And they’re not wrong; 20 degrees, blue sky, sea warm enough to get in without completely the ability to breathe, and even coming back with a tan line. But is it worth the five hour flight? In short: yes. But there’s definitely a few things to note…

Me and my wonderful best friend searched Lastminute, scouring for an affordable December holiday, some much-needed rest before the height of holiday season. Working in hospitality and events is a lot this time of year.

We wanted sun, but we were on a bit of a budget. Neither of us have any particular pull to Dubai, and South America and Asia are a little too far for a long weekend.

So why did we choose Cyprus?

Apart from the fact that with careful booking, this little holiday cost us a very respectable £150 each, we got nicely timed flights from Gatwick to Paphos and back, and a two bed apartment about a 20 minute walk from the main strip.

This was both our first time visiting the island so we didn’t know what to expect. We knew it was going to be low season, but we weren’t sure how much so. Would there just be locals, immigrants and expats, or would there be lots of tourists too? We also wondered if there was going to be an overwhelming amount of British people since it’s definitely a place that has been British-ified.

Cyprus from the air

We stepped off the plane at Paphos airport, which was small with parts still being built, from what we could tell (a recurring theme, as you will find out). From the landing strip to the walk inside, you could see brown hills spanning everywhere you looked, with dotted green trees. It was still a very Mediterranean landscape but it reminded me of hills from Chihuahua in Mexico. A welcome change from England’s cold, grey skies.

The first day, it rained

Not Mediterranean storm rain, but a smattering. Met Office hadn’t mentioned rain, and we quickly learnt not to trust the forecast. I’d say take a light raincoat though. Luckily it stopped pretty quickly, and the sun made an appearance.

The flight time from Gatwick was estimated for around 4.5 hours but it felt like we were landing for about an hour. You have to do a loop around the island to get to Paphos airport and it just felt endless. A cab via Bolt (their version of Uber) set us back €38 so not too bad. There is a bus, the 612, but it was too confusing to understand when it was coming, and we wanted to get in the sun as soon as we could.

The sun in Cyprus is in the sky for much the same time as England for winter daylight…

…maybe a little earlier in the morning, but by 5pm it’s dark, and pretty cold. It’s still 16/17 degrees but it’s definitely not micro shorts and summer vest weather.

We were staying at Arthemus Cynthia Complex which has 6/7 blocks of rooms and apartments, and four pools. I can imagine every pool is packed in the summer, but they weren’t heated and were colder than the sea. So there were a few sparse tourists (and some cats) sunbathing, but no one swimming.

I don’t know what you’d pay in high season, but for a two bed with a nice balcony and all the amenities, including a bath and a washing machine, we were very happy.

The view from the balcony wasn’t anything special, we could see the below pool, a couple of the other blocks, the Amazon Mini Mart at the end of the street, and a new block of buildings being constructed.

We were a 20–30-minute walk away from Katos Paphos main area, which houses a long strip of cocktail bars and restaurants. And even in December there’s a large number of men outside these places offering a 10 per cent discount because “you’re a such a pretty lady, oh my god.” Maybe it’s more intense because there’s fewer people, but honestly some of them would not take no for an answer. No, I don’t want to eat at the restaurant you’ve got a captive pelican outside of, thanks.

Paphos strip at night

Our first night

By the time we’d checked in, dropped our bags off, made our way down to the strip for the first time, it was already dark, and it was cold. We settled for a cocktail and one of the trashiest and cheapest looking bars, and headed off to bed.

Now, me and my friend are not big partiers. I’m more of a get up early and go on a hike kind of girl, and she’s more of a read a book in a hammock in the sun kind of lady, so we weren’t there to club, and it’s a good job too.

In December it’s like a ghost town in large of parts of the back streets. Desolate bars taken over by colonies of cats, restaurants with no lights, and the occasional sports bar with five loud British men yelling at the screens.

The main strip however is all open. There’s a large selection of places to eat, from seafood to pasta, but not much choice for genuine Cypriot food, and definitely not all that great for a vegan. I mostly ate veggie burgers, which are nice, but not anything I can’t have at home.

Vegan burglar

On day two we started the day late, I had an online zoom interview at midday, so we didn’t go anywhere prior to this for fear of not making it back on time (it went well, thanks for asking).

We decided to take a stroll down to Paphos Castle, see the tombs and all the historic bits, which was all very nice. But very quiet and not all that accessible this time of year. It’s not like stepping off the bus and seeing the pyramids, but it’s nice to see some of the islands culture. Although I feel most people holidaying in Cyprus aren’t there to learn about its history.

Read more: Why Anguilla is the best place for a Big Birthday

The walk along the strip in the day was a lot nicer than at night. Don’t get me wrong, you’re still bombarded with comments and invites, but everything looks a lot prettier. There are people busking Christmas music, iguanas and their owners sitting by the port side, and warm enough you could walk around in shorts.

I feel like they try to be festive, there’s Christmas music playing everywhere, weekend Christmas markets, light up led… boats, whatever Christmas is to you, hey? But I think being English, my idea of Christmas is cold and wet and dark, and hearing a samba remix of Feliz Navidad on repeat everywhere did feel surreal.

We went to The Harbour restaurant for dinner, where there’s a great beach biew, and they had a solid five vegan options. At this magic place, my friend got a chicken gyro filled with salad and chips for less than €4. What a win!

We enjoyed a couple of cocktails there, and then wandered on, deciding to head back up to the apartment and get evening ready. For us this doesn’t mean getting glammed up in skimpy dresses and makeup, but more extra layers as the sun was going down.

Later that evening…

We discovered  Pingouino, a lush lounge with a heated outdoor space. They showed the football but it felt so far from a sports bar, and we returned for another evening. The cocktails weren’t too expensive either; I think the classics were all around the €9.50-€10 mark, which was a little more pricey than a lot of places, but the couple of extra euros made all the difference to the quality of the drinks. It also seemed to be the place that (at this time of year), wasn’t full of just British tourists, and rather locals, which was a much nicer vibe.

Pingouino, Paphos

We got a little tipsy and headed to bed, ready for a beach day ahead

Now, to spare you some disappointment if you decide to venture to Paphos, Coral Bay is not so named because of its abundance of coral, but because they thought it sounded nice.

It’s a lovely beach, about a 25–30-minute cab ride, or two busses away, with sandy and clear waters. We got there around 10am and it was still quiet, just locals going for a picturesque run or morning swim. Quite a few of them in – dare I say – the skimpiest Speedos I’ve ever seen.

The pictures of the bay in summer shows thousands of people lounging under umbrellas and the sea heaving with swimmers. In December, it’s not so much like this. The beach bar and the activity centre was well and truly closed, although you could still shower, and there were changing rooms and toilets. But if you were hoping to hire a lounger and umbrella or even a glass bottomed canoe, you’ll be disappointed.

By this point we’d learned not to trust Google Maps. A few long walks met with closed and very much not-opening-any-time-soon bars and restaurants taught us this. My best advice is maybe don’t go to that really far out of the centre, even if Google says it’s open. Because chances are it might not be – the Google listings are not always up to date.

We were determined to get in the sea

So we’d come with sandwiches and boxed wine, bikinis and rented towels, what more could you need? Obviously we got in the sea, it was crystal clear blue, and you could see shoals of little fish. The tanned locals were saying it’s too cold, but we were never going to listen.

It wasn’t warm, but it wasn’t cold by any means. I’d say it’s about as warm as late June in England. I think we stayed in for a solid 15 mins, and then lounged on the beach for a few hours, downing dodgy Cypriot box wine, and got our tan on.

We’d heard of caves the other side next bay, so we decided to walk along the coast to find them. Unfortunately we never did, and I was sad to have missed out. Maybe it was blindingly obvious, but we were too sun- and wine-kissed to see the signs?!

