Within 2 minutes of walking out of London Victoria station I watched someone get arrested, I pulled my coat around me as a security blanket and took a see breath. This place is no Worthing, where the most thrilling thing to happen this week was...erm...nothing.
I tried to stride confidently into the station to look like 'one of them' (a Londoner), but the edge was taken off when I saw someone trip up a flight of stairs, and an old man laughing to himself. I don't think I will have to hide any of my quirks here.
I got to the right tube station and out of it like a pro, I also then got lost- like a pro.
Maps and navigation are not my strong point, I hated orienteering at school so finding my way around London was not going to be as easy as I had first thought.
I took what I thought was the correct path down a long road, a long road full of giant mansions. I thought I had hit the jackpot and may even have a chance of spotting Johnny Depp. What a fool.
I walked for 15 minutes following the vague directions I had and ended up at regents park. My accommodation said nothing about having to camp, so I Googled where I was and obviously I had gone in the total opposite direction.
I huffed my way back to the tube station, thankfully the rain held off and when I spotted a mattress down a side street, guessed I was on the right track.
Sure enough I was and my impressive looking hostel was on my right. I would prefer to call it a hotel as before I left my boyfriend asked me if I had seen the film Hostel. Thanks, I will be sleeping with my tweezers under my bunk bed tonight.
Don't gasp in horror at the thought of bunk beds, they are actually alright. I am on the top bunk of two. There are three tier bunk beds and as I don't like heights, I am grateful I am not on one of those.
There is a bar here open until midnight but I decided to go out and explore instead.
It was half ten at night so I just wanted a quick peek before hitting the hay. Much to my delight, there is a Mc Donald's two minutes walk away and even an ice cream place, which is open until midnight. Perfect.
I've found a cinema, gym, library, copious amounts of shops and a couple of pubs. I think I'm going to like it here.
There is even free tea and coffee in the lounge which is brimming with people from all over the world.
I'm too tired to make conversation, so it is bed time for me. I hope I don't keep my roommates awake with my snoring, else I might not make any friends.
Night, night
From LN
(London Newbie)
I apologise for the lack of pictures, I have the mattress picture and room pictures but nothing will upload to my blog and I am too tired and simple to figure it out right now.)
Sunday, 10 January 2016
Friday, 8 January 2016
Mums night out (MNO)
I feel like a teenager again, giddy and excited at the prospect of putting on my glittery heels (that I bought two years ago and have never worn), and putting my fat pants on so I can get into my jeans and go on my first night out in a very long time.
I did consider wearing a dress but decided in January it would not be practical and I would freeze to death, so I did the sniff test on my jeans that were on the floor at 8am this morning and they smelt clean so I didn't put any washing on and went about my day.
At 7pm I turned the jeans I had sniffed this morning inside themselves as they were inside out, to discover melted white chocolate all over them. I remembered Scarlett having said white chocolate five days ago and it going all over us both and cursed myself for being lazy earlier today by not putting the washing on.
Contemplated wearing a dress again as my other jeans were all in the wash pile (ok my one other pair), but that would have meant having to have another bath to shave my legs and more importantly the risk of hypothermia is too high.
I sniff tested the jeans on floor/ wash pile that I have been wearing for the past four days, and I didn't crinkle up my nose so approved them for MNO.
I also double checked the mirror for food stains on them and sent my daughter to bed to prevent any accidents.
Panic number two came when I looked in my wardrobe and saw I had nothing to wear over my bra. I'm not being dramatic, my wardrobe consists of black strappy tops and a blue one on the floor.
So I nearly cried and cancelled MNO, but sucked it up, sucked in my belly while praising the inventor of my fat pants (I think the are Gok Wan ones so thanks Gok), put on a black strappy top, green shirt, drank a glass of wine and had a cigarette. Then listened to the rain and drank more wine.
Panic number three came when I looked at diminishing bank account and worked out I could buy a bottle of wine and aim make it last all night, or text my friend and beg her for a loan- the one who is coming without a child.
Then I shouted up the stairs at Scarlett to be quiet, her reply was: 'Where are you going? I want to come.' I then had a ten minute shout up the stairs conversation about why she couldn't come.
I had a debate with myself about putting red lipstick on because I don't want to look like I am trying 'too hard'. I'm nearly ten years older than the 18-year-olds I will encounter tonight and don't want to look like mutton dressed as lamb.
I am now sat here, exhausted and sweating for my MNI. I'm glad it's only once in a while, I couldn't do this very often. Blimey, I must be getting old, where is the wine?
