Hi, I'm Michelle!

I’m not a permanently wandering digital nomad that roams the world wild and free – I’m to much of a home girl for that! I’m a part-time travelling security loving twenty-something year old, who has a full time job and lives in a small coastal town in the UK. I have been casually travelling the world for the past decade with the current country count standing at 35!

I have a passion for slowly working my way around the little blue dot we call earth, immersing myself in new cultures and experiences as I go, whilst drinking local beers along the way. And I want to inspire you to do the same (with or without the beer), because I truly believe that travel is one of the best investments you can make in yourself! It will give you new perspectives on the world (cliché but true), provide you with the perfect opportunities for personal growth, and of course leave you with the most unforgettable memories (I’m a big fan of scrapbooking and photo albums)!

I am known as the girl who always has a trip planned and often get asked how I manage to travel so frequently when juggling a full time job and the chaos that we call life (I guess you could say I’m known as the queen of travel planning amongst those closest to me). So I created The Scrapbook Of Life to share with you the knowledge that I have acquired over the past decade, because I am passionate about inspiring and helping people to travel more!

This is my little corner of the internet to share with you my tried and tested day-by-day itineraries (for trips ranging from a few days to a few weeks long) that you can use to maximise your time off and see more of the world, full transparency of my trip costs so I can show you that travel does not have to break the bank and you can set your own savings targets, and travel guides and travel tips.

I hope this blog provides you with an abundance of inspiration and useful information to help you to go and see the world, plan your own trips (and hopefully save some pennies by doing so) and also shows you that travel can be more affordable than you may think (if you travel wisely, of course)! If I can ignite that desire in you to travel as far and wide as possible alongside your full time job, and help you to make it a reality, then I’ll consider my little venture a success!

35 countries visited

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, The Netherlands, Turkey, United Kingdom, Vatican City, Vietnam

Upcoming trips in 2024

January 2024 – Sofia, Bulgaria
February 2024 – Budapest, Hungary
March 2024 – Manchester, UK

Bucket list

Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru
Visit the roaring Iguazu Falls in South America
Bathe an elephant in Thailand ✓
Watch the chaos of Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan
See the Petronas Towers lit up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ✓
Drink local beer in Prague, Czech Republic ✓
Catch bullet trains around Japan and walk amongst the deer that roam wild and free
An overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay, Vietnam ✓
Visit the floating markets of Thailand ✓
Watch the sunrise over Bagan, Myanmar
Marvel at the Taj Mahal in India
Tour Sri Lanka by train and climb to the top of Sigiriya
See the bright lights of Aurora Borealis
Go to the carnival and visit Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Climb up to the top of Krimml Falls, Austria ✓
Wander the Great Wall of China ✓
Marvel at the magical Lake Bled, Slovenia
Travel North to South through Vietnam ✓
Road trip through the Italian Dolomites
Watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat, Cambodia ✓
Take a trip up Table Mountain, South Africa
Go to the majestic Victoria Falls, Africa
Ride on an overnight sleeper train ✓
Go zip-lining in Southeast Asia ✓
Swim with wild dolphins
Visit the Fjords of Norway
See Guilin and the Li River, China
Wander through the rice terraces of Ubud, Bali (and trip over) ✓
Visit the enchanting Plitvice Lakes, Croatia ✓
Experience the vibrant atmosphere of Holi Festival, India
Go on a Motorhome road trip through the Canadian Rockies ✓
Cycle around Bruges, Belgium ✓
Go on an African safari and stay in a tented safari camp ✓
Drive the West Coast of the USA and visit the national parks
See Stari Most and watch the divers jump off, Bosnia & Herzegovina ✓
Do a trip to the Baltic States
Go to a magical Christmas Market in Europe ✓
Visit the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy ✓
Take a weekend trip to Essaouira, Morocco, and eat Tagine
See the waterfalls and temples of Luang Prabang, Laos
Wander Nice Old Town, France, and do a day trip to Monaco
Visit Costa Rica
Swim with pigs in the Bahamas
Relax in an over-water bungalow somewhere beautiful and warm
Drive along the Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway
Chill on El Nido in the Philippines
Visit an Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Borneo, Malaysia
Go on the trip around Europe that Coronavirus halted
Stopover in Dubai for a quick stop city tour
Take a New Zealand road trip
Watch the sunrise over Borobudur Temple in Indonesia
Visit Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, Turkey