The whole picture: July 2020

Two whole years since my last installation of The Whole Picture, I'm back with my latest monthly update. I've already written an explanation of where I've been and what I've been doing these past months. The plan was to get back into blogging this year, but I didn't expect The Whole Picture to return so soon, because my usual routine of travel, press trips, meeting friends and the like is still very much on hold. That said, I've managed to squeeze enough out of July 2020 to rustle up this blog post.

What I've done in July

I've been furloughed since April, so work events have been non-existent and I've had a lot of free time on my hands. I've kept myself busy with my virtual travel blog series, Lau On Tour, in which I virtually visited a different destination each day and experienced its culture and cuisine. The travel aspect of it was fun, and has given me plenty of places that I want to visit in real life, but I also enjoyed the blogging side of it, and it's given me the push I need to restart this blog properly. 

Where I've been in July

Travel is still very much a no-no, but local attractions and sites are starting to open again, and I've been treating it as a chance to visit places nearby which I usually take for granted. You won't catch me at Thorpe Park any time soon, but gardens are ideal at this time of year.

Penshurst Place is a gorgeous building in Kent, and although I've been to the cafe in the car park before, I've never been in the ticketed area. The house itself was still shut at the time of my visit, but the gardens were open, and looking beautiful. Social distancing was excellent, and I barely saw another person on my visit, let alone came within 2m of them. The giant Union Jack flag rose bed is a particular highlight, and it's worth wandering into the petite village of Penshurst for an extra dollop of quaint while you're there.

The second stop on my whistle-stop tour of West Kent's outdoor attractions was Riverhill Himalayan Gardens. Its obscured entrance halfway up a winding hill means that many locals don't even realise it exists, but that same hillside location makes for some spectacular views. I've always believed that Chartwell offers the best panoramas over Kent, but I take that all back - though you pay for Riverhill's views with a stealthy climb. Other attractions include a maze, various gardens and the famous yeti. Again, social distancing was managed very well.

Hever Castle has been on my must-visit list for a while, and furlough meant I finally had time to go. I didn't venture inside the castle itself, charming though it is, but I spent a lovely afternoon upping my daily step count around the gardens and gawking over the gorgeous lake. Unfortunately, social distancing wasn't as well managed here as in the other places I visited, so there were large parts that had to be avoided completely.

The remainder of my entertainment this month came from discovering new walking routes near where I live. My curious nature combined with the Footpath Map website and the excellent Walk Tonbridge across fields has allowed me to finally find out where all those 'footpath' signposts in the local area lead.

What I've eaten in July

I've not yet ventured back into any restaurants since they reopened - though I did have a cheeky in-car McDonald's with family, and there may have been one or two takeaway milkshakes from the local ice cream shop. But I have been whipping up a (mostly) successful storm in the kitchen for my Lau On Tour series. The Portuguese custard tarts were less than successful, but the Key lime pie is now a permanent addition to my repertoire, and I've got some ideas pertaining to scones.

What's next?

I know I always say 'who knows?', but really, anything could happen in August 2020. I'd like to hope we're going back to some semblance of normality, but even as I type this, the news is full of reports of a second coronavirus wave washing across Europe. I'm hoping for a possible part-time return to work, and some more exploring of my local area and attractions - but honestly, I'd settle for just not going back into lockdown.

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter to keep up with my latest (local) adventures.

Lau On Tour Day 14: Brighton

Part 14 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with my previous destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in my final destination, Brighton.

The itinerary

Today's my final half day of my annual leave, so I'm keeping it local and heading to Brighton for a few hours of fun. A quick glance at the live webcam focused on Brighton Pier tells me it might not be bathing weather, and as there doesn't seem to be a way to virtually explore the pier itself, I'm heading for the city's other big attraction, the i360.

