Thailand Part 1 :)

As i briefly explained in my profile i do have a love of travelling, however i was (unfortunately) not born into a family with (any) money, so i have had to do wot i have dun as cheaply as possible. After graduating uni in May last year and it taking me about three months to actually find a full time job, i have successfully paid bak my £1600 over draft :) Now after that was accomplished i felt as though i was ready to start planning this years adventure!!
It all started when I went to Sweeden earlier this year to visit a dear friend of mine (Jenny Jonemark) and whilst I was there we were discissing her plans to go to Thailand this year for a short holiday. Which got me thinking about how many years I have been on about wantin to see Thailand and I thought why don't I do it this year!
However there was one slight drawback with this spontaneous thought and that was "no way am i travelling round Thailand on my own", even though i do consider myself quite an independent and courageous person, im also not stupid enough to get mysel killed (Touch Wood). Soooooooooooooooooooo this resulted in me searching for volunteer placements in Thailand and PPPPOOOOOOOOOFFFFFF i suddenly realised that I have always wanted to ride an elephant :) Now some of u may laugh but I assure you that when I went to work in Cape Town for The Big Issue I was absolutely devastated that I never came across a wandering elephant for me to take a runnin leap on.
So this mixed quite well because Thailand offers many different elephant parks for volunteers to go and work on, so my search began :D
My adventure plan then developed when i was telling my good friend Jen (Fox) what I was doing, she then expressed her wish to travel round Thailand aswell, (not for riding elephants as she has already dun tht.................she DID come across them in South Africa) and thus the plan developed into something that will actually happen.
So people of blogspot (my 4 followers) as of November I will be travelling out to Thailand for a weeks placement on an elephant park and will be met by jen (spreadsheet in hand) for a further 2 weeks of fun, travelling and hopefully no bickering :)
As of yet nothing has been booked but (fingers crossed) the placement will be secured by the end of the week and thanks to Jen I am saving a mass amount of money because she manged to find me this www.elephantnaturefoundation.org
They only charge around £250 a week while other Bigger named companies charge around £500 a week and £700 for 2. Also the money you give goes towards the care of the elephants, which is exactly what I was looking for :)
I will be updating me and Jen's Thailand Adventure when ever progress is made, but there is 1 thing im certain of..................... i cant friggin w8 :D

BORN THIS WAAAAAAAAAAY

Wit Wooooo Gaga is back and Born this way is far from disappointing, check it out on Youtube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4a8QtvOkBQ
Unfortunately there is no video as of yet but her preformance at the Grammy's is enough to entertain you, done in complete gagalesque style :D

white lies :)

My brother, Max, recently went down to Birmingham to watch a White Lies concert, of whom I had never heard of, and came back absolutely buzzing from it, he even forced me to sit down and watch a couple of their songs on trusty old Youtube afterwards! And I'm glad he did because I was actually quite impressed :)
Now, with having recently completed a work placement with the infamous NME, I wouldn't blame you for having the impression that I am an avid music follower and listen to all the underground, grungy indie bands, this is wrong, I don't. I am much more of a mainstream follower, I don't have a particluar genre of music that I favour, but i garantee that if it isn't played on the music channels then i probably won't have heard of it.
So you can imagine my surprise when i listened to White Lies, expecting to hate them, that I actually found myself wanting more. So after doing a bit of research on them i found that they are from North Ealing, down South (wont hold it against them JOKE) and have already released 2 albums, called To loose my life...... and Ritual.
Check out Bigger than us on Youtube, without a doubt the darkness of their music is indeed uplifting :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW0yynlDmqQ
Also check out Fairwell to the Fareground
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlmSqyMT0FQ

Review of Amir Sharma by Mike Martin

Since reading the fact the Amir Sharma has toured the UK playing tributes to the late King of Pop I thought it be best to see if I could find some reviews of his work, this is all I could find!

