Author: Louise Hogan

If You’re a Frequent Traveler, Here’s Why You Should Do Yoga

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1. You Can Find Yoga Classes Everywhere It can be hard to keep fit when you’re travelling (check out my top tips here) but you can find drop in yoga classes everywhere. Unlike gyms which tend not to cater to people passing through a place, the vast majority of yoga classes are offered on a drop in basis, making them easily accessible to travelers. I’ve done yoga classes while passing through Oman, Bali, the UAE, Ireland, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Portugal! Seriously, everywhere. 2. Or You Can Bring Them With You All you need to do yoga is some space. Seriously, not even a mat (although I am a huge fan of my La Vie Boheme travel mat). Throw down a towel if you have one but really, you can do some simple yoga stretches anywhere whether it’s the back of an airplane or a hostel dorm room. And with so many free yoga tutorials available online, there really is no excuse. Yoga With Adriene is my absolute favourite and she even has some short …

Lagos, Portugal: The Best Activities

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Coming to the best spot in the Algarve and wondering how you’re going to spend your time? I’ve got you covered with the absolute best activities you can do in Lagos! Go Wild on the West Coast with TJ It’s the Algarve but not as you know it. Join TJ on his West Coast Adventure tour and you’ll explore the real Algarve – wilder and more rugged than the picture perfect beaches you’re used to! You need to be reasonably fit for this walk/hike/climb but it’s an amazing experience. TJ is such a knowledgable guide and the tour includes a sunset picnic (with wine, obvs) of delicious local produce. An absolute must do. Walk to Luz for Lunch There’s so many lovely walks you can do along by the coastline here but my favourite is walking from Porto De Mos beach to the pretty whitewashed village of Luz. Though slightly steep in places, this walk is suitable for pretty much all fitness levels- just make sure you bring plenty of water. The whole walk there …

Lagos, Portugal: The Best Beaches

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Lagos is known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the Algarve but with so many to choose from, you don’t want to waste any precious holiday days at the wrong one. Here are my top picks to make the very most of your beach days, whatever you’re looking for. Most Photogenic: Praia Dona Ana Really, all Lagos beaches are photogenic but Praia Dona Ana is a firm favourite with locals and tourists alike due to its unique rock formations. Although recently extended by adding dredged sands, which has covered some of the rock formations, it’s still a beautiful and popular beach. Best Small Beach: Praia do Camilo Famous for its 200 wooden steps leading down to a sheltered sandy cove,though Camilo is beautiful, it can become overcrowded during the high season. If you’re visiting off peak months, it’s a lovely beach, quite close to town and very picturesque. But if you’re visiting in season, it’s more of a ‘stop and admire its beauty’ than spend the whole day there kinda of beach. …

Summer Break: I’m Baaaaack!

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On June 1st, I went to Portugal for what was supposed to be a ten day break. Fast forward two months and I’m still here! I’ve been working at Bura Surfhouse and enjoying life in the sun so much, I decided to take a little summer break from The Recovering Humanitarian. But I’m back to blogging this week and I have so much to share with you guys!!! Look out for new pieces over the next few days on the very best of Lagos Portugal, Vietnam 101 plus my summer diary and heaps more! New Feature Coming Soon! As a frequent traveler, I was really inspired by this piece earlier in the summer: The Other Travelers by Elisa on The Pin the Map Project. It talks about the current state of the world and how travel is a luxury for some but a grim necessity for others, fleeing conflict. So I’ve decided to feature some stories from people I know working at the front lines of the refugee crisis- in Greece, Lebanon, South Sudan and elsewhere- to explore …

May: This month, I was. . .

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Weekending in Berlin And I loved it. Check out my tips for the coolest spots in Mitte, Berlin’s busiest and most central district. Doing Yoga every damn day Well not quite. But about 4-5 days a week, which felt like A LOT! I’ve been upping my fitness game in general and to balance out all the cardio and HIIT, I’ve been adding 20 minutes of yoga to the end of every workout as well as doing an hour online class once a week. Finally, literally a year and a half after starting yoga, I am starting to see some proper progress with my flexibility! Turns out that whole ‘consistency is key’ thing is true. On my new La Vie Boheme Yoga mat BTW! I absolutely adore my Mandala travel mat from La Vie Boheme so I decided to get a second one! This time I went for the Najavo in white and I love it just as much! Also pictured is my copy of The Inner Fix , by Persia Lawson & Joey Bradford of Addictive Daughter which …

How to Choose the Perfect Solo Adventure!