Either way, lots of locals and other tourists told us we’d missed out, so if you’re there, go and have a look for me?!

From beaches to donkeys

On our final day, we decided to visit Animal Rescue Cyprus, which was a 10-minute walk from our apartment. This is Cyprus’s oldest no-kill shelter, which offers sanctuary to animals like cats, dogs, horses and of course donkeys. What they do is fantastic, they help to minimise over-population in animals by neutering them. They feed them, take care of them and give them medical attention. The sanctuary can be overwhelming; there are a LOT of animals. Some of the dogs are tied up, and look intimidating, but they all love the attention. They’re tied up because they don’t always get on with other dogs, but they all have beds, food, water and shelter.

When you arrive, you just go straight in, making sure to lock the gate to stop donkeys escaping, and I would recommend only bringing food if you are confident around animals. The second you whip out some food, you’ll be surrounded by an array of large animals. I almost got my head kicked in by a horse while sitting on the floor feeding some cats, so watch out!

It was a lovely visit, but it was a hard one. They’re doing everything they can for the animals but they’re not working with much so it can feel a little bare. But like I said, all the animals were happy there and loved some pats and snacks. We made a cash and food donation, and went on our way.

Heading back to Pingouino we enjoyed some dinner, a few drinks, stroked a few passing cats before calling it a night. We had an earlyish flight and not much idea on how fast security would be through the airport. I have some nightmare flights before!

Chicken at Pinguino

On our last morning, we got booted out at 10am

So we read books in the sun by the pool and grabbed a cab to the airport. The airport is small and the technology feels like Gatwick used to when I was a young kid. No liquids over 100ml, everything separated, the oldest scanners, a whole two rows of security. It’s a small airport, but it’s got some good food options, and even an outside café/bar area.

The flight back was bumpy, we got unlucky on turbulence, but otherwise it was fine. The flight each way is just under five hours, which is a little long for a 5-day trip, but with a glass or two of wine, and a late night behind you, you can sleep through it, as I discovered.

Cyprus is well worth a visit for some winter sun. It’s cheap, it’s accessible, it’s not as far or as pricey as other locations for winter warmth, and it’s got a certain British charm. Check it out, but take a real map with you as well as your mobile.

• • • We stayed at the Arthemus Cynthia Complex, which was €xx per night – obviously expect to pay more during the high season
    • Flights were by xxx and cost € / £ from Gatwick to Paphos – again, prices will vary
    • Holiday booked via Lastminute.com
    • Bolt from the airport to the resort €38

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Cyprus for winter sun – is it actually warm and sunny enough!? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

There is so much of Mexico to explore. And when travelling, if you’re looking for something authentic, you always need to look that one step further. While popular tourist destinations like Cancun or Mexico City get all the attention, Lili Lowe on why you should consider Chihuahua in the north of Mexico for your next adventure…

If I’m being honest, I’d never really heard much about Chihuahua; apart from the dog, of course. So, when I decided to explore the Mexican region, I was excited to see a part of the world I didn’t know anything about.

The journey to Chihuahua was much like any long haul… a bit of a slog. With a 12 hour transatlantic flight to Mexico City, and a couple of hours on a connecting flight to get there – although a slightly less onerous nine-hour trip home – I was pleased to have my feet on the ground by the time I landed. It’s quite a trip.

Let’s start with Chihuahua City itself

Chihuahua might not be as big or famous as Mexico City, but it’s equally or maybe even more rich in history. One of the first things I learned was that the Mexican revolution of 1910 started in Chihuahua, rather than in the capital.

Within the city, we visited some beautiful sights, including Quinta Gameros Cultural Centre, a stunning, French-inspired mansion. It’s now owned by the local university and is a popular student hang-out. I was definitely a little jealous of the students who get to each their lunch here.

Quinta Gameros Cultural Centre

But my favourite spot by far was the house of Francisco “Pancho” Villa’s second wife, now called the is now the Francisco Villa Museum. María Luz Corral de Villa was second among 25 women who have claimed to be married to him at one time or another! He’s known as the Mexican Robin Hood, which might explain his appeal among the ladies. Marital matters aside, he was the former governor of Chihuahua and a pivotal part of the Mexican revolution.

We learnt about his rise to power, his arguments with his American neighbours, and his inevitable fall. The house, as per his request and after his second wife had died, was left to the military. Soldiers still mill around the mansion. They won’t smile at you, but they are friendly enough, if a little imposing.

Francisco Villa Museum

As well as the city’s historic charms, we stayed in District One or ‘The Modern District’ for the first couple of nights. In all honesty, it felt like a weird dystopia in comparison to the old town. Like Canary Wharf, but in the desert. It was still pleasant with lots of fancy cocktail bars, restaurants, health food shops, and even a café that had vegan options. It wasn’t my favourite part of the city but I can see why people would enjoy a night out there. Plus, it felt pretty safe. I don’t imagine the old town has much CCTV.

Chihuahua City ‘Modern District’

Wandering around Chihuahua City, the divide between those with money and those without is pretty obvious. A few of my travelling companions said that Chihuahua felt like it had been lightly touched by the western world, but much of it was left untouched. Religious buildings are everywhere, and there are houses that look exactly as you’d expect after watching a western set in Mexico. And of course, you’re conscious of the desert and mountains all around you.

Away from the Mexican metropolis

Wherever you look in Chihuahua City, you are reminded that you’re just in a small part of the state. There are mountains everywhere. And if you drive just 20 minutes outside the city, the landscape becomes unrecognisable. The desert stretches out for miles, populated by vultures, eagles, snakes and lizards. I was in awe, not necessarily because it was so pretty, but because it was so different to anything I’d seen before.

In the desert, we visited a Sotol distillery to see how the traditional Chihuahuan drink is made. It comes from Genus Dasylirion plants, which are found in north Mexico deserts, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. Sotol is a bloody unique drink; kind of smoky, not a million miles away from tequila, but a lot more ‘rustic’. It’s like nothing I’ve never tried before. A lot of it is also insanely alcoholic.

Obviously 10am is the perfect time to visit a distillery

Some of the many flavours of Sotol to choose from

The brother of the master distiller of Sotol taught us that to even sip the drink neat, you have to first produce a small ball of spit to the front of your mouth to enjoy it on the tongue.

I tried many flavours and learnt so much, such as how Sotol was only legalised in 2002 because of its strong ties to prohibition. When the authorities searched distilleries, the booze was buried in graves, which was a pretty effective hiding place. It’s probably not my drink of choice, but with ABV percentages ranging from 30 to 70, it’s a pretty good way to get the party started.

Getting up into the mountains

The drive up to the mountains was full of stunning views and winding roads. Every time we stopped, I was reminded of how lucky I was to be seeing this. The scenery is breathtaking.

We stayed in a small town called Creel. It was felt a bit like a Swiss mountain town but hotter, with dogs instead of goats, and far less yodelling. Before we settled in, we drove about an hour away to the Valley of the Monks, a stunning spot that overlooks giant, pointy rocks. They were probably more phallic than religious, but gorgeous all the same (picture above).

Rarámuri women

Traditional crafts by the Rarámuri people

At the Valley of the Monks, we met indigenous Rarámuri people. They live off the land in places completely untouched by the modern world. These are ‘high canyon’ Rarámuri people, and most of the women and girls were dressed in bright, beautiful traditional clothing. At the foot of a mountain that we hiked up, they were selling handicrafts, such as carved wooden earrings and handwoven baskets, and insisted on posing for pictures with us. Despite living mostly off the land, drought has been a real problem, so they still need pesos to survive.

Following a train journey by the Chepe Express (more on this below), we landed in Creel, and had dinner at a steakhouse. This limited my options as a vegan, but I was helpfully assured the meat was very nice. It’s a small town, but it has everything you may need and a lot of what you don’t too. As well as practical amenities, such as banks and pharmacies, there are gift shops and small markets.

