South Africa Day 2 - Safari, Stroking a cheetah and South African Hospitality

All four of us are up for an early start today, grabbing a quick breakfast of eggs on toast and coffee at the guesthouse and heading to Addo Elephant National Park for a guided tour. We arrive at the Crisscross Adventure centre and sign a waiver absolving the company of any liability should we get mauled by wild animals. We bundle into the jeep, and head out to Africanos resort (where we had dinner last night) to pick up some other guests, so there are 9 of us altogether, in a comfortable van with open windows all around. Our tour guide Michael tells us that we're not guaranteed to see any particular animals, as the park is huge and it all depends where the wildlife is roaming today. We strike lucky immediately though, with a Buffalo chomping on some grass just inside the entrance gates. Our guide tells us about the habits of these animals, when they stay in groups and when the males become more solitary as they reach a certain age. It's all very educational, like watching the nature channel but a million times better in real life.

As we drive along the winding road through the reserve, we see a small group of elephants on the corner of a road. Cue lots of picture taking and some more information about these magnificent creatures. We discover you can tell if an elephant is left or right 'handed' by looking at their tusks, where  one side will be more worn than the other. We spot a couple of warthogs too, these come to be a very common sighting, small groups travelling, feeding and resting all over the reserve.

Some more driving looking for animals leads us to a group of red hartebeest, and further up we see a herd of zebra crossing the plain. We learn some more about these beautiful creatures and continue on our way.

After a little more driving, spotting more warthogs, herons, and even a tortoise, we come to a spot on the road where lots of jeeps are stopped. There are 3 lions resting in the shade of the small bushes next to the road; 2 male and one female. We're lucky to catch a glimpse of these big cats, as there are only 11 of them in the park. The males in this group are brothers, and they travel as a group with the female. As we wait and watch, one of the males wakes up and casually strolls right behind our jeep to cross the road. It's so amazing to see these magnificent mammals right up close.

We leave the lions and continue on to a high point of the reserve, spotting some eland on the way. The biggest of the antelope on the reserve, they are slower and easier to catch than some of their smaller, nippier cousins. The view is breathtaking, and our guide tells us how the land has been gradually bought from farmers to extend the park, so the old partitions are still visible across the expansive open space. We're allowed to stretch our legs here, it's high up so presumably the animals don't tend to venture this far. After a quick photo opportunity we bundle back into the van to continue our adventure.

We head down to the watering hole, where there are herds of elephants drinking and cooling themselves with the precious water supply. It's fascinating to watch them fling the water over themselves with their trunks, with a baby circling around their feet for protection.

We head off towards the park exit, where our guide spots the horns of a kudu amongst the undergrowth. We leave the reserve and head back to our car, just as it starts to rain, marvelling at how lucky we are to have had great weather for the morning excursion and seen so many wonderful animals.

There's more! After a quick stop to pick up some lunch, we head out to the Daniell Cheetah Sanctuary near Kirkwood. We've bought bread and filling to make our own sandwiches, and as we sit in the car eating them and watching the rain pummel down outside the windows we could well be on a British summer holiday. Only we're waiting to go into a cheetah sanctuary and we spent the morning hanging out with elephants. Lunch eaten and rain subsided, we join a tour of the sanctuary after disinfecting our shoes and hands stop any nasty bugs getting into the enclosures. First up we meet some meerkats, who we learn can dig through virtually anything and can easily bite through flesh. Not quite the cuddly creatures they seem.

Next up we cross a wooden walkway over a cheetah enclosure where one of the females is relaxing. She doesn't seem phased by us and rolls on her back at one point, something that seems common to all cats, great and small.

Talking of smaller cats, we come to some smaller pens containing serval and caracal. I've never heard of either of these animals before, the serval with a stunning coat not unlike the cheetah, and the caracal a glossy reddish brown with long pointed ears. The serval are potentially becoming endangered but the caracal aren't, they're actually seen as a pest by farmers, since they're opportunistic hunters who will kill a farmer's entire stock when they only need one animal to feed and survive. We also learnt that they're the strongest of the big cat family pound for pound, with the strength to hunt prey 3 times their own bodyweight.

