Foodie Treats For Friends: Rocky Road and Savoury Palmiers

It has already been one whole month since Chris and I first visited our friends Lyd and Rob in Shropshire, and today we are off there again for a weekend of  frivolity at Ludlow's Medieval Festival. Instead of taking the regular bunch of flowers and wine as a thank you for having us, I thought it would be nice to get into the kitchen and cook up some foodie treats instead. After all, I have lots of time on my hands at the moment! Having scoured the Internet for good festive gift ideas, I finally settled on a savoury and a sweet option; savoury palmiers and rocky road bites.

#belikeGao

Last Friday night Chris, a couple of friends and I popped along for a civilised evening at the Royal Geographic Society. It was the opening night of their "Explore 2012" conference and Sarah Outen, youngest woman to row solo across the Indian Ocean, was talking about her recent attempts to travel around the world using only her own human power (cycling the land bits, rowing the oceans and canoeing the small watery bits). Pretty epic stuff!

Taking to the seas in Turkey.

A stand out highlight of the whole trip, but most definitely our time in Turkey, was our few days aboard a traditional wooden gulet in Southern Turkey. Charlie, Chris and I made our way from ballooning in Cappaddocia, to the hippie beach hangout of Olympos, the start of our blue cruise. The trip lasted four days, sailing the Mediterranean  making new friends, swimming in the sea, basking in the sun and generally enjoying ourselves immensely. Sailing trips are the way forward, so we have decided!...no irritating sand getting into every nook and cranny, and a new destination each day; sailing trips to us young'uns are what cruises are to the oldies - simply awesome!

Scrubbed and soaped the Turkish way!

On our pre-pampering trek

Like most girls, I LOVE being pampered. Unfortunately, in the UK such things are usually prohibitively expensive. In Turkey, however, for a mere £20 (or less at less touristy or fancy hammams) you can be scrubbed, massaged and soaped down in a stunning historical building and wander around the saunas, steam rooms and pools to your heart's content. A thoroughly lovely way to spend an afternoon or evening.

Up up and away!

Flying in a hot air balloon is the stuff that dreams are made of.The concept is wholly fairytale like, magical. Gliding silently through the air, high above the hustle and bustle below you, attached by basket to a giant, inflated bit of rubber has to be amazing, right!?I have always wanted to do it but somehow always felt that the occasion would never really arise, or at least, if it did, it would have to be done to mark some sort of momentous event, maybe a honeymoon style treat, organised well in advance.

Chris and I finished off our incredible year long adventure in Turkey, where we me up with our good friend Charlie for the final couple of weeks. We met in the captivating city of Istanbul and after a few days of taking in the sights there we made our way by overnight bus to Goreme. As the tourist capital of the Cappaddocia region, Goreme is famous for it's unique troglodyte landscapes and...you guessed it...balloon rides over the regions beautiful valleys. Charlie was dead set on getting a ride and seeing as we were there and it was a 'once in a lifetime opportunity'  we figured why the hell not! We found  a cheapish deal, and booked for the next day. Safety records, pah! I laugh in the face of potential death!!