One For The Books: The Maldives

At 4am, we were picked up by a buggy and made our way over to the hair, makeup and styling villa. Breakfast was served, it was a load of different pastries and eggs etc… but it was far too early to eat. Early call times with breakfast are always so funny because everyone is completely mute, most of us still half asleep.

We went into hair and makeup, and the first look was super natural. Barely any makeup, and my hair was slicked back. Our first scenes were being shot over in the spa and wellness area, which was around a 20-minute buggy ride away! That just shows how big the island is. It was still pitch black outside, and we came across some crab traffic lol. There were SO many, and they were huge. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many crabs in my life.

The shoot was very wellness-focused, and I had some really fun actions. In one of them, I had to pour coconut water over my face and into my mouth, keeping my eyes closed whilst somehow positioning it so I could catch it. It went everywhere, but the final shot looked so cool and it was worth it.

We shot a few more scenes in the massage room and around the spa before moving to another villa, where we did something a little different. We filmed a voiceover in a little homemade podcast den, basically playing a word association game, which was so much fun. Also came to the realisation my favourite word is fish.

A slightly different lunch break

By this point, the sun was too high, making the lighting too harsh and the heat too intense to shoot. So we were given a four-hour lunch break to do whatever we wanted.

Naturally, I spent my lunch break paddleboarding lol, as you do. The DREAM lunch break, if you ask me.

Then it absolutely poured down with rain, which was so therapeutic! We were in the model villa dancing around in the rain. It was then time to wash my hair, get ready again and be ready for our 4pm pick-up. We were taken back to the glam villa, and this time the team went for an evening look. I had my hair down with my natural curls and a dewy, soft glam. It was actually my favourite look! I should really start paying attention in the makeup chair…

Day two, let’s go

Again, we had an early call time. Standard procedure, we made our way over to the glam villa. This time, the look was even more natural than the day before, as we had quite a few water shots, so the makeup was going to rub off anyway.

We started shooting at sunrise on the same stretch of beach where I’d sat doing my morning rituals on my day off. The sunrise was out of this world. The sky was completely pink, and the water was so calm. I remember standing there with my millionth pinch me moment, so unbelievably grateful to see what I had just seen.

And one of the highlights? They brought out the paddleboards, and we started the day paddling as the sun came up. I can’t explain how dreamy it was. You just had to be there. The water was so still, reflecting the pink hues of the sky. It felt like I was paddleboarding through a scene from a kids’ fantasy film or something haha. Sharkboy and Lavagirl!

For our next location, we made our way into the winding jungle paths and got some really fun shots with ice creams melting everywhere. We climbed on the trees and even in the bushes. It was magical, apart from the enormous bugs sticking to me.

One of the best things about this hotel is that it’s somewhere you can walk around barefoot. Everything is so natural and preserved as it should be. If a tree falls, it’s left there. That’s what makes the whole experience feel so raw and real. It’s the perfect example of natures beauty.

We broke for lunch, and I had a quick Model Mindset call with this gorgeous girl who’d bought my e-book and wanted to have a chat. It felt surreal taking my meetings from the Maldives!

And that’s a wrap!

After lunch, we moved over to our villa and filmed some fun shots going down the slide and underwater. It’s quite a challenge underwater shots! To look good with your eyes wide open, not look awkward or scary and to hold your breath for a long time. I’m adding professional underwater model to my cv.

We then headed back to the glam villa for touch-ups before the final part of the shoot. This was another highlight. In fact, the whole shoot was a highlight.

For this scene, I had to go down the slide straight into the sea, all whilst being filmed. I lost count of how many times I went down that slide. Deffo a bucket-list moment ticked off haha. I’ve always wanted to go down a slide on the over water villas. And now I have and I can confirm it’s worth the hype.

We wrapped the shoot with the whole team going down the slide one by one, fully clothed, all ending up in the water just as the sun was going down. The team had unmatched energy, and everyone was on such good vibes. It was the perfect way to wrap up a dreamy shoot.

We had our last team dinner and, of course, made a pit stop to the chocolate room before heading back to our villas.

My flight wasn’t until the next day, so my agent had asked if I wanted an additional day off, and I said YES. Originally, I wouldn’t have been able to, as I had a back-to-back booking, but thankfully that was moved, so it all worked out. I really manifested that haha.

I woke up thinking, wowww, a full day off. No agenda, just doing whatever I felt like in the moment.

Well, us models know that doesn’t last long lol. I had a self-tape request come in with a really tight deadline, and as I was travelling the next day, I had to get it done. It wasn’t an easy tape either. There were so many scenes and actions. So I got up early, filmed my self-tape and had it out of the way before 8am.

