My top ten must see sights and places to see in Malaysia

I've been back from Malaysia for nearly six months now and still can't stop thinking about it. It was such an incredible trip and at times I can't quite believe I was able to visit such a stunning country. Travel is pretty incredible eh? I feel like we covered so much ground during our trip but there is still so much of Malaysia we still didn't get to see. But if you're planning your own trip travelling around the country, here are ten places and sights you absolutely have to put on your itinerary.

1. Take a tour of a tea plantation in Cameron Highlands
The tea plantations in Cameron Highlands were stunning. I had no idea rows upon rows of tea could be so beautiful. You'll struggle to buy tea from this area outside Malaysia as they don't make enough to export it to other countries. The towns which make up the Cameron Highlands are very touristy but it's well worth making the effort to go all that way up above sea level. Definitely make sure you book yourself on a guided tour as you'll get so much out of it. I'd recommend Eco Cameron who promote sustainable tourism and have such knowledgable guides. He really did make our trip.

2. Spend a day in Melacca
To me, Melacca was exactly how I had imagined Malaysia to look like when I had images in my head. The city is full of old colonial buildings from when the Dutch and British colonised the country.  It is quite tourist heavy so keep this in mind. The best things to do is simply wander and soak up the atmosphere. It has a fab cafe culture so you'll find lots of cute places to sit down, escape from the blistering sunshine and rehydrate before heading off on to the next site. Make sure you climb to the top of the hill to St Paul's Church for some cracking views over the city.

3. Go to the top of the Petronas Towers
No trip to any capital city is complete without a visit to the top of the tallest building right? Admission to the Petronas Towers is around £15 (depending on the exchange rate) and this includes a visit to Sky Bridge which connects the two towers together and the main observation deck on the 86th floor. Seeing KL below you really is a sight to behold.

4. Try all the street food in George Town
I don't know about you but one of my favourite things about traveling to different places is trying the local food. In fact I plan most of my holidays around food. If you're a foodie too then you're in for a treat in George Town. The city had the best food I ate in Malaysia. Make sure you pay a trip to all the hawker stalls. If you have a travelling partner share dishes so you can try twice as much.

5. See the street art in Ipoh
Much like George Town Ipoh is full of cool street art. Some of it has been created by Ernest Zacharevic who was commissioned to do the street art in George Town too. Seeing the murals does get busy so go hunting for them early on the morning to beat the crowds.

6.  Stay off the grid in The Sticks
You'll need a car in order to make it to The Sticks but the off the grid guesthouse is well worth attempting those Malaysian roads for. Located in Fraser's Hill, this guesthouse is surrounded by flowing rivers and lush forest. You won't be blessed with any WIFI signal which is a god send. Enjoy home cooked food, going down the rapids in rubber dingy, talking long leisurely walks and if you're feeling adventurous, paragliding.

7.  Visit Chinese temples
I don't know if it was because it was my first time to Asia and I'd never been to any type of temple before but I absolutely loved seeing all the Chinese temples during my trip. We went during Chinese New year so they were so packed and it gave a great insight into everyday life. I was fascinated. Everyone was so welcoming to us and took the time to give us tours and tells us all about traditions which was so kind.

8.  Do the Sky Cab in Langkawi
This isn't something I enjoyed but something that you absolutely have to do if you find yourself in Langkawi. I'm so glad I did it! The Sky Cab is the steepest cable car in the world and it definitely feels like it when you're in it. You're treated to absolutely stunning 360 degree views of the whole island and it will blow you away.

9.  Hire a car and take a road trip
The first week we were in Malaysia we took an epic road trip consisting of six different cities and towns in seven days. It was pretty intense being in a new place practically every day but it was such a fantastic way to see the country. It made you appreciate the cities even more because you knew you didn't have much time there to explore. Road users are pretty chaotic in Malaysia but they all drive on the same side of the road as us so it makes it a little easier.

10. Take a rainforest trek in Cameron Highlands
We did an organised tour with Eco Cameron for a visit to the Mossy Forest. The Mossy forest a type of environment which only exists in Cameron Highlands and Malaysia. Driving 6,666 feet above sea level to the eco-system our guide took us on a walk to explain all the different type of plants. It was so interesting and incredibly sobering to listen to what will happen to this eco-system if we fail to look after it.

