My weekly newsletter might be a few days too late, but it’s full of gems. As always, I tried to balance workouts and recovery with some delicious food, a martini (or two) and a bit of culture.

Did contrast therapy at Owa

Newly opened Owa Wellness is a space entirely dedicated to recovery. The venue features two main areas - one for private hire, where each room is equipped with a sauna and cold plunge and is offered for up to 4 people.

The second area, situated on the top floor, features a gorgeous sun-drenched terrace and a shared recovery zone. The area is an open space and features three cold plunge pools with temperatures ranging between 6 -11 degrees, a large dry sauna, a bucket show area with changing rooms, as well as a hydration station.

The space is incredibly beautiful with a minimalistic design, natural colours and a lot of plants creating a serene atmosphere.

Where: Sinaloa 49, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Visited a “secret” bar full of books and martinis

If someone asked me to design my dream bar, it’d likely look a lot like this: secret entrance, hidden underground, dimly lit, a lot of books, and to-die-for martinis. Or in other words, exactly like Librería Valladolid.

The book-themed bar takes your breath away from the first peek. From the outside, the unassuming entry looks like any bar in the gorgeous Roma Norte. However, as you walk in, you realise that the place is designed to look like an antique bookstore of sorts.

The stairway covered in books leads you down to the main lounge, which is dimly lit, intimate, and decorated with thousands of books (yes, really! I did my calculations!)

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The dark burgundy colour of the space adds an extra layer of mystery, and the books, with all their titles turned on the inside, create a sort of mysterious ambience.

To top this up, there is an actual ‘secret’ room which is hidden behind a bookshelf.

Not only does the bar have an abundance of books, but they also make the most delicious martini to accompany you.

Where: Tabasco 321, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, México

Tried the most delicious guava roll

Panaderia Rosetta is a really popular spot in Mexico City amongst tourists, so I wanted to see if the hype was worth it.

It is a European-style bakery a stone's throw away from the gorgeous Parque Rio de Janeiro.

There are always queues outside and if you want a table you’d have to wait around 45 mins; however, you can also get takeaway pastries and enjoy them in the park.

Earlier in the week we met an American couple at a bar, and they recommended that we try the guava roll. So soon as we got to the front of the queue, that was the first thing to order, alongside a Ricotta Cacao roll. And let me tell you it did not disappoint. The sweetness of the creamy ricotta balanced out perfectly the slightly sour taste of the guava. My verdict is that Panaderia Rosetta is definitely worth the hype.

Where: C.Colima 179, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Walked through the colourful streets of Coyoacán

On a sunny Sunday in Mexico City, we hopped on the metro for about 30 mins (from Roma Norte), and we were transported into a much quieter, vibrant part of the city.

Coyoacán is the neighbourhood best known for being the home of the Frida Kahlo museum - Casa Azul, alongside many other museums. Just remember to pre-book your museum entry in advance. We sadly didn’t get a chance to actually visit Casa Azul, as it was fully booked for a whole month in advance!

In the main square, there was a gorgeous art market with a lot of local artists gathered to showcase their work.

The neighbourhood was full of murals, all telling important stories of the changing of the town, with anti-gentrification & technology-inspired murals at the heart of this.

Where: Coyoacán

Walking paths swapped for running tracks

I’d been in Mexico City for two weeks when I discovered Plaza Luis Cabrera park near Roma Norte.

The park’s not big, but it’s entirely dedicated to exercising. The walking paths have been swapped for a running track that loops around the whole park.

There is also an outdoor gym, a climbing wall, a basketball court and regularly a lot of PT classes seem to take place there.

If you are in the area, I’d recommend paying it a visit as it’s a great way to stay fit for free!

Where: C. Orizaba S/N, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, México

Found the best tacos in Mexico City

My partner and I had been in Mexico City for about three weeks when we visited El Parnita, which to me is the best place to have tacos and tostadas in Mexico City.

In those three weeks, we had each had tacos at least once a day. They usually come in a serving of two, so I have estimated that we’ve had an average of 150 tacos between us.

Now, after that many tacos, I can safely say that El Parnita is the one that stood out for me the most.

I don’t know exactly what it was - whether it was the fresh salsas that were brought out with the tacos, offering different levels of spiciness and flavours. Or the grilled prawns with shredded cabbage and pickles on top, or the salivatingly good prawn tostada, but everything worked just perfectly.

Where: Av. Yucatán 84, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX, México

I have been meaning to start this newsletter for a while, and it’s finally happened. I intend to send this at the end of each week, but since this is the first one, you can enjoy the slightly chaotic schedule.

