Solo Travelling - Living My Best Life in Liverpool

Continuing the Solo Travelling series, this week I spent two days in another fab British city, the Merseyside capital of Liverpool. As a novice solo traveller, I decided it would be best to explore some of the UK's cities before venturing anywhere further afield and Liverpool is somewhere I've wanted to visit for quite some time. I've been to Liverpool twice before, once as a child on a shopping trip which meant I couldn't fully appreciate it or really remember it and once simply to get to the Isle of Man ferry terminal, again not really allowing me to explore.

This time, I went as a proper tourist and did all the typical touristy jaunts. This city is a favourite of my grandparents who visit regularly and after my short stay, I can totally understand why. Liverpool is a city drenched in fascinating history and one with popular culture just running through its veins. This is what appealed to me, as a media and music buff, it seemed it would be right up my street and it proved me absolutely right. 

I decided to spend only two days in Liverpool as its obviously much smaller than my first solo travelling location, London. But I still managed to cram in so many cool experiences whilst there. On the first day, I ventured into the centre where the shops and Liverpool One (the city's famed leisure and shopping complex) are situated. I hadn't planned to spend any time shopping during my stay (despite my inherent shopaholic status, of course) as I knew I had a number of things I wanted to see, but as I needed to pass through here to get to my digs, I decided to have a little peek. 40 minutes later and £70 down, I came to the conclusion that Liverpool is great for shopping. Although this is something you can do anywhere, the high street stores were huge, they have a Forever 21 unlike a lot of places and spending a few hours meandering around Liverpool One in the sun, was really quite lovely. This will definitely be a choice destination for future shopping sprees.

The wonderful sights of Mathew Street

After dropping my luggage and freshening up, I decided to have a walk down to the Cavern Quarter to check out the pop culture bits and bobs down there. I passed through a number of streets booming with restaurants, bars, nightclubs and instantly thought this is somewhere I also need to come with a bunch of friends for a drink or two in the near future. When I arrived at Mathew Street, known as 'the home of The Beatles', I could not believe the amount of cool little nooks and crannies there could be on one little street. From the John Lennon and Cilla Black statues and the Liverpool Wall of Fame to the Cavern Club and Pub and all of the vibrant shops, bars and restaurants in between. You feel instantly happy just walking down here and it makes you feel like you're right there in the middle of the hustle and bustle back in the day amongst the Teddy Boys and Girls.

The super colourful 'T' monument outside the Tate, Museum of Liverpool and Albert Docks in the sun

I then ventured over to Pier Head for a bit more sightseeing and again, was not disappointed. The 'three graces' are the magnificent buildings dominating the docks, more formally known as the Royal Liver building, the Cunard building and the Port of Liverpool building and these alone are breath-taking and so very rich in history. The Beatles statue welcomes you to the fronts and it's great to see so many people snapping their selfies with the bronze lads, recreating just the tiniest bit of Beatlemania. The docks are lined with museums such as The Museum of Liverpool, Tate Liverpool, The Beatles Story and many more. I didn't get to browse these but some are on my itinerary for next time. The walk up to Albert Dock and back down again was so refreshing, looking out to the Mersey with headphones in, shades on and ice-cream in hand; absolute bliss. This lovely afternoon was topped off with a visit to an amazing pizzeria named Rudy's which was fittingly right next door to my hotel and so the day was nicely concluded with a gorgeous pizza and sneaky little gin cocktail.

The Royal Liver Building, Beatles statue and The Port of Liverpool building all on Pier Head

Day two entailed breakfast at Moose, an American style Northern café chain that has branches in Liverpool and Manchester. They offer the nicest waffles, pancakes and other less sugary breakfast options but I opted for the former and a gigantic cup of cappuccino. A lovely spot for breakfast or brunch in the city and its décor and vibe made me feel like I was in Frasier. This place was recommended by a friend who is no stranger to Liverpool and a friend who I met up with later that morning. Upon meeting we spent a couple of hours in the British Music Experience, a fab museum detailing a timeline of Britain's best loved and talented musicians and the eras they defined. An excellent place and quite possibly the focus of an upcoming post so stay tuned for that! 

