Ben & Lissy Takeoff

14/04/2022

Nothing sums up the UK more than going to the beach and wearing a puffa jacket.

📍 Ogmore By The Sea, Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

03/04/2022

Exploring Cardiff Marina 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

We’ve recently moved down to Cardiff from Manchester so have spent the past few days unpacking and settling in! Our local area is Cardiff Marina so we’ve taken a break to have a walk and enjoy the nice weather!

We will be travelling as much as possible and will of course continue to share that with you! For now we’ll be sharing our explorations around Wales as it’s more manageable with having just moved and started new jobs!

28/03/2022

We’ve been away from Instagram for the past few days… it’s been manic! It was Lissy’s graduation in Manchester on Friday and then we moved all our stuff down to Cardiff where we’ll be living for the next year!

We’ll be back to post travel content again soon but will also be shifting focus to exploring Wales and any trips we take!

22/03/2022

Canang Sari - a flower offering made by Balinese women to symbolise different gods and then blessed them with holy water.

📍Crystal Bay, Nusa Penida 🇮🇩

This is traditionally a Hindu practice in order to create balance between God, man, and the universe! When you’re walking around Bali you’ll see these square baskets on the ground so be sure to keep an eye out for them!

21/03/2022

Talk about a sweet breakfast!

📍Sea Circus, Bali 🇮🇩

I’m a sucker for pancakes and I have a major sweet tooth. When I saw this on the menu I just had to get it! The cream and the cotton candy actually worked well together and all in all was a tasty flavour. I definitely recommend visiting Sea Circus for breakfast in Bali - their milkshakes were huge!

20/03/2022

Looking for a fun night out in Bali?

📍Motel Mexicola, Seminyak 🇮🇩

This indoor outdoor Mexican restaurant is the place to be on a night out. Think cocktail pitchers and dancing on tables, it’s so much fun. It feels like you’re snapped out of Bali and taken right to Mexico!

📲 Save this for later

19/03/2022

Sitting down & watching the sunset here is the best way to spend an evening!

📍La Plancha, Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩

This bar / restaurant is located right on Seminyak beach. Grab a Bintang beer (or non alcoholic juice) and watch the world go by. There are so many spots to sit on the beach but these bean bags really a great spot.

📲 Save this post for later

18/03/2022

Dreaming of this 💭

📍Mutiara Bali Resort & Villa Seminyak 🇮🇩

One (of many) great thing about Bali is once you’ve covered the cost of the flights the accommodation and food can be extremely affordable! Of course there are luxury options which cost significantly more but you can find great deals. For instance, the Mutiara Bali Resort & Spa, where I have stayed twice is exactly that. Our double time cost about £30 (depending upon season) a night and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. The staff were all so lovely and we mostly had the pool area to ourselves! I definitely recommend staying here, they even helped us book our excursions!

17/03/2022

I’m pretty sure I ordered these chocolate waffles the majority of days I’ve been in Bali!

📍Kynd Community, Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩

This vegan restaurant serves some of the best breakfasts! Let me tell you - their coffee is the best way to start the day! They also serve evening meals and cocktails too. The entire menu is super affordable and very extensive, especially as a vegan restaurant. My dad even loves it here - he usually is a meat lover!

16/03/2022

Singapore is just so dreamy ⛅️

📍Cloud Forest At Gardens By The Bay, Singapore 🇸🇬

When visiting Gardens by the bay, purchasing a ticket for the Cloud Forest is a must! If you want to see the famous indoor waterfall this is the place to go. What I didn’t realise before going is that you can actually walk up the structure behind the waterfall to get up close! This is the view from one of the top platforms - tucked behind the waterfall but viewing the iconic Marina Bay Sands.

Also, if you can’t tell we’re obsessed with the carousel carry over images - what do you think?

