Oaxaca

After spending a couple of days with Adele and Charlotte , the English girls I met in Mexico City, I decided to travel with them through Mexico for a bit. We took a bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca which was around 8 hours and 400 pesos.

We booked a private three bed room room in the Casa Angel Hostel – another really good hostel! We arrived at 01.00 am and there was someone on reception and really helpful checking us in.

Tour around Oaxaca- 14th

– Visited the widest tree in the world (apparently!), which was 53metres wide and 2000 years old called El Arbol de Tule Tree and was a cypress tree.

-Teotitlan De l Valle. This was where world class wool rugs were made. We watched a demonstration on how they mixed imported New Zealand wool and then some From Mexico together and then dyed it . Then you got to see them working on the loom, and learnt that it takes them months to make one rug.

-Mitla. We visited this lovely town which has an amazing market , church and ruins. We wandered around the market and colourful town for hours, stopping at stalls to get bracelets and other bits. The fresh mango sold here was really good!

-Petrified Waterfall- Hierve el Agua. This was one of my favourite places I’ve been to on her trip so far, it was absolutely stunning! We had to trek down to the natural pools but stopped at lots of points to take photos and look at the incredible views! Once you reach the natural pools we just swam for 45 minutes and took in the breathtaking surroundings.

-Mezcal Factory. We stopped here on the way back to the city and saw how the spirit was made from the agave from Mexico. They then give you a tasting session but by this point I was too tired to start shotting strong alcohol.

Oaxaca City Centre

On one of our days here we spent the day walking around and exploring the main city. It is absolutely beautiful, with some amazing architecture, restaurants and markets. We stopped at little stalls, went to the main market at the bottom of the main area and stopped off in a lovely bar to have a drink. There is a huge cathedral in the middle of the main area and some great shops too. We also had a great evening out with loads of travellers from the hostel in the city too, meeting a lot of locals too.

Mexico City

So I have now been in Central America for a few weeks now and it’s about time to post on all the amazing things I have been up to so far.

I arrived in Mexico City on June 10th around 19.30pm. It was getting dark when I arrived and I ended up waiting nervously for a taxi for around an hour.
I have to say this was the worst day of the trip so far. Upon arrival at the hostel I went upstairs to the dormitory I had booked. There was only one other American girl in there at the time and when I said hello she shouted at me some random stuff I couldn’t really understand but I thought was odd. I needed to get out of the dorm so I went downstairs to the bar and spoke some extremely shaky Spanish. After a while I went to bed but the American girl proceeded to scream out during the night which was terrifying, and it gets worse, the day after I woke up after being attacked severely by bed bugs.

Tour around Mexico City – 11th June

On my first day in Mexico I really needed to get out of the dorm and do some sightseeing so I booked onto a tour around Mexico City costing me around 500pesos.

-Visited the 2nd most important Catholic centre after The Vatican City called Basilica of our lady Guadulupe which is the national shrine of Mexico. It was a beautiful building and when you go in you can see the service going on, take a walk around the cathedral and up the stairs where you can get a view of the whole city.

-Visited Teotihuacan, which is about 30miles northeast of the city. It is the most visited archaeological site visited in the country and was established 100years BC. It was absolutely beautiful and a good workout too, climbing up hundreds of steep steps to reach the top of the pyramids. Once you have done all of the climbing, there was also a great market you could wander around after.

-The Cactus weaving and alcohol tasting, was something we did before lunch. You get a really good demonstration on how the locals make these amazing brightly coloured blankets and fabrics using the string from the cactus and natural dyes from Mexico. They have a great shop you can walk around after and buy locally made souvenirs.

I met two really lovely English girls on the tour and after telling about my awful first night they invited me to move hostels and come to their one which was Hostel Cathedral in the historical centre. This was such a good move, the hostel was cleaner, friendlier and had such a good atmosphere. One of the best ones of the whole trip. That night the hostel workers put on a delicious rooftop BBQ for us and then took us on an amazing night out to this house club In the city which was so good!

