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Mmy Midsummer microadventure 2018

27/6/2018

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I first heard of adventurer Alastair Humphreys’ idea of Microadventures about a year ago. His philosophy is to maximise the 5-9, the time you’re not working. To snatch moments of adventures whenever and wherever you can. 


So I wanted to celebrate Midsummer with a microadventure of my own, and decided to sleep in my parents’ garden. Options were limited due to various circumstances but I wasn't going to let that stop me. My dad’s a vicar so my parents have a big vicarage garden. The house is on a hill, so there are areas of the garden at different levels, and plenty of wild patches for creatures to live in. I've tested out camping equipment by sleeping in the garden before, but I wanted to try something new, so I borrowed my brother’s bivvy bag. A bivvy bag is basically a waterproof sack. I’ve learnt from previous experience to always test out equipment before needing it, so I got the bivvy bag out in the living room the day before. My aunt and my family dog happened to be hanging around as I tried out the zips and figured out the different openings - you can either have a mesh over your face to keep the bugs out or a waterproof and opaque closure if it’s raining. The poor dog got very confused when I zipped the whole thing up and my aunt had a good laugh!


Midsummer evening. I went for a lovely afternoon run in the fantastic weather. As the sun began to sink towards the horizon I trundled outside with the bivvy bag, along with my sleeping mat and sleeping bag. I picked a spot by the apple trees that my parents had planted not long after moving to this house. I could watch the sunset through the trees and immerse myself in the quiet of nature. Sounds pretty romantic, but within minutes I was viciously attacked by biting insects, so zipped myself in the bag a bit earlier than I’d intended. Listening to the sounds around me was pretty relaxing though and I quickly drifted off.
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I was surprised that it never really got completely dark. I woke up lots of times during the night, and every time I found that I’d slipped down in the bag, as I was on a bit of a slope. So I had to wriggle my way back up (easier said than done when the sleeping bag and mat are both pretty friction-free). My feet got cold - they always do when I’m camping - and the night-time sounds permeated my slumber. At 6am the wood pigeons were in full voice with their distinctive, rhythmic call. This was my favourite part of the adventure. I lay and listened to the morning sounds of birds and the rustling of other animals. I had time to think. Even though I was wrapped up in my carefully designed camping kit I was still cold and uncomfortable - and this was after a hot day. Imagine being homeless and having to sleep out doors all the time without the specialist kit. I also let my mind wander to possible future adventures. Imagine carrying all the stuff and wild camping on a multiday hike somewhere quiet and remote. At 7:30am I packed up and went back inside and made breakfast for my mum and sister on a proper cooker in the warm house. 
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No, I didn’t have the best night’s sleep. Yes, I would’ve been more comfortable in my bed. Yes, most people think I'm a bit mad. But I’m glad I did it. It made me take the time to stop and think and listen. It gave me an opportunity to change my thinking just a little bit. And to try different kit and evaluate it. I’d definitely do it again. Maybe a hammock in the garden next time. Or maybe a bivvy bag in the woods, camping by a river. Or maybe I'll just go and sit outside and watch the sunset once in a while (whilst wearing bug spray...).


Thanks Alastair for the inspiration.

What's your microadventure? Would you come wild camping with me? Bivvy bag versus hammock? Do you like my morning hair? Let me know what you think!
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Protein Powder; Vfuel Product review

12/6/2018

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Ah the confusing world of nutritional supplements. What are ketones? Should I use protein powder? I am not at all qualified in the science of any of this, I’ve just read some stuff to make decisions for myself, and in the process I found vegan company vfuel.co.uk who kindly sent me some stuff to try. Read on for the product reviews.
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 I don’t really understand Acai berries and I’d never had them before vfuel sent them to me. They’re supposed to promote ‘weight loss and healthy skin’. They smell lovely but the tablets are enormous! The dose is 2-4 tablets with breakfast - me and my sensitive gag reflex manage two if I bite them in half first. Next time you see me maybe my skin will be amazing.
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Raspberry ketones are supposed to help with fat loss. These tablets are mercifully small and the suggested dose is only one per day. They also smell delicious. Am I shredded yet?!
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My search for good and affordable vegan protein powder led me to find vfuel in the first place. They sent me this sample of their vegan lean. I choose to use protein powder as part of my diet to ensure I get a good boost of protein after a run or workout (if I were more organised and tried harder I could get plenty of protein from plant sources). There are so many products on the market, but vfuel is the best I’ve found. It’s cheaper than many other brands (£19.99 per 1kg plus £2.99 for shipping), it’s a blend of pea and soy protein and contains some other things which are bound to be good for you (there are those ketones again). It also actually tastes more than ok! I mixed my sample with 300ml of water (they suggest 200ml but I wasn’t paying attention when I filled my shaker) and it wasn’t chalky, was a good thickness and tasted chocolatey. I was previously using Sun Warrior vegan chocolate and it’s loads nicer than that one, and cheaper too!
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Of course you don’t have to just chug it (not the best picture is it?), why not make Snounty Protein Balls.


