Trip to Toronto

For my 22nd birthday, my mum took me to Toronto. The last time we went was before I started uni so I was really excited. The first place we went to when we arrived was Second Cup and I finally got to have a Frozen Hot Chocolate (I had one most days and miss them so much again).

We didn't really do anything else that day as we were majorly jetlagged. I'm pretty sure we went to bed at 8pm, but for dinner we went to my favourite restaurant in Canada, The Spaghetti Factory - a restaurant where obviously you get spaghetti but also free bread and garlic butter and a starter and ice cream. The inside of The Spaghetti Factory is really cool too with a carousel, a bed and a bus you can sit on to eat.

The carousel inside The Spaghetti Factory

The next day we spent a lot of time shopping at the Eaton Centre, the best place to shop in Canada, and bought so much stuff.

Eaton Centre

On my birthday I'd wanted to visit Toronto Zoo and see the polar bears but it was closed, and we didn't know if it would open again the whole time we were there, so we started the day with some Fran's pancakes (which are amazing).

Birthday pancakes

We then went up the CN Tower again and followed that by going to Ripley's Aquarium.

CN Tower view

CN Tower

Ripley's Aquarium

The highlight of my birthday was going to Toto's Cat Café. In the café you're able to visit the cats, feed and stroke them and can even adopt them (obviously we couldn't) but if you're in the Toronto area I would definitely recommend adopting the adorable cats.

I wanted to keep all the cats

This cat was so cute

The last time I went to Canada, I tried to visit the filming locations of Anne of Green Gables. We visited Prince Edward Island, and I was pretty devastated when I couldn't find the Green Gables house and the bridge that Gilbert proposes to Anne on. Before we went to Toronto I did a lot of searching and finally found the addresses of both of these locations. They're pretty far out of Toronto but my mum hired a car and drove me an hour out of central Toronto to find these locations. After waiting so long to see them, I was so happy to finally get to them. (I didn't go onto the bridge because it looks like it's falling in and also both of these locations are on private land so it's difficult to get closer).

Green Gables

Bridge in Anne of Green Gables

We also spent a day at Niagara Falls and went Behind the Falls. It was the hottest day when we were there and although we were soaking wet from Niagara, we dried within minutes. It's honestly one of the most beautiful places in the world and such a good day out in Toronto.

Niagara Falls

The first hotel we got to stay in was the Novotel, which was a really nice hotel and a good experience to try somewhere new. The last hotel we stayed in was our favourite hotel, The Fairmont Royal York, and we got upgraded to a suite because the airline had messed up our booking. I honestly can't say enough how much I love The Fairmont. If I could stay there forever, I would.

The Fairmont lobby

The Fairmont pool (Jacuzzi is round the corner)

On our last day in Canada, Toronto Zoo finally opened. I've been waiting to see the polar bears for ages, so even though it took an hour to get to the zoo, we decided to spend the day there (helped by the fact the Fairmont allow you to use the pool and spa area to refresh after you've checked out). Obviously my first stop was the polar bears but it was also really cool to see the giant panda and lions.

Polar bear

So happy to be this close to a polar bear

Witness the joy on my face at getting to see the polar bears

Giant panda

I loved being in Canada again and was so lucky to get to go for my 22nd. It was the best birthday I've had and I can't wait to go back again! Thank you so much to my mum.


Thanks for reading,
Jessie xxx

The rest of my trip to Paris

I'm home from Paris now (sucks to be back) but here's what I did the other two days:

On Saturday I decided to go the Eiffel Tower and I got extremely lost in the metro. I made two friends who were both Russian but living in the USA who were the reason I managed to find my way around. (It definitely pays off to ask people if they speak English if you can't find your way around).

I tried to take photos of myself outside the Eiffel but it's really hard with a selfie stick and also embarrassing to use them. (There are a lot of photos of me looking incredibly awkward).

After the Eiffel Tower I managed to find my way to the Champs-Élysées to go shopping. I knew it was a really long street and I probably wouldn't end up seeing the Arc de Triomphe at the end but before I knew it, I was right in front of it and it was beautiful!

