Why it's great to be GEN Y

Everyday I am seeing more and more amazing achievements by generation Y. Growing up there was always debates, saying how our generation was ungrateful, lazy and lacking work ethic. I call bullshit.

Let's first look at social media. A distraction and ruining social interaction (I'm a poet and I didn't even know it) it was not going to have any prospect to help us grow. Disclaimer: ALWAYS use your brains with social media, don't put all your info up, don't meet people you don't know and don't live every single day of your life through a screen.
Youtubers, Bloggers, Vloggers, Online Stores. They are all here because of the internet and social media. Zoella, Alfie Deyes, Sprinkleofglitter, It's Grace, Tyler Oakley, Casper Lee, Tanya Burr, ThatcherJoe. Should I keep going? So much of this is taken up by Gen Y. As a hobby and a career gen Y is doing what they are interested in and enjoy. That makes me proud.

Emma Watson made a speech in front of the United Nations about the #heforshe campaign which I support 100%. Never say a young person can not make a difference. She is smart, well spoken, caring, selfless and has an amazing work ethic. At 24 she got the world talking about an issue she is so passionate about. That is amazing.

I know people volunteering overseas. I know single mothers.I know people studying to become doctors.I know people travelling and growing and following their dreams.
That is what I am most proud about gen y. We follow our dreams and be happy and live life to the fullest.

The world is our oyster.


xx

My Travel Bucket List

There is nothing more exciting to me than planning my next trip. And the one after that. Aaaaand the one after that as well. While I want to travel every inch of this amazing world we live in I have a handful of places that fascinate me and that constantly come up when I start day dreaming (which is a lot of the time). Do what makes you happy! Day dreaming is one thing but planning and doing is another. I can be so bad at actually planning. My goal for the last quarter of the year is to plan these trips. Once they are planned you can make them happen!

So here we go!

INDIA

I love the culture, the colours, the diverse cities. I definitely need to see the Taj Mahal and walk through the streets of Delhi. Plus have you seen Bollywood? As if you don't want to be able to dance like that.

NEW YORK CITY

I want to ice skate in Central Park at Christmas time, even though I am terrible at ice skating. Broadway needs to be in my life and the complete and utter craziness, busy streets, millions of lights and people sounds amazing. Also because Carrie Bradshaw is from New York. I can totally pretend I am fashionable and amazing at relationship advice.

VIETNAM

Firstly, the food makes my mouth water just thinking about it. The history, the people and the amazing landscapes sends Vietnam into my bucket list. I want to ride around Ho Chi Min City in a tuk tuk and cruise around Halong Bay in a junk boat. 

THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

Okay so I saw a David Attenborough special. I just love him but I also fell in love with these islands. There is literally nothing else like it on this Earth. It is unspoiled beauty and nature and a completely different experience from anywhere else I have travelled. It's different,a complete new experience and an amazing story. Everything that I love.


I hope that gave you a bit more of an insight on what type of travel I enjoy most. Let me know what you enjoy the most and the places you want to go! It will probably mean I add to my bucket list but I'm okay with that!

Jayde xx

Put yourself first. Depression is not a weakness.

Most of the time I am loud, animated, ridiculous and definitely posses no word filter. I want this blog to be uplifting and fun. Sometimes though we need to take a step back. We need to breathe. We need to remember that we are not super heroes.

On Thursday I was supposed to fly out to Hong Kong and have brand new amazing adventures. It didn't happen. I have struggled with mental illness for a very long time. I have been on top of it on and off however the last few months has been a big decline. I decided not to go on my trip so I could stay home, get healthy and get better. I have been so lucky to have the most amazing family and friends who are always supportive.

Mental Illness is finally becoming more understood and accepted. It's okay to have a day at home where you do nothing. It's okay to sleep in. It's okay to put yourself first. It's okay to do these things. If you are feeling down at any point, whether it's a day or a week or a month or a year please talk to somebody. Whether it is a psychologist, a family member, a friend, your teacher, your boss. Just talk to somebody. There are hotlines you can call as well if you would prefer not to talk to someone face to face.

