Dubrovnik, walking the walls.

If you have been reading my previous posts then you will have read that I went to Dubrovnik for a birthday getaway. I have spoke about the small seaside town I stayed in and about Fort Lovrijenac, an old castle looking Fort that resides on top of a hill surrounded by stunning scenery. As you gaze from the top of the fort you get a view of the wall that encircles the whole Old Town in Dubrovnik.

The wall is roughly 1940m long and will take you over an hour to walk the distance depending on how quick you walk and if you do or do not stop to admire the scenery. Myself and Ollie did the walk in just under 2 hours, a long hot and sweaty walk but we LOVED IT!
I can't remember how much we paid but anything Game of Thrones related was a must do on this holiday, it was the main reason we were there! If you are one of the 1% of the population that haven't seen Game of Thrones please stop reading this and just know the rest of the world is very disappointed in you.

The wall, we couldn't get enough of it. Although there were hundreds of stairs to walk up it was definitely worth going up and risking what energy I had left for the rest of the trip, as if there wasn't enough stairs in Dubrovnik. It is so different walking on the wall then seeing it on the TV. You can see what parts of the wall they filmed on and what parts needed CGI to remove walls, extend walls or remove football and basketball courts that are literally on the wall. Not what we expected to see at all! Now every time myself and Ollie watch GoT we are screaming at the TV and at one another to say that we had stood there. It is an amazing feeling to know you had stood were the GoT stars themselves had stood. Is my nerd showing? Just a shame they weren't filming when we were there, I would have definitely asked for some spoilers. I will advise you all on one thing, go in the early hours of the day, do not go on a hot sunny day around lunch, you will do the walk in 3-4 hours as there will be a lot of people basically queueing to reach the end of the wall. You will probably bump into them annoying people that take a selfie every second and will stay put until they have taken the perfect one, we all know someone like that. Also, the inconsiderate people that just suddenly STOP MOVING and when you try to pass they swerve and block you again. Oh and take plenty of water with you, there are kiosks up there but are quite expensive or stop at the bar and treat yourself to a cocktail, when in...Dubrovnik right?

Part of the wall was very exciting for me, Minceta tower. The tower was used as the exterior of the House of the Undying in Game of Thrones, a memorable episode. This was where Daenerys searches for her stolen dragons. I will provide a photo of how excited I was, I do look awful mind but it is whatever really considering where I was in the world!!

If you are one of the 1% I tried to shoo away that haven't seen GoT and are still reading, the city walls can be interesting in spite of being famous for GoT. I don't remember seeing any information boards but pick up a leaflet or for the modern person google it whilst you are there. The wall just oozes history and believe me when I say you can just feel it. It was constructed in the 12th - 17th century and has remained in superb condition, well preserved and intact. During that lengthily time the wall has been strengthened and continually extended. The wall was constructed to defend the city from possible sea attacks and to threaten anyone who dare try. Back in the day the wall would look rather intimidating, a city that determined to protect and defend is something to be feared. Some areas of the wall are closed off but probably all for good reason, some parts did look a bit sketchy!
I don't know too much on the history, just the basics but from what I have read there have been many sieges against Dubrovnik, yet the walls remain intact. Incredible! What a city it must have been back then!

Spend as much time as you want on the wall, take in the scenery and use it as time for reflection. I like to reflect on things as much as possible when I go away, it's then you can really appreciate what you have waiting for you at home. Spend time with your loved ones, enjoy the memories you make on your trip and just live!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, I really do appreciate it.
Give me a follow, or leave a comment! Would love to hear other peoples stories and experiences in Dubrovnik and anything Game of Thrones!

Tpot x

Bucket list!

Everyone needs a bucket list. We all need to write our dreams down and start ticking them off as life is far too short to waste. Life goes by so quick and in the long run we only remember the best times of our lives. We won't remember all the bad days we had at work or the struggles with money and relationships, although it all may seem tough at times.
Dream big, live big. Life is only as good as you make it so enjoy every single second of it because before you know it, it will be gone. Know your limitations and defy them!
You don't have to write it all down now, do it bit by bit. Whenever you get inspiration look back, write more down, get creative and just remember no dream is ever too big!

My mum has been a big inspiration in my life, she has been all over the world and I want to follow in her footsteps. One can only dream she will join me one day in a few of my adventures. I look forward to all the memories we will make.

