Travel | London Weekend 2014: Getting There

When given the opportunity to visit your best friend in London, you take it.
Whether it's for one month, or one day, you take it.

I've only been to Europe once, and that was to visit my family in the Azores islands off the coast of Portugal. So technically, I've never been to Europe. Ive been begging my parents to take me since I was about eleven. I just loved history and culture, and I was longing to experience it first-hand. More recently, the music scene and fashion culture in London called to me and I felt a strong connection to the city even though I've only seen it through pictures and movie screens.

This semester, my best friend since diapers is studying at the University of Richmond in London. We were texting via Viber (an app) when she said ,"you should come visit". I knew she was only saying it, figuring that I wouldn't or couldn't ever actually come visit. I stared at my phone and thought, maybe this is something I could do. I frantically began searching travel sites to find the cheapest flight, and glanced at the openings on my planner. I was blessed with no Tuesday or Wednesday classes this semester, and I realized that Columbus Day falls on a Monday, leaving a 5 day chunk of time wide open. I managed to find a flight for a fairly reasonable sum (mind you, this trip would potentially be two weeks away).

Can I manage this? Is this actually happening? Am I casually booking a weekend trip to London right now? These were all of the questions running through my head.

Two Fridays later, there I was, standing at my front door suitcase in hand waiting to be picked up for the airport.

I'm no stranger to flying, this wasn't my first rodeo. I grabbed myself a cheeky little PSL from Starbucks (typical), and patiently waited at my gate. The international section of Logan was a whole new world for me, it was so exciting to hear a multitude of different languages being spoken around me. "Flight VS011 to London, Heathrow now boarding"; this was it, it all seemed so real now. As I stepped onto the plane, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but it wasn't this. This was the largest plane I've ever been on, there was even a bar onboard; A BAR ONBOARD. Each seat had a personal TV which showed TV series'(Game of Thrones included), FREE movies, albums, and you could even play games. Like, is this heaven?
I was even served meals onboard, which I thought was the best thing ever as I've never gotten a meal (or in this case, three) on a plane before.

I arrived at Heathrow around 9:00 in the morning, I slept 90% of the plane ride, but I was still exhausted. I quickly sped through customs to find my best friend there to pick me up;
in that moment; I couldn't have been happier.

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles | Recipe

(Disclaimer: all photos taken on my iPhone, sorry about the quality)

As a college student, I never really get the chance to eat a real meal so when I have the time, I try to make something really delicious, cheap and easy. Today I had some free time and was craving something spicy but wasn't quite sure what to make. I kind of made this recipe up on the spot, and it surprisingly ended up DELICIOUS. 

This meal is cheap, quick, and easy; If you like spice, you'll love this!

Ingredients:

• Thai rice noodles (or any kind of noodles you have on hand)
• Veggies (I used frozen; carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, sugar-snap peas, celery, red peppers)
• Garlic cloves
• Onion
• Soy sauce
• Coconut oil
• Crushed red pepper
• Sriracha
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• Ginger
• Brown sugar

First, I diced up about 1/2 cup of onion and 4 large cloves of garlic.

At the same time, I set up a pot of water on the stove to boil (for the noodles).

Then, in a large skillet or wok (whichever you prefer), melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.

Add in the onion and garlic and stir occasionally until onions become translucent.

Grate in about 1 thumb of ginger root.

Add in the semi-thawed vegetables. 

I like to keep them slightly frozen so that it adds some water to the pan.

Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Add a large handful of rice noodles to the boiling water at this point; they'll be done around the same time the sauce is finished.

When the vegetables begin to cook down, add in about 1 1/2 T of soy sauce and stir.

Add in about 1 T of peanut butter and about 1/4 cup of water and let the sauce thicken. 

(Around this time, I like to add in about 1 tsp of brown sugar, and a little more peanut butter if I feel like the sauce isn't thick enough)

Next, drizzle Sriracha over the vegetables. 

Add about 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes.

(I like mine very spicy, so feel free to use less)

The rice noodles should be done at this point, so pull them straight from the boiling water and into the sauce.

(I've found that by not straining the noodles, they won't become gummy or sticky!)

Toss the noodles around in the sauce, and add a garnish if you'd like (I add a few basil leaves), 

and you're done!

If you choose to make this, or make it your own, let me know in the comments!

Enjoy!

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