Jetting off in a plane or heading down the motorway to a little seaside town, sometimes traveling to your chosen destination can get a bit tedious. I love traveling, I always have and long journeys don't faze me at all. I'm more than happy to relax with a glass of wine and look out the window at the clouds below, but I like flying, or at least I did till I watched too much Air Crash Investigation!

I'm absolutely in my element when I'm traveling somewhere new, but long journeys aren't for everyone so I thought I would share my tips on keeping busy when travelling!

How to keep busy on long journeys...



A FLATLAY IMAGE OF VARIOUS ITEMS I TAKE ON LONG JOURNEYS WITH ME. THE ITEMS INCLUDE A PHONE, A COLOURING BOOK, A MAGAZINE, A TOUR GUIDE BOOK AND  MAKEUP


Read - Getting lost in a good book is always a good way to kill a few hours no matter where you are. Time seems to just disappear when I'm reading so I always take a book or magazine on holiday with me. If fictions not your thing why not pick up a travel guide? Its always a good idea to do a bit of research on where you're staying and reading about it while you're on your way will only make you more excited. If you just fancy a light read I would recommend picking up a magazine to keep you busy on your travels. My local airport is quite big and has a lot of shops so I always pick up a few free magazines including the Boots mag which is usually a good read!

A CLOSE UP SHOT OF THE MOBILE PHONE WHICH IS PLAYING MUSIC. THE ITUNE APP IS OPEN ON SCREEN

Pamper yourself - So your going to have a few hours where you cant do anything but sit still? Why don't you skip the early morning make up routine and do it on the plane! This tip isn't for everyone but if you don't mind spending a few hours without makeup, you can have extra time in bed and keep yourself busy for however long you want to. I've also painted my nails on the plane quite a few times. Although my nail painting skills are horrific and I always look like I've just stuck my fingers in the pot, this could work for someone who takes a little more care.

Draw - If you have a creative mind why not take a sketchbook or better yet a colouring book! You might have seen my many posts on Instagram about my amazing adult colouring book, but I love it. There's so many beautiful pictures and prints to colour in, its kept me busy for hours. I'm definitely going to be taking my colouring book away with me next time I jet off and I'm sure Sean will bring his too! The only downside with this one is how much space they take up but I think they are worth taking if you can spare the room!

ANOTHER SHOT OF THE ITEMS, THIS TIME FOCUSSING ON THE MAKEUP WHICH INCLUDES A LIPSTICK, A MASCARA, A LIP BALM AND MORE

Listen to music - For me nothing kills time faster than a few good songs. I'm always listening to music weather I'm on a long journey or a short bus ride, it makes it just a little more pleasant. Just spend a bit of time before you go downloading all your favorite songs so you have something nice and new to listen to. Why not create a holiday playlist? Whenever you hear those songs it will instantly take you back to your holiday and all those good memories. If your going in the car you could make a few holiday themed CDs to listen to on the way down that way you wont be using all your phone battery. And if you're travelling by plane and your phone suddenly dies, don't worry, a lot of airlines have radio stations to listen to if you plug your headphones into your seat.

That's about all I cant think of for now. I'm definitely going to be using these tips just next time I jet off, and of course I'll be treating myself to a few glasses of that wine! I really hope you all found these tips helpful and I'd love to hear some of the things you do to keep busy on long journeys. If there's anything you think should have made the list leave it in the comment section below!



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Birmingham, UK

HOW TO KEEP BUSY ON LONG JOURNEYS

Can we all take a moment to take in the absolute beauty of this little makeup Palette. The Nude Rose L'oreal palette has only been in my possession a week and I already know it's going to be my favorite product of 2015.


a flatlay image of the loreal paris nude rose palette on a white sheet of paper surrounded by jewellery
the nude rose palette lying open showing the range of pinks and purple shades inside
a side view of the palette looking down across the shades
L'oreal PAris La Palette Nude Rose RRP £15.00

I first came across this palette when I tweeted Leanne Woodfull to see what she had been wearing on her eyes as she traveled Europe. Well it turned out to be this beauty and I knew I had to have it. A little Superdrug order later and it was on its way to me.