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Making the decision to travel solo- even if it’s slightly scary at the time- is often the easy part. The harder part is figuring out the best place to go! Of course, you can go wherever you want in this big wide world on your own! But there are some places especially suited to solo travel- places you’ll have amazing adventures, unforgettable experiences and meet incredible new people (remember, travel friends are often life friends!) So, if you’ve made the decision to hit the road by yourself but you’re not quite sure where to go, I’ve got you covered. I’ve rounded up the best spots for solo travelers around the world, what ever your interests or travel preferences may be!   You’re a Nervous First Timer If you’re feeling nervous about going solo, try somewhere with a well developed tourist industry like Portugal or Thailand. Both offer amazing cultural experiences, great food and beautiful scenery as well as decent infrastructure and lots of other tourists/travelers to connect with! You’re a Reasonably Confident First Timer It may …

5 Easy Steps to Pack for 3 Months in South East Asia!

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Or ‘How to backpack without looking like a backpacker!’ If you can travel for months with only two pairs of denim shorts and two t-shirts, this post is probably not for you. Though I do salute you! But if you’re packing for an extended trip to Asia, want to look good but still limit your backpack weight to 15 kg, this post is most definitely for you! Packing for a trip longer than a month can be challenging. My last extended trip took in five countries across the Middle East, SouthEast Asia and Australia, over almost four months taking me from cities to beaches to jungles to yoga retreats. Read on to learn the 5 simple steps for packing efficiently and all the essentials you need to backpack in Asia, without looking like you’re actually backpacking!     1. Buy packing cubes These are the best thing if you’re travelling long term. They help keep you organised, make constant packing and repacking easier and just generally make life on the road run smoother! They’re also the …

Berlin for Cool Seekers

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Before visiting Berlin, I was expecting it to be hipster central; Dalston with a post Socialist edge. And more street art. But I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, there’s hipsters aplenty but what Berlin’s buzziest area Mitte does well is easy going cool with a complete lack of pretentiousness (take note, East London). Affordable rents and a low cost of living mean young families mingle with the tech entrepreneurs and floating ‘creatives’, which all mixes together to produce a welcoming, relaxed area of co-working spaces, gin bars and local Italian restaurants.   Mitte is the most central Berlin district and is the historical heart of the city. Mitte was once the centre of East Berlin but in the reunified city, the boroughs were redrawn and it’s now a larger, sprawling neighbourhood. Most Berliners use Mitte only in reference to the original smaller locality and not the wider borough. If you’re looking for the must see tourist sights, visit Tripadvisor. But if you want to know where to go for the best flat white or hummus or …

5 Easy Ways to make Long Haul Flying a Breeze!

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Any flight lasting 6 hours or more is considered long haul. Despite the huge increase in long haul travel recently, a lot of people really struggle to cope with longer flights! I’ve always enjoyed flying (seriously, airports are my happy place) and long haul flights don’t phase me. I’ve done my fair share of long flights over the years- to the States, the Middle East, Asia and Australia so I’ve fine tuned my long haul flying routine to ensure maximum comfort and minimum fuss. Like anything preperation is key! Here are my top 5 ways of making long haul flying a breeze! 1. Choose your Airline carefully When flying long-haul, you want the most comfortable option with good entertainment and food choices, plus a layover in a decent airport . There has never been more competition between long haul carriers but plumping for the lowest flight isn’t always the best deal. Conversely, expensive does not neccessaily mean best! British Airways fares are typically quite high and although their flights are comfortable, the entertainment choices are poor; …

How to Cope with a Plot Twist and Lose your Fear of Failure

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‘Plot Twist’ is a nice euphemism for ‘Shit has gone really wrong and I no longer know I’m doing!’ One of my first and most popular posts on the blog was this one about my 2015- how I traveled a lot, did a lot of yoga and other cool things (climbing an active volcano in Bali anyone?) but also how I was knocked completely sideways by not getting in to a Masters I’d applied for and then having a shitty few months job hunting which left me feeling like a complete failure. So many people shared the post- to be honest, if I’d known just how many people would share it, I probably wouldn’t have written the bloody thing. But I’m glad people could relate or that they found it helpful. A lot of people commented that it was refreshingly honest but to me, it wasn’t such a big deal. Anyone close to me was aware at the time how much I’d been struggling- pretty Instagram pictures notwithstanding- so speaking about a tough time didn’t …