How to do King's Day Amsterdam right!

A man, dressed in orange from head to toe, pushed a wheelbarrow full of Heineken past me and I knew, I’m the middle of the Dutch National Holiday: King’s Day or Koningsdag!

King’s Day is quite simply the day that the Dutch King celebrates his birthday, and the entire country celebrates with him! What a birthday, hey?

I spent 48 hours in Amsterdam with Clink Hostels, I saw everything orange, tulips and had many cocktails! :) Here is a quick guide on how to get the best out of King’s Day. For more info and details you can watch my vlog below.

1. Book accommodation early! - Clink Hostels is a good option, it’s cheap, it’s central and they even have a super fun King’s Night party the day before. I attended it and I played a lot of fun Dutch games which made no sense but won me a shot or two! :D King’s Day is super popular and people come from all over the world so make sure accommodation is the first thing you look into. I know you want to plan your outfits first, but trust me this is more important ;)

2. Wear orange! - You might think, that this is obvious, but let me tell you I was dressed in orange from head to toe (see video below) and I got so many people coming up to me, complimenting me about my outfit, including me in their group, offering me drinks or a boogie and I felt almost Dutch! :D I was travelling alone after all, so this helped - a lot!

3. Bring something rain proof - An umbrella, boots and, or a rain coat will do! When I went it rained a lot - King’s Day, at the moment, is in April so you never know! I was grateful for my umbrella.

4. Book your space on a party boat, if you want to go all the way - I didn’t, but seeing the boats on the various canals, playing the absolute best European Dance tracks (don’t judge), I felt that this would have been the cherry on top!

5. Drink responsibly - I really mean it! King’s Day is so much fun and everyone is dancing outside on the streets. You will be offered drinks, shots, drinks and shots on every corner. Pubs offer you their very best orange cocktail, which will be super sweet and super delicious so it’s very easy to say yes to all of them :) Just make sure you pace yourself because the party goes on until the next morning, if you want, and you don’t want to be back in your hostel bed by 10:00pm - although it was very comfortable, I have to say :)

Things to do in Malmö, Sweden

Malmö is a coastal city in Sweden, only 30 minutes away from Copenhagen, Denmark! We rented a bike and off we went. It’s small enough so that you can explore the majority of the city in just one or two days. If I had to summarise my trip in one word I would say calm. I left this city feeling relaxed and excited to come back - Malmö has stolen my heart.

1. Rent a bike in Malmö - Hands down the best way to get around the city!

2. Take an ice cold bath - At Ribersborgs Kallbadhus you will be able to swim in the open sea, no matter the weather. It’s good for your immune system and your soul. Sit in the sauna afterwards and think to yourself: ‘ I did this! ‘

3. Eat at the Malmö Street Food Market - Malmö Saluhall - Exciting, vibrant and full of amazing food! We went for vegan Ramen, but the choice wasn’t easy. Overall Malmö offers amazing food options for every dietary requirement all over the city - which I loved :)

4. Visit the Disgusting Food Museum - You are now warned! Watch the vlog below for more!

5. Play Boule - I had never played Boule before but mixed with Swedish friendliness, Swedish beer and some competitive spirit this might have been my favourite activity of the day!

The Best Pancake Places In London!

It’s pancake day! Or even if you’re reading this and it’s not - pancakes make us happy! So I have teamed up with Clink Hostels to bring you the most unreal pancake restaurants in our beautiful city!

1. The Wolseley, Green Park - High end, high expectations! I had scrumptious pancakes with seasonal berries in an interior so London, I wanted to move in! I was not disappointed - come here for a special occasion.

2. Senzala, Brixton - Brazilian cuisine meets French cuisine? It works! And combined with the vibe of one of the most vibrant markets - Brixton Village - in London, you might be tempted into having a cocktail or two, too!

3. Where the Pancakes are, Borough - Cute! Nestled in close to the Shard and hidden in the depths of Flat Iron Square Where the Pancakes are offer you buttermilk creations for every occasion! After the gym, breakfast, lunch, dinner and all!