I haven't managed to test out all of the shades yet but I'm in love with the darker matte pink shades. I'm used to wearing very girly very glittery eyeshadow and using shades in this palette is  bug change for me, but one i'm very happy to accept. Unfortunately I don't really have any lipsticks that compliment these eyeshadows so until I can get my hands on a new lippy ( Velvet Teddy I'm looking at you) I have been using the eyeshadow on my lips too. I dab a bit of eyeshadow over a thin layer of Carmex which gives a surprisingly nice look, and it lasts a lot longer than I thought it would too.

I'm really looking forward to playing around with this palette as there are just so many looks you can create with it. It's a very versatile product that I could use day or night and I can easily see it becoming a staple item in my makeup bag.

I'm going to me writing another post in the next few weeks with swatches of the eyeshadows and different looks using my favorite shades!

Have you tried this palette? What did you think?



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Birmingham, UK

L'OREAL PARIS LA PALETTE NUDE ROSE

For Sean's 21st Birthday a few weeks back I treated us to a night in the Radisson Blu Birmingham. We had stayed here once before a few years ago and had enjoyed our stay so much I wanted to take us back. The plan was to spend a few hours getting ready in the hotel before heading out for dinner and then back to relax and take in the views from our room.



We arrived at The Radisson at around 2pm and were told our room would be ready in another hour. This didn't bother us too much as we left our bags in reception and headed out for some lunch. When we arrived back at the hotel we were promptly checked in and headed off to unpack in our room. 

On entering our room it looked lovely, but I didn't like the view too much. After asking at reception if we could move to a room on the front of the hotel we were quickly given another room with a gorgeous view of the city. The staff at reception were very friendly and happy to help even fussy guests like us.


Our new room was perfect and had everything we needed for a relaxing evening. After unpacking our bags Sean headed straight for the teas and coffees, of which there was a nice selection. As an avid coffee drinker Sean was very pleased and I too was happy there was a packet of instant hot chocolate for me to relax with later. 



view from our hotel in the Radisson Blu hotel. Below us one of the main roads leading out of birmingham city centre can be seen
our freshly made bed

We wasted no time and started getting ready straight away. I hopped in the shower while Sean read and took in the beautiful views over Birmingham. The bathroom was very clean and there was a lovely set of 'This Works' products for us to use in the shower. I like my showers hot and powerful so I'm always a bit worried about showing in hotel rooms, but I didn't need to worry at all as everything about it was perfect. I didn't use any of the freebies but I did take them home to try out another time. 



After showering I dried and straightened my hair using the large full length mirror beside the bathroom. Having a large mirror in a hotel room is very important to me as I like to see my whole outfit as I'm getting ready. There were several large mirrors in our room making it very easy for me to get ready for the night. 



After getting ready Sean and I headed out for his Birthday meal. On our way we stopped by reception to mention that one of our lamps was broken. We were told someone would be straight up to fix it and by the time me arrived back after dinner the lamp was working. The reception staff were once again very helpful.



a view of the hotel room.
another view of the hotel room, focusing on the desk area and wall mounted tv
the refreshment station in the room. a kettle 2 mugs and a selection on instant drinks are on offer

We returned at around 10pm to wind down and relax in our comfy hotel room. Sean cracked open a bottle of wine and I fetched some ice from the machine located in the hallway. I love cold drinks, so having an ice machine on every floor really makes my stay that little bit more comfortable. There was also a range of drinks and snacks to choose from in the fridge but we didn't take any of those.



Sean and I considered going back out for drinks but decided to spend the rest of the night watching Glastonbury from the comfort of our king sized hotel bed. There are several channels available to watch and also a few radio stations to listen to. Last time we stayed we watched a few films which you can also rent straight to your TV. 



