Author: Sarah Kemp

G Adventures – Best of New Zealand Tour

Published by

Let me begin by saying that I never wanted to come to New Zealand. In fact, I was dead against it. An ex girlfriend of my brother almost took him to live in Pukekohe six years ago. I vividly remember her describing her home country – lots of sheep and you could walk for miles without seeing a single soul. Back then I was in full force London mode and the thought of not being squidged up against a random gentleman’s armpit during rush hour on the tube filled me with dread. Fast forward six years and not only did I leave London in 2014 to live in Melbourne for fourteen long months, but I had landed on New Zealand shores with only a backpack and a wheelie case full of belongings to see me through the next six months of travelling back to London. Having endured a stressful beginning to the trip with a mistaken detour to Wellington, flight delays, two overnight flights with no sleep and a four hour wait until check in …

Bridging the Divide Between London and Asia

Published by

London has long been a multicultural city with a vast amount to offer, even to the seasoned traveler. It has also been an admirer of Asian culture for many a year. You only have to look at Chinatown just off Leicester Square to witness the hoards of ravenous professionals that descend upon West London each night at feeding time to see how fond of Asian food the British are. And the buck doesn’t stop there – the British embrace many Asian traditions but a Japanese-themed hotel situated in Gatwick Airport caused quite a stir when it was opened among the British media. YOTEL was launched in London’s Gatwick back in 2007 and introduced the British public to Asian ingenuity at its finest. Many had read about the Tokyo hotels that were built under the design dynamics to cater for short stay visitors via a series of pods or compact cabins, if you like. It was something that was completely foreign too, to the British consumer. British hotels are renowned for being characterless boxes that exhibit …

Game of Thrones? More Like Game of Pubs

Published by

Games that originated in pubs Drinking in pubs has been a favourite past time for many for centuries, and during those years many people have come up with new ways to keep themselves entertained by inventing games to pass the time. In fact, some of our most loved games might not have been around today unless it was for the local pub and ale house. Here’s a look back at how a few of our most loved games originated or were made popular in pubs. Backgammon Possibly the first ever game to be played in a pub is backgammon. The game was invented around five thousand years ago in Iraq, but it wasn’t until the 16th century that it came to Great Britain. It’s thought backgammon really took off in pubs around England because people could bet on the outcome of games. A number of Elizabethan laws were passed to ban the game being played, but by the 18th century these had all been reversed and even members of the English clergy were said to …

Magical Music: Thundercat – Them Changes

Published by

This song has probably sampled an unbelievable amount of soul and funk greats, which is probably why I love it so much. I can almost see the musos wince at the thought, but I’m no purist and think this song is totally delectable. I first heard it on 6Music a while back and took note of the name. As usual, I forgot about trying to find it straight away and it wasn’t until a recent trawl through Spotify that I came across it again. It suits my mood perfectly today. Laid back, relaxed, happy and ready for a fun weekend of activities ahead. Happy Friday ya’ll. Thundercat – Them Changes

Magical Music: Todd Terje & Prins Thomas – Reinbagan

Published by

One of the most satisfying days of the week, Friday signals a time to wind down, relax and enjoy some hobby time. Today is no different – it’s the end of another busy week in the office and to be honest I’m looking forward to my day off before launching back into another busy week of work on Sunday! I’m about to head out for one of my solo dinners in Melbourne CBD and have listened to this song a couple of times today. It sums up my mood perfectly – sleepy and in need of a bit of fun, but lazy fun. It is taking me back to Bestival in 2007 when I first heard Norwegian DJ Todd Terje. Having just met my ex boyfriend of 6 years for the first time, we danced in the sunshine and sipped on pear cider whilst listening to Eurodans played by one of my favourite DJ’s, Greg Wilson. Ever since that sunny day, I have been in awe of Todd and always listen to his music when …