Ramblings of a Clueless Student

Take Some Time Out To Smile

emily_mcd — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 02:29:00 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp_hzrB_FI4

Has anyone heard the classical opera piece of music Lacme? No. I didn’t think I had either, but it’s the piece of music which accompanies all the classic British Airways adverts. The song to inspire you to fly in luxury to, well it doesn’t matter, just fly BA.

This youtube video is a pastiche version of these classic BA adverts, and it’s funny! BA are the flag carrier airline in the UK and are known for their high quality service and luxury travel. But the video demonstrates that at the end of the day they are just another airline – their safety demonstration doesn’t vary to budget companies!

Make time to watch this tongue in cheek mimic of a “BA’s” song regardless of your feelings of them; it highlights airhostess stereotypes, irritating customers and staff rivalries. It won’t fail to put a smile on your face.

24 hour escapes form London

emily_mcd — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:34:00 GMT

With the sun shining and essay (and dissertation) deadlines looming ever closer, all I want to do is get out of the city and forget university stress. Sadly jetting off to Thailand or Barbados to lie on a beach and drink overpriced cocktails isn’t a possibility right now but here’s my alternative suggestion: day trips which I will entitle ‘a day trip out of London – escape an essay for the day’. Rather clunky I know but seriously, my brain is in essay hell! Apparently the London underground was invented to allow people to get out of London into the countryside for the day; I vote we reclaim this idea of occasional escape...

My first suggestion is Oxford. Just an hour outside London and from as little as £6 (advance ticket prices on nationalrail.com), Oxford is an ideal day trip destination – especially now the weather is on the turn and we are getting sunshine!

My all time favourite summer activity in Oxford is rowing. Slightly pretentious I know but honestly it’s amazing. There are several places in the centre offering pedalo, row boat and punt hire, all about £13 an hour. Nothing relieves stress like floating along a river and bathing in the sun as you sip a cool glass of something – I recommend Pimms because there is a Pimms boat (yes you heard correctly, a Pimms boat) which may sail on by!

Oxford has loads of beautiful green spaces, two of the best are University Parks and Christchurch Meadows, both in the city centre and perfect for lying in the sun, people watching, picnics and walks by the river which you’ve just mastered on your boat (potentially)!

Of course Oxford is famous for its university and to just walk through the cobbled streets through beautiful buildings is just magical. As well as this Oxford has some very interesting museums: The Pitt Rivers Museum happens to own the shrunken head which talks away on the ‘Knight Bus’ in the third Harry Potter film! There’s also a natural history museum which has an impressive collection of animals and the Ashmolean Museum that has pretty much everything else you could possibly want to look at!

After all this what more could you need than a cheeky drink before heading back to the big smoke? Well Oxford has a multitude of nice cosy pubs. There is The Eagle and Child which is where C. S. Lewis and JRR Tolkien used to drink or The Turf which has been visited by the likes of JFK, Stephen Hawking and David Mitchell.

After a day like this you’ll feel a million times more relaxed. Maybe enough to feel like writing a bit more of that essay. Maybe

Food Tourism, Tapas.

emily_mcd — Fri, 9 Mar 2012 02:36:00 GMT

There’s only one thing that I love more than travelling and that’s food. Sampling new flavours and cuisines can be something which really makes a holiday. One of the most iconic and delicious cuisines is Spanish tapas. Tapas are small portions of food, traditionally served with a drink but now you often find restaurants serving tapas as an alternative to lunch or dinner. There’s something so incredibly simple and delicate about small portions of a large range of freshly cooked food; they encourage conversation, relaxation and contentment. There’s really nothing better than sitting with a group of friends and family, sharing stories, laughs and tapas.

Tapas themselves are as culturally diverse as you can get: olives were introduced by the Romans, spices and dried fruits were introduced by the Moors and the discovery of the New World meant the Spaniards had access to tomatoes, peppers, chilli, beans and potatoes. The range of flavours and dishes mean that tapas can cater to everyone’s pallets.

