Boats, Bridges & Blue Sky

 Recently myself and a few of my family members jumped on a boat in Stafford (Norbury Wharf) and slowly made our way down a river for around 8 hours, mowing up when we came across a nice pub, park or picnic space.

I really enjoyed a day away from fast paced and everyday life to just sit back and appreciate my surroundings and reflect on what is actually happening around me. I've always been a live in the moment kind of person where I enjoy what is happening right now and try not to worry what tomorrow will bring or what happened yesterday; but whilst I sat on the boat in the sunshine, with no phone signal and very little modern technology, I enjoyed thinking about what I have coming up and what I have been up to these past few months.

I've finished all of my college exams

Left college for good

Completed a level 2 IAG qualification

Bagged myself a new job

Nearly finished learning to drive

Been on holiday

Experienced a range of new things

Met so many new and amazing people

& had so much fun in the process!!

My day on the boat turned into one of the most relaxing and reflective days off I think I've ever taken, I think I'm slowly changing my 'living for the now' mindset and want to try and slow down every now and then to appreciate the whirl wind I can find myself in occasionally. I think its important to find the healthy balance in not obsessing over the past and future but also not ignoring them until they hit you in the moment.

Do you live for the now or think about tomorrow too much?

I'll leave you with some of my favourite pictures I took from the day.

Until next time, Toni. xo

London Trip.

London is my all time favourite place in the world, over all the expensive, hot and amazing holidays I have been on, London has always been the place I wanted to be.

There is something about the hustle and bustle, the knowing that whatever you need is always available and the idea of blending into a big crowd that makes it appeal to me so much - I have never liked standing out from the crowd but always found myself there anyway but London is the only place I feel happy and truly myself. There are so many styles, people, cultures and everything in London that makes everyone so different nothing is stand out enough to take note. In the capital city surrounded with thousands of other people doing their own thing I found myself, literally discovered something within myself that I never thought I would, contentment, that is why I love being there and that is why my heart belongs to the capital.

 

I take every chance I get to head down to London for a couple of hours, a weekend, a week or just a concert! This time I wanted to document it, I stayed for 2 nights and lived the life of a Londoner, no longer a tourist- I have mastered the tube, seen the sights and am now just enjoying my time- just another person going about their day and I couldn't have been happier with my time spent there.

 

 

 

 The street I stayed in was absolutely beautiful and right next to Hyde Park! On my last day after breakfast I walked through the park and even managed to catch a glimpse at the charitable half marathon.

 

 

 The memorial for all the British soldiers lost at war was phenomenal and I know 'a picture speaks a thousand words' but this picture and no other picture is able to represent the immensity of the display or the emotion expressed through the thousands of ceramic poppies planted in the ground.

 

 

  I of course had to take a walk over the river and take some shots of the London Eye and the London sky line in all its glory.

 

Portobello Road is one of my new favourite places in London! I went purely for the famous market but found myself in awe of the beautiful buildings and scenes around me - I would definitely recommend it for anyone who hasn't experienced it yet!

 

Camden was one of the first places I ever visited on my first trip to London 8 years ago and I have never stopped loving it since! If you ever go look out for the fresh orange juice stand covered in whole oranges and a man shouting about how good his juice is because it is the best.

 

 

 During my time in London was the African Culture Day which I of course had to go and check out (long story short I ended up playing a bongo in front of around 100 people) still one of my favourite days ever spent in the city!

 

 

I had to fit a show into my weekend also and went along to see Made In Dagenham which was one of the funniest and sweetest west end shows I have ever seen! I would definitely recommend it to anyone into rom coms/ chick flicks such as myself as it is the perfect combination of everything in one!

 

Piccadilly Circus
 

 

Until next time,

Toni.

x.



 

 

 

 

 

 

River Cruise.

 

 

I recently took a little guided cruise down a river local to me and had such an amazing time! The sights were so beautiful and I learnt so much about the local area that I never knew before. Random buildings that I thought were just 'old' hold so much history to them and once were such iconic places for local people. I got some great pictures and wanted to share them, so here are some of my favourites! I would definitely recommend for you to try it if you have the opportunity, even if you don't like history or you're not into the background of the local area it is so much fun to get out on the water and relax!

I also had a sweet treat on the boat with a double chocolate chip brownie which was a-ma-zing!! That made it all the better for me as I could sit back with a drink, my brownie and listen to the guides on the boat talking about the surrounding area, plus a huge bonus to the day was the sunshine and the cool breeze which was lovely! The boat ride was so much fun and I cant wait to do things like this again! It was such a cute place and such a great experience.