Moving on, the next enclosure has leopard adults and cubs. It's clear to see how the leopard uses strength in comparison to the cheetah's speed. They're considerably bigger and stockier, and they watch us with their beautiful faces as we walk past. One of the cubs is on his hind legs looking at us through the fence. He looks so adorable, and the cat lover in me just wants to give him a cuddle! This wouldn't be wise though, as we can see that one of the adults has a shortened tail; this is where he tried to steal his sister's food as a cub and she took part of his tail clean off. They might look pretty but they're fierce predators, even the cute cubs could do some serious damage to humans.

The last enclosure we reach houses 2 male rescue lions, who were bought by the sanctuary to prevent them being sold for canned hunting. It baffles me that it's legal to hunt lions with the correct permits, I can't imagine wanting to kill one of these magnificent beasts for a trophy, it saddens me that others don't feel the same and it's not safe for these animals to be released to the wild. It's illegal in South Africa to release animals that have been hand reared. They're too used to human contact and wouldn't be able to fend for themselves, so these 2 lions will live out the rest of their lives in captivity. They're pacing up and down which concerns me slightly, but our guide tells us this is just because they can see some pigs in a nearby enclosure that have been brought in as part of a petting zoo for the younger visitors. I hope this is true and the lions are happy, but part of me doubts this. They look healthy, and at least they'll be cared for here rather than being drugged and tracked for hunters to kill elsewhere.

That's just about it for the tour, but before we leave we get a chance to stroke a cheetah! His name is Khaki, he's a young male and seems quite happy to have lots of strangers come into his enclosure and gawp at him. The cats aren't forced to interact with the visitors, so they only get stroked if they're in the mood for it. His fur is coarse and wiry, and he's purring an enormous purr as he reclines comfortably and we approach him slowly, one by one, to give his head a good scratch and tickle his chin. Whilst it's a special experience, ethically I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the Daniell Cheetah Project as a sanctuary rather than a profit making endeavour. I believe that the staff here truly care about the big cats housed in the centre, and want to successfully breed the animals to help conserve the species, but whether it's actually right to keep these animals in relatively small enclosures and encourage contact with humans is questionable. We say goodbye to the cheetahs, and the other animals in the sanctuary, and head into nearby Kirkwood to meet one of Erica's old school friends who runs a citrus farm here. 

We meet up for a quick drink in a nearby bar and discuss our plans for the evening (we don't really have any!) We're quickly invited back to the farm for dinner, where we are served tasty bobotie, a traditional South African dish made with mince, spices and fruit. I've never met these people before but I've been welcomed into their home, fed a delicious dinner with wine and made to feel at home. It's a wonderful example of true hospitality and we have a lovely relaxing evening with great company in a beautiful setting.

South Africa Day 1 - Airports, African roads and Addo

Day 1 of my trip to South Africa begins when our plane lands in Johannesburg in the early hours of Sunday morning. Through some bizarre organisational bad luck, my partner Craig and I end up having to queue for 2 hours with hundreds of other people to get through passport control before we can get to our connecting flight to Port Elizabeth. Luckily we make it just in time, and after a brief snooze and the delights of an aeroplane breakfast, we land in Port Elizabeth airport and head outside to find our hire car. We'd booked a VW Polo Sedan but end up with a Ford Ikon Sedan, which feels a little clunky but will do the job. Setting up the Sat Nav, we head towards Addo Elephant National park, which will be our home for the next 2 nights. Not long into the journey we get a bit lost and end up taking the "scenic" route. I soon learn that "scenic" is synonymous with "potholed". We traverse the uneven surface carefully and manage to navigate back to the main road as we head further away from the suburbs and into the beautiful rolling hills in the Addo area.

We arrive safely at the Avoca guest houses, where we are greeted and given a wealth of information about our chalet, breakfast arrangements and nearby places to eat. Craig's sister Erica and her husband Steve arrived the previous day, but they're out on a safari trip on the Scotia reserve and won't be back until later. Our chalet is a wonderful thatched building set just up from a small river.

There are a family of rock rabbits, or dassies, living around the braai area outside our bedroom window. When we arrive they are sunning themselves on the tree branches and playing around the bushes.

After a brief walk around the grounds, discovering the prickly pear plant and meeting some feral but friendly cats, we head out for dinner to the recommended local restaurant Africanos.