I am currently travelling across South and Central America, so most of my weeks are spent either in a different city or a new country entirely. And while travelling is the best thing you can do for your health, especially mental health, it can get tiring.

This is why I carefully select where I spend my energy and do a lot of research into the places I choose to go to, to really maximise my experience. I try and blend local and authentic experiences with good quality bars or restaurants, and I always, always find time to exercise and experience the local studios.

Here are some of the highlights of my time in Mexico City along with my recommendations.

I ate grasshoppers

Yes, you read that right! I tried the traditional Mexican street food called Esquites con Chapulines, which is corn, mayo, cheese, lime, and a sprinkle of fried grasshoppers on top. The grasshoppers were crunchy, smoky and salty. The worst part for me was that at times you could feel the tentacles in your mouth.

I think overall I didn’t enjoy the meal itself more than the grasshoppers. I didn’t think the lime, cheese and corn went well together, but that might just be a personal taste.

I had this dish at Salón Tenampa, the legendary cantina on Plaza Garibaldi where you can watch mariachi bands play live. Tenampa is a bit of an institution, so I’d 100% recommend you go there. The mariachi bands come to your table and ask you if you want a song, which costs around MXN $100 - 200 (between £5-£10) and feel free to try the grasshoppers if you are brave enough.

Where: Salón Tenampa, Plaza Garibaldi 12, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06010 Centro, CDMX. Cost of Esquites con Chapulines was 158 Mexican Pesos (~£7).

I had a full-body blueprint test at Teva Wellness & Lifestyle

Teva Wellness is one of the most unique wellness venues I have visited. For starters, it is the only place in Mexico that offers a full-body blueprint test, which looks into your body composition, biomechanics, strength, and VO2 Max.

It’s not just that though - the space has a fully equipped gym, daily classes, a yoga studio, massages for members and my personal favourite - a hairstylist and a barber in the respective changing rooms.

The recovery at Teva extends beyond the usual sauna and cold plunge with a very innovative recovery zone equipped with a hyperbolic chamber and compression boots.

The body blueprint test itself was amazing. The rest took about one hour, and at the end of it you spend some time with the trainer to discuss your results. They also provide you with recommendations of how to improve each area.

I’d really recommend spending at least a day at Teva if visiting CDMC. On the top floor you can also find a co-working space, restaurant and a roof terrace which often hosts different wellness events.

Where: Teva Wellness & Lifestyle, Edgar Allan Poe 1, Polanco, Polanco III Secc, Miguel Hidalgo, 11540 Ciudad de México, CDMX. A day pass at Teva is around MX$2,500

Visited a cool bar without a rooftop

Salón Palomilla, situated in Roma Norte, is a futuristic-looking bar in a sort of container-like shape with an open roof and delicious cocktails. It’s pretty striking, and the rest of the bar looks beautiful and stylish too. The warm summer evenings (when it’s not pissing it down in CDMX) and the open-air bar really go together for a nice evening of chats and cocktails.

We didn’t book, and we got lucky that there was a little table available, but I’d advise you to book in advance. I had a cocktail which annoyingly I can’t find the name of anywhere, but it was the second one on the menu with mezcal and some sort of red fruit flavour. It was delicious, pls have it!

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Ran through the closed streets of Mexico City

One of my favourite things about the city is that every Sunday 55km of roads are closed for cycling and running between 8am - 2pm. We ran from Condesa through Reforma around the Angel of Independence, and there were so many cyclists, runners, and rollerbladers. The atmosphere of the city was amazing. This initiative has been going for 20 years, which shows how much the city cares about its residents’ health and well-being.

Where: 55 km of streets are closed across Paseo de la Reforma, the Historic Center, Hipódromo Condesa and Roma Norte. Search for Muévete en Bici to see the full list of areas.

Visited a few of CDMX’s most iconic buildings

I can talk about this for hours, especially when it comes to all the beautiful libraries in Mexico City. However, for this newsletter I have chosen two places to spotlight: Biblioteca Vasconcelos and Museo Palacio Postal.

Biblioteca Vasconcelos is a beautiful ultra-futuristic library in Santa Marta. It has one of the largest collections of books in Mexico City, 600,000 volumes, as well as many options in foreign languages. It’s, of course, free to enter.

The Museo Palacio Postal’s beautiful interior makes you feel like you are in The Titanic. No seriously, look at those stairs! The museum, which is still a functioning post office, takes you through the years of postal history of Mexico and of the world. When we went, there was a large section dedicated to the World Cup and the memorabilia. It costs MXN $50 to enter

Something to remember: all museums are free on Sundays!