4. Granger & Co., Kings Cross - Wow! Fluffy to the moon and back is the only way I can describe their Ricotta Hotcakes! So bouncy, so yummy and paired with a fresh orange juice and ginger shot in the morning, this is one of my favourite sweet breakfasts in London!

For more mouthwatering tips, check out this blogpost by Clink Hostels and watch my vlog below! Happy eating! :)

My Favourite Restaurants In London

London’s restaurant scene is the most diverse one I have ever experienced. Living in London is like living in a foodie heaven where every single day you are surprised with a brand new and exciting restaurant, from anywhere in the world. Yum!

This is a list of my personal top 7 favourite restaurants in London. Are they the best restaurants in London? Depends on what you consider as best, but if you are looking for fun, affordable and delicious then, jackpot:

1. Franco Manca - A sourdough pizza place par excellence. Simple menu, simple design, unbeatable taste and prices! It is and has always been the best pizza in London for me. They have recently added their vegan special so now it really is a restaurant for everybody! I am a fan. In fact, writing about it makes me crave it so much, ha!

2. Flat Iron - London’s best steak restaurant, if you ask me! A high quality flat iron steak for £10. You read correctly. It’s popular though, so my tip would be to arrive as early as you can for dinner, or arrive at odd times, because otherwise you might have to wait for quite a while - worth it though.

3. Bone Daddies - It’s Ramen! Everybody loves Ramen and so do I. You will have tons of fun visiting Bone Daddies, that is guaranteed. Bibs, hair-ties and everything you need to prepare yourself for the Noodles! Rich in taste and oh so filling, Bone Daddies Ramen combined with Sake to drink guarantee an epic eating out experience.

4. Señor Ceviche - Let’s go to Peru! This probably is the priciest restaurant on the list. It’s Peruvian cuisine for a special occasion. The flavours range from spicy to sour to sweet, or all 3 combined. Every time I have visited I was left saying: ‘This flavour though! I have never tasted anything like it before!’ Drink a Pisco Sour (cocktail) when you’re there and I promise this will become your new favourite poison of choice! I made a vlog about it here.

5. Martello Hall - Bottomless Brunch recommendation no. 1! Pizzas for every taste (and I mean EVERY taste), brunch dishes that make your mouth water and service quality like no other! I have been twice for Bottomless Brunch and every time I was absolutely amazed by the service. Often waiters are stingy whilst you’re trying to get the best out of your 2 hours - not here! Fun, delicious and I mean the interior … THAT is a whole other story! A visit will instantly turn you into a hipster, hurray :)

6. Coin Laundry - Bottomless Brunch recommendation no. 2! Understated, colourful and cool. Coin Laundry comes at you with delicious brunch choices, hilarious waiters that will make your brunch that little bit extra special and a vibe I can only describe as: ‘You’re in London, Baby!’

7. Homeslice - Wagon Wheel Pizza! Pizza so huge you will have to share it. Really, do share! I tried to eat one on my own which was a bad idea! If you are coming to eat Hawaiian pizza I’m sorry to disappoint you. The toppings are everything but usual. You will find things like ‘Spice Lamb, Savoy Cabbage & Sumac Yoghurt’ or ‘Kimchi, Porcini Cream & Basil’ and they are all oh so scrumptious you really don’t want to share. But you have to, remember? :)

Why Edinburgh was my favourite Travel Destination 2018

We sat on the tram on our way to Edinburgh city central. The moment we saw Edinburgh Castle for the first time we literally jumped up from our seats like children when discovering Disneyland for the first time!

Let me try to put in words, why Edinburgh was my Disneyland 2018!

1. Pictures of Edinburgh Castle don’t do it justice! - They really don’t. Imagine a castle, on top of a green hill, surrounded by a green park and accompanied by medieval gothic and renaissance architecture. Imagine this hill is in fact in the middle of a somewhat modern city, yet no building reaches it’s hight even remotely. It’s like a throne and it’s also a little bit like the rock in The Lion King. This is what made us jump up from our seats. You have to see it for yourself.

