30 FABULOUS HOTELS AND 29 MICHELIN STARS
Luisa Ruocco, 29, lives in West London and is a lifestyle influencer. she spent £50,000 on a nonstop, six-month holiday in the u.s. and Europe. Flights: £6,000. Hotels: £18,000. Michelin-starred meals: £8,000. Other food and drink: £10,000. Souvenirs: £1,000. Clothes: £7,000 LUISA SAYS: Burnt out from five years in a highpressure City finance job, in 2017 I took a six-month sabbatical, and splurged my £50,000 savings on the holiday of a lifetime. As a child, I’d enjoyed long foreign holidays with my mum, but when I started working there was never enough time. When two of my closest friends announced they were getting married within six weeks of each other, in Los Angeles and New York, I decided to turn it into a holiday, starting at one wedding and making my way across the U.S. to the other, before travelling around Europe. I vowed I’d keep going until the money ran out — but this was no budget backpacking adventure. I adore good food and have a lovely home, so why would I want to stay or eat anywhere less than fabulous? During the six months I stayed in more than 30 wonderful hotels and ate my way through 29 Michelin stars. There were many magical moments, including a two-week tour of the National Parks in Utah, Arizona and California costing £2,000, plus a private helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. In Europe, Mum joined me for a tour of the Norwegian Fjords. I also travelled around the Greek Islands and Italy. My experie experience made me realise I no longer wanted w to work up to 70 hours a week and feel constantly exha exhausted. During my epic holi holiday I posted pictures of my tra travels on Instagram (@luisainsta). sa To my surprise, I ra racked up 50,000 followers an and I now earn my living as a so social media influencer. M My deluxe trip was the sort of holiday many people delay till retirement. But who knows if I’ll I get to my 60s in good hea health — I’m glad I blew the mone money when I did.