(Too much?)
I did consider wearing a dress but decided in January it would not be practical and I would freeze to death, so I did the sniff test on my jeans that were on the floor at 8am this morning and they smelt clean so I didn't put any washing on and went about my day.
At 7pm I turned the jeans I had sniffed this morning inside themselves as they were inside out, to discover melted white chocolate all over them. I remembered Scarlett having said white chocolate five days ago and it going all over us both and cursed myself for being lazy earlier today by not putting the washing on.
Contemplated wearing a dress again as my other jeans were all in the wash pile (ok my one other pair), but that would have meant having to have another bath to shave my legs and more importantly the risk of hypothermia is too high.
I sniff tested the jeans on floor/ wash pile that I have been wearing for the past four days, and I didn't crinkle up my nose so approved them for MNO.
I also double checked the mirror for food stains on them and sent my daughter to bed to prevent any accidents.
Panic number two came when I looked in my wardrobe and saw I had nothing to wear over my bra. I'm not being dramatic, my wardrobe consists of black strappy tops and a blue one on the floor.
So I nearly cried and cancelled MNO, but sucked it up, sucked in my belly while praising the inventor of my fat pants (I think the are Gok Wan ones so thanks Gok), put on a black strappy top, green shirt, drank a glass of wine and had a cigarette. Then listened to the rain and drank more wine.
Panic number three came when I looked at diminishing bank account and worked out I could buy a bottle of wine and aim make it last all night, or text my friend and beg her for a loan- the one who is coming without a child.
Then I shouted up the stairs at Scarlett to be quiet, her reply was: 'Where are you going? I want to come.' I then had a ten minute shout up the stairs conversation about why she couldn't come.
I had a debate with myself about putting red lipstick on because I don't want to look like I am trying 'too hard'. I'm nearly ten years older than the 18-year-olds I will encounter tonight and don't want to look like mutton dressed as lamb.
I am now sat here, exhausted and sweating for my MNI. I'm glad it's only once in a while, I couldn't do this very often. Blimey, I must be getting old, where is the wine?
(Too much?)
Going bananas
On a busy weekend at my boyfriends house there can be three adults and six children running around.
In a bid to calm then down (after deciding bribing hem to be quiet with sweets was not the best thing to do when I was doing it up to ten times a day), I bough some fruit for us all.
The weekend went by and the fruit stood in the bowl where I had put it on Friday.
I looked at the bananas and decided to get into baking mode and make banana bread the next weekend.
It was a success and it didn't even have time to cool down before it was demolished, I have also concluded that the two mashed bananas that I used must equate to 1 of our 5 a day in each slice. Let me believe it, please!
To use the brown bananas in your fruit bowl and get something healthy down their necks, the recipe is below.
Ingredients:
140g butters softened, plus extra for the tin140g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
140g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
Baking powder
2 very ripe bananas mashed
50g icing sugar
handful dried banana chips, for decoration
(Photo is not mine as it was demolished before I had a chance to take a picture. This picture is from http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2249656/brilliant-banana-loaf as is the recipe, obviously mine looked exactly the same.)
1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 2lb loaf tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
2.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then slowly add the eggs with a little flour. Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder and bananas. Pour into the tin and bake for about 30 mins until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then remove to a wire rack.
3.
Mix the icing sugar with 2-3 tsp water to make a runny icing. Drizzle the icing across the top of the cake and decorate with banana chips.
Days 2 and 3 in Jamaica
8am 22nd December 2015 Holiday Inn Montego Bay (AKA heaven).
The first thing I did this morning was put the air con on. I chuckled as I thought of all of my friends back home freezing in typical English December weather.
I threw on my clothes to get breakfast, everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I was looking forward to getting my face into the all-I-could-eat- buffet.
It did not disappoint, there was food everywhere!
(The food room! I didn't want to look like a weirdo taking loads of pictures of the food so this is basically a picture of a room. But believe me, it was full of food.)
From croissants, to omelettes, cereal, sausages, any type of egg you wanted, it was never ending.
Scarlett and I went for around the resort after filling our bellies to the brim. I cannot even tell you how beautiful it was- so here is a picture instead.
All of my troubles melted away as I walked barefoot in the golden sand, until I saw the gym.
There were people on the running machines and I looked down at my bloated belly and decided to sit by the pool and rub my food baby with joy.
I grabbed myself a pina colada and did what I do best....nothing.
Day 3
Rule Number one when going to a hot country...Do not get burnt on the first day...