Where: Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Eje 1 Nte. S/N, Buenavista, Cuauhtémoc, 06350 Ciudad de México, CDMX;

Museo Palacio Postal, C. de Tacuba 1, Centro Histórico de la Cdad. de México, Centro, Cuauhtémoc, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX

I did my first hot mat Pilates at Studio 33

Studio 33 is one of Mexico City’s newest editions, and it’s absolutely worth the visit. It’s a boutique Pilates studio which offers four different types of classes - reforma, hot mat, barre and yoga. The hot mat was a killer! I haven’t done hot anything since my time doing hot yoga back in 2018. The class was great, and you can really feel the burn, especially with the added heat. My favourite feature was that the studio has a glass roof so you can still see the daylight, which I honestly think more studios should have.

After the class, I indulged in the recovery zone, which is a private room equipped with a cold plunge (which was adjusted to 11 degrees for women, and I loved that!), sauna and a shower. The room is available for up to two people and it gets booked in for an hour.

Where: Studio 33, Acapulco 44, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX

Had an ‘almost’ Michelin-starred taco at La Once Mill in Roma Norte

I say “almost” because the Polanco location of La Once Mill is the one that has the official star, but the Roma Norte’s tacos could give it a good run for its money. The tacos were delicious, but it was the service that really elevates the experience. You can’t book tables there, so when we arrived, the host took our names down and led us to grab a free beer and then wait in the court yard. The courtyard was pretty busy, but even so, we only waited for about 20 minutes and then our table on the counter was ready.

The menu is not big, but the flavours are. We ordered the Spicy Tuna tostada (my personal fave) and a bunch of meaty ones like the Suckling Pig & Pork Belly, Wood-Fire Skirt Steak and also a Mushroom Barbacoa - all of which were served with a side of five different sauces to complement the flavours.

However, for me the winner of the show was the tres leche cake. It was so soft, creamy and perfectly balanced with some slightly sour strawberries. Mmmm I’m salivating just writing about it.

Where: La Once Mill, C. Orizaba 83, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX

Enjoyed a cocktail at 2nd Best Bar in North America

When we first walked past Mauro, we didn’t realise it was No.2 in the Best Bars in North America list. We stopped to check it out because its exterior looked like a quiet, elegant bar which might just have a free table. And it was all of those things! Although we had to wait for 45 minutes before a table was available, you can put your names down and go for a walk.

Mauro is a 1970s Italian bar in the heart of Roma Norte, and it serves amazing cocktails. My personal favourite was the Maurito cocktail, which, if I remember correctly, is named after the bar’s original owner. It was a blend of mezcal, Guava, Lillet Blanc, and carbonated Sherry.

The other thing that I fondly remember was how nice and attentive the staff were. The place is certainly worthy of its award.

Where: Mauro, Tabasco 149, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc, 06700 Ciudad de México, CDMX

I am someone who multitasks a lot; I like to have 2,8535 tabs open in my brain. On any given day, I have a long, endless list of to-dos which rarely gets crossed off entirely. Not because I don’t do the things on the list but because I keep adding to it.

I have become one of the worst people on the internet - the person who is in constant pursuit of self-optimisation in any way possible.

I want to write multiple weekly Substacks. I commit to reviewing hotels for magazines (more writing). I am trying to establish and grow a social media presence through regular content. I am also looking for full-time and freelance jobs while travelling through South America, and constantly changing countries, towns, hotels, etc. On top of this, every day I try to exercise, call my mum, and speak to my friends and just exist?!

So while a lot of these things might not seem like a big lift, when you add them to one big to-do list they absolutely have the power to send you into a temporary mental paralysis.

Too much choice, whether it is about something you want to have, do or achieve, it can sometimes be suffocating.

For example, I have three articles on here in my drafts, and three articles to write for the magazines I write for, and yet this is what I choose to write about.

So after all this, do I even know how to get out of the paralysis?

Well, knowing things and applying them to yourself are two different things, but here are my rather simple suggestions which might just help you:

Always go with what feels right

This is quite simple: when it comes to creating, be that writing, content creation, video editing, CV writing or whatever else it might be, it won’t happen by force. Creativity is not made; it’s not like AI; you don’t insert a prompt in your head and press go. It needs inspiration; it needs the right environment and moment.

