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UK excitement is slowly building for the Rio Olympics 2016, some 5731.4 Miles away. However, I decided to look a little closer to home at how some of our own bright young things are getting set for greatness this year.

As I watch the Team GB DFS Ambassador videos, I truly relate to the fact that it isn’t just the amount of hard work they’re putting in – in advance of their big Olympic moment – but also the need for a good home/life balance, that’s so important to each of them.

“At DFS, we know the importance of home. The value of proper rest and relaxation can be sometimes overlooked, but it has the power to make us truly feel great. The athletes we’ve been working with have shown us that, and we can’t wait to bring that ‘home’ feeling to Rio for all of Team GB.” 

~ DFS

It hits me just how crucial a good family, friends and home-life is in building the foundation you need to make your dreams a reality.

I know that when I feel worn down – by work or life – there’s nothing more that I crave than spending some time out with my family and friends. This usually means plonking ourselves on a sofa, drinking tea/prosecco and/or a glass of wine.

Watching TV with your loved ones proves the humble sofa can really be a place to celebrate. We laugh. We cry. We kiss. We joke. We watch in stunned silence, bite our nails in anticipation, and cover our eyes at hard to watch or pivotal moments.

This summer, it’s highly likely that you – like me, my friends and family – will be tuning into the Rio Olympics 2016. You’ll be cheering them on even harder when see them at home, hear about their rigorous training routines and the part that their own families have played in their success.

Take a look at the DFS website for more information about their Britannia collection and also visit their Twitter and Instagram to get an update on the other wonderful sofas their have in store.

Planning a trip to Rio de Janeiro?

Rio’s big reveal is something that we’re all looking forward to seeing. But will they get it ready in time? Who knows…

On Friday 5 August, I’ll be in Croatia with 11 of my best mates, staying up late to watch the opening ceremony. Where will you guys be watching it?

My friend Pauline went to Brazil in March this year, after spotting a great deal online.

I spoke to Pauline about her time in South America, and she said that she purposefully left Rio until the end of her trip, as she’d heard it was a bit crazy! Known as a bit of a party town, tourists tend to opt for relaxation and then head to Rio afterwards for a bit of Go! Go! Go! 

Beautiful people and stunning beaches.

If you fancy planning your own trip to Brazil or want to see more of South America, check out Pauline’s 17 day South America trip itinerary

• Day 1 - Depart UK for Istanbul. One night layover
• Day 2 - Depart Istanbul to Sao Paulo Dep 09.05 Arr 18.05 (Turkish Airlines). 1 night in Sao Paulo
• Day 3 - Morning in Sao Paulo, Beco De Batman Alley. Flight to Sao Paulo to Foz de Igauzu.
• Day 4 - Foz de Igauzu Brazil Side
• Day 5 - Foz de Igauzu, bus to cross border to Argentina. Full day of park. Overnight bus to Sao Paulo and then another to Paraty.
• Day 6 - Paraty Schooner Boat trip to islands
• Day 7 - Paraty - hike gold trails
• Day 8 - Paraty - local beach and walk to spa
• Day 9 - Ilha Grande
• Day 10 - Ilha Grande 3 hour hike to Lopes Mendes in the rain!
• Day 11- Ilha Grande Praia Preto trail
• Day 12 - Ilha Grande / Rio De Janeiro - Night market
• Day 13 - RDJ - Favela Tour / Sugar Loaf Mountain
• Day 14 - RDJ - beach day - Ipanema shopping and beach. Arpador Rock for sunset
• Day 15 - RDJ - Seleron Steps / Christ Redeemer Statue
• Day 16 - RDJ Depart 14.00 to Heathrow via Frankfurt (Lufthansa Airline - not the best experience!) Delayed
• Day 17 - Flight delayed! YAY! Morning at Copacabana beach

Pauline’s top tips:

1. Looking for total relaxation? Head to Ilha Grande (which means ‘the big island’ in Spanish)
2. Check out South American bus and travel passes from Green Toad Bus
3. Try and learn some basic Portuguese before you go, as English isn’t very widely spoken
4. Make sure you have your travel vaccinations well before your trip
5. Don’t wear anything less that SPF30, or you will burn to a crisp
6. Budget around £1,800pp for flights, internal travel, food and accommodation for the whole trip.
7. Mix it up – stay in a mixture of hotels, private rooms, Airbnb and hostels to give your trip variety
8. Solo traveller? Book a few tours and travel as part of a larger group

Team GB photography © DFS

South America photos © Pauline Wong

Disclaimer: This post in done in collaboration with DFS. Sponsored posts allow me to do/share more of the stuff that I love, such as travel lots and mend my broken heart ;-) – and write about the things that I don’t get paid for – that I hope you love too.

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