Aloha Hawaii!

Hawaii is beautiful, so naturally perfect, it's almost unnatural! The people in Hawaii were so welcoming, as soon as we stepped off the plane, we were greeted La'us (Flower Necklaces) and huge smiles! They really couldn't have done anything else to make our experience more special! Most of the Photos are available on my instagram @misslottiedodd - But I thought I would share a few with you all!

 Homage to Duke Kahanamoku on Waikiki beach
Born August 24, 1890, Duke Paoa Kahanamoku was not a member of the Hawaiian royal family. His father, Halapu, was christened "Duke" by Princess Bernice Pauahi (Bishop) in 1869 and the name was on to the young boy who would become the legendary surfer. The full-blooded Hawaiian spent much of his youth in the waters of Waikiki Beach, perfecting his swimming and surfing skills; eventually he became known as Duke Kahanamoku, King of Surfing!

 Germaine's luau

We had an amazing party at Germaine's! A luau is basically a huge celebration, with music and delicious food and lots and lots of dancing!!

And the scenery wasn't too bad either!

Me and Mum are absolutely huge fans of the TV show LOST! So we of course had to do a LOST tour! And for me it was the highlight, we met the most wonderful tour guide! And I could have hiked round the mountains all day!

I really can't put it into words how much I loved Hawaii! But it will always have a very special pace in my heart!

Los Angeles

I really don't know what I expected of Los Angeles, I heard it was ridiculously laid-back, and unlike any other part of America, but I still had no clue what to expect. My first day was challenging, as usual we had problems with being on standby, so my dad and I went first and my mum and sister followed the next day. The weather was exactly how my mother had described it 'Los Angeles fog' The morning was cold and foggy, but brightened up in the afternoon, what brightened it up even more was my aunt coming down to see us from Tennessee! It's so nice being able to meet up with her as we live so far apart, and as usual when we were together, we got up to all sorts of adventures!

Days out!Los Angeles is perfect for days out, and there's a range of activities depending on budget and adventure level! If you have a small budget, just taking a walk along the coast is perfect. With breathtaking sea views and golden sand, it's amazing if you just want to take a casual stroll, or go for a nice jog along the sea front. Also, walking along the Hollywood walk of fame is completely free! The only problem would be the parking because you really, really don't want to be finned! If you're willing to spend a bit more, there are plenty of days out-children of all ages will love universal studios! With amazing rides like 'the Simpson 3D'  transporting you into Springfield, and 'Jurassic park - the ride' gets you up close and personal with a T-rex! 

I would give days out in LA 8/10 for entertainment and value for money!



Food
The food in LA ranged slightly, I'm a huge lover of healthy foods, so I absolutely loved all the fruit drinks and salads they provided! But let's be honest, you can't go on holiday without having a  few little treats..Well I say little...THE PORTIONS WERE HUGE! It's okay to have a burger and fries occasionally, but when they're that big, it's a little off-putting!

I would give the food 6/10 in LA - If the portions weren't so big, I would give a higher rating.

Accommodation

The hotels and the hospitality we received were nothing short of perfection! Everything was sparkling clean, and the hotel staff were wonderfully kind and welcoming! We even received free cookies from one hotel!

I would give accommodation in LA 10/10 because of the wonderful experiences we had!

We were lucky enough to have two parts to this trip! So I will be posting a blog about Hawaii very soon!

Spiders.

Ughh, spiders!
Normally, I'm not the type to be worried over spiders, I mean let's be honest they won't do you any harm in England, but lately, I'm not sure if it's the weather or my fear has just increased, but wow, have they gotten bigger! Just an example, I was sitting down watching t.v last night and just randomly an absolutely massive spider just runs out from behind the sofa into the middle of the room! When did spiders become so confident, I thought they're meant to be 'just a scared of us as we are of them' I don't think so. Anyway, this spider was so freaking huge that my mum and I ran screaming from the room and barricaded ourselves in the kitchen until my dad came home. The worst part is, he didn't find it! It's still there, lurking in the shadows ready to kill me or something. Here are a few "Spider preventatives" I found online, I'm going to give them a try because this is getting ridiculous.