The beautiful, colourful buildings were very photogenic and I was disappointed to have only spent a night there. It’s the kind of place where you could happily wile away a few days. Creel is high up, with an elevation of more than 2,300 metres above sea level. So if you suffer with altitude sickness, this may not be the place for you. In October, it was chilly at night, but a rather pleasant 25 degrees by day.

The Copper Canyons

I have to say, the biggest draw of Chihuahua has got to be the Copper Canyons, known locally as Barrancas del Cobre. Twice as deep and four times as large as the much-visited Grand Canyon, photos and words cannot describe the sheer magnitude.

Formed of three mountains, we drove for hours and stayed in multiple locations, yet I feel like I haven’t seen even half of the views, valleys and forests.

We spent a night at Hotel Mirador, which was built so that every room and common area looked out on the mountains. From my balcony, I could see valleys, Rarámuri settlements, blue jays, eagles, vultures and more. I got up early to watch the sun rise over the mountains. As I sat there with my tea warming my hands, music in my ears, watching as the world woke up, I honestly had a little cry. It was profoundly moving, and throughout my visit I often had to take a moment just take it all in.

The world’s second longest zipline starts here

One of the wildest things I did in the mountains was take a ride on the world’s second longest zipline. The experience lasts about three minutes and can reach speeds of up to 135kph, starting from a height of 2,248 metres. When I saw the drop and looked at the wire – which I couldn’t see the end of – I gulped a bit. But as soon as I was kitted up, I couldn’t wait to go. And it was amazing, every second was a thrill. You’re going so fast you spin, and I definitely whooped and threw my hands in the air like a proper tourist.

On the other side, however, you have to hike up to the cable cart station to get back. It’s about 700m and takes anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on your fitness levels. If you think the hike might be a bit much, the adventure park has many other options for everyone involved.

We stopped at a few viewpoints to see valleys and different aspects of the canyons. At every point, I was awestruck. One of the things I loved most was seeing how different life was in different parts of the mountains, from colder, harsher temperatures up the top to rainforest temperatures and humidity in the valleys. It’s so vast and expansive that I felt like I could never have seen enough.

Read more: why the over-50s are leading the way in adventure travel

The Chepe Express

Let’s talk about the train ride! This was definitely a highlight of the trip. It’s about nine hours by rail between Los Mochis to Creel, with five stops where you can get off for further exploration. During the trip, we crossed one of the country’s most imposing mountain ranges via bridges and tunnels, all gems of Mexican engineering. And this journey took place in an environment where excellent staff pampered us in comfort.

There are three classes; first, premium, and tourist. I was lucky enough to be in first, but did venture down to premium, which wasn’t greatly different. I didn’t get a look at tourist class, but was assured that is was still a nice experience. It’s not so much about the amenities but the views. Click here to check out the rates.

It was an incredible vintage train going through the mountains, it was spectacular, it was hot – especially getting off at Los Mochis at the other end – and it was mad. They love music in Mexico and there were so many places where music was blasting through speakers. This train was no different, but it did not take away from the experience at all.

As well as the canyons, tunnels and bridges, I saw cowboys – I’m talking about actual cowboys with lassos – which was pretty exciting. I implore anyone travelling to Mexico to consider this train journey. You will not be disappointed.

On the whole…

I had a fantastic time and I came home feeling like I’d really experienced something new and interesting, not like I’d just been on holiday. This sort of buzz may not be for everyone, but if you’re looking for a genuinely new and exciting experience, then this could be the trip for you.

A nine-night stay in Mexico (six nights in Chihuahua and three in Mexico City) with Audley Travel costs from £4,090 per person (based on two travelling). The price includes all flights, transfers, accommodation, a first-class ticket on Chepe Express and excursions in Chihuahua and Mexico City. www.audleytravel.com/mexico

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Consider Chihuahua in Mexico for your next adventure appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Lili Lowe on the realities of living with Tourette’s syndrome, busting a few myths and calling for better understanding about a condition that is a magnet for misinformation.

Can you tell us about your journey with Tourette’s syndrome?

I remember being maybe 10 or 11 and when I started making weird, uncontrollable grunts. They were really annoying. I’d have this odd feeling in my chest, like something needed to come out –and until it did, it almost hurt. After a few years, that particular tic disappeared, and I never really thought much of it.

But when I was about 19 or 20, these weird sensations came back. This time, they were accompanied by words – I started saying “Hey!” or “Hi!” or “Hello!”. At first, I was so confused. I thought maybe a terrible job, terrible relationship, and a sense that the world was falling apart was stressing me out beyond reason.

But as these new tics continued and became more severe, I realised that maybe it wasn’t going to go away quickly. At first, I disregarded the idea that I might have Tourette’s. But trying to explain to people why I was shouting “Hello!” in their faces for no apparent reason got tricky.

Fast forward to today, I’m getting more comfortable with telling people I have Tourette’s and accepting the fact. And I’m constantly fighting that lovely fella known as Imposter Syndrome, who keeps popping into my head.

“Oh, you just HAVE to make those noises do you? Just stop doing it, you’re being dramatic…”

What type of tics do you experience and how do they affect your daily life?

My tics are only verbal. I am very thankful they are not offensive – count your blessings and all that.

At the moment, my tic list includes the “Hey!”, “Hello!” and “Hi!” greetings in a variety of pitches and tones. There are a few weird squeaks, almost mouse-like, but not in a creepy way. It sounds almost like a small, high-pitched child.

I always say that the ‘greeting’ tics have stuck around because my Tourette’s just wants to be acknowledged

And my latest persistent tic is “Bah!” I’m not sure how I feel about this one, but a few friends have said they hope it sticks around for Christmas. Bah humbug!

Over the last few years, there has been a broader range of tics, but a lot of them come and go. I always say that the ‘greeting’ tics have stuck around because my Tourette’s just wants to be acknowledged and is desperate for attention.

How do you manage your tics?

I don’t think anyone with Tourette’s should have to manage their tics. It’s simply not fair. It would be like telling someone who desperately needs to sneeze that they’re not allowed to.

But of course – and I’m sure I’m not alone – there are some situations where I would like to not tic. It’s normally meeting new people or situations where I don’t want to draw attention to myself.

Sometimes I’ll do them more quietly, which can help scratch the itch. But ultimately they need to come out. Holding them in means I’ll suffer later.

What are some of the everyday challenges you face because of Tourette’s syndrome?

I’ve just started dating again – I know, the joys – but this means meeting new people. And I don’t always want to tic, especially when I’m trying to look hot and elusive. The sexy mystique sort of goes out of the window when I’m shouting “Hello!” in someone’s face like an angry Karen while they’re trying to tell me a story.

I don’t like all the questions, even though I know people are curious. I’ve been on dates where I have been upfront about it and allowed myself to tic. But then they’re full of questions – and there is a lot more to me than just Tourette’s.

How do you navigate these challenges in your day-to-day life?

In the past, I have held them in and not told new people about my tics to avoid the awkwardness. But trying to explain it further down the line then becomes hard.

It’s almost as if people don’t believe me. “Well, you didn’t do it for the first few times we met…

It’s almost as if people don’t believe me. If someone says something like, “Well, you didn’t do it for the first few times we met, so surely you don’t need to do them?”, this really plays into my imposter syndrome.

With that in mind, I have decided to try and be more open. Sometimes I tell people in advance of meeting them. Or I have just let the tics out and been very clear that I have Tourette’s. Generally, it’s okay. It’s a little scary for me, but it’s probably better this way.

Does Tourette’s syndrome affect your relationships with coworkers?