2. Harry Potter and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde live in Edinburgh - Well, not quite, but we did a tour with Rabbie’s Tours around the city, and discovered that many stories like Harry Potter have their routes in Edinburgh. I could feel it. Magic.

3. You can actually breathe in Edinburgh - With it being so close to the seaside and fairly high up north, the air in Edinburgh is NOT breathtaking! See what I did there? ;) The moment we left the airport and took a breath we realised two things: 1. London air really is very polluted, and 2. THIS is what actual fresh air feels like. It feels clean and full of goodness. Every Yoga teacher would say: ‘Take not one but two deep breaths in!’

4. Whisky - A local said to me: ‘Only old men drink whisky!’ And I’m going to be honest with you guys, it felt a little bit like someone had just told me that Father Christmas doesn’t exists! So I decided to do what I did when my mum told me this when I was 5: Ignore it and fully live my Whisky excitement by visiting the two most amazing places to try it in Edinburgh: The Whiski Rooms & The Devil’s Advocate. Flicking through menus of over 200 Whisky types, we felt like Children having to choose at a Pick ‘n’ Mix station, probably in Disneyland.

5. Dean Village - It’s what it says on the tin, a village in the middle of Scotland’s capital. Tranquil, picturesque and somewhat of a little Scottish oasis really. Streams of crystal clear water float through colourful 19th century buildings and I forgot the world around me. It is my number one must see place in Edinburgh and it absolutely and without a doubt needs to be on any travel itinerary ever when visiting.

Things to do in Edinburgh? Yes, you need to visit Edinburgh Castle, but there is so much more to see! Follow me around for a 48 hour guide on what to do in Edinburgh - Food, amazing tourist attractions and more!

How to do NYE in London right!

London is one of the most popular cities in the world. And on New Year’s eve, every year, it becomes even more popular. Thousands of people travel to London to see the world famous firework display at the London Eye. Understandably. I have done it, too.

However, this is an honest guide to NYE in London and how to get the best out of it - because maybe just maybe, the firework at the London Eye isn’t too high on my list of recommendations, and here is why:

1. If you really want to see the London Eye firework display properly, book and come EARLY. For NYE 2019, you can still book tickets today! Click the link above to see the options. However, once you have clicked through you will find out that the latest entry time available is around 3:00pm. This means you will have to be at the London Eye at 3:00pm and will have to spend money and exactly 8 hours there outside in the cold, until the firework starts. If it is your dream to see it up close, if you have gloves and a hat and a bit of cash to spend on mulled wine to keep you warm, then go ahead and enjoy every minute! :) Tickets cost £25 and upwards.

2. If you’re thinking about just watching the London Eye display from afar and not spend any money, then I’m sorry to let you know this will be very, very difficult. I have tried it. The good places in the city are all bridges, all hills like Primrose Hill or Greenwich, all free skyscrapers, or anywhere along the Thames, if you’re lucky. The problem however is that you and I are not the only people who will have this idea. All of these places, and I do mean everywhere, gets crowded from about 6/7pm onwards. Tube stations anywhere close to Embankment will shut down for entry and thousands of people will try to get a ‘good spot’ just like you. Unfortunately this means overcrowding, harsh police regulations in terms of where you can even go, and potentially that will also mean you miss the firework :( If you are willing to reserve a seat on, for instance, Primrose Hill from 4:00pm onwards then you will have a great night! :) But again, bring your gloves!

What I really recommend:

1. The splash the cash version - Book a table in one of London’s most exciting restaurants, bars or clubs with a view. Each year there are many options to do so. Madison or OXO Tower are just two places that guarantee you a first class view with first class service, often a welcome drink or canapés and, obviously, no crowds. You can check Design my Night for more inspiration. Now, please be aware that this is the splash the cash version. It will be totally worth it, but you will need to be ready to spend roughly £150 or more per person.

