12 South American Foods You Must Try!

One of the most exciting bits about travelling is trying out your favourite foods at the source. We all know there’s nothing like eating Pad Thai in Thailand, curry in India, tagine in Morocco or a big fat burger in the USA.

So what about South America? What foods are Argentina, Brazil and Peru famous for? If, like me, you’re the sort of traveller who makes a note of the local delicacies before you arrive, then read on. Get the low down on the must-eats for Peru, Brazil, Colombia or Argentina with my list of 12 foods that you really have to try when travelling South America.

Image courtesy of Charles Wagner on Flickr

CEVICHE – PERU

Contrary to popular belief, South American food isn’t all meat and carbs. Found all across the coastal regions of Latin America, by far the best place to try ceviche is Peru. Ceviche is a seafood dish of fresh fish served in a zesty marinade of lime juice and chilli. It’s a cold dish, where the acidity of the marinade is what ‘cooks’ the fish from raw. Sounds weird, but tastes amazing. You’ll find it in street stalls, food markets and restaurants across the country but head to Lima, the capital of ceviche, to try the best in the world.

EMPANADAS – ARGENTINA

It’s no surprise that us Brits, with our pasties and pies, go mad for empanadas. These little South American pasties are the staple street food found across the continent. You simply can’t visit South America without trying one, it’s just not possible. Particularly in Argentina, you’ll find all kinds of flavours and fillings, from the standard beef and cheese fillings, to creamy sweet corn and veggie spinach and ricotta. Across the border you’ll find regional variations, with meaty salteñas in Bolivia and deep fried Pastels in Brazil. Empanadas will be your South American comfort food.

Mmmmmm-Empanadas

STEAK, CHIMICHURRI AND RED WINE – ARGENTINA

Argentina is world-renowned for steak and for good reason too. Argentinians are passionate about beef, so asados and parilladas (barbecues and mixed grills) are their speciality. In Buenos Aires, you can get a huge, juicy steak and bottle of red wine and pay the same price as a pizza back at home. Make sure you order your steak with the classic Argentinian chimichurri, a sauce made with parsley, garlic, oil and red wine vinegar. Wash it down with an Argentinian Merlot and you’re in steak heaven.

Ingredients to make Chimichurri. Oh come on you know what a steak looks like! Image courtesy of Dominic Lockyer on Flickr

CUY (GUINEA PIG) – PERU

If you’ve ever had a pet guinea pig, we recommend that you look away now. Guinea pigs, known in Peru by their Quechuan name cuy, originate from the Andes and just so happen to be a national delicacy. Yes, I know it’s weird, but after seeing it on the menu in numerous high-end restaurants and during an annual food festival, it’s hard not be curious. Some say it tastes like chicken, but it has also been compared to rabbit or pork.

COXINHAS – BRAZIL

Brazil is a haven for street-food lovers. Brazilian food is a mix of indigenous dishes and Portuguese/African influences which really reflects Brazil’s exotic culture. One of the most popular street foods Brazil are coxinhas, delicious deep-fried balls of creamy shredded chicken. Made better with a fresh tomato salsa, you’ll go mad for these little fried goodies.

AJI AMARILLO – PERU

Aji amarillo is a yellow chilli pepper native to Peru and used in all sorts of Peruvian dishes. This hot yellow chilli pepper has very distinct taste and gives traditional Peruvian dishes such as aji gallina (hen curry) and papa a la huancaína (potatoes in a spicy cheese sauce) their colour and flavour. Sadly for us, we can’t get hold aji amarillo very easily in the UK, so make the most of it while you’re in Peru and feast on aji gallina and papa a la huancaína.

AREPAS – VENEZUELA AND COLOMBIA

As such a big continent, there are many regional variations of South American food. However, certain ingredients form the basis of all variations of food. The same maize flour that is used to make tortillas in Mexico and tamales in Peru, is used for arepas in Venezuela and Colombia. These little corn flatbreads are served with cheese, avocado, egg, or jam and can be eaten for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

FEIJOADA – BRAZIL

This meaty black bean stew is often considered as Brazil’s national dish. Made with various trimmings of salted pork and beef, this hearty chilli is cooked in a thik clay pot and served with a variety of sides or alone. Yet another tasty addition to Brazil’s impressive street-food menu, meat-lovers must try feijoada. Vegetarians can sample feijao com arroz (the beans and rice without the meat!).

DULCE DE LECHE – ARGENTINA, URUGUAY AND BEYOND

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then you’ll have to try dulce de leche. All across South America, particularly in Uruguay and Argentina, there is an obsession with dulce de leche – a sweet and creamy caramel confection. So intense is this love for dulce de leche, that during the World Cup, the Uruguayan football team partly-blamed their defeats on having their stores of dulce de leche confiscated by Brazilian customs. Yet another staple in a South American diet, you could find dulce de leche served with ice cream, in an alfajores biscuit, piped into churros or just spread on toast! This leads me on to another sweet treat

Sweets made with delicious Dulce de Leche

PICARONES – PERU

If you like churros, you need to try picarones. These Peruvian doughnuts, found in street stalls and food markets, have their distinctive orange colour from the sweet potato and/or pumpkin in the ingredients. Sweet and sticky, rolled in cinnamon and sugar, these are the ultimate Peruvian street snack.