Actually, it’s funny because I ended up booking that campaign! And it’s a BIG one. So let this be your sign to do your self-tapes, no matter what. You never know what each opportunity holds.

I must say, sitting at breakfast with a fresh coconut, editing my self-tape and filling in the casting forms, whilst overlooking the crystal blue sea, wasn’t such a bad little office.

It was quite late by the time we finished, and I spent a few hours just sitting outside under the stars, taking it all in. I was hit with the realisation that when you put your mind to something, when you have a goal and really want it, and you work hard for it, it has to show up. It felt surreal to have written on a piece of paper that I wanted to book a job in the Maldives, then a year later be sitting in the Maldives, ticking it off under the night sky.

What a dream.

That feeling really is something else, and I hope everyone gets the privilege of experiencing it.

My flight home wasn’t until the afternoon so I started the morning with some sunrise yoga, which was the perfect way to begin the day.

Typical, but it was only on the last day that I found out the hotel team could take you on a snorkelling trip to a nearby reef. So Ruta and I booked ourselves onto it. It was about a five-minute boat ride from the hotel, and let me tell you, this was one of the BEST experiences. Actually, I think it might be in my top three experiences ever.

I’ve always been deeply fascinated by the ocean.

Kind of sucks because I absolutely hate the snorkel mouthpiece. Whenever I go snorkelling, I just wear the goggles, hold my breath and pray for the best. I don’t know what it is, but the mouthpiece makes me gag. And then it’s just embarrassing because I’m there gagging publicly, which isn’t a great look.

Anyway, I’ve been really lucky to go snorkelling in quite a few places around the world, so based on my previous experiences, I assumed we’d just jump off the boat and swim around the area.

We were given flippers, and the team suggested I use the snorkel mouthpiece. I said, “No, no, I don’t like it.” Then they explained it was quite a long swim and suggested wearing a life jacket in case I got tired. Again, I said no because then I wouldn’t be able to dive underwater.

Here’s me still thinking it would be a simple snorkelling trip and that I could get back on the boat whenever I wanted. We had a marine biologist with us, and there were four of us in total: me, Ruta and another couple.

We jumped into the water, and she was like, “Let’s go!”

Little did I know, we were swimming the whole way ALONG the reef. So when they said snorkelling along the reef, they were being literal. And the reef was BIG. It was in that moment that I understood why she’d suggested all those other measures lol.

A whole new world

But WOW. What an experience. I’ve never seen such beautiful marine life before, and I thought I’d seen some incredible things in Mauritius.

It felt like we were swimming alongside an invisible wall. On my left, there were schools of fish in every colour imaginable, all different shapes, sizes and species. The coral formations were incredible, and it genuinely felt like I was watching one of those 4K YouTube videos of marine life with relaxing music playing in the background.

Some of the fish were fluorescent. I felt like the Little Mermaid. It really felt like I’d entered a whole new realm. A completely different world. One I knew existed, but somehow didn’t at the same time.

Then, BOOM. You turn to your right, and there’s nothing but deep, dark blue sea. You couldn’t see much at all. It was like driving in foggy conditions, where you only see something when it’s right in front of you. And that was scary because it makes you realise just how small you are in such a vast ocean. Not to mention, you have absolutely no idea what’s out there.

It was such an awakening feeling. A mixture of disbelief that this was actually real, a little fear, nerves and so much excitement. I felt SO alive. Something like this had been on my bucket list for years after watching all those 4K marine life videos. And to think I was actually there, seeing it all in front of me, in the most beautiful ocean. Wow.

It was better than I could ever have imagined.

The cherry on top

We carried on swimming and came across a triggerfish causing a ruckus in the sand, which was surreal to watch. Also spotted an eagle ray and a porcupine ray, the birds of the sea! Watching them glide through the water was so beautiful.

And then, out of the deep, dark ocean, a blacktip reef shark appeared. It started swimming towards us, and then skrrrr, off it went in another direction. We’d seen quite a few sharks from the hotel whilst dining, but I suppose actually being in the water with one, when you’re already a little on edge, is a very different feeling.

The schools of fish swimming together in perfect formation have to be one of my favourite sights. It was magical.

Eventually, we had a long swim back to the boat, and that’s when I started questioning all my life choices. But we made it back, and my goodness, it was SO worth it.

I was oozing with excitement and couldn’t wait to tell everybody back home about the experience. It really was the cherry on top of a perfect trip.

Also, smart thinking on my part. What better way to knacker myself out before a long-haul flight?