The Middle East

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ABU DHABI – WHERE THE OLD RESIDES PEACEFULLY BESIDE THE NEW

ABU DHABI – WHERE THE OLD RESIDES PEACEFULLY BESIDE THE NEW

Apr 15, 2018

As many may already know, the Islamic religion dictates everything from the way people worship to what they eat, wear and drink. Although the culture of the UAE is inextricably linked to Islam, Abu Dhabi is a truly shining example of Islam's commitment to hospitality...

MY EXPERIENCE WITH MUSLIMS IN DUBAI

MY EXPERIENCE WITH MUSLIMS IN DUBAI

Apr 4, 2017

Today, as I'm sure you're well aware, we are currently living in a world that is screaming constant social alienation and hatred to people that have particular religious beliefs. It's an extremely disheartening and deeply concerning climate that we're faced with, that finding positive stories...

DUBAI, THE CITY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT

DUBAI, THE CITY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT

Jul 11, 2016

Dubai is such an overwhelming place; a city in the middle of the desert with overlapping roadways, the highest building in the world and temperature that makes you sweat as soon as you hit the outside air. In the eyes of someone who has never...

Girl in red beanie looking at camera with mountains in the distance

Welcome to Travel for Difference!
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WHERE HAVE I BEEN

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  • Moments of magic ✨ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 3 words that perfectly describe how 2019 has been for me... It was a testing year, a reflective year, and a life-changing year all in one, but it was made up of moments of magic. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’ve met incredible people, I’ve had beautiful (and challenging) experiences, and I’ve learnt countless valuable lessons; about myself, about the planet, and about how to be a better human... And what a privilege that is 🙏🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Sending you all a big bunch of love, today and everyday. Now go and enjoy life’s million moments of magic ♥️
  • LESSONS 〰️ My time in the Himalayas taught me more than I EVER expected it to... There were highs and there were lows, but here are a few of the valuable lessons I learnt whilst in the magic of the mountains: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - There’s so much beauty in traveling solo... Meeting new, diverse people is what makes life so damn beautiful 💫 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Trekking is something that I have a deep longing to continue. The mountains make me feel at home 🏔 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - No matter how hard you try, nothing ever goes exactly as you planned... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - My stomach may be weak, but my mind is so very strong. Human strength comes in many different forms 💪🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - There is a huge difference between listening to respond and listening to understand. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Spending time away from social media and focusing on human connection is so important. Seriously, it’s good for your soul. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Go slooooow... Take it one step at a time and soak up the magic of life. There’s no need to rush 🍃 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - Team work makes the dream work 🤙🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - It is the biggest privilege to live on this Earth and to experience the power of nature. Don’t EVER take that for granted (please). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And lastly... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ - The mountains can reveal both the good and the bad in you, and there are SO many things that I need to work on in order to be the best human being that I can possibly be... Self growth is never ending, and I’m committed to it ♥️
  • One of my favourite moments from my time in the Himalayas... 🌜 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I woke up early and headed outside to watch the sunrise; monks were chanting in the distance, the air was still, it was freezing cold and my nose felt like it was close to falling off, but boy was my heart full. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The sky lit up in splashes of pink as the sun began to rise, and off into the distance the moon slowly hid away behind the rugged mountain peaks. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I was alone, but I certainly didn’t feel it. These mountains are magic to say the very least 🏔
  • BASE CAMP, BABY 🏔 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Where have I been over the last few weeks? Soaking up the magic of the Himalayas of course! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Despite getting a terrible case of food poisoning and trekking through the mountains on just a few mouthfuls of food per day (yep, the lack of energy was real), this has truly been the trip of an absolute lifetime. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The Himalayas will take your breath away, fill your heart, make you cry and potentially destroy your digestive system (🙋🏼‍♀️) but the way they impact your soul is unlike anything else on this planet. Those giants have a power like no other. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Nepal has always had a special place in my heart, but now it truly feels like home. Mountains of photos (literally) to come my friends, stay tuned ♥️
  • HERE’S WHAT I’VE LEARNT THIS WEEK: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ✨ Astrophotography is a BIG passion of mine. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🦓 The reason why zebra and wildebeest graze/migrate in harmony is because they each eat different parts of the same type of grass. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🐋 According to new studies, a single great whale can sequester as much carbon as 1375 trees! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ☀️ Life is WAY too short not to watch as many sunrises and sunsets as possible. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🎃 85% of pumpkin’s harvested are sent to landfills uneaten... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 😱 Glacial rivers absorb carbon faster than rainforests! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ♥️ Small acts of kindness are the moments that you’ll remember the most. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What did YOU learn this week?
  • HELLO BALOO 🐻 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I feel incredibly lucky to have witnessed so many WILD animals throughout my time on this Earth, but as a Jungle Book lover, this has got to be one of my faves! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ With just 200 (ish) sloth bears left in Nepal, I’m so grateful that this guy decided to show his face. I mean, just look at that droopy lip... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Thank you Baloo, I’m totally obsessed with you 😭 I’ll treasure this moment forever ♥️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ PS. I have a new blog post up about how to be an animal-friendly traveller, link is in my bio 💫
