Sunday is always a nice day to go hiking. But it's the thought most people have on a Sunday, especially on a rare sunny day in Ireland. It didn't surprise me when I arrived to Glendalough and circled the car park to find hoards of people and all their relatives there. I was mad at myself for driving there on a Sunday when I knew it would be busy, but who knew what a great day it would turn into. I looked for other areas to hike but instead decided to drive through the town of Roundwood over the Sally Gap towards Blessington Lakes. En route through Sally Gap, the one of two passes through the Wicklow Mountains, I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked out my left windowside.

I decided right at that second I had to pull in and get out! I grabbed the nearest spot I coil see, put my jacket on and went out walking. I sat out on the hillside for a while taking it all in and taking some photos. There were some buses of people who had just left so I had those few minutes to myself which was truly breathtaking! After that, I couldn't wait to see what else was ahead of me. I drove along the Sally Gap and stopped another time or two for photo opportunities along the way. The scenery kept changing, it was bog land, then it was mountainous, then it was dry and barren in some areas, the array of colours were incredible.

I kept driving towards Blessington area which was on the other side of Sally Gap and was home to some pretty lakes which I wanted to check out. It had been years! After much driving and getting lost (exploring as I like to call it instead), I came to a carbpark by the lake shore and then had a wander down on the lakes 'beach' to get some pictures. I then headed to another car park where I went for a walk along the lakeside for a while and then sat down in the sun to enjoy the beauty of it all. Just before leaving, I had a chat with the maintenance man, through the rolled down car windows. He told me about the frequent car break ins (which he had warned me about earlier), the people who have committed suicide from the bridge, the people he has stopped commuting suicide, the dept of the lake (65ft almost all over) and so many things. He told me a story about a missing woman who had been found in her car at the bottom of the lake. He said he had been taking his boat out right over that exact spot three days in a row before she was found and had no idea what was below. He eerily told me about the insulation of cars these days and how long it would have taken for her car to fill up with water before she died. It was tragic. The most bizarre thing is that two hours after our conversation, a huge tragedy was happening up north involving an entire family who accidentally drove off a pier and died. I wondered if he was thinking back to our conversation and the timing of it all, in shock just like I was.

Not long after, I made my way back home before it got dark. I had such a beautiful day and I couldn't believe how I had seen so much beauty right on my doorstep which i had never seen before. Ireland is truly spectacular, but be careful of the deep lakes when visiting.

The last time I had been to Cork city was a few years ago when I had planned to go to college there. That was only my second time there (The first I can't even remember) and I was excited to get the chance to go back and spend Paddys Day there. Not only would I be spending our nations biggest public holiday down there, I would get to reunite with two great travel friends, both called Emily and both from Cork. And no, they didn't know each other.

Emily D who I met in Nepal last year, came to meet me at the station and we went to have some pizza and wine at 'The Sextant' pub with Emily B and her friend Sarah. We all agreed that it was beyond refreshing to talk about common interests and travelling life. Me and Emily even stayed up until 2am drinking wine, eating hummus and crackers and chatting about life.

The next day we planned to go into the city to enjoy the parade, the market stalls and do a bit of a pub crawl in the afternoon. After the parade we caught up with Emily B briefly in Wetherspoons and then we had lunch before leaving to hop around a few pubs. I had a vegetarian curry with naan bread, rice and a beer for only €10.95 and it was delicious. Me and Emily D spent the next few hours pub hopping and enjoyed beer in various places including Preachers and Rising Sons brewery. We ended the night with some take away pizza before heading home after a great night out. It was my first night out in Cork and it was a blast.

The next morning both of us woke up feeling fresh. Maybe that's because we slept until the afternoon. We took the bus into town later on and had a few hours to look around the awesome English Markets full of fresh fruit, veg, pastries and home made jarred produce. We wandered into a few shops and then decided to head to the recommended Sultan restaurant and sheesha lounge on Penrose Wharf. This chilled and vibrant space did the a great lunch deal for €10 which had just finished 40 mins prior to us getting there. The really nice staff told us that it was non problem to accommodate is, and even let us sit in the relaxing sheesha lounge to eat. I ordered the falafel and Emily ordered the chicken shawarma, both of which came with chips or rice, yoghurt mint dip, hummus dip, pitta bread etc. We had a drink for free so we chose to have Turkish coffee afterwards which we decided to pair with some fresh baklava, which id never had before. My god was I converted. Overall the service was amazing, complete with the smell of I sense, the sound of beautiful music, the colourful vibrant decor and the soothing vibes. Definitely a place I would return to in a heart beat.

You can check out their Facebook page here:
https://m.facebook.com/Sultan.Cork

Afterwards, Emily walked me to the bus station and just like that, my mid day 'weekend' was almost over. It was so great to see the two Emily's and explore Cork city and I would recommend every traveller or local to head down there if they get the chance. I know I'll be going back ✌️

Firstly, It is not unknown to us that there are a vast amount of international companies that are still testing their products on innocent animals. Yes, the MAC lipstick you swear by or the Estée Lauder foundation you can't live without are just some of the products that are tested using animals as objects of experimentation.