2. The budget version - And this is my favourite one and the one I recommend the most. Stay at home :) Buy a fondue set and invite all your friends over. Get some sparklers, buy ingredients for £10 a head and drink Prosecco! Honestly guys, this is by far the best way to celebrate NYE in London. If you are visiting, and you don’t have a ‘home’, how about doing something in your hotel room or in your airbnb? You can go to a pub, have a delicious NYE dinner and toast at midnight, how about that? :) You could also ‘just’ go out for dinner to your favourite restaurant and celebrate there? Most restaurants will offer somewhat of a NYE menu and close around 22:30pm to give you enough time to head back ‘home’ for midnight (you and them I might say). Last year I went to Mac and Wild and tried their NYE menu which was ootw - out of this world!

Enjoy! x Sandy

The best seafood in Spain!

Little did I know, that a trip to Galicia in Northern Spain would become a seafood extravaganza experience of a lifetime! Read on if you are a seafood lover, because we’re gonna get fishy!

Galicia is the the north-western tip of Spain, just above Portugal, and you will probably know it for the very famous Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage trail. At least that was the case for me. People from all around the world travel to Santiago de Compostela to walk the trail. My fellow traveller Paul from Global Help Swap and I travelled there to eat.

My favourite restaurant we went to on our 48 hours trip was Taberna do Trasno. A short drive from Santiago de Compostela to Cambados and here we were. I went for clams! Clams with so much butter and garlic that it was almost too much yet just so perfect!

Another highlight for me was La Galiciana - An indoor food market par excellence. The fact that it’s indoors is pretty important because it always rains in Galicia (they say). To be fair, it rained a lot when we were there, too :) At La Galiciana I ate this:

Freshly caught, cooked and sliced Octopus bathed in the finest oil. Probably one of my favourite dishes of the entire trip! The food market also caters for vegans, which I thought was great! You can try a vegan Spanish tortilla & more goodies, all plant based.

And finally, before I let you go and watch my vlog below, I want to talk about the portion sizes. Please come hungry! Seafood tends to be the kind of dish served in small portions due to it’s price - all I can say is that this is not true in Galicia! Enjoy!

Where to eat the best Seafood in Spain? In Galicia! We had the best octopus I have ever eaten and more! Follow me around for a Northern Spain food tour!

5 of the best Tourist Attractions in London

London has been my home for more than 5 years. Naturally I am now a huge fan of telling people about hidden gems, but let’s face it, when I go to Paris, I want to see the Eiffel Tower. So I understand that when you go to London you want to see equally famous landmarks and sights. Here are my top 5 most exciting tourist attractions in London.

1. Royal Albert Hall - It’s grand! Book a tour and take your most music loving family member or friend.

2. Shakespeare's Globe - For everyone, not just a theatre fan!

3. Tower of London - Are the crown jewels real? We will never know!

4. Borough Market - Much a away on goodies from all over Great Britain.

5. Sky Garden - Book ahead for free skyline views of London.

The best things to do in London! My top 5 of popular tourist attractions that are actually worth visiting! Subscribe to my channel for more living in London videos: https://www.youtube.com/subscribe_widget?p=sandymakessense Are your visiting London as a tourist? Are you already living here and have never visited these places?

8 Reasons why Bali surprised me

Would you agree with me when I say that Bali is one of those dream destinations? You see pictures, you hear stories and you dream about visiting. So did I. So I went. I flew 7 hours from London to Doha, 9 hours from Doha to Denpasar with Qatar Airways and landed in Bali, ready for my Indonesian adventure.

1. I didn’t need any make up! Now, you might be wondering what this has to do with Bali, but let me explain. I thought I had packed like a full fledged minimalist when I decided ‘only’ to take my foundation. Little did I know that the humidity and heat was so strong that I genuinely laughed at myself for even considering putting anything on my face other than sun-cream!