Image: Gunnar Ridderström/Unsplash

This viewing tower on the seafront is by the same people behind the London Eye, but goes up and down instead of round and round. Again, there doesn't seem to be a way to visit virtually on the official website (understandable - why would they give the views away for free?) but this YouTube video is the best alternative I've found. I can't get enough of those views all the way along the coastline.

Back on solid ground, I'm heading to another of Brighton's icons, the Royal Pavilion (that's the one that looks a bit like the Taj Mahal, set a few streets back from the seafront). Despite passing it many, many times, I've never been in, and I'm even more embarrassed to admit that I had no idea about its history, or how such an Indian-inspired building came to be on the south coast of England. Consider me all caught up thanks to this video introduction. If that's whetted your appetite for some glitz and glamour, take a virtual tour of some of the rooms, or ogle photos of each one accompanied by some more information about it. Personally, I love the opulence of the Saloon, and plan to visit it in real life one day.

Image: Qmin

I'm finishing off my morning of sightseeting in Brighton with a virtual visit to somewhere I go every time I'm in the city - JB's Diner. The Americana overdose lures me in every time - think chequerboard floors, red leather booths, neon signs and Coca Cola merch. There's a virtual tour of the venue online, which drew my attention to several details I've never noticed on my many trips in person, including the Mountain Dew wrappers on the ceiling, the shark's head sticking out of the wall, and the bar stool seating at the window.

Where I'm staying

Technically, as I've only got half a day of annual leave to play with, I probably don't need accommodation for this final leg of the trip. But as my budget and timescale for this whole blog series is a thing entirely of whimsy and imagination, I'll splash on a night at the luxurious Grand Brighton, with its seaview rooms and afternoon tea. 

In pop culture

Brighton-based author Dorothy Koomson bases most of her books in the city. She's one of my favourite authors, but I haven't yet got round to reading her latest book, The Brighton Mermaid. Given that the book has today's destination in its title, I'll be sinking into my deckchair armchair for the rest of the afternoon and giving it a read.

On the menu

If you've been following this series the whole way through, you've probably clocked by now that my eating habits are somewhat at odds to most people's ('fussy' is a word that has been used). So when I'm heading to Brighton, I'm not thinking of fish and chips, or seaside doughnuts on the pier, as most people would be. My foodie highlight is a pitstop at JB's Diner on the seafront, and is more of a liquid highlight - the Lucky Charms milkshakes. Tall, thick, cool, and made with creamy ice cream laced with the American cereal, topped with a mountain of whipped cream and a cherry, the drink usually comes with a separate cocktail shaker full of the overflow liquid that didn't fit in the glass. So long has it been a favourite of mine, that it can be seen in the photo on the 'About Me' section of this site.

Short of physically travelling to Brighton, my next best option is to hit up the milkshake shop in my local town. Alas, they don't stock cereal fillings, so I'm sucking down a Galaxy milkshake, pretending each lump of chocolate is a Lucky Charms marshmallow.

Souvenir shopping

Stick of rock. Lovely.

Pssst... you can see photos my previous trip to (real) Brighton, and find some unusual things to do in Brighton when the city's fully reopen.

Lau On Tour Day 13: London

Part 13 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with my previous destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, London.

Image: Jamie Street/Unsplash

The itinerary

For my day in London, I'm doing things a little bit differently from the other places on my tour so far, because I know the city so damn well. I grew up about an hour outside London, so it's always been on my radar, but my knowledge of the city has got pretty intense over the last six years due to working for a publication that's all about London. So instead of putting together an itinerary of places that can be visited remotely, I've pieced together my ideal day in London - though there's enough to keep you going for several days. At time of writing, it's almost five months since I even set foot in London, so please indulge me in my rose-tinted whimsy.

We're starting at the Grant Museum of Zoology, one of UCL's museums. The famous Natural History Museum is great, but it can be busy and overwhelming - think of the Grant as a more manageable alternative. Sure, it doesn't have dinosaurs, but there are plenty of other skeletons - including the rarest set of bones in the world - and jars of body parts to keep all ages entertained. I even went behind the scenes into the storeroom a few years ago.