I went to the Algarve in Portugal last year and caught the ferry from Vila Real de Santo António to Ayamonte in Spain in order to sample fresh traditional tapas. The short and inexpensive journey transports you across the river which separates the two towns and throws you an hour ahead. The sun soaked streets twist between the white washes houses and shops leading to numerous bars and cafes, each one selling a range of fresh and delicious tapas. We decided on a cafe which seemed to have several locals sitting and eating together, taking this as a sign that this cafe must be good. And it was. We got a range of plates, croquettes, calamari, chicken in a creamy sauce, patas bravas, bread, olives, the list goes on. Each dish was amazing in its own right, and worked beautifully together. I would happily go on a tapas tour of Spain, sampling the variety of dishes which each bar specialise in. I have a feeling that any bar or cafe full of Spaniards is a good one and any time you are in Spain you should not pass up the opportunity to try Spain’s wonderful creation.

I’m longing to go back to Spain and laze with a cool glass of Sangria and a huge array of tapas before going for a stroll along the warm beach where I can feel the sand beneath my feet and sea lapping on my legs. I’m just counting down the days until I hand my dissertation in and can jump on a plane...

After Uni Gap Year Travel...

emily_mcd — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:03:00 GMT

I’m drawing to the end of my university career and am counting down until the 18^th of May when my dissertation will be handed in and I am free of essays. But then what?

A Master’s degree? Internships? A real job? As exciting as these sound I think I’d rather go away. Far away. For a while.

It’s not that I want to escape London, or even England. But I never took a gap year, so now seems like the ideal time to go somewhere spectacular. But I have no idea about where I want to go. So many people I have met over the last few years have told me of the time they had on their gap year: partying in Thailand, working in Australia, have their passport stolen in India, drinking with the locals on the beaches of the Cook Islands. The list is endless. But the one constant through everyone’s stories is the look in their eye that appears as soon as the memories come flooding back. I want that. I want to experience the world before it disappears!

The hardest part for me is choosing where I’d like to go. I mean, the world is huge! State the obvious I know, but attempting to pick one part, a handful of cultures is very difficult. Gap years can range from InterRailing around Europe to flying to the other side of the world and trying to pick one over another is hard. For instance, I want to go to Peru to see the Incan ruins, but I also want to visit Eastern Europe before its natural beauty is replaced by hotels and industrial estates, as well as wanting to unwind on the Caribbean beaches after my pesky dissertation is handed in. As much as I’d like to do all of the above in the next 12 months I think I’m getting a little ahead of myself as finically speaking (like most final year students) I’m a little tiny bit in debt!

So, while I’m meant to be studying hard, reading books about classical receptions, I’m going to continually refresh skyscanner.com, statravel.co.uk and various other travel websites in the hunt for bargain flights and accommodation. I am determined to enjoy myself as much as I can before I get a real job.

But why take a gap year? I’m applying for master’s courses for 2012/13 while I’ve told everyone that I’m not bothered if I get in or not, I’d love another year of studying books, and I’m actually quite excited about getting a job and my own place. Yet I want the year-off release from deadlines. A gap year, if you look at it literally, is a long summer holiday between one educational institute of stress and the next or, a last extended period of self-indulgent freedom before serving ‘the man’ and paying taxes. It's an announcement of the fact that you're only young once; so glory in it. I mean, why not? Why not have fun?

To help me (and possibly you) I’ve devised a list of the 5 places I’d most like to visit:

1. Peru

From amazing rainforests to golden beaches and majestic mountains, Peru seems to have all you could ask for, and most interestingly to me, landscapes untouched by time. The country’s intriguing and ancient history is scattered throughout the country and activities from trekking to relaxing are all an adventure here.

2. China
From the wide open and empty panoramas of Tibet to the hustle and bustle of Shànghǎi, from the volcanic dishes of Sìchuān to beer by the bag in seaside Qīngdǎo. China has amazing food, an amazing history and an amazing culture. I want to see everything: the Terracotta Army, the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.

3. Canada

This might seem a bit odd; but the reason it’s on the list is that from the north of the country you can see the northern lights 350 days of the year: much more of a chance than in Iceland. As well as this, Canada has some phenomenal countryside. You can go skiing, snowboarding or road trip and see wild bears, moose, polar bears, whales and wolves.

4. New Zealand

New Zealand presents the world with outlandish scenery, fantastic festivals, impressive food and wine, and phenomenal outdoor experiences. You can be stood on a beach one moment, and on a glacier the next.

5. Go InterRailing across Europe; finishing at a festival.

An InterRail pass it cheapest to those under 26. So make the most of it. It is a once in a life time experience. You can travel from rural Portugal to the busy city of Rome in a day. It is a brilliant scheme which allows for an incredible experience of the best of Europe. I’d love to travel around for a month, stopping in Greece, Italy, ending either at the Hideout or Garden festival in Croatia or Benicassim festival in Spain.

