Why Oxford is Underappreciated

Recently, me and a friend decided as we hadn't seen each other in a while, we would go to Oxford. I thought that it would be a perfect oppurtunity to write a post, as Oxford is the kind of City that is perfect for both sightseeing and shopping.

I personally love Oxford, as my sister lives in a nearby town with her husband and I have had the oppurtunity to go with just my thoughts and have a wander and look around. On a day like that, visiting Oxford University is a huge must. You can walk around the historical architecture and let your mind just wander. I went there alone and took some pictures in the summer of 2014.

The next time I went on a nice enough day to take pictures, graduation was happening so I chose to not out of respect. Now, as I said before, Oxford is a mixture of this beautiful old architecture and shopping, which makes it an ideal location for a girl's day out. Add to this it is roughly half way (geogrpahically, travelling times may vary) between where myself and my best friend live, its becoming a regular haunt for me.

         One of my finer train journey shots                   Me and Amy on a previous visit to Oxford

Yesterday I had intended to take many more photos than I did but it chose to rain. By rain I mean torrential bucketfuls at times, which made even shopping a hazardous activty, so this idea was quickly scrapped. However this rain only added to the fun of the day I feel, as we had an impromtu early lunch in Nando's (cue cheeky Nando's joke). For the record, their chicken was a little dry and dissapointing, but that may have just been an off day, and the chip portion size was very large, more than double my usual. I'm an unabashed lover of the chip, so on that count I was very happy.

Luckily the weather abated enough to the point that with the exception of when we were already travelling back to the train, it was only showers at the worst. After our lunch, we went shopping, and aside from a minor incident with a forgotten bag in Primark, which was luckily returned to me, it was a carefree shopping trip. I treated myself to a few little treats.

From left to right: a bunny bolster pillow from H&M, a skinnydip phone case and a shrug from Primark

Who knew H&M did homeware? The bunny pillow is so soft and cute and I cuddled it all last night.

Personally, Oxford is for me a place to escape and be happy, and if it is possible and feasable for any of you who read this to ever visit, I have to reccommend it. You'll fall in love I promise.

Rei ♡

It's Hotter Than it Has Ever Been on Record in the UK...

...and I'm dying.

The UK is a cold country. Our summers are typically short and mild with temperatures around 25c being the hottest we usually face. Our houses are built to be insulated and air conditioning is rare even in public spaces. Last year I went on my summer trip to Japan and it was almost 40c on some days and I suffered. However my hotel, all the shops and restaurants and even the trains were air conditioned. It made me sick however, and I can really only attribute this to one reason: I am very overweight.

Now, as an overweight person, I have a little more insulation than the average person. Adding to that, I cannot bare a lot of skin in public, I have seen people like myself bravely bare their skin in magazines and have heard my friends, not knowing I hope, seeing a person just like me and saying they would rather die than look that way. Hearing these cruel words, even not directed at me in particular, made me very self concious to the point it has only been in the past two years I can even wear a sleeveless top. That being said I have a few tips:

Number one: You are going to sweat. Profusely. Heavy materials like thick cotton or denim is a no go. You will sweat so much that you soak these materials and this is more than a little uncomfortable and slightly gross. They will also raise your temperatures. Attempt a dress, with tights or leggings as you feel more comfortable, loose trousers are a god send and blouses or thin cotton tee shirts or vest tops are the best types of clothes to wear.

Number two: Keep hydrated. Like I mentioned above you are going to sweat. I am currently drinking an extra litre of water a day and yet I am still slightly dehydrated. If you can find a drink that contains electrolytes this would be a good idea but nothing keeps you hydrated like water. Don't gulp!! Take a few sips every fifteen minutes, and obviously if you are eating you can drink as normal.

Number three: Lukwarm showers. Now a cold shower is tempting and to spash yourself with cold water certainly is fine, but a stark cold shower or bath can cause cramping in your muscles as they try to adjust to the extremes of temperature. A lukewarm shower will feel cool without being too cold.

Number four: It may be tempting if you're a hayfever sufferer to keep your windows shut but do not. Get them all open, all the doors you can, all your internal doors open. This encourages air flow and can be the difference between a managable house and stifling heat.

Lasty: Do not eat too much. You will get sick. Trust me.

Rei ♡