I enjoy some delicious game carpaccio to start, followed by kudu schnitzel which is unfortunately a little blander than I was expecting. We have a tasty bottle of Beyerskloof Pinotage with the meal and I have my first experience of a Don Pedro, a wonderful Amarula ice cream drink to finish. Heading back to the chalet, we marvel at how clearly we can see the milky way and stars in the sky without city light pollution, have a quick catch up with Craig's sister and her husband to hear about their trip to the Scotia reserve, then head to bed for my first night under African sky.

Black, White and Leopard

I'm going to have a go at writing shorter blog posts. This is the fist, focusing on just one outfit. Nearly a year ago I wrote my first post on fashion and style, briefly musing about how some people seem to have developed a style that encapsulates their personality and makes even the simplest of outfits look unique and polished.

I'm still forever in search of this elusive style of my own, and until recently I didn't think there was anything definable about the clothes I wear, since I'm a fan of so many different eras and styles in general. I am learning a few things along the way, however, so hopefully I'll be able to build on what I'm discovering to create new looks for every day. One thing I've learnt is that I seem to be a big fan of black, white and leopard print, shown in this outfit I actually managed to snap on my lunch break.

There's quite a bit of retro inspired clothing here, with a pencil dress from Lindy Bop, and a shrug and coat from Collectif. I've worn them with my absolute favourite leopard print Bronx shoes to complete the leopard accents.

How did you work out your individual style? Are their certain items you always stick to or do you like to experiment? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Coat - Collectif
Shrug - Collectif
Dress - Lindy Bop
Shoes - Bronx (from ASOS)

L'Autre Pied

After dining at Pied A Terre a few years ago and experiencing some of the most divine tasting food ever to grace my pallet, I've been wanting to visit their sister restaurant, L'Autre Pied, for some time. With Valentine's Day lurking and a half price offer on Groupon for the tasting menu, it seemed like as good a time as any to sample the winter menu.

It's a chilly Thursday evening, and I've met my other half at a nearby pub for a swift pre-dinner drink, as we had to book in advance and the earliest sitting was 9pm. Luckily I usually eat late, so it's not an issue, but I'm ready for some food. We're seated next to an illuminated pillar and shown the menu, and we decide to opt for the matched wines whilst our waiter fills our water glasses. I'll apologise now for the terrible picture quality - the aforementioned illuminated pillar cast an eerie green glow over everything, which wasn't an issue at the time, but has somewhat hampered any hope of decent photography.

The first course is a celeriac mousse with lemon and puffed wild rice. The mousse is deliciously light and creamy, and the crispness of the rice topping is unusual but works well as a contrast in texture. The lemon flavour is quite pronounced, and overshadows the flavour of the celeriac slightly. It's a very tasty dish to start the meal though, and leaves me eager for the next course.

I'm so eager to dive into the next course that I forget to take a green-tinged picture, so you'll have to imagine the appearance of this salad of heirloom carrots, radicchio, creme fraiche and black quinoa. Unfortunately, my excitement for the second course is a little short lived, as this course just doesn't do it for me. Raddiccio is very bitter, and the other flavours in the dish just don't seem to work with the overpowering taste of the leafy vegetable. It tastes slightly pickled too, however the dressing seems to highlight the bitter flavour, rather than complementing or counteracting it. The creme fraiche provides a light mellowing element to the vegetables, but there isn't enough of it to restore any balance to the plate. I can't really tell where the black quinoa is, so it doesn't seem to add anything to the dish either with flavour or texture. This course isn't inedible by any means (I finish it all!), but it also isn't a dish I would choose again. I think perhaps the potential exists to make these ingredients work together, but the way it is executed really isn't to my taste. Our paired wines begin with this course, and the first is a Portuguese vinho verde - the 2015 Alvarinho-Trajadura Minho Leira Seca, which is quite dry with a distinct mineral element. It's hard to say how well it matches the dish as the food isn't working for me, however it is at least a fresh and crisp way to begin the wine matching experience.

Our next wine is a 2012 Gavi Di Gavi, which is immediately fruitier and softer than the previous white. It has a sweet peach undertone which works well with the more characteristically acidic notes of the Italian Cortese grape variety. This wine also accompanies our next dish perfectly. The fish course is a cod fillet, with Fowey mussels, charred leek, lemon and rye. The cod is cooked to perfection, it's creamy and falls apart with the lightest touch of a fork. The mussels add a more pronounced fish essence to the broth, and complement the flavours of the cod and leek beautifully. The lemon in the sauce is not overpowering, and the textures work well together to create and exciting and delicious plate of food.

