New Eatery: MOD Pizza

I was kindly invited to test out a new artisan pizza restaurant that has popped up in Leicester Square, London. As soon as I saw it was a new pizza joint I knew I had to give it a go, they must have known my addiction for pizza plus seeing that it was in a central location, I knew I had to go just to be able to share it among my pizza loving followers and friends. I went with my partner Nick as he is the fussiest pizza eater going. He is so stuck in his ways with his BBQ style base from Dominos that I have been determined to find somewhere else that will please his particular needs. 

I see MOD as Subways much cooler cousin with painted type on walls, options on flavours of lemonade and hipster styling. As you walk in you will see a convayor belt of ingredients, ready to be mounted onto your choice of pizza base or salad. You can either pick a pre-selected style pizza which are all named after people and sound delicious or you can make your own. I see no option in picking a pre made pizza when the selling point of MOD is that you can have as many toppings as you want at a fixed price of £7.87. There are smaller pizzas for £4.87 or if your feeling really hungry you can get a mega pizza for £10.87. 

 We both chose to make our own and went to town on all the toppings we could get, asking for extras on ingredients we are particularly fond of. Nick tried to capture his favourite dominos pizza with his choice and done a pretty good job. I went with chicken but added all my favourite vegetables on top, including olives and garlic. There is also a gluten free option on the base, annoyingly for an extra £2.00 but the option is there for those who need it.

Once our topping choice were made and we had paid, we were given a wifi device which let the staff know where we were sitting so they could bring our pizza to us once it was ready. The restaurant bares a chilled and relaxed vibe where seating is selected at your choice and drinks served by you. We chose to sit upstairs away from the bustle of downstairs so we could enjoy each others company and use this time as a mini date night for ourselves. Drinks wise I went for a glass of wine as fridays are for winding down from the week where as Nick headed straight for the lemonade. I had a little sip and it was delicious, you could tell it was homemade as it had a strong lemon flavour.

Our pizzas arrived within 15 minutes at our table ready for us to enjoy and they did not disappoint. Fresh ingredients, lovingly prepared and perfectly cooked. Nick throughly enjoyed his and said it was actually on par with Dominos so that was a massive win on my behalf as we now have somewhere else we can go! Yay! Mine was also delicious but they did miss off the pesto drizzle which I was a little disappointed about, it weren't enough to detract me from ever going back but just a little detail I will remember to check for in future when I do.

All in all I think its great restaurant! Perfect for a catch up with friends or a stop off if your visiting London and you happen to be in Leicester Square when you get hungry. They have other locations across the country so check out their website for more info if your keen on giving this restaurant a go. Its definitely a good contender with the other pizza restaurants out there and one i'll be going back to in the future.

Do something new

One of my resolutions for the year is the task to try or see something new each month. This stops me being such a lazy human for one and gives me goals and something to look forward to each month. I also have a happiness planner that I am filling in and loving ( I will share a post on that soon) that uses a quote each day to help you with happy thoughts. They are all amazing but this one really hit home with how happiness works...

'The three components of happiness are; something to do, something to love and something to look forward to'

- Dr Gordon Livingston

This is an amazing quote to live by and one that is totally do-able, so why not give it a go. Having something to look forward to can be really simple. You don't have to spend a lot of money but you can always save for certain things if you want to. Just doing something once per month and giving yourself something to look forward to is already one step of the way to a happier you. 

After having a few thoughts about things to do I thought I would share a few of my own monthly goals with you:

1/ See a new theatre show or ballet

At Christmas I went to see The Nutcracker, a story about a child's imagination brought to life through dance, brilliantly designed sets and costumes so flowing it made me want to spin around in my seat. It starts with a Christmas party where everyone is excited about the festivities to come and a girl is given a nutcracker toy. The story unfolds when it comes to life in a way you would never imagine and the relationship between the girl and the nutcracker transforms right in front of your eyes. It was enchanting and oh so magical, the perfect show to watch to get you in the Christmassy spirit. The casting was perfect for this production and the costumes to die for, a dream world for every girl out there. 

