Cure for the Mid-week Blues #8

Wednesdays. The mid-week hump. Where the weekend seems like a happy memory and you've still got the rest of the week to go. Some people are saying that Wednesdays are the toughest day of the week to stay feeling energised and it's easy to see why. But I'm all about staying positive, so in my Cure for the Mid-week Blues mini-series, I'll be dishing out my top tips to keep those warm and fuzzy feelings going all week long...

In my last post I blogged about my trip to the zoo. Spending a day in close proximity to so many animals made me really happy and from what I could see, it had the same smile-inducing effect on the other visitors too! It got me thinking about animals and people and I was inspired to write this week's post on beating the blues. So this week's tip is...

Some people get a kick out of holding a baby, but I'd rather be cuddling a kitten or playing with a puppy (no offence babies, it's just the way it is). Spending a bit of time around animals can be really relaxing - for example sitting with a cat purring on your lap (such a nice feeling!) or watching some tropical fish swim around (I know fish aren't technically furry but still...). Going for a long walk with your pooch can also be a great way to clear your mind. I've been reading articles about how the relationship between people and animals can be so strong and have positive effects on our moods. This is especially true with domestic animals, which can often sense when you need cheering up (aww).

I don't have a pet at the moment, so for me a trip to the zoo recently was an awesome treat (I wanted to take all of the bears home...now that's a car journey I'd love to see!). I also love the fact that some of my friends have pets! In the West End, I've made many little trips to the Botanic Gardens to watch the koi fish and think about nothing for five minutes. The hypnotic effect is really soothing!

So this week, make a bit of time to hang out with an animal (or a whole menagerie!) and feel the furry - or scaly, or feathered - vibes!

Have a wild week!

Edinburgh Antics

At the weekend I decided to celebrate my 28th year on the planet by having a jaunt through to Edinburgh and a fun-filled day at the zoo. I've had lots of lovely visits to Edinburgh Zoo before, but what made this trip extra exciting was that it was the first time I had went since the arrival of the two giant pandas, Yang Guang and Tian Tian (also known as Sunshine and Sweetie - adorable!). I love seeing all animals, but I'd never seen pandas before!

Armed with copious amounts of picnic food and a car journey soundtrack to make my heart (and tone deaf voice) sing, we set off for the zoo on a very rainy Saturday morning. It was soaking wet when we left Glasgow and I was starting to wonder if I had made the right decision. After all, no-one likes a soggy picnic and what if the animals were all hiding from the rain? Luckily, the rain totally cleared up and it was dry in Edinburgh by the time we arrived. Apart from a few light showers here and there, the sun was out and it was dry and bright for the most part. Score!
 

I decided to wear my Hello Kitty vans as I knew I had a long day of walking ahead. I also wore my favourite Prince t-shirt from Topshop,  tube skirt from Primark and Levi's denim trucker vest. I was glad that I had sunglasses and a small unbrella with me as it turned out I used both of them in the one day! I also wore a glittery star headband by Crown and Glory - because nothing says "I'm the birthday girl" like sparkly stars in your hair, right?


There was plenty to see at the zoo - and I got to see every animal except for the porcupine (I don't know where that guy was). I couldn't pick a favourite but some of my highlights were the koalas, the monkeys, the penguins (in their newly opened Penguins Rock island enclosure, which looks amazing and gives visitors the freedom to walk around and over the water while the penguins swim), the jaguar (pictured below) and of course, the pandas. I didn't get to see Tian Tian, who is thought to be pregnant at the moment, but I did get to see Yang Guang who was super cute and looked very hug-able! He spends 16 hours a day sleeping and the remainder of the time eating - what a life! Look out for a photo I took of Yang Guang in my next blog post!

I really enjoyed learning about the animals in the zoo, and it was great to hear about all of the conservation projects that the zoo is involved in as well. It's a great day out and although it costs £16 I really feel like it was worth the entry fee. I made sure I booked our slot to see the pandas in advance (slots are free but limited so it's best to book in advance) and we had just enough time in the rest of the day to walk around the whole zoo. As the zoo is situated on a steep slope, I think we were burning off the picnic in no time!

After our day with the animals, we knew it would be a crime not to swing by Krispy Kreme while in Edinburgh. I know, I know -  I think I'm probably the last blogger in Scotland to visit our (one and only) branch of the ever-popular donuts and coffee joint, but when it comes to sugary treats I just can't help myself. Luckily my faithful companions were of the same opinion and we bought some donuts and iced coffee and chilled out in a booth for a little while. We also bought a box of a dozen donuts of our choice (harder than it sounds considering I would happily eat ALL OF THEM) and took them home to enjoy later. The Millionaire's Shortcake flavour has to be my favourite of the moment, although I had a praline one that was also amazing. Obsessed!

I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Edinburgh and will definitely not leave it as long before the next time I go! Have you been to Edinburgh Zoo? What about Krispy Kreme? What is your favourite flavour of donut?

Thanks for reading!