Hola!

Whilst in the Dominican Republic we did a few excursions to see a little bit more of the surrounding areas. Although there is so much going on at the hotel, it can get a bit repetitive and boring so we booked the Outback and Beyond trip through our Thomson Reps for the second Monday, in hopes for an adventure. And what a day it was!

I first read about the trip on Tripadvisor and, with stunning reviews, it was definitely top on the list of things to do. It boasted a bit of everything from history, tradition, food, and beach fun! Before getting picked up at 8am we were told to make sure we had our swimming costume on, camera at the ready and suitable footwear. Sun tan lotion was a must and, of course, a towel. We knew the basics of what we would do but there were constant surprises a long the way.

Our, what I like to call, off-road truck picked us up at 8am and headed straight for our first stop on the journey. We were taken through smaller villages and areas with big built up houses to be shown the difference in class. Unlike in England, it appeared as if everyone at least had some kind of shelter and not a single homeless person was seen on the streets. Many were sat in their porches or carrying heavily loads, mostly likely to and from their local shop. Since the tap water is not drinkable, there are stacks of large bottles of water by every side road but the areas weren't particularly clean. The higher class houses were ornate buildings often up in the mountains. We didn't get to see many but I wouldn't have expected a lot to be around, especially with the Dominican Republic still being classed as a third world country. We were told we were heading to a traditional Dominican house where there is a family that works and lives, and they are happy to show us around to get a good understanding of what their life is like.


We arrived and before we could have a look around we were all handed a bottle of water to keep us hydrated in the blisteringly hot sun. Stupid me fell asleep on the sunbed the day before and badly burnt all my shins so I was already in enough pain as it was. Another two groups doing the same safari had arrived so each were shown a different way round the site. It was a lovely little place surrounded by jungle and there only seemed to be one or two other houses next door. Kids, being off school for summer, were hanging around the fencing handing out flowers, probably in hopes of a little money or at least some freebies. They struggled with their English so it was nice to be able to reply using the little Spanish that I know!


Our group or, as our guide, Junior, kept saying, 'our family' first went to have a look at the cocoa and coffee beans. He explained how they would grow and harvest a coffee bean until they are turned into the granules we use to make coffee into a drink. The same with the cocoa beans and just by the side they had some of their home brewed coffee and hot chocolate. Not being a coffee fan, I tried the hot chocolate and it is nothing like you have ever tasted before. It's so pure and well, chocolatey, it melts in your mouth with such an unusual taste. It is delicious but nothing like the hot chocolate we are used to.


Swiftly we moved on to sample various fresh fruit. The family that own the land have their very own plantation, as most families do, in order to be self-sufficient and gain a little income. Apparently this family don't sell a lot of their produce, as they use and store a lot of it, but it helps them gain that little bit extra money when they need it. They also have chickens so for the most of it, they have enough food to survive off! The fresh fruit we were given was delicious and so refreshing! I'm not a massive fan of mango but when it is properly fresh like that, I love it!


Junior took us on a guided tour of the plantation to be shown exactly what everything was. Everything from pineapples growing out of the ground, bananas and mango in the trees, and all sorts of herbs, spices, nuts etc. everywhere else! Literally anything you can think of that grows on a plant, you could find. Naturally for a Caribbean country, there was plenty of sugarcane around! Most of it is used to make alcohol, in particular, rum!

Before we left, we were taken through the traditional house where we got to meet some of the family who lived there. Granted they probably get a bit of money from Outback Safari themselves and there was no actual way of telling it that was really their home but it was interesting to see how small the houses were. You step straight into a small box living area with a room to the left big enough for a single bed. The living room leads straight into a kitchen with very basic cooking facilities. I did notice the cupboard at the back full with all kinds of mugs, including ones with English football team logos on. That was all that was in the main house. All washing facilities are kept in a separate small building next door. I suppose they don't have to worry about getting cold walking to the toilet in the middle of the night like we do!


Sticking with the idea of tradition, our next stop was a primary school, after we were each given a plastic reusable cup to use at the happy hour all inclusive bar they had on board (basically a cool box). The idea of the cups was simply to reduce waste, plus it meant we all got a little souvenir from the trip! When we arrived at the school, it was obvious that it was summer holidays since it was eerily quiet. Granted, we still had access to see the classrooms. I was amazed at the size. We are so used to an infants and juniors section with a playground and possibly a field attached here in the UK, so I will admit that I was awestruck to find only two small classrooms with chalkboards and a small basketball court attached. By small, I mean approximately 30 foot long at maximum.The basketball court hadn't been finished either so it was just a closed off area of tarmac. Apparently some of the money raised from Outback Safari trips goes back into that school and so far has helped with some smaller renovations and in adding on the basketball court. We were able to purchase Outback Safari merchandise to both help support the excursion and put some money back into the school!

This was the best photo of the school I got as I felt rude taking photos of the people doing the excursion. I did get some videos so look out on YouTube for those! You can see the drinks cups here though!

Although we had been given a basic itinerary and I had a rough idea of what to expect, I was surprised by our next stop. After driving down bumpy roads, lined with sugar cane, we arrived at a gorgeous secluded stream. I have never seen anything like it before. It was so picturesque and refreshing to jump into! Not knowing we'd be going anywhere like it, I forgot to bring my swim shoes and instead just had flipflops but that wasn't advisable. I hate things touching my bare feet in water so I attempted to keep my flip flops on in the water but the second I got in, they fell off. Good job they float! I stuck to the deeper area to have a little swim and a well needed cool off whilst Ed was off playing around with recording sounds and then slipping and falling on his bum (it was pretty funny and I really wish my camera had been facing him at the time!)


Lunch time was definitely a high light of the day! It was the first time we were able to sit down and get to know some of the other people on the trip with us and being an English group, there was some good ol' Lancashire/Yorkshire banter. Us Lancs were slightly defeated due to the large number of people from around Sheffield. Luck of the draw I suppose! It was all a good laugh though and the food was delicious. All you can eat "Dominican Fried Chicken" served with rice, beans, pastas, salads, and fruits of your choice. Absolutely delicious!


