Tag: travel

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My Trip to Barbados

Shirt by Luke | Sunglasses by ASOS

I love a beach vacation, especially in the middle of the winter, and I couldn’t have asked for a better escape than going to Barbados.

In numbers, Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies. It is 34 kilometres (21 miles) in length and up to 23 km (14 miles) in width, covering an area of 432 km2 (167 squares miles). Its population is of almost 300,000 people.

My favorite spots.

Oistin Fish Market

During the daytime it might look quiet, however wait for a Friday night to eat some freshly caught fish cooked to perfection. Try some lobsters, shrimp, red snapper which are prepared on the grill and served with local favorites such as rice and peas, coleslaw, and salads.

My best evening in Barbados!

Pebbles Beach, the most popular spot according to TripAdvisor

Located in Carlisle Bay. This one seemed overrated to me. The minuses: looking to the left and you’ll see the not so pretty and massive Hilton hotel; look to the right and you’ll see the cruise ships transiting. At some point during the day the beach will be overcrowded by (cruise ship) tourists popping by for a few hours.

The pluses: the easy place to go snorkelling and watch the turtles. Magical!

Miami Beach, my (beach) hot spot!

This quickly became my preferred beach: beautiful sea & sand, good waves to both swim and bodysurf. Relaxed and not too busy (as the access isn’t obvious from the main street). Nice trees in the background – in case you’d need some shade. This beach has it all.

Sandals by Teva | Swim shorts by Luke Sport

Dover Beach, a popular spot

One can only enjoy the vibrant colours.

Saint Lucy, all the way up to the North

Here you’ll find a beautifully rugged coastline dotted with bays. The powerful waves of the Atlantic Ocean pound the cliffs creating sea caves and blowholes. This is not an area for swimming but it makes up for this with majestic views and small pools for sea-bathing.

Shirt by Luke | Sunglasses by Lyle&Scott

Bridgetown, the Capital City

Both Barbados’ capital and largest city, it’s a vibrant, vivacious place steeped in history, where its unique blend of African, American and British heritage comes alive. Bridgetown and its Garrison is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with buildings dating back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th Century.

Bathsheba, the surfers’ paradise!

Useful websites: visitbarbados.org or barbados.org

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Gate-8: A Luggage Everyone Should Own

It’s not very often that we test luggage -as we tend to find them a bit boring- however with this one we were excited to do so. So, why did we want to try out this luggage?

Because it has it all! (Explanation below with one picture).

The Spin MATE Plus, at 40L capacity and featured here, is compliant with easyJet’s and British Airways’ hand baggage restrictions. So this makes it a very attractive piece to own.
I was really happy to brag with this new piece of luggage as it is really smooth to operate: it just slides effortlessly on floors.

3 things we really liked:

1/ The design: simple, yet elegant. Refined, yet robust.

2/ The “2-in-1”: a single bag that can become two. Its 2-in-1 design makes it the perfect bag for easyJet’s single bag policy. Travel from home-to-gate with the single bag and when on board, zip off the laptop backpack, keeping your tech and valuables close by throughout your journey.

3/ The practicality: it has it all. Several external pockets and well thought inside.

What the inside looks like

Inside the luggage: Clothes by Luke1977, sandals by Teva, and grooming products by Manual

The perfect 4-wheel drive

The cabin bag designed to make your journey as hassle-free as possible. The 4-wheel, 360° spinner rotates in the palm of your hand, with no struggle to change direction.

Long story short, this luggage has been going through airports, train and tube stations not to mention on several types of pavements. And it never let me down.

Gate-8 range’s defining features include:

. Zip-off laptop bag – keep your valuables & tech to hand through the flight, travel light to your next meeting, bring onboard easyJet
. For all airlines – our luggage is sized to comply with most major airlines’ hand baggage policies (yes, we even have a bag for Ryanair), giving you the confidence you can bring it onboard
. Built to last – made from extra-durable materials that have been tested by airline crew standards, protected by a 5 year warranty.

On arrival leave the main bag in your hotel room and travel light with the zip-off backpack if you wish to.

What else?

Built to last it is protected by a 5 year warranty, this sturdy cabin bag will stay by your side for years to come.

Where to shop

Shop at www.gate8-luggage.co.uk

About GATE8

GATE8 specialise in designing the world’s most functional travel cabin bags and travel accessories. As seasoned travellers, they know the pain points and are obsessed about using clever smart design to make travel hassle-free as possible. Be it by helping one to avoid baggage check-in, keeping one tech and valuables secure or arriving with a suit that is ready-to-wear, each detail and feature has been carefully designed and tested to make one life easier, stress free and convenient.