Mexico VS Cameroon FIFA World Cup game – 13th June

This experience was definitely a highlight of Mexico City. Watching a foreign country play and win in their capital was insane! We watched the game in the main square of the city where they had set up massive screens and were handing out clappers and free popcorn. There were Mexican TV stations filming us as the only young white girls there. We got really involved cheering for Mexico and everytime they scored everyone was throwing beer around and screaming! After this we went to this amazing kraft beer bar and had a guacamole making class. They brought out a pestle and mortar and all the separate ingredients and then we put on these crazy hats and made the most amazing guacamole !

Cake Pops

Ashleigh (My elder sister) and I bought Mummy a Cake Pop set for Christmas. It has not yet been used so today I got it out of the cupboard and decided to make some cake pops.

I used the Lakeland Cake Pop Mould which came with a recipe (Which I halved to make 20) AND 20 lollipop sticks

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/17604/Silicone-Cake-Pop-Mould – You can buy the same mould from their website here

Ingredients

60g Butter

75g Caster sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Egg

90g Self Raising Flour- Sieved

2tbsp Milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 180oC

Then lightly grease the cake mould with slightly melted butter in a Ramekin

I then dusted the mould with a sprinkling of flour

I creamed the butter and sugar together in a bowl with an electric whisk- Once it became light and creamy I added a splash (I always a add a bit extra) of Vanilla Extract

Then you need to add the egg and whisk really well until it is looking creamy and light

Add 1tbsp of milk with half of your flour and again mix really well, repeat this again until you have used all of your flour and milk and the mixture is fully combined

Put the bottom of the mould without the holes onto a baking tray and fill each hole with mixture – Make sure you fill them to the top but flat not heaped. Then put the other half of the mould ontop and push around the sides to make sure it is fully sealed

Pop this into the oven for 15-20 minutes depending on your over, it took me 17 mins and to check if their ready use a cocktail stick in the little hole of the mould and if it comes back clean they are ready. If the cocktail stick still has mixture on it pop them back into the oven for a few more mins

Once out of the oven I took the cake pops out of the mould (The great thing about using a silicone mould is that they come out so easily!), and left them on a cooling rack for around 30 mins

 

In the meantime, I made my glace icing which is a recipe which Is just a very simple recipe from Mum

Ingredients

145g sifted Icing Sugar

1 1/2 tbsp of Lemon Juice

Method

I started by putting the lemon juice in a bowl

Then I gradually sifted in the icing sugar- you need to make sure it is a smooth consistency

You then make a small hole with a cocktail stick and dip the end of the lollipop stick into the icing, put it in the cake and then put it in the fridge to set

Decorating… My Favourite Part!

Once your sticks have set in place, melt 100g of white chocolate over a bowl of boiling water- add the food colouring (In my opinion pastel colours look best here so don’t add too much to achieve this look)

Then put the chocolate over the cake and stick all the cake decoration to it. I used crushed pistachios, white chocolate stars, hundreds and thousands and white pearl balls for my decorations

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/17646/Cake-Pop-Decorating-Stand– Once decorated I put them on this stand which you can also get from Lakeland

A complete headache to plan

I decided shortly before Christmas that I was going to travel to Central and South America after my placement and before I started University again so from June-End of August (Around 3 months).

Well it has been a complete nightmare to plan, from people deciding their coming with me and then dropping out and tackling my parents to let me go as a solo female traveller it had taken me months to get to this stage where I really need to gather all my information and get a real plan into place.

I was going to try and do South America but started off the process quite naive to the sheer size and versatility of the area, and was recommended by the travel agent on the phone to do Central America. After looking into it a bit more, I found certain blogs and sites which gave me a wealth of information, but not exactly all in one place.

Because I am going alone I feel like I need to do as much research as possible before I go so I can have a good plan of the geography of the countries, travel requirements, hostels and tourist sites and other must do things whilst I am out there.

A map of Central America

So as it stands now, I am going to fly into Mexico and travel throughout the whole of Central America through Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Hondoras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama and of course jumping on and off the aray of Caribbean Islands on the way. Being over in this part of the world, I want to fly from Panama to Somewhere in South America (undecided), and do a couple of countries briefly there hopefully meeting up with various friends out there.

It is a massive trip, not only will it take a lot of planning, money and travelling I am now doing the majority of it by myself which is quite a daunting prospect.

Anyway, this part of my blog is dedicated to me planning my trip and trying to put information together in one place which I haven’t been able to find easily and whilst I am out there of course documenting my journey.