At the site where we ate lunch, we were welcomed into the souvenir shop to be told about their popular drinks and artistry. The most popular of the alcohols is always Mamajuana. You can buy ready made bottles or the ingredients to make it yourself but it's basically a bunch of cinnamon sticks, tree bark and herbs fused into a few spoonfuls of honey, the a quarter red wine and fill to the top with rum. It is nice but definitely very strong, although most make it slightly differently. There was also pineapple wine tasters and wooden carving being made right in front of our eyes. Not wanting to spend money at the time, we just browsed. There were plenty of others making up for the lack of money we spent though!

There was a little "zoo" there too, home to a few animals! Including the laziest iguana I've ever seen!

Crocodile Fact: Crocs have a bite that rivals the bite of a T-Rex and can be stronger than a great white shark!

After lunch, our final stop was at a beach where we had a bar, free massages and body boarding lessons. White sands and the perfect waves for trying out body boarding for the first time. It's simple enough but takes a few tries to get going. Also, wearing contacts isn't the best of ideas! It got busy in the sea as the guides section it off due to the harsher waves further in. It's mostly to save their backs so no one gets hurt. I wasn't going to be the one to deny a free massage either and I didn't regret it. It hurt from kneeling down on a sandy massage bench (mainly because of my burnt shins) and the sand I already had on my back from the beach but in some ways, it made me feel the massage more. I've never had a professional massage before and it definitely made me want to book a spa day!


Overall, the day was thoroughly enjoyable and there was lots to learn and see! I know everyone enjoyed themselves, and some even booked to do it again later in the week! The food was great, drinks were great, and the company was great! Everything you need to make a memorable excursion! It's always nice to know that the company you go with are big on community support as well as sustainable and reasonable tourism. They offer the opportunity to purchase local products which helps give back and sustain the local economies within the countryside which would otherwise not be effected by the usual tourism income. All the more reason to enjoy the trip and share it with the world. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is going to the Dominican Republic!

Whilst in Dom Rep we also climbed Mount Isabel de Torres and took a tour around the main city of Puerto Plata. I shall be writing more about my holiday but in the meantime check out my Instagram for lots of photos! Not only that, this Saturday I fly out to Tanzania for my Kilimanjaro trek! Cannot believe it's come around so fast!

Until then...
- KC xx

Hello!

Should I go to uni?

The question I asked myself nearly every day for two years...

This time last year I was heavily stuck in a rut. I was on my gap year after college and even though I applied for uni, I didn't want to go. I had my head stuck on studying Acting and nothing else. I have a lot of interests in other subjects but since I'd spent most of my life wanting to go into theatre, I couldn't go back on everything I'd worked so hard for, especially when £9000 is at stake. After deciding not to go to uni I set myself goals of getting a new job within an area that I like, and could work up in, and then hopefully moving into my own place after a year. It seemed like a reasonable plan but it proved much more difficult to achieve. I applied for hundreds of jobs. I mean hundreds! In the end, I was getting so down that I began to give up and stuck with the same job that I'd had for the past three years. I had no idea what to do or where to go. I just knew that it wasn't what I was doing at the time.

Although I took a gap year, my boyfriend Edmond went straight to university and did his first year of Drama and Theatre Practice. I visited him once but most times he would come home for the weekend. In some ways it made us stronger and we did get used to it but over summer, things got hard, knowing that we had to go back to the same things all over again was upsetting. I was confused and lost. This time last year, all arrows seemed to be pointing in one direction: University of Hull. Before then, I'd barely thought about it. I had such stern opinions on where I would go to uni that I never looked elsewhere. It was Edmond's choice of university and him being there made my positives list even longer. I could go and study drama and theatre practice, a course unique to the university. Despite it being the same UCAS code as other places, it had it's own take on the modules with added extras like all the production side and the opportunities with in the department. I would get the freedom of having my own place to live and learn, and it meant a complete change of scenery. Hull is literally at the opposite side of the country from my hometown and it's a city. There is much more going on and lots more to see.

Eventually I took the plunge, applied through Extra and was offered my place the very next day. Within three days I had accommodation sorted and student finances confirmed. I handed in my notice at work and began shopping for all of the essentials. In a matter of weeks, I was moving to a whole new place, and to a university I hadn't even looked around. It was a complete snap decision but one I definitely don't regret. Come September, we packed up two cars and headed straight through Manchester and onto the M62. My first day was a complete mix of emotions. From finding out some terrible news about a close friend from college to leaving my parents and cat. I was an emotional wreck inside but knowing Edmond was close by kept me sane. That and the pina coladas during our first house game of Ring of Fire. That night turned all kinds of emotional as myself and two housemates spilled our hearts out. You've got to admit that it's one hell of a way to get to know each other. From that day on, we all became a family no matter how dysfunctional.

University itself was everything that I imagined and nothing like it, all at the same time. I'm not one for going out drinking but on the nights where I did go to Piper or Asylum, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. The best times were having the odd drink or two playing pool or sat in the sun in Sanc's beer garden, always surrounded by great company. My course found me revisiting things I learnt in high school and college and then continued to broaden my knowledge of various areas. I learnt more about back stage from helping out with shows and during my production classes. In second semester I even got to use my love and knowledge of science to back up essays and seminar discussions. I used my mathematical skills in set design. Who knew I would be being more academic in a drama course? It's really shown me what my interests are!

