Cali in 48 hours
Sometimes you need to escape from the chaos of everyday life and surround yourself with absolute stillness. I'm currently up in the air en route to LAX international airport and as I glance out the little cabin window I can't help but fall in love with the pastel sky; a soft mirage of pink, white and blue hues. I can see the colour of the sun bleeding into the horizon as we fly over large stretches of big, pillowy clouds. Instead of capturing the moment on my camera or phone - I allow the beauty to really sink in and take a moment to appreciate the absolute stillness. To celebrate my fourth trip to America, i've decided to share a collection of my most useful travel tips to help inspire you to make travelling a priority in your life.
TIPS
1. Get Insurance
You need insurance, trust me. If you're in an accident, get sick or your belongings go missing you'll be pretty chuffed that you spent that small amount on an insurance policy. I would highly recommend going with Southern Cross Travel Insurance.
They have over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and I love that everything is done online (I've never been a fan of paperwork). Research from SCTI shows that 60% of Australians have encountered a crime when travelling oversees. I have been incredibly lucky in the fact that i've never had my belongings stolen when travelling *touch wood* but I have friends who've had their camera gear stolen - which can cost a small fortune to replace! Better to be safe than sorry, right?
(P.S To all my Aussie readers - head over to www.scti.com.au and use 'lichipan' at the checkout for a 10% discount) You can thank me later ;)
2. Don't Plan Too Much
It's good to not stress yourself out and 'overplan' when travelling. There are only twenty four hours in a day and as much as you'd love to tick all 100 things you'd love to do when visiting that new city - be realistic and plan an itinerary that won't tire you out.
I also love taking the time to chat to locals and discovering their favourite hidden gems which you won't find in typical tourist pamphlets or books. Instagram is also a great source to discover popular eateries in the area!
3. Pack Less
From personal experience I have always preferred travelling light. Nothing is more painful than overpacking and having to lug around something which weighs 30kilos. Especially when it comes to packing tech items (laptops, cameras etc). Research has shown that Aussie travellers take on average five pieces of technology on holiday with them – packing close to $5K in their luggage!
Remember to take a look at what you plan to take and remove anything you don't really need
SEE
1. LACMA.
Urban light.
2. THE ORIGINAL LOS ANGELES FLOWER MARKET
754 WALL STREET, LOS ANGELES
3. WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
4. RODEO DRIVE
EAT
1. Alfred Coffee & Kitchen
2. Sprinkles Cookies & Ice Cream
Sprinkles Red Velvet Cone
Amorino Flower Gelato
3. DINETTE
STAY
Calligraphy: Jasmine Dowling
Photography: Li-Chi Pan
In an attempt to retain the grand, historic public rooms of the 1860s and 1920s - of which the Café Royal was famed for - these Grade II listed spaces have been carefully restored.
I had the pleasure of staying here for two nights - come and see my photo diary and what I got up to.