for fresh blood. It's officially one of the longest books I have ever read, and yet I never once saw my mind wandering from the plot. Even Stephen King has described it as "enthralling", and I spent every second of reading time picturing every scene as though it were already a movie. Cronin is amazing at creating a whole world in your mind and it would clearly be fantastic on screen - the rights have apparently been sold to Ridley Scott and it is in line for a screen adaptation - I can't wait!

I was ecstatic when I stumbled across The Twelve, a sequel to The Passage, while in Waterstones one afternoon and immediately bought it and took it home to start reading. Apparently it is actually the second book in a trilogy - so I have more to look forward to - and is also planned for another screen adaptation by Ridley Scott. What I love about this book is that it is not set further into the future, but it actually takes a leap back to the start of the plague and answers all those questions readers were left with about the origin of the plague at the end of The Passage. You meet the creators of this deadly virus and see the full horrors unfold through the eyes of whole host of new characters, including the virals who are spreading the virus and are creating factions of the vampire-like characters. If you love dystopian literature like I do, you're in for a treat - even horror fans will adore the author's writing style and imagination. Take all those sickly vampire stories and unimaginative films like Twilight, and lock them away please - I like something a lot darker and more twisted with a storyline you can really get your teeth into. I like a read that really challenges me and forces you imagination to run wild - if you like the same, you'll love this.


This post is also my entry to the #Currysfiresidefiction challenge to write about my favourite film/TV show I've watched this year and my top reads. I had to steer clear of films because quite frankly I've seen so many amazing movies this year, I only just managed to narrow it down to these books and TV series!

I'd love to hear about your favourites from the year in case I've missed any. Why not leave a comment and share your top picks?

Ab Lucy sign off

10151806_10151984321267617_7647881145046258044_nBy now you guys will all know how much I love my girls, whether they're the ones that live on my doorstep, halfway across the country, or even thousands of miles across the world. They mean the world to me and I love the fact that I have managed to find so many amazing women who all share the same attitude as me to life. Even more so, I love that they have been with me through the very worst and the very best of times, have seen me in a complete state and at the top of my game, and love me no matter what. Men may mock girl friendships - and yes, some are a complete sham - but I reckon we girls have one up on you guys when we do things right.

You will, of course, get those friendship groups who chat shit about each other behind each other's backs, steal each other's boyfriends and generally make each other feel bad about themselves. Just like you do in some male friendship groups... But when we women club together, we have something you guys don't - and that is a closeness that can't compare to guy friendships I have seen. These girls are more than "just friends", they are my sisters and my family - the ones I have chosen to share my deepest, darkest secrets with and the ones who will pick me up in the middle of the night when it all comes crashing down. As they say, your friends are the family you choose - and my friends are firmly an extension of my family.10155561_10152012406232617_3339493121334675269_nA few particularly good girl dates recently have inspired this post because they really got me thinking about what makes my friendships special - then I realised, they aren't special at all to anyone other than me. Women up and down the country share equally incredible friendships with their girls - and while mine are completely unique and special to me, the general principals are exactly the same. For most of my life I have been more of a boy's girl, but amazingly I have found myself at this point of my life with more girlfriends than ever before, and I have to say, my tastes have definitely changed. I love being surrounded by girl power, loud voices, fierce personalities and loving support. It makes me feel stronger as an individual, and forever grateful that every single day I know I have a tribe of equally strong women fighting my corner and cheering me on.

What do I love about my girls?

  1. They always involve wine, food, cocktails and a lot of chat - and any time can be wine o'clock.
  2. Half an hour and a bottle of wine is all we need to set the world to rights and solve everyone's problems - okay we're starting to sound like we have a drinking problem.
  3. We can happily go from having a quiet night in with a takeaway and X Factor, to having a candlelit dinner by the river, to raving until dawn at a festival. We're just so versatile.
  4. Talking about EVERYTHING. With your girls, no conversation is off limits and it is important to girls to talk about every detail - you just don't get that with guys. Plus boy problems always seem so much simpler when talked about with a girlfriend - but most guys I know don't really talk about girl problems with their mates.
  5. We are loud. Boys think they can out-do us, or out-loud us, but get a group of girls together and tell them to have a catch-up and things get really LOUD. But my girls never judge me for being loud.
  6. Opinions are in full force and you can really have a heated debate about something you are really passionate about, then five minutes later we are talking about cake or lipstick.
  7. There is always someone on make-up or hair watch for you, guys don't notice when your lipstick is smeared or you have fluff in your hair but a girl will always pick up on these things.
  8. On nights out, guys kind of dance awkwardly or barrel around drunk - girls will stand round in a group and dance their little hearts out. No matter how stupid the moves - in fact the sillier the better - you will dance in high heels until you can't any more.
  9. A friend can always solve your problem for you by putting things in perspective, or just telling you a funny story. They always know someone who has been through the same thing.
  10. Snuggles with your girls are the best, whether its spooning each other at a sleepover or just a hug when you've had a tough day. Your girls always know when you need a hug and things are a bit much - guys just don't seem to get that same comfort.

1555534_10153670109485084_46650904_nDon't worry, I'm not shooting down guy friendships as I have plenty of my own. I'm just saying that girl friendships can sometimes get a bad rap thanks to those who don't understand the concept of true friendship. But the point is that actually we really have something going for us and girl friendships, in my experience, seem to reach a level that guys should be jealous of and that we should be proud of as women. If you ask me, some women need to realise that supporting each other and cheering each other on is far more admirable than tearing each other down and casting judgement.

What do you love about your girls?

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31753_410273967616_1446477_nSometimes university isn't quite what you expected - perhaps you don't make the friends you thought you would, or your accommodation isn't the best. Or sometimes it all works out and you have the best university experience possible with great friends, a fantastic course and the best accommodation going. It can all turn out very differently depending on where you are, who you meet and how you do things - but one thing that can hit all of us at times is homesickness. Even the strongest, most independent individual can feel homesick at times and just want to catch the first train home to mum and their own bed. When Freshers Flu strikes, we all just want to curl up in a ball under the duvet and have our mum bring us chicken soup - so how do we deal with this when mum is hundreds of miles away?

Here's my top tips for combating homesickness while at university:

What helped ease your homesickness the most? Have you got any other top tips to share?

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