Amy-Lee Haynes

This week is Fashion Revolution Week. In 2013 the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed killing over 1000 people. The disaster included the collapse of garment factories for the western fashion industry.  We should always question where our fashion comes from. Who made my clothes? What impact is the fashion industry having? Although things are slowly improving, those who make our clothes are not paid and treated as well as they should be. The Global Slavery Index estimates that 36 million people are subject to modern day slavery with many of these working for western clothing brands. Simply because a company pays minimum wage this often does not cover living costs, keeping workers in a cycle of poverty.  Ask brands 'who made my clothes?' - Source Fashion Revolution There is also a huge negative impact on the planet with the vast amount of products that are made. Millions of gallons of water go into single garments and toxic waste products are dumped i

Are you even 23 if you don't quote Blink 182 lyrics? As you may have guessed, I recently reached the ripe old age of 23. As always, I don't feel much different. However, spending time in New Zealand has allowed me to get a fresh perspective on my life and given me a whole load of inspiration. I am very excited for the year I have ahead of me and incredibly inspired to make the absolute most of it. I've compiled myself some goals to keep me guided through my year. #1 Learn a New Language When I was at school I learned German and I wanted to continue it for A-Level but due to lack of demand for the class, they cancelled it and, well that was that. After an 8 year gap, I want to try and pick it up again. I feel somewhat ignorant not knowing another language and constantly presuming that everyone else will know English. Armed with the Duolingo App , I am trying to refresh myself on the basics and learn how to hold a conversation in a language other than English. Wis

For the vast majority of people visiting New Zealand, the first place you'll end up is Auckland. As I have mentioned in my Hey, New Zealand post, Auckland gives you very weird expectations of your NZ experience. You arrive into a crowded city filled with people, restuarants, cafés, bars etc. and feel like you're in any other big city. However, at the same time you're surrounded by tropical forests, pristine islands and a couple of volcanoes. Auckland is not your average city.  I stayed in the Auckland area for about 2 weeks so managed to experience most of the highlights. Without further ado, here is my complete Auckland city guide.  Where To Stay Auckland is an expensive city. Let me just put that out there. This is why we opted to stay in the more suburban areas of Auckland rather than in the middle of the city.  Air BnB Bayview Air BnB Bayview -  Our first Air BnB was staying in a cabin in the back garden of a lovely Kiwi couple. They have 2 dogs