3 Nights In Vienna

Recently I was lucky enough to be whisked away by Liam to Vienna & Budapest (well he didn't actually whisk me away but it was all his idea and he actually planned most of the holiday, which was fab 'cause I've been trés stressed lately).  

Neither of us had been to Vienna or Budapest before, so we really didn't know what to expect.  I have been to Austria before when I was much younger on a school trip, but that was for skiing so I didn't experience much of the bigger cities.  

Firstly, we flew into Vienna.  We stayed at the Mecure (side note: there are about 6 Mecure Hotels in Vienna alone, so initially we were taken to the wrong hotel...oops) which definitely wasn't like the 4 star hotels one is used to after living in Dubai for 23 years, but it was in a great location, it was clean and we got a free upgrade, so I wasn't complaining!  There was plenty of room for me to bust out a morning sweat circuit to prepare myself for a day of eating! 

Vienna as a city is beautiful. It has endless architectural masterpieces that honestly make you stop and gasp, and the Danube river runs along it's eastern perimeter.  Definitely make your way into St. Stephen's Cathedral; if you're lucky you'll catch the choir singing, and it truly is a goose bump moment.  Hofburg Palace is also beautiful, and I would highly recommend visiting the Natural History Museum if you're a massive geek like me!  The Austrian Parliament Building is pretty majestic also; and make sure you explore out of the centre of the city and into the Museumsquartier, which is where you'll see the Votive Church (we were told by a taxi driver that last year someone climbed to the top and was arrested!).  

One thing I would recommend to see is an Opera.  Vienna is famous for it's art and music, and there are so many concerts and operas on all year round.  Just one handy hint - buy your tickets in advance and make sure it's in English!! Otherwise you may be sitting there very confused! 

Now to the important part - the food.  We (and by we I mostly mean Liam) did. not. stop. eating. The food in Vienna is pretty amazing, with an obvious Middle Eastern influence.  The Viennese are famous for their pastries and cakes, so we took it upon ourselves to try them all (duh).  Obviously the apple strudel was fab (we'll come to that later) but there's also a chocolate and apricot jam cake called Sachertorte, which was all time; and filled brioche with either poppy seeds or crushed walnuts that was also scrummy.   Head over to Cafe Central to try their famous apple strudel! 

For a more savoury snack, the bratwhurst sausages were our go to.  If you're like me and you enjoy a good sausage now and again (lol sorry there's no other way to put that!) then you will LOVE Vienna.  There's little stands all over the place, selling sizzling sausages for no more than 4 Euro.  If you're going all out, then opt for a sausage in a roll, if you're saving your carbs for chocolate cake then opt for a sliced sausage.  Note - no sausage snack is complete without tomato sauce, mustard, sauerkraut and a gherkin! 

If you're a food lover like me, then visiting the Naschmarket is a must.  Not only is there plenty of trendy little cafes to chose from (we tried a couple out for breakfast and they were both fab) but there are endless stalls of fresh fruit and veg, nuts, olives, tepanades, spices, sauces, dried fruits, seafood, stuffed peppers, breads, wines...the list goes on and on.  We bought so many little snacks to keep us going (like we weren't consuming enough already HA!) but mainly is was just to taste everything on offer! 

For dinner, we tried out a couple of traditional Viennese restaurants.  The first night Liam had Weiner Schnitzel and I had an enormous piece of salmon with veg and these delicious potatoes cooked in butter and parsley.  The second night I had the famous beef goulash with a Viennese dumpling, and for once in my life I couldn't finish it! Liam had pork and dumplings, and even he was defeated.  They are definitely not shy on portion size in Vienna! 

Vienna is a wonderful, laid back city with a great vibe. The people are really friendly and always happy to help.  Definitely a go to in my eyes! With maybe 1 or 2 more days we could have seen the further perimeters of the city, but it was great any way! 

Stay tuned for my next post on Budapest! 

