Discovering the Magic of Leeds Castle in Kent: A Perfect Day Trip from London

Discovering the Magic of Leeds Castle in Kent: A Perfect Day Trip from London

by | Nov 2, 2024 | My Travels

If you find yourself in London and are craving a delightful escape from the city’s hustle and bustle, look no further than Leeds Castle in Kent. Nestled amidst the rolling hills of the English countryside, this historic gem offers a perfect blend of history, natural beauty, and fun activities for all ages. In August 2024, I had the pleasure of visiting Leeds Castle with a friend and her boyfriend, making for an unforgettable day trip.

Planning the Adventure

Our journey began with a bit of logistical planning, as my friend was staying with her boyfriend in the south of England while I was cat sitting in London. We wanted to find a spot that was convenient for both of us to reach, and Leeds Castle emerged as the ideal choice. With its rich history and picturesque setting, it promised an adventure we couldn’t resist.

To kick off our day, I hopped on a train from London Bridge to Maidstone East. The journey took about an hour, offering glimpses of charming English towns along the way. My friend’s boyfriend met me at the station, and we embarked on a short drive to the castle. For those without a car, there are bus options available from Maidstone (at the time of this writing, 10X takes just half an hour from Maidstone East to the castle car park), making Leeds Castle accessible for those without a car.

First Impressions and Entry

Upon arrival, we parked at the main parking area, which is nearly a mile from the castle itself. The ticket prices were on the higher side (currently £35.00 on site for the basic adult ticket), but they included unlimited visits for a year. Although this was a generous benefit, we didn’t foresee repeat visits, but still had to pay the same price for the day. You can also buy premium tickets that include extras like the short ferry and a round of mini-golf. The walk from the welcome center to the castle is relatively long, but there’s a shuttle trolley available. We decided to take the leisurely path through the lush gardens adorned with sculptures instead.

Exploring the Castle Grounds

As we approached the castle, the sight of its majestic moat took my breath away. Leeds Castle has undergone numerous renovations over the centuries due to fires and various owners’ preferences. The interior now resembles a stately vacation home from the 1930s rather than a medieval fortress, yet its beauty remains intact. Wandering through its rooms, we admired libraries filled with ancient tomes, paintings of past owners, and fascinating exhibits about former queens who called this castle home.

Despite being a Friday, as it was during the summer holidays, the castle was bustling with visitors. Families with children added to the lively atmosphere, reminding us that Leeds Castle is a beloved destination for people of all ages. Why? More on that below.

Beyond the Castle Walls

One of Leeds Castle’s standout features is its vast array of activities beyond the castle itself. After exploring indoors, we made our way to the expansive grounds where endless adventures awaited. After getting food, our first stop was the giant maze—a complex puzzle that had us laughing and navigating dead ends more than once. At the center of the maze, we climbed a rocky hill to enjoy panoramic views before descending into an intriguing underground grotto filled with sculptures.

As luck would have it, we arrived just in time for a meet-and-greet with some of the resident owls and hawks. Though we missed the falconry demonstration, getting up close with these magnificent birds was a highlight of our day. Some were even tame enough to touch gently—a truly memorable experience.

Dining and Leisure Activities

Leeds Castle offers plenty of dining options scattered throughout its grounds. From cozy cafes to family-friendly eateries, there’s something to satisfy every palate. After refueling with delicious treats, we explored more of what the castle grounds had to offer, even though it was getting a bit late to experience more. Mini-golf seemed to be a hit, an enjoyable activity for families or groups looking to add some playful competition to their visit, but that was barely scratching the surface of the 500 acres of parkland surrounding the castle

Wrapping Up Our Visit

As late afternoon approached, we reluctantly began our journey back to the welcome center. As we walked past the castle instead of taking the shuttle train, we explored the gatehouse ruins we’d overlooked earlier, which offered some amazing photo opportunities. Taking the scenic route allowed us soak in stunning views of Leeds Castle from different angles outside the moat.