I've had my ups and downs, I'll be the first to admit. You meet some amazing people one minute and the next everything has changed. Your house is spotlessly clean on a Monday after the cleaner has been and the next day the bin is already over flowing with nachos squashed into the carpet. Deadlines creep up. The bags under your eyes begin to grow. Before you know it, you're crying at 6am after having no sleep, an assignment due in at 12pm with a 9am lecture dawning on you. All you want to do is go home and forget any of it is real. But you keep on going and in the end it's all worth it. First year done and summer appears. Off you go back home to what feels like normality. A normality that quickly becomes a reality of nothing in your bank account and struggling to get a summer job. August arrives and suddenly going back to university in September feels like normality. Everything that annoyed you feels like a blessing and the nerves of the first year become the excitement of the second year.

Looking back at it now, as much as I wanted to come home at summer, my first year was a crazy ride. In my first few weeks of starting, I signed up to climb Kilimanjaro in the summer of 2017. It seemed like ages away and I had a lot of money to raise. I began doing stalls in the Student Union, public collections in and around Hull, sponsored barefoot days around campus and even got slimed right outside the Gulbenkian and University House. I eventually managed to raise that money and next Saturday I'm flying out with the rest of the University of Hull Kili team to go and climb the world's tallest free-standing mountain. From doing all this fundraising, I've had the opportunity to go to York and Manchester doing a public collections, and London for a conference followed by food and drinks at Hawker House (definitely recommend you go there!). I have now become a member of the Hull Uni RAG committee and have the opportunity to run the Kili climb, Macchu Picchu trek and many other challenges for the next year!

I also got to play a sport I once loved back in high school but never imagined I'd get to play again. I play for the third team in Ladies Hockey. It's nice and relaxed and not majorly competitive so it can fit nicely into the rest of my uni life. I took part in the Dance Squad during first semester and learnt the basics of tap dancing, again, something I had always wanted to do. Thinking back, I have done a lot of things that have been on my many bucket lists throughout the years and slowly, one by one, I am ticking things off. 

Not only that, I finished first year with a first so I was incredibly happy to know my studies are just as good!

With second year just around the corner, I am more than happy to be starting another new chapter! It's the first time the academic side to things really matter and it is going to mean a lot more studying but I intend to make the best of it! With my own little house between myself and Edmond, I'll be more independent than ever and by every second I grow up that little bit more. There's so much to look forward to. In particular, this year we really want to get out some more and see what Hull is all about. With Hull being City of Culture 2017 there is something going on every day and a lot of it is right on campus so it's about time I get out and properly go see what's going on! Starting tomorrow, when I go for a little visit to Hull, I'm going to go for a full tour of campus and see all the areas I don't see when sticking to the drama department! Including all the Cairns, which are life sized sculptures by Icelandic artist Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir. I've spotted about 5 so far but there are quite a few left to see!

Hello!

It's Sportfest month!

If you're a regular reader, you may remember that last year I got involved Lytham Sportfest. I became a volunteer and photographed the event. It was the last event of my gap year and what a way to remember Lytham by, as my hometown! I met so many amazing people who have continued to help me out throughout the year with my fundraising! So this year I was very happy to get involved once again in any way that I could, especially considering I wouldn't be in the country for the actual event. I've always loved taking part in sports and fitness and seeing an event like this one in my home town was a great way to see what I can get involved in. Not only that, meeting people in a similar mind set makes me feel better if I were to go and join a club. My main problem was that I then went to university so couldn't join any clubs. Either way, it was still great to get involved and open up a few doors so much so that I am now a member of the Sportfest team and we're aiming to make Sportfest bigger and better, second time round!


After the successes of last year it was inevitable that it would return and boy has it returned with a vengeance. Not only are most of the activities returning from last year, but there are so many more aimed at all ages and abilities! There is everything from BMXing, basketball, and archery, to endless fitness classes, cycling timed trials, and orienteering! Pretty much everything you can think of is on the list, and if it's not there yet then there are probably talks going on about getting it involved. There has been a huge interest in participants and sporting volunteers within the community and it's so great to see everyone so enthusiastic about such an event. So far, everything is going very well.


Last year saw sporting heroes Kirsty Mackay and Max Eaves taking part in a number of the activities, mostly held at Park View 4U, as part of the nations campaign #IAmTeamGB in running with the Rio Olympics. This year however, all activities are going to be across Park View 4U and the Queen Elizabeth II playing fields keeping everything in one area all linking with Team Personal Best who are aiming to include this summer into a record breaking year of athletics nationwide. The Lytham Sportfest page is already set up encouraging everyone to come along!


So what activities are going to be there?

Paid for activities:


All the paid for activities are £3 per ticket. However when you book online you can get massive discounts when booking more than one activity. The money goes toward the expense of putting the event on then any profits made go straight back into the local clubs involved as a way of helping improve our local sporting community!

Free Activities:


Currently it doesn't look like there are quite as many free activities as there are paid activities but I personally know that it will completely change over the next week or so! More activities are constantly being added on to the list as the days go by so what you see now is almost guaranteed to not be the final timetable! Plus there will be a bunch of stalls promoting local sporting shops, clubs and therapists! Basically, lots to see and lots to do, and something for everyone to try out!

Head over and follow the Lytham Sportfest Twitter and like their Facebook page to get all the latest news and updates about the event!

Fancy getting involved with an event like this? If you're local then head over to the Lytham Sportfest website to book your place now!

I wish I could see you there but I will be climbing back down Kilimanjaro! Even so, I am running the social media accounts for the website so feel free to head over and have a chat!

Hopefully the rest of the Lytham Sportfest crew will see you there!

- KC xx

Is there an event like this near you? What events would you want to get involved in?

Hello! 