I’m not punching anyone or swearing uncontrollably or calling a stranger on the bus a fat bitch. So in that sense, my tics are non-offensive and easy to deal with. I feel very blessed about that. I like to say I’m overly friendly – and it probably seems that way when I’m shouting “Hey!” at everyone in the beer garden.

But work has been interesting. When I was working as a chef for a funny little pub, my tics started to become more frequent and noticeable. I felt comfortable to tic there, everyone was a bit mad, and it just became a comical part of our work. It was nice.

I honestly had no idea how they’d react. I knew they all thought I was a little weird anyway

After working at the pub, I took a job in an all-female office. Right from the start, I felt isolated. Don’t get me wrong – they were all lovely – but they were the type of women who went for morning runs, were a part of their kids’ PTA, did lots of yoga, had “tried weed once at uni” … I just didn’t fit. It wasn’t a Mean Girls situation – they were all sweet and welcoming – but I knew I wasn’t going to make any real friends.

When I worked there, I held my tics in all day, every day, and never once let on that I had Tourette’s. We were in such close proximity to each other, and I honestly had no idea how they’d react. I knew they all thought I was a little weird anyway. It was fine. I was only in the office three days a week and my tics aren’t too severe. So, I could hold them in, but my ex got the brunt of it later on at home.

What about when you’re out and about with strangers or in public places?

If I’m out and about with mates, I will tic happily and shout at strangers. I think there’s a confidence with being around your friends. They’ll back you up. On multiple occasions when I’ve been shouting and someone gives me funny looks, I’ll hear one of my mates sassily say, “She’s got Tourette’s syndrome”.

I like loud spaces. Gigs and busy pubs are perfect places to tic because no one even notices. I can be as loud as I like. And you’ve got to try and have fun with it. Something I really enjoy is when a new person joins our group, unaware of my tics, I’ll shout “Hey!” at them and watch them look around at no one batting an eyelid, as if they’re the only one hearing it.

How do you think society perceives Tourette’s syndrome?

I think the biggest misconception about Tourette’s is that it’s common for people to swear. There have been so many documentaries covering people with more offensive tics. So I think people assume that everyone with Tourette’s just swears all the time. But it’s such a diverse disorder. Tics can range from eyebrow movements to blowing breaths to repetitive grunts.

Read more: Can microdosing psychedlics help your mental health?

What would you like others to know about living with Tourette’s?

This one goes out to my exes who would get annoyed and angry with me for my tics. I am aware that the tics can be loud, especially when you’re trying to relax. But I can promise you, it is a hell of a lot more distressing for me than it is for you. The more you get annoyed at someone for their tics, the more anxious and stressed they’ll become – and the more they’ll do it. Don’t be a dick!

Have you found any activities that help you with tics?

Anything that involves intense concentration is good. When I’m totally wrapped up in something, I don’t tend to tic.

What changes would you like to see in terms of societal acceptance and understanding of Tourette’s?

Most of the online information, such as the NHS website, talk about children and tics. For years, the understanding has been that it starts in childhood, but this has been disproven. Plenty of people who never experienced tics as children have developed Tourette’s as adults.

It would be nice to see more support for adults experiencing tics for the first time, instead of just advice on what to do if your child starts having tics.

What advice would you give to someone who may have Tourette’s?

It’s not your fault. You’re not doing it on purpose. Usually, other people are so in their head that they might give it attention while it’s happening, but then very quickly move on.

I’ve found great support and got a lot of questions answered by other Tourette’s sufferers on Reddit’s r/tourettes subreddit. It’s full of people with Tourette’s – and those who deal with people with Tourette’s – so you can get both sides of the story. When I have asked questions, everyone has been so lovely, so 100 per cent would recommend.

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Living with Tourette’s: It’s about so much more than swearing appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Whether an accident at work or one of the 82 road traffic injuries that take place each day. Your next serious injury could have you worried about your future. The following steps are vital to recovering from injury.

Doctor’s orders

First and foremost, your recovery from a serious injury should be entirely guided by the orders you receive from medical professionals – be they hospital doctors, nursing staff, pharmacists or your local GP. You may be tasked with attending regular appointments to redress wounds or facilitate your rehabilitation, and you may be asked to take certain medications at certain times to help with side-effects or recovery. Follow each instruction more or less to the letter, and ensure your recovery isn’t impeded.

Time off work

Your doctor may also sign you off work with a fit note, mandating that you remain at home or off the clock for a specified period of time as you recover. It is vital that you follow the instructions of your fit note to the letter as well – and, if you don’t receive one immediately, to enquire with your doctor about receiving one.

There are multiple elements at play when it comes to taking time from work. For one, you may be physically unwell enough to carry out that which your work demands of you. For another, you may find the mental struggles of recovery too great to combine with the mental demands of the workplace. Long-term absence from work naturally brings financial concerns to the fore; however, in the event of a serious head injury that wasn’t your fault, your brain injury solicitor may be able to secure compensation that covers your lost wages amongst other costs.

Rehabilitation

The purpose of following orders, of taking time from work and of minimising the stress you experience in recovery is rehabilitation. Not only do you want time to rest and allow your injuries to heal. But you also want to do so in a sustainable way, while working to gain your pre-injury health. Or as close to it as you can manage. to help with recovering from injury.

A large part of rehabilitation, then, is physiotherapy. Physiotherapy is a targeted physical rehabilitation process. Specific movements and exercises enable you to retrain injured parts of the body. For more serious and complex injuries like brain injuries, your rehabilitation may be consequently more complex (potentially including other therapies designed to rebuild neuron connections in the brain).

Mental health

Recovery itself can be a draining process to go through, and a frustrating one if progress feels slow. This is why mental health is particularly important to safeguard as you chart a path to wellness. Reaching out to friends and family is key, as is opening up to your doctor if mental conditions worsen.

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post The best steps to take when recovering from injury appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Nobody who has been paying attention for the past 20 years is likely to reply to an email from a Nigerian prince offering untold riches. But even some of the smartest have fallen for the latest generation of highly advanced deepfake AI scams. Which is why you should consider a safeword. Sexy, right?

Fake calls and texts

Fake texts purporting to be from your offspring saying they’re in trouble or need money are old news. But AI has enabled scammers to send you a convincing voice note or even set up a video call that looks and sounds exactly like your child. It could be a deepfake with their [your child’s] face and voice planted on to another person, who is actually talking to you live. Like wearing a living mask. It’s insanely believable.

… you could have a live conversation with someone who looks and sounds exactly like your son or daughter

AI technology can make scarily accurate videos and audio recordings using images, audio data or videos already published. Creators take existing images or videos and feed the data to an AI generator, creating a believable replica. The voice and face can be planted on another person. So you could have a live conversation with someone who looks and sounds exactly like your son or daughter. It is emotionally manipulative and designed to tug on the heartstrings. After all, what kind of monstrous parent isn’t going to help their child if they call with an emergency?

So far, these types of deepfakes have mostly been used to replicate famous faces. In 2022, a deepfake surfaced of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy calling on his soldiers to lay down their weapons and return home. Videos of Donald Trump being arrested have also been widely circulated. Depressingly, some celebrities have found porn being made using deepfakes of their images.

But this doesn’t mean you are immune to receiving a deepfake impersonation scam. Especially if you have family members with a visible online presence. It is important to verify the authenticity of unexpected requests, especially if they’re asking for money or sensitive information.

Phishing using ChatGPT

Phishing is a cyber-attack where the criminals impersonate bona fide individuals, businesses, or organisations to deceive people into sharing sensitive info. Such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details.

Gone are the days of looking out for grammar and spelling mistakes to decipher if an email is a phishing expedition. Scammers are now using ChatGPT and other similar programmes to make very believable deepfake emails and messages that look like they have come from legitimate sources.

