Simply Delicious

There are times when I love relaxing on a beach or chilling by the pool. However, often I find it too tempting to get out and take in the sights, sounds and smell of a place.

When I spent some time in Chiang Mai there were so many wonderful things to see and do (including a rather exhausting trek) but by far the most enticing experience was taking a Thai Cookery course. I have long been a fan of Thai cuisine, so the opportunity to gain some first hand experience was something I couldn't resist.

The day started with a trip to the market, followed by the opportunity to cook 3 courses. I went for a cookery course at Asia Scenic. It was a great day, which I highly recommend. The people were lovely and the food completely organic.

The centre was set up beautifully with large communal tables for everyone to cook together.

We headed off to the market where we got the opportunity to purchase fresh produce and see the huge colourful vegetables and huge varieties of food. 

My teacher, Gayray, told us all about the various produce available.

We got the opportunity to cook with fresh authentic Thai produce, with all equipment and utensils provided. 

I made Massaman curry, simply delicious. It was the perfect lunch. I also got the chance to try a Penang curry; I highly recommend it. 

At the workshop they gave us all cookbooks to take home, so I've been fortunate to cook some Thai cuisine since I've been home. I had a great time cooking with Gayray and encourage anybody heading to Thailand to go and take a Thai cookery course.

More information is available on my course at the Asia Scenic website.

St Valentine

I will never be able to decide if I prefer sunrises or sunsets, I think there is a certain charm in each. I've been fortunate enough to experience some pretty incredible sunrises, I have particularly fond memories of trekking to see the sunrise in Fiji from the top of a mountain.

That said, I witnessed a beautifully magical sunrise in Koh Phangan in Thailand. With a romantic colour theme of pinks, reds and oranges the picture was flooded with light. Looking at it now conjures up incredible memories for me.

Where have you seen the best sunrise?

The Clean City

A while back I spent a weekend in Singapore, just a few days. It's an interesting place; a cleaner subway system than anywhere else I've ever visited, huge buildings and ridiculously sleek and fashionable women.

Experiencing huge expansion and growth in previous years, the economy in Singapore slowed up in 2011 and looks to stay much the same in 2012. It's a small country and will inevitably be effected by the economic problems in Europe.

That said, there's a lot of business in Singapore accross various industries, from banking to technology to the tourism trade. It's a popular stop-over destination for people travelling from Europe to Australia and is also popular in it's own right with first class shopping, world- renowned sights such as Raffles Hotel and the interesting island of Sentosa (it's like The Truman Show!).

Here are some of my pictures from the trip:

Thriving nightlife at Clarke Quay

Tiger made of flowers on Orchard Street

 Long Bar at Raffles Hotel, where one can enjoy a Singapore Sling (anyone can visit the bar, even if you aren't fortunate enough to be staying at the hotel.

THE Singapore Sling...

Leopards at the night safari

Bright colours at the Botanical Gardens...

Luging on Sentosa island- lots of fun!

The Dream Team:: Shutters on the Beach

Just the name of this hotel sounds idyllic, which isn't a word I would use for many hotels around the Los Angeles area of California.

Photo, courtesy of Shutters  on the Beach website

Shutters on the Beach is one hotel that I would love to stay at. It is a luxury beach front property in Santa Monica. A boutique hotel which looks cool yet comfortable, stylish yet friendly and of course, it's right on the beach.

Following the spot-on location, the credibility of the hotel is enhanced by beautifully crafted rooms, wonderful food and a wellness spa.

The rooms and suites have the mod-cons and cleanliness you would expect from a Californian hotel, but juxtapose this with a beachy-boutique feel. The clean, light and airy rooms are perfect for relaxing and enjoying the sea views.

There are 3 restaurants to choose from; One Pico, Coast and the Living Room. I imagine a lazy weekend at Shutters, including a wonderful morning brunch of Eggs Benedict on the Sunday down at One Pico whilst reading the papers.

The hotel looks modern, very slick and is quite big, yet what I love most about it is the way they appear to have retained a friendly beach-house vibe throughout the decor, restaurants and character.

Week-day doubles in February start from approximately $510 based on 2 people sharing a room.

See more for yourself at their website, Shutters on the Beach.

5 of the Best in Budapest

Budapest is another interesting European city; capital of Hungary, it is neatly nestled in Central- East Europe. With the river Danube flowing straight through the middle, Buda is the name for the area on the West Bank and Pest the name for the East Bank. They estimate 20 million tourists visit the city each year, and visited for a few days, myself, I can see why. Temperatures in the winter can be bitterly cold between -4C (24.8 F) and 1C (33.8 F), but in summer they can experience blue skies and very warm weather, with highs of 28C (82.4 F).

It's always difficult to sum up all the great things to see in a city if you only a couple of days to visit it, but I've put together my top 5 below. This list takes in my personal favourites and things not to be missed.

1. Gellert Spa and Bath. Go on, spoil yourself.

2. Take yourself to Gerbeaud Cukrászda for a coffee and cake. Spoil yourself some more. The sweet treats here are delectable, delicious and divine.

3. Sit by the Danube and watch the world go by for an afternoon or evening, or even take a boat trip along the Danube.

4. If you're looking for somewhere to go out I suggest 'Rio del cafe' overlooking the Danube river. It's open air so only an option in the summer, but it has a very cool vibe, not too expensive and is a bit different to the other clubs in the city.

5. Go to Castle Hill (Varhegy) for incredible views over the city.

Budapest is a great place to wonder around and get lost in the city. Truly, one of my favourite European destinations.

Happy New Year

Chinese New Year is today.

A couple of years ago I was in Bangkok around the time of Chinese New Year. The city looked more vibrant and colourful than usual,  if at all possible.

Happy Chinese New Year to anyone celebrating!

Planning you next Vacation...

For some people planning a holiday is a complete chore (enter travel agents to do the work for you) but for some of us half the fun is in planning our vacations. Even more rewarding than the planning is the fact that now there are sites which offer fantastic hotel rates, great experiences or even the entire holiday for you, so you can invariably save yourself a bit of money.

I personally like planning holidays and weekend breaks because, that way, I can ensure I know exactly what I'm getting and also exactly in the order/ way I want it. I've compiled a list of a few of my favourite sites to help you get started.

1. Jetsetter
Jetsetter is fairly new to the UK, but it is well established in the USA. The UK site has just partnered with Conde Nast Traveller and are currently offering flash sales at some of the Gold List 2012 hotels. 
What I like: good sales and at incredible hotels, this site offers luxury on a budget (not a small budget, but still). This allows those of us with flexibility on dates and time to spare, the opportunity to experience opulent hotels worldwide.There's a US site and a UK site to try.

My tip: I recommend giving Hacienda Benazuza a try in Seville, it looks incredible. Only a few days left in the flash sale! 

2. Secret Escapes 
This website offers a great selection of worldwide sales and also a host of UK based breaks, I'm fairly certain there is something for everyone.  
What I like: excellent variety of sales, some just hotels, others the entire trip. I also like the fact that you can set a reminder for up-coming sales. They'll e-mail you when the sale has begun. 

My choice: Cuba with flights, £1349 for 13 nights. Bargain!

3. Voyage Prive
 This website has lot of choice in terms of destination, and plenty of options for each place too. For lots of their offers you can choose varying number of nights, room only, room and flights, whole package.

My current pick: Artemisia Palace Hotel, Palermo, Italy. If you can bag some cheap flights they are currently offering a 2 night stay for £62 including breakfast!

So, if you're looking to plan your next get away, take a look at the above.