15/03/2022

Swipe to see the Tokyo Metro whilst I was trying to navigate the trains 😂

📍Somewhere in Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵

The Tokyo metro is so confusing for a first time visitor! There’s actually two different types of rapid transit - the Metro and the Tori Subway. I remember getting confusing between the two and ended up going back on myself by accident. I’m sure if it was the tiredness from travel or it genuinely is confusing - we’ll have to see when we go back!
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14/03/2022

Name a more iconic view 👀

📍The Peak, Hong Kong 🇭🇰

There are so many amazing view points over Hong Kong, from different hikes or skyscrapers. Here we have one of the most iconic viewpoints from Victoria Peak. You have a view options to get here…
1- Take the the funicular railway tram! Definitely my favourite option as it’s a unique experience! It’s currently under construction but is due to open again this summer. Pro tip: If you book a hop on hop off bus ticket you get to skip the majority of the queue.
2- Take the 15 bus from Exchange Square Central Bus Terminus at Hong Kong station.
3- Take a taxi! They can take you right up to the top but is a less fun option than others.
4- Hike - Take the Harlech Road and Lugard Road Circular Walk (Google maps will take this route)

Save this for your future trips to HK!
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13/03/2022

Another iconic spot to visit - do you recognise it?!

📍Choi Hung, Hong Kong 🇭🇰

The are loads of iconic photo spots in Hong Kong, we’ve recently posted a reel of another one. It’s not in a location you would naturally come by to save this post to refer to for later…

• 2 Tse Wai Ave, Ngau Chi Wan, Hong Kong (for Google maps)
• take the Kwun Tong Line (green) to Choi Hung from Prince Edward, it will take about 12 minutes
• Exit the MRT station out of exit C4
• walk straight out the station and towards a multi-storey car park
• Go up the straight and you’ll see this straight away

Chances are other people will be going too so you can ask or show them a picture to make sure. I recommend going as early in the morning as possible as it does get busy!
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12/03/2022

No wonder it’s a UNESCO world heritage site!

📍HaLong Bay, Vietnam 🇻🇳

When we visited HaLong Bay it was pretty overcast but the nature was still outstanding. We took a boat from the main Vietnamese land towards HaLong Bay and also visited the Sung Sot (Surprise) cave which is the largest in the bay. We booked our trip through our hostel and they were able to provide a number of different options to suit our budget - hotels will of course do the same!
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11/03/2022

Looking up at the gardens by the bay skywalk and super trees is such a unique experience!

📍Gardens By The Bay, Singapore 🇸🇬

You can walk along the ground amongst the trees for free, which is a great way to stay within your budget. However, if you do have a little extra cash, I recommend purchasing a ticket to go up the skywalk just before the evening light show starts. This was you get to experience the show up on the platform! We did this and it was such a great experience, however it was very crowded so if you don’t like crowds and /or heights I suggested watching from the ground!
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10/03/2022

Understanding the culture & religion of a country is so important.

📍Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩

Bali has over 10,000 temples, no wonder it’s known as the land of a thousand temples. When visiting temples it’s vital to respect traditions such as dressing modestly and not visiting if a female is on her period. If you aren’t dressed modestly, the local people at the temples can often provide something for you to wear.
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09/03/2022

Japanese temples are just breathtaking.

📍 Sensō-ji -Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵
📍 浅草寺。東京、日本 🇯🇵

This temple is located in Asakusa, Tokyo, hence why the temple is sometimes referred to Asakusa Kannon Temple. Completed in 645, this is Tokyos oldest temple! Heading up to the temple is a long shopping street (over 200m!) which has some lovely souvenirs to take home with you. Lissy visited in the nighttime and the temples were beautifully lit up, I’m sure they’re just as impressive in the day time!
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  #浅草寺 #東京 #日本

08/03/2022

Happy International Women’s Day! We’re so proud to be apart of a community of such strong women!

📍 New York City, USA 🇺🇸

Walking around the streets of New York are an activity by themselves. I love just walking around different areas and stopping off at different coffee shops. I do this in the UK too so that I’m always discovering new places!
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thisisnewyorkcity

07/03/2022

An endless number of stairs…and tourists back in 2019!

