New York Part 1

Here comes another travel post. New York can I first say is amazing, nothing does justice for New York like actually being there. To begin, lets start with my story of how it all began. My cousin being as spontaneous as she is flew out to New York on the Tuesday, without telling me! Upon realising the cheap flights, £400, how can you pass that up? Despite having lots of work to complete before the next term begins, I booked tickets. This was after a sitting in the library at 9am telling myself if I complete 2000 words of this 5000 word essay I will book flights. It was just one of those moments when you are suffering in the library and need an escape. I had contemplated being sensible and checking flights for more feasible dates, e.g. a week later or later on in the week, but actually I booked it for the next day. The day was currently Thursday and I was flying FRIDAY morning. And so it began.

First stop: Madrid. Connecting flights can be so tiersome, but a 3hr wait really isn't too long, the only problem is me being me I didn't contemplate how hot it would be over there. So wrapped up in all my layers protecting me from the cold of the London chill and the following coldness in New York, I was baking in Madrid. It was still 20+ degrees there! Safe to safe I looked like a knob.

Here we go, AIR EUROPA, flying to New York. I can tell you now I couldn't contain my excitement whilst I sat and took this picture. Despite being by myself, there was something even more exciting about it.

For cheap flights this is a surprisingly flight airline. The seats were relatively roomy and the service was amazing. The only downside of the cheap flight was the movies and television shows. Unlike the big airlines such as Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific, they do not offer a wide array of the latest movies. Albeit they had a few such as "The Drop" but I ended up channeling my inner-child and sticking to Maze-runner, which if you are 15 or like me, you will enjoy. 

Having woken up at 3am to make this flight and flying through the day it was so difficult not to fall asleep. The struggle definitely was real, but staying up to sail through clouds is definitely worth it.

Arrival into Madrid, I didn't want to do anything but eat, I was STARVING to say the least. Getting to my table and realising I picked up sparkling water and paid €2.50 for something I didn't want instead of still water, I was a little peeved at myself, but nothing could ruin the pure joy and excitement I was feeling.

 

Devoured my mandarins and fruit mix very quickly in the back as you can see. You didn't expect the water and fruit to be my meal did you? This was the main course, PIZZA.This is supposed to be the meat pizza, I mean there wasn't much meat but who am I to complain I was hungry and it was do-able.

And so the final lap of the journey begins, NEW YORK, HERE I COME.

For those nostalgic moments you need a few sunset pictures. For those moments where you contemplate what you've actually done, you need to look out the window and question life. That is exactly what I was doing here. Asking those important questions "WHO AM I?" "WHAT HAVE I JUST DONE?" and the real question of "WHAT ARE MY SIBLINGS AND PARENTS GOING TO SAY WHEN THEY FIND OUT?"

Having to stay awake to adjust to the time differences isn't so difficult when you have horizons to look at whilst flying over. That and the food. The food was so good on Air Europa, sorry Virgin, Cathay and British Airways, Air Europa wins! The food was generously portioned and was offered 3 times. Thats more than in a 12hour flight to HONG KONG.  

AND SO I ARRIVED IN NEW YORK. Was this a picture to mark my arrival or just because I liked the man's yellow jeans in front of me, you decide. And so my lone journey around New York began!

10 Reasons Why Being Single Right Now Is Bliss (..for me)

10 Reasons Why Being Single Right Now Is Bliss (..for me)

So I know singledom can have it's pitfulls, and lord knows there are people who hate it with a passion, always needing somebody to hold their hand (or more if you want to divulge into all those nitty gritty details). But in my time alone, I have found it to be actually my happiest (so far). So here's 10 reasons I am happy to be single, and some reasons you may be or should be too!

1. I can sleep at whatever time of night I want to. 

If I want to conk out at 8pm I can, if I want to sleep at 3am I can too. No reserving time for late night phone calls, no 3 hours lost of chatter if I am really tired. Sleeping makes me happy, and the more you sleep the more likely you are to have a better day the next day, productively and for your body.

2. I can speak to whomever I want, whenever I want.

No jealous boyfriends or girlfriends telling you you shouldn't be friends with somebody because maybe their is a possibility of liking every single other opposite sex friend you have. Make friends with whomever, or don't make friends with whomever, totally your choice! Who knows what you might be passing up, maybe the big networking opportunity you've been waiting for, maybe your future who you've given up to be with your current, who knows.

3. I can plan my schedule around me.

Gone are the days where I prioritise somebody else's schedule over mine. Wednesday? Oh, just volunteering and then I can do whatever I want. Gym? Maybe. Sleep? Also maybe. I can do whatever I want. 

4. There is nobody to argue with. 

I don't think I've argued with somebody for over a year and half. I genuinely don't have anything to argue about, or anything to get upset about. You know what they say, mo money mo problems, in this case no boyfriend no problems. I no longer wonder about what somebody else is doing, what time they'll be home, how long they'll be out for, whether they've eaten, whether we'll eat together, whether we'll be together 5 years from now. 