Following the fish is a main of roast Gressingham duck, with peppered swede, baby turnips, apple and mustard leaf. I read on a TripAdvisor review that the current Head Chef Graham Long has designed the menu with a nod to comfort food, and this dish definitely fits that remit to a tee. The hearty winter vegetables marry perfectly with the richness of the roast duck, and the subtle sharpness of the apple. There are a lot of strong flavours going on, but they work together to create a bold and flavoursome dish. The matched wine, a 2014 Valdeorras Mencia - Bodega Maria Teresa Nunez, is surprisingly light and floral to go with the big flavours of the food, but it works well, with subtle tannins and dark fruit flavours offsetting the rich and complex elements of the dish. It's not my favourite wine ever, and I probably would have chosen something a little spicier and more robust with this plate of food, but I'm no wine expert and it's good to try new things. We're offered bread throughout the savoury courses, which I continue to accept with pleasure. There's a brioche style mini bun, a rustic mini baguette and a fruit filled sliced loaf, all of which are fresh and tasty, and a welcome tool for soaking up the sauces of the fish and meat courses. 

Next up is the cheese platter - always one of my favourites, and due to our inability to make decisions, we're lucky enough to be given a port and a red wine to go with this course. I can't remember the exact cheeses we were given, but there are 2 from France and 2 from Switzerland. There is a hard cheese that may or may be a Comte, a very ripe soft cheese, a soft and creamy blue and a sharp medium hard cheese with a very bitter rind. The blue is my favourite, the hard and sharp cheeses are delicious, and the soft cheese is enjoyable in small quantities, but just on the verge of being a little too powerful in flavour for my palette. We agreed that the port goes better with the Swiss cheeses, and the red is better matched to the French selection. The port isa little less sweet than I'm used to, and whilst pleasant, it is eclipsed for me by the red, a 2014 mixed grape wine from the Clos De Paulilles estate in the Collioure region of Southern France. I'm not usually a fan of Southern French reds, as I tend to find the tannins far too heavy in contrast to the depth of flavour. This wine is spectacular though, with a balanced roundness and beautifully subtle tannins which only serves to add to the aromatic, full bodied flavours. It is definitely one of the highlights of the meal for me.

A light pre-dessert of a chocolate mousse allows us to finish our port / wine at a leisurely pace, and I'm even happier to discover that the delectable Collioure also goes nicely with the sweet and bitter chocolate / caramel elements of this light treat in between courses.

The final course is a rhubarb cheesecake with mandarin sorbet. The colour on the jelly rhubarb topping is particularly vibrant, which looks quite odd in my green hued pictures. Brightness aside, the dessert is wonderfully light and fresh in flavour, with the right amount of sweetness to counter the sourness of the rhubarb. The citrus element of the mandarin sorbet adds a gentle layer of contrast to create an interesting and very pleasant end to the meal. Our wine with this course is a 2012 Chateau Villefranche Sauternes. I'm generally a fan of a white Bordeaux and this golden French offering is no exception. The typical sweetness of this region's wine pairs well with the creamy cheesecake, with the slight acidity matching well with the tarter fruit flavours.

We finish the meal with a coffee and some little truffles, a nice addition to the end of the evening. The service was good, we weren't rushed but didn't feel forgotten either. Our greeting upon arrival was very friendly and welcoming, and at no point were we made to feel any less valued as customers for using a Groupon voucher. It's certainly a compact restaurant, we were seated very close to a little service area and there was rarely a moment when there wasn't a small huddle of floor staff dishing up or clearing plates from the tables around us. It didn't bother me particularly, but I can imagine this being a little off-putting for someone who wasn't as easily able to switch off from their surroundings. There are other tables in the restaurant that look a little more sheltered, as it were, so I'm sure that one of these could be requested for those who are more space aware. The sommelier was friendly and helpful, and seemed genuinely interested to discover whether we preferred the red or the port with the cheese course. Overall, I was really pleased with the evening. It doesn't feel as exclusive as the sister restaurant Pied A Terre, and that's because it's not. But that's ok, in my opinion L'Autre Pied is the perfect little sister - it's more relaxed than its fine dining counterpart, but the food is still well thought out and exceptionally prepared. If you want the culinary experience but can't quite stretch to the budget of the 2 Michelin starred Pied, I would definitely recommend L'Autre Pied for an altogether very pleasant experience. 