1) Seal up your home. Patch up cracks and holes leading from the outside in to prevent spiders from finding their way indoors.

2) Keep your outdoor lights off. While outdoor lights will not attract spiders, they will attract other pests that can serve as appetizing food sources for spiders.

3) Remove vegetation away from the perimeter of your house. If you have a serious spider problem, consider transplanting shrubs, trees, ivy, and other plants from the perimeter of your house to the opposite side of the yard.

4) Vacuum spiders and spider webs. One of the simplest methods for getting rid of spiders is vacuuming up adult spiders, egg sacs, and webs as you run across them.

5) Deter spiders with horse chestnuts. Place a few horse chestnuts in each corner of the house and in
any area of the house where you frequently run across spiders.

Songkran Festival - Thailand

Songkran festival, Thailand's most celebrated and most loved festival. It runs between April 13th and can vary in length, but usually lasts between 3-10 days, depending on where about you are in Thailand. The word Songkran is means solar year in Sanskrit. But nowadays Thailand celebrates the new year along with everyone else on December 31st.

  I had been to Thailand various different times before, but the atmosphere of this day was different. Everyone was excited, the market stools which were always open was today mysteriously closed? It was a curious feeling, like a strange alien invasion had occurred but instead of people going missing. Everyone who was everyone had crowed into the capital of Bangkok. Driving through the city hundreds of adults and children had set up stool on the back of cars with huge buckets of water, supporting water pistols and thrilled expressions on their faces. Within only 5 minutes our taxi was covered in a thick paste of flour and water as we made the mad dash from the car to the hotel managing to get drenched, as a little old man threw a bucket of ice water over us. Laughing and completely soaked from head to toe we were finally told about the festival and what it involved.

The next day, we journeyed out into koh san road armed with water pistols and raincoats. Almost immediately a group of children threw water bombs at us as we all ran for cover. The actual festival is really well organised, with free goods of water and fruit juices provided by various sponsorship deals. And a stereo playing music so the whole thing is like a huge party. Walking down the street you are greeted by friendly "sawadee ka" you are warmly shaken by the hand and are lightly covered in flour (okay sometimes they go slightly overboard, but it's a sign of respect so just go with it!) You're also kindly provided with water bags and covers, so no expensive equipment is damaged. Throughout the festival a camera for a Thai news channel roles capturing all the highlights of the day. The only bad thing about the festival is that all the shops are shut, so if you primarily came to Thailand for the clothes and the food you could be disappointed. But personally I think songkran is the most fun and adventurous thing I have experienced. It's also a chance to spend time with loved ones and just have a massive celebration. I would definitely recommend Songkran as a fantastic time to go to Thailand, if you like water fights, fun and hot weather. It would even be appropriate for children, as at the time I had my then 9 year old sister and she thoroughly enjoyed it. The only problem we encountered with her, was sometimes It would be a but much, with the cold water and the flour and as it's respectful for them, They're not likely to stop because you're not enjoying it. But to summarise I would say it was the most exciting water fight I've ever had and if you never experience it, you're missing out on a good soaking!

 

Cath Kidston Job interview

So, I had an interview at Cath Kidston this weekend and I was absolutely terrified! I hardly found any information online so I went into it feeling slightly under prepared. Fortunately, it was one of the nicest interviews I had ever had. Just in case anyone has an interview for Cath Kidston coming up or has one in retail, here's some general information I wish I had known before going into the interview.

1) Cath Kidston is huge on teamwork, so arrive early and talk to some of the store members. For example, I learnt some of their names and when a question came up about teamwork, I was like "Oh, I was just talking to e.g. Lauren about that"

2) Research the brand! It's really likely that you will be asked "So, what do you know about Cath Kidston?" Make sure you know the brand inside and out so you're not caught out on this question. Likewise, if you're going for any retail shop, research the brand!

3) Do not give generic answers! You want to make yourself sound interesting and desirable, talk about your love for fashion and what you can bring to the store.