If you have a million things on your to-do list, you will naturally gravitate towards one. There will be one that will pull you in even if this isn’t the most urgent task on the list. Do that one. Doing the thing that you feel most inspired about, most excited about is always going to have a positive impact on your brain.

The feeling of satisfaction at the end of doing what YOU wanted to do will help your brain release dopamine, which in turn will help you find motivation for the other tasks.

Go for a run

I will forever be an advocate for running. You never regret a run, and neither does your brain. Running for me is what meditating for a lot of people is. Whenever I feel stuck, sad, angry, overwhelmed or anxious, I always always go for a run.

Running is known for triggering your ‘feel good’ hormones like endorphins and endocannabinoids, which move through the bloodstream and create that feeling of calmness, improved mood and reduced anxiety.

I found an interesting research study on Hopkins Medicine which gives a more scientific explanation behind why running is so good for your brain.

It doesn’t have to be a long or fast one; it can literally be 10 minutes, but after those 10 minutes you will feel refreshed. You’ll think clearly and be able to make better decisions.

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Write a to-do list with prioritisation

This one seems controversial because how is a to-do list going to help me with my overwhelming to-do list, right?

Well, there is this method, which I learnt about from a manager many years ago; it’s called the Eisenhower Matrix. It’s simply a graph in which you split your tasks by importance and urgency, and then by Do, Plan, Delegate and Eliminate.

It was invented by Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961.

The method is very popular in the modern corporate world and especially with industries like project management.

The link above explains the theory in more detail and the graph below shows what it looks like so that you can try it.

Change the environment

In my case, going to a cafe always helps. I seem to be a lot more productive and able to get on with tasks if I am in a public environment. Maybe I am too embarrassed to be sitting in a cafe doom scrolling and looking for motivation? Or maybe because screaming due to being too overwhelmed is slightly less socially acceptable. But either way changing location works.

This one should be easy in theory, but I know not everyone can just move around easily. Sometimes just going from the bedroom to the living room does it for me; or even sitting on the other side of the table. It doesn’t have to be a big change, but if you are stuck, changing your environment will always have a positive impact.

(And I’m not just talking about to-do lists here :) )

Take a shower

You know how universally we all get our best ideas in the shower? Well, this is honestly my most tried and tested method, and it works!

The way I see it (and this isn’t a scientific explanation by any means) is that taking a shower resets your day. It recreates that ‘fresh start’ feeling that we all wake up with. There are a lot of studies that suggest that the reason behind showers helping our mental health is that hot water calms the nervous system, but a cold shower helps regulate hormones, which can improve circulation and facilitate the release of beta-endorphins (research by Nikolai Shevchuk published via PubMed). Beta-endorphins help the body reduce stress and relieve pain. They are known to have a stronger effect than morphine on the body (Cleveland Clinic).

So this is it; these are my suggestions for how to get out of the to-do paralyses. For me what worked today was changing the environment and blasting out some hardcore techno. You could try that one too if you are really stuck.

Good luck!

As with anything “first”, it was always bound to be something that I’d become a little bit obsessed with. I love running and have completed a few half marathons before that, so completing London was sort of the pinnacle of my running journey so far.

Naturally, I wanted it to go well. I like to over-prepare when I care about something; after all, nothing wrong can come from knowing too much, right?

WRONG!

In the lead-up to the marathon, I did what every normal person in 2026 would do - I searched every corner of the internet for advice. And of course the internet delivered - pacing advice, fuelling strategies, when you may hit the wall (20miles at Canary Wharf, apparently), how many grams of carbs to consume per hour; how many grams of sodium to consume every half hour; how many beetroot shots to drink three days before the race so that I can get 0.02 seconds faster per kilometre; how many hours of sleep to get five nights before, three nights before and one night before; and so on.

You get the idea - IT WAS A LOT.

The internet being the internet, it did its thing - it triggered my algorithm into showing nothing but very specific London-Marathon-first-time-runner-and-everything-else-about-running advice for weeks.

There’s no point seeing my friends and socialising this week because I can’t think or talk about anything else.

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A few years ago we all loosely consumed the same media. We watched the same stuff on TV, the same news, the same papers.

Nowadays, however, in a lot of ways, the algorithm shapes our whole perspective on life and the world. You can be completely consumed by a topic that, to you, feels like it’s all the world is talking about, while in reality, it is just social media’s smart way of keeping you in a bubble.

My most recent experience proves that. When I inevitably told people that I was running the London Marathon, to my surprise, a lot of people didn’t even know it was happening, or where the route goes by, or why on earth I brought a Tupperware full of Rice Krispies to work alongside many, many other carb snacks.