Kicking off gigs for 2016 with Creeper and some pop punk

I posted a little while ago about new bands I've discovered, mainly through the Spotify discovery playlist function. Lately, the selections have been, frankly, not to my taste in the slightest. I may have used the word awful more than once. But that's ok, because from the beginning of February to the start of March, I've got a huge number of gigs lined up and I'm very excited to get my ears around a whole lot of live music. First up is a Neck Deep / State Champs co-headline show at Kentish Town forum, but in all honesty I'm here for Creeper, the rest is just a bonus.

As is so often the case, I'm running too late to catch the opening act, Light Years, so can't say what they sounded like this time. Next on the bill are Creeper, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't super excited to see them in a venue of this size. Overpriced beer in hand, I find a spot where I can see the stage and eagerly await the start of their set.

http://creepercult.com/

Getting straight into things with VCR from their debut EP, the fast paced punk vibes get the crowd moving. I can't tell if it's actually faster paced than usual, or if I'm expecting songs to be short and frantic because it's a pop punk show. Either way, it's a great opener and the crowd are reacting well to frontman Will's energetic charm. Next up is new track Black Mass from the forthcoming EP, The Stranger, and it's clear that Creeper's fan base is growing, with many faces in the pit eagerly singing along. Following on from the new release is punk-infused anthem Honeymoon Suite from the 2015 EP The Callous Heart, and Allergies, which is the best sounding track for me so far. The band, who recently became a 6 piece with replacement guitarist Ollie and the addition of Hannah on keys, sound tight and confident, their passion for playing filling the stage with energy. Settled into their stride, Creeper continue with old favourite Gloom from the band's first release, and last year's singalong anthem Lie Awake. Finishing with goth ballad Henley's Ghost, the rapidly filling venue is getting involved, arms swaying in unison with the band throughout the emotionally charged final chords. This might not have been the very best sounding Creeper show I've been to, and they're arguably the least pop-punk act on the bill by a country mile, but they held their own and showed London that they're more than ready to bring their goth punk style to bigger venues like the Forum. It's hard to write objectively about a band I love so much, but when they write fantastic songs and perform them with such raw enthusiasm, it's not hard to see why they're stealing more callous hearts with each show they play. But enough gushing, the joint headliners State Champs and Neck Deep are still to play and it would be more than a little rude not to mention them at their own show.

http://www.statechampsny.com/

I'm not really familiar with either of these headline bands, so I have no preconceptions about their performance, other than an expectation of UK and US pop punk galore. I've relocated to the seating area of the venue, an expansive 1st level section which provides a rather excellent view of the stage, something of a luxury for those of us not blessed with great height. From this new vantage point I can also see that a lot of fans here are pretty young, which might explain why I'm not overly familiar with this new breed of pop punk. Age and height issues aside, State Champs take to the stage to a roar of appreciation from the now-capacity crowd and kick off with the bouncy American college vibes of Secrets from their sophomore album Around the World And Back, released in October 2015. I'd love to give an enlightening run down of the rest of their set, but truth be told, I wasn't paying much attention. I was somewhat distracted by catching up with friends, discussing Creeper's set and maybe picking up a pint or two at the bar. State Champs just aren't the band for me. There was nothing offensive about their performance, but there was nothing particularly interesting for me either. They clearly are the band for most people here though, there's a good atmosphere and the fans seem to be enjoying themselves, so that's good.