PISCO SOUR – PERU

So after all this talk of food, I bet you’re wondering about the beverages. Aside from your Cusquena beers and bottles of unnaturally yellow Inca Cola, Peru’s national drink is the Pisco Sour. Made from pisco, a brandy commonly drunk across Peru and Chile, egg white, lime juice and bitters, the tangy Pisco Sour should be your cocktail of choice when eating ceviche. Peruvians love it so much they even have a National Pisco Sour Day!

YERBA MATE TEA – ARGENTINA

You won’t be long in Argentina before you’re offered mate. Pronounced mah-tay, this traditional Argentinian tea infusion is drunk through a metal cup and straw. Yerba mate is the traditional caffeinated drink enjoyed at all times of day and is found in the form of loose leaf or in teabags. It’s an acquired taste, but as Brits who love a brew, make sure that you join in the Argentine ritual of mate drinking…

Original article can be found here: http://www.statravel.com/blog/2014/10/21/12-south-american-foods-to-eat-at-the-source/

Budget Travel Pt 2 - Food

Second part of our Budget Travel Series focuses on another major expense on your journey - food! It is necessary, you will not avoid it and after accommodation it will be your number 2 expenditure. So eating on your travels can be as cheap or as expensive as you want. Some people, including me, hate counting pennies on holiday. I want to try a quesadilla from a street vendor or stop for few cocktails in this little beach bar... Holiday on a budget is a challenge, but there's way. A good thing to have is a daily budget you're allowed to spend on the whole trip. So before setting off, know exactly how much money you take with you. Divide this amount by the number of days of your trip. Also include the attractions you want to see. That way you will know how much money you can spend daily. We will devote a separate blog post on a travel budget later on. If you stop by few cocktails, maybe skip dinner that night? Or cook your own lunch the next day? Below we prepared few tips on saving money on food when travelling:

1. Cook meals yourself. Yes, if you have an access to the kitchen in your hostel or rented home, this is one good way to save money. Go to the local supermarket (where the locals go) and buy what you fancy. Try their local specialities, don't be afraid to experiment and you might be pleasantly surprised. If you don't want to risk buying what you don't know, pick the items you're familiar with: pasta, rice, veggies, fruits, bread, milk and cheese.
   
   
   
2. Eat from a set menu - when going to the restaurants, ask if they offer set menu (El Menu del Dia) - it will be generally cheaper then their main menu. Remember that they rarely make profit on the set menu, so they will be offering you extra drinks. Order them if you fancy, but you're not obliged. 
3. Pay for the meals a month in advance. If you're in one place for longer, think of booking a lunch in local eatery - 3, 5, or even 7 times per week. That way you know you'll get a cooked meal at a set price. Ask for a discount if you pay for a month in advance. This option could work if you know you are stationery in town - you work from home etc. But if you know you will be travelling to local areas, you might not want to commit yourself to coming back at a certain time everyday for food - so worth considering that. 
   
4. Eat where the locals eat. Yes, that's no secret that tourist restaurants can be 10 times dearer then local eateries. How to tell the difference between the two? See if the menu is billingual. If it is, it's a tourist spot. I usually try to avoid these places, the food is not the best, and the prices are over the top. The chefs know that tourists won't come back, they're here for the night and be somewhere else tomorrow anyway, so no point making an effort. Local people know the best eateries at the best value. In these places you will be served quality, delicious authentic food. When we went to Sri Lanka to one of the local bars, we were even allowed to come to the kitchen and pick what we wanted, because there was no menu in this particular place (it was more of a family affair for very local people) and nobody spoke English. But we got 7-8 different curries and rice, and it was a fantastic experience. 
   
5. Try street food. Don't shy away from it, it is not always unsanitary and full of germs just waiting to get you! The street vendors offer little snacks that are typical to the area, so if you want to try authentic cuisine, it doesn't get better than that! One tip - go to the vendors in the busy spots, by the main roads - the food is guaranteed to be fresher there because it is being made and sold almost right away, so you know it hasn't been lying there for hours. 
   
6. Challenge all you can eat buffets. These are excellent value places, and you can try as many dishes as you want. Only go there if you're ready for a challenge of polishing a big plate!
   
7. Make your own distilled water - fresh water is a must-have in a tropical country. You will be probably going through few bottleseach day. Even if it's cheap in the shops, buying 3-4 everyday will affect your budget. Our tip - boil a full kettle night before - if you have a private kitchen - and let it cool overnight. Fill up few small bottles the next morning, and voila - you're set for the day and saved yourself few £ :)
   
8. Prepare your own packed lunch. If you want to have a rest from restaurant food, make your own sandwiches or salads for the day. Go to the local market in the morning and buy few simple products, like cheese, butter, bread rolls, fruits and snacks. Get them ready in the kitchen before setting off for the day. Great option if you go hiking in some remote area and want to take some provisions with you. 
   