"Somewhat better as a tribute is Man in the Mirror, which pays homage to the late and genuinely great Michael Jackson. Supported by three fine musicians, Amir Sharma plays Jackson with obvious affection. The vocal style and moves are pretty good - no doubt the product of close study of the subject. Although not a patch on MJ himself, Sharma is a fine mover, but is too stocky in build to be totally convincing. However, he works the room well and gives his all to favourites like Thriller and Billie Jean."
http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/26331/international-management-and-agency-showcase

A tribute to Jacko :)

Thanks to my lil gossip amigo, Debbie Lou, I got a very exciting text today about a Michael Jackson Tribute act showing at the Grand Theatre in lancaster!! NOW i ave been an avid fan of Jacko's since I was about eight and i used to rock about in my uber cool P.J's with my cassette player and earphones :) gooooooood memories :) But as you can imagine I was devastated when he died on the 26/08/09 (barely remember my mate's birthdays but tht date stays wid me lol). So I was extremely happy to hear about this concert, which is being preformed by Amir Sharma on the 17th of July, along with an extraordinary cast of dancers, singers and muscians.
According to the Grand Theatres website "(Amir Sharma's) portrayal of Michael Jackson in his prime has to be the most vocally and visually accurate to the King of Pop to have toured the UK theatres." http://www.lancastergrand.co.uk/shows/?Year=2011&Month=7
Tickets are £16 for adults and £10 for children. I really hope this lives up to expectations :D See u ther :)

Quicksand

This is a play that caters for all types of audience; it isn’t just a simple love story that finishes with a happy ending or one that you can easily drift off in. Quicksand is a deeply emotional story that hooks you in within the first few minutes, as soon as the lights go down and the stage lights up, the powerful presence of the actors is enough to send the entire room into an eerie silence.

Set in Ulverston and focusing on the large Polish community in Cumbria, this play deals with the exploitation of migrant workers in Morecambe Bay. It shows how people take advantage of the hard working people that have genuinely come over to make a better life for themselves. They are forced to work longer hours with less pay than any English person would accept, they are stacked into houses and made to share rooms with people they have never met, sometimes resulting in terrible accidents. For people local to Morecambe Bay, watching this play, is a terrible reminder of the 23 Chinese people that lost their lives on the Bay, whilst cockle picking in 2004.

As soon as the play starts Renata (Sarah Parks) bursts on to stage, loud and arrogant, equipped with a strong Polish accent and you can immediately tell that this is a woman who has struggled to get the life she has now. Coming over to England in the 1970’s to escape the Soviet Bloc, Renata fought to provide the best possible life for herself and her son, Leo (Curtis Cole). Lured by good wages and a far better life than she would ever have got in Poland she decided to stay and build her own businesses.

However being Polish did not soften her approach to the other Polish people seeking a better life and she was soon one of the people ready to exploit them. Providing them with a house on Ramsden Road she didn’t care how many where in a room, or whether or not it was safe, as long as they paid their way.

However Leo, unlike his mother, has a more caring side and repeatedly tries to tell her that what she is doing is illegal. This unfortunately falls on death ears and it isn’t long until one of her residents by the name of Elka (Cristina Catalina) is stirring up a fuss. However Elka is not all she seems and despite being in the centre of our love story, is quick to avoid the question of why she has chosen to migrate to England when she comes from such a nice life in Poland.

The fourth character, and without a doubt, the most likeable is Ula (Eithne Browne) who is Renata’s housekeeper. She is a sweet and caring lady who constantly keeps the peace throughout the play, she expects nothing in return for her kindness and without her nurturing and motherly side this story would surely end in disaster.

To say any more would ruin Zosia Wand’s beautiful story and that is the last thing I would want to do. It is a play that manages to capture your imagination from beginning to end and is definitely a play you want to watch. Showing at the Dukes Theatre in Lancaster until the 12^thof February, there is just no excuse to miss it.

Haiti Cherie Fashion Show

Over the years we have watched on television and heard on the radio about the natural disasters that have plagued such countries like Haiti and not only left thousands dead but wiped out whole cities and towns. Now is our chance to help thanks to Sarah Norris, 23, a very caring and charitable young woman who not only knows the severity of the disasters but of the lack of help the victims have actually received.

Sarah has given us the chance to do our part and in aid of the people of Haiti has set up a fashion show where a hundred percent of the proceedings will be donated to the cause. This fashion show is on the 24^th of Feb at the Dalton Rooms, Lancaster and will start at 730pm. The tickets cost as little as £3 and the guests will expect to see a whole range of fashion from the likes of Room 12, Joseph and co and Deborah Jane. The hair and makeup will also be done by Tony and Guy and bands and dancers will also be featured.

