How To Choose A Hotel

So, my trip to the Algarve, Portugal in early April inspired this post. The complex we stayed in was horrible to put it nicely, and it got me thinking where we went wrong with booking it and what we would have done differently. So here are my tips on how to choose a hotel. Some of them are pretty straightforward; so straightforward in fact that we often forget about them! Remember: in most cases, you get what you pay for.

• Reviews- If you only do one thing in preparation for your holiday, do this! Reviews on sites such as TripAdvisor give you a very unique insight into the ins and outs of the hotels and their staff. If there's a general comment throughout the reviews, it's most likely that you'll agree. I wish I paid more attention to them before booking Portugal.
• Star rating- In a lot of cases, star rating doesn't really mean anything- a 3 star hotel can be just as good as a 5 star because of the factors involved, like cuisine,  customer service, cleanliness, activities on offer etc etc.
• Amenities- I wished we had accounted for the weather before we went to Portugal. I though it was always sunny in the Algarve- BIGGG mistake. The complex we stayed in wasn't equipped for bad weather- there were very few indoor activities and the whole town was paved with ridiculously slippy white tiles.
• WIFI- Many hotels have free wifi anyway but if this is a necessity for you, make sure you double check (they didn't have any where we stayed!). Otherwise you'll end up using precious spending money on wifi!
• Board- We had all-inclusive in Portugal, and to be honest, it wasn't that great. We only ate the food because we'd paid for it, otherwise we would have happily ate out in the Old Town every night. If you want a lazy holiday and to cut down on food costs, all-inclusive is a great option, just check the food reviews before you book!
• Location- Unless you're going somewhere really remote, being close to all the sights is normally a must. Be sure to GoogleMaps where your hotel is so you're not too surprised when you get to your destination!
• Transport Links- Following on from Location, this is SO important. You don't want to get there and find the nearest bus stop is a 30 minute walk away. Check on the hotel website for the nearest transport links and also reviews, because...you know, sometimes the hotel lies.

If you have anymore tips, comment down below!

How To Save For A Trip

"I can't because I've got no money." 

How many of us have said that before? It's a sad fact that many people believe they can't go travelling, or even on a holiday, because they don't have a wad of spare cash lying about. Yes, travelling and holidaying can be expensive but if you really want to do it, you can. There's nothing stopping you except yourself! I'm not saying go and take out an overdraft or a credit card. No no, that's definitely not the way, I vowed to myself I'd never get into debt- bar my student loan, because that's enough in itself, isn't it?- especially to travel. 

So here are 9 ways people I know and myself have saved cash to go travelling:

• Get a Christmas temp job- When you first get to uni, a lot of stores would have already began hiring christmas temps. I applied really early, the end of August to be precise, and after around 30 applications, finally got an interview at John Lewis. Yes, it's time consuming and applications are long but THINK OF THE MONEY. Remember: Christmas is one of the easiest times to get a job because virtually everywhere need extra staff! I worked from November until January, around 16-20 hours a week (plus overtime) and earned between £6-7 per hour. A lot of people think they can't work and study at the same time, but if you're organised and determined to reach your goals, you can do anything.

• Tutor- If you're good at something, use it. I'm good at Maths, so in January I decided instead of applying for more jobs, I'd just tutor. I posted my profile on TutorHunt and an ad on Gumtree. I got so many responses! January is the prime time for tutors because people are thinking "crap, I need to work harder" so use it to your advantage. I have 8 students, work 12 hours a week and charge £15-20 an hour. In short, it worked out better for me than a normal retail job because I got higher wages and worked less hours.

• Alcohol? Bleugh- A lot of my friends ask me how I've saved enough money to go on so many holidays. Well, the truth of it is, I rarely go out. My party girl days are over (I can't believe I'm saying that at 18). Whilst the rest of my friends are spending their student loan on partying, alcohol and other substances which shall not be named, I'm jetting off somewhere! Go ahead, go out and enjoy yourself, but do it in moderation. A test: Take one month off from heavy drinking, partying and eating out. You'll be surprised to see how much you've saved! 

• Go on a study abroad/exchange- Every year the government offers a certain number of places for undergrads to study abroad, often during Easter. They pay for everything bar flights and visas, but you can always ask your Study Abroad office whether they can help with additional funding. On the other hand, most uni's also offer exchange programmes to countries all around the world. It usually varies depending on your department but if you do get accepted, you can also apply for a travel grant via Student Loan. Depending on your household income, the government may pay for up to 3 return flights from the UK and help with any additional fees such as vaccinations. Also, have a look at ERASMUS- I'm sure everyone would have heard of it before, even if you don't know what it actually is!

• Intern- There are HUNDREDS of internships abroad. If you're signed up to Prospects or TargetJobs you'll always get emails about them. The great thing about internships is that they're usually paid and some companies even offer accommodation for the duration of the intern. Best of all you have your weekends free to do what you want using the money you've earned!

