Thursday 20 October 2016

Blogtober16 - 5 Super cool things about the island

This one seems a little difficult for me at the moment because I don't entirely like living on the island, but I suppose it makes you look for the positives. I've lived here about six months and still have no friends, and feel extremely isolated. Being unemployed for a while also means I've lost confidence in my own abilities.

However positivity is important, so here are some cool facts about living on the Isle of Wight:

1. Great ways to travel - Although bus travel is extoriate, there are many other ways to travel including steam train, driving and ferry. I'm still to try the steam train, but even the bus only takes an additional 10 minutes to get somewhere. You could go from one side of the island to the other and it wouldn't take longer than an hour (traffic permitting). There is the 10 minute hovercraft which gets you to Portsmouth Southsea or Redjet that gets you to Southampton in 25 minutes.
Hovercraft






















2. Festivals & events - It is known for the events that bring people to the island including music events like Bestival and Isle of Wight Festival. It also has big yacht events with Cowes Week, which brings music, food and much more than just yacht races. Here are some pictures I took during this year's Cowes Week:

















3. Link to royalty - Queen Victoria called the island her home for many years. I would recommend anyone to visit the Needles as she loved to collect the different colours of sands, and you can do the same. 

My sand elephant from visiting the Needles















I would also suggest you go to Osborne House, where she holidayed with her husband, Prince Albert. If nothing it is interesting to realise how small she was from seeing her bed. The link with royalty has remained with members of the royal family visiting for different events.

4. Dinosaur Island - This is the name given as it has been discovered to be one of Europe's finest sites for dinosaur remains. According to Visit Isle of Wight, the "yellow, brown and grey rocks exposed in bays of Compton, Brook and Brighstone contain fossilised tress and dinosaur bones!" You can visit Hanover point, where there are giant casts of dinosaur footprints. I will definitely need to check this out.

5. Unique tourist attractions - There is plenty to visit with castles, manors, beaches, vineyards, festivals (as mentioned), animal sanctuaries and activities such as go-karting and bowling. Here are some pictures from attending Barton Manor for a fundraiser:
























Please refer to one of my posts here. It shows the main differences living on the island and the sights I've seen. With my birthday next week, I hope to see much more.






















I hope you enjoyed the post and I would definitely recommend coming along for a holiday to see for yourself. I just don't think living here is necessarily for everyone.

60 comments:

  1. How interesting. I didn't know the Isle of Wight had so much going on!

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  2. I've never been to the Isle of Wight before but there seems to be quite a bit to do. Sorry to hear how isolated you feel, I hope once you get into employment again it'll be different x

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    1. Yeah it's best to go during the summer months. I definitely recommend it. I'm sure it will come good x

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  3. Aw I love the Isle of Wight - I went with my parents a few years ago, we ended up going all the way down to the Needles, such a lovely place!

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    1. Hope you collected some sand! The big kid in me loved it :)

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  4. I love the Isle of Wight, I have had many a happy trip there

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    1. Surprised how many people have visited. I've never lived further north than like Yorkshire before, but it's always warmer and lovely :)

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  5. This is so interesting, I haven't been to the Isle of Wight for many years, but I really loved it. x

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it. I have to admit I need to research to double-check especially about the dinosaurs ::) x

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  6. Sorry to hear that you are feeling lonely lovely, would you think about moving again somewhere you feel is more like home? xx Here to talk if you need a friendly ear.

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    1. Yeah, time will tell :) that is so sweet to read. Thank you! x

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  7. I've been meaning to visit The Isle of Wight for ages but have never got round to it. Sorry to hear you're feeling so isolated, I'm sure you'll make friends soon x

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    1. It is worth a visit! Can't get much further south for a british visit :) yeah it will be fine, thank you though :) x

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  8. I would so love to visit the Isle of Wright one day soon

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    1. You definitely should :) it makes a lovely holiday!

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  9. It looks so beautiful here. I would love to visit one day.