Image: Tom Wheatley/Unsplash

From the Grant Museum, continue west along Euston Road and step into the greenery of Regent's Park. It's my favourite of all the Royal Parks, largely because I know it so well from my time spent working nearby. Head for the Inner Circle and take in the summer colours and scents of Queen Mary's Rose Garden, one of the best outdoor spots in London. The nearby Open Air Theatre is worth making a note of too - I've never been, but it's on my bucket list.

Image: Richard Cook/Unsplash

Continue north through the park to ZSL London Zoo, home to lions, tigers (no bears), and somewhere I worked on-and-off for four years. Like many charities, it's struggling due to coronavirus, so donations are very welcome. I love wandering around the zoo, eating an ice cream and visiting the animals, followed by a trip up to the top of nearby Primrose Hill. For a climb that doesn't feel *too* intense, it rewards you with deep, panoramic skyline views of the capital. 

The view from The Shard. Image: Jaanus Jagomagi/Unsplash

Speaking of views, I firmly believe that The Shard and/or the London Eye are worth a trip, if you're visiting on a clear day. Yes, they are tourist traps of the highest order (literally) but they offer serious views of the capital. If you know London, it's fascinating to see the landmarks and streets you know from a different point of view. If you don't know London - well, it's a great introduction to its geography.

And now for a couple of lesser-known places to visit. Severndroog Castle is a fairytale folly, set in woodland near Woolwich. A tea room occupies the ground floor, with two further storeys to explore before you reach the viewpoint at the top. It's claimed you can see into seven counties on a clear day.

God's Own Junkyard. Photo: Scribbling Lau

If tea rooms and turrets is all a bit quaint for you, God's Own Junkyard is the antidote. There is a cafe - the punnily named Rolling Scones - but the main attraction of this Walthamstow warehouse is the abundance of neon signs. Lights scream at you from every direction, though be warned - they're not all family-friendly.

I could go on forever, waxing lyrical about the known and lesser-known spots in London which I love. But I'll finish up with one final gem - Columbia Road Flower Market. An otherwise quiet East End street comes alive every Sunday with the colours of blooms and the cries of street traders - and it's not unusual to see people carrying huge houseplants away from the area.

Where I'm staying

London's not short of quirky, themed hotels, from former prison cells, to tube-themed bedrooms to floating accommodation. And as much as I'd love to try each and every one of them, I'm taking this chance to virtually stay in a top-end hotel that I'll never be able to afford in real-life. It's a toss up between The Ritz and The Savoy, and the latter just wins, thanks to that indoor pool and the plethora of restaurants that I've always fancied trying, not to mention the river views.

In pop culture

SO many books, films, TV shows, songs etc are set in London, that I'm not even going to attempt to list them. But for me, London's all about the Richard Curtis rom com, so I'm kicking back with a bucket of popcorn to watch Notting Hill... followed by Four Weddings... and then probably Love Actually. 

On the menu

Again, I'm doing things a little differently here, and rather than making a typical London meal, I'm taking a virtual culinary tour around all my favourite spots in the city.

First up, let's talk about the most important food group - cake. Your top stops are Primrose Bakery for cute cupcakes, and Hummingbird Bakery for cupcakes, whoopie pies, tray bakes, and the best cake in London - rainbow cake. Never had a bad cake from either of them, though if you're more of a traditionalist, Ayres the Baker in Nunhead is a proper old-fashioned village bakery, which I visited regularly when I lived in the area, and I still miss those Viennese fingers.

While we're on the subject of cake, afternoon tea is a London staple, and something which I've tried my fair share of. Despite my many adventures in scones, and writing a regular afternoon tea column, I tend to go blank when anyone asks which is best. I don't have a particular favourite, and it depends what you're looking for in an afternoon tea - but The Ritz and The Savoy are classics if you don't mind splashing out, Cutter & Squidge is great for novelty offerings which don't skimp on taste, and the Gore/Pelham/Franklin trinity of South Ken hotels is always serving up creative afternoon tea menus based on whatever exhibition is currently open at the nearby V&A.