V x 

Feel Good Cruising

Part of the reason I've been MIA lately is the uninspiring 40* summer heat in Dubai, as well as a busy work schedule.  But mostly because I've been CRUISING! Yes, you read that right. A 26 year old on a cruise. I know what you think, cruises are usually packed with retirees and young families (you're not wrong, I didn't meet many other 20 somethings that weren't staff), but it was a family get away, so I decided to make the most out of a week of not having to cook, clean or do any laundry! Plus the fact that we got to cruise around the Mediterranean and visit places like Sardinia, Marseille, Mallorca and Barcelona (my personal fave).  

Another preconception of cruising is putting on weight.  All those days spent lounging by the (crowded) pool sipping pina coladas, endless gelato stops (only to determine which city does them best, of course) and nightly 4 course meals is delightful, but I knew it would leave me feeling pretty sorry for myself, overindulged and not so confident in my hot pink bikini.  

So here are some tips to staying in top shape during your cruise, while still enjoying yourself! 

Take The Stairs

The first thing we all committed to was always taking the stairs.  If you've never experienced a cruise before, the ships are HUGE, with multiple floors and looooooong corridors.  My brother and I were staying on floor 8, our parents below on 7.  The spa was located on floor 14 and the main restaurant on floor 3.  So as you can imagine, we climbed A LOT of stairs in 7 days! And you'll honestly be surprised how much exercise you actually achieve doing this! I feel like my legs are definitely more toned ;)  Aside from taking the stairs, I found that we walked at least 20000 steps a day (thanks to my Dad's fitbit) just exploring beach side towns, which is a far cry from sitting in an office all day every day! 

Drink Plenty Of Water

When there are so many tempting cocktails at your disposal, it is important to stay hydrated.  I tried to drink at least 3 litres of water a day, just by carrying a bottle wherever I went.  TIP: if you join the spa, they generally have lemon and fruit infused water that is super tasty! I stocked up on that daily! Drinking plenty of water will keep you energised, stop you from over-eating, as well as do your body endless favours.  

Enjoy The Spa

One of my favourite parts of the ship was definitely the spa.  There were private tanning areas (away from shrieking French children), jacuzzies, hot stone beds, saunas and steam rooms at our disposal.  I was also spoilt with two treatments (both full body massages) that were heavenly.  If you live a busy life, this is the ultimate relaxation and is definitely worth the expense.  An afternoon at the spa helped me de-stress and relax, giving me time to myself. The massages worked wonders on my forever aching muscles as well, perfect if you're sporting a long-standing ache or pain!

Eat Your Veg

Aaaah, the food.  With enormous buffets spanning half the length of the ship, there was plenty of temptation to gorge on pizza, burgers, chips, pasta and pastries all week long.  Knowing that I wanted to enjoy yummy treats like gelato or macarons daily, I tried to eat well at meal times.  This meant taking advantage of the fresh veggies and delicious protein prepared daily.  Think whole baked salmons, steamed mussels and huge grilled prawns......yuuummm!

Enjoy, It's A Holiday After All!

At the end of the day, it is important to enjoy yourself, try new foods, have a crisp G&T in a trendy cafe and taste every gelato in Europe! Holidays are meant to be a break from reality, a time to really enjoy yourself.   If you do put on a little weight or miss a few days training, it's no big deal.  If anything, it will motivate you to get back into a routine of training well and eating well.  The most important thing is to be happy, and not-so-surprisingly, your body will react positively to the good vibes.  

Happy Cruisin'

(And btw, the best gelato is in Mallorca!!)

V x 

Holiday Workout!

In light of post yesterday Keeping Healthy On Holiday, my brother told me to share the workout I did at 5am in his student house lounge room! (This was before cleaning their entire kitchen and lounge - big sister duties.)

Despite being in a house full of gym junkie, protein munching males, I had to make the best with what I had - a 1.5m by 2m area of lounge room floor, a dining chair, a whiteboard and myself.  

So, as I mentioned in my previous post, this is a slightly Kayla-esq workout, which I put together on the spot and wrote out on the whiteboard.  Basically I was looking to start puffing, sweating and getting the blood pumping.  Just over half an hour (I had a lot of time to kill) with minimum rest between rounds.  The only equipment necessary is your own body (trainers not applicable) and a chair/stool/step that will take your body weight.  

