The best (and easiest) banana cake ever!

Thanks to Tescos selling me a bunch of the most squishiest bananas I've ever seen I had the need to make banana cake (or rather a banana loaf).

I found this recipe online and the results were excellent - a golden loaf, moist inside and crisp on top.

I added chocolate chips and I'm sure raisins and nuts would work well too.

Happy baking

Easy As Banana Loaf

1/2 a cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar (whatever kind you like)
1 cup self-raising flour
2 eggs
2 large or 3 medium, very ripe bananas

Heat the oven to 180C
Grease a loaf tin.

Mash the bananas with a sturdy fork.
Cream the butter and sugar together and mix in the eggs
Mix together the bananas into the buttery-sugary-eggy mixture.
Add the flour.

Scrape into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes then lower the temperature to 150C and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Blogging shall resume shortly

What a long time between posts.

Thanks for being paitent, but with what feels like a lifetime without internet access there is a lot to catch up on! I hope to have a series of exciting new posts this coming week.

Christmas In Bruges

Yes, this is late... in December a group of Kiwis in London journeyed in the wee small hours to catch a coach to Belgium - Bruge to be specific - for the annual Christmas markets.

For anyone who has seen, and loved, the movie In Bruges the city holds a certain serious and humourous appeal.

Our day started ridiculously early - I had to be at Victoria by 6:30am - because we were making the journey to and from Belgium in one day.

From London to Dover, Dover to Calais and Calais to Bruges we rode into town on the Phoenix Tours' bus.

The two drivers were lovely and in a good mood, laughing and joking all the way.

However, the tour guide was not quite right.

I'm not sure how this guy ever got the job. He was less of a guide and more of a rambling old man. He said he'd been doing it for years but his circular and boring stories would have put the hardiest traveller to sleep let alone a bunch of 20 somethings.

Just before arriving at our destination we paid a visit to a Belgian Chocolate factory - need I say more!

On a side note, we were meant to travel the week before but thanks to a massive dumping of snow our trip was postponed.

By midday we were rolling into town, through a largely industrial area to the tall trees on the outskirts of the historic old town.

It's hard to describe Bruges without using a lot of cheesy and romantic words... beautiful, breath-taking, peaceful, magical, fairy-tail town.

All these descriptions are true, but the influx of visitors for the markets meant it was a little less peaceful.

Along with friends Kathy and Becca we made our way through the small village. With so many ornate buildings, stalls, shops and decorations it was hard to know where to look.

First we stopped for a look in some Christmas decoration shops. The ornaments were handmade and expensive - but it's free to look.

Next we sampled the local mulled wine and made our way through the first of two market squares.

The old town is fairly compact and it doesn't take long to cover the main area on foot.

The main market is the centre of the square in front of the Church of Our Lady. There an ice-rink is surrounded by stalls selling food, produce and Christmas themed goodies.

Here we tucked into some tasty banana fritters. Ummmmm!

Kath decided she wanted to join the overly long queue to climb the church tower while Becca and I went sightseeing. You'd have to be a pretty big Grinch not to get caught up in the Christmas Spirit in this town.

After a day shopping, eating and walking we were exhausted. In early evening we were back on our bus making the long journey back to London.

More photos of Bruges here!

Let it snow! My very first snow fall

Today, the 30th day of November I saw my very first snow fall.

Looking out the window mid morning small powdery flakes were drifting down.


Ahh, a light dusting of snow in Chiswick



A light sprinkling of snow has been falling all day, but not enough for any ground coverage.

I had to try really hard not to dance through the streets like a crazy woman - nobody seemed particularly excited by the wintry arrival, well, either that or we were all too scared to let our inner child run free.

Snow flakes feel like little puffs of rain that fall down and tickle your nose.

Other parts of the city are covered in the cold white stuff. Hopefully we get a good snow-dumping overnight so I can have the full snowman, snowball, snowangel experience.

As tomorrow is December 1, MY official start of the festive season, I may have to tuck into a Starbucks Christmas coffee and take a walk through the increasingly merry town of Chiswick.

Off to Bruges

The weather is getting chilly and the days are shorter. For a southern hemisphere girl I need to be reminded that these are the signs of Christmas.

I should have no trouble remembering this coming weekend as I head to Bruges for the annual Christmas Markets.

The BBC weather page says the highest temperature in Bruges between Sunday and Thursday is going to be -1°C... with snow! The lowest, an overnight temperature of -8°C. 

It's a good thing I've just stocked up on wintery supplies from that great British store TK Maxx.

In one successful shopping trip I now have a pair of sheepskin boots, a padded hoodied sweater, jacket, hat and woolly socks. Ahhh.

Now for some Belgian mulled wine!


Read all about our Bruges Xmas experience here.

Rules for public transport: by me

After several months travelling British style I think I now have the right to comment on public transport rules and etiquette.

If we all follow these basic instructions the world will be a much happier place.

Elderly Women (frail and non-frail)
Now this is easy - everyone who is not elderly or disabled should stand for little old ladies - end of story. It's the right thing to do

Elderly Men (frail)
Again, this is a simple rule, everyone who isn't old and has all their limbs in working order should give up their seats.

Elderly Men (non-frail)
This rule is a little more complicated, and may sound a little sexist.

MEN who are not elderly or disabled should stand up for this group the reason being gentlemen of a certain age don't seem to like taking a seat of a 'lady' no matter how young (children are another matter all together) and will act all chivalrous if offered a space by the fairer sex.

Small School Children
I know some people out there think all children should give up seats for full-fare-paying grown-ups, but it seriously makes me mad when the tiniest of pupils are left to slide around the bus or train. These tots often carry backpacks that weigh as much as they do and being so tiny they can't reach the hand rails. So be an adult and give up your seat!

Pregnant Women
I imagine carrying around a future human all day is pretty tiring and the added size and shape doesn't make standing crammed in with other passengers easy. So unless you are an elderly woman or a frail old man - stand. The same courtesy should be applied to those carrying babies and small children.

Newspapers
If you are standing and the train is full do not open your newspaper. Where do you think your elbows are going? That's right - all up in my face!

Upon entering
Let people OFF the train first - you're not going to get left behind, just be patient, please.

Well, those are my rules. Nothing more, nothing less.

Just don't steal my armrest!

We're jammin' in London

I can't believe it has more than four months since I last picked up an instrument.

We'll my head might not have believed it, but my fingers certainly did -and my shoulders are killing me after playing bass for 2.5 hours.

Anja organised a jam for us at Enterprise Studios on Denmark St just off Charing Cross Road. You'll know you're in the right place when you get to the rows and rows of music shops.

The studio is down a skungey looking alley - musician wanted and gig posters plastered all over the alley walls. The studio is huge and with dozens of rooms off the maze-like hallways it's easy to lose your way - I did on the way out.

Our room came complete with drum kit, guitar, bass and mics - all high quality.

With three guitarists and two guitars I was relegated to bass - which meant for a good workout! I haven't properly played bass since my High School jazz band days.

After a slightly rusty start the four of us were soon blasting our way through cover songs and a few original numbers.

We're hoping to make this a regular event - and when I get my first job I'm off to purchase my very own UK guitar!

Can't wait!