Cabin In The Woods

Over the weekend, my boyfriend & I made the 2 hour journey to Gloucestershire to stay in Forest Holidays' Forest of Dean log cabins.  We chose the 'silver birch' cabin which had 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, lounge, kitchen and our own hot tub.  On arrival I was very impressed with the cabin.  It was furnished nicely, was very clean and had all of the essentials we needed.  They even made a welcome sign out of the scrabble letters!  I instantly felt at home and quickly got into my pyjamas and snuggled up on the sofa.

The cabins are nestled in the huge forest surrounded by wildlife and nature.  There is plenty to do in the forest such as twilight walks, bush skills and night vision walks which are all done with a forest ranger.  We tried the night vision walk and managed to spot a few rabbits, a fox, weasel, and a lot of deer.  I was gutted we didn't see the wild boar and its new born babies as the ranger had hyped them up so much.  The ranger let us keep the night vision scope over night to see if we could spot any animals by our cabin. 

As well as having lots to do on-site, there is plenty to do in the surrounding area.  We decided to go to the Puzzle Wood just 10 minutes down the road.  As soon as you step inside the wood, you can feel the atmosphere changing and it just feels magical.  The paths are all intertwined and lead you through amazing rock formations and trees that twist in strange ways.

After all the venturing in the forest, we ended every night in the hot tub and chilled out under the stars. This was definitely one of my favourite parts about the cabin and I will definitely be returning soon!  Baths just don't cut it anymore!

Overall, it was a lovely, relaxing weekend away and was just what we both needed.  

Have you ever been on a Forest Holiday?  Did you enjoy it?

Amy xx

Life Update

It appears that I haven't blogged at all for over 2 months so I thought I'd update you on what I've been upto.  In September, I booked to go on the Coronation Street Tour.  Being an avid watcher of the show (although I am 3 months behind shh!) i've always wanted to go on the set and when the chance arose, I snatched it up.  They have changed the location of their set and so the old one was open to the public for a few months before it is completely shut down.  I got to see the Rovers Return, the cab office, Nick's bistro, the corner shop, all of the houses, Roy's Rolls and of course the famous cobbled street.  It was so much fun seeing it all in real life and I was amazed at just how small the sets are.  I obviously took loads of pictures and even threw in a Tina pose on the cobbles (which I got a few weird looks for).

I then started my new and first (real) job at Wythenshawe Hospital which I am loving so much.  I have been there for 2 months now and I am loving the working life and being back to having a routine (and also having money!).  

September was Michael's turn to pick our monthly date and he surprised me with a trip to Monkey Forest.  Being a massive lover of monkeys (particularly the smaller ones), it was the perfect date idea for me and I absolutely loved it.  Monkey Forest is in Staffordshire within 60 acres of woodland and they have around 140 monkeys roaming freely.  It was so weird walking through a forest in the UK and seeing real life monkeys just chilling, eating and playing with each other.  My favourites were the baby macaques! The monkeys weren't afraid of humans at all and wandered on the paths infront of us.  After we'd been around the forest and watched them being fed by the keepers, we made our way back to the cafe and had some lunch.  I'd definitely recommend going if you are looking for something to do for a few hours, and it isn't too pricey either! :)

   

Fast forward a few weeks to Halloween where Michael and I made pumpkins and visited Spooky World in Warrington.  Apple Jacks adventure park basically turns into a scary park at night over the Halloween season in which there are 4 main attractions; Carnevil, The Asylum, The Slaughter House, and the Haunted Hayride.  There are actors dressed up in frightening outfits and chainsaws that run at you and I've never been so scared in my life.  My favourite was the Haunted Hayride in which the actors would get on the trailer and 'attack' you with chainsaws and try and scare you.  We had water thrown on us and was tickled by some of the actors.  It was such a fun night although I was nearly crying by the end of some of the attractions!  I'd definitely go again though! 

If you know me well enough, you will know that I love watching YouTube, in particular the UK based beauty bloggers and their other halves.  So obviously I had to go to Amity Fest in which Zoe, Louise, Joe, Caspar, Jim, Tanya, Marcus and Niomi were hosting.  The event was a lot of fun and included Q&A's, singing, games and YouTuber Olympics.  I was a bit disappointed that the show was aimed more for 12 year olds and was a bit immature at times, but I guess their average viewer age is around 12 so it made sense.  I also had many young, shorter girls and their mums giving me evils for being in their way.  I can't help that I'm tall!  Overall though I really enjoyed it and it was so surreal seeing people that I watch on a  daily basis on my iPad in real life in front of me.