For main meals, a traditionalist might go for fish and chips, but I'm more of a burger girl myself. Carnivores should hit up one of the branches of Meat Liquor dotted about the capital, though Brewdog also does an excellent Buffalo chicken burger. For Italian, hit up Al Parco Pizzeria in Camden for the best creamy mushroom pasta of your life.

Drinks - for the hot, you want the hot chocolate at Stanfords in Covent Garden, or the salted caramel hot chocolate at Cutter & Squidge. For the spicy, it's got to be strawberry daquiris on deck at the Tattershall Castle, a boat bar moored on the Thames by Charing Cross.

Lau On Tour Day 12: Chicago

Part 12 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with my previous destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, Chicago

Image: Pedro Lastra/Unsplash

The itinerary

Considering it's in my top five places-I-want-to-visit, I'm ashamed to admit I didn't actually know much about Chicago. Beyond Lake Michigan itself, the only landmark I could name was Wrigley Field, so this little virtual trip has been a great way to learn more about the Windy City.

With my head for heights, I was drawn to the 110-floor Willis Tower, and the virtual tour of the Skydeck, the highest observation floor in the USA. With views up to 50 miles, it's a great way to get an idea of the geography of Chicago before continuing to explore the city.

Next it's on to the Garfield Park Conservatory, a botanical conservatory which offers digital tours, including the colourful golden hour safari. Sticking with nature, Shedd Aquarium has a live webcam to one of its tanks, and it's extremely relaxing to watch.

Where I'm staying

Image: FieldHouse Jones

Sticking with the sport theme which started with Wrigley Field, I've chosen FieldHouse Jones as my Chicago hotel. The hip hotel commits to its theme, with dartboards in the bedrooms, tennis racquets strung from the ceiling, and basketball backboards lining the walls of the lobby. It's another one I'd love to visit in real life one day.

In pop culture

I'm surprised you even have to ask - for Chicago, it's got to be Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Though much of the 1986 film is set in the Chicago suburbs, it does venture into the city - via a priceless Ferrari - passing several landmarks including Wrigley Field, above.

On the menu

For me, Chicago cuisine means one thing - deep dish pizza. It's notoriously difficult to come by here in the UK - trust me, I've been in a room with some of the best London brains, and none of us could think of anywhere in the capital that serves it, and if London doesn't, Kent has no chance. So you'll excuse me if I cheated a little for this one (note: not an ad, despite the box placement in the photo above - though if Chicago Town want to send me a year's supply in thanks, who am I to turn them down...)

Souvenir shopping

I've drawn a blank with products which are unique to Chicago, so I'll use this stop on my tour to stock up on what some might refer to as 'tourist tat'. Perhaps a snow globe with the Chicago skyline?

Lau On Tour Day 11: Lisbon

Part 11 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with my previous destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, Lisbon.

Image: Robenson Gassant/Unsplash

The itinerary

I'll be honest, I don't really know much about the sights of Lisbon - it strikes me as somewhere you go to wander aimlessly for a couple of days, rather than ticking off a tourist bucket list.  I've started my virtual tour at Amoreiras, a 360 degree viewpoint tower above a shopping centre. The online version has the main attractions pinpointed, so you can get your bearings before you head back down into the streets below.

One thing I do know Lisbon has in abundance is its funicular trams, one of which can be ridden virtually via video. It surprised me how closely people, bikes and trams mingle on the Lisbon streets, with trams gliding past just inches from people's doorways and shopfronts.

Where I'm staying

I haven't managed to find any truly quirky or unusual hotels in Lisbon, so instead I'm opting for a night of luxury at the Sheraton Lisboa Hotel & Spa - not least because of that gorgeous outdoor fitness pool.