On Sunday, I ate breakfast on the hotel balcony in front of the Eiffel Tower which was so cool, and a nice thing to do before I changed hotels.

I walked to the Louvre in the day time and spent a really long time there (and got lost inside because it is massive). I saw the Mona Lisa but it was so small I almost missed it.

I was going to go back to the Eiffel Tower as I hadn't walked up it and I regretted it but I walked onwards to the metro and there were police around and they had closed it. This was my only crying and phoning home moment and I realised that walking up the Eiffel Tower wasn't meant to be this time but there's always next time! I went back to the Latin Quarter and spent the afternoon buying art by the Seine and shopping in Shakespeare and Company (I did this in the evening too).

I finished the evening by going for a walk along the Seine while listening to music and then sat beside the Seine and wrote.

I honestly think that everyone should travel by themselves at least once in their lives and I'll do a blog post on this at some point. I've had an amazing time, I've been really happy and it's just made me appreciate life a lot more. I can't wait to return to Paris in the future!

Thanks for reading,
Jessie xxx

First day in Paris!

So I'm finally in Paris! Here's a little rundown of my first day!
I had to leave the house at 4 this morning and I couldn't sleep because I was so excited so I'm so tired but I've had a really good first day.
When I got to the Eurostar and said goodbye to my mum I felt really anxious and almost cried. I was seriously wondering what on earth I was doing but I finally got to Paris at about 9am. I would like to mention that I absolutely suck at directions. The night before I was printing every map I could in hopes that I'd be able to find my hotel and I actually managed to find it straight away! (Clearly don't suck with directions anymore!) I love my hotel room. I knew I'd booked a room with a view of the Eiffel tower but I honestly assumed it wouldn't be as nice as it was. Here's a picture of the view:

Hotel room view

I went and had chips and a crepe for lunch (and got ripped off). I then went to the Notre Dame and walked around inside. I was going to climb the tower but it stated raining and I was freezing.

 In the afternoon when the sun was starting to set, I decided to take a spontaneous boat tour (basically just sat on the boat and listened to music while taking pictures of the view). It was so cold but I loved it. It was lovely seeing the Eiffel Tower from the view of the Seine.

Eiffel Tower

After the boat trip I went and had dinner at The Great Canadian Pub. It was a bit more awkward eating by myself than it was at lunch but I brought my notebook with me and wrote.

Although I went to Shakespeare and Company earlier in the day, I recommend going in the evening. It stays open until 11pm and it's much less busy in the evening although there are still people around. This is probably the geek in me talking but I'd definitely rather go to Shakespeare and Company in the evening than to a pub. It's also got such a lovely atmosphere with people playing piano as you browse the books.

After Shakespeare and Company I came back to my hotel room to see the Eiffel Tower  lit up and it looks so beautiful. Can't wait for another day in Paris tomorrow!

How do I keep getting myself into awkward situations?

Eiffel Tower - Paris

So the night before last I booked my first solo holiday to Paris! Yes, that's right. I'm going completely by myself. Five years ago I had a panic attack every time I thought about going on a train by myself (it was a four hour long journey across Canada, but still) and now I'm going to another country by myself. So far very adult right?
Wrong.
Despite having grown up a little and achieved quite a lot over the past few years, I still manage to get myself into really awkward situations. I'm basically the type of person who gets stuck in places (a lift, a toilet and my own bedroom) and who embarrasses themselves all the time by saying inappropriate things (telling a doctor I hadn't been getting any by mistake).
Most of my mistakes aren't really things I learn from, they're more who I am as a person but I definitely learnt something while booking my trip to Paris.

It had taken me a few days to decide which hotel I wanted (obviously I wanted to stay at an expensive one but lack of money). Eventually I decided on the Holiday Inn, purely because it's a chain and  thought it would be easier as a lone woman in Paris, and there's also a rooftop bar with views of the Eiffel Tower, which no matter how awkward I feel, I will be going up there for a drink. I booked It for two nights, returning on the Sunday, and sat there feeling really proud of myself.