And finally November, Bonfire night!  Michael and I went to two bonfires, one in Wolverhampton, and one in Stockport.  We ate candyfloss, watched the firework display and watched the bonfires being lit.  Brabyns bonfire was sooo muddy and Michael nearly lost his walking boots!  The fireworks were fantastic and the bonfires were huuuge, I felt like I was having my face burnt to a crisp.  It was a lovely night out and I'm glad I didn't sit in the house and watch fireworks from my bedroom like usual.

And that's my life up-to-date!

Love, Amy x

Climbing Snowdon

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, I climbed Mt. Snowdon with my boyfriend, Michael, and our friend Ry.  We arrived just after 12pm and not only was the weather not in our favour, but we also couldn't find a car park space.  After umming and ahhing for about an hour, we finally found a space in the car park, hopped in a taxi which took us to the starting point, and then started the 3.5 hour journey to the summit.  We chose to walk the Pyg track going up which was challenging at times with steep rocky parts and huge steps.

About 2 and a half hours in to the walk, we walked past the lake in the valley which was breathtaking.  I thought we were about 10 minutes from the summit at this point until I asked a walker coming down.  To my dismay, he told me I had another hour to go minimum, and as I turned the corner, I saw another massive climb.  The mountain seemed to go on forever!

When we eventually made it to the top it was freeeeezing! We quickly took some pictures and headed back down.  The views were unbelieveable and we even spotted a mountain rescue helicopter circling over the mountain.

On the way down, we decided to go along the Miners track.  The first half an hour was all steep down hill with wobbly rocks and vertical drops which I didn't enjoy very much.  I slipped so many times I lost count! The path then starts to get flatter and goes around the bottom of the mountain along the river.  This route only took us about an hour and a half to walk back to the starting point and it was a lovely stroll.  We then hopped on the bus to the car park and headed home to have a well earned KFC!

Amy x

Graduation Day

After 3 years of endless essay writing, boring lectures, and cramming for exams, I finally graduated with a 2:1 degree in BSc (Hons) Business Studies with Marketing.  I was ecstatic when I found out that I achieved a 2:1 as I was almost certain I had failed a few exams, but it turns out I did better than I thought! I had a rocky 2nd and 3rd year and I'm so glad that I didn't let anything affect my grades.  I celebrated the day in Bangor with my parents and grandma and it was so lovely to see my friends again! When we got home, we went for a family meal at the Joshua Bradley :)

Amy x

Review ~ La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+]

Recently, I have been using La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+] and it has been a GODSEND.  The product is said to reduce the appearance of blemishes, unclog pores and refine the look of skin texture.  It is designed for oily, spot-prone skin, but can also be used for sensitive skin.

I use the Effaclar Duo [+] twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, and this has given me amazing results.  The product is not quite a cream, but not a serum either, and it blends really easily into the skin and makes your face feel smooth.  It doesn't leave your skin oily and acts as a great primer before applying make up.  I have acne scarring and pigmentation around my cheek area so I mainly focus on those areas when I apply it.  I saw results instantly after 1 day of using it, and now 3 weeks later, i'm still seeing results! My face is gradually getting less red and I can see a massive improvement in the look of my scars! I have also had significantly less break outs than normal and I owe it all to this product! Where were you in my spotty teen years?!

Does anyone else use this product and seen results? Are there any other products that you think give better results? Let me know :)

Amy x

The Disney Tag

Hey everyone! I saw this Disney Tag floating around on the internet and I just HAD to do it! Hope you like it :)

QUESTIONS:

1. A scene in any Disney movie you wish you could experience.

I would love to experience the scene in Tangled where they see all the floating lights, it looks soo magical and romantic!

2. An unforgettable experience moment you've had at the Parks.

This would have to be watching the parades and seeing all of the Disney characters waving and dancing and seeing everyone smiling; that's what Disney is all about, making people happy. And then of course watching Tinkerbell fly around the castle and watching the firework display. Thinking about it now is really making me want to go back! :( Oh! And also when I went a few years ago, I walked past Pinocchio and he ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug!

3. What Non-Disney song(s) that reminds you or brings back memories of Disney and or the Parks? 

I'm going to count this as non-disney as it's not in any of the films.  Dancin' (A Catchy Rhythm) - This song is one that is played at the parades and I just love it so much! It's such a feel-good song and makes me smile :)

4. When was the first time you went to a Disney Park?

I went to Disneyland Paris in 2010 for a school business trip, but we spent more time in the park than actually learning anything :P It was so much fun and I can't wait to go back there again! It was my first time staying in the Disney accommodation as well which was cool!

