Flying to LA

I'm currently writing this at 35,000 feet in the air, flying across the Atlantic on our way to LA, the first stop of our much anticipated honeymoon. I'm drinking champagne (courtesy of my lovely husband - he's a keeper!), watching Eat Pray Love, and writing. I'm basically the happiest I've been in ages. I umm-ed and ahh-ed about whether I should bring my laptop on this trip. I felt a little bit guilty about taking time out of such an incredible trip to sit and write these little posts to you all, but the truth is, there's nothing I love more than going back through the archives and reading my little holiday diaries.

They allow me to be transported back to those moments that made me so happy, and I'm pretty certain there will be a lot of those over the next few weeks. So if it's okay with you all, I'll probably be checking in every couple of days with some thoughts and ramblings from our trip. There will still be the usual city guides and more useful content in a few weeks time, but I hope you'll bear with these little journal style posts too, because these are the the ones I'll want to re-read when I'm old and grey.

Our journey so far has been smooth and pretty enjoyable. We had a Nando's in Gatwick airport (side note: I really wish Manchester airport had a Nando's) and I went a little bit wild in duty free. I've had my eyes on these Gucci sunglasses for months, and with a hefty tax discount and a Sunglass Hut voucher to use, I just couldn't resist them! And now we're en route, 2 hours down and another 9 to go.

There's something abut this part of a trip that fills me with so much contentment. The countdown is over, the wait is no more, but the whole of the holiday is still rolling out in front of us, just waiting to be enjoyed. There's a myriad of memories to be made, experiences to be had and adventures to be lived. It's just bliss.

I know lots of people who believe that travel is a luxury, and of course, in so many ways it is. It is by no means a necessity, but I'm not exaggerating when I say that it fuels me. Seeing new places, trying new foods, meeting new people - it makes me feel alive. It makes me feel present and grounded and vital in a way that nothing else can.

And above all else, travel gives me the space and distance I need to appraise my life with a fresh perspective. It allows me to see where I need to make a change and where the scales have started to tip out of balance.

So many of the big decisions I've made in my life have been as a result of spending some time away from home. I decided to start this blog three and a half years ago while I was on a trip to Amsterdam, and it was during our holiday to New York last year that I had the realisation that I needed to make a change career wise.

I'm excited to see what this little break from everyday life will teach me. Who know what realisations or new learnings I'll be coming home with in two weeks?

And on that note, I better get back to my champagne and snacks...