Next was the Eurostar, and I got my mum to sit with me to help me decide on the times. I put in the going out day (Friday) and then the coming home day (Sunday) and went to pay. Luckily my mum stopped me as I'd accidentally put March, so I went to do it again, hurrying slightly as there was only 1 seat left for leaving England on the Friday. I got to the paying page and my mum stopped me again as my return day said Monday. I was seriously sitting there thinking 'how have I managed to get this wrong twice'. We went back to the beginning and she helped me this time. We clicked the dates and went through to the next page to then see that it had changed to Monday again, with a message at the top of the screen saying There are no seats available on the Sunday so it will be departing on the Monday.

As you can imagine I was very stressed as I'd booked a non-refundable (because it's cheaper) stay in the hotel and I had no way of getting home. As much as it would be great to live in Paris, I'd much rather plan it out first. Cue panicked phone calls to the hotel (and discovering I can't understand French accents so my trip is going to be slightly awkward) and unsuccessful phone calls to Booking.com (THEY NEVER PICK UP). I ended up booking another hotel (because I didn't want the Holiday Inn to cancel my stay). The bright side is that the second hotel is the other one I was considering and it'll be nice to experience different hotels while I'm there, but slightly unfortunate for my bank account. I've learnt not to be an idiot and always book the travel before the accommodation. I will mention that despite sorting it out, I still felt incredibly anxious and was sick in the night because I literally have no idea how to cope as an adult.

Unfortunately for me, that wasn't my only awkward experience this week. The second occurred yesterday, so twice in two days I have messed up. I had a job interview yesterday morning (I really don't think I've got the job), in a location of an A road. There are no pathways of this road. Sadly I cannot drive yet (I'm currently learning) so my mum had to drive me to the interview and she told me to call her to pick me up and she'd be hanging around in a shop nearby (a five minute drive away). I sat down to wait for the interview and went to get my phone out my bag, only to discover I had left it at home. At that point I started to think Oh god, how can she pick me up? I'm going to have to walk up to a shop to ask if I can borrow a phone. I really didn't want to ask at the job interview because I wanted to look like I was slightly capable. So after the interview I walk out and walked onto the main road. At this point I not only realised there were no pathways but that it was virtually impossible to walk up this road. There was no going back though as I couldn't get back into the building so I started attempting to walk along a sloping bank, almost falling into the road, and praying that a car would stop and give me a lift. I even started to entertain thoughts of jumping in front of an ambulance as a way to get a lift somewhere because I was clearly going to die on this road. Then came a slight break in the traffic, so I started running. Yes. Running up a main road, half crying, half laughing, until I came to a house. The only house on the road. I wasn't even remotely halfway up the road and it was clear that I could not carry on. So I had to walk to this stranger's house (which looked terrifying) and ring the doorbell.

When the man came out I tried to explain the situation, praying he was nice because I was clearly screwed and thankfully he said he'd help me. He then got locked out of his own house and had to get a very old man to let him back in, but he lent me his phone and I called a taxi, all the while apologising for being such an inconvenience. Luckily I had my key and the taxi came and took me home, but if that house hadn't been there, there is a 90% chance I would have been run over.

So yes, in two days I managed to mess up twice. And now I'm going on holiday by myself. Am I even going to survive?? In all seriousness, despite being slightly anxious at my own inability to function as a normal adult, I'm very excited about Paris.

Thanks for reading,

Jessie xxx

My Highlights of 2016

This year has been a difficult one emotionally, physically and in general for the world but I've had some really great times and wanted to focus on my highlights so when I look back on my memories, I'll know that this year was a pretty special one.

March

A pretty cool event at the beginning of the year was going to my mum's high school reunion. She went to a private school in Toronto called Branksome Hall, which is a boarding school for girls from all over the world. The coolest thing about it was that it took place in the Canadian Embassy (Canada House) in Trafalgar Square, and inside it was incredible. I felt really lucky that my mum decided to take me as it was very posh and I might never have a chance to go there again.

                                            (Picture: Canadian Embassy in Trafalgar Square)


March 24th

I was lucky enough to go to some incredible gigs/concerts this year and I started the year on a high by getting to see my favourite band, Simple Plan, for the third time. They were incredible as always (I cried a little) and this definitely won't be the last time I see them. Literally every time I see them I get chills when the audience sings back to them.