In pop culture

My mind went blank when I tried to think of films, TV shows or books set in Lisbon, but thankfully Netflix came to my rescue, serving up an episode of food/travel documentary Somebody Feed Phil.

The Larry David-esque Christopher Eccleston lookalike bumbles his way around the city, indulging in countless custard tarts, flirting with danger at a (very) waterside restaurant, and befriending a local pizzeria owner. There are some beautiful shots of Lisbon's coloured architecture too.

On the menu

Hands up - I'm disappointed by the results of this baking effort. I made the traditional Portuguese pasteis de nata, or custard tarts, but it was one of those cases where reality didn't live up to expectation. I'll stick to Santa Nata in London, until I can make it to Lisbon for the real deal.

Souvenir shopping

One thing I learned from watching Somebody Feed Phil is how colourful Lisbon is, not just due to pastel-hued buildings, but also thanks to the patterned tiles that adorn walls and floors. Yep, I'll take a few of them to make my own home a bit more colourful, thanks.

Lau On Tour Day 10: Cornwall

Part 10 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with my previous destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, Cornwall.

Image: Harry Kessell/Unsplash

The itinerary

One of the biggest tourist sites in Cornwall is the Eden Project, a series of giant biomes which house plants from all over the world. I've visited twice in real life, though beyond being very sweaty, my memory of the experience is a little hazy. I haven't managed to find an official video tour, but the website has many photos of the various attractions to click through, including the rainforest canopy walkway.

The Eden Project. Image: Jack Young/Unsplash

If that's got you in the mood for nature, Newquay Zoo lets the public snoop on its meerkats via a live webcam, and its sister site, Paignton Zoo in neighbouring Devon shows off its flamingoes and macaques too.

For a dose of the Cornish seaside, you can't do much better than St Ives, a charming fishing village with a sandy beach and plenty to keep tourists busy. It's one of several destinations in Cornwall which can be viewed through a live webcam - the downside being that you have to provide your own ice cream.

I'm finishing off my day in the south-west with a look at some of the scenic railway trips in the area, adequately summed up with this short but beautiful video clip. Beats the 8.14 into London Cannon Street any day.

Where I'm staying

Image: Luxury Lodges

The accommodation which comes to mind when I think of Cornwall is the Headland Hotel, sitting proud on the cliff overlooking Newquay's famous Fistral Beach, and used as the filming location for The Witches. Tempting though the spa and six (!) swimming pools are, I'm using my time in the south-west to reconnect with nature, at the Treehouse on the Lake Lodge in Camborne, where I can sleep in woodland above the forest floor, wallow in a copper bath, and gaze out from my timber terrace.

In pop culture

TV series Poldark and 2019 film Fisherman's Friend both spring to mind for on-screen representations of Cornwall. But instead I chose to revisit an old favourite, cosy TV show Doc Martin, which is set in the fictional fishing village of Portwenn, and filmed on location in Cornwall's Port Isaac. With its sweeping cliffs, glistening water and cute cottages, it's a beautiful look at England's south-west county.

On the menu

What could be more Cornish than a cream tea? I dug out my old scone recipe and made a batch of fruit and plain scones, and served them up with clotted cream and fruity jam. I'd rather have been eating it in a beautiful clifftop garden looking over the coast of St Ives or Penzance, but made do with my kitchen table. One confession though... I take my scones Devon-style (cream first) rather than Cornwall-style. Some things just have to be done properly, regardless of your destination.

Souvenir shopping

Remember in the 1990s when it felt like every other car in the UK had a rainbow-coloured Fat Willy's window sticker? You could always spot a Brit abroad by their Fat Willy's Surf Shack t-shirt, which came in all manner of sizes and colours. The brand still has three shops, in Falmouth, St Ives, and the flagship in Newquay, which I remember visiting as a child. I didn't get a t-shirt when I was a kid, but perhaps I'll take on home this time around.

