Let’s get to know each other
Hey guys, I’m Clarabel – a 26-year-old blogger from the south coast of England and the owner of Close to Home, the local, eco-focused travel guide for anyone living in the UK.
As a self-confessed tree-hugger and holiday addict, working in the travel industry myself, I often found myself battling an internal conflict.
While I loved exploring destinations all around the world and ticking countless countries off my ever-growing bucket list, I knew that the relentless global travel we’ve become accustomed to was not sustainable. If Mother Nature didn’t make that clear enough, Covid-19 definitely did.
I also realised how easy it was to overlook the outstanding natural beauty, culture and history that sits right on our doorsteps here in the UK, and to neglect exploring places closer to home.
My aim with this blog isn’t to dissuade people from ever taking holidays abroad; I know we all need a change of scenery once in a while. It’s to open people’s eyes to the infinite holiday opportunities our country has to offer, and to promote a more sustainable way of escaping the daily grind, in the hope that we’ll occasionally shift our focus a little closer to home when we’re daydreaming about our next getaway.
5 things to know about me
So, now you know a little bit more about my blog and my intention behind it, it’s time to get a little more personal (ooh er). Here are five things I want you guys to know about me:
- I love cats (probably more than anything else in the world, sorry mum)
- Nature is my sanctuary and I love taking long walks, preferably by the beach
- I do a lot of yoga in my living room. It keeps me calm
- I’m a bit of a hippie at heart. Peace and love!
- I’m a content creator and marketeer by trade. Writing is my world
. . . and a little bit on the side
Although currently employed by a UK tour operator, I also provide a freelance copywriting, blogging and copy-editing service on the side.
Whether you need a second pair of eyes to glance over your web content, or an experienced writer to create it from scratch, I’m here to help you with all your writing needs.
Visit my freelancing website at clarabeljones.com to find out more, or drop me a message on my Contact page.
My parents bought a beach hut on Mudeford beach 25 years ago, and I’ve stayed there every summer since I can remember. I know the area inside out, which is why I’m the best person to tell you everything there is to know about this sun-kissed seaside spot, and the top 10 things to in Mudeford while you’re there.
With great links to the New Forest and the Isle of Wight, Southampton is a fantastic base for a UK summer holiday on the south coast. Having lived in Southampton for a good year now, I’ve put together a list of my top 10 things to do in Southampton in the summer when the sun is shining.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll have been spending lockdown binging travel programmes, daydreaming about a time before Covid-19 where you could wander freely and, not only that, actually meet new people. Crazy.
BBC’s Race Across the World has been one of my favourites, partly due to the fact that it reminded me of my own backpacking adventures around south-east Asia, and also because of the angle it puts on foreign travel.
In recent decades, global travel has become easier – and cheaper – than ever. Once a luxury only gifted to the rich and famous, nowadays you’d hardly need to spend more than £300 to get to the other side of the world – and oh the wonders that await you there…
So, with the whole world at our fingertips, some of you might be wondering why I’d start a travel blog about the complete opposite: holidaying closer to home.