To say life goes on after “The Bachelor” is an understatement. Our girl, Lesley Murphy is living the life (and one out of the suitcase). She explores the world and writes for her own blog, The Road Les Travelled. Currently residing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, you’ll have more luck spotting Murphy sipping Malbec in Palermo, or as she puts it “embarrassing myself with my sub-par Castellano”. Where did we last spot her? Greece!
Read also: Why You Should Travel to Crete During Low Season
How I dress on vacation: My travel wardrobe is my everyday wardrobe since I live out of a suitcase. There could be anything in there ranging from colourful flowy swimsuit cover-ups to puffy Northface jackets and hiking boots.
Surviving travel hours: Long flights double as my office! Since I’m constantly travelling, I value that time spent in one place which in my case is always in the air (I’m actually writing this on a plane as we speak!).
The best thing about travelling: The independence.
My favourite destination: Patagonia, a vast mountainous region spanning the southern portion of Argentina and Chile. It feels like home every time I land there, and I could keep going back yearly and never get tired of those views!
What’s on my bucket list: My top three places to visit are Antartica, Iceland and South Africa.
Working out on vacation — yay or nay? I do try to hit the gym if I’m staying in a hotel that has one, take a run through the city (which makes for great exploration), find a local yoga studio, or do an online class in my room. Routine went out the window a long time ago.
For the love of luxury: Travel to Dubai. It reeks of money.
Favourite piece of travel advice: You don’t have to have every detail planned out all the time. Travel slowly and on some days, throw the itinerary out the window.
My stay at Artemis Thalassa Suite: I was blown away by how much I enjoyed the suite and the complimentary access to the facilities at St. Nicolaus Bay. The laid-back vibe was so calming around the resort, making for some much-needed relaxation! The villa was beautiful, spacious and with this simplistic understated luxury — just what the doctor ordered.
And on to Villa Dafni: Villa Dafni is calling your name if you’re in need of privacy or a large compound for a big family. It’s a 15-minute drive from the city centre of Mykonos, so if you’re on the island for an extended period of time, you’ll want a car. Mykonos itself is a photographer’s dream and a beach goers paradise! It’s a hard place not to love.
Thoughts on Crete: Crete is where the locals go, so if you’re looking for authenticity and friendly Grecians, come here! It’s all about the water in Crete, so relax for a bit before getting adventurous on popular hikes. The island is massive, and an entire week is recommended if you want to do anything more than scratch the surface. It has plenty of history, and I especially loved visiting a little island called Spinalonga with ruins galore!
Mykonos is great for: Beaches and nightlife — easy as that. If you’re into photography, head into the city centre for sunrise (no tourists, yay!), or sunset (loads of tourist) for some incredibly stunning photos. After you get the shot, the bars along the water are always lively — and of course, a Greek dinner afterwards must be done. And then come the bars!
What I’m listening to: Ellie Goulding, Flume, Bon Iver and Ben Howard.
3 steps to capturing an Instagram-worthy shot:
- Find something unique about a destination, like a landmark, a favourite cafe, or a beautiful park. That’s because people want to live vicariously through you when you travel… even if they don’t always admit it.
- Turn around. People can relate more with a photo and destination when someone else is in the photo (and more so when perhaps your face isn’t shown so that they can picture themselves there). Don’t be afraid to ask a stranger to take your picture.
- Edit. It doesn’t take long, and people want to see pretty pictures! Snapseed and VSCO are both great apps for on-the-go editing!
Shall we take a trip?
