Being Buttons

Rangitoto Island: Our Final Day in New Zealand

Rangitoto Island: Our Final Day in New Zealand
It’s over a year since I left New Zealand and I have no idea where the time has gone. In some respects it feels like only yesterday that we were backpacking around the two islands and seeing some incredible sights, but it also feels like a lifetime ago. There’s still one very special story from my time in New Zealand that I haven’t shared yet, and so here it is just over one year on. View Post

Kowloon, Hong Kong

Kowloon, Hong Kong
We spent most of our time in Hong Kong in the Kowloon area. We were staying in Mong Kok, famous for its markets and being the most densely populated area in the world. It’s not as shiny and new as Hong Kong Island but there is a lot of development happening along the waterfront and given a few years I don’t it will be long until both sides look a lot more similar. View Post

Exploring Toulon

Exploring Toulon
When you talk about visiting the South of France most people will instantly think of the glamorous French Riviera, or the Provençal countryside filled with lavender fields or vineyards. Despite being described as the sunniest city in France by some of the people we met, the city of Toulon is unlikely to be anyone’s first guess of where you might be headed. A port city which was largely destroyed during the Second World War due to its large naval base, Toulon isn’t as pretty or as famous as the towns and cities further down the coast. However the sea is just as blue and the area is still interesting to explore – and with fewer tourists doing so! View Post

A Day in Newcastle

A Day in Newcastle
I’m sure that everyone can think of somewhere close to home that they haven’t really explored. Either somewhere you go with a specific purpose, such as to work, or somewhere you’ve been but never really tried to get under the skin of. It’s very easily done and might be because you don’t think that place is worth exploring, but it’s often nice to discover things that are right on your doorstep. View Post

A long weekend in Bradford

A long weekend in Bradford
When James recently suggested a long weekend in Bradford, I think I had the same response as everyone else I told – surprise, and then trying not to laugh. Why would we want to go there when we could just as easily return to our beloved York?! Well, price for one thing but also to explore somewhere new. I knew very little about Bradford before I left, and whilst I don’t profess to know it well now, I know there is more to it than the fictional image I had in my head. Now I’m going to try and convince you too that Bradford could be a great destination for your next long weekend. View Post