2. It is even cheaper than you think. For 10 days I lived in a private villa with 3 other people, we ate out at least twice a day, we rented a scooter the entire time and I paid for extras like dresses, ferries to Nusa Penida and snacks. Believe it or not when I tell you I spent just under £300 including everything above, excluding the flights. On average a dress will cost you £3 and a meal out for one person will cost you £2. The life! :)

3. Plastic pollution is a real problem. This was surprising because you simply don’t see any of this on all the pictures and just imagine it to be paradise. Bali really is paradise, don’t get me wrong, but tourists as well as locals throw plastic bottles on the street once they are done with it. The government is aware and you can see efforts to stop pollution here or there but it is still a long way to go.

4. The wildlife is wilder than you think. Our taxi driver told us: ‘I have never seen a snake or a huge spider in Bali!’ - Honestly, either he lives a sheltered life OR he just has been very very lucky! :D We were frequently visited by frogs, mini crocodiles, bats, geckos, snails, ants, spiders AND snakes! A little green tree snake lived next to our pool where I liked to sit and drink my cocktails - oh heyyy! Let’s not talk about that time I grabbed a toilet roll and a huge, black hairy spider crawled out, let’s not!

5. The locals are the friendliest people I have ever met. Normally, when you travel you always say ‘Oh, everyone was so friendly!’ - Right? This surprised me nonetheless because this was a new level of friendliness. Incredibly caring, respectful and polite is probably the best way to describe it. You really feel more than welcome everywhere. Karma plays a big part in this, too.

6. Nusa Penida surprised me as a whole. You know, that beautiful island with the turquoise water and the island arm that looks like a T-rex? Yes, that one. The beauty of this place really took my breath away. I thought I had seen it all, but it was a sight I will cherish forever, and a feeling of freedom I will never forget. Pretty much untouched nature in it’s absolute beauty. A must visit. Take the ferry from Sanur in the morning and off you go. Please be prepared for bumpy roads and a sore bum! It’s not that well developed you just.

7. People know about Bali and it’s incredibly popular! What I mean by that is that there were more tourists than I would have expected. Locals have caught on and charge you for everything btw. :D You want to take a picture from the viewing platform? Please pay 10K Rupiah! Overall I had expected many places in Bali to be kept more of a ‘secret’ than they actually were. Pura Lempuyang for instance already feels like a mini Eiffel Tower when you look at it’s popularity. Maybe it was my naivety but let me tell you, Bali is no longer a secret.

8. Vegan food is all you will need! I hadn’t planned to eat much meat our there anyway, but what actually happened was that I didn’t eat a single bite of meat or dairy. I didn’t need to. The vegan food on Bali is one of the most sophisticated vegan cuisines I have ever seen. It almost feels like magic and it was oh so scrumptious! Zest, Ubud for me was a personal highlight!

Top 5 Warsaw Travel Tips

It’s meant to be beautiful they said. Little did I know that I was about to visit a town so colourful and full of energy, yet so much in touch with its historical past.

My Grandad was from Warsaw, and when I was growing up he told me about this city and that I should visit. He was right! We flew 2h and 20m from London and our weekend adventure began.

1. Eat ‘Lenin’s Lamb’ at the Red Hog restaurant. An iconic and must visit Polish restaurant which books out days in advance. Make sure you book ahead and laughs and full (or very full) bellies are guaranteed.

2. Visit the Communism museum! It’s a tiny little time capsule back to what life was like under communism. I felt like I was in my Granddad’s old house - it even smelt like it! Super cheap, super fun!

3. Look at Stalin’s so called present to the Polish people and highest building in the country: The palace of Culture and Science. It’s like Marmite - you either hate it or love it! I like Marmite!

4. Eat more at the coolest street food market in town! Hala Koszyki is pretty cool and one of the most modern places in Warsaw. International food and Polish Pierogi in one place! We tried cherry beer at 10:00am - woop!

5. Be in awe at the Lazienki Park! The most golden park I have ever seen. Perfect blogger spot to shoot outfits, for a romantic stroll and for a proposal! We didn’t see anyone proposing but if you watch my vlog below you’ll get me :)

Enjoy

x Sandy

Top 5 things to do in Warsaw, when visiting for the first time!