After the museum, we headed back down to the Cavern Quarter to spend a couple of hours in the Cavern Club, something I wanted to do more socially. It was around 1:30pm on a Tuesday and the Cavern had free admission all afternoon, which was great. We headed in, deep down the numerous spiral steps and headed straight to the bar, which I found hilarious given that most headed in and went straight to the exhibits or stage! However, with a beer in hand, we wandered slowly round the Cavern, looking at all it had to offer and were totally awestruck. Known globally as the old stomping ground to The Beatles and a hub of live music in Liverpool for decades, The Cavern was hands down the most down to earth, casual and inviting pub I've ever been in. Everyone was so friendly, live music played throughout the day and the walls were just adorned with the most fascinating and nostalgic memorabilia. If it hadn't been for the small matter of a train to catch, I could've happily stayed there into the night. And that was indeed the most perfect ending to this trip. 

An afternoon in the Cavern Club, my new favourite watering hole!

Liverpool far exceeded my expectations and is a city beautifully formed through its deep historical heritage into a vivid place rich with musical nostalgia and enriched by culture of many different forms. Its a must visit and somewhere I will now definitely be a regular day tripper to. A real Northern gem!

Liked this? Check out Solo Travelling - London Called, the first post in this series.

Solo Travelling - London Called

For some reason, in our judgemental society, there are certain experiences that are often considered odd or some sort of social suicide if you dare to do them alone. Going to the cinema, going to gigs, eating in restaurants, drinking in bars, going on holiday - all of these are seen as things that are typically done in pairs, in groups, with family and so of course, that becomes the norm. 

But as a twenty-something singleton, opportunities to plan these kinds of activities with other people are often few and far between. We've all been there; your coupled up friends naturally do a lot of these activities just the two of them (and rightly so), some of your friends have family commitments meaning it's hard for them to make plans (understandably) and there are other friends whose schedules and finances just never match up with your own, meaning you always struggle to pencil each other in.

On the other hand, if you actually take some of the aforementioned activities at face value, it's hard to see why they are social activities. Going to the cinema and to gigs, particularly, as you are engrossed and watching something the whole time and only afterwards would you consider chatting anyway. And let's face it, if you're going on holiday to relax or to sight-see rather than for parties and chaos then again, other humans are somewhat surplus to requirements.

For a long time, I probably missed out on many things because I'd assumed, naively, that I needed someone else to come along with me and I couldn't possibly do them alone because what on Earth would people think?! But when you realise that actually you're missing out on a hell of a lot of films, gigs and chances to go away because you're forever waiting for your peers' plans to align and that a little anxiety on your part should not be enough to stop you from having amazing experiences.

Once I realised this, I got out of a rut and started being spontaneous and making way more memories. It started with going to see a few gigs I'd been putting off and then a few films and most recently, an off the cuff few days in London. This was something I'd wanted to do for years and had planned with other people at varying different times but never actually pulled off. I rarely go on holiday because growing up, I didn't go on many with family and so I'm not too savvy with airports, currency, bookings etc. and this mixed with a variety of anxieties has meant that I haven't had the opportunity to get away, relax and rejuvenate for quite a long time. Recently, a few chats with friends who had been solo-travellers made me realised how daft I've been and relinquished some of those anxieties. This was evidently the kick up the backside that was needed because it led to me booking this last minute trip to London entirely on my own. 

Now, London might not exactly seem like a jet-set adventure but as I'm not too street savvy and travel savvy, it made sense to venture around the busiest places in the UK before embarking on anything any further afield. If I could master the independence, sense of direction, common sense and street smarts required for these places, then I'd be well away.

All in a day's work
 (Natural History Museum (Kensington), Trafalgar Square & Tower Bridge)

So two weeks ago, off I popped, on the 2 hour LNER for three days away with my backpack, an Oyster card and a little list of personal to-dos. And honestly, it was THE best thing I've done in years. I was super nervous, excited and a little scared but once I got there and started doing my little Dora the Explorer bit, I had not a care in the world. I felt so relaxed and couldn't wait to get out every morning and see the sights. I spent Thursday to Saturday in the capital and properly thrashed the to-do list, fitting in Kings Cross, Camden Market, Oxford Street, Fitzrovia, London & Tower Bridge, Tower of London, South Kensington, Knightsbridge, Chelsea, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden and racking up a good 50,000 steps across the 72 hour period. I can't honestly understand why I didn't get out of my comfort zone and do this years ago, it was the easiest and most liberating trip and has opened doors to the possibility of going further. I had serious travel blues when I got home and can't wait to book something else. 