I am so excited to go and see a part of the world which I have never been to, and although travelling alone is going to be weird and scary at times I know I am going to meet some incredible people and have such a good time. Bring on some of the best beaches, history and of course rum in the world….

Beach in Belize

EOS Lip Balm

I first heard about EOS ( The evolution of smooth) lip balm on Instagram when Kim Kardashian posted some pictures of herself using it when her lips had become fuller during pregnancy. Since then it keeps popping up all over the place, and I was really keen to try it.

I asked my sister to buy me one for Christmas, although I hadn’t realised they are barely stocked over here in the UK. We searched the internet to find the one I wanted and ordered it in from a US site-  http://www.naturisimo.com/index.cfm?nme=eos  . This site ships worldwide, and the prices of the balm are reasonable. I bought mine for £5.99, which yes is more expensive than your average Vaseline, but totally worth it.

I went for the Summer Fruits variety which is a mixture of blueberries, peach and strawberries. It is not over powering which I sometimes hate in other lip balms as your mouth ends up tasting like chemically infused fruit. It is really moisturising and soft which have kept my lips from getting chapped all winter! The shape of the balm as a circle makes it easy to find in my messy handbag which is a bonus too!

It is the best lip balm I have ever used, and I will definitely be buying more varieties of it.

Check out more on their website here:  http://evolutionofsmooth.com/

First Trip of 2014 Booked- BRUSSELS

So I AM that annoying person who really cant go long without booking a trip, organising a trip or going on a trip. 

I am a self-confessed travel addict, always looking for my next adventure no matter how big or small. It was the 3rd January by the time I had persuaded my parents to book Brussels to see my eldest cousin Sarah. She has recently moved out there working for an MEP (Member of European Parliament) and I not only want to go and see her, but see a new city too. So the Walker family minus Ashleigh (don’t feel too sorry she is off Skiing for 2 weeks) are off to Brussels from the 7th-9th February for 2 nights.

Reasons for going:

1- To see Sarah- OF COURSE

2- I have never been on the Eurostar and (some may say pathetically) have always wanted to go on it

3-I have never been to Brussels

So after Sarah had suggested us coming through a few tweets I got to work researching all the different options available.

I called all the recommended hotels separately, used lastminute.com and EuroStar holidays but http://www.lastminute.co.uk came out as the best package for 2 nights with two rooms for 3 adults.

Now booked I cant wait to start researching which are the best restaurants (Obviously my main priority) and things to do in Brussels.

See you soon Sarah… KJW x

 

 

A New Year and the ‘same old same old’ New Year Resolutions

Well 2013 has had its major ups and downs for me. After really having some major challenges put in front of me this year I don’t think I could have come out anymore on top. I saw the New Year in whilst in Zanzibar (an incredibly beautiful place) , travelled to Bali and the Gilli Islands with some incredible people, have shot my first advert, met more and become closer with some amazing people and generally having the time of my life on placement. But there are always improvements to be made, mistakes to be forgotten about and new goals to set for a new year. You know what they say ‘Onwards and Upwards’…

Every year everyone asks me ‘What are your New Year Resolutions?’ and I reply with ‘lose weight, stop eating rubbish bla bla bla’, and I don’t think I have ever actually stuck to anything. This year I am going to set myself a challenge and instead of setting a generic New Years Resolution or two, I am going to set myself a list of challenges or things I want to have done by the end of 2014…

My 2014 is going to be me living around one of my favourite verses from the Bible taken from Ephesians 3:20 , “God has more in store for you than you can even imagine”. I have had the most incredible 6 months on my placement and If someone had told me in June that I was going to experience the things I have and enjoy it this much I wouldn’t have believed them.

So Happy New Year Everyone- I have a really really good feeling about 2014 and all that it may bring…. KJW x

Run To The Beat- My First Half Marathon

So recently I ran and completed my first half marathon- The Nike Run To The Beat in London with one of my best friends Sophie Hardy.

Me and Sophie before the Race

I have always been ‘into’ running, after being a member of Thames Valley athletics club in my early teens weekends consisted of cross country competitions in the winter and Athletics ones in the Summer. As soon as my academics got tougher though I had to step down and leave the club. I have kept fit and sporty throughout my teens and it was only when I went to Uni I probably did less than ever before- typical!