You are not weak for feeling like this. You are amazing, and worthy and important. I want everybody to know that. This world is amazing and I want to explore every inch of it. When I am feeling particularly stressed or sad or anxious I get my favourite travel guides out and get lost in all the places that I feel homesick for but I have not yet been to.

 You are all amazing,

Jayde xx

Close To Home

Sometimes some of the most beautiful places are in your own backyard.

I thought I would jump back to the present for a while and share my latest little trip. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to spend an amazing weekend on Moreton Island. It had absolutely beautiful beaches and I watched the sun set over the ocean. Fun fact, Moreton island is the third largest complete sand island in the world and has a desert with some of the biggest sand dunes I have ever seen. If you ever go try sand duning, it is amazing!

It's only and hour and a half from Brisbane by ferry and reminded me that you can fly all over the world and see magnificent things, but there is nowhere like home. You don't need to fly around the world to try new things and see amazing places, they are right near you!

Sun, sand and cider?
Top weekend! xx

Trip 1: New experiences

I LOVE hearing about all the new experiences people have when they travel and I love having them myself. So I thought I would share my favourite new experience with you.

My first day in London was already amazing in my mind. I had breakfast at the cutest little cafe, had the best latte of my life and I found Snapple, which is so addictive. Again, it's the little things. After that I went to see the Changing of the Guards, highly recommend it, the atmosphere was incredible. So I get off the bus at Buckingham Palace and it starts snowing. It never snowed where I grew up. I was 20 but suddenly a child again. I had never seen snow before. I was frolicking, literally frolicking up to Buckingham Palace trying to catch snowflakes. That is my favourite new experience.

I didn't get any pictures, I was too busy frolicking. So fast forward to Switzerland, in the lovely town of Lucerne where I had my first snowball fight on the top of Mount Pilatus. The view is breathtaking. I'm not usually speechless, but then I saw this. 

I stood there and could not form any words to describe what was n front of me. I still can't.

Journeyed through a cave to the most inviting pile of snow. Someone had left an Australian flag, so of course I got a sneaky photo.

I am getting very nostalgic and want to go back to Europe so I am going to stop this post and go plan my next trip. Tell me about your favourite new experience. Memories are my favourite things to share, other than chocolate.

xx

Trip 1: Taking the leap

I got to 19 before I put my foot down, gritted my teeth and booked my first overseas trip. At the time there were no nerves and the best idea seemed to be flying to London by myself. To put this in perspective I had never been out of the country. Also that country was Australia. My first overseas trip in my life and I decided to fly 26 hours to London.

I had always been in love with England even though I had never been there. Which is totally plausible by the way. It may have had something to do with being obsessed with Harry Potter growing up.

My first nerves came 6 months later, in which time I had turned 20 and I stepped foot on the plane.

Tip 1: Do not forget a neck pillow. This may seem simple but I didn't think I would need it all that much. Rookie mistake (thanks for buying me one Nan!). I used that neck pillow for seven hours straight while I hopelessly tried to sleep. 

That first flight is when I learnt I cannot sleep on planes. Not advisable but apparently my body decided sleeping and flying weren't friends. Fast Forward to nerves subsiding a little bit when I realised there are lots of nice people willing to help you and one more flight to go.

Tip 2: Unless you've seen it maybe don't watch a sad movie on a plane. The nice girl sitting next to me gave me an awkward look when I started crying.

Then this happened:

Oh Hey red telephone box. A classic

So that was me. Hadn't had any sleep in 40hours but I just wandered aimlessly around London. It was wonderful and magic. All these pictures look so ordinary to some. It is there home and comfortable and it's something you see everyday (you lucky things I'm a bit jealous). To me it was the most amazing day of my life. That's what travel is. Everything becomes magical.

Tip 3: Just do it. Just take the leap!

   

Hi I'm Jayde

I'm sitting in an airport lounge.
My favourite part about airport lounges is every single person in here has a story.
My story is that I just like to travel. It's 150% possible that the travel bug is running through my veins. It's my favourite part about me.
People say your Twenties are your selfish years. Selfishly finding myself on adventures is absolutely okay.