Thursday, 27 June 2013

10 places to see before they disappear

Do you agree with all of them or you think this is a bit alarmistic?


Monday, 17 June 2013

Thursday, 13 June 2013

Kua 'Aina, the hawaiian barbecue in London

Exterior, Carnaby Street
A few weeks ago we found this gem. We were on our way somewhere else, but we have walked so much in Hyde Park and Oxford Street that I could not feel my feet, so I wanted to sit as soon as possible.

Basement
My boyfriend wanted a burger and I was not really hungry, but I could not resist to trying something new , so I ordered one for me as well. 

Burger with a full avocado
So I decided for an avocado burger. To be honest, I was not really sure what I was ordering, last time I went to Nando's (which I hate) I ordered one mushroom wrap and there was no chicken in it, only a big mushroom and a sad cheese! 

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Eating in London for less than 10£

Some people might say London is a really expensive city, that the lifestyle is too expensive. And I say: it depends. Don't you believe me? Read this entry.

We can't deny that the British Pound worths much more than other currencies like the Euro or Dollar. So, with the exchange rate, yes, it could look much more expensive. But happens to be that we spend a lot of money in eating while on holidays. London is the city of the take away. A few of us bring food to work, most live on sandwiches and the take away for most of the  month. And that is the reason why eating out is really cheap. Sometimes it even turns out to be cheaper buying out than cooking at home. So I give you a list of restaurants that appear all around England and that are a good option is you are travelling on a tight budget or you just do not want to wast any time and enjoy the city to the full.

I give you all the restaurants were you can eat (main dish and soft drink) for under 10£ per person without having to stand. And I want to make really clear that I am only talking about chains, but all along UK there are thousands of similar independent companies that offer the same, you just need to look a bit around.

Ping Pong: This is a Chinese food chain serving mainly dim sums. The little steamed bites are a healthy and tasty alternative. They always have offers at lunch time and even at diner. They also have other traditional Chinese food, but that would go out of our budget. They are proper restaurants, not for fast food.

Itsu: This is a Japanese, also really healthy, but the shops are more to eat fast than enjoying a quiet night. They mainly have sushi, salads and noodles or rices.


Wasabi: another Japanese, really similar to Itsu, but I always think they have more to choose from.  
Pizza Express: many Italians would tell you this is not the authentic Italian pizza. To be honest, I have seen so many types of pizza, that I do not know what is authentic and what is not. The pizzas, salads and pastas are quite well and they are around 7-9£, although the restaurants look quite more expensive than that! They have been awarded with the best pizza award in 2012. 
Strada: quite similar to Pizza Express, it is a bit more expensive and I personally do not like it as much, but it is also a really good option. 
Wagamama: I am not a fan of this one, but I include it here because it is quite popular in the country. Japanese food without sushi. The tables are to share, but they have waiter service.
Wetherspoon: This one is about pubs. Because pubs have generally good food, mainly English dishes and the prices are really popular. Wetherspoon has really cheap prices and all their pubs look independent from one another. Be careful going with children as some of them do not allow them in depending on their emergency exits.
Nando's: I am not a fan at all, but everybody else seem to love it. They mainly do chicken. Yes, only chicken and some vegetarian dishes.

I will keep adding as soon as I remember more, but I can assure you will find most of them in any city across UK.

Sunday, 9 June 2013

Convivence rules when travelling

Over the years I had the chance to travel with many different people: partners, friends, relatives, workmates and even strangers. I have travelled alone too, and that is very challenging! My fellow travel mates go from people that have travelled extensively to those ones that haven't left their native country.
Let´s face it: travelling is an adventure and not everyone is ready for it. Anyone can become the best or worst mate, no matter how much you love him/her, you can end up thinking: this is the last time we travel together.
Did it happen to me? Yes. Have I been one of those whose friends think: WTF is wrong with you? Mea culpa, I have to assume it. There are people that have never travelled before and you are surprised how open-minded they are with other cultures (my own Mum happens to be one of those). Then, there are those that have travelled a lot and they can be the perfect annoying tourist (I should write a post about this!)


As a general rule, a good tourist shouldn´t be complaining about everything. You are travelling to enjoy. Spending money to be kilometres away from home and not enjoying the thing at all, it is not worth it. Whether it is the first time you travel or you have done it many times, I give you a few convivence rules to help you survive the vacation without problems.

  1. Sharing room: This is my big no-no and one of my worst issues when planning a trip. The room is there to get rest and grooming. Decide a few basic rules before ending pulling your hair out. There are people that need more hours of sleep than others, as well as people that need two hours to get ready (true story). Be realistic: if you are going to straighten your hair, waxing and apply 5 layers of make up before leaving the hotel, do not dare to be the last one to get up and make everyone else waiting for you. Also, if you are not capable of sleeping without the tv on, maybe this is a good chance to start trying for the sake of those with light sleep. I still remember how in my first trip to London, my roommate decided to see all the 2000 pictures she took that day without turning off the sound in her camera, resulting in 2000 beeps. Mad!