If this doesn't bother you then you need to take a look at your ethical priorities but if you want to know more then read on....

Above is a screenshot of the search page of 'Bunny Free', the app that can be used by conscious customers to provide ethical information. You can search by company name or simply browse through companies which 'Test' 'Don't Test' or search for both at the same time to learn more. It is an amazing app and it gives you links to the company websites and whether or not they have the PETA logo on their products.

There are a lot of sub companies of major brands who claim to be 'cruelty free', yet they are owned by these parent companies who have no problem testing their products on innocent little animals.

For example:

Urban Decay featured below who claim to be cruelty free and even have the PETA logo on their products, is owned by L'Oreal just like The Body Shop.

Unlike a lot of the 'sub companies', there are hundreds of completely cruelty free alternatives for make up, skin care and body care with no affiliation to 'Parent Companies'. Some examples of these companies are:

Gosh Cosmetics, Jane Iredale, Kat Von D, La Rocca Skincare

And also... Marc Jacobs Beauty, Ted Baker and one of my favourites, LUSH Cosmetics

E.L.F is also one of my favourites not featured on the app but can be bought online and in some department stores around the world. The absolute best thing about these products is that they are so affordable and such quality products. I am a devout lover of Jane Iredale BB cream, E.L.F palettes and LUSH face masks and moisturisers.

Its 2016 and we are in a position to make a change and to stop promoting this horrible act of cruelty from happening. The thing is, there is no law that says animals have to be used to determine if a product is fit for our use or not and when there are safe alternatives then we should be using them as standard right?

Do your part, and next time you shop, use the Bunny App to scan a brand before you chose to support them. Give your support to the ethical companies and feel good about what products you are using.

Yesterday was a beautiful day, sunny and warm which was luckily a good day to choose for a hike. I hopped in the car and drove to Glendalough, a place I hadn't been since a primary school trip years back. It is one of the most visited places by tourists in Ireland and you can see why, once you start driving in the direction or Roundwood and Glendalough. It has so much ancient history and plenty of round towers and old monasteries to be seen during the hikes or just when walking around.

When I arrived I parked at the vistor centre which is a 1.6km walk away from the information office where the treks start but it is free and well, what's an extra few kms! It was a lovely day so I set off down the boardwalk and having chose the 'white route' or the 'Spinc and Glenealo Valley route', I followed the white arrows. The great thing about the park is that all the trails are well marked and there's no hope of you getting lost if you follow them and doesn't wander off on the unmarked trails. There were plenty of people to make you feel safe when hiking alone there but not too many to make it feel crowded.

I chose this hike because it was 9kms and would take 3 hours to complete and it boasted the best scenery in the Wicklow mountains. I would love to have time to have done the full 129km Wicklow way starting in Wicklow and ending in Carlow, if I had the time, but this was a good hike to pick! The trail led up 600 odd steps that led up to the too of the mountain giving you that big blast of fresh mountain top air just at the right moment when you think you're about to die... Well not that extreme but it's tough! When you're up there, the boardwalk style tail leads all the way up and around the hills looking over the upper lake and surrounding valleys. It carries on down the mountain towards some rocky terrain and beautiful small flowing waterfalls. This is a great spot to stop for a snack or lunch if you haven't already done so.

The trail then continues down on the rocky scree like surface so be careful and watch your step. There are so many great photo opportunities along the whole trail so don't forget your selfie stick or just your phone timer if you're hiking by yourself- like i use! The end of the trail brings you along the lakeside on the level of it giving you a different perspective and leads you though a beautiful enchanted forest, feeling very Canadian like! I almost expected a bear to pop out of the surrounding woods. It ends at the information office and you just carry on 1.6km back to the visitor centre car park.

Everything is free and there are plenty of places to chill and relax along the hike or even after it on the open grassy areas. The vistors centre can be entered for a small fee and provides lots of historical information about the area. There are some old ruins to pass on the White trail too so you will see some cool things like monasteries and round towers along the way so keep your eyes open! There are also many options for other longer or shorter hikes or even just for an easy stroll.

Go for it! Below are some websites with more information on walking trails and information on Ireland in general.

www.wicklowwalks.com

www.failteireland.ie

www.discoverireland.ie

www.walkingtrails.ie

Upon arriving on the island we were picked up and brought to our accomodation at the Aran Islands Hotel. The hotel was beautiful and had a great location right by the ocean with a great view from the dining area. The staff were so friendly and constantly there to help us, even when we had some rowdy neighbours on the second night. The food there was incredible and we had the fresh fish on the first night which was delicious. I had goats cheese bruschetta and cheesecake which was indescribable! The goats cheese was fresh from the local goats on the island and all the fish was freshly caught. I don't normally eat fish but I had to try the local fish in this case.

