Crete - Malia - Always look on the bright side

So turns out this bit of travelling didn’t turn out as planned...........

I booked a 1 week holiday to Malia with 4 friends and the full expectations of it being a massively crazy, party holiday. And it lived up to its expectations.

The flight was entertaining, at the airport we met a group of men on a stag-do which lead to a banter filled four hours of older men telling us their disgraceful yet entertaining stories about their wife’s, girlfriends or single life.

We arrived at Crete airport and waited for our luggage whilst the stag-do laid on the conveyer belt and went round and round. After a short trip on a coach we arrived at our hotel.

I instantly loved our room, it was breezy, right next to the pool, had a beautiful view and a gorgeous balcony. Since it was 6am we went straight to sleep. Waking up fairly early to enjoy the day of sun and the night to follow. Our first day around the pool we met a lovely irish group who later that night showed us the ropes around Malia and were to go. A few fish bowls, shots, vodkas later we went home getting a souvlaki which is a traditional Greek takeaway for the walk home.

The second day and night followed in the same routine, we sunbathed, went out for a nice meal and made the most of the nightlife Malia had to offer.

The third day went again very similar but the night time was a different story. It was the kick off for the first England game and we all dressed up in theme with the event. It was a fantastic night, we danced, laughed and met many people including a large group of my friends who so happend to be out in Malia at the same time. But then it all went wrong.........

We ended the night again by getting some souvlaki but this time insted of walking home we introduced ourselves to some boys who were driving quads and we all decided to get a lift back to our hotel. We all set off one after the other, me at the back. The girls got back first and as they stopped at the hotel they heard a ‘bang’, out of curiosity one of the girls drove back to see what it was. She arrived to find me on the floor, the quad crashed into the wall and the guy laid next to me. In a state of panic she went back to the hotel and got the girls.

The girls arrived, the scene was fairly gruesome, i had cracked my skull open and blood was pouring out the wound. Charlotte had covered me up and was talking to me to try and keep me awake and also to try and stop the bleeding. There was a restaurant right across from were i crashed and the owner must have heard the kafuffle and called the ambulance and police. He started shouting at my friends and the boys being abusive about the fact we are English. The ambulance turned up, they wouldn’t touch me until they knew what happened and some medical history about me. After about ten minuets my friend managed to convince them to take me hospital. It was a 40 minuet drive away.

By the time i got into hospital i didn’t know were i was or who i was. I was kicking and screaming so much they had to sedate me and strap me to the bed. The surgeons (whom i am forever greatful to) saved my life. I had nine surgeons and 7 hours of surgery. By this point my mother had found out about the accident and thankfully she was fluent in greek and on the phone to surgeons requesting all the top doctors and plastic surgeons. If it wasn’t for plastic surgery i would have a completely butchered face today. The extent of my injuries resulted in my entire nose and bony parts inside being reconstructed from artificial bone and titanium rods, my skull was put back together using titanium and screws and bone realignment. After this mass amount of surgery i was put into a coma for some days.

When i cam about i still had no clue what had happened. I remained in hospital for another month. The care i receive was fantastic, the nurse (which we paid for) was a complete angel. She even washed me and painted my nails as i couldn’t move because i had fractured collar bones and ribs. I also managed to knock my bottom teeth out (which i later got repaired in England) and break my hand. I gradually got better with my mother by my side and was discharged at the start of July and was allowed to fly home on the 16^th.

In the two weeks i had to spend in Greece i stayed in Crete for a week with my family who came out and then went to main land Greece to our holiday home. Crete i have to say is beautiful. The sea was very nice, a bit rocky but very nice. There are manmade beaches which are flawless. The restaurants were lovely although due to my accident i can no longer taste or smell any thing at all but the food was still freshly prepared and the service received was excellent.

I would visit Crete again, but maybe these times not go for the partying but for the history it holds instead. You may not know but Crete is home to the minotaur and many other ancient Greek myths.

Just to let you know I’m fit and well now, I’m back at university and living my life as normal. I have to say i miss my sense of taste and smell but that’s a small price to pay for such a lucky escape from a serious accident.

Leeds or London Loving

Recently my family has made the transition from northern to southern living, my mum claiming that ‘London life is more vibrant’ making it a valid reason to move away from the ‘rainy, unchanged north’. Me, being a northerner through and through had a lot to say about this drastic move; the north is all I have really known and has never let me down so I have no reason to move away from it. But since I had no choice in the move I thought I would broaden my horizons and accept the fact London may genuinely be my new home.
After spending a couple of weeks in London over the Christmas and Easter holidays I managed to make the most of what’s available and to be honest, every thing that is available in the ‘great big city of London’ is available up north as well.

Shopping: London: Oxford Street , Regent street and all the other famous roads.

Shopping: Leeds: Victoria quarter and Leeds city centre in general, you don’t have to travel on different tubes to different towns to find the thing you want.