http://neckdeep.co/

After a brief intermission it's time for the UK headliners Neck Deep, hailing from the North Western town of Wrexham, perhaps only otherwise known in alternative circles as the home of Welsh Comic Con. I'm expecting a similar sound to State Champs, so I'm pleasantly surprised when Neck Deep break into Citizens of Earth from the 2015 album Life's Not Out To Get You. It's immediately punchier and grittier than State Champ's opening number, and I'm enjoying the synchronised jumping from the band who are clearly very comfortable performing to this full capacity, geared up crowd. The set continues with a selection of high energy, confidently performed tracks. There are obviously lots from the latest album, interspersed with a few from the debut offering Wishful Thinking and the EPs Rain In July and A History Of Bad Decisions. Although Neck Deep aren't quite catapulted to the top of my favourite bands list, they've put on a particularly strong show, mixing a good amount of crowd interaction and band banter with some classic pop punk tunes. Towards the end of the night, we're treated to the guest vocals of Hannah from Creeper  on the mellow A Part Of Me, with the crowd singing along in not-altogether-awful harmony. Ending the set with the raucous Can't Kick Up The Roots, followed by some kind of crazed mini rave, Neck Deep send a new wave of pop punk fan kids spilling happily onto the streets of north London with reckless abandon. For me, the UK band won over the US exports tonight, and I can honestly say I really enjoyed watching Neck Deep close this UK leg of their tour. They're not going to replace the likes of NOFX, Reel Big Fish or Frenzal Rhomb in the nostalgic pop punk archives from my own teenage years, but they might well have a space alongside them in a genre that seems to be having somewhat of a revival, if tonight is anything to go by. 

Training for a marathon - 4 weeks in.

In 3 months I'll be attempting to complete the iconic London Marathon course for the first time. I'm not a runner, I've never been a runner, and in all honesty, I'm not sure I will ever truly be a runner.

I still remember one of the first times I ever went for a jog. It was in my first year of university, and my flatmates in my hall of residence all decided to "get healthy" and go for a jog around the local park. It was approximately 1 mile around and I couldn't complete a circuit without stopping to walk and catch my breath. 12 years later and arguably fitter, I'm gearing up for a 10 mile jog this weekend as part of my training and I'm not hugely phased by the distance.

I realised that I quite enjoyed jogging when I moved to London. Growing up in the countryside, it might seem surprising that it took moving to London for my love of outdoor running to develop. But the thing I like most about the London running scene is the abundance of parks. Cross country running can be really challenging, particularly in winter, so to have paved parks that are solid underfoot but surrounded by greenery, I've got the best of both worlds.

I've completed a few fun runs in the past, 5k, 10k and a cross country half marathon over the picturesque South Downs. A full marathon is something I've not yet achieved though, so I'm hoping that by training right and eating well, I'll manage to complete it without any issues. Hopefully I might even enjoy the experience! I've wanted to run the London marathon for most of my adult life. I went to support my Dad when he ran it for the first time in 1999, and the atmosphere on the day was fantastic. 2016 is the year I decided I could wait no longer (and I'm not getting any younger!) so I've signed up with the National Childbirth Trust to raise money for new parents, with a particular focus on developing support for post natal depression. You can read more about the charity and the work they do on my fundraising page. Please donate, just a few pounds could make a huge difference to someone struggling with the most challenging time in their life.

Fundraising responsibilities aside, I also need to make sure I'm physically ready on the day. There are literally hundreds of marathon training plans available for free on the Internet, so after a brief perusal of the top few, I opted for this one from popsugar, as it seemed like the simplest to follow, and fitted best with my lifestyle. I'm about 4 weeks in, and so far it's going quite well. Here are a few things I've discovered since starting to follow a training plan:

1) Trying to plan new routes around unknown areas is exciting and infuriating in equal measure. It's fun trying to link up footpaths through scenic areas, but not knowing what the terrain is going to be like can pose some tricky obstacles mid-jog.

2) There are many factors which affect my speed over the same route. I have a few lunchtime routes around Hyde Park, and some days it'll feel really relaxed and I'll complete the course in a really good time. On other days the exact same route will feel 100 times tougher, and I'll be much slower. One of the main factors is the wind. A bit of light drizzle or a beautifully sunny day don't seem to make much difference, but a strong head wind is quite horrible. Adding in a few mini sprints really helps improve my speed but makes me feel awful, and I tend to run faster if I'm in a particularly good or particularly bad mood. If I'm having an average day, I'll run at an average pace.

3) Expensive running gear really isn't important. Having shoes that fit well is. I've had my running trainers for a few years, I went to a proper running shop where they looked at my gait and recommended the best shoes for me. Apart from that, I run in t shirts and leggings. I've got a lightweight jacket for when it's cold or raining, and a few sports bra style tops (I'm having some issues with these, ironically as they're the items I've spent the most on). I use my phone to track my routes, and just get up and go!