Wow, last week was all kinds of hectic! I started a new job and last week was my first full week. Originally I was only supposed to be in on the Monday and then only at the weekend but I must have made a good impression because since the Monday I've been in nearly every day. Well, kind of anyway. It was all a bit hit and miss. Being a zero hours contract, I can easily get sent home if it's quiet or just asked not to come in if the weather is dull. On the plus side, living so close means that I also get called in when it suddenly gets extra busy meaning I can earn a bit more money. All things are looking positive on the money front! I took part in Jack Wolfskin's #GoBackpack campaign where I received a flag and in return for a video of my travels which showcased the flag, I was able to receive the money back for the item I bought. I chose some trekking trousers, perfect for climbing Mount Isabel de Torres and to take to Kilimanjaro with me! Since buying them, I have now received that money back and my bank account isn't feeling quite so glum anymore. Especially knowing that I get paid in 13 days for all the hours I've been doing! Anyway, things are looking up and I'm getting very excited for my trip to Tanzania. 

I did in fact have Tuesday and Wednesday off last week which meant I had to take a trip to Hull to pick up the keys to my new house! Yes, I can't believe it! My new house! Like an actual house! My own little house to share with Edmond. Seems like so long ago since we signed for it and now I've actually got my keys and I've been able to move my stuff in! Sadly, I couldn't go with Ed as he's currently on a trip around Canada with his Mum. Either way it was still nice to go back to a place we saw for about ten minutes whilst the previous tenants possessions were everywhere. I could finally start to put my own things in the right places and make it feel a bit more like home. Compared to my previous student house, this one immediately felt like a home from home!

So, what does it look like?

Well it's a tiny two bedroom terrace house, perfect for the two of us. It's on a quieter street, just off the road the university is on and parallel to the student bars and shops street. Not only that, the doctors is just around the corner and Lidl up the road! Perfect location! 

You walk straight into the living room off the street to find two small black couches and a lot of purple. There are purple curtains and a purple wall and just generally too much purple for me. In some ways it does make the room quite cosy and warm but I would rather it be a cream or brown. Perks of living with the company we do, it basically becomes our house to change as we like. As long as it's for the good. The picture above doesn't do the size justice. Behind the couch on the right there is quite a bit of space where I've put a desk to use as a dining table for the time being. Moving the couches into a little square makes the space feel cosier and yet opens up the rest of the room to be used otherwise. I've been considering taking my piano but I really don't think it will fit in my car!

For a student who actually cooks regularly, a decent kitchen was one of the most important things when searching for a house. When we found this place I was pretty happy since the kitchen is only a year old and still in brilliant condition! Other than the electric cooker and oven, only because I'm used to gas cookers, I love this kitchen! The drawers and cupboards have a soft close and most importantly, there is a breakfast bar! I always love breakfast bars, even if this one does face the wall! Green isn't particularly a colour I would normally go for but it does well to brighten up what would normally be a very dark room! There is plenty of storage space for my pots and pans and I have enough room to spread out!

The bedrooms are a good size but to be fair, the spare room will barely get used. If we get an actual dining room table then it might become an office but otherwise it's only going to be used if I have friends coming to stay over, or maybe my parents. The main room is very spacious with plenty of storage in the wardrobe and beneath the bed. Both beds are brand new and very comfy! I did not want to get out of it on my first night! The only downfall is that there are only two plug sockets in the whole room making it difficult to plug a TV in, but we'll work it out!

The bathroom was a bit of a disappointment compared the rest of the house. The colours are old fashioned and it desperately needed grouting! I'm very much hoping that whilst I'm not there, our landlords will sort it out, otherwise it's going to be a job to add to the list. I can't wait to have lovely Sunday night baths!

The biggest surprise we had was the garden. It was the one part of the house I don't remember seeing in the viewing and didn't expect to have anything there at all. If there was to be something, it would be a small square and we might just about manage to fit two fold-out chairs out there in the summer. You can imagine how amazed and happy I was to find out that our back garden was massive! The photo above only shows one area of it as I was stood half way down, just trying to get a photo of the weeds. Yes, it is very overgrown and there's a rotting shed in the opposite corner but I am still excited! My landlords have said they will put some weed-killer on it but I don't think that will make much difference before we properly move in at the end of September. I'm actually excited to have a de-weeding party with a few friends. Way to feel grown up! A nice summers afternoon, a few beers, and gardening tools. Sounds good right?! I may have also been on Pinterest pinning lots of DIY ways of making a dull garden pretty! I think I'm going to need a lot of pallets!

Alterations

Being a blogger, and of course a student, means that I need a decent work space in the house somewhere so I have a few things to buy and move around! I have a shopping list on the go for daft things like a pot drainer for the kitchen and a new shower curtain in the bathroom. More importantly will be the desk and table furniture where I can eat or work. At the moment, I have one of the standard desks from the bedrooms in the living room to be used as both but I would much prefer if I could have a separate space for both, perhaps in the spare bedroom. Creating a quiet office space away from the rest of the house will help me focus and, fingers crossed, keep me motivated knowing I have created that space from scratch for that purpose. Penketh Group mention that 25% of our working time is lost due to distractions around us. So having my own private office space will hopefully help reduce that percentage (although I would probably say 60% of my time is lost due to distractions)! Penketh Group actually do a lot of office furniture aimed to reduce the amount of time lost from distraction whilst remaining comfortable, perfect for professional offices and home offices! 

As well as buying in some furniture and de-weeding the garden, I will also be doing a little bit of indoor DIY. I am already planning painting the feature wall in the living room to get rid of the purple, and I intend on painting many of the doors in the house and touching up the rest of the walls. The landlords have done a little but with my parents both being property developers, I guess there's something inside of me that is not ok with what they've done. That, and my OCD. Lots to do and I can't wait to be able to give a full update on how things have gone! Keep an eye out!

What was your student accommodation like? Have you ever moved into a house and got excited about redecorating? 

 - KC xx


* This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Penketh Group but of course all opinions are my own as this is my new house!

Hello!

Right now I am skint. I only just have £100 in my bank account but fortunately I have finally heard back from one of the jobs I was offered and had my trial day yesterday! Everything seemed to go well and I start properly on Saturday. However, it's minimum wage and I haven't been given many hours. On the plus side, it's money and that's all I can think about right now! I don't actually get paid until a few days before I go away so any spending I do before then if going to be a loan from my parents. Monthly salaries aren't fun.