Post-Christmas Blues become thoughts for travel in 2012...

emily_mcd — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:02:00 GMT

2012. Big year! Olympics in London and, according to the Mayan calander, the end of the world. So I thought I’d better go somewhere spectacular. I’m thinking Beijing. But the thought of getting there is so much simpler than planning. I can’t wait to land in the city and be overwhelmed by the ancient culture and cuisine. But between the hundreds of flight combinations and trying to book a hotel somewhere safe, I’m struggling. Trip advisor here I come, I need your words of wisdom...

Photos: Gibraltar

emily_mcd — Tue, 4 Oct 2011 23:27:00 GMT

Lots of monkeys and sunshine!

A Little Guide to Gibraltar

emily_mcd — Tue, 4 Oct 2011 03:35:00 GMT

Ever thought of going? No, me either...

One of England’s few remaining colonies; Gibraltar marks the entrance to the Mediterranean as well as the end of Europe. I went on a weekend break, an odd choice I know, it’s a home from home, except it boasts a sub-tropical climate. Mid-September, the weather there is cooling down and was a cool 31degrees. Certainly can’t complain.

You can tell that it’s proud to be British; apartments fly both the Union flag and Gibraltar’s flag. However Spain’s influence is strong, many people switch languages as they chat to friends. The main street is very British: a BHS; Marks and Spencers; Topshop; oh and lots of shops selling VAT free perfume and alcohol. Yet the style is very Spanish, cute apartments and lots of cafes full of people chatting and drinking. There are some good restaurants, I went to an Argentinean restaurant, Gauchos, which served steak on a stone and other authentic dishes. It was exquisite, so fresh and full of flavour. The tapas bars are also exceptional due to Gibraltar’s proximity to Spain, meaning most of the time you can’t go wrong! However Britain has bought places such a KFC overseas, detracting from the surrounding of blue sea, blue sky and the lush green rock. Though this is a bad as it gets, most of Gibraltar is surprisingly pleasant! While there aren’t as many beaches as other Mediterranean countries, Gibraltar has a few bays with clear sea and clean beaches: I’d much rather be on Catalan beach than Brighton beach!

The wildlife is what made this visit for me. A boat trip out to sea guarantees you a 98% chance of seeing wild dolphins. I went with a company called Dolphin Safari and I was in that 98% that saw dolphins. It was amazing; the dolphins I saw were striped dolphins, while they haven’t been kept successfully in captivity they are incredibly friendly, they swam with the boat, jumping over the spray it created. It is definitely worth the £20 I paid. Of course Gibraltar’s most famous animal is the Barbary ape. A short cable car ride up the rock and you are suddenly surrounded by monkeys, roaming around, completely unfazed by the presence of so many adoring tourists. The best moment of my visit was after I climbed for 2 hours up the rock and came to the Ape’s Den. There were monkeys cradling young as the jumped and slept in the hot sun. One baby monkey who can’t have been more than a month old wanted to play more than anything; as it’s mother was engaged with grooming anther monkey I watched as this tiny monkey crept towards me - befitting the phrase ‘cheeky monkey’. It kept looking at me to see how I’d react as he slowly reached out and grabbed my toe; this monkey evidently hadn’t been told Barbary Apes were meant to be vicious!

I was worried about Gibraltar being a bit of a dive, somewhere Brits go so they don’t have to adapt to another language but they still get the sun. I was more than pleasantly surprised. It doesn’t feel British, it feels Mediterranean with some familiar shops and people who happen to speak perfect English. If the chance ever arose again I would go, it’s a beautiful place and the culture is a wonderful mix. As I sat in a little cafe overlooking the marina, I couldn’t help but feel completely content, I’d definitely be happy here!