ChatGPT and similar AI applications can even copy the tone of a company’s communications and automatically correct poor spelling and grammar. Which means looking for the old tale-tell signs is becoming harder.

Read more: Navigating red flags in online dating

Fake verification

On to banks. And online banks, such as Starling or Monzo, have grown in popularity. But their rise has opened the door to fake verification scams. These banks don’t have bricks-and-mortar branches where humans can verify your identity. Instead, they rely heavily on video and photographic verification. Hello AI corruption and identity theft.

Fake accounts with fake identities and even fake videos are being made to secure loans, credit cards…

When signing up to these services, the banks will generally ask for a photo of your ID and a video of yourself to verify your documents. But what happens when these are AI-generated deepfakes? Fake accounts with fake identities and even fake videos are being made to secure loans, credit cards, and make transfers, leaving unsuspecting people out of pocket.

These sorts of scams can happen with banks that have physical branches too. But with precautions, such as two-factor verification with a fingerprint, and being sent a verification code by text when using their online services, and stringent fraud protection protocols, such as automatically blocking suspicious-looking transactions and alerting customers immediately, it is generally more difficult for opportunistic scammers.

With online-only banks being especially popular with younger customers, it’s worth having a bank security conversation with your children, even if they’re already adults.

How to protect yourself from deepfakes

To mitigate the risks associated with deepfake impersonation scams, it’s crucial firstly to be aware of the games being played, so you can at least try to spot them. Also for individuals to verify the authenticity of unexpected requests, especially those involving financial transactions or sensitive information.

Smell a deepfake rat, such as ‘your child’ asking for money? Try to directly contact the person who is supposedly calling you. Or seek confirmation from a reliable source before taking any action.

Choose a safeword or phrase

A good place to start is with a safeword or code or phrase to protect yourself and those close to you from fakes such as the frantic phone call that starts with “Mum, I’ve crashed the car and need money!” Choose a safeword or phrase that you can all use and share to identify that you’re real.

It is worth sitting down with family and maybe even close friends to agree this together. Make sure it’s unique so that scammers can’t guess, but something that everyone will remember. And, obviously, tell everyone in the safeword circle of trust not to share it. Otherwise this will quickly become a pointless exercise.

If you get calls, texts, emails or whatever, supposedly from a friend or family member and you don’t trust it, make sure to ask them for the secret code so you know it’s really them.

Extra steps to foil fraudsters

Even the most memorable code can slip someone’s mind. But there are additional steps you can take to make sure it’s a genuine call, message or email. If the caller is getting in touch to tell you they have a new number or email address, get in touch with them via their previous details to check before engaging.

Never fall for “Don’t tell anyone” line

This tactic is difficult if it’s a distressed call. But if it seems dodgy, hang up and call the number back. If you have another device handy, such as a laptop or landline, stay on the phone. But get in touch with the caller via another method at the same time. A quick Facebook or desktop WhatsApp message to ask if the person is OK could save the day.

Never fall for “Don’t tell anyone” line. This can be a way to minimise the chance of you finding out that this is a blag. And the person being impersonated is actually fine. Even if it feels wrong and a bit intrusive, consider asking other people if they’ve heard about the caller’s supposed emergency.

Spotting fake emails and texts

While fake emails and texts are less likely to be riddled with spelling and grammar mistakes there are other telltale signs that you’ve received a scummy AI-generated fake. The obvious precaution is to not click on a link or open an attachment from a sender you don’t trust. This still happens with alarming frequency, drawing unsuspecting people onto malware or phishing sites.

Check the email address carefully. It might look legitimate, but have a slight variation on the real thing. For example, the format could be slightly different, such as ending with a .com when the real company uses the .co.uk format, or the company name might be presented differently to the genuine emails.

Generic greetings, such as “Dear Valued Customer”, can be another giveaway. Even mass mail-outs from legitimate companies can personalise every email, so it’s addressed to you.

If the email or text claims to be urgent or makes a threat such as claiming your account will be suspended unless you provide immediate information, this creates pressure for the receiver to act quickly. And when someone acts in a state of panic, they might not do their due diligence and check if the message is real.

Protect your information and identity

Always be wary of requests for personal information, such as passwords or bank account details. Legitimate companies and organisations do not ask for such data by email or text. Messages that claim changes have been made to your account that you didn’t authorise or expect should be checked out too. Verify the claim via the company’s official website or customer service channels.

If you have any doubts at all, it is wise to check with the company directly rather than engaging with the email or text. Investing in antivirus software and email filters can help detect and block suspicious messages, including those with deepfake content.

Staying informed about emerging deepfake technologies can help protect against manipulation and fraud. And, as the old saying goes, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

If you’ve been snared by an AI deepfake or any kind of scam, start HERE

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Deepfake AI scams and why you need a safeword appeared first on Silver Magazine.

There’s still time to order hampers or other sweet treats through the post. Whether you’ve left it late to get someone a pressie, or you fancy nice things arriving just for you! We’ve done a little research into some of the best Christmas hampers and other yummy delivery treats.

These come highly recommended, tried and tested by the exacting team of, ahem, experts here at Silver.

Moonpig Elegant Sparkling Hamper £50

Christmas has never tasted so elegant. This golden hamper features a selection of tasty treats guaranteed to impress Santa himself. With sun dried tomato biscuits, chocolate coated mallows, crumbly vanilla fudge, a bottle of Accademia prosecco and so much more, this is one gift that deserves pride of place beneath the Christmas tree.

What’s included?

• x 1 Prosecco Spumante DOC Accademia 75cl
• x 1 Monty Bojangles Choccy Scoffy Truffles 100g
• x 1 Bon Bons All Butter Fudge 100g
• x 1 Buiteman Sun Dried Tomato Biscuits 75g
• x 1 Thornton & France Chocolate Bar White Swirl 80g
• x 1 Hamlet Praline Collection 100g
• x 1 Filberts Rose Harissa Peanuts 100g
• x 1 Eternal Grocer Tube Choc Coated Shortbread 70g
• Packed in a Black Festive Gift Box

Get it here

Niche Cocktails Best Sellers Cocktail Gift Pack £15

Gift them a little taste of Niche with the ‘Best Sellers’ Cocktail Gift Pack. Featuring three of the most popular flavours, this trio of treats will surely delight the cocktail lover in your life.

Available for home delivery straight to your doorstep with a personalised note – simply add your message at checkout and leave the rest to them.

What’s included?

• 1 x Matcha Mojito, 8% ABV – 250ml
• 1 x Pink Grapefruit Gin Fizz, 8% ABV – 250ml
• 1 x Brazilian Lime Margarita, 10% ABV – 250ml

Get it here

Imp And Maker Stocking Filler Giftbox £69

Prepare to embark on a culinary adventure that encapsulates the essence of the festive season with IMP & MAKERS’ Stocking Fillers Gift Box. This meticulously curated collection of gourmet treasures promises to infuse your holiday celebrations with joy, flavour, and indulgence.

What’s included?

• Spice Kitchen The Yummiest Hot Chocolate 100g
• Cocoba Salted Caramel Milk Buttons 120g
• The Naked Marshmallow Co Vanilla Bean Marshmallow 120g
• Ask Mummy & Daddy Candy Poles 230g
• Chococo Milk Chocolate Mini Snowmen Tube 80g
• Candy Kittens Wild Strawberry Bag 140g
• Joypots Chocolate Coffee Bean Selection 150g
• Tony’s Chocolonely Fairtrade Milk Chocolate Bar 50g
• Sugarplum Fable Co North Star Lollipop
• Joe & Seph’s Caramel & Belgian Chocolate Popcorn 32g
• Silver and Green Paprika Chilli Olives 220g
• Belazu Rose Harissa Luxury Nut Mix 135g
• Miller’s Miss American Pie Boston Cream Pie 75g
• Hawkens Ginger Bread Christmas Trees 125g

Get it here

Cartwright And Butler Festive Treats Gift Set £25

These seasonal inspired treats include Winter Spiced Orange & Cranberry Shortbread, Gingerbread Fudge in Carton, and their Spiced Plum Preserve. All beautifully packaged in a festively decorated box.