You may be thinking, how on Earth have I just been on holiday for two weeks and then heading to Tanzania in a matter of weeks for another two weeks?! How can I travel with only £100 to my name? Well, it's simple really: everything is paid for. Well, with Tanzania I still have expenses and my seven days of back packing to pay for but I'm working on that. And here's how:

Research:

Before I book my trip, I do an awful lot of research. It seems like a lot of work and effort and stress, and I'm not denying that it is, but in some ways it's exciting. I check out all the things that are available to do in the area, what cities have the top attractions, and where boasts the most beautiful beaches. I don't always go for beaches but in the case of Tanzania, it's why I'm heading to Zanzibar for a few days! Once you've gathered enough information about where you might like to go, search the prices. I recently looked into doing a safari in Tanzania and I found it's cheaper to travel from Moshi to Arusha, stay over night in a hostel then do a one day safari and stay a second night in Arusha than doing a one day safari from Moshi or even a two day safari from Moshi. It may be a bit of messing around but you get it a cheaper price and you get to visit another town that you may not have thought about before! Research can take a lot of time, but use that time to see all the amazing things you can do and get yourself excited and motivated to go!

How much?
Once you've chosen somewhere you'd like to go and you've managed to work out how much it might cost, it's time to work out how to earn and save all that money. Before booking to go to the Dominican Republic I was constantly working out how much I would have to put away to be able to afford it by the time I had to pay it. For me that was simply putting £60 in to my savers account for 9 weeks straight. In the end this gave me more than enough to cover the holiday! Having two different accounts helps as you can transfer your savings in to one and not touch it!


Saving the money:
It's all fine when you've got the money to save but what happens if you don't? How do you earn the money and keep hold of it? Well, I'm not going to be the one to tell you to get a job. I suppose it's common sense so I'll leave that one up to you. But if you're earning, how do you keep the money ready for when you're going to book? How do you stop it from slipping out of your contactless card every time you walk in a shop. Yes, we all go out with the intention of not buying anything but we all make mistakes. Cut down on the mistakes. Only buy the essentials and if you have to, write out lists detailing exactly what you need. Make meals plans so you aren't buying anything you don't need and will probably throw away at the end of the week. Walk to work. Walk to the shop. If you have to, only drink water when you go out with your friends (it's FREE!). Do everything you can to reduce your overall spending which will allow you to put that little bit extra away each week. It's definitely worth it in the end!

Booking:
Now is the time to spend a large lump sum of money. I always try make sure I pay off the full amount in one go but if you really can't manage that, and you are guaranteed the money soon enough, then you can often pay in instalments. For my Dominican Republic trip, our deadline for paying the full amount was in April, even though I booked in January. This gave me the chance to slowly decrease the amount in my bank account by £200 every two weeks, reducing the amount of stress on me, since I usually get stressed out if I have to pay a large amount which leaves me with little left. Before you book, don't forget to double check your pricing again. Things may have changed since you did your initial research so it's best to double check as there may be a new place a bit cheaper for you. That, and flight prices are forever going up and down!

Travelling on budget:
So you're finally on holiday after all that waiting and saving up! Luckily you managed to save up just enough to pay it off and you have a little money for spends on top. However you don't have much else. I always make sure I purchase my foreign currency before I go so it gives me a total amount that I can spend. A lot of the time you pay for hostels or tours when you get there so use a post-it note to keep that money aside and don't use it. With whatever money you have left, divide it by the number of days you have and don't let yourself go over. Any money you don't use at the end of the day, hide it away and save it until the end of the holiday where you could buy yourself some lovely little souvenirs. Don't forget to haggle and get those prices down. Start just below half and work your way up until you can both agree on a price. Also, don't just go to the first bar you see. If you see one then there will be another close by which might just have cheaper beers! Finally, if you haven't booked any tours, don't just go straight to your travel reps, speak to the locals or look on TripAdvisor and you will likely get a much cheaper price! If you're at a hostel, it is very likely that they will know someone who can get you a really good price and pick up! If you think it's too much and it is out of your budget then just say so, they will either stand their ground or magically they'll have a better price for you!


My final tip would be, if you have any money when you get back in the foreign currency it's best to keep it. If you're like me then you'll probably go back at some point and even if you only brought back £10, that's £10 you physically can't spend in the UK. It's the best kind of way of making sure you don't spend and then you can save up! Otherwise, use social media and see if you can find anyone in your local area who might be going to the same country and they may be willing to buy that little bit off you!

Saving for a holiday can be hard, even if our motivation to go is high, and sometimes no matter how much we work to earn money and save as much as we can, it still doesn't turn out to be enough. In some cases, you have enough money and you've booked the holiday and choose to pay in instalments but you can never guess what is going to happen in life and it may be that you can no longer afford it. So you've spent all that time getting excited and now you can't afford to go. There are other options to help you out. For example, Auto Advance offer logbook loans as a lower rate alternative to payday lending by using the value of your car as security for an agreement. My car could get me around £1120 which would cover the cost of a holiday, especially a budget holiday, if I were to need it! So never fear, there is always another way because no one can ever know what life might throw at you!

How do you save money to go on holiday? Have you ever booked a holiday then realised you couldn't afford it because of life?

- KC xx



*This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own.

Hola!

I've been back a little over two weeks now and I am still missing it. We met some brilliant people and had some amazing experiences. We booked it in January and at a cost of just below £800 per person, I was ready for a wonderful all inclusive holiday to the Dominican Republic! It's a hotel I have been to before back in 2002 and then went back twice in 2004, again in 2006, and again in 2011 to it's sister hotel. After finding out you could no longer stay in that sister hotel, what was Clubhotel Riu Mambo, I decided to go back to the Bachata, where it all began.


