Dream Holidays...

A snap from my holiday in Derbyshire this year.

I took my summer holidays this year back in May. The great thing about taking your holiday early in the year is that you're on holiday when everyone else is still at work/school. The downside is that, in a few months time, when everyone else is on holiday... you're at work. Somehow that bit never occurs to me when booking May holidays. Go figure.

The ultimate result of this is that I end up spending a lot of time browsing the internet for totally out of reach dream holidays. You know, as you do.

So! Here comes a countdown of my top 5 dream destinations:

5 -  The Ice Hotel, Sweden

Photo - Brass Paper Clip

There's something incredibly magical to me about Ice Hotels - like stepping into the Snow Queen's palace in Narnia. Pair that with the fact that the building itself is so transitory, gone with the first thaw, how's that for a fairytale?

Despite being surrounded by frozen architecture, I bet nestling down in the furs would be incredibly cosy (after a drink or two in the Ice Bar, naturally!). Plus, there's the chance of glimpsing the Aurora Borealis while you're inside the Arctic Circle. Magic.

4 - Mexico

Photo - Flickr

The land of sugar skulls and Frida Kahlo. The traditional crafts and culture, mixed with the Aztec pyramids and ruins. Does that sound like a recipe for adventure or what?

Plus, as I've mentioned about a million times on this blog, Mexican food is the tops. 

3 - Taj Mahal, India

Photo - PxlEyes

Built in Agra, India as a mausoleum for the Emperor's wife, the Taj Mahal is a beautiful monument of love. I read somewhere once that originally, an identical tomb in black was planned to stand opposite it - wouldn't that have been wonderful? Sadly, some people predict that the Taj Mahal's wooden foundations are collapsing and that in as little as five years, the tomb could fall - looks like this trip has a time limit...

2 - Egypt

Photo - Wikipedia

I've been obsessed with Egypt since I was little kid. The mythology and mysticism captured my imagination early and now I'm hooked. Huge monuments to ancient deities, rising out of the desert - I can't tell you how much I'd love to see them. I imagine feeling like a Victorian explorer, riding over the sand dunes on a camel to my next discovery...

1 - Japan

Photo - Art.co.uk

I think visiting Japan would be as close as you could get to visiting the future. Bullet trains, the bustling neon cities, robot tour guides - it's like a sci-fi dream! What truly fascinates me about Japan is the curious blend of the ultra-modern with the strict adherence to tradition - and how somehow, the two meld beautifully. 

Out of every country in the world, Japan is the one that intrigues me the most - the land of kawaii, of sushi, of Studio Ghibli - it's the number one holiday of my dreams.

This leads us nicely onto the fact that today marks the start of 'Japan Week' here on Scarlet Pyjamas. All week, I'll be sharing with you everything that's awesome about Japan - and I'd love for you to join me on my digital voyage!

Where would you go on your dream holiday?