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Hotel review: House Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Address: 27 Leeson Street Lower, Saint Kevin's, Dublin 2, Ireland
Cost per night: Around £150 for room only.

It's not very often we stay in hotels when we travel, instead we opt for an Airbnb as they're cheaper. But I booked Dublin for Connor's 30th birthday so I wanted to choose a hotel as it was a special occasion. A word of warning, accommodation in Dublin is pretty expensive. Much like London, you have to spend at least £100 to get anywhere pretty decent.

After lots of research I settled on House Dublin as I loved the Soho House vibes I got from it. So hipster. As well as a hotel it's home to a nightclub, restaurant, outside terrace and gin room. Safe to say it's pretty buzzing all the time! We stayed midweek so I can't comment on how noisy living above a nightclub was but reading from reviews I think it gets a bit loud on a Friday and Saturday night.

It's located in St Stephen's Green which is close enough to all the action in the centre of town but far enough to not be tourist central. It took us about 15 minutes to walk to Temple Bar. There are lots of pubs and restaurants nearby so you don't have to venture into the centre of town if you don't want to.

Sadly we had to make last minute arrangements as we had a funeral to attend in Northern Ireland. We flew into Dublin and hired a car to drive to Derry that morning. I rung the hotel to explain the situation and they were fantastic. They canceled our original booking without the cancellation fee (saved us 160 euro!) and rebooked us in for later on in the week. I'd also arranged with them over email to fill the bedroom with balloons for my boyfriend's birthday. Nothing was too much trouble for them.

We had breakfast one day to try it out. Priced at 15 euro for a drink and breakfast it was actually quite good value considering Dublin is probably one of the most expensive cities I have ever been. We both opted for an Irish Fry and it was enormous. Certainly kept us going for most of the day!

House Dublin was a great shout for us. We loved the location, staff were very helpful, the Rituals toiletries in the room were a nice touch, the bed was very comfortable and the cool general vibe was great. It is pricey but I feel that is Dublin in a nutshell. I'd definitely recommend the hotel if you find yourself in the city!

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Why you should put London's West End on your trip itinerary

When you're planning a trip to a capital city like London it can be hard to choose what to put in your itinerary. It's such a sprawling place, full of great little neighbourhoods. I've been coming into London for 26 years and I still haven't even scratched the surface! But one thing you should most definitely put in your itinerary is a trip to see a play or a musical at the West End. I may be biased here but the London theatre scene is one of the best in the world. I've been lucky enough to see a musical on Broadway and it was fantastic. But it didn't quite have the magic of the capital's West end.

Where to get tickets
Whether you're after seeing a musical for fun escapism or a hard-hitting play to make you think, it's difficult to know where to start to choose the right show for you. Head to Official London Theatre* to find endless tickets available for the West End. You'll also find news about the upcoming shows due to begin their run so you can pop it in your diary. There's also some great deals where kids eat for free to help keep the cost of the day out down. Going to the theatre can soon add up! They very kindly offered me two tickets to catch SWEAT before it is due to finish it's run next week. The politically-charged play is set in Pennsylvania amidst simmering racial tensions. It felt unbelievably current, exploring the anger and resentment currently directly towards immigrants and people of colour today. It really left a lasting impression after it ended.

My favourite theatres
My favourite theatres to see a play at the National Theatre on the Southbank and Barbican theatre. The Barbican is quite small so it feels so intimate when you see a play. You really get caught up the action! I was really lucky to get tickets to see Cillian Murphy in Grief Is The Thing With Feathers earlier this year (twice!) in front row seats. It was probably one of my favourite theatre experiences.

For musicals I love catching them at Apollo Victoria and the London Palladium. I have fond memories of the Palladium as it's where my nan took me to see my first musical at the age of 7. It was Oliver and I remember being mesmerised. It's been the home of the annual pantomime the last few years. My mum and I went last and it was incredible. Absolutely hilarious.