Rule number two when going to a hot country...Do not wear massive sunglasses as the rest of your face will be red apart from your eyes which will look like you have been wearing a ski mask.
(No picture available for obvious reasons.)
My brother arrives today with his fiancée so I am excited to see him later, but first I have a busy day ahead of me playing in the pool and trying to get rid of the sunglass marks on my face.
There is food available here pretty much 24/7. For lunch at 11am me and Scarlett had burger and chips while some guy did yoga in front of us. More fool him, I had a plan to do 30 squats every day while on holiday as part of my fitness regime, so I enjoyed my burger knowing I would be burning off five calories later in the day.
It is a good job it is Christmas in a couple of days as I am a contender for Rudolf this year. My nose is burnt and crispy.
(This picture does not do my burntness justice)
I was just pondering about what else to write as I don't seem to be doing much this holiday apart from lazing around, when Scarlett said she felt sick.
I was in the bath at the time and like a good parent, didn't believe her. She padded into the room, threw up all over the floor and said: 'See, told you I felt sick.'
Wow the kid can projectile vomit on cue.
I had a feeling my relaxing holiday was about to come to an end.
The first thing I did this morning was put the air con on. I chuckled as I thought of all of my friends back home freezing in typical English December weather.
I threw on my clothes to get breakfast, everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I was looking forward to getting my face into the all-I-could-eat- buffet.
It did not disappoint, there was food everywhere!
(The food room! I didn't want to look like a weirdo taking loads of pictures of the food so this is basically a picture of a room. But believe me, it was full of food.)
From croissants, to omelettes, cereal, sausages, any type of egg you wanted, it was never ending.
Scarlett and I went for around the resort after filling our bellies to the brim. I cannot even tell you how beautiful it was- so here is a picture instead.
All of my troubles melted away as I walked barefoot in the golden sand, until I saw the gym.
There were people on the running machines and I looked down at my bloated belly and decided to sit by the pool and rub my food baby with joy.
I grabbed myself a pina colada and did what I do best....nothing.
Day 3
Rule Number one when going to a hot country...Do not get burnt on the first day...
Rule number two when going to a hot country...Do not wear massive sunglasses as the rest of your face will be red apart from your eyes which will look like you have been wearing a ski mask.
(No picture available for obvious reasons.)
My brother arrives today with his fiancée so I am excited to see him later, but first I have a busy day ahead of me playing in the pool and trying to get rid of the sunglass marks on my face.
There is food available here pretty much 24/7. For lunch at 11am me and Scarlett had burger and chips while some guy did yoga in front of us. More fool him, I had a plan to do 30 squats every day while on holiday as part of my fitness regime, so I enjoyed my burger knowing I would be burning off five calories later in the day.
It is a good job it is Christmas in a couple of days as I am a contender for Rudolf this year. My nose is burnt and crispy.
(This picture does not do my burntness justice)
I was just pondering about what else to write as I don't seem to be doing much this holiday apart from lazing around, when Scarlett said she felt sick.
I was in the bath at the time and like a good parent, didn't believe her. She padded into the room, threw up all over the floor and said: 'See, told you I felt sick.'
Wow the kid can projectile vomit on cue.
I had a feeling my relaxing holiday was about to come to an end.
Thursday, 7 January 2016
Angry chocolate cheesecake
Chocolate cheesecake is my absolute favourite dessert.
If I could take three things on a desert island with me two out of the three things would be chocolate cheesecake (the other would be wine).
It may sound a bit obvious to most people, but the main ingredient in a chocolate cheesecake is chocolate. Unfortunately my partner did not think about this fact when I went to the shop for the rest of the ingredients as I already had the chocolate at home.
I came home ready and excited to start making it, as the sooner it was made, the sooner I could eat it.
I had saved a big bar of Milka chocolate that I had bought a few days previously at the airport, so I could make a delicious Milka chocolate cheesecake.
I don't care what anyone says, airport Milka chocolate is different to what you find in regular shops. It is thicker, and better. Fact.
So when I came home and my boyfriend told me he, his brother and his son had eaten it, I laughed and told him to hand it over.
After five minutes of him saying 'No, seriously, we ate it.' I stormed out of the house and had a hissy fit all of the way to the supermarket to buy more chocolate that would not taste anywhere near as good.
I sat in the car park and wondered if I had over reacted, and quickly decided I hadn't. No man should come between a woman and her chocolate.
When I got home I refused to talk to him and smashed the biscuits up for my cheesecake base. It was very satisfying.