That surprised me because my digital world (I mostly use Instagram) has been full to the brim of marathon content. Carb loading tips, recovery tips, motivational videos that make me cry over and over again. You name it, I’ve seen it and so have all the other people who are “in the algorithm”.

But being in the algorithm can be a dangerous place. I was completely and utterly obsessed with the topic. I remember telling my boyfriend the week of the marathon, “there’s no point seeing my friends and socialising this week because I can’t think or talk about anything else” and how I only want to talk to people who are also doing the marathon because “they get it”.

If you ask me now, a few months after the marathon, I’d tell you that this is a crazy and slightly unhealthy behaviour. But back then this felt normal. After all, my whole digital world revolved around one topic, and to me it was hard to believe that this isn’t the same content that everyone else is seeing.

Even my boyfriend, who I live with and have a fairly similar day-to-day life with. His reality of the world was so different from mine. The news he gets (or other people) would be so much different to mine. Yes, we all follow the usual BBC accounts, but beyond that, Instagram is really about what and who you engage with and not who’s the most credible.

I’m not someone who usually gets obsessed with things. I tend to be mildly interested in a lot of things, but never overly consumed by a topic. So this has made me think - is this what it's always going to be like?

Once you show a glimpse of interest in a topic, your whole world becomes about that topic whilst everyone else’s isn’t. It’s like we all exist in our own parallel reality without even realising that it’s happening.

I cherished the times of being known as a rooftop bar connoisseur. But with time (and age) my interests changed, and so the account and I went separate ways.

Despite no longer sharing stories of rooftop bars around London on social media I still hold a lot of knowledge in the topic.

My friends regularly ask me for London rooftop bar recommendations and I didn’t want all that knowledge to go to waste so I decided to put together a list of the best rooftop bars in London and what each is good for.

1. Forza Wine

Starting strong with the best rooftop bar, in my opinion, though I might be a little biased, since I spent a year living in Peckham, and Forza quickly became my local. Forza is casual with good wine and nice calm atmosphere You can meet a friend for some wine, or enjoy a date night. It’s perfect for both. And if you fancy going out after, Jazu, the bar on the first floor usually has really great vibes and DJs.

Vibes?
Casual, intimate. It’s fairly small and tables are close together which creates a more serene atmosphere.

Best for?
Watching the sun set over London, date nights and catching up with close friends over good wine. In that order.

I took my now boyfriend on our second date there and we’ve been together for three years. You can sit on the side tables and stare into the sunsets over the city’s backdrop. I also had my birthday drinks with a small group of friends (in the outside area you can only book for up to six people).

2. Wagtail

There was a big debate in my head whether I should put Wagtail before Forza. Wagtail is just outside Monument station, which is a brilliant location to get around to and from central London. That also means that the 360-views of The City are of the most beautiful historical buildings in London such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge, and also the more modern but equally as recognisable - The Shard, The Gherkin and The Walkie Talkie Building.

Vibes?
It’s very classy and stylish. It’s definitely one you’d want to dress up for ,but more smart casual than going-out vibes.

Best for?
Being in the City makes it easy to get to from most places, so it’s very good for meeting people after work. It’s also very good for taking friends or family who don’t live in London as you can show them many of the London landmarks whilst enjoying a good cocktail. It also has a really good restaurant if you want to enjoy dinner and lunch with a view.

3. Netil 360

Another East London venue, however this one is the in ‘the real East’. It’s based in Hackney and so it carries that full-time-having-a-good-time atmosphere. It’s great for getting together with your friends for drinks and having a little dance after.

Vibes?
It’s very casual, party vibes. It’s a good place to get together before going out out.

Best for?
Big groups and casual drinks. t’s a big open space so offers great views of the city and it’s great for bigger groups.

They have the best miso soup that I’ve tried! If it’s on the menu, get it! I know it’s a bar but you have to try it! I

4. The Rooftop at The Standard

Controversial opinion here: I don’t love the rooftop itself. I have a strong dislike of astroturf in bars (which TheRooftop at the Standard has) which is mostly what brings it down for me. However, the views of St Pancras (a genuinely stunning building) are spectacular, and the real reason this makes the list is Sweeties, the hotel’s top-floor bar next door. It’s elegant, dimly lit, with great music and a DJ most Fridays and Saturdays.

Technically Sweeties isn’t a rooftop bar since it’s indoors, but it’s high enough to still catch incredible views of London. There’s usually a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays, so it’s a good place to let loose.