Musicals to look out for
One of my favourite musicals in recent years is The Lion King. The costumes are out of this world. You immediately forget you're watching humans dressed up, it feels like you're watching real animals gliding across the stage. I'd also recommend Wicked - which I'm actually seeing for the third time next week - and 9-5, the Dolly Parton musical.

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Tips for learning that work life balance - and why it is so hard to get right

Outfit:
Orange and black floral maxi dress: Fashion World*
Black crossover bag: Kate Spade (similar)
Nude midi heeled sandals: Fashion world*

Are you even a millennial if you don't moan about how much you work? Our generation works such long hours and often has a hefty commute to boot. By the time the working day is over it's easy to feel exhausted. You feel like you spend your life either in an office or in a mode of transport getting to said office. Monday to Friday your life can become a bit of a blur and a waste. Here a few things to ensure I try to get work life balance some of the time!

Always take at least a 30 minutes lunch break
The British seem to have this working culture where they eat lunch at their desk and spend all their working day glued to their computer screens. Luckily I work on a desk where they actively encourage you to take time out and get away from your screen. I find even just 30 minutes away from my desk aimlessly walking down the high street, in and out of a few shops, can help me come back much more refreshed for the rest of the day. The fresh air does a world of good especially during the winter. If you have a long commute it can sometimes feel like you haven't seen day light as you leave in the dark and get home in the dark!

Learn to stay in at least one day over the weekend
If you work long hours during the week it can be easy to make frantic plans at the weekend so you feel like you're making 'the most' out of your free time. But come the time when the alarm screeches on a Monday morning you can end up feeling exhausted because you literally haven't stopped all week. Instead choose either the Saturday or Sunday to have no plans and take the day off to truly relax. Catch up on that Netflix series you keep meaning to start, bake that cake that you saw in your recipe book or potter around the house doing jobs that make you feel better.

Stop being that person who flakes
It can be all too easy to become a hermit when you spend a huge chunk of time working. Sometimes the last thing you want to do is leave your house and socialise when all you want is to have some 'you' time. But sometimes you need to force yourself to go out. Nine times out of ten you'll come home feeling glad you made an effort to catch up with friends.

Give yourself a break as soon as you walk through the door at home
Sometimes I spend my whole 90 minute commuter home thinking about work. I think about those emails I didn't have time to reply too, what I need to add to my to-do list the next day and I dwell on things if I've had a particular bad day. This really isn't healthy. If I really have to then I do think about the work I've left behind but as soon as I open my front door I completely clear it from my mind. The best way to do this is to walk straight into the kitchen and start cooking dinner. Following a recipe helps me to switch off as that's all I can concentrate on at the time. Then once Ive eaten I find it so much easier to put the woes of the day behind me.

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#52recipes: 11-16

If you want to keep up with my recipe challenge on Instagram, check out my highlights where I've been posting everything I've been trying. I'd love to know what you've been cooking recently for some inspiration! You can see that from what I'm posting about, just how obsessed I am with Diana Henry's cookbook Simple. It is such an incredible book and I've loved everything I've made. It's definitely become my go-to book in the kitchen.

Diana Henry's chicken, cauliflower and parmesan bake from Simple
The first thing I cooked from Diana Henry's Simple was this traybake. For something so simple, it was unbelievably delicious. Definitely one for a weekday meal as it's nice and quick. You simply bung everything in a roasting dish then leave it alone in the oven to cook. I'm rarely make the same thing twice but this is good enough that I'm going to add it my monthly rotation!

Ottolenghi's honey, thyme and yogurt cheese cake from Simple
Loved the combination of thyme and honey but feel it needed a bit longer in the fridge to set. I'd recommend to leave it overnight if you make it. The hobnob biscuit base was a game changer and I'm going to use it in my future cheesecakes. So much nicer than the normal digestive biscuit.

Diana Henry's spiced Turkish chicken from Simple
Another Diana recipe that I LOVED. If I'm going to cook meat at home, chicken thighs are one of my favourite pieces to cook. They taste so flavoursome and are really the best part of the chicken in my opinion. The spice blend of this dish was so delicious. I served it with my signature salt and pepper wedges along with the salsa Diana recommends.