Reflecting on our day at Leeds Castle, it’s clear that this enchanting destination offers something for everyone. Whether you’re drawn to its rich history or simply seeking an idyllic escape from city life, Leeds Castle delivers in spades. You can even book a night’s stay on the grounds! With so much to see and do within its walls and beyond them on sprawling grounds dotted with surprises at every turn—it’s easy to lose track of time here.

Final Thoughts

For those considering a day trip from London or exploring new corners of England’s countryside—Leeds Castle should definitely be on your list! While we didn’t make use of annual passes during our visit—we left feeling enriched by our experience nonetheless—and perhaps inspired enough for future returns when possible!

Leeds Castle is more than just another historic site. It’s an invitation into England’s past wrapped within an adventure-filled present!

Exploring Norway’s Fjords: A Scenic Boat Tour from Stavanger to Lysefjord

Exploring Norway’s Fjords: A Scenic Boat Tour from Stavanger to Lysefjord

by | Nov 1, 2024 | My Travels

In September 2024, I was cat sitting near the charming town of Sandnes, Norway, just a short journey from Stavanger. As the crisp autumn air began to hint at winter’s approach, I felt an irresistible urge to explore the stunning landscapes that this part of Norway is renowned for. After a bit of research, a scenic fjord cruise caught my eye—a three and a half hour journey from Stavanger to Lysefjord and Preikestolen (also known as Pulpit Rock). Priced at around $85 and conveniently bookable through Get Your Guide (affiliate link), it seemed like the perfect way to spend a day immersing myself in nature’s grandeur.

Getting There: The Journey Begins

The next afternoon, I embarked on my adventure with a bus and train journey to reach Stavanger. As I stepped out of the station, the city greeted me with its picturesque pond and the main road flanked by historical architecture—including a beautiful old church. The harbor was just a short stroll away, bustling with activity due to a cruise ship having docked. Despite the crowd, finding my designated boat tour spot along the west side of the harbor was easy.

The boat wasn’t overly crowded, likely due to the afternoon departure and shoulder season. Timing played a role here; as the cruise ship passengers would need to leave before the tour ended, most fellow travelers on my tour seemed to be locals or those staying in the area. Boarding was seamless—I simply showed my booking code from the Get Your Guide app and settled into my chosen seat.

Setting Sail: A Chilly but Picturesque Start

The boat itself was sizable, offering plenty of indoor seating with large windows perfect for viewing the stunning scenery. While tempting, I opted for an outdoor seat to capture the best photos despite the nippy weather. My jacket kept me warm enough, though I did wish for an extra layer as we set off into the fjord-dotted waters.

The first leg of our journey took us eastward, presenting breathtaking views of Stavanger’s skyline fading into the distance. Peppered along our route were quaint villages and vacation homes, each more enchanting than the last.

The Majestic Fjords: Nature’s Masterpieces

After about 45 minutes, we reached the entrance of Lysefjord, marked by a picturesque town and an impressive bridge we passed under. The fjord itself was a sight to behold, with towering cliffs rising dramatically from the water.

Our first major highlight was Vagabond’s Cave, an intriguing inlet where our boat skillfully approached closer for better photo opportunities. This spot proved popular with fellow passengers who crowded the deck to capture its mystique.

Next on our itinerary was Preikestolen—or Pulpit Rock. Known for its iconic flat-topped cliff that juts out above the fjord, many choose to hike up for a spectacular view from above. However, seeing it from below offered a unique perspective—an accessible alternative to appreciate its grandeur without scaling any heights.

The tour also included a stop near a charming area known for its friendly goats that trotted out eagerly as we approached—lured by the promise of treats from the crew.

A Waterfall Finale: Hengjanefossen

The turnaround point of our voyage was marked by Hengjanefossen, a stunning waterfall cascading down rugged cliffs into the fjord below. Our boat lingered nearby, allowing us ample time to admire and photograph this natural wonder before retracing our path back toward Stavanger.