Photos: My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

emily_mcd — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 23:40:00 GMT

The photos I am submitting are from a recent visit to Gibraltar. This subtropical climate provided me with an amazing variety of interesting things to photograph – and lots of things I had never seen before! That is what I love; being able to capture interesting creatures, plants, landscapes and people from different cultures. Here the wildlife is what caught my eye. The Barbary apes and wild dolphins are incredibly accepting of humans and allow you to watch them as they play. The majority of my photos are of the monkeys as the are the heart of Gibraltar. Some of the photographs are there to illustrate the unique landscape. I hope you enjoy looking at these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them! I feel I should be selected as this experience would mean everything to me; I want to explore the world and share the things which I find most interesting and South Africa hosts some of the world’s most beautiful and interesting creatures. I enjoy photographing wildlife which is why I feel this experience would be phenomenal for me. Africa’s difference in wildlife to Europe’s is incredible and to be able to capture these animals in the wild would make my heart race and would leave me breathless. I am organised, motivated and hardworking, as well as being independent. I always photograph things in my travels which I find fascinating, inspiring or beautiful and I always strive to improve and develop my photography skills by taking one of my three camera with me everywhere in the hope I can capture something magical.

5 Must Do Things in Oxford, England

emily_mcd — Fri, 9 Sep 2011 21:11:00 GMT

Here's 5 things that the City of Dreaming Spires has to offer!

1. Take a walk.

As the name suggests Oxford is full of beautiful buildings, many belonging to the University. So take some time to walk around, take little cobbled streets and you'll be amazed what you can find. The Radcliffe Camera is probably one of the most beautiful. There are lots of people offering walking tours if you're too scared you'll miss the best bits! You'll also get to learn a lot about Oxford's rich history.

While you're walking around make sure you get a good look at Oxford's colleges and college grounds. These majestic buildings are dotted around the city centre. It's worth paying a few pounds to see the old and beautiful rooms and halls hidden behind the college walls. Christchurch College often proves to be most popular due to it's hall being transformed in the the Great Hall for the Harry Potter films. It also boast huge grounds which are perfect for having a riverside picnic.

2. The Museums.

Oxford has lots of really interesting Museums showcasing things from shrunken heads to works of art. My two favourites are the Ashmoleon and the Pitt Rivers. Which hold some incredibly interesting artifacts from all over the world. You get to see inuit clothing and Ancient Chinese art. They are really worth a visit.

3. The Pubs.

There are so many good pubs in Oxford serving local ales and great food. Jericho which is a short walk from the city centre has many old and new pubs which have a lively and laid back atmosphere. It's lovely to spend an evening in one of the pubs, relaxing and chatting to friends. Many of Oxford's pubs have been visited by famous faces; The Turf Tavern more than others, this 13th century ale house has played host to Steven Hawkins as well as prime ministers and comedians.

4. Go Punting.

Oxford is surrounded by rivers so one way to explore is by boat and what better way than punting. This is an old tradition and brings up another rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge as to the end of the punt you stand (the other rivalry is the annual boat race). It's easy to hire a punt for an hour and explore the river at your own pace. It's great fun and interesting too!

5. Visit the Covered Market.

This old market is now full of unique shops. It's worth having a look around - watch bakers decorate elaborate cakes; visit local florists; have a coffee in the tearooms; and it's an ideal place to find a distinctive souvenir or gift.

Inside a Language Travel School

emily_mcd — Wed, 7 Sep 2011 02:37:00 GMT

This was my third summer working for the worldwide renowned summer school, Education First or rather, EF. This is a company with language schools all over the world including California and Ecuador, but I was once again in sunny England’s Oxford office. Yes office, this year they had finally given me a desk job and a title: Homestay Coordinator. I was now senior staff! While this sounds fancy (or it does at least to me) my job was pretty simple, I was in charge of running a small scale 3 week courses for students who not only wanted English lessons and to experience English culture but who also wanted to act.

The course wanted to encourage students to ‘have the time of [their] life and learn a language’. Every week day was broken down into 3 hours of lessons and 3 activities, with half of the lessons being given by a professional actor. The lessons were designed to give students the vocabulary and confidence to speak English, the activities the students did – bowling, the cinema, trips to London and Bath – were in place not only so the students had an enjoyable visit but so they could practise their new language skills. Finally the students put on a performance in English as proof of their improvement over the three week course.

The students are a mix from all over Europe and Asia which means there are so many interesting cultures from which I leant a lot. The students stay in touch with each other (and when I’ve had students to look after), me! It’s incredible how three weeks bond a group together and you end up making friends of different walks of life.

This is an incredibly rewarding course for the students as they feel they’ve achieved something and if I wanted to learn a language then this is an empowering way of doing it, as well as being enjoyable.