I still went to the gym though and on some runs, but just no way to the extent I had been doing it before. Then in September 2012 I broke my leg stupidly drunk on a night out, and was in a cast and immobile for 9 weeks. This really damaged my ankle and even after swimming the day my cast came off, I had problems with it since especially when in the gym and running.

When I came back from Uni this Summer I really decided as I was starting my placement I needed to get into a routine of keeping fit and lose some of those freshers pounds. Sophie is also really into keeping fit and we somehow convinced each other to do a half marathon. We trained every week doing at least two long runs a week and going to the gym on a regular basis.

In the sea of runners before the start

I remember the first time we went on a run, I had to stop probably not even mile in crying because my ankle hurt so much- this was going to take some training. I spoke to my parents and my doctor and thankfully am on private health care got to see a physiotherapist fast. I went to see one of my good friends (Anna Holmes) mum who told me it was hurting due to lack of strength and flexibility. I went to see her a few times and she really improved it. I don’t think without those sessions I would have been able to do it and now have NO problems at all with it. HORRAY!!!

The Sea of Runners

It was on a sunny Sunday morning on September 6th, and Sophie and I got up early and my parents drove us into London. I felt sick with nerves, although I had trained and had cut drinking out almost completely as part of the training you always get the pre race jitters. Sophie and I ran it in an amazing time, and I have personally raised over £500 for Scope, an amazing charity which helps the disabled and families affected.

Behind the Millenium Dome With our Medals!!

I highly recommend doing this half marathon- not only is there different DJ’s and music around the course, there is so much support and a lot of people are amateurs ! Oh and did I mention we got to see Jessie J after !!!! A M A Z I N G!!

Thanks to all my friends and family who supported me and my incredible friend Sophie- I love you…

Jessie J at the end – What a great finish!

Setting yourself a goal is an amazing way to get back into the routine of fitness and sports and lose some weight. I have lost over a stone since I began to train for that half marathon and have continued my regime since!

Websites:

http://www.runtothebeat.co.uk/

http://www.scope.org.uk/

http://www.physiodirectory.co.uk/pages/Amersham.php – Judy Saunders @ Cottage Clinic

http://www.justgiving.com/Kitty-Walker1

Inamo

So I thought I would blog about one of my favourite restaurants in London- Inamo.

After looking for somewhere new to go for my 20th Birthday back in June, I chose Inamo down Wardour Street in Soho for its interactive ordering system. I just couldn’t believe you can see the menu and dishes on the table in front of you through a touch pad. Once you order your food off this, you can set the atmosphere above your table with the lighting, set the table cloth, play games and even order your taxi home.

The interactive ordering system

The day we went it was Gay Pride down the same street it was on. It was absolutely manic trying to get to the restaurant trawling through the people (very drunk!) and dancing in the streets- but hilarious nonetheless.

We were shown to the bar once in the restaurant and ordered some amazing cocktails. I had the lychee martini which is undoubtedly my favourite cocktail on any menu and it was delicious.

Amazing Cocktails

When shown to our table upstairs we were given a quick demonstration on how to use the interactive ordering system and away we went. It is definitely the type of restaurant you get lots of dishes and share them as they come. What shocked me the most was that the food was actually incredibly tasty with exquisite flavours.

A top fun evening- something different with amazing dishes!

My top dishes to order are:   

Sarah in the Inamo Regents Street

1.Chicken Satay

2.Kakiage

3.Spicy Aubergine

4. Baby Pork Ribs!!!!

5.Black Cod

Since going there I have returned with Sarah to the one in Regents Street which had just as incredible food but not as intimate and as good customers service.

http://www.inamo-restaurant.com/pc/

Related articles

• Inamo: Digital Dining (farisyakob.typepad.com)
• Interactive dining: Inamo (sophiesjapanblog.com)

A little bit about me..

Hello I am Kitty Walker…I thought I would start a blog in order to document my crazy life and everything that is going on in it. I am studying Business and Retail Management at The University of Surrey, and am on my placement (3rd year) at Kerry Foods at the moment as a Digital Shopper Marketing Executive . This is just going to be a blog about me being me- if your my friend you will know I have a ridiculous life and ridiculous things seem to happen to me. I love travelling, food, working, fitness and socialising so Welcome to My World!!