Big shopping centre: London: Blue Water

Big shopping centre: Leeds: White Rose and Medowhall is only 30 minuets away which is about the amount of time it would take to commute to a worth while shopping are in London.

Markets: London: e.g. Camden, Liverpool street

Markets: Leeds: Leeds indoor and out door markets – they are all located in the city centre and you don’t have to travel to get to all the different ones.

Museums/Art Galleries: London: plenty for all different types of interests.

Museums/Art Galleries: Leeds: Although there are not as many museums of interest in the north, it’s just as easy to travel to the south to see one. Once you’ve seen the museum once you have seen it all.

Nights out (clubs): London: Plenty that require £15 just to gain entry.

Nights out (clubs): Leeds: Gatecrasher, big nights such as metropolis, the o2 academy offers other gigs and events.

Nights out (bars): London: Every town offers its own version of night life.

Nights out (bars): Leeds: Headingley has lots of cheap and cheerful bars that are suitable for all ages.

Places of interest: London: Madam Taussaurds, Big Ben, the London eye, the dungeons and many more are located in London.

Places of interest:Leeds: You are never to far away from some thing to do, there’s tropical world, York dungeons are only 30 minuets away as well as the castle walls located there. And there are seasonal events such as the German market.

Eating out: Both Leeds and London are abundent in a variety of places to eat out at.

Country Side: London: the real country side is non-existent here although there are boating lakes and parks.

Country Side: Leeds: Country side every where, from the peak district to the lake district, to fields of greenery and walking paths. No artificial green areas are needed.

Fresh Air: London: Smog – it has been said that Londoners snot can be black on some days due to pollution.

Fresh Air: Leeds: Fresh area all around, a healthy green colour for northern snot all year.

I do have to admit that in some areas London does excel such as the theatres have so many more viewing options, but with the amount of theatres available I would be disappointed if there wasn’t.
There are a few more centrally located things to do such as the London eye and the houses of parliament, the river themes, but how many times can you visit the same place? And the prices of visiting these areas are extortionate so even if you wanted to visit every day you couldn’t. The same applies for nights out, there may be more areas with bars, pubs and clubs but when you are paying £4 for a pint how often are you going to make the most of these.
Maybe I am just being biased because I was raised in the north, but at the end of the day, putting places, prices, pubs, bars, clubs, shopping and eating aside you are left with the people. And it has to be said northerners are much friendlier and polite breed compared to those in the south. Southerners are too engrossed in themselves to carry out a simple act of kindness such as hold a door open for the person behind or give up their seat for the elderly lady or even apologise quickly for standing on your foot on the tube .
I have to say I am all for :

Easter

Easter holidays have always been an interesting and active time of year for me. England just starts to get hotter, the BBQs come out and best of all... CHOCOLATE!!
Coming home from Uni im instantly greeted with properly cooked dinners and then on the Easter Sunday a big BBQ and Easter egg hunt (I have a 9 year old sister so it is still acceptable to plan things like Easter egg hunts at 19). I’m not sure if its just me getting older but so many things about Easter have changed like:
· How long it takes me to find my eggs – It definitely used to take me an hour or more but now the hunt is over in ten minuets.
· Getting into my Easter eggs is so much quicker and easier and the egg is more or less the same size as the box – this might have some thing to do with the recycling laws so there isn’t double the amount of packaging needed to find the smallest egg insider. Or I have just got older and can’t eat as much chocolate any more so the eggs fill me quicker making them seem like there’s more chocolate to them.
· Its just BBQ Sunday not church and BBQ Sunday like it used to be – changing times or just the fact my nana isn’t there to drag us all to church?
· Its risky planning to BBQ – its definitely true about the colder wetter winters coming about, planning a BBQ in April is as dangerous as having a naked flame near gas... you never know when some thing is going to go off (in this case when its going to rain). I’m sure when I was younger the Easter holidays were hotter?!
I guess I’m just trying to say are times changing for the worst? For the better? Or have they always been like this?

Playa De Las Americas – All inclusive heaven!

The hotel I stayed at and the pool!

So I have just got back from Tenerife (Canary Islands) and not only have I gained a decent tan, but a couple of pounds too!
I stayed in the Hotel ‘Best Tenerife’ which well deserves the four stars it has been awarded. My room was lovely, large, two double beds, en-suite bathroom, TV and best of all a sizeable balcony with a beautiful view.