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    1. You should :) it is the nicest place i've lived for weather and lovely holiday place!

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  10. I've never been before but I haven't watched to visit for ages!

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    1. It is lovely :) I can always give you tips to my favourite places so far (only lived here 6 months)

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  11. I haven't been to the Isle of Wight in years but would love to go back x

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    1. It seems so small, but feel there is always a new area to explore! x

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  12. My Grandparents used to live in SeaView and we used to have lunch in Ryde all the time! We're just across the water from you! ;)

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    1. aww that's nice. The pier in Ryde is lovely :)

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  13. I've not been here since I was a little kid, I'd love to go back xx

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    1. Not sure how much might have changed, but there is lots of lovely little places to visit :) x

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  14. This is really interesting - I never knew most of this! H x

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    1. I wanted to see that I picked the 5 most interesting facts, so researched some. For instance, I did not know about the dinosaurs and needed to double-check the royal history. Fascinating to me! x

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  15. The Isle of Wight sounds like a unique and lovely place to visit - I'd love to do so one day!

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    1. You definitely should :) I recommend to anyone to visit at least once!

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  16. Great post! I didn't know that there was so much to do on the IOW!

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    1. It's just a case of knowing what's there I guess

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  17. I've never been but it sounds like an interesting place to be!!!

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    1. I think you can always find the positives of places :)

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  18. I really need to visit the Isle of Wight, it sounds like an amazing place!

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    1. I recommend that at least every British person should visit :) it's something to enjoy in the UK!

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  19. I've never visited the Isle of Wight, it looks beautiful and I had no idea there was so much to see and do.

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    1. Even in the seemingly dull, there is always plenty to do. It's just finding it that is the trouble :)

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  20. Sorry to read you're feeling so isolated there. Really hope you make some new friends soon.
    Isle of White does look lovely and you have some gorgeous photos!

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, it's much appreciated :) yeah I love taking photos!

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  21. I haven't ever been to the Isle of Wight, I have of course hear of the festival though. Barton Manor looks lovely. I'm sorry to hear you feel so isolated and I completely sympathise, I sometimes feel isolated here in Dundee even though it's a city, as I live so far away from all my family and friends down in the south of England. Hope things look up for you soon. x

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words :) I lived in Dundee for a short time and still have a few friends there that I keep in touch with. It does my favourite mac and cheese at the Tinsmith! I'm sure it will, looking to move again lol x

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  22. A small island packed with a lot of goodness.

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  23. I've always wanted to visit the Isle of Wight, it's definitely on my list!

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    1. It is worth a visit! I'd rather go for the holiday, but that's just me. I love living in a city, or close-by one!

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  24. The Isle of Wight sounds like a great place to visit. I'm sorry to hear you feel isolated x

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    1. It is, it's all about knowing where to go. I'm kind of wishing I hadn't added my feelings about the place in as it's just a small part of the post!

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  25. My nan and Grandad used to visit every year and I would love to visit myself, if only to see Osbourne House.

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    1. Yeah it's the first place I managed to visit when moving here

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  26. Sounds like there's much more things there than I thought there was! I love that sand elephant :)

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    1. It's just knowing where to look, like most places :) I know! Love saying I have my own sand elephant

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  27. Dinosaur Island sounds particularly fascinating. I hope I get the chance to go sometime!

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    1. Yeah, that's one I only found out about recently

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  28. Only ever been to the Isle of Wight festival many moons ago, would love to explore it more though.

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    1. It's somewhere you should go at least once! :)

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  29. I went to the Isle of Wight last year and loved it. Osbourne house was incredible. I don't recommend the chair lift to the needles with a toddler though. I was petrified!

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    1. It is so lovely - I like seeing how the other half live or lived! Never done the chair lift. At least you survived it with perhaps a funny story?

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  30. I've never been to the Isle Of Wight, it does look like a great place to visit x

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    1. Yeah lovely place for a holiday 😊 x

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