Round 1 (R1)

40 Ab Bikes (20 each side) 

10 Burpees

15 Straight Leg Sit Ups 

50 Mountain Climbers (25 each leg) 

30 High Knees (15 each leg, stable foot on chair) 

1.

2.3.

4.5.

Round 2 (R2)

15 Sumo Squats (with weights if you have them)

15 Push Ups 

30 Lunges (15 each leg)

20 Snap Jumps / Froggies

40 Flutter Kicks 

1.2.

3.4.

5.

Set a timer to 8 minutes and perform each series of exercises as many times as possible in the 8 minutes.  I recommend doing R1, then R2, then R1 and R2 again for 8 minutes each, with minimum rest in between rounds (30 seconds to a minute).  Remember, the goal is to sweat and burn calories! So work through the exercises properly but efficiently, I could get through each round at least twice in the 8 minutes.  

This workout doesn't have to be restricted to holidays, it can be done almost any where.  Happy sweating! 

V x 

Keeping Healthy on Holiday

Going on holiday doesn't have to mean saying goodbye to all physical exercise and mindful eating.  In fact, if you are someone who regularly exercises and eats well, then stopping could make you feel sluggish, lower your self esteem and make your holiday a little unenjoyable.  Recently returning from a week in the UK myself, I wanted to share my tips to keeping active and feeling great while on holiday.  

1. Move Everyday

Like I said, if you're used to exercising pretty much every day, stopping can have negative effects.  While I was away, a few mornings I made the most of the fresh, crisp air, the beautiful countryside and my lingering jet lag (hello 5:30am wake ups...everyday) to get outside and jog.  Now, I was lucky that the weather in the UK last week was unexpectedly dry, but one morning I got caught in a bit of drizzle, making the experience more fun! *Rain becomes a novelty when you grow up in the Middle East* On the days where it was too dark, or I didn't know my way around town, I did a little workout inside.  20 - 30 minutes of body weight exercises (very Kayla Itsines of me) including circuits of burpees, push ups, sit ups, lunges, squats, jack knives and mountain climbers, got my blood pumping and actually made me sweat! The best part was I didn't need my trainers for that, ideal if you have limited luggage space.  The first couple of nights we were in Cardiff, staying at the Marriott, and were lucky enough to have access to a pool, gym and sauna. I made the most of it by getting up, doing a proper workout, swimming a few lengths and then relaxing in the sauna.  But remember, you are on holiday after all, and if all you feel like doing is walking and exploring the city you're in, then that's great! A couple of years ago I visited Amsterdam and Paris, and we must have walked about 30kms per day! You don't necessarily have to throw around weights and sprint 10kms.  As long as you're feeling great and moving, that's all that matters. 

2. Eat Mindfully

Now, my idea of a holiday includes eating. I want to try everything, savoury or sweet, and don't want to look back and think 'I could have eaten that'.  However, the key is balance.  If you want that Nutella crepe, go for it! Do not feel guilty about it, it's your holiday that you've worked very hard for, and you are more than entitled to enjoy it! While I was away I made the most of the fresh, affordable produce available in the UK;  I have honestly never tasted eggs so delicious.  I took complete advantage of things like greek yoghurt, fresh berries, delicious cheeses and Marks & Spencers ready made salads and snacks (obsessed).  That's not to say I didn't enjoy pork pies, caramel slices and hot chocolates. Everything in moderation.  If I knew I'd be having a big lunch, I'd choose a light breakfast.  To me, holidays aren't a time to count macros and worry about your carb or fat intake.  However, eating fresh food does make me feel great.  So it's just about enjoying yourself, eating what you feel like and what you would maybe (regretfully) reject any other time.  Before you know it you'll be back at work and normal life!  

3. Enjoy A Drink Or 3...

A lot of people enjoy a few drinks while socialising and catching up with old friends and family when on holiday.  Having a few drinks (even every day) is NOT an issue.  A couple of glasses of wine, or a sneaky G&T will help you relax, socialise and have a great time.  I had a few drinks every day last week, and it has done me no harm whatsoever.  BUT as with eating, you have to be aware that if you go overboard on the booze, you will feel below average the next day.  So know your limits.  If you can polish off a bottle of wine without a smidgen of a hangover, then go ahead (and wow I applaud you).  If one glass of champers is all your body with allow you, without a dodgy stomach and blurry head, then stop there.  There's one thing that's worse than having a hangover, and that is having one while you're on holiday.  I personally would not want to waste a precious day feeling less than OK, and let me tell you, train journeys become a whole lot harder when you've had 3 (strong) G&Ts the night before! 