I did go to the ballet show at Christmas last year but it was so wonderful that I just have to experience it some more. I want to go and see Swan Lake this year and The Northern Ballet, who did the production of The Nutcracker, are actually performing it this March for a month. You can have a look here for dates and tickets if your interested, especially if you have never been before. This is THE most famous in the world so if you go to see any of them, this has to be it!

2/ Go to either Scotland, Ireland or Wales

Now this is quite embarrassing to admit but I have only been in England and never ventured out to the other parts of the UK. I have flown to other countries but never taken the steps to experience what I already have around me. Its bonkers I know but it is something I am going to change this year. 

Going to Ireland for St. Patricks day would be a perfect weekend trip away and I have always loved the thought of staying in a log cabin in the countryside of Scotland where it has a hot tub! How dreamy!

3/ Paintballing

This is going to be my February task of the month. One I am a little terrified of as I am going to bruise like a peach after getting pelted with paint balls but something I have always wanted to try and if I hate it as least I know. I will report back on that one at the end of the month, with some pictures if I can get any. 

So that is three of my ideas that I am thinking of so far. I am going to post about each month as I do it now I am getting back into the blogging swing of things. Next up will be my experience of bouldering, its a bloody great workout I can tell you now, but more of that next time. 

Have a great week! 

Love Khrissie x

#Blogmas 2: Wrapping up for Christmas

 As Christmas approaching we are all rushing out to the shops to buy our friends and loved ones presents in the hope they are going to love them and have the best day full of laughter and happiness. One thing a lot of people forget is the wrapping of the gifts. Frantically searching in WHSmith and the like to find bargain wrapping paper in any assortment of colours and patterns, just to make sure your presents are kept a surprise for the big day.

 Now I'm an odd ball when it comes to this as wrapping is a big thing for me. I'm a designer, so of course I'm going to take pride in the design of the wrapping of the present as I feel it is just as important as having a wonderful gift on the inside. I'm a little bit of a control freak I know, I'm working on it.

Now this year I have gone for a different look to my presents! I was going to do the whole brown paper thing as I found some great double sided rolls in IKEA but on my second trip to the store in two weeks I found all these beauties. Paper, tags and ribbons all in gorgeous pastel hues with hints of copper! Its a Pinterest lovers dream and not too expensive either.

I LOVE how it all comes together with accents of different colours. All ice cold and wintery with a Swedish twist on them. The rolls of paper also came with a similar monochrome pattern too so that will be for the boys of the family.

 I then saw some mini glass baubles in Paperchase and decided they would go perfect with my theme. Perfectly complimenting the colours of the papers and tags where that touch of Christmas is needed. I think the whole styling of my wrapping this year has really come together and I couldn't be happier. Keep an eye on my social media for the final display of all the presents once they are wrapped. I can't remember where the heart pegs were from but I have a feeling I found them also in Paperchase last year.

I hope you have enjoyed day two of Blogmas and to see how I will be wrapping my presents this year. If you want to get your hands on any of this I would suggest going to the stores to buy it as there is always a lot more to offer than the websites at this time of year.

I will be putting together a Pinterest board here of some more inspiration for you incase this style isn't for you. Enjoy wrapping! It can be really fun and satisfying when the person receiving the gift is just as excited about it as you are.

Leave any comments below of things you would like to see this Blogmas
Love Khrissie xx

Blogmas #1: Christmas has arrived!

 I was thinking about stopping my blog for a bit and starting fresh in the new year. I've been ill with kidney stones and not feeling myself. It is the first of December as it is unlike me to not be in the spirit already, all day being a right moner until on my way home as I was passing through Waterloo station in London. They has a brass band that was playing Christmas songs, and that was it! I officially started to get excited and decided to try and blog everyday this month.

Its going to be posts of 24 things I am loving each day in the lead up until Christmas. I'm going to wing it and post on the day every day so I am really living in the moment...so here it goes!