9. Don't be afraid to make mistakes - it's all part of the experience. I still remember my first visit to the grocery shop in Rio de Janeiro, I bought intriguing looking packet that turned out to be dried rice noodles, inedible blobs that looked like granary rolls and box of corn granules. Basically this food could have only been cooked, yet I did not have access to the kitchen - mistake I learnt from! Needless to say I stayed hungry that night, but was happy that I was brave enough to try something new and didn't go the easy 'restaurant' route :)

See also: 
Budget travel pt 1 - Accommodation
Budget travel pt 3 - Getting around

Selling Car not as easy as Pie

Yes, selling the car is not that easy. There's plenty of ways to get your car seen, but because this is not a simple purchase, buyers can be discouraged at a drop of a hat. I remember how picky I was when I was buying my car. First of all you don't know the history of the car, if it has been in an accident, are there any problems that will need to be fixed? There's always something wrong with a second hand car, and it will never be in pristine condition.

But I don't despair yet, I drive with the big cardboard sign on the dash - 'For Sale' with my phone number, and also description on the side windows. I try to park by busy roads, so many passing drivers can see me. I have read somewhere that it's good to park in the supermarkets car parks - I've done that over the weekend, picked a spot facing the main entrance and parked up (for the allowed time). Car boots are good as well, I had few people asking me about the car when I took it to the car boots over the weekend.

If I don't sell it by 20th September, I'll take it to the local car auction, I might get less then I wanted - they will probably buy it off me to re-sell - but even £200-300 profit is better then none.

On more positiver note, I went through some of my old stuff, and found original 1960s Parker Pen - worth around £45. I must have bought it with an auction lot at some point. Lucky that, I have already photographed it this morning and listed on ebay. And just finished baking Brie & Spinach Pastry Pie - mmmm, time for lunch :)

Budget Travel pt.1 - Accommodation

Here we go, new three part series on budget travel. Tips on saving money, looking for cheaper options and not paying over the odds just because your from 'Grongolandia'!
First part is all about accommodation. This will be the biggest chunk of your travel budget - staying in hostels, hotels b&bs. We'll look into cheaper alternatives so you don't end up out of pocket.

1. Never ever ever book a hotel in advance for the whole stay. First few nights in new place is fine (recommended even) - you need to know you have somewhere to go when you step out of the plane - just for your peace of mind. But don't book the hotel for the whole journey - you will most likely pay full price, and you never know if that's the hotel with the best location / atmosphere. Look around, once you've arrived, and ask about the prices in local hotels. That way you will pick the location you like, you will see the hotel and the room up close, and the staff will usually give you a discount on the night just to fill up the hotel. Even smaller profit for them is better then keeping the room empty for the night!
2. Staying in one place longer is much cheaper then moving around. That of course works if you are travelling long term, you're on a gap year etc. If you stay in one place for a month or longer, ask for better deal at the hotel / hostel if you pay in advance. You will most likely get 30% off the full price. Also ask if there's further discount if you don't take the breakfast. By the end of the day, you will most likely be served tea and toast, and for the money saved you could grab something in town!
3. If you have to travel somewhere long distance, like 200km to your next destination, take a night train. You will save the money on overnight accommodation, and don't waste the whole sunny day stuck on the train.
4. Rent a room or apartment. It will be way cheaper then paying for each night at the hostel. Look for adverts in local papers or estate agencies. If you don't know the language, ask a local person for help. For £5-10 they could go with you through adverts, make calls and translate. You can even go for 2 bedroom apartment in central location (large busy towns) and sub-let the spare room to the tourists - now that's a smart way! Just make sure it's a tourist destination, and your prices are competitive with local hotels. Put few adverts around town, local shops, or even Air Bnb. You might need to get a local sim card (if you have unlocked phone) so people will call you on a local number (and you don't pay the roaming charges back home).
5. Try home sitting and stay rent-free! Yes, you can look after someone's home when they're away and don't pay for accommodation! That requires preparation in advance, ideally before you set of for travels. Create house sitting profile on specialists websites: TrustedHousesitters and HouseCarers. These sites connect home owners with house sitters. Most likely you will be required to look after the pets (dogs, cats, sometimes farm animals). So experience is preferred. 
6. Couchsurfing. I haven't tried that myself but it's an option to stay in someone's place for free for up to few nights. You might get a couch, spare bed or even own room! There's few sites connecting people together, most popular without a doubt is Couchsurfing.com Check it out and set your profile now!
7. Work exchange (WWOOF-ing). You can live and work on organic farms, help with a work load, and stay on the premises. Great deal, but requires a lot of hard labour - if you're prepared to do it on your travels. Look at it as a working holiday. In some places you can stay free, but in some you will be expected to pay for the accommodation, still it will be much cheaper then the hotel, and you'd probably get meals in that price too. Check this site: WWOOF International
8. Volunteering. That's a fantastic option. You can volunteer for nature / animal preservation organisation and help them with their work. In exchange you will stay with the group of volunteers rent free. That doubles as amazing experience, you could be saving rare species of animals, teaching local kids English or help comfort victims of domestic abuse. You will make a difference to local communities, contribute and meet amazing people in the process. Start here: Workaway.info
9. Try Homestays – similar to apartment rentals and Couchsurfing, homestays are just like they sound — you stay at someone’s home for a set amount of time — but the difference between this and the other options is that for a set price (usually a couple of hundred dollars per week), meals and language lessons with your hosts are also included. You find a lot of these in developing countries, particularly Central and South America, where they are very widespread. For safety reasons, recommended to couples and single males only.
10. Home exchange. Now that's a different level. Have you seen movie 'Holiday'? It's like that - you exchange homes with someone else who's willing to stay in your place, for a set period of time. This method works best for older travellers who already own a home. Home exchange programs have been around for a long time but are growing in popularity due to good marketing and word-of-mouth. Home exchanges are just like they sound — for a set amount of time, you exchange homes with a family from another country.Most people don’t do this because they worry about security — but remember the other family trusts you with their home, too. Moreover, websites that facilitate home exchanges usually have various levels of verification and security similar to Couchsurfing. Families talk to each other over phone and e-mail, and there’s no commitment if you find that it’s not right for you. Sounds interesting? Check this site: HomeExchange.com