The above picture was my room at the hotel!
For an extra £130 I had all my food and drink included for my weeks stay which meant I had an un-limited amount of breakfast, lunch and dinner on offer to me in so many different varieties through out the day. On top of that I had snacks such as ice creams and toasties delivered to me by the pool. And on top of that I had the pick of any drink I wanted (I discovered a liking for Baileys this holiday after trying every drink just because I could).
All this might sound amazing (that’s because it was) but there has been a major down side. I have added pounds to my already expanding figure (coming to university in Leeds has not been kind to my gut). All inclusive was a money saver but I’m starting to think that may be it prevented me from enjoying the lovely restaurants Playa De Las Americas has to offer.
Like any 19 year old I did go off seeking the night life and funnily enough I think I found it quite well due to my lack of memory about the night out. What I do remember is that drinks were cheap, people were friendly and the entertainment was genuinely entertaining.
I would recommend going to Tenerife; the locals have made it paradise to the extent that they have shipped in tones of sand from neighbouring Africa to ensure the beaches are the perfect shade of white to blend in with the picturesque turquoise of the sea. And the temperature never drops below 25 degrees Celsius all year round. Although if you have that bit of extra money to spend I would keep your board as self-catering to ensure you get a good view of the Island and what it has to offer. Carrying that extra money and expanding your wallet may prevent an expansion in your waistline.

Placement Year

Being in my second year at Leeds Met I have to start considering the opportunities offered by completing a years placement in Public Relations. The obvious benefits such as work experience in a real business environment, learning the things that can never be taught in a classroom and some thing worth while to put on my C.V. are factors swaying my decision to do a placement. But the route to obtaining one is so confusing.
There are so many un-answered questions and many more negative points. Such as where will I live if I move to another city and if I end up doing a placement in Leeds after all my friends have signed for a house then where will I live?! I have to apply for my student loan, but I don’t know whether I will be doing a placement or not so how do I know what to apply for? What if I don’t find a placement? When do they start? And the list goes on and on.
In PR I feel that experience counts for a lot more then what you are taught in a class room. So what do you do in a situation like this? Leave myself hovering above whether I will be offered a placement or just go straight into my final year?

House Party Galore

As any Leeds loving student knows the first year of University is all about the nights out, every one goes to the standard well known nights advertised by 'Voodoo Events' and 'Taking liberties' which meant last year my week revolved around Halo, Space, Oceana, Mezz, Chilli Whites and some other random well organised, well advertised event. I'm not complaining, I had the best year of my life, I definitely gave a new meaning to the saying 'Live for the nights you cant remember with the friends you'll never forget.'

But after spending every penny of my overdraft and student loan the second year has now been all about the cheapest nights available or paying that little bit more and going to the best nights available but less often. And for those nights with no money Headingley has become House party Heaven!!

Hyde Park has so far shown me some of the most legendary, mind-blowing party's. They are full to the brim having 'bouncers' on the doors on the odd occasion because the house is literally at capacity! Headingley has been hot-to-trot following in Hyde Park houses foot steps being the location of some of the best all weekender party's. The houses these party's are thrown in tend to have the same lay outs; massive living rooms and Kitchens and the added bonus of huge basements. And the reasons why they are so amazing is that they:

• have such a laid back feel, most people are dressed casual (unless you join the party after a night out)


• the music is incredible, there are usually 2 or 3 different rooms of music with decks, djs and massive speakers. So its guaranteed you will find music you like.


• you meet so many new people and can actually talk to them because not every room makes your ears ring


• you can come and go as you please and even if your friends have been on a night out and you haven't they can come and join you after


• The best bit has to be IT'S FREE TO GET IN

It's amazing how having no money changes your social activities, whats even more amazing is how much it has it has improved it from the same monotonous nights to a mash up of the best party scenes.

(The photo is from my most recent party, 15 hours after it started!!)

Sunday at HIFI

So it was another Sunday night in Leeds and yet again i mostly didn't have much to do (apart from the mound of Uni work) so after getting a text from a friend saying they were going to Space or HIFI I got a bit of itchy feet.

As every one who lives in Leeds knows Space is a really good night out, fantastic music and an eerie but good underground venue, the only down side is every one that goes is so drugged up they cant dance, see straight or hold a conversation. So since it was a Sunday i fancied something abit less intense and convinced people to go to HIFI.

All i can say is AMAZING! It was the perfect mix of different. I can see why it has been three times winner of the “Best Nightclub” and “Best Live Music Venue” at the annual Leeds Bar & Club Awards. And what makes it even better is it was FREE ENTRY!!

As soon as i walked in the atmosphere was fantastic. Everyone was dressed in their own manner with no judgemental looks being thrown around, so laid back. It was also filled with people from all walks of life (mainly students) from international students to people that are Leeds born and bred.

The music was a live jazz, Latin, funk & salsa bands alongside resident DJs from New Bohemia and First Word Records who play Soul, Funk & Hip Hop into the early hours! The salsa and jazz songs often were mixes of music in the charts like Destination Calabria so i never felt out of place. All the music just made you want to move your feet and dance.

This night out is definitely going to be a regular occurrence, the only down side was drinks were ridiculously expensive (£3.30 for a single spirit and mixer).