Cheesecake Factory, Dubai Mall

In April I spent 2 weeks in Dubai, so I’m going to backtrack to some of my favourite things I did whilst I was out there. I was introduced to the Cheesecake Factory by one of my former work colleagues as I started my trip with work and I’m so glad she did… I wasn’t quite sure what to expect thinking by the name that it was a dessert restaurant but oh how I was wrong!

The menu at the Cheesecake Factory was the biggest I have ever seen, you have the choice of literally any cuisine you fancy… perfect to solve a night when your all feeling like you would like something different.

As Dubai Mall is alcohol free they offer a range of non-alcoholic cocktails which were delicious, again with a massive choice you’ll find something for everyone, all very fruity and refreshing!

I do love my Mexican food so went for the enchilada’s which were really good… be warned the portion sizes are very large!

Finally, the main reason people visit the Cheesecake Factory is for, yep you guessed it! Cheesecake, the choice is unlimited. The portions again are more an enough for one (but you can always take your leftovers home!) we went for a toffee nut cheesecake and one of their most famous ones, red velvet. The red velvet was my favourite and I would definitely recommend anyone giving it a try.

Whilst eating you can also enjoy the view of the Dubai Mall’s Aquarium which i believe is one of the largest suspended aquariums in the world, you can forget about the hustle and bustle of the shopping mall and relax and watch the fish go by. Although you might find you have to wait a little longer for a table in this position, i would definitely say it’s worth it!

All in all, even if your only in Dubai for a few nights, I’d definitely recommend giving this place a try, just for the experience and there is no doubt it will cover everyones tastes!

Lots of Love,

Drew x

 

 

 

 

Skydive Australia, Wollongong Sydney

It’s a long time since I did this but I guess it’s the kind of experience that will always feel like yesterday! I think skydiving is on top of most peoples bucket list and I was no different.

The skydiving spot at Wollongong in Sydney has to be one of the best ways to see and experience the south Sydney coastline views plus the indescribable thrill of free-falling from a plan from 14,000ft is an experience you will definitely never forget.

The nerves do start to build as your strapped to a stranger in a plane and the door begins to open… but you don’t have time to think before your tumbling out of the door, the air rushes to your face and before you know it your just soaring above the beautiful skyline.

By this point the fear has disappeared and your amazed by the feeling of floating back down to the ground. For sure one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life and can’t wait to get the opportunity to do it again.

One top tip when booking your skydive: make sure you have plenty of time left in your trip for your skydive to be rescheduled, this is quite normal due to how much the wind can impact on your fall, my dive was cancelled 3 times before I actually got to jump.

Find out more details, different locations in Australia that might fit better with your trip and how to book on the Skydive Australia website and you can see my whole jump on my YouTube channel which was built by Skydive Australia which anyone can purchase after their dive, so you don’t forget your experience even though I’m pretty sure you never will!

Lots of Love,

Drew x

The Holy Crab, Seminyak

Looking for a different kind of dining experience? This one might be for you… during one of our first nights in Bali the heavens opened so we went searching for something in a handy distance from our hotel and stumbled across the The Holy Crab in Seminyak.

I have to say I’m not usually a one for trying a chain restaurant whilst travelling as I like to try out local cuisine however I definitely have a soft spot for some good seafood (especially crab!) and it’s one I hadn’t seen before….

The Louisiana inspired seafood restaurant offers a selection of local and imported seafood with your choice of spice and seasoning, when we arrived the first thing I spotted was the bib… yes a bib! I didn’t know what I was getting myself in for.

We went for the king prawns and mud crab in the cajun seasoning and some sides, it wasn’t until the waiter came over and started to poor our food out onto our table we realised we would be eating our food off the table (hiding face emoji) with a clean paper table cloth of course!

I would say it’s probably not somewhere I would plan on heading for a first date… it definitely gets a bit messy! You definitely do have to ‘roll up your sleeves, put on your bib and get cracking!’

In all it was amazing food and such a different eating experience which I really enjoyed… I’d recommend giving this place a try even though it was quite pricey compared to other restaurants in the area – I thought it was definitely worth it, especially for any other fellow seafood lovers and after some research I can see they have joints all over the globe!

Lots of Love, 

Drew’s Wandering Words x 

 

24 Hours in Singapore

Well it’s all of this recent snowy weather in London is making me think of warmer climates… so I recently had a layover in Singapore on my way to Bali and I wanted to recap how we spent our few hours exploring the wonderful city.

From travelling long-haul quite a lot over the last few years, I’d definitely recommend having a break in your flight and taking the opportunity to explore another city – I mean why not? It helps you to adjust to your new time zone quicker and gives you the opportunity to refreshen up and explore some more sights!

Take a boat ride 

This is such a good way to learn more about the city and see sights around the river, I always think doing this first when visiting a new city is such a good way to get your bearings and identify where you want to go next.