Gouda, spring onion and spinach quiche (loosely based on a Mary Berry recipe)
Quiche is one of my favourite ways to use up veg. It's the ideal summer dish in my opinion. I base it on a Mary Berry recipe which allows for lots of chopping and changing depending on what you have on hand. I had some gouda in the fridge and I think it might have become my favourite cheese to use in a quiche. It was fab! I suppose using basically a whole block helped...

Diana Henry's Huevos Roots from Simple
Gosh I'm still so obsessed with this book and can't wait until her next one comes out. This is a dish we've made quite a few times now when we don't want to go shopping. All you need is paprika, eggs and potatoes - three staples we always have in the house at any time. It's a dish that will work well for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A true all-rounder!

Ottolenghi's whole roasted cauliflower with green Tahini sauce from Simple
I did this dish when I hosted a Sunday roast for my blogger girls. Who knew a simple green tahini sauce could be so addictive! This was absolutely delicious and the whole cauliflower was a great showpiece for the middle of the table. It's one I'm going to keep on making for when I'm entertaining.
(Picture taken from Michelle's blog)

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Four tips to do Las Vegas on a budget

When we went to Las Vegas earlier on in the year I was shocked by how expensive it was. I knew it was going to be pricey but it was SO pricey. That's coming from a girl who spends most of her life in London where being expensive is a way of life. After being there a day we quickly realised we were going to spend a lot of money BUT as the days went on we realised that maybe we didn't have to take out a second mortgage in order to have a good time. Here are some four tips to help you see Vegas on a budget...

Make the most of the hotels
To be honest one of the best things about Vegas is wandering from hotel to hotel, with each one being even more bonkers than the last. It's completely free to soak up the atmosphere and people watch in the craziest place on earth. For sheer opulence The Venetian was a sight to behold, you'll find yourself wandering around with your mouth open. For retro vibes, head to the Flamingo with real flamingos hanging out in the pool area. For Willy Wonka-style grandness the Wynn has some absolutely incredible floral displays that are crying out for an Instagram snap. The Ballagio has cool old-school vibes and really sums up what Las Vegas is all about.

Take advantage of the fast food joints
I've been lucky enough to visit a few cities in America and Vegas is probably the worst foodie choice. I may not have eaten at the right places but I did my research and everything still fell a little flat. The city seemed to go for quantity over quality. But one thing America does do well is a fast food joint! Shake Shack in particular tastes an million times nicer out there than it does in London. We tended to opt for fast food for lunches and then splash out a little for dinner to help keep costs down.

Avoid the taxis and download Uber
The strip is absolutely huge and after a few times, the novelty tends to wear off walking up and down. It takes such a long time as the crowds really do slow you down. I recommend to download the Uber app to get around cheaply. We got a hell of a lot of Ubers over the week and we spent around £38 each which was unbelievably cheap. I'd fully expected it to be at least £100. Someone told us there are a staggering 30,000 uber drivers in Vegas so you never have to wait longer than a minute for one.

Stick to the slot machines in casinos
If you make it to Vegas you have to have a little flutter at some point. But it can be easy to blow loads of money before you know it. Keep an eye out for the slot machines which are 25 cents a go. That means you have four tries on the one armed-bandits for a dollar. When you start using dollar machines it can soon add it and cut into your budget a lot.

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Four ways to budget your weekly food shop

When you're looking to save money, one of the easiest ways to cut back is on your shopping list. But cutting back doesn't mean you have to cut back on the quality of food you eat. You just have to be savvy! I've become obsessed with trying to lower the price of my food shop each week. Anyone else play that game at the checkout where you try to guess the final total? No? Just us weirdos then! We do treat ourselves to an Abel & Cole box delivered every fortnight which works out around $6.60 each week on top of our food bill. When we buy meet every so often we try to make sure to go to the local butchers to ensure it's free range. We buy cheap cuts of meat like chicken thighs but often find they're the most flavoursome. Here are my four money-saving tips that I swear by when I'm scanning the aisles of Aldi each week...