If you would like to make your own angry chocolate cheesecake I have put the ingredients and instructions below.
It actually turned out surprisingly well, though it took more than an hour in the freezer for my anger to chill.
Sorry, I don't have a picture of the full cheesecake, I angry ate.
Ingredients
Serves: 6 (Or one)
150g (5 oz) digestive biscuits
45g (1 1/2 oz) butter
110g (4 oz) caster sugar, divided
120ml whipping cream
150g (5 oz) dark chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons cocoa powder mixed with a little hot water
1 (200g) tub cream cheese
Instructions
Prep:2hr › Ready in:2hr
1.Crush the digestive biscuits (angrily), and mix with the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar. Press into a 18cm (7 in) cake tin and refrigerate.
2.Whip cream until soft peak stage- also a good stress reliever. Add cooled melted chocolate, then the cocoa powder mix. Blend well and set aside.
3.Beat the cream cheese and remaining sugar together. Fold in cream/chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly.
4.Spread into tin on top of crushed biscuits. Freeze for one hour.
5.Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, then serve
Recipe from http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/85/no-bake-chocolate-cheesecake.aspx
Spa bliss
Being at spa automatically made my body stand to attention and demand that I live a healthier more active lifestyle.
I silenced it last night by going out to a pub down the road for a pie and a pint (of wine), and 2 croissants this morning for breakfast- there is always tomorrow.
My partner and I have been staying at The Felbridge hotel and spa in East Grinstead and it is just pure, utter, bliss.
I have never felt so relaxed and rejuvenated, even though my stomach is groaning at the amount of food I have eaten.
I was proud that I went to the cinema this afternoon in Crawley and had tap water and no snacks, but that was partly down to the fact that a bag of malteasers cost £3.19 and I may have gone to pizza hut after for lunch and had this beauty to start...
(crisps with cheese and pulled pork- soooo bloody worth the calories.)
But I did only have two slices of pizza after, so I can do portion control.
The Felbridge hotel and spa did not disappoint in making me feel guilty.
The swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna are heavenly. Each time I walk past the gym, I actually regret not bringing my trainers.
(Photo foodandtravel.com)
We had a slight problem with our room, as we had no hot water for a while. They fixed it promptly and I got my bath - there is hell to pay if I don't get my bath.
When it happened again on the second day, we were moved to a superior room complete with giant bed, and more biscuits- which was handy as I had eaten all of the ones in our original room.
(Our superior room, we had been in it for five minutes. No, there are no children making the mess, I am guilty.)
The majority of the staff here all look very young, but their attitudes are all impeccable.
and dealt with our water issue quickly and efficiently and any questions I have asked have been answered politely and with understanding because I am a bit of a simpleton.
I wish I had booked a longer stay, but tomorrow morning we will be getting up extra early to make full use of the facilities before getting a Mc Donald's breakfast.
The diet starts the day after tomorrow? Maybe? Or the day after that possibly.
I silenced it last night by going out to a pub down the road for a pie and a pint (of wine), and 2 croissants this morning for breakfast- there is always tomorrow.
My partner and I have been staying at The Felbridge hotel and spa in East Grinstead and it is just pure, utter, bliss.
I have never felt so relaxed and rejuvenated, even though my stomach is groaning at the amount of food I have eaten.
I was proud that I went to the cinema this afternoon in Crawley and had tap water and no snacks, but that was partly down to the fact that a bag of malteasers cost £3.19 and I may have gone to pizza hut after for lunch and had this beauty to start...
(crisps with cheese and pulled pork- soooo bloody worth the calories.)
But I did only have two slices of pizza after, so I can do portion control.
The Felbridge hotel and spa did not disappoint in making me feel guilty.
The swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna are heavenly. Each time I walk past the gym, I actually regret not bringing my trainers.
(Photo foodandtravel.com)
We had a slight problem with our room, as we had no hot water for a while. They fixed it promptly and I got my bath - there is hell to pay if I don't get my bath.
When it happened again on the second day, we were moved to a superior room complete with giant bed, and more biscuits- which was handy as I had eaten all of the ones in our original room.
(Our superior room, we had been in it for five minutes. No, there are no children making the mess, I am guilty.)
The majority of the staff here all look very young, but their attitudes are all impeccable.
and dealt with our water issue quickly and efficiently and any questions I have asked have been answered politely and with understanding because I am a bit of a simpleton.