The Clubhotel Riu Bachata was the first Riu hotel we stayed at and haven't looked back since, so much so that now, if I'm choosing to stay at an all inclusive resort, I would always choose Riu. I practically grew up in the Dominican Republic Riu hotels before venturing off to Mexico to stay at the Riu Playacar and then the Clubhotel Riu Tequila three times! Riu Hotels provide everything you could ever want on holiday, and you definitely get what you pay for.

Here's a picture of me on a tree from back in 2004!

The Riu Bachata, and generally the Dominican Republic, is a lot cheaper than say somewhere in Mexico because unfortunately their tourism is reducing, most likely due to their wavering laws about who can stay in the hotel. In particular, very often at the weekends, locals are allowed in which would normally be completely fine, however they very often come in the masses and are very impolite. Fair enough, in their way of life this may be the norm but to the rest of the world, it is down right rude. We had troubles back in 2011 at the Riu Mambo. All the locals were allowed in and some had even parked their jeep up at the bottom of the beach and broken through the fence to use the facilities the hotel offers. Their kids were peeing in the pool and in the bushes when the toilet was close by and they would always push in front of you when getting food. Rude! Police and medics were on site everyday but there wasn't much they could do. We vowed not to go back unless it got sorted. This time round I had seen lots of mixed reviews but, because of the price, we took the risk!

Here's a photo of me up by the viewpoint. As far as I know, it was made for weddings but since it is too windy up there it simply became a piece of architecture to go and see. It's high enough to see all of the beach along the hotels too. Yes, I know, what a bad fashion choice - this was back in 2011.

Clubhotel Riu Bachata Review

Check In - 
There were an awful lot of Brits that had arrived from the same flight to the same hotel so I was surprised at how smoothly check in was. When we arrived, we were already the third coach full but we weren't waiting around long at all. We were welcomed with a delicious cocktail and shown to a desk where many members of staff we handing out our keys and towel cards and before we knew it, we were off to our room. Unfortunately, due to the amount of people, it took nearly an hour before our bags arrived at our room so for future notice, I will just take them myself. Saves me the tip money too.


Room -
I was really impressed by the room! The only problem we had was that our safe key got stuck but all took was a phone call to reception and it got sorted! Oh, and we got a room upgrade! Thanks to my post from last year about the Riu Tequila, Riu got in touch and said they would see what they could do for my next holiday, but it depending on availability. Well, they had the availability and I was able to get and upgrade and was welcomed with a VIP Riu Class mug and real Santo Domingo coffee, known for being one of the world's best coffees! It was such a lovely surprise so, yeah, I was very impressed with our room! It was very open and spacious with the most amazing views I have ever seen from a balcony! There are two double beds which are pushed together that some people complain about but it's what you get at most Riu hotels, and personally, I quite like them! If you're wondering whether to book a suite, I would say it's best to decide what exactly you are looking for in the holiday. If you want a gorgeous view and will probably spend a bit of time in your room then it is worth the money! Otherwise, the normal rooms are still nice enough. All rooms come with a safe, mini bar and fridge with get refilled every two days! Always good to have rum basically on tap in the Caribbean!

The best way to capture the view from our balcony was to do a panorama!

Grounds - 
Just from the view above you can see how gorgeous the grounds are. There are palm trees everywhere and beautiful colourful flowers all around! The gardeners do very well to keep them looking as good as they do considering the amount of guests and you know what some people can be like. The hotel is right on the beach too and, although it can get quite windy, it is such a lovely place. It's not very often I will go lie on the beach when I'm on holiday but it became the perfect spot for us to chill out whilst I read some of my book!




Food and Drink - 
A lot of people tend to complain about the food as it can get quite samey. On the contrary though, the chefs prepare a wide variety of cuisines and each night in the main buffet there is a different theme. The downside is that the food is often reheated or refried and used for a second day, which I understand why but that's what makes the food very similar each day. At night you do also have a choice between the Steak House, Italian or Caribbean restaurant depending which is open. We only tried the Steak House but it was delicious, I wish we had gone more times! The system for booking has changed now. Instead of having to book first thing in the morning, you can simply queue up at 6 o'clock and get your name down, which is a lot more convenient for people like me that often struggle to wake up in the morning. If you don't make it into the half 6 sitting then you can put your name down for the 8 o'clock sitting and you'll be given a buzzer to let you know when your table is ready! Lunch time is much more simple. You go to the main buffet restaurant where you have breakfast and dinner and there's plenty to choose from! I'd suggest the 'cream of' soups, they are always delicious! Breakfast was my favourite. As soon as you walk in, there are freshly made smoothies and milkshakes and a little further down the line is an entire area full of donuts. I didn't get much further, except to get pancakes, a banana and some yoghurt on the odd occasion.

In the first week, I always looked forward to lunch or dinner as there was something different each day but after that I was starting to get bored of it. I found myself eating the same pasta, rice and pork each day. I tried to mix it up with some soup but they didn't always have something I'd like. In Mexico, although the food system is similar, I usually have salad at lunches but in Dom Rep, I was a bit disappointed with the salads. One day there was a plate full of lettuce, that was it, yet the sign said caesar salad. On Mexican night they didn't have guacamole either. It's the little things that you notice. One thing I remember from all the previous times I've been to the complex is that lunch was normally served at the snack bar, which then turns into the Steak House at night. I was a bit gutted because I like that change of scenery but not using it meant it looked desolate during the day. It was a bit eerie  to walk through when going to the toilet since no one else would be in there at all. Unfortunately, towards the end of the holiday I did get food poisoning too but even though it wasn't nice, it's just one of those things you put up with when you're in a country like that.