As we journeyed back through familiar views, I decided to retreat indoors for warmth. There I indulged in a comforting hot chocolate and a delicious cinnamon roll topped with custard—perfect treats to savor while enjoying panoramic views through large windows.

Reflections on an Unforgettable Experience

Returning to Stavanger as the sun began its descent was equally captivating—offering new angles and lighting for final photos of this vibrant cityscape. As we docked back at the harbor, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for choosing this fjord tour over navigating ferries with their rigid schedules and limited photo stops.

For anyone visiting Norway, especially outside high tourist season when crowds are thinner and booking flexibility is greater, this scenic fjord cruise (aff. link) comes highly recommended. Get Your Guide made planning effortless while providing an enriching experience amid nature’s awe-inspiring beauty.

Whether you’re an avid photographer or simply someone yearning for tranquility amidst Norway’s majestic landscapes—a journey through its fjords promises memories that linger long after you’ve returned home.

The Work Online and Travel the World Course – Bucketlist Bombshells Review

The Work Online and Travel the World Course – Bucketlist Bombshells Review

by | Mar 26, 2020 | Resources

The Work Online and Travel the World Course – Bucketlist Bombshells Review

I currently have the freedom to work from anywhere in the world (with wifi!), whether I’m wandering cobblestone streets in Europe or confined to my house due to a global pandemic. But I wouldn’t have this freedom if it wasn’t for the Bucketlist Bombshells.

I first discovered Cassie and Shay, founders of The Bucketlist Bombshells (a life-transforming online education company), back in 2017. I signed up for their Design Skills (which I’ve reviewed on this blog in the past) and Tech Skills courses, followed by their main course, the Work Online and Travel the World Course.

Affectionately dubbed the WTC, this course does what it says on the tin – it helps you build an online business and then take that business anywhere you want to in the world! Many “work from home” opportunities are just that – locked to your location by product inventory or in-person clients.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to build a business with a little more freedom than that. If suppliers dry up and you can’t reach your clients in person, will your business still thrive? Cassie and Shay show you exactly how to build a business that is truly online so you can grow as the world changes.

This isn’t some instant business scheme. Right in the introductory module of the WTC, Cassie and Shay recommend that you set aside at least 3 hours a week to start building your business with a strong foundation.

Each of the modules contains video lessons and worksheets, as well as links to additional resources.

Module 1 – Defining Your Online Skills

This module mirrors the Bucketlist Bombshells’ free workshop (which you can check out here!), with helping you blend soft skills and hard skills to figure out which type of business is right for you. I am a huge fan of personality typology, so I love that they use Myers-Briggs to help students identify their soft skills.

Module 2 – Rock the Freelancing World

Take the first steps to build your skills and grow your experience with online freelancing sites. While I didn’t use this strategy, it’s helpful if you’re feeling a bit apprehensive about getting paid for your services. It also offers tips you can use outside of these freelancing sites.

Module 3 – Build & Launch Your Online Business

This module moves away from working for rates others determine to setting your own rates – with lots of help and advice! From researching competitors’ rates and finding out the cost of living in destinations both local and global, to using the calculator they provide to analyze your lifestyle and needs so you can know your rates will provide enough to live on (and not be surprised by business expenses and taxes along the way). There are also videos to help with two key aspects of signing clients – one lesson on deliverables and client expectations, and another on landing clients via video calls.

Module 4 – Find, Network & Land Clients

This is one of the meatiest modules in the entire course. Not only do you learn how to to set up your packages, Cassie and Shay walk you through everything you need to include on your website, and then offer an hour-long tutorial to get everything set up on Squarespace! On top of that, they show you how to start finding clients outside of freelancer sites, sharing the insider tips they used to build their own businesses.

Module 5 – Running & Rockin’ Your Online Biz

Setting up smooth processes is absolutely key to wowing your clients and growing your business (without going insane trying to remember everything)! Cassie and Shay walk you through SIX of their favorite programs to keep things organized, as well as outlining a workflow and a finance sheet (complete with tutorial) to track everything.

