Postcards from Dublin

Last month we spent a few days in Dublin for Connor's 30th birthday and we both fell in love with the Irish capital. There isn't a lot to see in Dublin but the best thing about the city in my opinion is simply wandering around, dipping in and out pubs stopping for a quick drink to soak up the atmosphere.

The city is extremely touristy, we joked that you heard more American accents on the streets then you did Irish. It's really busy and you'll spend your days dodging people especially in the Temple Bar area. It took a while for us to get used tooas all the other places we've visited in Ireland haven't really had to many tourists. The city felt very European which was a surprise and at times it didn't feel like we'd only flown over the Irish Sea.

One thing I'd 100% recommend should you find yourself in the city is book a tour at Kilmainham Gaol as it was the best thing we did. We may be biased and have a huge interest in Irish history because of my boyfriend's heritage but it was so fascinating. I thought I already knew a fair bit about the partition of Ireland and the Easter Risings but the guide was incredibly knowledgable and offered snippets of history I had no idea of. You have to book a fair few weeks in advance because it sells out very quickly. It's only around 8 Euro.

As cliche as it may be it's also worth booking a tour around the Guinness Storehouse. The self-guided tour is a lot of fun and it's fairly interactive too. You get top enjoy a free pint of the black stuff in a bar offering 360 degree views of the entire city. Keep in mind its a fairly long way to walk from Temple Bar but it's quite a nice walk to enjoy. Definitely go for at least one drink in Temple Bar, I don't think it's worth spending your whole night in there but it's definitely worth a quick tipple to say that you've done it!

We had such a fab time in Dublin that we're thinking about when we can pop back for a second round!

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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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