Day 1 and it is time to put up the tree and some little decorations! Now this is something I will always do, even if I am doing it on my own because I really just enjoy it! The designer eye in me is never 100% satisfied with the outcome but I never will be.

One thing me and Nick have decided to do each year is buy a new tree decoration which symbolises us and this year, its a gooden.....

I mean how amazing is this! A pizza! Who ever thought of this is a genious and I love him/her a lot! Its from Paperchase by the way and you cant get it online so pop to your nearest store quick, its a keeper! Me and Nick do order quite a few dominos through the month, mainly Nick I would admit as I do prefer a stone baked pizza but our love for it is the same, non the less. So this is the year that we bonded over pizza! Sounds made but food is the key to a mans heart.

This was our decoration from last year. Love birds moving into their new home together! Plus it went with our white, silver and mint green theme of the year. This years has broken that but it will be nice over the years to collect decorations that mean something to us!

These are a few other bits I have around the living room. The snow globe is from when my friends went to New York and I have kept it ever since as I dream of going there, especially at Christmas.

Those crackled glasses are for candles. The burner is from Yankee Candles and the smaller one from ASDA, both using Christmas scent. The smaller glass has my candle in from my advent calendar today. Yankee 'Icicles' and it smells divine! Fresh but warming at the same time, that feeling you get when you catch the cold breeze of winter as your sitting indoors with a hot chocolate and a blanket. You can actually buy the Yankee Candle advent here for 50% off.

The last is a mint green and gold stag I got from Paperchase and I just love it! I love a woodland themed christmas and the white tree behind it really finishes it off nicely.

I hope you have had a wonderful first day of Christmas, enjoy your sleep and I'll see you tomorrow for more Christmas fun!!

Love Khrissie xxx

Road Trip: South of the UK

Hello there you lovely lot!

I hope your having a wonderful week! The sunshine has been incredible this week, its a shame it will only last that long too, as it seems to brighten everyones mood. Travelling to work has been a tricky one though, with temperatures rising to 35 degrees and with no air to breathe. I cant complain about it as its much better than trying to keep out of the wind a rain, especially when you decide to go on a road trip around the UK, this is the kind of weather I was wishing for but weren't quite so lucky to get.

You might have seen one of my previous posts where I was giving you some ideas of what to do on a lazy weekend. Going on a little road trip was one of them and so me and Nick hired a little car and headed down to the south coast of the UK for a long weekend.

The image above shows the flat we stayed in on our little trip. It was a quaint little place in the heart of Graffham, West Sussex and situated on a little plot of land on the hosts property, surrounded by fields and horses. It was really quiet compared to London which I loved as I felt I could really relax in my happy place. The only issue was that there was no signal or wifi but that ended up being a god send as it felt that no one could contact us, and we could just spend some quality time together without getting disturbed.

The host, Penny and her husband were really lovely. They give you everything you need including some fresh walnut bread and eggs from their chickens. This made for a wonderful breakfast and topped with some homemade jam, I couldn't have asked for anything better. Just look at that view!

While we didnt have a very good experience with Europcar as we had to wait hours to pick it up as they had made a massive balls up with their service, we did manage to make the most of our time away even though half of our first day was spent sorting out that mess.

We visited Portsmouth and New Forest which were both lovely but accompanied by some wet and windy weather. New Forest was by far our favourite place and we plan to visit again some time, maybe for a weekend of camping. Its surrounded by fields and has lots of little villages tucked away in it for a spot of shopping. You can by fresh produce and the locals are always on hand to help if your looking for something in particular.

We ate lots of good food and filled my cravings of Nachos and talked about life, the world and what we want to do next. I think its really important to take time out of your stressful lives and spend it with the people that mean the most to you, as it can give you a new perspective on things.

Life can be hard and a lot to deal with at the best of times but if you remind yourself or what you have and things you have achieved no matter how big or small than it can seem that little bit better. Remember to be kind and to not compare yourself to others and life can be full of sunshine, even when you do live in London and it does rain 80% of the time.

