All Inclusive in Turkey - Beating the System

How beautiful it is to do nothing, then rest afterward - Proverb

My friend and I have just returned from a blissful holiday in Turkey. On paper it didn't look too pretty - all inclusive hotel in Bodrum with free beer and biscuits. All you could eat buffet at the flash of a wristband. Turps on tap, thinly disguised as vodka. Nightly "entertainment" (loosest sense of the word) in the on-site amphitheatre. Plenty of sunburnt youths on apres A-level booze ups, washing themselves in tequila, grilling their skin and vomiting off the balconies, but with all these things it's never your only option! There is something about being in a foreign country when the sun is shining - there is always an adventure to be had. SO rather than resigning ourselves to a slightly suspect swimming pool and the sea snail in our bathroom (yup!) we wandered away from the burgers, karaoke calamities and mangy people cats and headed towards the phosphorescence and glow-wormed secret side of Bodrum. A place which I highly, highly recommend.

We chanced upon a lone jetty stretching out onto the Mediterranean sea with Kos in the distance. We swam, jumped off pontoons, read, slept, ate. You pretty much get the gist of what was done for the rest of the holiday............absolutely nothing.....and it was heaven. Bodders....we'll be back next year.

The Lone Jetty

Topshop Vine Leaf Bikini similar here

Turkish Coffee - yummers
V.G book Here and Now. Letters between two of my favourite authors. 

Illesteva Leonard Sunglasses - best things I've ever invested in. They go with everything.
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter - a really wonderful book. The New York Times says it's 'A monument to crazy love with a deeply romanitc heart'...I mean HOW could I resist??!

Flora resplendent in ASOS Sunglasses and a Forever 21 Bikini

...and Chanel and Coops London Earring - MOST BEAUTIFUL - get them here! More on them later.

Zoe and Morgan Lasso Love Ring
Alex Monroe Rope Ring

J.Crew Seersucker Bikini 

Local Turkish Trinkets from the market. Evil Eyes and Lucky Fish.

ASOS Penelope Bikini

This is what I packed - including the variety of bikinis above. I love anywhere that is so hot you don't really have to wear clothes. Simplicity is key - good sunglasses, good jewellery, good lipstick (at the moment it's Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Mexican Rose) and a good book. I also find that it's a lovely thing to take a new scent on holiday so it forever reminds you of your time away. A small escapism trick! I'm currently basically drinking Miller Harris' new scent La Fumée Ottoman (it's divine) to try and revive my memories.

Bye Turkey! See you on my plate.

PS. Follow me on Instagram - if you want to! @ghudsonevans

Some photographs courtesy of Flora Parkinson

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Drunk Shopping

A comparison website recently found that 43% of the 2000 people they surveyed had shopped on-line after drinking. Had they included me in said survey last week I would have upped that percentage. A quarter of the once-inebriated respondents said they 'only bought the item because of the alcohol they had drunk'. A fifth could not even remember what they had bought (me) and that the most common purchases were clothes
and shoes (me).
A whopping 78% regretted their purchases. Not me!
Or so I thought...

 Luckily I woke up with no sense of regret but a sort of lovely, excited feeling and a headache. Surfing the net after a glass bottle or two of Lambrini and a wallet is a joyful experience! Oh the possibilities! There is a whole world out there and slome reeeally slovely dresshes. Despite the fact it was raining cats and rats outside...how about a 1940s silk tea dress and espadrilles? Yup! Click - straight in the basket! Grosgrain pale pink sun dress? Yes please. Click! Laser cut out shorts and cami combo? What is that? Sure, why not?! Would you like to checkout because you're seeing double because you're seeing double? Yah! Don't worry we've saved your card details from last time. So convenient...no time to scramble through my purse and change my mind/pass out. Gosh I love Topshop. I seem to especially love Topshop under the
affluence of incahol.

In the sober light of day, parcel by parcel by parcel arrived on my desk, accompanied by raised eyebrows from work colleagues. I shamefully checked my bank statement. And that's when my heart slightly sank - a socking great chunk of money meant for my water bill...had disappeared.
Most of it's being returned (white leather shorts? I mean, who does the drunk me think I am?) but a few delights are staying. Thank goodness we are able to return things without a hoo-ha these days. Mind you, clothes are one thing, a flight to China is quite another...as are mousetraps*

However, I fear Drunk Internet Shopping is just like drinking followed by a hangover: one quickly forgets the bad bits because it's so blinking fun and starts all over again. Gin and Tonic anyone?

This is what I kept. I can't even begin to tell you about the horrors that went back.

Floral Tea Dress by Topshop Boutique

Floral Beaded Clutch Bag from ASOS

Nars Lipstick in Roman Holiday from Space NK

Hayworth Raffia Shoes from Charlotte Olympia

Pearl Hairband courtesy of Louis Mariette

*After one too many Flaming Lamborghini's a panicked friend ordered 100 mousetraps (instead of 10) having spotted a rodent in her kitchen and wasn't allowed a refund. They're not even the kind of thing you can give as a present. 

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