📍Big Buddha, Lantau Island, Hong Kong

Visiting Lantau Island is a must in HK, and one of the most famous spots to visit is the Big buddha at Ngong Ping. Let me tell you, this Buddha is humongous Standing at 34 metres (112 ft) tall, this buddha is impressive - on a clear day it can be see as far as Macau. In order to reach the buddha, there's 268 steps. However, if you've booked a tour of Ngong Ping, your tour bus will actually drive you up and all you have to do is appreciate the buddha, and walk down the steps. I definitely recommend this is you’re with family members who are less mobile or don’t want to walk up that many steps. We booked our tour through
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#天壇大佛 #天坛大佛

06/03/2022

This spot has been a UNESCO heritage site since 1980!

📍 Tomb Of The Kings, Cyprus 🇨🇾

This necropolis lies about a 7 minute drive north of Paphos harbour, it’ll take about 35 minutes to walk. There are a number of underground tombs that date back to 4th century BCE to the 3rd century AD. It’s thought that the tombs were actually for aristocrats and high up officials. Surprisingly no kings were actually buried here! It only costs €2.50 entry so it definitely a budget friendly option! Check out so extra videos and pictures on our story!!
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❤️ 🇨🇾

05/03/2022

Street food in Vietnam is unbeatable!

📍Hanoi, Vietnam 🇻🇳

When visiting Vietnam you want to make sure you eat at a variety of different street food spots, regardless of your budget. The food stops will be often family owned and provide plastic stools on the pavement - make sure to not judge a location by this! If you aren’t sure where to go, I recommend just stopping off at a location with lots of locals at. The prices are also extremely affordable, with this portion in the picture costing from 15,000 – 40,000 Vietnamese D**g (50p to £1.50). Vietnam is definitely an affordable destination once you’ve covered the flight cost.
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04/03/2022

One of the biggest new(ish) attractions in NYC

📍The Vessel At Hudson Yards, NYC 🇺🇸

What an amazing piece of architecture this is. Tickets are free for the first hour of the day and $10 after! There’s over 154 flights of stairs and 2,500 individual steps! There is also a lift / elevator to take you up to each floor if required.
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thisisnewyorkcity

03/03/2022

Wherever I am in the world, visiting Disney is a must.

📍Disneyland, Hong Kong

I think I speak for a lot of people when they say they love Disneyland, particularly the Florida ones. When I (Lissy) moved to Hong Kong I was ecstatic that there was a Disneyland, I was researching the price of a yearly ticket. I was convinced I was going to go every week, or at least once a month. Ha ha. How I was wrong. I actually only went once during my year of living in HK and then one other time when I was visiting again a few months after moving back to the UK. Despite being considerably smaller than other Disney destinations, it’s still a lot of fun - plus less crowds!
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02/03/2022

Who can spot the huge Venus fly trap 👀🌱

📍Flower Dome, Singapore

Found within the Gardens By The Bay area. The greenery and bright flowers were so luscious. There were Lego additions which were so cute and really added to the experience factor! You’ll need a ticket to enter but you can purchase these on the day or online before hand (we used !)
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01/03/2022

My first time trying sushi was at a Japanese fish market.

📍Toyosu Fish Market, Tokyo, Japan.

The Toyosu Fish Market opened in October 2018 and is located in the Kōtō ward, replacing the previous market at Tsukiji. The market is split into three markets; two for wholesale seafood and one for wholesale fruit and vegetables. Each market has its own building, so do pay attention to the signs when entering; the entire process from entry to exit is well signposted and really works in favour of tourists! The entire market is undercover, so perfect even as a rainy day activity. As part of our visit, we decided to get some sushi - surely a must when visiting? This was my first time trying sushi and early on in my chopstick skills! I totally embarrassed myself by dropping my sushi into the little bowl of soy sauce - not ideal. I still get flashbacks now when using chopsticks, although I must say I’m much better at using them now (with thanks to Ben).
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28/02/2022

Looking forward to getting on a long haul flight this year after so long 🤞

📍Flying back from Singapore to Hong Kong

Before the pandemic we were both semi-regular fliers (as much as university students can). We were both good at budgeting and prioritised trips where we could. It’s now been quite a bit of time since we’ve hoped on a long haul flight - hopefully this year we can make up for the past few years!
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27/02/2022