We had a really lovely time away. Its always great to appreciate the country you live in and make the most of what you have around you without spending a fortune. The next stop is going to be Scotland as I've always wanted to go there but this time in a cold climate so I can snuggle up in a log cabin somewhere.

I hope you have enjoyed this little post.
Let me know if you have been anywhere nice lately?

Love Khrissie x

A day out in Battersea: Formula-E Racing

Me & Nick in an electric mini car! How cute!

Hello & Happy Sunday everyone!

I hope your all doing well and you had an amazing weekend! There was lots going on in London the whole weekend so I'm sure lots of you were up to something. I sadly didn't get tickets in time to see the queen herself, Taylor Swift, which I am super sad about so I decided to go to a Formula E event instead.

Formula E is like formula 1 racing but with smaller and quieter electric vehicles. It was held at Battersea park which was a great location as you could chill in the E-Village during the day in the beautiful park until the races started at around 4pm. Around the park were little stalls full of electric related products, like the car in the image above. It was really interesting to see the future of what electricity can do while walking around in the beautiful sunshine.

I made a vlog of the day, lots of me talking and some clips of the race. I want to get into vlogging if I can as I feel a little more confident to do it more now, its just the camera I'm using isn't the best quality but its all I can use for now so bare with me. I hope its not too boring, I never like the sound of my own voice but hopefully I'll improve over time. Do let me know any feedback.

I hope you enjoy the vlog and comment down below if you have any questions.
Enjoy your week guys,
Love Khrissie x

Love to shop: Anthropologie

This is a little post as I miss writing for my blog but I can't quite decide the direction I want it to go in. I want to more lifestyle and travel but include some fashion etc without it becoming too much of a mish-mash but until I work out what I'm doing, I can tell you about my new love! Anthropologie!

Now most of you would have heard of it and even been shopping there before but I never have! I know, shame on me, but I have found this little treasure now and all I can say is that my bank balance is never going to be healthy again. I need everything in here, including the hanging chair they have in the Chelsea store.

Like, who wouldn't want a carved book of their initials? It would be pretty cool to have a whole word made out of these. Like the modern versions you see but more rustic which would look awesome in a modern setting with white walls and some simple candles.

Here are what Anthropologie are famous for in the blogging world and I can see why. They are gorgeous! I love all the different shapes and sizes you can choose from and in the trendy copper colour that everyone seems to love right now. Adding plants to a home is a great way to make it feel homely and can warm up a room which may feel quite cold in terms of decor.

I also found these amazing shoes while I was having a browse around. They reminded me of the ones from 'The Little Princess' film when she gives some shoes to the girl in the attic to cheer her up. If you haven't seen that film, you must! Its one of my all time favourites, full of great life lessons and tear jerking story lines, but with a beautiful happy ending. Its the perfect princess story in my opinion.

This is what you see when you enter the store in Chelsea along Kings Road, London. Its a tropical paradise without all the hassle of real life insects, which is right up my street. I stood here for a good five minutes just staring at it all, as it made me feel calm and took me to another, more perfect world.

Anthropologie are what a great job looks like in terms of store decor. It sucks you in and you really get a feel for their world and what they are about. I wish more stores concentrated on user experience as it really does make a difference and even if you don't buy anything, you are sure going to come back to see what new stock they have.

Definitely have a look at a store near you when you are next out shopping as I'm sure you will fall in love with it just like I have. I love just going for walks in London with no intensions and just finding new favourite places. Its a great way of exploring and seeing the world through your own eyes which is really important in this day and age as we are so blinded buy information we are fed each day that most people don't form their own views on stuff as much anymore, its all about the hype. When actually if you have a look for yourself you will realise there is a lot of good in the world that we just don't see because we are never really looking.

So next time your out and about, put your phone away and really take in whats around you. I bet you will see things that you have never seen or noticed before, it can be a real eye opener.
I hope you enjoyed this little post and if you have any recommendations of shops you have found I would love to know in the comments below.