Please don't think this advice is limited to Cath Kidston, you can use this at any retail shop. Just be really smiley and bubbly because at the end of the day they just want warm, friendly people to greet customers.

Other notes

• Wear something floral 
• Keep eye contact
• Try and memorise 3 products you can slip into the conversation
• SMILE

Festival advice

Having only started on the festival scene this year, I was apprehensive about what to expect. Here's some quick advice for complete festival novices like myself.

1) You will get dirty
As nice as it is to bring your best clothes, long skirts and designer boots it's probably the worst mistake someone can make at a festival. Being pre warned about this, I packed countless hoodies and sweats. I have to admit it was funny to watch the "festival outfits" get completely ruined, as countless girls struggled along in their Paul's boutique jacket and larger than life eyelashes. Point is, you will get grubby, don't bring ANY item of clothing you're joined at the hip with, it will be destroyed.

2) Try and pack some food
Especially for students on a budget like myself, I can't afford to pay £20 for every single meal when I'm there. You're hungry and the festivals know this, that's how they make their money. Pack some cereal bars to set you up for the day. There is usually free water somewhere, but bring lots just in case.

3) Stay Safe at the front (and everywhere else)
The best advice someone can give you at a festival is to stay safe, which of course is better said than done. But especially at the front of busy crowds, make sure you're comfortable in tight spaces, because when you're in the mosh pit there's not much chance of leaving. Another thing to note if you're trying to get to the front of that band you like. DO NOT DRINK. Under any circumstances. Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic, you can have water, but if you really want to stay there, alcohol is not a good idea. Believe me. Just a word of advice, please travel in pairs and watch out for that one friend who's throwing up. Just have each others backs.

4) Be prepared
Like the cub scout moto  says 'you must always be prepared' I actually just looked that up, I was never a cub scout. But it's pretty solid advice. Never expect any festival to be the same, it could be a heat wave in one and rain storm in the other. Just make sure you have something for every scenario.

That's just a really quick piece of advice for the basic necessities of a festival. Happy festivaling! 

Glastonbury 2013

Having been warned how Glastonbury would change you for the better or the worse, I was more than apprehensive as we drove up to the site. My Mother who considered herself one of the original hippies, had waited over 17 years before allowing me to enter this crazy yet honest world, and I could not bear the excitement.  No sooner had we arrived in the healing fields and set up our tent, a completely naked woman strode up to us and greeted us rather enthusiastically with hugs. "Welcome to Glastonbury" My Mother Laughed as she saw the shocked expression on my face and I quickly retreated back into the tent.

 The next day was action packed, I had been told of the rain and famous Glastonbury mud and lucky to say I wasn't disappointed. The heavens opened and poured down its glory into the farmland walked on by thousands. I had no idea mud could even look like it did, the sticky yet watery substance stuck to your shoes leaving you literally "Stuck in the mud" But I'm glad it did because I don't think you've had the experience unless it rains - even just a little bit.

The music overall was wonderful, there had been a lot of controversy in the line up this year (there always is) But I felt the music reflected the atmosphere of the festival, laid-back and at times insane. This year the Rolling Stones played and I can honestly say, I've never seen so many people in my life. We knew it was hopeless trying to get anywhere near the front yet we waited for two hours to get the experience and luckily - it was completely worth it. Jagger was in great health, jumping around the stage like a teen, voice hardly changed and the staging was perfect. Throughout the music a huge robotic Phoenix breathed out fire leaving everyone in awe. It was an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Another memorable experience was the Folk band Mumford and Sons, being a huge, huge Mumford fan I was pretty determined to get as close as possible to see them. I've seen them in concert before, but the sheer magnitude of the festival made this experience extra special.

 

After five days and nights at the festival, we finally had a warm mug of chai and sat around with the hippies preparing ourselves for the long wait of next year's festival. My experience at Glastonbury was something I believe truly did change me as a person, the atmosphere, the people and the happiness bursting out of everyone really gives you hope for the future. BRING ON NEXT YEAR!