Entertainment - 
Always my favourite part of the Riu hotels. We always book to stay for two weeks and only plan around three days out but that's usually all we need because the entertainment team never let us get bored. I still miss all the friends we made in the Riu Tequila team which kind of made us sad going somewhere with a team who we didn't know. That said, I didn't doubt that they'd become our friends too. Unlike normal, we didn't really get involved in the activities for the first week and we did get a little bored so we became determined to win a certificate and some new Riu merchandise to add to our collection. After countless games of boccia, mini golf, horse shoes, crazy games and of course, bingo, we weren't so lucky. Ed came home with a neon orange bandanna but that was it, despite trying our best to bring home a t-shirt. It's quite sad actually because it's the first time I've been to a Riu hotel and not managed to get a t-shirt or even a cap. I have some t-shirts from when I was very little so it's always funny to see how much I've grown! The entertainment team were always full of energy (I really don't know how they do that everyday) and kept us smiling no matter what. Sounds daft but the only thing I disliked was having to play boccia and horseshoes in pairs everyday. I'm used to the games changing from doubling the scores and throwing a dart with your eyes closed to spinning five times then throwing the horseshoe. Playing in pairs made it more difficult to get to know people and a lot more difficult to win as people began choosing their partners based on who was better. It was a good laugh in the end. Just disappointed we didn't win. (Yeah, I know, I can be a sore loser sometimes - although to be fair, there was a few times where we had to play 2 semi-finals because of an odd number and yet both teams that got into the final only played once! Now that's not fair!)

I will say that there was one particular female member of the animation team who was very bitchy. She'd often make very sarcastic comments but it wasn't until our final night when she came over to us after having a few beers and started mouthing off about one of the guests. I thought that was downright rude and I hope she isn't a part of the team for much longer.

This is one of the shows in Mexico. You pay the extra money to see much bigger shows and there's a bit more going on!

I can't help but compare the hotel to the Riu Tequila in Mexico. We tried not to as they both have things they could teach each other but night times are one thing the Tequila does brilliantly. Night times at the Bachata consisted of mini disco time for the kids to dance on stage, then dancing in the patio with the entertainment team, then the show, club dance and finally more dancing in the patio with the entertainment team. It got very repetitive! Whereas at the Tequila, it changes each night, with Mexican games, audience participation games as a pre-show, a rock band would come in, etc. There was always something different on each night. I'll admit the shows weren't quite as good either. The in-house dance team were good, but never quite on it. Some of the choreography was alright but you could tell it was all very similar no matter which style dance they were supposed to be doing. I loved some of the variation in shows though. The Chicago/Burlesque night was new and Burlesque is one of my favourite movies so I was most definitely singing along. I also really appreciated how the in-house team did the Michael Jackson show instead of bringing another group in. The shows that did have other dancers come in were very poor. For what I thought were supposed to be professional dance troops, they were off-beat, not confident and made a lot of mistakes! (This is turning into a bit of a rant - I'm a drama student though so I can't help it, oops!) Finally, what really annoyed me was the Rock Station show. To most, it wouldn't have bothered them and they probably enjoyed singing along but it really got on my nerves. Throughout the day I had seen the Rock of Ages logo as part of the set and got myself extremely excited as Rock of Ages is my favourite musical. However, when it came to the show, it began with I Wish I was a Punk Rocker. It wasn't Rock of Ages at all. I stuck around though hoping there would be a few songs in there but I counted two, and they didn't even use the original White Snake version of Here I Go Again. Edmond can vouch at how annoyed I was. I spoke to a few people later and I wasn't the only one. We both said it was like they wrote 'guitar' into Spotify and choose the top 20 songs. I'd suggest that they either do Rock of Ages songs or change the set and simply make it a rock show! (I've always wanted the Riu hotels to do a proper Rock of Ages show, like they usually do with Grease and Mamma Mia, so you can imagine how disappointed I was!)

Caribbean Street at night - even in this picture you can see we were being watched by the shopkeepers. I know this happens in a lot of countries but you don't expect it when you are still inside your hotel complex. I don't remember it being so bad the past few times I've been.

I was gutted that we didn't see the African show that I remember. As far as I know, they still do it (from pictures I've seen on Facebook) but it might have been pushed back because of the Caribbean Street Party. In between the Riu Bachata and Riu Merengue there is a street full of shops known as Caribbean Street and when the party was on (supposedly once a month, yet it's been on every time we've been) all the hotels come together to have what I remember to be a traditional Caribbean party. As a kid we used to spend the day making costumes in the kids club and then wear them to mini disco time at the party. I used to really enjoy myself so this time, I made sure we had eaten early enough to get seats and see what was going on. We may have been a little too early but still headed out to get some pictures before it got dark. Bad decision. The shops all stayed open and some locals had come to sell their souvenirs on the street so straight away we got called over to have a look. One guy gave me a free ankle bracelet which I thought was lovely. I didn't have any money on me so we promised to come back and have a proper look later. Whether we would or not was another matter but it was nice of him let us have a wander. Walking further down the street we kept getting called over so persistently we kept saying we had no money, most gave up calling. Except one guy who physically came out of the shop, asked where we were from and what are names were. Usually I try give a false name but Ed got there with his before me, which made me panic and say Kira. He invited us into his shop to look around and quickly we said no. We still didn't have any money. But of course, it's ok for us to look around and then we can come back and pay later. To get him off our backs we just went inside. After showing us a few t-shirts and giving me a free bracelet, he left us alone. Just as we were planning on making our escape he came back in and handed us a basket, asked if we like rum and put a bottle straight in the basket. Constantly he kept saying how he wasn't pushy and he was letting us look around, whilst Ed and I were thinking the complete opposite. Eventually I put a few things in the basket, told him we'd come back and pay for it later so he could wrap it up. That was a lie. When asking for the price, at supposedly 50% off, he was charging me nearly £4 for a key ring. You don't even want to know how much the small bongo drum I liked cost. We walked out and never went anywhere near that place again. It ruined the night for me. We ended up going back to our room whilst I tried to calm down for an hour, before heading back out to see what was actually going on at the party. We avoided walking past the shops by walking all the way around the hotel to get to either end of the street. Safe to say I didn't enjoy myself that night.