• Get a TEFL qualification- If you're thinking about staying in one place for a month or more, I'd definitely suggest teaching English. A lot of countries, especially in Asia, want more English teachers so there's always vacancies. The course is often expensive and will require a few hours dedication a week but if you look on deal sites like kgbdeals, Groupon and WOWcher, you'll find them for a fraction of the cost. I got mine for £29 and it was originally £524- did someone say BARGAIN?!

• WWOOF!- If you don't mind some hard graft every now and again, you could try WWOOF-ing! It's essentially where you work on a farm and in exchange for 4-6 hours hard work, you get accommodation and food. Excellent for when you're strapped for cash! You can do this pretty much anywhere in the world and the time you spend there is negotiated with your host, so it's perfect if you're only somewhere for a short time. When Nile and I go on our year abroad, we will most definitely be doing this to save money!

• Leading on from WWOOF-ing, Volunteer. When I first started looking at volunteering I was shocked to see how much I would have to pay to volunteer. I mean isn't the whole point of volunteering so that it's virtually for nothing??? Anyway, a friend pointed me to Original Volunteers which is a LOT cheaper than most volunteering sites. STA travel also do packages which vary in price, but some are very unique and can't be found anywhere else. I've also found loads of wildlife centres in Africa who offer the whole package (accommodation, on-ground transport, food etc) for helping out at the centre. A must for animal lovers. Have a look around online, you'll definitely find something.

• Au Pair- If you're good with kids, this is definitely for you and NO it's not just for girls. There are loads of sites for Au Pairing internationally. The best way is to search for your host countries agencies, but you can also do it privately- just make sure you know the requirements to work in the country. Normally, your host family will provide accommodation, food and flights from your home country. Sometimes they even offer you a car and your own apartment! (But that's very rare). You also get a weekly wage which, since everything is pretty much paid for already, is just pocket money to you! 

5 Minute Make-Up | Everday Make-Up

Now, if you know me, you'll know that I love my sleep. I mean L.O.V.E. I'd rather spend an extra 15 minutes in bed than do my make-up. But obviously this leaves me in a bit of a pickle every morning: do I want to look presentable or look like a goblin? We all know the answer to that, which is why I've come up with a way to get the both worlds! I still get my extra napping time and walk out the house looking fairly decent. I like to call it, the 5 Minute Make-Up routine. If you'd like to see the look in action, head on over to my YouTube!

So this is how it works:

① Primer. 30 seconds. Helps your make-up stay in place for the day. 

② Foundation. 30 seconds. Covers blemishes and illuminates the skin.

③ Contour. 30 seconds. Gives your face back the dimensions lost from the foundation coverage.

④ Blush. 30 seconds. Makes you look more awake!

⑤ Mascara. 45 seconds. Opens up your eyes.

⑥ Eyelashes (optional). 2 minutes. I do this because my eyelashes are super-duper short so they just make my eyes look bigger and more open. (OR you could replace this step with curling your eyelashes and putting on an extra coat of mascara)

⑦ Lip Product. 5-10 seconds. Adds an extra oomph! to the whole look. 

I also spend a few seconds brushing my eyebrows into shape so they're not so wild!

I find that this creates a very natural look that's perfect for a normal day, but if I feel like it (and I have time!), I can also add to it. It's also the perfect base for any make-up look and all it took was 5 Minutes! Who said all girls take ages to get ready?!

Welcome To My YouTube!

So after months of hmm-ing and ahh-ing, I've finally posted my first cover! I'll be posting a video (hopefully) every Monday #MusicMonday and Thursday #VlogThursday. The vlogs will be everything from make-up looks/tutorials to how to style's and room decor inspiration! 

Check it out and have a look on my channel: Lois Layne. If you like what you see (and hear!) please like, subscribe and comment! 

JAY Z & Beyoncé: On The Run Trailer

WOW WOW WOW! If this doesn't get you excited for their upcoming tour, nothing will; it's just a shame no UK dates have been announced (WHHHHYYYYY??!!!)

Still, Queen B and Jay show everyone why they're the world's ultimate power couple, just watch and learn.

Product Review | Prada Candy Eau de Parfum

The first time I sprayed this on, I hated it. I thought it was absolutely vile (okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but still). I walked away from the perfume counter and continued my window shopping around Debenhams...and then...it hit me. "OMG what was that smell?!" It was like sweets and flowers and heaven. I ran back to the counter and grabbed one off the shelf. As you can see, I've since gone back and bought 2 more because it is SO amazing. 

The scent is very sweet, almost caramel-like, with musky undertones. You only need a few spritzes and you're away! The only downside is that when you spray it on, you get a whiff of that strong alcohol smell many perfumes have. But once you let it settle, it's actually a very beautiful smell (am I allowed to say that? Beautiful smell?).

Smell:☆☆☆☆☆

Appearance: ☆☆☆☆☆

Sound: n/a

Taste: n/a

Feel: n/a

Woo Woo, New Blog!

Welcome to my NEW revamped blog! It will now include not only travel inspiration, but also beauty, DIY, style looks, music and much more! Stayed tuned during the next week for new posts! 

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