Our room was huge and we had a large single and a large double bed with a large TV. We were provided with clean towels both days, lovely toiletries and a kettle with teabags/coffee etc. The hotel was very well maintained and the waitresses in the dining area both in the evening and morning were very friendly and welcoming. Even when we checked out, we had s lift to the ferry port and they saw us off just as friendly as when we arrived. I would definitely recommend this hotel for your stay on the islands and the tour we did around the island can be booked at the reception.

www.aranislandshotel.com

https://m.facebook.com/AranIslandsHotel

Arriving in Rosaveel an hour outside Galway, we took the 6:30 ferry to the largest of the three Aran Islands- Inismór. When we arrived, we were picked up by the Aran Islands Hotel and taken to our accomodation right across from the ocean. The staff were so welcoming and our three course dinner that evening was to die for. Our hotel room was massive and we had two nights booked there. We had an early night and prepared for our full day exploring the next day.

The next morning we had a full Irish breakfast which was included in the price but I was pleasantly surprised to see a veggie breakfast option on the menu. I was even more surprised when I got it. It was the best veggie breakfast I'd ever had.

After breakfast we were picked up by the tour and driven all around the island to Inismór village, Dùn Aongheasa fort and throughout the tiny narrow roads of the island along the coast. We were super lucky with the weather and we really enjoyed the day even more with the sun shining. The walk up to the fort was lovely and when I got to the top the view from the cliff edge was beautiful but slightly scary. The sheer drop down to the Wild Atlantic Ocean was so steep with no barriers around the edge and it made me think of the Cliffs of Moher. This was the largest fort in Western Europe and over 2000 years old with some amazing history. The tour continued for the next while and we were then given the option to be dropped in the village, which we did. We did some shopping in the Aran wool sweater shops where I got a beautiful sweater for 50% off. We also looked in the gift shops and then stopped by the local bar for some fish and seafood chowder, which was delicious. It was like being in a different country listening to everyone speak Irish around us. This was a Gaeltacht area where many of my school friends would have spent their summers learning Irish with locals. The west is one of the only places in Ireland where they speak Irish fluently and only 7% of the country actually speaks it fluently. Later after walking back to the hotel we chilled out and later that evening we got a lift to Joe Watties Bar where everyone seemed to be. They had lovely cider and good Irish music there.

The next morning we had another lovely breakfast and then took the 12pm ferry back to the mainland where we would take the car to Dingle, Co. Kerry. Our trip to the Aran Islands had been brilliant and the weather made it even better! I can't wish to go back again.

One of the best things about coming home was seeing all my friends and family again and I was intrigued by everyone's new lives and stories. I couldn't wait to hear everything. Throughout the first week I had gone out with Rebecca for a drink to Slevins/Bradys, on my first night home, I had met Amy my old school friend for a drink in ODwyers/Slevins, I had organised to meet my childhood 'almost sisters to me' Jean and Paula and Jeans baby Fionn, for lunch in the local cafe. Mam joined us and we chatted about old times and even times when me Paula and mam were together in New Zealand. I had met my good college friend Elfreda in town for some drinks and dinner, I had had lunch with my two good friends Sarah and Davina in the local cafe and I had even made it into town again to meet my yoga sister Emily who I had recently met India, for a no alcohol, no lights dance hour. It was incredible! Check it out here - http://www.joe.ie/entertainment/soda-bread-box-the-new-dancing-in-the-dark-night-thats-taking-off-in-dublin/498779

I had successfully met up with so many people and bumped in to others around town which was great considering my planned short holiday home.

During my time here I still had a vacation on vacation planned to the Aran Islands and Dingle with my mam to explore a part of Ireland I'd never been. When I would return I was planning even more meet ups with as many people as possible before my due date out of Ireland once again. It was such s great first week back and I was so happy to see everyone. It was amazing how everyone had changed so much and we felt so much more grown up each time I would return. I could finally get into my old routine of healthy eating and daily yoga which was great, especially with the sun setting as late as 10pm it was incredible. Thanks Ireland ya beauty 😍

Arriving back in Dublin was quite surreal and I almost felt like a tourist in my own country given how different everything seemed to me. The Irish humour was the first thing that hit me and it took me a while to kind of get the jokes. Being greeted by my mam and my childhood bestie at the arrivals area was brilliant. We all headed back to Dunboyne- my home, and had a typical Irish roast dinner and tea afterwards. It was delicious. As always, I raced straight to my bag and proceeded to take out and show all of my souvenirs whilst babbling on and on about stories from my travels. It was time to chill out!

Later on that evening Becky and me headed to Slevins pub in the village for some drinks and a catch up. It was so surreal to have come from Africa straight back to this and it literally felt like a time warp only with the people being a bit older than they were when I left.

Bank holiday Monday was a day for me to finally relax and sleep in considering my long flights home. 24hrs in transit through 4 cities in 3 continents to be precise and that's exactly what I did. I had visited my uncle and grandad straight after the airport the day before which they were delighted about but today I had a whole day to spend at my grandads- drinking tea and watching game shows just like before. The drinking tea thing was starting to get a bit much and I found myself constantly with s cup in my hand as if it was another limb. That's Ireland for ya. The next day I was up early and in town to apply for my new passport (I managed to fill the old one finally) and driving licence (which was stolen from me during my travels). When I was finished looking in my favourite shops, my mam and I headed for a lovely dinner in The Porterhouse (highly recommended by most Dubliners including me, even in though I'm not actually a Dub). The next week would give me a taste of the celeb life with all the meet and greets i had scheduled (just kidding), but I was super excited to catch up with everyone.