My bucket list is very long. I have mass amounts of things I want to do and see before I die and some even before I have children. I have done few already but with persistence I hopefully will complete it.
I will share most of them on here and hope some or all reading this will be inspired. I hate the thought of people not pursuing their dreams.

My bucket list:

Countries to see:

Sweden- I am part Swedish. As Sweden is part of my heritage I have started to learn the language, I know a bit but still more to learn. I would love to see Sweden and it is a part of me that I would love to embrace.

Switzerland- Ollie goes on and on about Switzerland. He has been before and says the slopes are insane. The thought of me on a snowboard terrifies me but you have to live dangerously once in a while. Before he mentioned the snowboarding he told me about the fondue, I was sold on Switzerland that very moment. I like cheese.

Italy- The food. Its all about the food over in Italy. I cannot get enough of Italian food, it is my favourite cuisine. Pizza, carbonara, lasagne etc. Yum! To see Tuscany would be amazing too. Vine yards and a beautiful countryside, ideal for some DSLR photography for Ollie. This is one of the countries I want to explore the most. So many sites to see. Rome, Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Naples and Pompeii.

Greece- The main reason I would like to visit Greece is for the mythology. It has always interested me and what better place to learn about it!

Japan- The home of all things anime. Although I don't like much anime, I grew up with Pokémon and it would be amazing to see where it came from. Tokyo looks to be an amazing city too. The tech is said to be brilliant and so innovative over there, it would be amazing to see how they work and what they have invented.

China- Of course, the one place people want to see when in China... the great wall. It goes on for miles, don't think I could handle walking that far but is definitely worth trying!

USA- I do want to see the whole of the USA but there is one place in particular, Alaska. I have dreamt of going to Alaska for a very long time. Into the wild is my all time favourite film and I would love to trek out and see the bus. I also want to see the Northern lights, I know you can see them in other places but seeing them in Alaska is my ultimate dream. Also, I really want to see a moose. They fascinate me.

New Zealand- One of Ollie's dreams is to either backpack or travel in a camper van around New Zealand, I am always up for an adventure and have incorporated his dreams into my own. Anywhere with Ollie is always perfect.

Germany - I have already been to Munich but there is so much more to do there. Ideally I would like to spend 2-4 weeks there and go all over. I want to see the concentration camps as upsetting as it may be, we hear about the war so much and it is a big part of the worlds history but how many of us are brave enough to see it?

Of course there are so many more but I'd end up writing a list of every country.

I don't want to write too much on this post so I will continue tomorrow with other parts to my bucket list.



Tpot x

Cavtat, Dubrovnik

We stayed in a small town just a short boat ride from the center of Dubrovnik, Cavtat. If you want to stay somewhere with character yet somewhere peaceful then this is the place. Cavtat is very small but makes up for it with its beautiful scenery, lively resturants and the friendly locals. Everyone there treats you as one of their own and will definitley look after you.

There are a few small local boat stalls that offer trips around the islands for a fair price but do take a look else where and don't go to the first one you see. Depending on who is working some may offer you tickets for a cheaper deal. I got a free boat ride to Dubrovnik as I mentioned it was my birthday... a very kind gesture!

Take a walk, don't just sit around. Although small, there is still a lot to see in Cavtat. A walkway will guide you through a beautiful scenic forestry and then onto the beach. We ventured off path and found ourselves some rock pools. My sister has been a big influence on myself and Ollie, we would have never looked at them if it wasn't for her and her love of the ocean. She absolutley adores aquatic life, so we took some photo's for her in hope she could name what we saw as we had no clue!! A very dangerous and slippy venture, I managed to fall and scrape my knee but worth it.

As it was my birthday we stayed in a 5* hotel. Hotel Croatia. I cannot express how much I loved the hotel. It was incredible! Our room was lush, it had a balcony with a forest view and the most comfy bed. The food was incredible, it was a buffet but it changed every night so you never had the same. They had spa facilities and a gigantic pool that was open till late, it had a skylight so you could see the stars as you were swimming.

You can see the whole of Cavtat from the hotel, it was gorgeous at night. A great spot to sit, relax and enjoy a cocktail! Also, a pianist was playing at the bar, just another thing that made each night even more special. 