We did a boat trip from Clarke Key  which was really handy to get to from our hotel, it was great, the staff were very friendly and we even felt like we had our own photographer on board, happy to help you get the best shots of your trip. It ended in Marina Bay and gave us the opportunity to grab these stunning photos of the city skyline…

Gardens by the Bay  

Even if you only have a few hours in Singapore, I’d definitely recommend spending sometime in the day to visit Gardens by the Bay, this park includes two indoor gardens which span over many levels, full of different blooms and scents… these also are home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall (found inside Cloud Forrest). The view of Marina Bay from within these gardens is also something spectacular….

Supertrees 

I think these trees are now becoming an iconic image of Singapore and are one of the main things tourists want to see and I now know why! These Supertrees are something literally out of this world, being around them makes you feel like your a century ahead or on another planet.

The light show is also one not to be missed, I’d say to get the best of both worlds arrive a little before sunset so you can view the trees in all of their glory. The light show starts after sunset… make sure you head up to the viewing point to see the most unbelievable views of the city.

Top Tips: 

• I’d recommend heading to the Gardens by the Bay for around 5:00pm if you also want to see the indoor gardens, this gives you just enough time to explore before the sunsets and you can head over to the Supertrees for the light show.
• I’d definitely pay the extra fee to go up the Supertrees once there, the view is spectacular of the Supertrees, Marina Bay Hotel & the city skyline.
• Looking for somewhere to head to eat? Clarke Quay is great, full of different restaurants and bars you won’t be stuck for choice. Boat Quay also hosts some great restaurants on the river front so you can enjoy a lovely view whilst eating.

Lots of Love,

Drew x

 

 

 

Jungle Swinging, Ubud

Looking for something a little different to add to your Bali adventure? This post is definitely for you! During our few days in Ubud we decided to add a little adrenaline to our trip and see what Bali Swing was all about….

On arrival you can see straight away just how amazing the view actually is, I mean the pictures look out of this world but they don’t even give the view justice, you really are swinging through the jungle trees over the valley, river and waterfall.

There is a total of five different swings to try, all at different heights and levels, I’m not going to lie when we got there I was a little nervous and the adrenaline rush kicked in just looking at the drop but everything was fine and the guys working on the swings were so calming and reassuring.

That reassuring they actually managed to get me onto the biggest swing which you need to wear a safety harness for – it was so much fun!

You can spend as long as you want on each swing and I’d definitely recommend taking the time to just soak up the scenery, I mean it’s not every day you get to have a birds eye view quite literally of a sights like this!

The park also has some more cute little areas where you can grab some more breathtaking photos, we actually paid a small fee to have our photos taken by the people working there, these were great and we received them via WhatsApp before leaving so you can share your holiday updates right away.

At $35 USD each the park is quite pricey for a Bali activity but I would say it’s well worth the money, it’s something that I’d never experienced before and so glad I did. We spent most of a morning here and I would recommend getting there just as the park opens – we literally had the place to ourselves for a little while! Take your time to soak up the views and they also offer you a free drink and balinese snack which was a lovely little extra.

For any thrill seekers or anyone who would just like to soak up an amazing view, I would say it’s something not to be missed!

Lots of Love, 

Drew x

Topdecker, Island Suntanner

So at the end of May I found out I unfortunately had to leave Australia to return to the UK, before that was going to happen I wanted to make the most of some free time before making my way back to London.

So after searching online I eventually decided to book a Topdeck Tour up the East Coast, it ended up being one of the best trips I have ever done, ticked off some once in a lifetime experiences and made some friends for life (cheesy but true).

So over my next few posts I’m going to throw back to each part of the trip…

Day 1: Sydney to Crescent Head

28/05/17 the morning we all met outside our ‘Top Decker’ coach (literally our home for the next 14 days), we made our first hellos to each other and were introduced to our tour guides Anthony, Meg & driver Lee.

Once we boarded we set off across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, even after this being my regular commute to work for the past 6 months, the view of the Sydney Opera House still never gets old!

First stop – Wine Tasting and Grape Stomping in the Hunter Valley!

What better way to get acquainted with the new group than with some wine tasting in the amazing Hunter Valley! We got to sample various wines and then spilt into groups to take part in a grape stomping competition – so much fun!

Where? Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia

Top Tips?

• In relation to joining a Top Deck tour… Don’t be nervous! Everyone is in the same boat and the tour guides really help you all to feel like you have all known each other for years. 
• Make sure you are prepared to get a little sticky… Main tip for girls – not to wear tight skinny jeans that you can’t roll up and need for the rest of the trip (lesson learnt the hard way)!
• Make sure you try the Hunter Valley Moscato – the best wine I’ve ever tasted and I’m partial to a glass after work every now and then.

After the wine tasting we headed towards Cresent Head to our first night at Surf Camp and we got to witness the first of some of the most amazing sunsets I have ever witnessed – all to come over the next couple of weeks!!

Lots of Love Drew x