I’ll leave you with something from the summer which I found particularly amusing. One Chinese student spent a good week attempting to think up a good ‘English’ name. After days of asking him if he’d thought of one and him looking incredibly pensive, he finally answered: ‘My name will be ... Monkey!’

Photos: The Algarve, Portugal

emily_mcd — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:07:00 GMT

Along the coast in the Algarve

Iceland's Plans to Cancel my Holiday

emily_mcd — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 19:20:00 GMT

So, my boyfriend and I were all psyched. A week on a little Croatian island; I have never been that far east and the thought of going to a country with beautiful untouched countryside and beaches which wouldn't be crawling with holiday makers (you know, the typical Brits abroad) made my stomach fill with butterflies, I was so excited!

So when Eyjafiallajokull decided to spill it's guts all across Europe 5 days before our holiday I was a little tense to say the least. Dreams of our boutique apartment and 5* hotel were slipping through our fingers.

In hindsight, it was pretty funny, a mad kind of desperation, thinking, oh the planes should just fly - I'm sure it'll be OK. That and for some reason, blaming Iceland for it's volcano, something I'm pretty sure they can't control!

As I spent the weekend hoping and hoping while the chances of our flight taking off looking less and less likely, I got upset. I mean really upset. I'd lost something I'd really wanted. However my boyfriend, being a boy and all, didn't seem to care. More the fact that the Premiere Inn at Gatwick were going to charge us the full amount of £29. How horrific!

So as Monday morning rolled around we began the process of cancelling everything and trying to reclaim our money. 'Dear airline/hotel/apartment/taxi...' I did find out that lastminute.com will try their best to hold onto your money while treating you like a moron so I guess that's something!

It was ok I guess - we went to Thorpe Park that week. Not quite what I had in mind for our first romantic getaway, but c'est la vie!

(Oh and I still haven't been that far east or stayed in a 5* hotel. So maybe I am still a little annoyed with Iceland!!!)

The Algarve, Portugal

emily_mcd — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 04:10:00 GMT

The beautiful empty beach stretches out in front of me as I turn the corner from harbour. All I can hear was the waves in the distance as the gently lap the sand and my flip flops tapping on the boardwalk as I walk towards the horizon. The sun shines down on me, caressing my skin with its hot rays. This is bliss. Portugal’s Algarve is such a welcoming and tranquil place to visit, I mean, this could be the final scene to a rom-com.

I was introduced to this place by my boyfriend’s family who told me stories of wild orange groves, amazing coast and fresh food. And wow did it deliver. I stayed in a town house in the centre of Olhão which is on the Algarve coast. The town is full of character due to the Moorish style buildings, influenced by Portugal’s old trading links with Africa. This beautiful stone building was full of large rooms, a courtyard covered in exotic plants and best of all a rooftop swimming pool from where you could watch as swallows danced in the air. During term time part of the house doubles up as an art school (see http://www.artinthealgarve.com/the-art-school) which means the house is full of unique paintings which add to the character of the house.

Olhão is the largest fishing port in the Algarve and has an incredible daily market, not only selling fresh fish, but fruit, vegetables, meats and cheeses. It had me captivated as I wandered between the traders. The people smile at me as I look at the local produce. Along the harbour are little restaurants, all serving the fresh food from the market: this is food at its best, simple and fresh.

Olhão itself doesn’t have any beaches so you have to catch a ferry to a choice of small islands only 10 minutes (and a euro) away. Which is how I ended up here: lying on the deserted beach with nothing but a book as I look out across the sea trying to see where the sea and the sky combine.

While Portugal still remains one of the poorest countries in the EU it is full of personality and the people are some of the friendliest I have come across. The lifestyle allows you to relax and enjoy everything and everyone in your life. As I stand on the beach I can’t help but think I wish this was my home.

Photos: Rome

emily_mcd — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 01:06:00 GMT

My favourite place <3

Roma

emily_mcd — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:25:00 GMT

Once the centre of the ancient empire, Rome still holds all the charm and grandeur that existed two and a half thousand years ago. It’s a place that you won’t want to leave; beauty hides around every corner and some of the best discoveries come from straying from the main tourist routes. Perhaps the best time of year to visit is September when the temperature is still hot, but not overwhelming. The main attractions certainly do not disappoint.