The only downfall I had with this hotel was the walk up to it. You can either walk up a million stairs or brave a very steep hill! It wasn't until our second to last day that we noticed you can get a caddy up!!! All that walking when we could have saved our legs. Oh well, it was excercise... i guess. 

I would 100% stay here again, I really miss it.

More to come. Keep reading.
Just a quick thankyou to all that have been reading. I hope I have inspired some of you to get out and explore the world. No time like the present!!

Tpot xx

Fort Lovrijenac, Dubrovnik

If you're in Dubrovnik then Fort Lovrijenac is one of the best places to see. The views from there are outstanding. You can see the whole of the old town and the wall from the top or if you are a Game of Thrones fan you can see The Red Keep, the House of the Undying and Black Water Bay!! A perfect selfie moment or if you enjoy taking high quality DSLR photo's then this is a must.

The Lovrijenac is another location where Game of Thrones was filmed. This was where a tournament was held in honour of King Joffrey (good riddens!) In this part of the episode you see the Hound duelling another knight to appease the King. The hound struck and sent the other knight plummeting to his demise. Also, King Joffrey is convinced by Sansa Stark to spare the life of a man and to make him his new fool.
Ollie being the child he is inside found two planks of wood and decided he would pretend they were swords and have a duel against thin air. Very amusing to me, very strange to others walking past! At least he entertained himself for 5 minutes.

Myself and Ollie took a stroll here just after lunch, we could see the fort from our table at a resturant and were both intrigued as to what it was. On the way we passed Black Water bay but more on that tomorrow. We wanted to see as much as we could in the time we had and it was definitley worth trecking up lots of stairs for. We didn't realise that this was another GOT location as a lot of CGI is used to change the scenery and to add or restore walls. As for the resurant we went to, it was amazing. The staff were so friendly and the food was great so most days we would eat there and drink lots of pina colada's. They even treated me to a free birthday cheesecake, how sweet.
You don't get service like that over in England, waiters don't care about you, where as anywhere you go abroad they really take care of you. Birthday? free dessert. Anniversary? free drinks. They definitley earn their tips!

More to come on Dubrovnik tomorrow.

Tpot x

Trsteno Arboretum, Dubrovnik

20 minutes away from Dubrovnik is Trsteno Arboretum. Another beautiful location where Game of Thrones was filmed. You will recognise it as the Red Keep gardens in King's landing. There is a small fee for entering but worth it as it is visually unique for photography.

If you don't mind walking a bit further than the gardens there is a lovely walkway that takes you down to the ocean yet another incredible place. I warn you it is quite a walk down, you will want to collapse on the way back up especially in that croatian heat!!

There is a magnificent fountain that features Poseidon and other statues. We heard a few strange noises coming from it and were determined to find what it was. Turns out it was a group of frogs all singing and talking to each other. I couldn't believe how many there were but what a perfect little home for them.

It is a very peaceful place to go to if you have had enough of crowds of people for one day. It is a place where you can just sit for hours and appreciate nature and where you are in the world. It put a smile on my face, I couldn't of been happier.

A lovely day out and an amazing adventure

More to come.

Tpot x

Dubrovnik, Croatia [April 2017]

I booked a holiday back in April for my 22nd birthday. We don't like to do generic holidays where you just sit around a pool all day. We love an adventure and we have to explore. What is the point of going to another country if your not going to look around? Choosing holiday's shouldn't just be for the weather or for the cheapest find, it should be where you haven't been, what there is to see and what you can do.
We decided on Dubrovnik in Croatia where GAME OF THRONES was filmed, a place we would both enjoy and get excited about. Dubrovnik was where most scenes of King's Landing were set, a perfect choice. Dubrovnik is visually beautiful. The old town with the wall that surrounds it, the long steep stairs and the old castle on the hill are all big factors in making Dubrovnik the ideal scenic holiday especially if you love photography.
Ollie was in photography heaven the whole time, he even made a taxi man stop so he could take an amazing long distance shot from the side of a busy road!
Walking through the old town you can really feel the history there and you start to imagine what it was like, but then you realise you are imagining GOT episodes!
If you're a massive nerd like me then you most definitley have to go! You can get taken on a GOT tour but you won't need it if you have binged watched it over and over. You will just know where to go and you will know if you have missed anything.
Despite Dubrovnik being famous for GOT it is largely famous for its olive oil, a boat will take you to all the islands off the coast with one where it is made. Make sure you pick a really nice day for it, we unfortunatley couldn't go as the wind was bad and boats were unable to moor on the islands. A shame but apart from that we enjoyed our trip, took some amazing shots and we would definitley go again.