I’m going to continue taking the supplements, partly because I hate waste, but I don’t really think that they do a whole lot. However, I’m going to continue using a protein shake after a workout, ensuring I get enough protein in a day and helping recovery after exercise. And vfuel is going to be my choice. It’s lovely to support a small and fully vegan company, and their tubs are recyclable. Connor was very responsive to all my many questions and very friendly. Thanks team vfuel.

​​Disclaimer: vfuel sent me these products free of charge for me to review but the opinions are entirely my own, honest opinions. I am in no way a qualified nutritionist or fitness coach, please do your own research into use of nutritional supplements.
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Snounty balls: very easy vegan protein balls recipe

11/6/2018

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Why are they called Snounty Balls I hear you cry! Because they taste like an exact cross between a Snickers and a Bounty, that's why. They're incredibly easy to make: you only need a bowl and spoon (no messy mixers to wash up), and if you are even lazier than me you don't have to roll them into balls. Try pressing the mixture into a tray and topping with coconut before cutting into sections. And what about different coatings? The possibilities are endless...

​Nutritional Information approx. per ball
  • Calories 82
  • Fat 4.9g
  • Carbs 5.5g
  • Protein 3.4g

​Ingredients
  • ​200g crunchy peanut butter (I used Whole Earth but be sure to check that the palm oil used is sustainably sourced)
  • 80ml maple syrup
  • 50g rolled oats
  • ​25g chocolate protein powder
  • ​20g desiccated coconut PLUS another 20g for rolling/topping

Method
​Weigh the peanut butter and maple syrup into a mixing bowl and combine using a wooden spoon. Add the oats, protein powder and 20g of coconut and continue stirring until you have a kind of dough that you could roll - sticky but not too sticky. If it's too wet add a little more protein, it it's too dry then add a drop of water.

​Break off pieces and roll between your palms into balls. The balls will end up about 3cm across. Pour more coconut onto a plate and roll the balls in it until coated. You should get about 25 balls from this recipe. Refrigerate if you can resist trying them. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Easy right? You could try rolling them in sesame seeds, cocoa powder, icing sugar, linseeds, poppy seeds... what else?

​If you make them then send me a picture!
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Vegan courgette/zucchini soup recipe: the easiest soup in the world

4/6/2018

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So this is actually my mum’s recipe. She’s always made ‘orange soup’ (ingredients unknown but no actual oranges), but has recently branched out into ‘green soup’. It’s light and refreshing yet filling, low in calories and fat and requires only two main ingredients, so is vegan and allergen free. Perfect for a weight loss lunch. Thanks Mum!
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Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes approx 4-5 servings.
Around 47kcal per serving.


Ingredients
2 medium onions; chopped
3 large courgettes (about 700g); chopped
1 tsp ground nutmeg
850ml vegetable stock (I used two kallo organic stock cubes)
Pepper to taste


Method
Fry onions in a large pan with some cooking spray. Once softened, add courgette and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add nutmeg, pepper and stock and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the courgette is pretty soft, stirring occasionally if you remember. Whizz in a blender or with a soup splunger (hand blender). Et voilà! Store in the fridge for up to three days and serve with whatever you want. Boom, lunch nailed.



If you actually make this then please tell me what you think. What other colours of soup will come next???

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Book Review: ‘First they killed my father’ by Loung Ung

1/6/2018

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I was never that interested in history until I started travelling. But visiting new places makes you more aware of historical events in far away places that have shaped how they are now. This was especially the case for me in South East Asia. I knew some superficial facts about the Vietnam War (known as the ‘American War’ in Vietnam), but I knew very little about the recent past of Cambodia.



Cambodia has a very sad past, with a genocide conducted by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s that directly or indirectly killed a quarter of the country’s population. I learnt about these atrocities in Phnom Penh at the Killing Fields and S21 - a former prison and now a museum. The audio guides at both these places are moving, evocative and informative and place a strong emphasis on bearing witness - remembering and respecting those that died and standing with Cambodians in strengthening their country. This is what led me to want to read ‘First they killed my father’; an autobiographical account by Loung Ung, and I was lucky enough to be given a copy. I met Megan on a bus who gave it to travel buddy extraordinaire Kate who gave it to me when she was finished.


Loung Ung was five years old when black clad Khmer Rogue soldiers stormed Phnom Penh where she lived with her middle-class family. Up to that time it seems that Cambodia’s capital was largely how it is today - with busy markets selling everything you can imagine, and plenty of street food as well as traffic problems! Loung and her family were all forced out of the city and marched to the countryside. Miss Ung’s five year old voice tells her harrowing story. Labour camps and army training camps, starvation, secrecy, illness and the loss of family members are all told from the little girl’s point of view. The simple, childlike language rang inside my head as my imagination sketched the appalling images. Clever narrative techniques allow the author to describe acts and events that she heard of or imagined, giving a full picture of the country’s suffering.


If you’ve read my other blog posts, you’ll know how much the history permeates everyday experiences in modern Cambodia. To better understand and to bear witness I highly recommend reading this book. By placing historical events in a personal context perhaps we can stop similar events occurring elsewhere in the future.


I will happily post one of you my copy. Comment below.

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    Hannah the traveller

    is a travel and lifestyle blog with focus on running, vegan eating and of course global travel.

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