Seeing the Colosseum for the first time is like seeing a celebrity; it takes your breath away and makes you feel numb with excitement. Before you even arrive at it, you must pass ruins which line the road as a path to the iconic arches, which stand proud and majestic. Inside, if possible, is more beautiful, the 3 walls and lower floor of the building give an idea of what must have taken place and the volume of people who came to visit Rome's greatest stadium. It was mind-blowing. It is certainly something to see. Immediately after leaving the Colosseum you stumble upon the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. The Forum was equally impressive as the Colosseum, once having housed Emperors and the high class society of ancient Rome. The temple pillars stood high, as if watching and guiding its ancient people. The detail which is still visible just gives a sneaky look at what may have been - and to think it was all handmade.

The other major sites, such as the Pantheon, Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain are more impressive in real life than any photo. One of Rome’s huge advantages is the proximity of the attractions, once you get past the grand walls of city the major sites are within a twenty minute walk of each other, allowing for a full and productive day sightseeing.

The Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica are a must see when staying in Rome, though you should definitely book tickets in advance to skip the line as the queues snake the walls. It holds some of the most beautiful and well preserved artefacts from ancient Egypt to the Romans. The Sistine Chapel houses Michael Angelo’s masterpiece which is reproduced everywhere, but once you see it you can't help your jaw from dropping at the scale and detail of it.

I chose to stay in an apartment, which if you want a space to put your feet up and relax after a long days walking, is perfect. But Rome does offer an array of restaurants some of which serve beautiful Italian cuisine, so a hotel would serve just as well, while some are overpriced and not so flavoursome. One gem situated just beyond Piazza Nova is Pizzeria Da Baffetto, serving pizza for 6/7 Euros, while you may have to queue for half an hour, the food is worth it; made quickly and you can taste that’s it’s fresh. Recommended to me by a true Italian: a sign of a good place! Campo de’Fiori, just across the road, is the place to be seen, perhaps encompassing the spirit of Rome, friendly, talkative people who are terribly laid back creating an atmosphere that is nonexistent in Britain.

Rome has so much history and personality that even by sitting in a piazza drinking espresso you are bound to find a piece of the ancient city that you will hold close to your heart. It has something for everyone and is a must visit.

Photos: Sardinia

emily_mcd — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 21:04:00 GMT

These are a few photos from the lovely town of Alghero.

My Travel Writing Scholarship 2011 entry - My Big Adventure

emily_mcd — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 08:13:35 GMT

The waves crash in the side of the tiny passenger boat as we rise and fall across the ocean. All I can see if the blue of the ocean and the sky, so pure I feel as if I were crossing a liquid sapphire. The wind whips through my hair and spray hits my face. The other passengers have the same look as I do; excitement and fear. We all know why we are here, we’re waiting to see the beauty we’ve read about, but the tiny boat doesn’t feel like it will make it. I turn to scan the coast line, seeing only green topped cliff faces which seem to force their way from the deep depths of the sea. It feels like I am the first person to sail across the ocean.

Then I see it; secret stairs, hand carved into the steep rock face, twist down the cliff to meet us with a tiny cave at the base. The boat rocks and struggles to dock against the minute entrance at the base of the steps; it kicks and tries to throw us out, Neptune has heard us coming.

Neptune’s Grotto; the ancient God’s lair. I step past the columns formed from stalagmites and stalactites which have collided and are intertwined with each other, marking out a narrow path which winds into the darkness. I am momentarily blinded as my eyes force themselves to adapt. As I reopen them it’s like I’ve been thrown into a dream world.

There’s an atmosphere of mystery as I file in behind a curious mix of travellers, I feel as if I’ve been summoned to Mount Olympus; snaking round beautiful and smooth rock formations, passing serene pools of crystal clear water. This place is the definition of tranquillity. The lights play on the smooth surface of the ghostly white rock, making the tiny crystals shimmer. It is certainly something from out of this world. It’s incredible that nature was responsible for this masterpiece. It’s perfect.

It is hard to tear my eyes away from the pillars which make this place seem even more like a temple; they glisten and entice me to stay. The stalactites drip from the ceiling like frozen rain, forever suspended in time. I think that’s the best way to sum up this beautiful cavern; it’s timeless and will forever stay with me. It touched my heart.

Before I step back onto the boat, I stand there with the sunlight on my back, looking into the darkness, hearing the sea break against the cliff allowing for calm to spread through my body. This is how it must have felt to be the first fisherman who discovered this over 300 years ago. It’s hauntingly beautiful.