See also:
Budget travel pt 2 - Food
Budget travel pt 3 - Getting around

Saturday planking...

Car boot sales are fun. Especially if you have plenty of small items to get rid of, or have a house clearance. Especially now in the Summer they're booming. And they still will be going until October, as long there's a good weather. It can't be raining for too long, because most of car boot sales are outdoor, on the fields. Today's car boot was fantastic, topped up my sales this week, and it means that the holiday budget is rising. Hip hip and all that.
There was supposed to be someone coming to view the bed this afternoon, and they just texted and cancelled. And I actually cleaned the house this morning, hoovered, especially under the bed, and changed the bedding. Never mind at least it's done, and I would do it anyway over the weekend. So silver linings and all that.
Now, please excuse, I'm going to practise planking in the fresh bedding until tomorrow. Ta!

Travel Safety - Top 10 Tips

Going to Central America, the main concern (for me and my parents) is the safety. My parents are very worried, as the main source of information about these countries for us here is the news. And let's face it, only the worst cases make the news - robberies, mugging, thefts and so on. Nobody talks about 99% of peaceful travellers, only extreme 1% actually make it to the news. But from experience I know that what you hear on tv is rarely true, and all of my travels were completely trouble free. Of course, you have to keep the common sense about you, because there are some shady characters. But as long as you stay in the safe area, have eyes wide open and be sensible you should have enjoyable holiday.
That safety concern also inspired my today's post: 10 tips on staying safe on your travels:

1. Look confident. When you walk around town, don't behave like a tourist, don't walk slowly, looking around and appearing lost. You want to look like locals (expats) who know where they're going, walk with a purpose in mind. If you need to look on the map, don't stop in the middle of the road, go to any hotel lobby or a cafe, sit down and then refer to the map. 
2. If you get hassled by locals, don't appear flustered. Stay calm, don't panic, in some countries these are local 'salesmen' looking for clients for their boat trips, massages, hotels etc. It was happening to us in Sri Lanka almost everyday. I simply ignored them, and they walked away after few minutes, that seemed to work. Engaging in conversation only encourages further hassling.
3. Keep your eyes wide open. Be aware of your surroundings. Do you see somebody walking for a longer time at the same pace as you? It is rarely a coincidence. Stop by a shop display, look for something in a handbag and see if they walked past. If it turns out they did, don't get fooled, they might sit on the bench around the corner. If that's a persistent type, call a taxi, and ride two blocks away. That should work the magic. 
   
4. Dress like a local! Grab some cheap T-shirt and shorts from local market to blend in easier. It's surprisingly easy to tell a tourist from an expat by the way they dress. I can recognise Polish, Spanish, Italian people on the streets of UK just by the way they dress, cut their hair etc.
5. Don't wear a backpack. It's like wearing a sign - I'm a tourist! No, get a plastic shopping bag from a local supermarket and carry your stuff in one of those when walking around town.
6. Beware of volcanic areas - like Central America, Hawaii etc. Areas near active volcanoes often have toxic running water. So taking a shower may cause serious skin irritation. Volcanic ash may cause sort-term chemical changes in water quality, when it's got contact with open water-supply systems (uncovered reservoirs, lakes, streams, and water-catchment systems). Luckily the recorded cases are rare, and the contamination is short-term (few hours to few days), but you need to be aware of the risk. 
7. If you see somebody walking your direction looking aggressive, look directly into their eyes, and ask a question. Ask a direction to the post office or a beach. That will put them in a different state of mind because they will have to think of an answer. You will confuse them and they will change their initial plan (whatever that was). 
   