To be honest, I already owned or subscribed to different software than the ones taught within this module, so it wasn’t as useful for me. Also, many of these programs have their own video tutorials, which are keep more up-to-date. The biggest benefits of this module are that it helps you to figure out the types of programs your business needs (a way to send proposals, a way to schedule calls, etc.) and gives you tips on how to use these programs for your specific business (what features are important, what can you ignore for now).

Also, while the finance sheet will help you get a great overview of your business and its money, you’re going to want to invest in some other sort of accounting software soon after you get a client or two under your belt (or before).

Module 6 – Run Your Biz & Jet Set Around the World

Finally we get to the Travel the World part of the WTC! This is where the course differs radically from many other “start an online business” courses and programs. This module is full of practical advice like choosing where to go, how to book accommodations in your new place, how long to stay in one area, and more! They also keep you on track with your business during this transition – remember, you’re not on vacation here!

One of the main points of this module is moving somewhere with a low cost of living, so that you don’t have to worry about bringing in as much money while your business is still growing. Also, it’s up to you how soon you want to jump into the travel part of this after you start your business.

My situation was different. I have little desire to live in many of the locations they suggest (which are often in hot climates – I prefer 60F/15C weather!) and wanted to explore Europe more instead. While some countries in Europe are lower cost than others (generally warmer spots too), it still would be a big investment, as I was also planning to keep a shared apartment back in the US so I could spend some months of the year near my family.

Instead, I found a different option to make my specific travel dreams come true – house sitting! I have a whole post about it here. I’m watching people’s homes and pets (usually cats) while they travel. My sits can last anywhere from 4 days to 2 months, and I’ve stayed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, and the US this way.

Bonuses

The Work Online and Travel the World Course includes a number of bonuses (more if you pay in full), but the best ones are included for all students – the student Facebook group and monthly live masterminds!

In my opinion, these outweigh the value of the course itself. Wherever you are in your business, it’s amazing getting personalized advice any time you have an issue! You can post within the group to get tips from other students, alumni, and community managers. This is great when you have more simple questions or those that could use a quick response. But the mastermind sessions are amazing when you have a more complicated or in-depth question about key parts of your business and life as an entrepreneur.

There are also literally dozens of past sessions full of helpful advice! And if you’re not able to make the live masterminds (which are generally at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern – so 1am or later when I’m in Europe), you can submit questions ahead of time and watch the replays.

Conclusion

I highly recommend signing up for the Work Online and Travel the World Course from the Bucketlist Bombshells if you want to start an online business! This course will take your from idea to packing your bags! However, there are some people who won’t benefit from this course as much as others.

  1. If your business is already established. This course is aimed at beginners, and while you may greatly benefit from the monthly masterminds, the bulk of the course is about setting things up in your business.
  2. If you’re looking to market products, courses, or coaching services. The focus is on setting up a business model for virtual assistant, design, web design, social media management, and similar services.
  3. If your focus is on being an influencer or blogger. If you want to make money with paid sponsorships or ads, this course won’t help you with that.

But this course is for you if you want to use the skills you already have to start getting paid by clients, if you’re willing to put in the work, and if you want a framework to follow to build a solid business!

If you have any questions about the WTC, leave me a comment and I’ll answer!

Disclaimer: I received compensation for this review, however, my opinions are my own and I had already purchased and benefited from this course years prior.

Holidays Abroad

Holidays Abroad

by | May 29, 2017 | Digital Nomad Life

Holidays Abroad

As I celebrate Memorial Day here in the United States, I cannot help but wonder what American holidays will look like for me in other countries. I’ve seen posts about expats trying to recreate their favorite holiday foods (to varying degrees of success) and feeling homesick on those days.

I’ll be spending this Labor Day in Paris, France. It will also be my brother’s birthday this year, so I will miss out on that. Strangely enough, this past year he missed my birthday – because he was in Paris, France. For both occasions, it was/will be our first visit to France, and both times we were/will be missing out on the other’s 33rd birthday.