                                                       (Picture: Simple Plan gig)


April

I got my mum (and dad) tickets to see Newton Faulkner for her birthday this year and it was pretty big for her. Newton was amazing, and so talented.

                                      (Picture: I didn't get a picture of the gig but he favourited my tweet)


April

I HANDED IN MY DISSERTATION. This is only a highlight because it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. (If anyone ever tells you dissertations aren't hard, don't listen to them.) I'm so proud of myself for completing it and getting a 2:1 in it. I don't care if people haven't done a dissertation but they definitely need to have a certain amount of sympathy that I've had to write one.

                                (Picture: Handing in my dissertation, with an immense amount of relief)



June 7th

I turned 21! Although I still look 12, it's nice to be officially in my 20's but also scary. I had a lovely party though (later on in June) and got to see some people that I hadn't seen for a very long time. I also got tickets to see Elton John!

                                                        (Picture: 21st party)


June 10th

I got to see Elton John in concert. This was literally one of the best moments of my life as he is one of my favourite singers. He sung my favourite songs of his and obviously he was incredible. I've waited years to see him as I wanted to see him in Brighton when I was 16 but because it clashed with my GCSEs I couldn't go. It was such a great night and I would love to see him again but if I can't at least I've had the opportunity.

                                                  (Picture: Elton John in concert)


July

To save money for holidays abroad, we went to Cornwall this summer. I haven't been for years but I loved it and we made it so much fun by going surfing, kayaking, coasteering, doing pottery and finding secret beaches. Part of me wanted to become a water sports instructor but the other part realised I cannot swim very well. We also went on a little Poldark tour and managed to find the house that's used as Poldark's house which is in a remote location on Bodmin Moor and we only managed to find it with the instructions of one of the owner's friends.

September 3rd

I went to see American Idiot which was amazing and I loved it! Getting to see Newton Faulkner in it was so good and I couldn't imagine it without him in it.

(Picture: American Idiot)

September 10th

This is probably my favourite moment of 2016. I got to see Billy Joel in concert at Wembley Stadium. He was so incredible and I was looking forward to this moment the whole year as he is one of my favourite singers. He sung my favourite song in the whole world, Vienna, and I am not ashamed to say I cried a lot. It was so magical and crazy to think how many people were there. I loved it and would love to see him again but if he didn't play Vienna again it would probably break my heart a little bit. But hearing my favourite song played live was definitely the highlight of my year.

                                            (Pictures: Billy Joel in concert)

October

I haven't acted for years (the last time being my A Level exam) and finally after five years I was able to act again in the premiere of 1066: Three Kings. I accidentally auditioned with a friend and the writer put me in the play and chose me for a large role. I was so nervous at having been offered such a large part but I managed to do it and am so proud of myself. It was such fun to be in and it was such a lovely cast.

                                                    (Picture: 1066: Three Kings)

October 24th

This is probably one of the main highlights of the year. I finally graduated with a 2:1 in English and Creative Writing! I am so proud of myself and for all I achieved and thankful for the good times at Uni (there were a lot of bad ones too), and I know I have come out of it a stronger person. I wanted to give up a lot of times but once I got to my third year I realised it was probably a bit stupid. I honestly never thought I would graduate or manage to get in all my work but I did and I'm proud of all the writing I have done while at Uni and thankful for all the friends I met. Also I don't mean to brag but I didn't fall down the stairs during my graduation.


November

This wasn't such a big event but I'm proud of myself for getting through my anxiety and going to Shropshire on my own to help my big cousin and help look after my little cousin. It was so lovely being with family and getting to know my cousin, Iris, more.

                                                   (Picture: My cousin, Iris, at ballet)

December 

My last favourite moment of the year was going to see Kate Tempest performing her album 'Let Them Eat Chaos'. She's so talented and the fact that she's a writer inspires me even more. She really makes you think about the world and I would recommend her to everyone.

Overall I've had a pretty good year and looking back through my photos reminded me of some of the times I had forgotten. In terms of gigs and concerts it was definitely the best year I've had, and I'm really grateful for all of the memories. I hope 2017 is slightly better though, as I could do with a job.

Thanks for reading,
Jessie
xxx