8. Taxi fair from the airport if the most risk-prone of all. By the end of the day you still have ALL your belongings with you, you never had a chance to leave your laptop, cash or passport in the hotel. So the taxi ride from the airport should be only arranged with the accredited taxi booking service at the airport. Don't get offered a cheap ride from the 'taxi drivers' waiting in the lobby. They might leave you high and dry in the middle of nowhere, driving away with all your belongings. 
9. Have two different wallets on you - a 'dummy' and a proper wallet. In case of a robbery, don't resist (the attackers often carry knives). Just give them the 'dummy' wallet with some cheap card and few notes, so they run away before analysing the fact. Also 'dummy' wallet sits in the back pocket, proper wallet deep inside your trousers. Get one with the clip, so you can attach it inside the waist belt. 
10. Bring some strong cable lock with you. When you take a bus or a train, these are perfect to secure the bag around the rail or the seat, so you can relax and travel care free knowing that no one will take your bag when you're not looking.

And remember about law of attraction. You attract what you radiate. It works on travels too! If you focus on avoiding accidents, think all the time about dangers around you, you might attract these. Relax, enjoy your trip and believe that only good things will happen to you. And only good things will come your way!

Vaccination project continues...

As you know, I'm in the process of sorting out my vaccines before travelling (ouch, my arm still hurts from yesterday!), and Hepatitis B and Rabies are on my mind right now, should I, should I not? They will seriously affect my budget, and they are not required (only recommended) for South America. They cover extreme cases, like infection from bodily fluids or being bitten by an animal, but these things can happen anywhere, and when you think about it, they don't happen that often, unless you've got a medical or veterinary job. So I'm on the verge of not taking them, just getting good health insurance, which would work out cheaper then both of these vaccines. It could be a better solution.

On more optimistic hand, I have finally cut my hair today, managed to track down my favourite hair stylist, who went mobile, and found her place. First hairstylist, after 11 years of looking, who is actually listening to what you want. Found her only now, when I'm about to leave the country, boo.. Never mind. My next haircut will be done in South America - and I bet this will be an experience - I better focus on learning Spanish phrases for 'short choppy bob', it could be more useful then knowing days of the week :) Miercoles!

Update on Malaria Tablets

I'm absolutely shattered today, had a busy day, but I promised myself to stick to the plan no matter what - and the plan says write a blog post every day, so here I go. Apologies if it doesn't make sense, though. If you feel like skipping this one, I won't take it against you, I'll take it as an excuse to jabber on...
Anyway, I'm glad I have pushed myself to wash, vacuum and wax the car yesterday, and now it shines so amazingly, I'm really proud. I took all the photos of exterior, interior and the engine, to list it online. I also prepared few 'For Sale' ads which are now fitted in the car - I already had one guy asking me about the car, so they must be working!

I was at the surgery today to get necessary vaccines for the travel. It turns out that my Hepatitis A and Yellow Fever are still valid, so I only got the Typhoid jab today. I thought I already had Hep B before, but apparently it's not available free on NHS, it is necessary to pay for it, and the cost of 3 set of jabs is about £130. But when I read a little bit more online, it turns out that most adults received basic Hep B vaccines as kids which are enough for everyday life, unless you work in health industry. It basically covers from any contamination when you're in touch with bodily fluids. But for most adults the early years' vaccines are perfectly enough.

Now, with Malaria tablets, you can actually get them from Boots or larger supermarkets with their own pharmacy section. It's even better to buy them over the counter, as getting them on NHS is the most expensive way. You can also order malaria tablets online, if you fill in a questionnaire about your health, other medications you're currently taking and treatment history. The cost online starts at about £20 and depends on the time you spend in the Malaria risk area. You need to take the tablets few days before your trip, everyday while you are there, and continue for up to 4 weeks after you come back. You don't need to take tablets all the time you are in the country with Malaria risk. Large cities and high altitude places are usually Malaria free. Only if you decide going on the jungle treck or a back-country trip, this time counts only as high-risk.

The most common Malaria tablets are: Malarone, Doxycycline and Lariam, which are all available online. Apparently Malarone is the safest, you take the tablets for the shortest time, and they have got no side effects. Yet they are most expensive. Lariam and Doxycycline are little cheaper, but you have to take them for longer time, and they have number of side effects, from greater sensitivity to the sunlight, nausea to anxiety. But I think, with every medication, this information is included just for warning, but the chance of risk could be small.
I will look into that a little bit deeper tomorrow and try to sort it out. Thanks for sticking with me up till now dear reader, have a lovely evening!

10 Rules for losing weight without starving

After I turned 35 I realised how difficult it is to stay in shape. Basically I started putting on weight while eating the same things I did all my life. But while in my 20s the weight was falling off me, now it's a different story. I remember my Mum used to tell me how difficult it is to lose weight in her age (or once you are in your 40s and 50s) and now I can understand what she meant. But after a while, I discovered there's a way of staying in shape, as long as you are smart with what you eat (and best thing, you won't have to starve!)

These are 10 rules of staying in shape: 

1st rule: Stop eating before you feel full. I like to put the plate away while I'm still slightly hungry. I found that before when I ate until I was full, after about 20 mins after the meal I felt like bursting. So perhaps the food needs to settle in your stomach before you realise you had enough. This rule definitely makes me lose weight quicker.

2nd rule: Eat breakfasts rich in proteins. Porridge, boiled eggs, cottage cheese, dark bread sandwich with cheese or muesli with milk. This way you stay fuller for longer, protein gives energy for the day and allow burn fats quicker.