Enjoy your week
Love Khrissie x

Ideas: A Lazy Weekend

So there is nothing better than having your days off at the end of the week to enjoy yourself, relax, indulge and experience new things. I see as Fridays and Saturdays as my days for getting out of the house and doing fun things and Sundays as my relaxed day. Lately my Saturdays have been my chilled day as I haven't been feeling too good and so when it gets to Sunday I feel like I need to do something.

Dont get me wrong, its still a chilled out day but sometimes I just can't handle sitting around all day as I feel like I'm wasting my life away, so I've put a list together of little things you can do on your day off that make it a little bit more interesting.

1/ Making snacks ready for a film or a TV marathon
So sometimes there is nothing better than getting cosy in your dressing gown and sitting down with some treats to watch a film or catching up on your favourite shows. Instead of buying in some snacks full of bad things why not make your own? This will help you accomplish something in the day and also help to improve your cooking skills.

Now I'm a little addicted to popcorn at the moment and it can be such a simple thing to make. Buy some popcorn kernels, add half a cup to a saucepan with some coconut oil or butter, put a lid on and watch them pop away. All you need to do it make sure you shake the pot now and then so non of them get stuck to the bottom and add your flavourings. You can just add sugar and a pinch of salt or if your feeling extra naughty drizzle some chocolate over the top! yum!

Another thing that is really easy to make are cookies! I always whip these up on random occasions as they take less than 20 minutes and taste a lot better than the ones you find in the supermarket. You can try my 'Chocolate Tea' flavoured ones here or just change the recipe and miss out the tea leaves and mix in chocolate chunks instead or if your feeling health conscious you can try this 'Coconut Tart'

Tea flavoured cookies dipped in chocolate 

Gluten-Free coconut bites (tart)

2/ Yoga
I've done yoga here and there over the past few years but I haven't really stuck to it but when I do take part in a class or follow a yoga video I feel so much better in myself. Yoga helps you to reflect on the positives in your life and get rid of all the negative vibes that are dragging you down. Its also a form of exercise which releases good endorphins which will make you feel better anyway.

So in the comfort of your own home grab a mat or blanket, turn on youtube and either follow a session from your laptop or connect it to your TV with a HDMI cable. No one will have to judge you but you will feel much better for it when you are finished.

3/ Plan a weekend away with your loved ones
So todays the day when you really don't want to do anything so why not take the time to plan a little break away? Everyone needs some 'me' time or just a moment to get away from the stresses of everyday life and enjoy what is around you. I done this the other weekend and now I have something to plan and look forward to.

Me and Nick have planned a 2 day getaway in Graffham, West Sussex in a cute little flat that we found on Air BnB. Its set in a little town where we can go for walks, have lunches at a local pub and enjoy the quiet life of the countryside. Its going to be a great time for us to spend some quality time together and really enjoy each other company without worries about the daily chores we need to get done. There are hundreds of places on Air BnB you can check out and you can get a lot of them for a great price and in locations that hotels dont offer you.

Source: Air BnB 

I am already dreaming of staying in a log cabin in the heart of Scotland where there is a hot tub and beautiful scenery around us, I mean, how dreamy does that sound? So grab a notebook and start a Whats App group and get your next trip planned. It doesn't have to be expensive like a holiday abroad but you can have just as much fun because its about the company you keep, not where you keep it.

4/ Write a letter
The world we are living in right now is becoming more of a digital one as the months go by. Gone are the days when we need to make a effort to talk to someone by either travelling to their house for a catchup or writing a letter and telling them about your day, all it takes is a quick facebook message or a text and thats it. The only thing with this is that the communication is short and sweet and not really meaningful.

Now we all love a bit of stationary and what better excuse than to buy your own writing set? There are lots of beautiful ones out there so head down to your nearest Paperchase or purchase one online and get writing! Here are a few of my favourites:

Source: Paperchase Art Deco Set (left) & Paperchase Parisian Set (right)

Source: Etsy Writing kit with box

 5/ Go to a Car Boot

If your a pinterest fanatic like most of us then you are going to love a good car boot sale. There are always little gems hidden away which would make the perfect DIY project. Buy an unwanted chair or bedside table, sand it down and re paint it. Spray an old ornament or lamp stand copper. All done for pennies but way more satisfying than finding something triple the price in a shop. 