So my suggestion is to start with early evening drinks at The Rooftop, then head down to Sweeties for the night. Just remember to book both in advance.

Vibes?
Just a really, really stylish bar. It’s a place you will go for nice music and cocktail and maybe a little dance.

Best for?
The best espresso martinis!

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5. The Nest at The Treehouse

The Nest is part of The Treehouse hotel in Marylebone, near Oxford Circus. It's a 4-star eco boutique hotel inspired by nature, and that theme runs through the whole design - wood accents paired with an abundance of green plants give the place a calming ambience.

Vibes?
I have only visited during the day, and it was casual, though being part of a boutique hotel gave it that extra feeling of elegance.

Best for?
Design. I absolutely loved the interior. Going into the bar, you walk through a corridor with lots of wooden ornaments, resembling the inside of a treehouse. True to its name, The Nest resembles a cosy (but luxurious) green space filled with natural plants, patterned rugs and wooden motifs.

Its location also makes it the perfect post shopping cocktail.

6. Jin Bo Law

in Bo Law is a great little bar if you're after a night out and a good dance. There’s usually day parties on the weekend that flow into the evening. It's fairly small, so it's not ideal for big groups, but if you want to grab a friend and dance, this is the one.

Vibes?
It’s a place where you go out out to. I’d say their unwritten dress code is going-out-y with a touch of glam.

Best for?
Best for party!

7. The Aviary

The Aviary is the rooftop bar at the Montcalm Hotel in Moorgate, overlooking Finsbury Square which is the only patch of grass in the City for a mile, and a prime spot for after-work drinks. Where The Aviary has advantage is that the rooftop offers a more peaceful refuge above the hustle and bustle of the city.

Vibes?
It’s usually filled with people coming from work, often in suits, which makes the vibe a bit smarter than a casual after work pub. On the weekends, it's a great spot for a nice brunch with a view.

Best for?
After work drinks in the City with a view.

8. Radio Rooftop at ME London

Radio Rooftop is one of London's most recognisable rooftop bars, alongside Madison and Sushi Samba. It's a glamorous spot in Covent Garden, surrounded by the West End's grand theatre buildings, which make for spectacular views

Vibes?
Classy, on the fancy side. They have a dress code, smart casual, and you usually have to book well in advance. So it’s not a place you just stumble on, you go prepared.

Best for?
Nice cocktails, glam atmosphere. Good for special occasions but be aware that it is on the spenny side with the average price of cocktails being £20.

9. Frank’s Cafe

To balance things out, I have included Frank's Cafe, which is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Radio Rooftop. The space is essentially a converted carpark which offers really casual vibes and reasonably prices drinks. It is massive so even if you don't have a table, you can still grab a drink and mooch around. Every summer they work with different artists and there are cool art installations throughout the space.

Vibes?
Casual, fun, cheap and cheerful. They don’t take reservations, so you can just turn up and since the space is quite big, you can usually find a spot to have a drink at.

Best for?
Relaxed rooftop atmosphere, good City views and cheap drinks.

10. Sessions Arts Club

Sessions Arts Club is one of the most beautiful restaurants I’ve been to. It’s situated in Sessions House, a grand Grade-II listed building in Clerkenwell. The whole place feels like a work of art. On top of that the food is delicious while also incredibly well presented. Their rooftop terrace is intimate, but a wonderful spot to sit and admire the views.

There’s a disclaimer on their website which mentions that they cannot take guests under 18 years old.

Vibes?
Sophisticated. Beautiful. Artsy.

Best for?
The design, the interior, the atmosphere and the food. Basically everything. I strongly recommend you visit and see for yourselves.

That’s it gang. These are my recommendation. These are of course not all the rooftop bar there is. Some I have left out because genuinely would not recommend.

Maybe I should write about that?

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What I mean by that is that I left a lot behind. I left my full time job, I moved out of my flat and put all my stuff in a storage. I wanted to take a break from everyday busy rat-race life in London. I love London but I need to squeeze myself out of the bubble.

And so since leaving in early June, my partner and I, have been to Lima, and Cusco and have done the 5-day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu. We slept under the stars in -1 and then we went to the Amazon to float on riverboat surrounded by caymans. We went to Cartagena, and we explored rural towns in Colombia, and had adventures in the Colombian jungle, beaches, and national parks and so on.

It’s been a ride and an amazing one for sure.

But now I want to talk about the things that no one told me before I left and hopefully my solutions are handy to any of you.

