Pantone Hotel, Brussels

Anyone that does anything with design will know the importance of Pantone references. When I came home from doing my Masters with a red Pantone mug as a leaving gift from my lovely friend Ashleigh my dad was so confused about why I was so pleased with my present. Now our house is full of knock off "Colour" mugs from B&M Bargains. He still doesn't quite get it.

When my boyfriend and I got cheap flights to Brussels there was only one place I wanted to stay - Pantone Hotel. When I realised it was within budget I let out a girly scream (very unlike me) and rang him straight away to say that's where we were staying. Thankfully, he didn't question it.

 

A Belated Birthday in Budapest

I love experiencing new places. I'll go anywhere and see anything if someone suggests it. In fact, I have been known to randomly select places in Europe from closing my eyes and pointing at a map. (I still plan to go to Sofia due to this.) Travelling around Europe is getting increasingly expensive and so when the other half saw a very cheap trip to Budapest a few days after his birthday we had to go.

Not only is Budapest cheap but it is also beautiful. Not beautiful in that every building is stunning like in Paris. You don't begin to pay less attention as time goes on, the fact that not everything is perfect makes certain things stand out. For instance, there was a row of three buildings with 2 gorgeous spires each, only one had been damaged and replaced with a hideous black box. A lot of buildings do have the most amazing tiled roofs though.

 

Fisherman's Bastian, View from the Castle Grounds, Matthias Church and  Castle of Vajdahunyad

I need to go somewhere...

I have been sat working away on my MA work for about 12 years now. At least it feels that way, it has completely taken over my life. Oh and I have no money, nothing, nada, ziltch. So I am leaving the North and moving home to the Midlands as I have no more excuses. I have no lectures, it's just time to get on with it.

As well as moving home, which will be a trial I'm sure, I have also had to give up many fun things such as drinking copious amounts of alcohol (I have no money and also no time to waste on hangovers as I am now an extremely professional person), eating three decent meals a day and also holidays. This last one is what gets to me most. I am happy to drink water and eat pasta. I am not happy to be stuck in my little bubble, I want to see the world!

What is making this worse is The Cool Hunter's Facebook page, which keeps tormenting me with pictures of places I want to go. They call their albums things like "Private Pools", "Treescape" and "Amazing Places to Visit Around the World" that are filled with pictures that are supposed to inspire but what they actually do is cause jealousy. They may as well be called "Haha Laura can't go here! :p" (Please note that :p has actually raspberry blowing side effects in my head and is shortly followed by an evil laugh.)

Anyway, because I'm incredibly cruel and I'm sure you're all sat at a desk/on a couch/somewhere equally uninspiring I have picked my favourites from the Amazing Places to Experience Around the Globe album. There are a lot! And a lot more that are on the 'go to' list. I hope to fill you with the joy of knowing you'll possibly never visit some of these. Unless you're Richard Branson. In which case: Hello Richard. What a lovely tie you're wearing. I am a big fan of your aeroplanes and I've heard your private island is lovely. Care to go out for dinner?

 Marble Caves, Chile Chico, Chile

 Gruta do Lago Azul(Blue Lake Cave), Bonito, Brazil.

 Berry Head, Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada

 Moraine Lake, Alberta, Canada

 The Wave, Arizona

 Hang En Cave, Vietnam

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Prague

Prague is one of my favourite places on Earth.  Just seeing pictures of the place makes me all reminiscent of times drinking Caprioska's on the bankside gazing at the Palace across the river as the sun sets, arguing with my friend over who should get a shot with the beautiful barman, gazing at beautiful stained glass in churches nestled in amongst a mass of buildings, embracing my long lost boyfriend with ferocity when meeting him on Charles Bridge after not seeing him for nearly two months as we both jetted around the world.
(Note: Read jetting as me basking on a beach in Spain for three weeks and crossing on the Channel as he headed off interrailing for a month.  Also note that whilst this moment was very memorable for me he probably has no clue what I'm on about.)

On my first visit I was so in awe I ignored the graffitti and the dirt, the beggars, the prostitutes.  That was all quirky artwork, blind women singing operatic tunes and eclectic women.  Prague is a beautiful place but on my second visit, when that 'I'm never letting you go' hug took place, I saw it more for what it really was., stipped back by a more realistic and older head.  It was still wonderfully but it was suddenly more touristy, people knew where it was when I said where I was going and the beautiful craftwork stalls had been replaced by...well...tat as my Granny would say. 

This is not to say I loved it any less but the love had altered.  Queue the hotel thinking we've done a runner without paying as we don't come back for a night after saying that we'd be back that evening to pay our bill, eating Pom Bears and drinking a gallon of Coke very hungover, getting annoyed that our favourite bar had closed and failing to find the perfect Caprioska anywhere else.

To my amusement I then read an article on Fused's website that followed a similar story, though with much less romance and illusion.  I laughed out loud, which is odd for travel writing.  Fused reminds me of a less protentious version of Wallpaper magazine and this article summed it up for me.  I like the attitude, the honest, and the funny anicdotes.  Take a look if you want to smile.  Whoever Johnny is I want to meet him.