What’s included?

• Spiced Plum Preserve 260g
• Winter Spiced Orange and Cranberry Shortbreads 200g
• Gingerbread in carton 175g

Get it here

Cutter And Squidge Christmas Mini Brownie Box £18.99

Experience the magic of Christmas without breaking the bank, with this delicious Christmas brownie bites box. Featuring Limited Edition festive flavours that will add some nostalgia to your Christmas table, as well as some familiar favourites from Christmas brownies of years gone by.

Christmas brownie bites can be delivered anywhere in the country, the perfect gift for family and friends.

What’s included?

• Black Forest
• Biscoff Gingerbread
• Salted Caramel
• Classic

Get it here

Fitzbillies Chelsea Bun Christmas Tree £35

For something a bit different. These famously sticky Chelsea buns are taking on a Christmas tree shape this year, perfect as a table centrepiece or to share with family and friends.

Get it here

LillyPuds Premium Gluten Free Christmas Pudding 454g £13.95

Christmas pudding to the door?! Yep. LillyPuds premium Gluten Free Christmas pudding – finest vine fruits, apples, apricots, almonds and ginger, blended with ale and brandy.

• Minimum 50% fruit
• Naturally sweet – just 4.5% sugar as an ingredient
• No mixed peel
• Suitable for vegetarians
• No dairy ingredients
• 454g – 3 to 4 servings

Get it here

Two Magpies Bakery Letter Box Brownies £22

The perfect sweet treat delivery, straight to your door. Choose from a delicious range of flavour combinations.

Flavours include:

• Caramel and honeycomb
• Caramelised peanut butter
• Candy cane
• Chocolate orange

Get it here

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Best Christmas hampers and sweet treat deliveries appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Fancy a holiday with all generations of your family? Bluestone National Park Resort is a great base for exploring the stunning Pembrokeshire coast, and has plenty to offer. There’s tons to do, but even if you don’t stray too far from your digs, you’ve still got more than 500 acres of woodland, fields, lakes and more at your disposal.

We got the train to Narberth, which is the nearest town and station. It’s about 15 minutes’ drive from Bluestone, but my non-driving partner and I took a taxi. As well as being a handy spot to do a big shop before going to Bluestone, it’s a great spot to check out Skomer Island. Hailed as “exceptional” by Sir David Attenborough, the island is littered with puffins at certain times of the year.

But what about the resort itself? We were mostly surrounded by families, but with good planning, especially at busy times, we found we weren’t too bothered by the noise and bustle. There are a lot of buildings at Bluestone, but they’re set out so that most of the cabins, shops, restaurants, and activity areas are fairly close together. This means that if you venture off for a walk, you don’t have to walk far before you feel fully immersed in nature.

One of my favourite areas to explore was the rather obviously named Steep Ravine, a criss-crossing staircase that takes you down into a massive pine forest, full of dirt tracks and secret areas. We visited in September amid a massive storm, so while we didn’t get too lucky with the weather, there was plenty for us to do onsite.

Bluestone’s spa bliss

Well Spa Retreat

There are plenty of activities that are better suited to adults than kids, such as the spa, which suited me and my partner just fine.

At the Well Spa Retreat, you can book treatments that come with a two-hour pass to the spa itself or, you can get a two-hour pass to simply chill out at the spa, which might be all you need.

There are so many different rooms for you to explore at the spa, including two steam rooms, each pumping out different herbs and two saunas, a Celtic sauna and a brick sauna. The Celtic sauna was bigger and hotter and illuminated in green, while the brick sauna was smaller, but still lovely with wooden benches, so you weren’t perching your bum on bricks.

There’s also a salt room, ice pod, meditation room, reading room, waterfall showers, a hydrotherapy pool and, a big chill-out room with free tea and coffee and lots of comfy chairs.

By far our favourite experience was flitting between the saunas and steam rooms, then covering ourselves in ice in the ice pod. It really gets your heart going and is great for your skin!

Getting active, despite the weather

Gorgeous outdoor spaces to explore

Wales in September is always a gamble with the weather, but we tried out mountain biking, which was one of Bluestone’s WYLD off-resort adventures. We were lucky enough to be the only ones doing it in the pouring rain (I wonder why…), so we got to spend time with Declan, who heads up the WYLD activities. He is very passionate about his job and clearly cared a lot about what he was doing.

The mountain bikes are super fancy e-bikes with some real power. This meant that going up steep hills felt like a breeze and three hours of intense distance didn’t feel all too bad. This activity is not for the faint-hearted though. Some of the hills we went down almost had me flying off, even though I cycle most places and ride a motorbike, and have pretty good balance.

Storms ahoy!

Blue Lagoon Waterpark

Even though we were unfortunate with the weather, we weren’t easily put off from exploring. The only bummer was that during a storm, when the winds were really high, a good chunk of the resort was shut off for our safety. We were a little annoyed, but when we went walking the next day and saw that a large tree had come down, we understood why.

Our planned canoeing trip was cancelled, but we weren’t too upset. Looking out at the grey sky and seeing the pouring rain, we didn’t really fancy it. If you’re wondering what else there was to do when everything outdoorsy was shut, the short answer is: plenty.

Between The Hive, The Blue Lagoon Water Park and Serendome there’s always something to do indoors. The Hive is definitely aimed at kids, but has a bar and neon bowling to keep the adults happy. Likewise, Serendome is kid-friendly, but has takeaways for the adults and a bar, so you’re never, er, parched.

Being a water baby, The Blue Lagoon Water Park was my favourite, and we spent a lot of time there. It was a giant domed building with a massive pool, wave machine, outdoor lazy river, outdoor and indoor jacuzzis, a shallow pool for small children, a pirate-themed sensory pool with lots of jets and streams and the four, fairly fast paced, flumes, which we loved. There were two pitch-black total thrill rides, one being super-fast and long and one open-top ride for two people that went outside with two hidden pools along the way. Tons to do for all generations.

What about the accommodation?

Ramsey Lodge

Our cabin was bliss. it was unattached and so, if the windows were closed, you would have no idea you were in a resort with thousands of other people. We stayed in Ramsey Lodge in Forest View, which was close to the village, but far from the entrance and the three main indoor activity centres. This is definitely a better choice if you’re arriving by car, unlike us. We had to get down there on foot with all our stuff, which was not so great. There is a guest transport bus that goes around the resort every half an hour, but for the five days we were there, we never managed to work out the timings. Plus, it didn’t run on a Monday, which was the day we arrived, of course! But, epic walks aside, having our own cabin in the woods to snuggle up in after being out in the rain was really nice.

Dining at Bluestone

Grilled vegetable gnocchi at The Farmhouse Grill

We were never short of things to eat. Even though we arrived with snacks and lunches from our big shop in Narberth to save a bit of cash, we ate more food from the resort than we intended. This is because they had deliveries to the lodges. For a couple who lives off grid in an old converted caravan in the woods just outside the Devon moors, this was a total luxury for us!

We ate out for dinner one evening at The Farmhouse Grill. This seemed to be fairly popular and had cosy vibes. There was a separate bar for drinks and chips. Despite the meaty sounding name, I was happy to see they had a good selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes.

I asked the server what she’d recommend for a veggie and after a rave review of the grilled vegetable gnocchi, I decided to go for that at £16. And I wasn’t disappointed. It was rich and filling. My carnivorous partner decided to get a frankly ridiculous hunk of braised beef short rib for £24. For the sheer size of the tender slab of meat, we didn’t mind paying that price. His glowing review was total silence while eating it, a brisk hobble home, and straight to bed after he’d finished it. I think that means it was good, right?