Sarah has a very personal link to Haiti as she spent a few years living there when she was younger and considers it her second home. She even went over there six months after the earthquake in 2010 to help friends and see the devastation. She wants to make it clear to people that things have not changed radically enough,

“When I went there I felt as though nobody was doing anything, buildings that had collapsed 6 months ago were still lying there, so I was asked by friends to help raise money and I was more than happy to help.”

For some of us the idea that Haiti is still in crisis is absurd but we have to take into account that just because the devastation is no longer shown on the news it doesn’t mean that the horror is over for the people there.

Despite organising all of this herself, Sarah persists that it is something she has enjoyed and is extremely grateful for all the people that have got involved. She is especially thankful to her friend, who is also the manager of the Dalton Rooms, Jade Mapp-Mckenzie, who gave her the venue for her fundraiser, free of charge. The clothes have also been donated free of charge by the high street stores and the models, bands and dancers are all volunteering. One of the models appearing is our very own Miss Morecambe, Steph Jackson. Sarah says,

“It’s amazing how many people want to help and also how many people now know about it, I set up an event on facebook, invited my friends and I’ve now got people coming who I have never met, which is great.”

When Sarah goes over to Haiti she works alongside Hearts with Haiti, a non profitable organisation that over the years has built 3 orphanages and a school, which brings boys off the streets and provides them with a good home and family. Unfortunately the earthquake brought down 2 of these orphanages and they are now planning to rebuild with the help of fundraising.

Over the past couple of years Haiti has been the victim of severe torrential rain, which started in 2008, causing whole communities to be washed out and the death toll rising by the hundred each day. Not long after this, and far from recovery, Haiti was then hit in 2010 by a devastating earthquake which, according to Red Cross, affected over 3 million people. Now Haiti is unrecognisable to the country it was 4 years ago, with poverty at it’s height and people still missing, it’s time we pulled together and thought about the hundreds of people still suffering.

So if you feel as though you would like to contribute to this much needed cause contact Sarah at S0701503@Cumbria.ac.uk, where you will be able to buy tickets for the event, or even to place a small donation for the people of Haiti.

Fish n' Feet

The latest beauty craze that has quickly swept over England has now reached SunSeekers in Lancaster and I have to admit it is definitely something worth trying.

Now I’m not going to lie, I was extremely hesitant when I first heard about Fish n’ Feet, it didn’t appeal to me at all, purely because I have a very low pain threshold and was convinced that it was going to hurt. However I found it relaxing, therapeutic and effective.

Fish n’ Feet is a painless pedicure that involves you submerging your feet into a tank of Garra Rufa fish which suck the dead skin cells off your feet and release an enzyme into your skin. It simply feels like putting your feet into a Jacuzzi while you sit back and relax. In order for the fish to survive the water needs to be heated to 30C so you don’t have to worry about the water being too cold as it is at just the right temperature.

Before you put your feet into the tank you have to put your feet into a bowl of warm water to make sure that your feet are clean and that no material from your socks get into the tank, as these fish are very sensitive and extremely expensive to buy in.

As soon as I got used to the feeling of lots of little fish sucking on my feet (which took a matter of seconds) I felt very relaxed and very pampered. I almost forgot why I was there, which was too see if this type of pedicure actually worked! And I am happy to report that my feet have not felt his smooth in years (especially since I took up barmaiding, which isn’t as kind on your feet as sitting in an office all day would be) so I definitely recommend it.

This type of treatment originated in Turkey 200 years ago and has been very popular in countries such as Iran, Siberia and Iraq. It is also believed to help relieve skin irritations such as psoriasis and it can also enhance your tan. The manager of Fish n Feet, Asley Bolsouer, actually advises people that they have a Fish n ’Feet treatment before they go on the sunbeds as it stimulates blood circulation around the body so therefore your skin cells receive more oxygenated blood which helps the tanning process.

If you are interested in going to SunSeekers for this type of pedicure then you don’t have to book an appointment you just show up, however you need to take in to account that you can’t have moisturiser or fake tan on your feet as it is poisonous to the fish, it is also not advised to use one of the tanks if you have an open wound.

For a 15 minute treatment it costs £10 and for 25 minutes it costs £15, but they do offer deals, such as if 2 people go together then it costs £8 for 15 minutes and £12 for 25 minutes.

This is a unique spa treatment that is getting more and more popular by the day, it is an organic and natural way of treating your feet without the pain and soreness that some pedicures can cause, and I am happy to tell you that it is definitely something I will be treating myself to again.

