All posts filed under: PhotoDiary

A Weekend in Wellington

It was my birthday a few weeks’ ago, so I decided to spend a weekend in Wellington. Here’s what we got up to on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy! FRIDAY We arrived in Wellington around 1pm and thankfully, it was a nice sunny day! Uber seemed a tempting way to get to our hotel, but instead we caught the Airport bus to the “Wellington Railway Station” ($12 one way). The trip only takes about 20 minutes, but somehow we missed our stop, and ended up on the motorway, driving to Petone! Never fear, we had planned to visit Petone in the afternoon. Ravenous, we headed to Kilim for a late lunch. Kilim is a family owned restaurant (there is also a branch in Napier which we have been to) and they do great Turkish fare. We ordered their Doner Kebab with chicken and Iskender Meal with falafel, which also comes with a generous amount of rice, hummus, beetroot dip, mixed salad, tabbouleh and Turkish bread. Both meals were filling, delicious and reasonably priced. Highly recommend …

Georgieats’ Guide to New York

New York. A few months’ ago, I visited The City That Never Sleeps – New York. I am already dying to go back. Why you may ask? Well, New York is like no other place I have ever visited. The majority of my time spent in New York made me feel like I was on the set of several films I had ever seen. Yes, I admit, the majority of films and television shows I have watched inspired me to visit New York. Coming from a small scale city, New York was draw-dropping in real life. From the skyscrapers, to the office buildings, the wonderful street art, the eclectic mix of people… plus the fact that you can get any cuisine you want any time of the day AND the endless amount of things to do. Every day I spent walking around this exciting city, I felt like I was in a dream because it is a truly magical place! One of the main reasons why I travelled to New York was because a few years …

15 Best Things to Do in London

London is… Big. Thrilling. Multi Cultured. Fascinating. Inspiring. Food Heaven. Check out my 15 Best Things to Do in London below: #1  London Eye I am terrified of heights. But, on my most recent trip to London, I faced my fear, and booked tickets to go on the London Eye. It is probably the most touristy thing to do, but it is one of the few attractions that offers amazing 360 degree views over London. Some of the attractions you will see from above include Big Ben, River Thames, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, The Shard, St Paul’s Cathedral…. and many more! The London Eye stands at 135 metres above ground and is essentially a giant ferris wheel. You (along with a few strangers) are put into a large pod – do not fear, there is room to stand up and also a few seats if being up high gets too much (i.e. me!). There are numerous opportunities to take photos of yourself/friends/family in front of London’s most famous buildings.   At night, the London Eye …

Hawke’s Bay Travel Diary

Over the summer holidays, I spent a week in Hawke’s Bay, a region in the North Island of New Zealand, which is home to fresh, delicious produce and beautiful wines. In fact, Hawke’s Bay is the oldest wine region in New Zealand and the second largest (after Marlborough). There is lots to do in Hawke’s Bay, from dining at the many restaurants and cafes, sampling local wines, climbing mountains, exploring beaches, or picking up your produce for the week at the amazing farmer’s market. Check out my highlights for my favourite things to see, eat and do in Hawke’s Bay… #1  Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market is one of my favourite markets to date for its abundant range of produce, and the fact that everyone is catered for. Highlights included: FIGS from Te Mata Figs, plus fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, nutty and wholesome gluten free breads, organic blueberries and ice cream from Bay Blueberries, gluten and dairy free treats and products from HAPI, mouthwatering macarons from Monsieur Macaron, hot chilies like jalapeños and Padron …

Barcelona Travel Diary

Barcelona is my favourite city to date. It is located on the northeast coast of Spain and is the cosmopolitan and vibrant capital of the Spanish Catalonia region.  I have been twice now and both visits have been fabulous. I love the language, the rich culture, the beautiful scenery and stunning views from attractions all over the city, the relaxed lifestyle (and those siestas come afternoon) and of course, the cuisine! Check out my list below for my favourite things to see and do in Barcelona. In a separate post, I will share my favourite eats in Barcelona, along with a recipe – stay tuned! La Sagrada Família From the age of 13, La Sagrada Familia has been at the top of my travel bucket list. If you are visiting Barcelona, then this is definite MUST do. La Sagrada Familia is the famous basilica designed by the Catalan Spanish architect, Antonio Gaudi, and it is still in construction today, for some 135 years. The estimated completion year is 2026-2028 – wow! Visiting this basilica was a dream. I was …

Paris Travel Diary

What feels like only yesterday, but in fact was this time last year, was an experience I will never forget. My sister and I embarked on a one month trip around Europe. We had a stopover in Tokyo, and a week in London (where unfortunately I was unwell), Paris, Barcelona and Berlin. We wanted to get a real feel of each city, and spending a week in each place meant that we could do a lot, and re-visit places that we became to love. Starting with Paris, I will share our top things to do, along with photos and in a subsequent post, our favourite eats and recommendations on what to order…because obviously food is the most important! [That tiny frame in the above picture (and below) is the Mona Lisa…] Top 10 Highlights: Walk everywhere! Paris is predominantly flat, so being able to get to places by foot was ideal for us. We loved putting on our walking shoes, filling a backpack with necessities and walking out of our apartment, with no plan for the day. The best part …

Sydney Travel Diary

Sydney is one of my favourite cities. I love it because it is alive and vibrant any time of the day, it is very multi-cultural (think a vast range of delicious foods and products to buy) plus the views are always stunning, whether you are walking through Sydney National Park or are standing on top of Sydney Harbour Bridge. I also love that there are so many things to do, and everyone is catered for, whether you are into shopping, being out on the water, trying new foods, keeping active or just relaxing on a beautiful beach (I love Bondi and Bronte). Check out the list below of my favourite foodie places (with recommendations), shopping, and activities in Sydney: EAT I haven’t actually been to many restaurants, as we usually eat at food courts or markets, but there is one restaurant that we always revisit, namely Mama’s Buoi, a modern Vietnamese restaurant in Surry Hills. We love the rice paper rolls, vermicelli noodle salads and they also serve T2 teas. 116 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills On our most recent trip to Sydney, we planned to …

Queenstown Travel Diary

Last year, my older sister moved to Glenorchy, so we decided to spend Christmas and New Years in nearby Queenstown. I was super excited as it was my first time travelling to Queenstown and I couldn’t wait to experience all that it had to offer. I love that there are so many things to do in Queenstown, and that everyone is catered for, whether you are into adventure sports, being out on the water, tramping, trying new foods, keeping active or just relaxing by a beautiful lake (I especially loved Lake Wakatipu and Lake Wanaka). Check out the list below of my favourite foodie places (with recommendations), shopping, and activities in Queenstown and beyond: EAT 1. Fergburger – undoubtedly Queenstown’s most iconic foodie experience! However, be prepared to wait over an hour (or more) for your burger, but it is definitely worth it! Recommended: I loved the Bombay Chicken burger, washed down with a Speights beer 2. Patagonia Chocolates – I fell in love with this place while in Queenstown. Situated on the waterfront, they sell mouthwatering ice cream, desserts, hot and cold drinks, and of course, homemade chocolates. Definitely head to …