1. Countries are bigger than you think

This one took me by surprise. I knew Peru was big but I didn’t think it was THIS big. When looking at going from A to B I didn’t consider that it can take up to 24hrs of traveling. For example we explored visiting Lake Titicaca which was 22hrs and 49mins from Lima, and 10hrs 30mins from Cusco. You can of course fly around which is the easiest, most efficient way of transport, but it’s certainly not the cheapest.

My solution: would be to plan as far ahead as possible and leave enough time for travel and rest in between destinations.

2. Countries that produce good coffee don’t make good coffee

OK this might be a bit of a diva behaviour but starting my day with a good coffee is really important to me. As it probably is to most of you. The ritual of slowly welcoming the world with a cup of nice coffee is priceless. However, coming here I realised that my oat milk flat white will never match London standards. It’s not that it’s not offered, it’s just that the oat milk here can be quite sugary, or the coffee can be a bit too bitter.

My solution: There’s many alternative hot drinks you can have. In Peru there was coca tea and muña tea offered everywhere. In Colombia I’d opt in for a black americano, or simply a fresh maracuya juice, whereas in Mexico City flat whites are just right.

3. Hostels are the best part

If you asked me a few months ago I’d have sworn that I won’t step foot in a hostel. I always associated hostels with being in your early 20s, having not showered and washed your clothes for days and just looking to get on it. Obviously, there is a lot of that, but mostly I was pretty wrong with my perception. Hostels were a great place to meet like minded people.

Both my boyfriend and I are in our 30s, and we did the bold move of moving out of our flat in London and me leaving my job in marketing, so to meet other couples who were going through the same felt very comforting. It made the big decision of leaving our lives behind feel a little less scary just by knowing that other couples across the world are doing the same.

Hostels are also a great place to get advice on where to go next, how to get there, what are the cheapest ways to travel etc.

My solution: If you don’t feel comfortable sharing a room it’s usually fairly cheap to book a private room, especially if you are sharing with a partner. However, my only experience sharing a room was in El Rio hostel in Colombia, where we were lucky enough to share with a lovely couple who were doing a similar journey to us and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting them. So all in all hostels are really not that bad!

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4. Pick your battles when it comes to spending

People say travelling around South America is cheap, but I don’t fully agree. If you try and live like a local then yes, it can be quite cheap in most places but that’s hard because you are not a local. When you are visiting a place for a few days you naturally want to make the most of it. You want to try the local cuisine, visit the best bars or restraints, or experience the best attraction.

Restaurants in central parts of cities can be expensive. For example, some places in Cartagena were more expensive than London. We paid +£80 for a dinner with one starter and two mains and no alcoholic drinks! Crazy, I know! Similarly taxis in Colombia can be very expensive, so you are much better off finding out where the local buses are and using them. In the area between Santa Marta and Palomino in Colombia, there’s a local bus that you just have to flag and picks you up. Ask around for those options and save your money whenever you can.

My solution:

• Hostels often offer an add-on for breakfast, which is around £5 extra - take it. In most places (especially Colombia) you won’t find breakfast cheaper than that.

• Or the times when you are staying in an Airbnb just buy some simple ingredients and make breakfast there.

• In Mexico City, we use a lot of Airbnbs so we try and alternate between cooking in the flat and eating out.

• Uber is cheaper than local taxis though the commission is too big for local drivers so it’s good to support them. However, the cheapest mode of transport will often be a local bus.

5. Packing cubes will be your best friend

OK, this one is simple - buy packing cubes for your travels. Trust me on this one, you don’t want to be rummaging your bag trying to figure out where you tucked your pants and where are your socks.

I didn’t know about packing cubes until I came on this trip and they have changed the way I travel. Having some ‘home’ comforts and keeping things tidy and organised and easy to pack every time we set off to a new destination, really puts my mind at ease.

My solution: I used a version of three cubes only, but those don’t seem to be available anymore, so here’s a link to similar packing cubes from Amazon which are just £9. (Please note that this is an affiliate link so if you purchase I may make a small commission)

6. You will miss the routine, the daily hustle, the busy social calendar

It really is strange what you miss when you are away from home. I missed putting a wash on, or watching trash TV on the sofa. I missed getting dressed up for the office. I missed making pasta and I missed my Dyson. In full transparency, I brought my Dyson with me but it didn’t survive the low Colombian voltage so it died. So don’t make my mistake and don’t bother packing it at all.

I love having a routine. I love knowing when I will be at the gym and when my pilates class with my fave instructor is, and when I will see my friends for a coffee in the park next to our flats.