3rd rule: Don't snack between meals. Not even biscuits with your tea or a yogurt. Any snacks allowed are fruits and veggies (apples, bananas, carrots, tomatoes etc.)

4th rule: Cravings... If you really crave something, wait until your main meal, and eat just a small chunk of it (like half a Snickers bar as a dessert after lunch).

5th rule: Eating Out. Very difficult to navigate through it... When dining out, choose meals that are low in calories, no Italian meals, like lasagna or pasta. Stick to salads, boiled vegetables, fruit bowls as desserts. Go for things baked over fried. Opt out of mayonnaise or oil dressings. Jacket potatoes instead of roast ones. Go to Chinese restaurant instead of Indian. And eat slowly, with smaller chunks. Maybe engage in a conversation with other diner, so you'll be focused on talking and forget about the food.

6th rule: forget about big dinner! In Poland where I'm from, our main meal is in lunchtime, and evening meal is a small supper. It's never good to eat a heavy meal late (or 4 hours before going to bed). Remember to make your last meal of the day something light but filling, like a yogurt with a bowl of fruits or a salad with no dressing. Never eat anything after 6pm.

7th rule: Drink plenty of water. I personally don't like cold water, so I tend to drink 4-5 cups of tepid boiled water.

8th rule: avoid carbohydrates: potatoes, pasta, rice and white bread. This evil stuff will sit in your belly and hips for-ev-er!

9th rule: exercise! I know you thought you'll get away without it, but... Even doing crunches everyday will speed up your metabolism. Try doing between 30 and 100, as long as you do it everyday.

10th rule: Motivation. Before reaching for a snack, think twice: do I prefer 2 minutes of food pleasure or a lifetime pleasure of looking fab? For me it works (almost) every time :) And have a strong defined goal you want to achieve, that's the best way to help you shed pounds and stay in shape!

Good Luck!

Do you feel lucky?

We often underestimate the significance of luck. It's good to be lucky, things come easier to you. Like a new cashier point is opening in a busy supermarket when you're queueing, or you have just managed to squeeze before a tractor on the roundabout, so you're not stuck behind him. These little things can ease your journey through a day, and maybe through your life. Sometimes we don't even notice these little things, until we get few unlucky happenings. Like a screaming toddler sitting right behind you on the 3 hour flight.

From time to time, when luck is on our side, it has got even more grandeur effect on your life. It can actually save you from the car accident, robbery or even death. You can be saved by a stranger, by the traffic jam or a computer glitch. The survivors of 9/11 attack mostly have been saved by some unusual events that disturbed their daily routine and prevented them from being in the office at 9am that fatal day.

One such story is told by Elise O'Kane:
United Airlines flight attendant Elise O'Kane had wanted to work her usual trip from Boston to Los Angeles that month.
But in August, when scheduling her flights for September on the airline's computer system, she accidentally inverted two code numbers and wound up with the wrong schedule.
She managed to trade flights with other attendants for all her trips -- except for Flight 175 on 9/11.
So the night before, she logged into the computer system again and tried to request that flight. The system froze. By the time it finally processed her request, it was one minute past the airline's deadline for such changes.
Her request for Flight 175 was denied. She would have to fly to Denver instead of Los Angeles.
She missed the flight that eventually crashed into World Trade Center that day. She survived...
Full story is available on CNN website.

How often we are being held up in the traffic, are sat in the delayed train and curse our bad luck? Maybe we should be grateful that this situation is saving us from a disaster or an accident. Next time your daily routine is distracted or you can't finish your online purchase, sit back, relax and let it go. It's the mighty force directing you to the safe place. Just take this situation as it is and be grateful for the intrusion. It could be your lucky day!

Something resembling a plan...

It was fantastic day for a car boot sale. Bit cloudy in the morning, but by noon, when the car boot started, it suddenly cleared out and the Sun appeared. I had a massive clear out, so apart from my regular home decor which I sell online, I took some of my private stuff, from clothing, DVDs, CDs, tools etc. I was so happy to be busy, sold very well, and pocketed £90 - that's a result :) That goes straight to my bank account on monday. Adding to my savings towards a big trip.

I've spent whole day yesterday researching, and I begin to have something resembling a plan. As I won't be having loads of money when going to South America, and a slim chance of getting a job there, I will need to allocate myself in a dirt-cheap place (like Ecuador or Peru) for 6 months. Then find some decent flat (maybe 2-bedroom) in central location, with plenty of tourists. Also it has to have a Wi-Fi. I found plenty of inspiration here: Cheap places in South America.
Now the plan is to spend this time growing online business until some decent money starts coming in. In the meantime sublet the extra room to the tourists, earning some extra cash this way. Once I get a regular income from working online, I will be able to travel anywhere, and keep working and making money. So after 6 months have passed, I will then start travelling across South America, go to Mexico and Panama, later head towards new Zealand for 2-3 months and settle in Australia in the end. That is the plan! Finally something to go towards to, a direction. Now I have to stick to it, and do tiny steps everyday, to achieve it :)
Wish me luck!

Visualisation - the power is in your mind!