  • I’ve gone from wanting to take photos of everything and anything, to recently craving the opposite... Yep 🤷🏼‍♀️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There‘s so much beauty in photography and preserving wonderful memories, but I’ve had the sudden urge to take travel 100% back to its roots; for the beautiful human connection, learning about other cultures, reconnecting with nature and broadening my horizons. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t get me wrong, those things have ALWAYS been the most important aspects to me, but sometimes the need to share gets in the way. Having technology and an expensive camera is such a privilege, even more so when it becomes your job... But finding a balance between absorbing and creating is so important to me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I will ALWAYS love photography (I ain’t going anywhere), but I’ve also learnt how vital it is to put the camera down and just live fully and deeply in the present. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Basically what I’m saying is, I want to spend far less time seeing the world through a lens and more time seeing it with my own eyes. I want to stop worrying about the things that aren’t important and start giving my utmost of attention, and I’m so very excited about it ♥️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Over to you, would you still travel if you couldn’t take any photos or share it on social media? What about if you couldn’t tell anyone about it? Think about the reasons you travel and then let’s discuss! ✨
  • Happy dancing in my @organicbasics 💃🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A daily reminder from me to you: Although our future on this planet is looking rather bleak, please don’t forget to enjoy what we have in the present... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Find a balance between being a powerful activist, and a happy, thriving human being. Be passionate and strong when it’s needed, but be content and lively when it’s not. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Being endlessly sad and fearful (although very understandable) isn’t what the world needs... It needs more people who have come alive 💫 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ So go outside, watch every sunset, turn off your phone, and enjoy this incredible planet we are so lucky to call home. Fight for our future and for all who are currently suffering, but make sure you look after your own wellbeing and live in the present too... Life is too beautiful to do anything but 🌎 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ PS. If you are in need of some new basics, @organicbasics is one of the most ethical, sustainable and TRANSPARENT brands I’ve ever encountered. Their practices are above and beyond ♥️ #gifted
  • A RALLYING HYPOCRITE ✊🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The biggest comment I’ve seen in response to the #globalclimatestrike, is that all of those who rallied are “a bunch of hypocrites”... And today I’m here to own it. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I rallied on Friday along with millions of other hypocrites and I couldn’t be any more proud ❤️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I still fly, I still burn fossil fuels in my everyday life (as we ALL do), I still have slip ups with my plastic consumption... And I’m still a member of this messy, destructive society. AKA - I’m not living off the grid in a far away forest 🤷🏼‍♀️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But regardless of what anyone might say, you don’t need to obtain any level of perfection in order to demand a better future. We are living in a system that makes being kind to the planet literally impossible... Wanting world leaders to change that system and make it easier for us ALL (not just those with privilege) really isn’t too much to ask, right? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I’m a hypocrite, you’re a hypocrite, WE’RE ALL HYPOCRITES. So let’s move past the finger pointing 🙏🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ No matter whether you rallied on Friday or if you’re just doing what you can within your means, PLEASE be proud of your efforts and continue doing your best! Progress over perfection friends - we need all hypocrites on deck 🌎
  • Tomorrow - September 20th - is the global climate strike... And I can’t be there 😭 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I don’t need to explain myself, but just know that I would be there if I could 💔 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Instead of getting down in the dumps, I’m going to make the most of tomorrow by contacting government officials, talking about it with anyone (and everyone) I can, spreading the word on social media, supporting those in the march, using #globalclimatestrike to help gain traction, and doing EVERYTHING I can to get involved from afar. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ No matter if you’re unable to join, or if protesting just isn’t for you, remember that you can help this movement grow from wherever in the world you may be. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ The future of all living things depends on it, so raise your fists (the kind way ✊🏼) and fight the good fight, however that may look to you... We got this friends 🌎♥️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (UPDATE: THE STARS ALIGNED AND I MADE IT TO THE STRIKE! But this post is still very relevant to all those who couldn’t/can’t in the future 🙏🏼)
  • HERE’S WHAT I LEARNT LAST WEEK: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏔 There are thought to be 100,000 uncharted mountains under the sea... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🌞 My new life mission is to see as many sunrises and sunsets as possible. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ❓”Why” is THE most important question you will ever ask yourself. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🦛 A quarter of a female hippo’s weight is the contents of her stomach... ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🤯 There are more lifeforms living on your skin than there are people on the planet. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 💔 Construction site workers are 6X more likely to die of suicide than through a workplace accident. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🙅🏼‍♀️ Spending less time on social media is SO good for my mental health. I urge you to give it a try! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What did YOU learn last week? Learnings inspired by @ethicallykate as always 💫
  • Magic moments with the world’s most beautiful deer 🦌 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wildlife photography is an aspect of my life that I find deeply fulfilling; it reminds me of how lucky I am to share this Earth with so many diverse species, how privileged I am to be able to capture such special moments, and how vital it is that I do my part to protect and preserve what I can. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Wildlife photography is what fills my heart and drives me to be creative. I’d love to know what it is that fills yours... 🥰

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