4. Banish Guilt! 

Finally, as I've said, this is your holiday. DO NOT feel guilty about having an extra (half bottle of) wine, or that chocolate pudding, or opting to lounge on a sun bed instead of running along the beach.  Holding on to negative feelings and guilt can actually impact your stress levels, increase anxiety and release of stress hormones; which will not only ruin your holiday, but can cause problems like IBS and bloating.  Do whatever makes you happy and you will have a wonderful break.  

Holidays should make you happy and make you feel refreshed and ready to get back to normal life! So embrace the holiday spirit but don't make it too hard to get back on track. Balance is key! 

V x 

Goa...A No Goer?

A couple of months ago I jumped at (what I thought was) the deal of a lifetime on Groupon, to visit The Beach House on the pristine beaches of Southern Goa, India, for a cleansing detox yoga retreat. Sounds like a great idea...right? Well, sorta wrong.  I wouldn't describe it as a holiday destination per say...

For 5 days, myself and 3 girlfriends pushed our bodies to the absolute limit.  We were restricted to 4 juices a day, some quite nice, others not so much (think zucchini and red cabbage juice) into which we had to stir psyllium husks (or as we nicknamed them - bug wings). It made the texture almost unbearable by the end of the week.  We also consumed a clear broth and a thick broth (a couple of mine were untouched, I just couldn't stomach it) as well as what seemed like endless tablets and disgusting shots, they were a real effort to swallow.  Combine that with 2 SELF ADMINISTERED ENEMAS a day, and you have a recipe for crankiness, extreme fatigue, dizziness, weakness and all round depressive thoughts.  

It was hard. I'm not going to sugar coat it. Really. Bloody. Hard. Apparently we were some of the youngest guests they'd ever had, most of the other 'detoxers' were middle aged and looked like they'd hit the Goa party scene more than a few times. I'm just so glad I had the other girls to go through it with, because being alone, I would have lost my mind.  The yoga was a bit meh and not really the sort of yoga I'm used to and enjoy, but if I'm honest I was so weak that anything for physical would have seen me go bottoms up! 

But it wasn't all awful.  There were many informative sessions about body composition, chakras, acids & alkalines and nutrition that I will make further posts about.  Of course, during this time my inner science geek emerged! We also had a delightful full body massage daily, which really did help boost moral and my spirits.  The scenery was impeccable, and we made the most of it by strolling up and down the white, expansive beaches at least once a day.  We were more than lucky with the weather; considering October is usually wet season in India, our days were full of bright blue skies and sunshine (another mood booster!).  On our final yoga session (when I was supposed to be 'ooommmming' with my eyes closed) I spotted a school of dolphins swimming along, which pretty much made my week!  And I managed to relax (when I wasn't self administering an enema) and read books, despite fantasising about food the entire time! 

One day, due to extreme cabin fever, we decided to escape into town, only a 15 minute walk down the beach.  In Colva, we indulged in some retail therapy and I also cheated and had a...wait for it.....coconut water! I know, not much of a cheat but I ADORE fresh coconuts and I wasn't missing out. It was exactly what we needed to motivate us to complete our last day of fasting.  Plus, we knew where we were going to 'break our fast' on the last day...king prawns anyone? 

So, all in all, a 'holiday' was definitely NOT the way I would describe my Goa experience. Maybe one day I will go back and experience Goa in all it's glory - boozy late nights and curries to power me through the hangover! It seems SO tempting! 

I'm going to be honest and say there are other destinations I have on my priority list before I return to India.  The country itself is beautiful and I enjoyed befriending stray puppies and dodging enormous cows; but constantly being haggled and occasionally spoken to like dirt has put me off returning any time soon. 

On a positive note, I do feel cleansed, skinnier and I am tanned! 

Namaste Bitches. 

V x