I wish I had booked a longer stay, but tomorrow morning we will be getting up extra early to make full use of the facilities before getting a Mc Donald's breakfast.
The diet starts the day after tomorrow? Maybe? Or the day after that possibly.
Jamaica - landing day
I've got cankles, proper official cankles. How does victoria Beckham manage to get papped stepping off a plane in 10 inch stilettos and no water retention in sight?! Maybe she doesn't drink copious amounts if wine when she flies like I do, but if I knew cankles would be punishment I would have re-thought and only had 3/4 of a bottle.
The 10 hour flight went quite quick and the leather seats were a godsend when Scarlett spilt a drink all over me and I only had a marginally wet bum for five hours.
After the woosh of hot air that hit us (me, Scarlett and my parents), when we walked out of the airport and into Jamaica for the first time, a cocktail was a welcome distraction from the sweat pouring off my head when we got to the hotel.
I picked a green one as it looked the healthiest and I pretended it was kale juice and not rum.
I was over joyed when I got to my room and discovered I have a bath! I do love a bath, even when it is 30 degrees outside.
When it was dinner time I had to run back to my room in-between courses like a naughty school girl to have a cigarette as no one else seems to smoke in Jamaica. Weird.
I am constantly looking around the patio for giant spiders, I'm not sure if they have them here and I am certainly not Googling it. Who knows what might jump out at me, I'm trying not to think about it. Writing that has made me think about it- ahhhhhh!
To keep up with my fitness regime, (cough), I am aiming to do aqua aerobics to counteract the hundreds of plates of food I will be eating, but not tomorrow as I'm three cocktails down and it is not even 8pm. But my goodness the pins coladas here are bloody good.
Jet lag has hit me but I'm powering through. Its nearly 1am at home so I've been up for nearly 20 hours. My stress levels were ok until they were playing a game on stage and the contestants had to run and grab things off audience members.
First thing they had to get was a straw. Some woman next to me grabbed mine out of my drink and shoved it towards a six year old girl that was playing the game and then berated me for giving it to a woman.
Then the contestants had to get a drink off an audience member, the woman next to me tried to grab my drink - my drink full of rum- and give it to the child! I glared at her and snatched it back.
Lastly the contestants had to get shoes off someone, well, I slid mine off and hid them under my chair - sorry but she was not getting my brand new accessorise flip flops that I had only been wearing for an hour.
Did I feel guilty? No. I downed my drink - minus the straw- clapped and left the scene to go to bed.
Bah humbug. It must be Christmas, someone please buy me something for my cankles.
The 10 hour flight went quite quick and the leather seats were a godsend when Scarlett spilt a drink all over me and I only had a marginally wet bum for five hours.
After the woosh of hot air that hit us (me, Scarlett and my parents), when we walked out of the airport and into Jamaica for the first time, a cocktail was a welcome distraction from the sweat pouring off my head when we got to the hotel.
I picked a green one as it looked the healthiest and I pretended it was kale juice and not rum.
I was over joyed when I got to my room and discovered I have a bath! I do love a bath, even when it is 30 degrees outside.
When it was dinner time I had to run back to my room in-between courses like a naughty school girl to have a cigarette as no one else seems to smoke in Jamaica. Weird.
I am constantly looking around the patio for giant spiders, I'm not sure if they have them here and I am certainly not Googling it. Who knows what might jump out at me, I'm trying not to think about it. Writing that has made me think about it- ahhhhhh!
To keep up with my fitness regime, (cough), I am aiming to do aqua aerobics to counteract the hundreds of plates of food I will be eating, but not tomorrow as I'm three cocktails down and it is not even 8pm. But my goodness the pins coladas here are bloody good.
Jet lag has hit me but I'm powering through. Its nearly 1am at home so I've been up for nearly 20 hours. My stress levels were ok until they were playing a game on stage and the contestants had to run and grab things off audience members.
First thing they had to get was a straw. Some woman next to me grabbed mine out of my drink and shoved it towards a six year old girl that was playing the game and then berated me for giving it to a woman.
Then the contestants had to get a drink off an audience member, the woman next to me tried to grab my drink - my drink full of rum- and give it to the child! I glared at her and snatched it back.
Lastly the contestants had to get shoes off someone, well, I slid mine off and hid them under my chair - sorry but she was not getting my brand new accessorise flip flops that I had only been wearing for an hour.
Did I feel guilty? No. I downed my drink - minus the straw- clapped and left the scene to go to bed.
Bah humbug. It must be Christmas, someone please buy me something for my cankles.
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