5. I don't spend my time attached to my phone.

When around a group of friends, I no longer check my phone every 2 mins just to see if they've text me, what time I should text them. 

6. I can choose to look like a slob or look as dressed up as I want wherever I want. 

I no longer have to get dressed up into the world and face seeing somebody who might make a comment. And if they do make a comment I'm not likely to care. So there. I can be as lazy as I want. 

7. Winter means I can eat as much food as I want.

Nobody will be there to question why I've suddenly added two muffins to myself. Nobody will be there to question the pouch on my stomach. 

8. I spend 10 less minutes in the shower every shower time.

No need to shave my legs, my armpits and anything else that requires shaving. I can even save money on buying razors. So hello? Why wouldn't I be happy. Saving time and money, and time is money. It all comes full circle.

9. I prioritise time with my family more.

My family will be there with me forever, and I want to be there for them now too. The little cousins in my family who won't be as cute as they are now in 5 years time, I am able to see them grow, help them grow and just enjoy being around them.

10. I am free, so free. 

In the last year I've travelled, I've made new friends, I've picked up new hobbies. 

So for some people this may not make them happy, but these combined for me has added to the little piece of happiness that I already had in my life. Being single isn't all bad, and it isn't all bad, sometimes you just need to see the good, and welcome change if it ever comes. 

Seoul: Korea

This trip was extremely spontaneous. Having previously discussed plans with a friend to visit Seoul together, like many things plans can change. However, I still went for it. Alone and holding everything I own, ending the internship meant I was off. Flying to Seoul, by myself at 1am in the morning. Amazingly I was not scared, I was too excited to experience space and retreat into myself for a while. But, it turns out I had picked the perfect place and the perfect people to make this trip even better than anticipated. 

To begin this little series of Korea, here is the numerous reflection pictures I took in various different locations. 

Reflective Saturdays #5

Hello from Hong Kong, as I sit in my little flat in Jordan. Having decided that a party boat trip organised wasn't where I wanted to be today, at 2:20pm I am sat here. My family are coming to visit a little later, and I am extremely excited! My grandma who I have not had the chance to see in over a month, and my aunties in uncles in a long long time. 

So upon coming here, I knew that I was ready. After what I would almost call a fail in Rabat, I was ready for my next adventure, one where I was fully able to immerse myself in a culture that I had the perfect amenities to adjust to. I was excited, heading onto the 12 hour flight by myself was daunting, but I am not a child anymore. What just one week has made me realise is, we as individuals should never feel we are missing out on anything. Upon this years journeys through different countries, I have found myself more willing to be alone. From the age of 15 I have not had this opportunity, becoming 15 I entered an extremely long relationship, 3 1/2 years to be exact, and then a few months here and there with the same person. Upon leaving this relationship, I was once again thrust into a situation where I was spending time with another person almost 24/7. Until now I never realised how exhausting it is to spend every single waking moment with other people. I used to feel like I needed to plan every waking moment, in making sure I wasn't alone for any ONE moment. I never wanted to spend time alone, I never left any room in my life. Silence did not cut it. I did not want to feel like I was missing out. When in actual fact I was missing out on myself, I never took time for me, to think, to feel and to do anything that enriched my mental state. The feeling of being alone to me was lonely. 5 years later, sometimes I still find myself falling into this trap of feeling "left out" if I do not attend events organised, and then there are times where I do feel alone. But, from all those years of feeling like I needed to be busy, be with people I've realised that I like being alone and it is not lonely, I get to do what I please, and at the pace I decide. Of course, I almost do always go to events planned, for example in this week of arriving in HK, I have stayed at home for 1 evening! That is after returning home from work from 10am till 6:30pm, only once did I decide to stay in. 

I love social events, I love talking to people and I love meeting new people. I like a drink here and there, I like to going to bars and clubs, I like shopping, I love eating out, and above all I like doing all those things with my friends and family. But in the middle of all of that, I like to readjust my emotions and just be myself for a little. 

Credit: Somewhere on Tumblr..

I find it completely okay to be by yourself, decide that you do not want to attend certain events, and events that just are not for you. Do not ever feel like you are missing out, because what is another boat party going to do for you? Nothing more than all the others did. What will you miss from just one dinner with everybody? Probably nothing. 

So in all these years of trying to squeeze everything into a schedule, I just need some time to be by myself, to not have to talk to anybody I do not wish to, to not have to see those I do not wish to. It is empowering, and it makes it ever more special when you see and speak to people, because you chose to; not because you felt pressured to. You will only ever feel lonely if you do not like your own company, so love it, embrace it; because I promise you will love it, more than you would have ever imagined.