Exploring Oxford

The second feature in my list of day trips to take in the summer would have to include Oxford which was perfectly described by one of my friends as the "city of bikes and yellow brick." I can not express how perfect this tag line of Oxford is, making it a city to add to your summer plans. Like most places, Oxford is accessible via the train (or you can drive). An average train ticket will cost you around £30 return however this isn't so bad if you have a railcard; making it a little bit cheaper.

1. Go have breakfast at the Organic Deli

If you arrive in Oxford on an empty stomach without having any breakfast head to the Organic Deli where it has the most beautiful settings to have breakfast (although I have to admit that my breakfast only consisted of a brownie *facepalm*).

2. Visit the Radcliffe Camera

Radcliffe Camera without any doubt has to be one of the most impressive buildings in Oxford therefore making it on top of your Oxford to do list. This building can be easily found whilst wandering the streets.

3. Take a walk around Oxford

Yes, go for a walk without any sense of direction or a destination in mind and it is literally one of the best things you can possibly do. It's the feeling of being surprised and having no expectations of what your going to see. You'll find yourself completely mesmerised at the antique beauty that Oxford holds all the way to its stunning backgrounds for pictures.

4. Go to Observatory Street

Observatory Street is a phenomenal place of different coloured houses although this one picture does not do the entire street justice thereby concluding that you'll have to go and see what its truly like. For any of those who used to watch Balamory in their childhood (or was it only just me?) this really reminded me of the show...but just a more pastel version of it. 

5. Go to friends fest

Now you must be thinking how on earth has friends fest got any relevance with Oxford well let me tell you OXFORD IS ONE OF THE DESTINATIONS THAT HOSTS FRIENDS FEST. How exciting right? If you are a die hard friends fest fan then this is an event for you. I suggest keeping an eye out on tickets and destinations as my preferred destination had sold out thereby enabling me to attend the one in Oxford. To be specific friends fest was held on the grounds of Blenheim Palace (which is another beautiful place). From central Oxford to Blenheim Palace only requires you to take a direct bus making it very accessible to get to.

Summers day in Bridge North

Summer is fast approaching and I'm coming at you guys with a series of a number of different day trips to take in the summer. I guess you can say I have been inspired with the wonderful bank holiday heat wave we've been fortunate with. Personally I like to be prepared, planning or getting a rough idea of what I would like to do in my months off. Without further ado I present you Bridge North a little magical town situated in Shropshire. To get to Bridge North you either have the option of driving or getting public transport. The easiest public transport route would require you catching a number 9 Arriva bus from Wolverhampton bus station. The ticket you would need would be the all day ticket which costs £6.

This town is divided into two halves known as Low town and High town. Low town consists of a vibrant blue river that runs across the entire length of the town. The river provides a stunning location to take a stroll by. 

To get to High town yes it does require you walking uphill but all assured the views are worth it. To start your ascend upwards you have to keep a close look out for a hidden entry/stair way that leads to your walk upwards. However if you are totally lost I recommend asking a local or you could get the cable car to the top but whats the fun in that?

I would have to say that the best part of Bridge North is that it's not too populated with 'tourists' or with people generally due to not many people typically knowing about this location so you can really take your time and soak in what this little town has to offer.

Another tip I would suggest would be getting here relatively early on in the day that way you really get to have the whole town to yourself to explore.

See...did I or did I not say the views were totally worth it.

Afer all that hard work why not treat yourself to an ice cream, after all that's what summer is all about. X

Afternoon tea at the Ritz, London

It was for my 19th birthday that I had decided that I well and truly wanted to mark the occasion therefore I decided to have an afternoon tea at the Ritz hotel, London with my two best friends. I never gave it a second thought to have an afternoon tea anywhere else but the Ritz itself. To have afternoon tea at the Ritz came with the price tag of £54 per person (however this has now gone up to £57) which I was more than happy to pay as I heard so many grand reviews about the Ritz. And what a better way to spend your birthday right. The booking process was very sleek where you could book online or over the phone. I opted for the phone option as I had dietary requirements of being a vegetarian that does not consume eggs or gelatine. When I booked over the phone the procedure that I had encountered was that they take your card details as lets say a 'deposit.' So if you do not attend your scheduled slot and don't cancel you afternoon tea beforehand your card gets charged the total amount. However this is nothing to be alarmed by.

I was completely stunned with the elegant interior of the Ritz and did not really know what to expect but this blew any expectations that I did have out of the waters. And may I add how picturesque this corridor is! (As you can tell I really have a thing for 'picturesque' places.)

Now for the most anticipated part yet...the review. I was overwhelmed with the vast range of tea's that was available (in a good way.) After great deliberation I ended up with a simple yet light camomile tea as I didn't want to feel too full up. The service was AMAZING and that's something important to highlight as it made my experience even highly enjoyable. The waiter pours out your tea for you because let me tell you ladies those metal tea pots are not exactly the lightest things. And yes it gets better. Not only do they pour your tea out once for you but they continuously top it up. You literally do not have to lift a finger.

In terms of the sandwiches they were unlimited which was great because you really do get your moneys worth (yes I'm the biggest cheap skate but who isn't?!) However, I personally was not the biggest fan of the sandwiches and maybe that was partly because my options were very limited being someone who doesn't eat egg. Although it was a little disheartening enjoying one sandwich out of four, the sweet treats greatly made up for it and I was so pleased with the eggless selection. Bearing in mind I had no idea what the menu consisted of beforehand everything was an utter surprise to me.

For me, my afternoon tea experience was heightened when the waiter brought out a birthday cake and my birthday was very much authentically celebrated and I believe I was not the only one. Immediately straight after the whole room came together to sing happy birthday. It was really something special.

Overall I exceptionally enjoyed my first high end afternoon tea experience at the Ritz and didn't let the sandwiches put me off. This is another great recommendation to come to with your loved ones to celebrate an occasion or simply when you fancy a cup of tea and cake!