When you describe your flat layout to a friend and you see it with your mind's eyes, you are visualising. Anyone can do it. It's our imagination, and it often is linked to our emotions, as well .Do you remember when you smiled to yourself when you thought about the joke you heard last week? It's an emotional side of visualisation.
This powerful tool can also help you achieve what you want in life. So how does it work? You simply need to imagine yourself in a situation you want to be in - as a millionaire, having healthy, happy family and a loving partner, travelling the world, working as a head chef in a top restaurant... Do it everyday, simply relax, sit down, or lie down on the bed, close your eyes and spend this time visualising.

I devote 10 minutes everyday for that. I put on relaxing music from YouTube, close my eyes and focus on the situation I want to be in in few years time. I see myself sat on the beach, on a sun lounger, under the parasol, with my loving partner next to me. My wallet is filled with banknotes. I have a full manicure, deep sun tan, coconut cocktail in my hand, and a Caribbean music plays in the background. I try to stick to one situation, the same settings, that way it's more powerful. And it's important to imagine even smallest details in the settings - the colour outfit you are wearing, taste of the drink, sounds you are hearing, how does the surface of the table feel etc. This makes your visualisation more powerful.

Now, how does visualisation can get you what you want? Our mind is a really surprising and mighty force. By visualising you let know your mind, that you already are in that situation. You can see, feel and smell all that's around you. Your mind will think that you already have it, and now it's the best part - it will lead you towards that goal, towards that situation. You will suddenly discover that you are planning a weekend on the beach, where there's a cocktail hut (with coconut cocktails). You will find yourself in the shop looking at identical outfit you've been wearing in your mind's eyes. Or your friends will invite you to the pub, where there's Caribbean band playing that night. You will discover how powerful the visualisation can be, and it will bring you what you want in most bizarre ways!

I remember there was the time when I was visualising myself sitting by the BBQ with friends, having berry ciders and enjoying the view by my dream home. Within few weeks time one of my friends' was going through the phase of having BBQ dinners everyday in his garden, and my other friend ended up stocking on loads of berry ciders, as he came across some offer in the local shop. It's surprising, bizarre, how visualisation brought me what I wanted, although only some bits were delivered to my life, not the whole picture! Then I realised it's better to dream bigger dreams then too small. If you end up dreaming like me in the beginning about BBQ and drinks, that's what will be delivered, BBQ and drinks, and nothing else - hardly a big dream, right? So I make sure now to dream bigger, see myself on a tropical island, somewhere warm and exotic.
So good luck with your visualisation, and let me know how it went!

Schedule you day and follow bigger plan!

Ok, so you finally prepared a 5 year plan, which makes you super excited and motivated about achieving your goals. Now, after writing it all down, and seeing it in front of you, you need to divide the action plan into smaller chunks. For example, divide your plan for the first year into 12 small chunks for each month. Write down what you need to achieve by the end of each month. Make it reasonable and achievable. Remember the SMART rule: Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time bound.

Each goal cannot feel out of reach, you must feel you can achieve it. It is important that your goal is specific. If you want to make more money, write down- I would like be making £300 a week. That is specific and can give you some more attainable ideas how to make this sum of money, instead of just saying: I would like to make more money. It leaves the target in a 'dreamyland', out of reach. Now, that is specific and measurable target. Is it attainable? You will need to analyse it. If you are selling CDs online at £4.00 each, you will need to be selling 75 of these each week to make £300. 75 CDs is over 10 CDs per day. So you know, that in order to make £300 a week, you need to be selling 10 CDs per day. That is measurable and attainable approach.

Selling CDs must be relevant with what you want to achieve in life, that way you will be motivated to sell more. Goals should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take. By keeping goals aligned with this, you'll develop the focus you need to get ahead and do what you want. Set widely scattered and inconsistent goals, and you'll fritter your time – and your life – away. This is relevant approach.
Time bound gives you an idea when you would like to achieve your targets - do you want to be selling consistently at £300 per week in two months time, or by the end of this year?

Also don't forget to schedule your day, in order to see what to achieve, and know which direction to go. Write down what you want to sort out in a given day, do it in the morning, or a night before. Have it in a visible place, by your computer, so you often look at it. Cross the tasks off as you go along - it's such a great feeling! And try this little smart tip: once you start working on one thing, focus on it, and don't get distracted, by ANYTHING. No cups of tea, no checking Facebook, no dealing with emails. You will be surprised how more efficient your day will become! It's incredible how much time we lose each day on those little sneaky distractions!

Reasonability vs. Spontaneity

Is reasonability the only winning factor in making decisions? Does spontaneity have any right to be followed? I've always been spontaneous, followed my gut feeling at the drop of a hat, and I love that. Maybe not the best thing if you want to make a plan and stick to it, but it's more fun this way. Being reasonable kills fun factor, don't you think? 'Everything will work out' is fun way of planning things, right? Maybe it won't guarantee a good pension (but to have a good pension, you have to stay in one country all your life, anyway), it won't let you create a 5-year plan, but in the end it will let you experience one in a lifetime events. Running Bahamas marathon. Diving with jellyfish. Night walk on local cemetery (only for the brave). I'd rather do that (or plan it, anyway) then staying safe and reasonable. And salute to that!