4) My strength training is suffering. A couple of years ago, I got really into strength and weight training in the gym. I noticed a difference in physical strength, my appearance, and my performance playing roller derby. A recurring shoulder injury somewhat stunted my development and I've been trying to get back to it recently. For me, the only real feasible time for me to go to the gym is in the morning, which is tough enough for me as a non-morning person. I've found that my motivation has been even more lacking, as I know that I'm going for a jog at lunch. It's just excuses, I know, but I definitely think if I wasn't going out running quite as often, I'd have more impetus to get my butt out of bed in the morning and pump some iron. I think this is mostly just a matter of willpower, but I am also aware that it can be dangerous to over-train. Food for thought.

5) I love dogs. I've planned all my routes to go through parks, and there are countless dogs being taken for walks in every one. At lunch in Kensington there are quite a few snooty dog walkers, at the weekend around Beddington and Mitcham there is a bigger mix of families, younger couples and solo dog walkers and nearly all of them are friendly (dogs and owners). I know that I don't have the time or right home to have a dog, but it's so lovely to see them all enjoying the outside.

So that's about it for now, I shan't waffle on any more. I've got the Kingston half marathon coming up in a month's time, so I'll post an update then about how that went. Do you like running? Are you training for anything soon?

Here's that link again for my JustGiving page. Please donate!

Camden shopping haul

I love Camden Market. When I was a teenager, living near Salisbury with my parents, I used to save up my wages from working in a coffee shop on Sundays and buy a train ticket to London, where my friends and I would explore the markets in Camden, Kensington and Portobello. Kensington underground market has long since been shut down and built over, and I've not been to Portobello since those youthful excursions, but I'm still a huge fan of Camden and the delights it has to offer. I've heard many people say that Camden has sold out, become commercial and lost its soul. And to an extent I agree, but I don't this all the charm has gone. There are still a large number of independent traders and small chain boutiques, and in all honesty if I'm going to browse rails of clothes for a few hours I'd much rather do it here than in a huge shopping centre with high street brands and strip lighting. 

So today, my intention was to purchase a new handbag. I've always been a one-handbag-holds-all-my-worldy-possessions kind of girl, and my last bag to fit this bill came from Camden lock market a few years ago. Alas, the lower portion of Camden lock village, with its little wooden huts and canalside street food, is no longer, commissioned by billionaire Teddy Sagi for redevelopment by construction company Mace, the firm responsible for creating the Shard.

Fortunately though, the stables and remaining lock markets are bustling with an array of stalls and shops, many of which sell handbags at very reasonable prices. I spot a pretty black leather bag with red piping in a little shop on the top floor of the lock market, and happily purchase it for a reduced price of £35. I've never been a haggler, and frankly I'm more than happy to pay the asking price for something of I think it's worth it.

So that really should have been my shopping complete, I got what I'd come for, no need to look at anything else. But I'm here now, so it would be rude not to. Right!?!?

One of my favourite mini chains is Collectif, who sell retro style pieces in modern fabrics. They started out as a stall in Camden, and now have 3 stores in London as well as a boutique in Brighton and an online business. I popped in to "browse", but they had so many bargains in the sale I couldn't help but pick up this gorgeous swing coat, cropped red cardigan, and pastel jumper which will be great in spring with its low neck and fine knit.

Thrilled with my bargains, I continued to wander through the stables market, checking out the jewellery and window shopping in a few more clothes stalls. At the end of the stables I approached leather store OdiLynch, with their selection of beautiful handbags. They had this olive green satchel-style bag reduced to £40 that I tried so hard not to buy but just couldn't resist in the end. This indoor lighting does not do the colour any justice whatsoever, I'll try and take a few snaps when I manage to get out in some daylight. 

Finally, as the market traders were starting to close up for the evening, I spotted a beautiful feather print burgundy and gold scarf which I picked up for just a few pounds. I could've bought so many more, they had hundreds of beautiful styles. 

So that's the lot. A very successful trip (maybe too successful!?) with some lovely new pieces to add to my wardrobe. Where are your favourite places to shop? Did you pick up any bargains in the January sales?