After watching the last act of Glastonbury, we relaxed and took in the view from our temporary home. Although we were only on the 11th floor we could still see for miles even at night. The view really is the biggest selling point for this hotel, I could sit and look out the window for hours. The best views of the city can be seen from the front of the hotel so I would always consider asking for front facing room when I stay in the future.



a view of the bathroom
Sean taking a relaxing bubble bath
the view from the hotel window at night

The next morning we woke up refreshed and eager to get down to breakfast. When we arrived at the Filini Restaurant we were greeted by staff and given the choice of where to sit. We then helped ourselves to the huge buffet breakfast that offered a wide variety of food. We opted for a full English breakfast and then we picked up few sweeter treats such as Croissants and Pain au Chocolats for afterwards. If you didn't want a hot breakfast there were cereal options and also lots of fruit to choose from. Aw well as all that there was also a large selection of hot and cold drinks on offer. Sean opted for a cup of tea which he said we delicious and I chose to make my own fresh orange juice in the juicer. I thought it was a lovely touch to be able to slice your own orange and squeeze out the fresh juice to drink with your breakfast. 



After stuffing ourselves silly we headed back to the room to pack our things and wave goodbye to the view we had come to love. We handed over our room key and promptly checked out of our favorite hotel in the UK. 



We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the Radisson Blu Birmingham and I'm sure we will be back to celebrate more special occasions in the future.



Have you ever stayed in a Radisson Hotel? I'd love to hear about your favorite UK hotels!



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Birmingham, UK

A NIGHT IN THE RADISSON BLU BIRMINGHAM

a yellow sample tube of Dr PawPaw lipbalm
   

A few weeks ago I was sent a sample of a new lip balm to test out, Dr PawPaw. I'd never heard of the brand before but I was intrigued as it claimed to be a multipurpose product acting as a moisturizer, hair product, and a cuticle and nail cream. 




Dr PawPaw lip balm is a British made product that uses mostly natural ingredients and doesn't test on animals. The balm has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and includes ingredients that help repair skin, help retain moisture and have anti-inflammatory properties.



a close up shot of the applicator on the tube of lipbalm


So what do I think of it? I've been using Dr PawPaw for a couple of weeks now and I've really taken a shine to it. Its a handy little product that is very easy to use and leaves my lips feeling soft and moisturized. Unlike other lip balms I have been using lately, Dr PawPaw comes in a tube not a tin so application is easy as I don't have to apply it with my fingers. I also feel that this makes the product more hygienic than lip balms in tins. Over the last few weeks I've barely left home without this lip balm as its such a good quality and I love using it on the go.



As Dr PawPaw is a multipurpose product I decided to try it out on the very ends of my hair. On the tube it claims to moisturize hair, lips, hands and heels so I thought I would put it to the test. I applied a small amount to the tips of my hair and I was very surprised just how quickly it sank in and it left my hair looking shiny, but not greasy. Although it made my hair look healthier I feel like this is more of a quick fix and there are many other products on the market that would give you better results. 

I also used this product as a hand cream and I was quite pleased with the temporary results however I wouldn't use it as a long term solution as there are more effective products available. 


a close up shot of the text on the tube of DR PawPaw lipbalm

The product itself is quite aesthetically pleasing, its a cute bright colored tube that would be hard to loose in your handbag. Although it comes in a very vivid shade of yellow I don't feel like there is anything tacky looking about this lip balm and I actually think it has an up market feel about it. I also think its a great size product to just keep in your handbag and they do a giant sized version you can leave at home.



All in all I've come to love the Dr PawPaw lip balm. I wouldn't use it as a hand cream, hair product or general moisturizer but as lip balm it really does the job. I do think its a little pricey considering there are similar products on the market for less, but good quality products don't come cheap and I would consider repurchasing this again. Overall it's a nice little beauty product and I would give it a 8/10


Have you ever tried any of the Dr PawPaw range? What did you think?

*This product is a press sample however this is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own



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Birmingham, UK

DR PAW PAW MULTIPURPOSE LIP BALM*

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