Stephen James Hair Salon

As a 22 year girl (bit apprehensive to use the word woman just yet) my hair is very important to me but so is my bank balance so after many years of trying different hair salons and numerous amounts of different stylists I finally felt happy with Stephen James Hair Salon in Morecambe.

I came across it (despite is being down the road from where I live) 3 years ago due to a recommendation from my mum, I thought I might as well give it a go and was so swept away with the stylist I used I haven’t been anywhere else since.

It is a stylish and modern salon with a wide variety of clients ranging from all ages. Stephen James opened the salon 27 years ago and employs a staggering 18 staff, all of which are incredibly friendly and make it their priority to make sure your comforts are met. As soon as you sit down you are always greeted with a smile and an offer of a drink. They also like to make sure you are a hundred percent sure on what you want doing with your hair before they start, so to prevent any nasty scares!

They provide an excellent range of services for both women and men, all of which you can check out on their website at http://sjhair.com

Despite their wide range of stylists I always use Sara Thorneycroft, her style and imagination is modern and unique, she is also quick paced and extremely easy to talk to.

The latest products are always on show and the stylists are anything but shy about using them on you to create a completely new look. After one use of TIGI Root Booster I was indeed hooked!

The salon also provides unique IVU touch-sensitive screens which are placed at each workstation allowing the customer (beverage in hand) to browse through the entire product range that they supply, which include; REDKEN, clynol, ghd, TIGI, FUDGE and Joico. If you are unsure about any of the products don’t hesitate in asking the staff, as they will be more than happy to help.

They also allow you to book your appointments online and will send you a text message to remind you of when it is. The gallery online is also worth a visit as it highlights funky and modern styles that you are sometimes too scarred to ask for.

Overall I don’t have a bad thing to say about Stephen James Hair Salon and definitely recommend it for anyone who needs a new and refreshing approach to their look.

Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

We all dream from a young age to embark on adventures, to battle monsters and to befriend animals. Well this is what Narnia allows you to do, it gives you the chance to feel like a child again where everything is magical and anything is possible.

This is the third instalment of the Narnia series, the first being The lion, the witch and the wardrobe (2005) and the second being Prince Caspian (2008). The films are based on the novels written by C.S.Lewis, of which there are 7. These classic stories which never loose their sparkle were originally written between 1949 and 1954 taking place during the back drop of the Second World War, a time most frightening and confusing for children, which is where this story starts. C.S.Lewis provided an escape for children, a place they could go to when they were scared, where they got to battle the enemies and forget about the horror their families were going through.

The first 2 films focused on 4 siblings; Susan, Peter, Lucy (Georgie Henley) and Edmund (Skandar Keynes), however Susan and Peter have now grown to old for Narnia and this film is time for Lucy and Edmund to shine as king and queen of Narnia. Unfortunately for them their annoying and arrogant cousin Eustace Scrubbs (Will Poulter) gets brought along and it isn’t long until they are encounter mer people, dragons, sea serpents and dwarves.

However this film is not just a chance to battle adventure and enjoy magic but also a chance to reunite with old friends such as Aslan the lion (Liam Neeson), Reepicheep the mouse (Simon Pegg) and Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes).

When they return to their beloved world they are intrigued to hear that all is not well in their much loved dreamland as a mysterious green mist coming of the sea is causing people to vanish, they soon learn that the 7 Lords sent out to place their swords on Aslan’s table, in order to defeat the evil, have gone missing along their journey. It is Lucy and Edmunds job to help Prince Caspian track them down and get to the real route of all this wrong doing, but it isn’t long until they encounter strange and mysterious happenings along their journey.

With names such as Liam Neeson, Ben Barnes and Simon Pegg, it comes as no surprise to hear just how good and enchanting this film really is, from the moment our protagonists board the royal ship, The Dawn Treader, we are all prepared for an adventure of a life time. Despite the fun our dear friends Edmund and Lucy endure on this trip, we are all sad to hear Aslan tell them that this is their last time in Narnia, as it is time for them to grow up and live their life, however that is not quite the case for Eustace.

For the readers of the books and the followers of the films, Voyage of the Dawn Treader is definitely worth a visit to the cinema, as the director, Michael Apted, successfully manages to capture your imagination so vividly you feel nothing but disappointment when the rolling credits start. And for those slightly older viewers it magically re awakens the child inside you, where you secretly wish that when you go home that night your wardrobe will transport you to a secret world.