I won’t be too disappointed to miss Labor Day, as it’s basically a day off work with a picnic to celebrate the end of summer. In my family’s case, we usually celebrate my brother’s birthday around that day as well. In the past, we would also celebrate my grandma’s birthday since hers was 2 days after my brother’s, but this will be the second Labor Day without her.

Most Americans celebrate Memorial Day the same way they celebrate Labor Day – in this instance, kicking off summer instead of ending it. As they bookend the season and both fall on Mondays, it’s easy to lump them together. But Memorial Day has a far more significant background – it remembers the sacrifice of all of those who have laid down their lives for this country. While I don’t know of any relatives who have died in combat, many of my relatives served and have since passed away.

My 5th great-grandfather, George Hart, was born in Germany, immigrated to the colonies, and fought in the American Revolution for independence from England. Both of my grandfathers fought in World War II for the Allies in Europe. My grandma’s cousin actually bombed their grandfather’s hometown in Germany during the war.

So I’m sure if I’m staying in the UK during the 4th of July or in Germany during Memorial Day (or Veteran’s Day), it will feel very weird to celebrate. But generally those are more family holidays, so without them around, I would be less likely to celebrate anyway.

Most of the countries I would want to visit for an extended period do celebrate Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter, so while I am sure the traditions are different, I will still be able to celebrate them easily within a different country. And I didn’t grow up celebrating Halloween, so I won’t miss it.

Thanksgiving will be a big one, and from what I’ve read, this is the one that often hits expats the hardest. It’s not only the homesickness and missing the great food – it’s also because this is the start of the Christmas season, and if they have no plans to go home for Christmas, the sadness spreads to this holiday as well.

Have you ever spent a holiday outside the country of your birth? How did you celebrate it?

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Choosing a City to Work from Remotely

Choosing a City to Work from Remotely

by | May 24, 2017 | Travel Planning

Choosing a City to Work from Remotely

One thing to consider when working remotely is where exactly you will be operating your business! If you’re wanting to work from home in your pajamas, the answer is easy, but if you want to use your new-found freedom to see the world, the possibilities are endless.

I’ll not be going into visa requirements, since that is different for every type of passport and every country, as well as constantly changing. It will also depend on how long you would want to stay in a country.

Most people have a vacation mindset when they travel. If they want to visit 10 countries in two weeks or go explore places without reliable internet, they can. But digital nomads need to be aware of how a change of location will affect their work and their clients. They can still go on a whirlwind tour or trek into the wilderness, but they do it within vacation time they’ve budgeted for themselves and build a more solid atmosphere for their daily lives.

But you can still build this solid atmosphere in amazingly cool places you’ve always wanted to visit!

There are certain variables you’ll want to consider when choosing where to go, and fortunately, a great site exists to help you gauge what cities are ideal for digital nomads! The Bucketlist Bombshells introduced me to Nomad List, a free site (though becoming a paid member has additional benefits) that presents many statistics to help you choose a city!

The main 4 variables the Nomad list looks at are cost of living, fun, safety, and internet. Each of these are further broken down into specific aspects, and they all add up to a Nomad Score.

You can then filter the results by your own preferences. Say you don’t really care where you go as long as you can live there cheaply – you can look for places under $1000 a month. Say you want to go somewhere in Europe – click on Europe. Say you only want places with very good internet – you can see the average bandwidth for the city, and find some coworking spaces with reliable speeds. Say you want to easily fly to surrounding areas – search for airport.

For myself, I’ll like to work from Europe and travel frequently to other countries. The cheapest places are in eastern Europe, but most cities I’d like to visit are in western Europe. Berlin is centrally located and a reasonable $2000/month, and has a very high Nomad Score (plus Germany has a freelancer one-year visa option for longer stays). I would prefer the UK, but prices range from $2500-3000, though that pales in comparison to Switzerland’s and Denmark’s $4000 a month!

And remember, as a digital nomad you’ll be able to change up where you live frequently – so you can balance out a more expensive location with a cheaper one part of the year.

Where would you like to base your business, at least for a few months?

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