1. Shop around
It's so convenient to go to one supermarket and get all your shopping completely done in one go. But the supermarkets you visit might not always be the cheapest. We've discovered that Aldi for the bulk of our shop, Home Bargains for cleaning/washing products and specialist cuisine shops for our spices, herbs and ingredients a little out of the ordinary works out to be the cheapest for us. It can be a bit of pain having to go to three different shops but I like to think of it as a little adventure!

2. Go veggie during the week
Since January we've been trying to make a conscious decision to become 'mid-week' vegetarians. Part of it was because I'm trying to do my bit to be more sustainable and the other was because we are trying to cut down on our weekly food bill. We average on around £30 for a veggie food shop compared to around £50 for a food shop including meat. We buy a lots of pulses in the form of tinned beans and lentils to help keep our protein up. Meat is kept for the odd day at the weekend where we'll go to the butchers or a treat if we have dinner out. I haven't really found myself missing it and I'm loving how much more adventurous its making me with my cooking. It's so easy to fall into the trap of always cooking meat and veg without giving it too much thought. I'm determined to create meals where meat isn't missed and think I'm succeeding 75% of the time.

3. Meal plan
The day before we do our shop I'll go through our larder, grab my cookbooks and meal plan for the upcoming week. I tend to choose dinners for four people so I can cook enough for us to have lunch the following day. I only do five days as we always have one day where we're both out and another where we're home alone - that night it is toast of some sort. My favourite comfort food! I don't always cook the meal on the day planned but it will be cooked sometime that week. I find this stops me panic buying and spending unnecessary money. I try to only buy produce that I will use that week to minimise food waste.

4. Stock your cupboard with tins
I love tins. In fact I can't rave about tinned food enough! It's amazing how versatile they are. And cheap! I always make sure I have tinned tomatoes, fish and different types of beans to ensure that even when the cupboards feel bare there is always something to be able to made into a meal. You can easily put off shopping for a few days if you have a well stocked cupboard.

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An honest opinion of a vegetable subscription service

I'd been interested in subscribing to a veg box since I moved it but it seemed a bit frivolous. But now after living in our house for two years, money isn't as tight as it once was so I took the plunge and signed up to see if they were really worth the money. I opted for Abel & Cole because I loved the idea of their British veg box priced at £12.50. I've been trying really hard this year to make more ethical food choices to try and help the environment. One of those is only eating vegetables that are season to help cut down on the transportation.

Consisting of six different varieties of vegetables, everything in the box is organic. It changes each week but you'll find you'll sometimes get a lot of the same things due to the fact the U.K is limited in what type of veg it can grown. That darn British weather! Sadly you can't ask for replacements like you can for the other boxes so if you don't like something that's included then that's tough. You'll find the contents of the box for the next two weeks on the website so you can decided whether you would like it delivered. In the particular week pictured we got free tofu included in the box and I added some wild garlic after being influenced on Instagram! Occasionally we will add other stuff, this week I added some bread and salted butter.

We decided to get it delivered fortnightly as £12.50 each week did seem a bit expensive and a waste of money. As there are only two of us in this house I've found this works out perfectly. I don't know if it's because its organic but it really does last a long time so we barely finish eating it before the next box gets delivered. I plan my meals around what we will receive in the box so it's so helpful to see the contents online in advance. The packaging is all recyclable, even the plastic. I love the fact you can leave the box outside, and all the other packaging if you wish, and they will collect it to reuse it again for another box.

So is it worth the money? In a short answer yes! I love having it delivered every week and the produce is always so delicious. In particular the tomatoes are incredible. They actually taste like tomatoes which is more than what you can say for the ones in the supermarket...  Having the box makes me much more adventurous with my cooking as I'm using ingredients I never would have thought to use. As we're making more of an effort to go veggie, it's making it a lot easier to get more of our daily allowance. It's so easy to bulk up dinners with potatoes but this is making sure I get my five a day. We are sometimes still buying a couple of veggies in our weekly shop but that's mostly if I'm cooking for other people than our household of two. I even don't mind that the veg is a little grubby when it arrives - Sophie a year ago would have hated this! - as this means that it really is organic. Nothing a little rinse under the tap can't sort! We've been enjoying the box for two months now and I can't imagine we'll be stopping anytime soon.

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