Moving on...

What was the Riu Mambo

Sister hotels - 
It's not really part of this hotel but I thought it was worth mentioning. Since you are easily able to walk along the path or the beach to visit the other two (or now one) hotels it's only fair I write a little bit about them. The Riu Merengue is the oldest of the three and it has that older feel. The pool is rectangular with a bridge across the middle and it's definitely a part of it's charm. Further down is what was the Riu Mambo and it still looks as lovely as ever. However, we only noticed the beach bar and, what was, the lunch restaurant bar open. There wasn't many people around the pool as, for the most of it, the hotel is closed. I took Ed through to the rooms to see the hill I remember seeing from our balcony when we used to stay there. You'd often see a random horse walk by or perhaps a cow which gave it some character. Walking beyond the bar though made us feel like we'd stepped into a different world, almost horror movie like. All the curtains to the rooms were still open with most of the furniture piled high. I then took him to see the stage area but all of the reception, stage, and main restaurant were closed off by a simple piece of rope. There was no furniture or decorations to be seen. It was empty. Completely empty. Very eerie indeed. I found it quite sad. I did nearly cry because of all the childhood memories I had that I wanted to share with Ed but it's now like they've gone forever. That hotel was so beautiful and I do hope that one day it is reopened in its full glory with it's own entertainment team like it once was!



On another visit to the Riu Merengue to do a little shopping (they have the best and cheapest shops of the complex with souvenir Christmas decorations!!) I was amazed at how full it was. I then remembered it was Saturday and typically at the weekend, the locals are welcomed into the hotels. There has been warnings that this happened the most at the Riu Bachata but I didn't have a problem with it at all. The Riu Merengue however, was completely packed out. There was no space in the pool and I noticed the animation team were only speaking in Spanish. I did see some British people staying there but they didn't look too happy. I suppose this is a solution to letting them come in to the hotels, by putting them all in one hotel, however last time there was that many, everything kicked off. That was back in 2011. Makes you wonder if things really have changed.

Both of the photos above were taken around a similar time in the day. The top one was the day we arrived, a Sunday. You can't see much but you can definitely tell that it is a lot quieter than the photo below, take the day before we left, on a Saturday!

Check Out - 
Our check out was simple. We had to be out of the room by 12 o'clock or we could pay $10 per hour if we wanted a later check out. We didn't bother as we had packed and were ready to go. That was until we found out that our flight had been delayed for two hours so instead of getting picked up at 1pm, the coaches arrived at 3pm. If we had all know sooner then us and the friends we made could have pitched in to have late check out on one of our rooms. It was more Thomsons fault for not letting us know. We ended up sat by the pool bar playing Uno. There is a room to store your luggage until the coaches arrived so there was no worrying about that. We were able to keep our wristbands on to there was no fuss when getting lunch and we could continue getting drinks until we left.

Final note:
Before I conclude, I just want to mention about what was the sports beach. The Riu Bachata has it's own little quiet beach hidden away at the other end of the resort. It's perfect if you want to get away from the music and there is a lot less wind. It used to be the place you'd go to, to go on peddle boats or jet skis, etc. They've now moved that to the middle of the main beach where it can be accessed by all. Instead, there are signs up advertising a nature area. We followed the signs just before sunset not expecting it to be open but the second we stepped on to the beach a man came straight over offering to show it to us, pointing out the monkeys over in the corner. The monkeys that were tied up by a piece of rope or a small chain. They were going insane, unable to move far. The man took us out to a new build area that had apparently only been there for three years to show us a cage. The cage was full of various birds, again unable to move far inside the cage. The worst of it was the iguana inside a smaller cage, on the floor, not much bigger than the length of it's body. It was horrible to look at. Animals should not be kept like that at all and I think it's the duty of Riu and Thomson to shut that place down as it is animal cruelty! Of course the guy only wanted to show us around so he could show us to his little shop as well, which as soon as we walked in another guy came in being quite intimidating! They always expect I like jewellery when I really don't...



Overall - 
Overall, despite my rants, I really enjoyed the holiday and I'm definitely glad I got to go back to somewhere I had fond memories of as a kid. It was lovely taking Ed to somewhere I remembered so vividly and yet hadn't been to in such a long time. There were of course lots of ups and downs but overall, if the price was right, I'd probably go back with Ed and some family and friends. However, there are a few things that I would like to be a bit better, for example, the nightly entertainment, and perhaps the food could have a little more variation, but other than that, I would definitely recommend staying there. For the price, it is most definitely worth it! If in doubt, the drinks are always amazing! There is enough to do outside of the hotel, if you have the money, for the two weeks as well.

Myself and Edmond are now looking into more back packing trips. He's going to Canada next week and in four weeks time I'm heading to Tanzania so after that, once we've saved up the money, we'll be looking into trips to go to Asia or Central America. I would love to come back to the Dominican Republic one day and visit the south coast so perhaps we'll do that when island hopping the Caribbean.



It's more the people that make the holiday so I thank all the entertainment team and our lovely new British and Canadian friends we made, because without them, the holiday wouldn't have been what it was.

If you want a cheaper all inclusive long haul holiday to the Caribbean then I would definitely suggest the Riu Bachata, otherwise, if you can afford it, I'd say go to the Riu Tequila. They are similar but I feel like for that bit extra money, you do get that little bit more and I can never stop singing it's praises. We're hoping that when we eventually do get to backpack across Mexico, we can make sure that we spend at least a week, at the end, at the Riu Tequila before flying home. That's the dream anyway. Now let's work to make that happen!

Sorry this post has been so long, I genuinely think it's the longest post I've ever done, and it has taken ages to write, but I had a lot to say! I have a few more Dom Rep related posts on their way so keep your eyes peeled for them! Also, Tanzania posts! In the meantime, I shall leave you with three photos of me at the same bar (Riu Mambo beach bar).

- KC xx

2004

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