Dove never ceases to impress and inspire me with their commitment to Real Beauty and standing for women. Oxford Dictionary declared ‘Selfie’
Lara Eurdolian, Pretty Connected Beauty Blog
Stone Town Cafe Bed & Breakfast
Despite Zanzibar being a last minute destination we did a good amount of research on places to stay and Stone Town Cafe Bed and Breakfast was a clear favorite for affordable, safe, with a friendly staff and clean rooms.
It definitely delivered. An amazing deal for $80/night which gave us a queen (or is it a king?) bed, balcony, wi-fi (that’s a bit spotty), safe, closet and satellite TV (which has maybe 3 channels in English) and a great shower/bathroom so we were happy. They also offered complimentary breakfast up to $6.50 per person which is more then enough for a big meal including coffee, and bottled water or juice. It’s probably the best deal in the area but space is very limited.
The Doors of Zanzibar, Tanzania
After a grueling flight (that included an emergency landing) we made it to Zanzibar in Tanzania. The start of our trip was in Stone Town which is a historic beach town. Walking the streets we encountered some of the most beautiful doors — all with different colors, styles and carvings!
Inside the Sheraton Kampala
After 3 days in a hut in the mountains we returned to Kampala and were in need of an upgrade. A private shower and bed that didn’t require a mosquito net was the dream. And while I’m rarely the American yearning for something familiar, this was a rare exception.
The Sheraton Kampala was everything I could hope for and more from an upscale US Sheraton. It’s practically identical however, given the circumstances it felt more like the Four Seasons. Gorgeous lobby, great food, swimming pool, clean sheets, comfortable beds and dream showers. They also have a fly and $25 massages for 50 minutes.
James is a Starwoods member and has the credit card (which is great for travelers). It gets free upgrades and instead of paying $250/night, we had the option of using 5,000 points and paying only $65/night. Not only were we given the Diplomat Suite, complete with 2 bathrooms, a living room, balcony (with great views) and separate shower and bath tub, we also got club floor privileges which has complimentary snacks, drinks and computers for guest to use (there’s wifi in the entire hotel). Breakfast buffet is also included in this rate and does not disappoint. And best of all we got a perfect nights sleep before heading to Zanzibar, Tanzania the next day.
Day 5 – 7: Uganda Safari
After a much needed resting day at the Sheraton in Kampala, our crew headed to the town of Masindi to see the White Rhino’s (and cows with the most amazing horns!), the Budongo Central Forest Reserve to see the Chimpanzees, hiked Murchison Falls and did a safari in the area seeing lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos, water bucks, wart hogs, and baboons. It was incredible!
It’s a solid 2 days trip to do it all and we booked with Yebo Tours which for $390 took care of all the arrangements, transportation and accommodations (we slept in private huts in the mountains!). If you’re headed to the area, I highly recommend them. There was also a camp ground and housing facility at Budongo that looked very promising. We had lunch there before tracking the Chimps and their food and coffee we’re great. They also had wi-fi which was unexpected considering we were in nature.
I’ll fill in links and more details soon! At the moment I’m blogging from my phone so you can imagine the challenges. You can also follow me @prettyconnected for the latest in my adventures!
P&G Beauty Hosts A Night To Remember
What trends can you expect to see walking down the runway this season? As the official start to awards season, celebrity hairstylist Kylee Heath and celebrity makeup artist Amy Nadine put together a red carpet forecast for P&G’s #RedCarpetGlam People’s Choice
Day 3 Uganda: The Wedding (and the Outfit)
Day 3 in Uganda brought us to the point of this trip, a traditional wedding! James and I got to wear classic Ugandan ceremonial garments. His a long, white robe. Mine a yellow kimono like dress with large protruding shoulder pads. It was pretty amazing!
Out of Africa
Greetings from Africa! I’ll be in Uganda for the next two weeks, exploring the countryside and dancing with elephants (if all goes to plan). If you’re interested in following my adventures check out my instagram page @prettyconnected, where I will be regularly updating.
2013 Recap: Oh the Places We’ve Gone…
As this month comes to a close it’s impossible not to take a step back and reflect on what an incredible year 2013 has been. Of course, while it was happening I was moving too fast to really appreciate some of these unforgettable moments and experiences. So that will be at the top of my resolution list — to slow down and really savor the moments. As Ferris Beueller said, “Life moves pretty fast if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Come on get healthy!
Every year, taking better care of yourself should be at the top of your list of resolutions. Even if you already take great care of yourself, go above and beyond this year, you’re worth it! So my biggest resolution (and believe me I have plenty), is me! And because putting something down on paper (errr blog!), actually increases