5. If you could choose any of the characters to be your best friend who would you choose?

Timon & Pumba - These two are hilarious and I think I'd get on so well with them. They are loyal friends and also have soo much fun.

Belle - I think i'd get on well with Belle as I can relate to her so much.

Peter Pan - Purely for the fact that he could teach me to fly and we could go on adventures!

6. Who are you favorite Disney Princesses?

Belle, hands down. She is my favourite for so many reasons.  She is not a selfish person and she puts others before herself e.g. when he father was kidnapped by the Beast, she got on Philipe and rode to the castle and then proceeded to take his place in the dungeon.  She also stands up for herself and knows what she wants e.g. she stands up to the beast and doesn't let him push her around.  She shows that she is a person too and can not be told what to do.  She also stands up to Gaston and doesn't give in to the marriage proposal, she knows what she wants in life and doesn't give in to people easily.  Lastly, unlike the other Disney princesses, it wasn't love at first sight with the beast.  She gets to know the beast for who he truely is both inside and out and teaches us that beauty lies within.  She does not get scared of his looks as she looks beyond his imperfections to see what's really underneath.  I think this is what I love most about Belle, she gives people her time and lets them show her who they really are and she eventually falls in love with the Beast.

7. Name a scene/moment in any Disney movie that never fails to make your cry.

Ooo there are many! Here are just a few:

- When Widow Tweed is taking Tod back to the forest to live on his own

- Mufasa's death

- The beginning of UP

- When Dumbo's mum is singing Baby Mine

- When Maurice is lost in the woods with the wolves

- Quasimodo being humiliated

8. What is the first Disney Movie you remember seeing?

Pocahontas

9. What is your favorite Disney Movie?

               I really enjoyed doing this tag! I tag everyone to do this tag, I would love to see                                                                                 your answers! :)

                                                                       Love, Amy x

My Most Embarrassing Moment

Whenever anyone asked me what my most embarrassing moment was, I could never think of anything, until 2012.  Picture the scene...I was doing my usual commute from home to university, it was around 7pm and I was sat on the train watching what was probably a Disney film.  I had a massive suitcase, a bag with a printer in it, a bag with an iron in it, my handbag and a laptop case.  I'd spotted a hot guy at the change at Crewe and was excited to see that not only was he on my next train, but he actually sat at the same table seat as me.  There was awkward eye contact as I was constantly taking sneaky peeks at him (as you do!) and then we started approaching the stop before mine.  

I text my friend and she agreed she'd come and pick me up with her boyfriend in the car as I had so much luggage with me that I don't think I would have survived the walk up the hill to halls with it all!  I started to haul my many bags and cases towards the exit of the train and saw that the hot guy and about a dozen other people were getting up and standing behind me waiting to get off.  I started to panic as I had so much to get off the train and didn't quite know how to maneuver it all.  Do I separate it all and get off the train bag by bag, or do I go for it and try and carry it all in one go to make it quicker and to reduce the amount of time I was holding everyone up by? Yep! You guessed it, I made the stupid decision to try and carry everything off at once, which ended up a disaster.  

I had my suitcase, iron, and printer in one hand, handbag over my shoulder and laptop case in the other hand and I preceded to step off the train.  I remember seeing my friend and her boyfriend on the platform and went to wave at them and as they waved back, I was suddenly faceplanking the floor.  Yep, I'd fallen off the train face first onto the platform.  Somehow, I managed to stand my bags up on the floor so my belongings didn't go flying all over the place, instead they kind of surrounded me as a barrier to prevent people from treading on me.  My friend then came rushing over in fits of laughter and helped me up after I had lay there for what seemed like hours.  I was in such shock that I'd fallen off the train and then embarrassed at the fact that I'd done it right infront of the guy I was eyeing up.  Everyone else on the train seemed oblivious to my helpless body laying on the platform and just walked around me like I was invisible! Not even the odd "are you ok?" or "would you like any help?", just completely ignored me and left me on the floor!  Rude.

Since that day, I have never been able to forget it from constant reminders from my friend and her boyfriend.  Every time I get off a train now, I make sure to hold onto the bars and step onto the steps before the platform and just pray that I don't fall face first again.

So that was my most embarrassing moment, what was yours?

Love, Amy