And as for takeaway, we felt spoiled! There was a good selection of options for eating in front of the telly on the wet nights. The menu was categorised into different cuisines, fish and chips, curry, pizzas, sides, and desserts, as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. For both of us, a main, drink and dessert worked out at about £25. It was pretty reasonably priced, it came quickly and arrived with a good range of sauce sachets.

If you plan to do a lot of self-catering, make sure you stock up on a few pantry basics, like oil and condiments as there are no ingredients in the cabin, not even tea bags. There are cleaning products and bin bags, but no food to cook with, so I would definitely recommend ordering in one of their hampers before you arrive. I’d personally recommend the Standard Family Hamper.

Getting the best out of Bluestone

Serendome

The best thing about Bluestone is the site itself. Apart from all the free activities, the best part for us was the acres of woodland and grassland. We’re lucky enough to live surrounded by nature on the outskirts of Dartmoor, but at Bluestone, we found ourselves wandering around in awe of the breathtaking beauty, even when it was pouring with rain.

It’s a great place for anyone who lives in the city, or anyone wants to be surrounded by beautiful landscapes, but still wants loads of indoor entertainment and creature comforts, such as takeaways.
The site is much better if you have a car. Most people coming to the site are families, so presumably at least one person in most groups would have a driving licence. But for us, we had to do a lot of walking.

Once we arrived by taxi from the train station at Narbeth, we were the only people on foot. We found the transport bus timetable baffling, so we did a lot of cycling. There are buggies for rent, but these require a driving licence. We found ourselves very jealous of people driving, albeit slowly, up the resort while we walked or cycled.

But overall, we had a fantastic holiday and it was well worth a visit. For the festive season, they’re offering special ‘Christmasland’ breaks, where you can save up to 35% on activities and stays start at £18pp per night. Seasonal highlights include shows at The Cloud Theatre, Christmas film screenings, hot chocolate and popcorn, and a chance to visit Santa’s Workshop and Rudolph’s Breakfast Barn. The Serendome will be turned into a Christmas wonderland, The Blue Lagoon pool will be transformed into The Elf Lagoon, kids can enjoy a VR sleigh ride, and the village park will turn into the reindeer village!

Christmasland runs from 6 November 2023, to 4 January 2024

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post A Welsh wonder: Spas and spectacular scenery at Bluestone Resort appeared first on Silver Magazine.

The Caribbean is full of so many wonderful food, so much so, we thought we’d give you an insight into said flavours to spice up your summer.

The Caribbean is made up of 13 countries and several territories/dependencies that are part of other countries. And, of course, each one has their own national/known for dishes. And boy are some of them tasty.

But I can’t simply go to the Caribbean for the food

No, most of us can’t just drop everything and jet off to the Caribbean to sample some of their delicious cuisines. But there’s lots of ways you can bring that Caribbean flavour to your home.

Dream Caribbean

Bringing you the taste of The Caribbean across the UK and supporting small speciality producers from the Caribbean. Created by Peter Martin, who has worked with Caribbean producers for year, the company offers a wide range of authentic flavours.

Some of our favourites include:

Pepper Jelly. This is a gradual sweet heat, and the perfect condiment to add a Caribbean spice to your cheese board. Pack of two jars £14.95

Sorrel Syrup. This is a sharp syrup made from hibiscus, and can be mixed with champagne or prosecco to make a fabulous Caribbean summer cocktail. Pack of two jars £14.95

Spicey Fruit Sauce. Bottled in Barbados, this is a sweet/savoury sauce, perfect with your summer barbeque. Pack of two jars £14.95

Classic Caribbean Gift Box – £29.95
This gift box is a combination of the most loved Caribbean flavours (picture does not show actual box, but range of products). The Classic box includes:

• Golden Rum Cake, which is from Barbados and is made with Cockspur rum
• Hot Pepper Sauce, hot and spicy
• Guava Jelly, delicious and sweet and delish on buttered toast
• Jerk Seasoning x 2, spicy and fiery and perfect to baste onto food or marinate

Dream Caribbean

Merchant Gourmet

Recently released, Merchant Gourmet is bringing The Caribbean essence to their beans and pulses with their new ‘Fiery Jamaican-Style Grains and Pulses’. They have teamed up with Tomekah George who works with lots of textures and takes inspiration from her Caribbean family to create this pouch.

Available in Ocado and Morrisons from 22 May 2022

Soul Fruit

With jack fruit as fruit that is grown and known for in The Caribbean, Soul Fruit brings you a healthy, natural snack.

Crunchy, dried jack fruit bag 20g – £1.79

Jamaica On Ice

Jamaica On Ice delivers the taste of Jamaican food to your door in frozen meals. Ready for you to eat and enjoy, with classic and flavourful meals right from the heart of The Caribbean. Their meals are quality food, authentic taste and very convenient and perfect for the summer Caribbean experience.

With a range of tasty meals, we’ve narrowed it down to our favourite two:

Ackee and saltfish – above – £7.99

Jamaica’s national dish and a gorgeous blend of herbs, spices, and sweet peppers to go with a tasty, salted cod fish.

Curry goat with plain rice – above – £7.99

A beautiful boneless goat curry with potato, chilli, and a mix of wonderful seasonings and spices.

And for those of you maybe with big families or big Jamaican food enthusiasts, get your hands on a bundle of 10 Jamaican meals to keep you going for a while.

A meal bundle of 10 meals is £69.50

The bundle includes a variety of dishes, including:

• Classic Jerk Chicken with Rice and Peas x 2
• Curry Chicken with Plain Rice x 2
• Curry Goat with Plain Rice x 2
• Oxtail with Rice and Peas x 1
• Pepper Steak with Rice and Peas x 1
• Steam Okra with Fresh Vegetables x 1
• Ackee and Salt Fish with Plain rice x 1

Jamaica on Ice is a pioneering new business with a real family feel. And we think the first of its type in the UK. For more information and to see their story, and range, check them out…

Jamaica On Ice – check out their foods

Caribbean rum

Hey, it’s what a lot of people know The Caribbean for, right? So it would be remiss not to mention the delights of rum! Here are a few favourites to kick your summer off.

Rhum Barbancourt from Haiti. From arguably the best distillery in Haiti, aged in limousin oak casks for four years. You can enjoy it either on the rocks or with a mixer.

Appleton Estate 8 Year Reserve Rum, from Jamaica. Crafted by Master Blender Joy Spence to mark 25 years of the estate, this is a warm honeyed rum, with hints of vanilla, spice, and orange. Heaven.

Ron Barcelo from the Dominican Republic. We sadly haven’t tried this one but it comes highly recommended. For those who like tasting notes: Intense coppery amber colour. Brilliant coppery amber colour. Aromas of butter cream, dried cherries, intense vanilla, pineapple jam and caramelized nuts followed by a mild entry to a dry but fruity flavour. Medium and exuberant body with great depth and balance. Finish with a flavour of carrot ice cream cake, kola nut, Mocha and a strong toasted taste that gradually fades.

Mount Gay from Barbados. Who doesn’t love Mount Gay? The Eclipse is an absolute classic – some burnt sugar notes, plenty of vanilla and caramel, and event banana. A lush summer drink.

Black Tot from across the Caribbean. A broad sweeping taste from rums from Guyana, Barbados, and Jamaica, expertly blended for the tastes of today.

And last but by no means least, House of Rum, brings you Diablo Aged Rum. A sipping rum, born in column stills in the Dominican Republic and pot stills in Jamaica. There is also aged white rum, spiced rum and XO Reserve.