But when you are sleeping in a tent at 4,300 altitude at -1 degrees and the most beautiful sea of stars you’ve ever seen, then, well, routine goes out of the window. In those moments you won’t miss it there they will be so much going on; you will experience so much. But once you stop, once you are back in the Airbnb after 5 days in the mountains or back in a city, even though not yours, that’s it hits you.

My solutions:

• Have a night in. No, seriously, have a night in! Just because you are travelling and exploring the world doesn’t mean that you have to be constantly on the move. Take a break, watch a film, take your clothes to the laundromat and have a night in. It’d only make you more excited for the next phase.

• Embrace it. Embrace the messiness, the uncertainty, the new experiences that come with it. It’s hard, sure. It’s certainly uncomfortable but it’s part of the process.

7. A little Spanish goes a long way

I already knew this one. I had a basic level of Spanish before, and in the weeks leading up to my trip I also used Preply to learn more. Preply is an online platform which connects you with teachers from all over the world who you can have a 50-minute lessons with. Depending on their experience they can be as cheap as £10 an hour or the more qualified ones are around £25.

You can’t rely on the fact that people might speak English. A lot of people do but in a lot of rural parts of each country people only speak Spanish. So you have to put in the effort to learn the language. You can get by with basic Spanish, gesticulating or apps, but don’t rely on your Google Translate app because you will often be in areas with no signal.

Aside from this, speaking in the local language is a great way to show your respect to to the people, country and their culture. So a little Spanish really does go a long way.

My solutions:

• You can sign up for Preply. I’d give it at least a month of language classes depending on your level. I had a good base before, so 4 weeks were enough, but if you are completely novice then allow enough time.

• If you have the time, go to Spanish school. We signed up for a five-day interactive Spanish school in Mexico City. You spend four hours every day exploring local areas and speaking entirely in Spanish with your teacher and amongst yourselves.

• Speak as much and as often as you can. the best way to learn a language is to speak it. My partner and I try and speak to each other in Spanish at times and when we don’t know something we google it.

• Listen carefully! You will learn to understand the language before you can speak it. So pay attention when people speak to you and try and memorise words.

8. You will miss your friends and family more than you think

I am from Bulgaria originally, and have lived in the UK since I was 20 (so 12 years now). This means that at any given moment I am away from friends or family. I miss out on friends’ birthdays, family celebrations or just the day-to-day stuff. You get used to it when you live “abroad” though the abroad has become home a long time ago.

But being in South America - away from the hot World-Cup-infused summer in London, and the beach-every-weekend and family celebration Bulgarian summer - has often made me feel homesick.

My solution: I don’t really have a solution for this one. Missing people is part of the experience. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that, and the reality is that speaking to people can be hard when you are nine hours behind; but you need to really try.

Here are some quick tips that worked for me:

• Add your friends’ & family’s timezones on your Clock app.

• Check what time it is back home and commit to a time that works for you both.

• Send updates on your travels before you go to bed so that your loved ones can see them as they wake up.

• Don’t feel bad if you’ve missed out on some things there and try and focus on the once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you are having.

9. Water is a luxury

You’ll be buying more plastic water bottles than you’d expect.

What I mean by this is not that there isn’t water available here; it’s more that the quality of water is very different to what we are used to.

In most places you cannot drink water from the tap. You also can’t wash your fruit and veg with tap water either. If you do, the chances of you getting sick or getting a stomach bug are pretty high. You also shouldn’t really brush your teeth with tap water.

Because of all this, since starting our travels in early June, we had to buy an unfortunate amount of plastic bottled water. It’d become second nature to buy water daily.

I wouldn’t leave the flat/hotel room unless I've checked if we have enough water and I wouldn’t go in the bathroom without a glass of water in hand.

I also had to have a fair few cold showers, especially in Colombia. Luckily for us, the daily temperature was around 28 degrees, so taking a cold shower wasn’t that bad.

But it’s funny how something so simple, so mundane, can feel like a real luxury once it’s gone.

When we arrived in Mexico City, our Airbnb had a gas boiler. It was the first time I'd seen one and you’d literally see the flame go up every time you turn the hot tap on.

It was a strange thing but at least for the first time in three weeks I got to wash my hair with hot water and that feeling was unmatched.

I don’t have a real solution to this one other than - just get comfortable with the uncomfortable. It’d be 100% worth it.

Disclaimer: I do want to make sure that this is clear that the water point only applies to tourists. Local people who are used to the water quality do not have the same issues, though they also don’t drink tap water.