Image: Fat Willy's Surf Shack

Lau On Tour Day 9: Florida

Part 9 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with yesterday's destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, Florida.

Image: Gui Avelar/Unsplash

The itinerary

Florida's the theme park capital of the world, so I started my day-long visit with virtual rides on a few of its most famous rollercoasters, several of which are available on the Disney Parks YouTube channel and other places around the internet (top tip - watch them in the dark on full-screen for the most realistic experience).

Things began gently with a turn on It's A Small World, a childhood favourite of, well, every child who ever went to Disney, myself included. The song'll stick with you, as it did for me as I worked my way through Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain and Space Mountain. It's a rather scorching 30+ degrees in Orlando at this time of year, so I headed over to water park Blizzard Beach for a stomach-dropping cool down on Summit Plummet. Finally, I swung by Universal Studios for a ride on Hagrid's Magical Motorbike Adventure, before moving my Florida adventure away from Orlando's theme parks and onto some of the state's other attractions.

I spent some time getting my geek on over at Cape Canaveral, at Kennedy Space Center, AKA Nasa HQ. Again, the visitor centre is somewhere I went as a child (main memory: a crow swooping down and stealing my chips from my hand), but would love to go back. There's a trailer for the visitor experience on Kennedy Space Center YouTube channel, but this unaffiliated, child-friendly Virtual Field Trip gives a bit more information about some of the sights you can see.

Image: Christian Wagner/Unsplash

From Cape Canaveral, I crossed directly across Florida's width to Homosassa Springs on its west coast, where a live webcam shows manatees swimming in the waters. No sign of Lucinda, the melon-eating hippo I saw in the wildlife park when I visited as a child.


With theme parks, science and wildlife all ticked off, I finished up my day the way all days in Florida should be finished - the Happily Ever After Fireworks show, a culmination of lasers, pyrotechnics and music against the backdrop of the famous Cinderella Castle. The only thing missing from my virtual experience was tired but happy kids, worn out by an exhilarating day at the Magic Kingdom, falling asleep in pushchairs and on parents' shoulders, before being shepherded towards the exit and a well-earned night in a hotel bed.

Where I'm staying

Image: Disney

Speaking of hotel beds, it's got to be a Disney hotel when in Florida. I've got fond memories of staying in the All Star Sports Resort as a child, but there are plenty of other options, from safari lodges to luxury Polynesian bungalows. But this time round, I'm opting for the Disney Contemporary Resort, as I remember being wowed by the fact that the Disney monorail ploughs right through the hotel atrium.

In pop culture

While I'm sure many cinematic masterpieces have been set and filmed in the Sunshine State, the one I have to hand - and which, I admit, is a guilty pleasure of mine - is Jaws 3. It takes place in a Florida marine park. Basically, Seaworld. And though the ethics of Seaworld are a divisive topic (watch Blackfish), the film has everything you'd expect from the Jaws franchise. Educational? No. Fun? Absolutely. And a guest appearance by Harry from Casualty to boot. The take their time getting to the shark bit, but that scene of the disfigured head floating past the aquarium window never disappoints.

On the menu

For me, Floridian cuisine is myriad things. It's ice cream at the breakfast buffet of now-defunct restaurant Ponderosa, and it's crunching over a layer of discarded peanut shells on the floor of Lone Star Steakhouse (if you know, you know). It's a burger lunch at a drive-thru Wendy's, then the garlic breadsticks at Olive Garden for dinner, with a Boston Creme chaser from Dunkin' Donuts. It's also the best blueberry muffin I've ever tasted, purchased from a snack cart at Disney's Animal Kingdom, eaten for breakfast beneath the Tree of Life.

Though these are my fondest foodie memories of Florida, they're not your typical Sunshine State staples. And while DisneyWorld cuisine constitutes a food group of its own in this part of the world, with whole blogs and Instagram accounts dedicated to it, I don't think I could replicate my favourite Donald Duck-shaped choc chip cookies to justice.

