Life lately #1

1. Busy April plans! 2. Cooking by candlelight - no electricity!
3. Wise words from Walt.  4. Sunshine selfie.

April is well and truly upon us now and I am so excited for it to be here!  School breaks up for Easter holidays which means that it is time for me to embark on my travels, after months of excitement and anticipation.  First up, as I'm sure you are well aware by now ('cause I haven't really spoken about it much) is my birthday trip to Florida!  Planning for a Disney/Universal trip seems to have to be very meticulous and although I've had the majority of it organised for me, I've enjoyed looking up the different attractions, restaurants, and the local area.  Once we arrive back in Mexico, we have a few hours sleep and then we are off to Ajijic again for a few nights.  It'll be my birthday when we arrive, we decided on a little pick-me-up to help avoid the post-Disney blues and I'm always so grumpy on my birthday!  I really liked Ajijic last time we were there and it's the perfect spot to unwind and chill by the pool.  After Ajijic, the suitcase will be packed again as we are flying to Los Cabos and another few days of beach and pool relaxation!  I am feeling very lucky to have all of these plans coming up.

1. Black pepper chicken salad.  2. Disney princess hair.
3. Getting pin trading ready! 4. Feelin' hot hot hot. 

The past few weeks here have flown by but I have managed to find time to enjoy the soaring temperatures here in Guadalajara.  Spring has very much sprung and each day temperatures reach at least thirty degrees.  It's getting very hot and honestly, the hour commute to and from school is a mission.  Apart from sunburn (I get burnt if I spend 15 minutes outside without suncream), the heat is very tiring and after a day at work, I'm happy to relax reading or watching television.  Not very cultural but sometimes needs must!  The hot weather tends to destroy appetites too, so I have not wanted to eat heavy, big meals.  A fresh, crisp salad is perfect for a light, tasty meal and gallstone friendly too.  Fortunately, my gallstones have been pain-free for a while and I'm hoping that it will continue.  My diet is still pretty much fat free but I have been allowing myself mini treats every now and again to help curb cravings.  We found a fat free froyo place and it's been so nice to eat something that I loved in my pre-diagnosis days!  At times it has been difficult to resist fatty foods but I have learnt a lot of different ways that you can make a meal fat free.  Pinterest is amazing for recipes.

I have less than 100 days left here in Mexico now, which means I have some big decisions to make when I get home.  The time has really flown by and it feels odd to be counting down to my return to England. I'm looking forward to seeing my family and cats but I'm already anticipating the reverse culture shock, I've become very accustomed to the Mexican way of life: transport, food, money... Britain will be a huge shock to the system! All good things do indeed have to come to an end but already, I have some ideas for the next big adventure! If anything, this year has made me realise that I want to have different life experiences, I want to live my life in different places but know that I will always return home to Suffolk and my family. I'm so fortunate to have these opportunities so I fully intend on pushing myself and taking decisions that aren't initially the easiest but pay off in the long run.

"The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - that's all that matters." Audrey Hepburn. 

Happy April!