Give your area a good google for some car boots and head down one weekend. You will be surprised what you can find when you have a good nose around. 

I hope you have enjoyed this post and I have inspired you to do something different with your day!

I will add a few more things when I get the time so watch this space. 

Enjoy your lazy day no matter what you do.

Love Khrissie x

Contiki to Asia: Thailand

So I've been wanting to write this post for ages but I couldn't find my memory card with all my pictures on so I haven't been able to but I have now found it so I've been spending most of the day downloading the 700+ photos and thats just on one memory card! opps! Last year Llymlrs went on a Contiki trip to Asia for 14 days and through seeing all the pictures and blog posts, I was super jealous! I've always wanted to Asia and see the sights plus I have had an urge to travel since I have been going through my quarter life crisis (I know right!) and wondering what to do with the rest of my life! When Lily got back from her trip she posted a photo on Instagram of her jumping into a waterfall with a caption letting followers know that she was holding a competition for Contiki to let one of us win a Contiki trip of our own if we post a photo of us showing our inner child and tagging it. I was like 'YES! amazing...I need this trip' and posted this....

The caption was 'Me in an adult sized ball pit of balloons' and a month or so later I got a comment on my photo letting me know I had won the competition!! I couldn't believe my eyes and I was jumping up and down, like a child finding out they are going to Disneyland. I emailed them right away to see what trip I had won and they told me I had a £1500 budget to pick what trip I wanted. It was a no-brainer for me and so the 14 day Asian Adventure trip was booked! All I had to do was pay for my own flights but seeing how much money I saved I weren't bothered by that at all. You have no idea what this meant to me!

So Contiki is a tour company that arranges your whole holiday for you. All accommodation is included as well as some excursions, travel and some meals. You go with a group of up to 30 people and all aged between 18-35 so its a great way to meet some new like-minded people.

The day arrived for me to leave on my once in a lifetime trip, and there I was backpack and hand luggage in hand, on my way to Gatwick to get on my first long haul flight..on my own...to Asia!! (Is this real life!?) I was super nervous about the flying alone part but once I was on the plane and ready to go I was fine. I had a quick stop in Dubai on the way as I was getting two flights there but this worked out better for me as it gave me a chance to stretch my legs and get some 'fresh' air.

Once I arrived in Bangkok I had a taxi pick me up and take me to the hotel. I completely forgot it was only 7:30am when I arrived, so my jetlag was already pretty bad by this point. I pleaded with the receptionist to let me in my room early as I desperately needed a nap. Eventually I was allowed in and hit the sack straight away! I soon got woken by my new room mate Maria but I didn't mind at all as she was super lovely. We chatted and slept some more ready for the first night of the trip.

It got a bit later in the day as so we went to the bar next door to meet some more of our Contiki group. They were all some welcoming and lovely. It got to 6pm and it was time to meet the whole of the group, our tour guide and head out for dinner (and just a 'couple' of drinks)

That night lots of drinks were had, laughter and jokes were made and tuk tuks were riden. It was a great night where we all got to bond and create our first memories of the trip. The next day we got up bright and early, checked out of the hotel and headed out for our first temple visit...

The Grand Palace / Bangkok

This was a great temple to visit! The craftsmanship on the buildings is just beautiful so there are lots to look at. We all got given a square of gold leaf to put onto the Buddha too, look how neat I got mine. I was really proud of that...its the small things that please me. Theres so much to learn and admire while your there so if you ever decide to travel to Bangkok, make sure to visit.

Soon after this we got to take a trip along the klongs (canals) of Bangkok and feed some of the fish with bread. The sea and river always calms me so this was a nice little cruise to sit and chill on although if its a little windy you could get a little sea sick!