Shopped til I dropped
(Camden & Carnaby Street)

The moral of this post (and hopefully this forthcoming series of posts) is that the judgemental stigma of doing things in solitude is inevitably restricting people and preventing them from living their best lives. 

Don't be afraid - Go see that film on your own, eat at your favourite restaurant alone, go see your favourite artists and musicians alone, book that holiday on your own. Sometimes, you need that TLC, the alone time, the space to think, to process things and sometimes you want to be sociable and have all of the conversations, life is about balance and you can most definitely have both in moderation.


Liked this? Check out Solo Travelling: Living My Best Life in Liverpool, the second post in this series.

Summer Travels & Bestie Reunions

Anyone that knows me will know that I rarely travel to far away shores. This isn't necessarily through choice but more lack of funding and time and is definitely something I aim to rectify in the next year or two. Generally, the furthest I go each summer is to Scarborough to stay with one of my lovely uni pals, Jade and then sit back and watch everyone else's travelling posts and pics on Facebook whilst reeking of jealousy.

This year, we went one step further. Whilst not exactly a jet-set holiday, a million miles away, me and Jade sailed off to visit one of our closest yet furthest away friends, Beth on her little Isle of Man for the first time.

I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive and unsure what to expect, as stated before, I rarely go away. However, I now think everyone should go visit the Isle of Man at least once in their lifetime. For anyone who may be unaware of the island, its the little dot between England and Ireland and consists of towns such as Douglas, Ramsey and Peel. It's a strange little place with little stories and myths behind everything but that somehow makes it so enjoyable. You'll be listening to tales of Manannan and his cloak, believing in and talking to fairies and bumping into flags of the three legs left, right and centre. Everything is unbelievably photogenic, the sea is crystal clear, the traditions are the cutest and the people are the friendliest I've ever met.

The island is littered with sights and cute little eateries and cocktail bars and is perfect for a short break, just a couple of days away. We travelled via boat which was certainly an experience, particularly the rough ride home, but it was a brilliant experience and I for one will now be visiting more often.

I was lucky enough to have four days on the isle and then a couple of days in York & Scarborough, surprising and catching up with friends and having the best times making cute memories whilst there.

Things I saw and did on the Isle:

- Marvelled at the Isle of Man notes & coins

- Saw the sights of Peel & walked around Peel Castle, taking in the breathtaking coasts and quaint little boats in the harbour

- Ate at a number of cute little venues & tearooms including Harbour Lights tea-room in Peel, The Tea Junction in Douglas and JUST Pizza & Pasta in Douglas

- Enjoyed a walk along the promenade in Douglas, in awe of the clear waters, Tower of Refuge and neat and tidy parks and gardens along the way

- A drive along a foggy Marine Drive

- Said hello to the fairies whilst driving over the locally famous Fairy Bridge

- Saw the Absolutely Fabulous film at the cute little Broadway Cinema at the Villa Gaiety in Douglas

- Took a walk up to the top of the Laxey Wheel and revelled in the sights and sounds surrounding Lady Isabella

- Visited the only superstore on the whole island!

- Had plenty of drinks including cocktails at Bath & Bottle and a night out in the one and only Outback bar in Douglas (Just be weary of Squashed Frogs!)

- Had a bizarre but memorable day out roaming Cregneash & watching Castletown's World Tin Bath Races

The Isle of Man's Liverpool to Douglas Ferry  |  Manx Currency  |  Manx Electric Railway in Douglas

Having fun at Laxey Wheel

Some of the devine food & drink: The Tea Junction in Douglas  |  Bath & Bottle cocktail bar in Douglas  |  A bolognese pizza from JUST Pizza & Pasta in Douglas

Fun along Douglas Promenade - Featuring lovely greenery, clear seas, Tower of Refuge, IoM ferries and a gormless me

Night-time fun & drinks in Douglas 

I was also lucky enough to spend a night in Scarborough after my Manx travels, and got to see the wonder that is James Bay at Scarborough Open Air Theatre. He was an absolute dream as one would expect!

James Bay killing it at Scarborough OAT <3

In Summary:

- The Isle of Man is magnificent and everyone should visit

- James Bay is gorgeous

- Good times with good friends make the absolute best memories