So I opted for a more widely-known dish, the Key lime pie, so called because the eponymous green fruits are grown in the Florida Keys. I'd never made one before, having been led to believe that it's a tricky one to master, but I've got time on my hands. Following this recipe was surprisingly simple, albeit time consuming due to the various rounds of baking and refrigerating.

Souvenir shopping

Image: Joel Sutherland/Unsplash

It's got to be a pair of Mickey Mouse ears, hasn't it? The sparklier the better, as far as I'm concerned.

Lau On Tour Day 8: Mexico

Part 8 of my new series, Lau On Tour. Catch up with yesterday's destination and find out what the series is all about before you join me in today's destination, Mexico.

Hey there, Cancun. Image: Andreas M/Unsplash

The itinerary

When I think of Mexico, three things come to mind - beautiful beaches and oceans, Aztec archaeology, and Frida Kahlo. The latter is ticked off the list first, with a virtual tour of the Frida Kahlo Museum, in her Blue House in Mexico City. The vibrant colours and lush greenery of the exterior put me in mind of Morocco's Jardin Marjorelles. Inside is a mixture of art gallery and traditional Mexican house.

Image: Museo Frida Kahlo

Heading closer into the centre of Mexico City, we can tick off the Aztec civilisation aspect of our trip with this virtual tour of Templo Mayor, an Aztec temple that's been on the site since 1325.

Out on the coast, Baja California is known as the 'world's aquarium', with various opportunities to see the wildlife, including whale and dolphin watching tours. Scroll down the Baja Whales website to see videos of some of the animals spotted on their trips, such as blue whales, humpback whales and dolphins. Splash yourself with water from the tap for the full immersive experience.

Image: El Chepe

Having attempted to attend a friend's wedding in Mexico a few years ago, I knew that public transport in the country was limited, but I was still surprised to find that there's only one passenger route still operating. El Chepe is a 405 mile route between the cities Chihuahua and Los Mochis, via Copper Canyon. This video offers a brief look at the experience of travelling on El Chepe.

Where I'm staying

Image: Azulik

Mexico has the whole hotel spectrum covered - luxury city hotels, gorgeous beach resorts, secluded eco lodges. My penchant for the quirky and the unusual has led me to Azulik, a series of beachfront villas in Tulum, also described as a 'treehouse resort'. It'll be quite an experience, with no electricity (or WiFi), but I think I can stick it out for a couple of nights of luxury with beach on one side, and jungle on the other.

In pop culture

It's been a while since I watched any of the new Disney/Pixar films - I'm more of a traditionalist - but I'm giving Coco a go. As soon as I heard the Mariachi version of When You Wish Upon A Star, I was hooked, and the gorgeous colourful papercuts in the opening sequence drew me in further,

Throughout, the animation uses such vibrant colours, I regret not seeing it on a full-size cinema screen. The scenery too is so aesthetically-pleasing (that railway station!), I found myself adding it to my must-visit list before remembering that it's a cartoon, though apparently it is based on some real-life locations. Before I fall down that particular rabbit hole, just know that Coco gets 10/10 from me.

On the menu

People who know me and my fussy eating habits are always surprised to learn about my love of Mexican food -it's the closest I come to eating anything that could be classed as spicy. For this meal, nachos would have been the easy way out, but I've opted for fajitas, as it's something I've not had for a while.

I didn't follow a specific recipe, just fried up a mix of chicken, peppers, mushroom, onions and other vegetables in spices and sauces, scooped it into a tortilla wrap, and topped it with sour cream. Tequila chaser optional.

Souvenir shopping

Well, the obvious choice here would be a sombrero, would it not, but I already have so many hats I never wear, I don't need an imaginary one to add to the pile. One thing Mexico does do very well is chocolate, so I'd definitely pick a few bars up. And some hot chocolate powder. Perhaps some vanilla to stir in as well...