We then jumped onto an overnight train to Chiang Mai which was an interesting experience. It feels like your a student all over again as the seats turn into beds that you sleep in over night. I got woken up but a couple of cockroaches crawling in my bed which freaked me out and I hardly slept but thats all part of the experience, right? If I done this again I would definitely have the top bunk! In the early hours of the morning you will get woken up by the staff calling out 'Orangeee Juiceee' trying to make you buy some, and trust me they don't give up but it ended up becoming a running joke each morning at the hotels after that.

Doi Suthep Temple / Chiang Mai

I really enjoyed this temple too! The stairs up to it were really hard to climb but its a good workout for your legs. You always have to take your shoes off when you enter a temple as a sign of respect. You also have to wear long trousers and cover your arms sometimes, so make sure you take appropriate clothing when you go. You can always pick some up at a local market if you dont have any, which feel more authentic anyway.

Our local guide told us about each of the Buddha's which represented each day of the week. It can then translate into and what animal and colour you are depending on the day and year you are born. I'm a wednesday child, year of the horse and green is my colour. They all have their own meanings and are pretty interesting too as it can tell you something about yourself you might not have thought about.

I also done this fortune telling thing where I had a cup of sticks and I had to sit down, shake them and see what number fell out. There are then pieces of paper on the wall that tell you something, which can be good or bad but both times for me, the stick came out blank? I never asked the tour guide what that meant as I was too scared it was something bad. I also walked around this walking square where you hold flowers, walk around three times and make a wish. I'm not going to tell you my wish just yet as it hasn't come true but I will do if it does. Its a really calming temple and everyone is there to wish for good fortune for them and their families so its a great place to relax if you want more positivity in your life.

Thai Cooking Class

As well as there being lots of thing included in the trip, you can also pay for some optional extras while your there. One of them was a Thai cooking class, which I opted for straight away as I love cooking and theres no better time to learn than in the country itself. Our teacher took us through the market and told us a bit about different vegetables and spices that were used before he took us to his kitchen in the beautiful countryside.

You can see in one of the photos that the teacher done the trick of the flames which we actually got to try out ourselves if we wanted to. I thought there was nothing to lose to went for it, to be surprised how hot it was! So hilarious though, but don't try this one at home kids! We got to cook a variety of tasty dishes including 'Cashew Chicken' and 'Massaman Curry'. It was some of the tastiest food I have eaten in a while, even if I did cook it myself. The best thing about the evening was everyone sitting around the tables at the end and eating it all while drinking a cold Chang beer. Thats the life! You also get given a recipe written by the teacher himself so you can re-create the dishes yourself.

To end a great evening we went to see some Thai kickboxing which was pretty epic in the end. The last fight was a french guy who must have been over 6ft tall against a Thai boy around the same weight. The fight lasted all of 2 minutes when the french boxer kicked him straight in the head and knocked him cold out on the floor. There was lots of blood but pretty awesome to watch.

White Temple - Chang Rai

We were lucky enough to stop off at the beautiful white temple on our journey through Thailand. It was my favourite from the whole trip as I just loved the contemporary edge to a traditional design. Its much more stunning in real life too so make sure you check it out if you ever visit.

Hill Tribe Visit

Another additional excursion was paying a visit to the traditional hill tribes up on the hills in Chang Mai. There were roughly five tribes in the hills that we went to see. My favourite were the longnecks as they really fascinated me with all the gold rings and the stories about what they see as beautiful, it really got you thinking.

This lady was my favourite. I loved how upbeat and happy she was which lifted the whole mood of the group. I couldn't help but buy a embroidered purse and bracelet from her stall.

This little kid was the cutest! As I was taking photos of him and his mother he crawled up to me as he was really fascinated by my camera. He was trying to push all the buttons and ending up taking the photo above, which really brought a smile to my face.

I really enjoyed taking these photos because when I looked back at them and looked into the eyes of the people I was taking the photos of I could really see they had lots of stories to tell. They all have a look about them which I cant help but think about and wonder what they have been through. Thailand was great and I enjoyed ever minute of it but it wasn't over yet. Our next journey was in Laos..