Diablo Aged Rum – £69 per 70cl bottle

Marshall and Brown

Marshall and Brown offer a wide selection of Caribbean themed food, plus, they have a couple of brands on their site that also offer Caribbean flavours to spice up your summer

If you fancy a wide variety of chutneys to accompany your cheese, meat or maybe vegan platters, look no further than the Marshall and Brown Chutney Collection.

Featuring six different chutneys:

• Apple cider
• Beetroot and orange
• Pear and ginger
• Sun-dried tomato and garlic
• Red onion marmalade
• Rhubarb apple and ginger

The collection is £39.95

One of their companies is Mama Brown’s, who make Jamaican rum cake in a variety of flavours. If you want to try a little of each, we suggest the Rum Cake Collection.

The buddle includes all six flavours:

• Banana
• Pineapple
• Coconut
• Chocolate
• Key lime
• Golden original

This delicious collection is £35

And finally, their other company, The Jerk House which offers a variety of sauces to give your food a Caribbean kick.

The Jerk House Collection gives you on of each sauce to give you a variety of flavours, including:

• Caribbean hot mustard sauce
• Jamaican crushed red pepper sauce
• Jamaican jerk sauce
• Jerk seasoning
• Jamaican yellow scotch bonnet pepper sauce
• Jerk barbeque sauce

And this fiery collection is £17.95

So keep it tropical this summer

With these items and snacks, you’re sure to have a fiery summer that’ll perk up your taste buds. Of course you can try your hand at things from scratch and follow some online recipes. Fancy making your own Barbados Custard Ice Cream with Kitty Travers’ recipe?

Find some more Caribbean recipes here – BBC Good Food.

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Caribbean flavours to spice up your summer appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Yes, that early summer fashion dilemma – warm in the daytime, but chilly at night. And yes, there’s still rain. What to do? Let’s look at your wardrobe…

We’re all about minimalism and colour blocking this early summer fashion season, and keeping warm and dry! Gotta love the British weather. So whether you’re looking for summery warm bits for festivals and outdoor events, or you just want to sit outside for longer, read on…

Barbour Portree Umbrella, £32.95

M&CO, Lurex Straw Hat, £18.99

M&CO, Cat Eye Sunglasses, £12.99

Oliver Bonas, Pink and Camel Colour Block Scarf, £38

Joe Browns, Ravishing Ruched Sweater, £45

White Stuff, Knitted Stripe Wrap, £59

White Stuff, Abstract Wool Mix Funnel Neck Jumper Plum, £59

TK Maxx, Zebra Umbrella, £6.99

Soho House, Eloise Linen Short Pyjamas Oatmeal, £140

Regatta, Women’s Fairweather II Wellies Multi Stripe, £34.95

Oliver Bonas, Turquoise Tie Dye Fabric Shopper, £14.50

Oliver Bonas, Pretty Orange Check Scarf, £35

Looking for hot summer 70s looks?

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post Early summer fashion edit – it’s not that hot yet! appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Our sleep changes as we get older, and not always for the best. So we’re going to look at how we can improve the quality of our sleep. Because good sleep is vital for health and happiness.

Some of us fall asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow. Some of us lie there thinking for ages, and some of us just can’t seem to get comfy. There are those of us with tinnitus, and lots who need a wee! But the more we try, and the older we get, the harder it is.

What’s the problem?

• Underlying health conditions, like heart and lung issues that affect breathing; acid reflux, heartburn and indigestion; joint and bone problems; enlarged prostate or an overactive bladder; as well as neurodegenerative problems like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s all affect sleep
• Medication side-effects
• Sleep apnoea is much more common as we get older and can wake us up through the night
• Restless leg syndrome is another common condition as we age and can make it very difficult to get to sleep
• Insomnia is a lot more common in older adults, whether it’s hard to go to sleep, hard to stay asleep, or you wake up too early
• Tinnitus can be very distracting when trying to sleep

Of course there are many other reasons why you might not sleep well. Problems like anxiety, money worries, or depression can play a huge part in why we might not be getting a good night’s kip.

So how do we improve the quality of sleep?

Well, there are lots of ways you can try and help yourself get better rested and make you feel less groggy throughout the day. Of course, some things can’t be helped like medical conditions and these issues are best left to doctors. But let’s start with some do-able stuff…

Firstly, how much sleep do you need?

Most adults need between 6 and 9 hours of sleep every night, according to the NHS, but everyone is different. But rarely do we actually get the same amount every night, whether that be because we’re not tired or maybe a busy, changing lifestyle.

Try and stick to a regular bedtime routine

Going to bed and getting up the same time every night and day can help, even on your days off. Your mental health will thank you, too. The body likes routine.

Try and separate bedroom from non-bedroom activities

Things like working, watching TV, or eating dinner in bed means it’s harder to separate your bed as your sleep zone.

Try not to nap, or if you do have to, keep it short

Napping is a great way to mess up your sleep routine and keep you up at night. But napping can also offer a real power boost sometimes. If you must nap, try and keep it to no more than 20 minutes.

Get some exercise

Exercising is a great way to make you tired and worn out. Try doing regular exercise, but not within three hours of when you want to sleep.

Sex is a great idea

Whether you’re with someone or on your own, sex and orgasms are great for promoting sleep. Sexual activity releases happy hormones like oxytocin, and reduces stress hormone cortisol.

Limit your drinking

Look at how much you’re drinking before bed as alcohol can have bad effects on our sleep. It may make us sleepy, but it can lead to us waking up regularly and a decrease in sleep quality.

Use gadgets wisely

I’m sure we’ve all gone to bed stressed from the day’s events. If you can, try not to look at your phone or watch the television within an hour of bedtime. Ditch the screen and that horrible blue light. Try and keep your sleeping space free of techy stuff if possible.

Instead, relax and do something non-invasive like read a book, or listen to calming music or spoken word. BBC Sounds has some amazing stress-busters to listen to, like Slow Radio, Mindful Mix (classical music – there’s even one with David Attenborough talking, heaven!), and All Night Unwind.

We feel sleepy already. How do bedtime stories actually work?

Lots of us have fond memories of drifting off to sleep being read a bedtime story. So is this why we drift off when listening to stories or audio books? We asked psychologist and psychotherapist Steve T Richards.

…storytelling has always been part of the human experience. Long before movies, or even writing, stories were told around campfires on open savannahs…

“There is the far memory of childhood experience, but of far more relevance is how narratives affect us in a deep-structure way. In preparing for sleep, our brain begins the gradual process of shutting down from outer stimulation, and drifting through the transition from our workaday life, and into the inner narrative of our dreams. Dreams have a narrative structure, similar to movies, novels, soap operas, and even audio-books.

“This is why storytelling has always been part of the human experience. Long before movies, or even writing, stories were told around campfires on open savannahs, as the light of day transitioned into night, preparing our ancestors for the journey into sleep, and the dream-time.

“Hypnosis works in a similar way. Engagement with a narrative is trance-inducing, and the best hypnotherapists utilise metaphor and narrative to induce that cross-over state of mind, within which the deep unconscious is receptive. Just as camp-fire stories passed on ancestral wisdom to our remote ancestors. The deep memory of this is still present in us all, and, quite naturally, we open ourselves up to the guiding narrative of things like audio books as we transition our modern, waking mind into the ancestral mind of dreaming-sleep.”

Having crazy dreams in lockdown? This is why…

It can be hard, but small changes can help

No-one has the same schedule or lifestyle. And these things play a huge part in how much sleep we can get and the quality of it. Want to learn more? Read our article Improving your sleep quality means better physical and mental health

Lili Lowe

Lili works across all the channels; writing articles, taking photographs, creating content, and designing eye-capturing imagery. She’s an animal-lover who cries just seeing a picture of a baby sloth.

The post How to improve the quality of your sleep appeared first on Silver Magazine.