More pictures and stories to come!

Tpot x

Germany overview

My trip to Munich was overall magical. No Christmas market will compare to it. Although the weather was cold and frosty it was well worth it. £300 for 4 days can't be bad. We stayed in a 3* hotel but it's not where you stay it is where you are, who you are with and the memories you make. Myself and Ollie are always up for an adventure and an adventure it was.

We got lost a few times and genuinely believed we were going to die in the freezing cold looking for our hotel at one point! We made it back luckily!

We are so happy it snowed! We probably wont see snow like that in the south of England anytime soon but at least we got our own version of a white Christmas!!

Next time I go anywhere I must remember to take more money with me! (Note to self)
I don't know when our next trip will be, hopefully soon.
In the meantime prepare for posts about my life and interiors. God help you all!

Tpot x

About me

My name is Sophie aka Teapot. I get called teapot as it goes in 1 ear and out the other. I also drink A LOT of tea.

I am 22, Dorset born and raised and all I want to do is travel with my other half Ollie. We have been together for almost 4 years now and have shared few adventures together. I am positive we will share many more.

I own a bearded dragon Horizon who is the laziest reptile ever! 

I am into anything interiors, it is a passion of mine I hope to one day persue but in the meantime I am stuck at a bookies! Oh well.

Writing a blog to document my travels and my life with Ollie (also my phone is a complete disorganised mess!)

Hopefully you all enjoy reading my blog! 

Tpot x

Ps. If you are reading this and you think you have read it before I just accidentally deleted about 4 posts. Woops.

Horizon the bearded dragon

I own a bearded dragon. Her name is Horizon. She is the most lazy reptile I have ever met. She will wake up for food and a pat on the head but nothing else. I think myself and Ollie spoil her. She won't chase her food anymore as we keep hand feeding her. She is a princess.

She has her moments of energy, as soon as you get her out that vivarium she climbs and jumps anywhere she can. She will treat whoever she gets picked up by like a tree and does not care if she gets her claws stuck in your neck or face. It is quite painful!

We took her to the vets a few weeks back, her face went pale white and we had no clue what was wrong with her. We feared the worst. The vets kept her in a vivarium whilst we waited to be seen and during that time they ran a few blood tests without our consent. What we thought was a £25 check up turned into a £63 visit. Of course we would have agreed to a blood test but it would have been nice to have been asked or told that this was what they were doing. Turns out she was only shedding! 

Horizon used to have a sister Jupiter but sadly she passed away due to what we believe was a disease from the breeders. 

It's such a shame getting to know and love an animal that you believe is healthy and not know that in a few months they would leave you in the most unpleasant way.

She will be forever missed. I know she was only a lizard but pets really do take hold of your heart!

I really want to get another beardy, Horizon must be getting lonely. My only fear is that if I got one Horizon would think it was food!! Bless.

Reptiles are beautiful creatures and are not expensive to keep. They do require a lot of attention (checking temperatures, feeding, water, checking UV, misting etc) and they don't do much but they are amazing pets to have.

The picture below is my favourite. Snug as a bug! Just after splashing around in the bath!

Christmas tree

Seeing as I bought a few decorations over in Munich, I thought I would put a picture up of my tree! It's a mess but I love it!

The decorations in Munich at the Christmas market were fairly cheap. Painted baubles were the most expensive, but anything quite shabby chic/painted wood effect items were a bargain! I spent probably about €20 on 10 items. Not bad at all!

Residenz museum, Munich

The Residenz museum in Munich is definitley worth a look around. We paid €13 each which was fairly priced and you get to look around 3 parts of the museum: Where the Wittelbach monarchs of Bavaria lived (former royals) a theater and an artifact room. Each were stunning. The architecture in each room of the residenz was beautiful. You don't see architecture like that anymore. In fact, the whole of Munich is architecturally outstanding. No building is the same. I was completley taken away with the cities beauty.

Christmas market, München

A few pictures of the wonderful decorations and crafts they sell in the Christmas market.
Every year I like to buy a few new individual decorations for my tree and couldn't resist buying extra in Munich! Always room for more.