New York skyline is iconic, even from a distance

📍Staten Island, New York 🇺🇸

If you’re on a budget, a good way to spend a day or at least part of a day at Staten Island. You can take the free ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island. You can get a good view of the Statue of Liberty. On Staten Island, we spent most of the time at the outlet shopping centre and walked around the local area. A great low cost day!
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thisisnewyorkcity

26/02/2022

Finding the perfect gift for a travel lover can be challenging. We’ve put together a list of a few items that could suit your needs - from budget to slightly more expensive. This could also double as a Mothers Day gift guide if you’re looking for something travel related!

Finding the perfect gifts for travel lovers can be challenging - whether it's for an occasion or simply just to show your appreciation. Given the world's current climate, it has been difficult to travel for the past couple of years - and it still is depending upon where you're travelling to or from....

26/02/2022

wales on film 🎞

📍Rhossili Bay, Wales

In honour of the Wales v England rugby match today here’s a picture we took in Summer when visiting the Three Cliffs Bay. Rhossili is also home to the famous sunflower fields which thrive in the summer.

As Bens English and Lissy’s Welsh rugby days are always an exciting one for us - who do you think will win? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
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❤️

25/02/2022

The Las Vegas of the east?

📍The Parisian, Macau

Macau is an autonomous region in China. Once coined as the Las Vegas of the East, I think Las Vegas is the Macau of the West. Macau actually generates over x3 that of Las Vegas (pre pandemic). There’s a lot more to Macau than just the casinos but we’ll cover that all another day!
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🇲🇴

24/02/2022

Patiently waiting for the famous train to pass us by 🍈🍉

📍Train Street, Hanoi, Vietnam 🇻🇳

If you’re visiting Hanoi, train street is a must. All the little cafes along the side are sat right beside the train tracks. When the train starts to come the staffs quickly pack up the chairs to make way for the train. It’s definitely an experience to see!
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23/02/2022

Sitting here with a morning snack was the best way to start the day 🍩

📍Near Manhattan bridge

My last trip before the pandemic was to New York in November 2019. It was cold but the winter sun was strong so we could sit outside. We spent most mornings looking out over the water eating our doughnuts, life was a dream.
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thisisnewyorkcity

22/02/2022

Even when avoiding the rainy season it can be overcast & rainy ☔️

📍HaLong Bay, Vietnam

To get to the famous Ha Long Bay you’ll take a boat and cruise over to the islands. The traditional style is inside downstairs and an open deck. As we’re visited Vietnam during our university’s reading week and on a budget, we opted for a day trip. However, you can have more luxurious over night boats if you wish. The day was overcast pretty much all day but the views were still exceptional. We definitely want to go back and experience this is the glorious Vietnamese sun!
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21/02/2022

One day I want a scooter like the cream one in this picture 🛵

📍Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia 🇮🇩

There are sooooo many scooters in Bali, some say up to 3.9 million! If you’re visiting Nusa Penida I would suggest using a local tour company - this will ensure you’re travelling more sustainably and spending money within the local economy, not to mention being safe if you aren’t confident with scooter driving. However, if you are confident driving a scooter- go ahead and rent a scooter; just make sure your travel insurance covers this!
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20/02/2022

We loving finding exhibitions / museums that are a bit different to the national museum!

📍Salon Saigon, Ho Chi Minh 🇻🇳

Housed in the previous US Ambassadors home. It’s french-colonial style is restored throughout the home. The museum showcases and advocates for Vietnamese art. We loved the experience - in fact when we visited we were the only people in the building. Located in one of the famous Ho Chi Minh alleyways, this is one not to be missed!

19/02/2022

Japan is ramen heaven! 🍜🇯🇵🏯

📍 somewhere in Tokyo, Japan

When visiting Japan a few years back I fell in love with the style of Japanese ramen restaurants and the different options available. Not only are the portions more than filling, they’re also a good price!

Ben’s never been to Japan but it’s one of his dream destinations so we’ll have a whole series of first experiences when the borders finally reopens!
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