The trivial pursuits

Very trivial happenings. If you have been selling on ebay, you can understand. Ebay has been very strict and demanding on sellers, but very forgiving with the buyers. Of course, they want to attract buyers, and most of the buyers are absolutely perfect. But there's odd 1% less then  perfect and likely to exploit the forgiving rules. I won't be digging too deep, but let's say, after 10 years, as a seller you have to bend over backwards just to get by. Being on this platform reminds me of a little quote I found in absolutely amazing book 'Brasil' years ago: "We willingly enslave ourselves for crumbs. For mere shadows of crumbs..."

So true, that's what the 'normal World' demands of us. Just work hard to pay the bills, and don't stick above the rest. Just inspire to be a little cog in the big wheel. Get stuck in the traffic on Bank Holidays and Christmas. Over spend when you're told to. Take a burden of a mortgage and kids. Don't ask too many questions. It sure reminds me of 'Matrix' - the reality we live in. Just paddling on the surface of life, trying not to dive too deep. You risk breaking the mould, the cookie cutter form, by following your dreams. And you have to try really hard to break the mould, and say no to the trivial life. No other peoples' expectations, no to being team player, sacrificing yourself for the greater good. It is difficult, but it's worth it. And there's many people out there questioning life, and the given rules. Some of them have the courage to create their own reality and become nomads, live on the tropical island teaching local kids, or become monks. What is your dream, what's your calling? Share it with me!

How to set goals?

Yes, that is a big question. How to set goals? Well, I have many theories, on paper. You know the tennis players, ballerinas, singers? They have a strict regime they follow, the commitment they abide to achieve what they want. But do they have these little pangs from time to time, when they just want to have a sofa day, and over-indulge on the jam doughnuts? What do they do? Do they just slap themselves in the face, and say, get a grip? Isn't it too big of a commitment? Change your life and devote it completely to one thing? But these people, the ones who make sacrifices, take a slap, are finally rewarded by being the greatest. By reaching over other athletes, who didn't make the commitment, and maybe did indulge on a doughnut. I admire these people. Their strong will, the sacrifice they make.

Now, by contrast, there's lil o'me. I have to admit, I never managed to commit to one goal, as my goals change at least twice a week, or at least they are being modified. Some of them survive the cocoon phase of three months, although these are rare and involve me turning everything around - and abandoning anything that involved my previous goals, courses I was taking, books I was reading and any given research. There was too many projects I started but never finished.

But travelling was one recurring commitment that never went away. Always present in my life, and too deeply rooted to neglect. It's my calling, my nature, and I cannot change it. And I'm proud of it, it's true what they say - 'Your longing is your calling'. I believe everything has got the reason, and I need to find my own reasons.

From now on, however, my readers, I make a promise to you and to myself. I have you as a witness, so I better stick to that promise. I will finish all that I started. The blog, the travels, the projects. I will commit to my goals. I will make sacrifices, and plans. And I won't quit at a drop of a hat. I need to make deeper ridges in my life, dig deeper to reach my goals. And stay positive! That will happen from now on.

But for now, Good Night :)

Power of positive thinking

I would like to talk to you today about something that has played a major role in my life for the past 6 months. It's called 'Positive Affirmations'. It is a powerful method that focuses on the way you think and talk about yourself, your life and others. It's aim is to bring you what you desire in your life, by you thinking that you already have it.
Let's say, you want to make more money. You are thinking to yourself: "I'm a millionaire, I can afford the best quality clothing, tropical holiday, and pay all my bills with ease and pleasure". You put yourself in that position by your way of thinking, you are affirming that positive situation, and you are attracting all that you desire. By thinking positively, you bring positive things into your life.
It is working, I have been doing it for the past 6 months, and it brought into my life exactly what I've been affirming, sometimes in quite surprising forms.

You start by paying attention to the way you speak and talk about yourself. Notice how many times you criticise yourself in your head, or say negative things when speaking with others. When you complain about your life, your money, weather, it's all negative affirmations. By focusing on negative aspects of your life, you attract more negativity.
By thinking of yourself as a failure, loser or lazy bum, you are affirming it and attracting more of these into your life.

Start by completely blocking the negative thoughts that come to your head, and replace them by positive ones. Had just an argument? Don't think about it, don't focus on this negative situation. Instead, imagine more positive outcome, reaching an agreement, laughing together, working towards the same goal. It will be very difficult at first, but by constant practise, it will become easier and easier as the time goes by.

Also don't complain! Each and every complaint is a negative affirmation, and tells your mind that you want more of that negativity in your life. Instead, think twice before telling anything negative (even about the weather) and instead focus on some small positive thing that you can find. Maybe talk about the fact that petrol prices dropped (ok, that's unlikely), or that you had a productive day, managed to stick to the diet, cleaned the house etc. etc. With time, you'll notice that you stop talking about negative things, and you actually notice how often people complain around you.

Something to think about: how many times have you seen a happy rich person complaining? And how many times have you seen a poor, disabled person on benefits complaining? Till tomorrow...