Possibly the most instagrammable dessert spread in London at @oshrestaurant a #SilkRoad restaurant in #Knightsbridge serving wonderful spiced dishes. I went along to try the food and very nearly couldn't manage dessert. But who could resist this spread. Which one would you have picked? Find my take on London-Unattached - link in my profile #TopLondonRestaurants #LondonFoodBlog #LondonFoodBlogger #LondonFoodspots #Uzbek #UzbekGrill #TBIN #foodstagram #foodphotography #instafoodie #foodbloguk #foodblogger #instafood #instafoodblogger #feedfeed #toplondonrestaurants #lovelondon #londonisopen #londonigers #lookuplondon #luxuryfoodblog #londonblog #tbin #londoneats #instafood #foodography #zagat #eeeeets

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While I was busy escaping the #BeastfromtheEast in Rodrigues, Anna was off in #Canada for the Quebec winter carnival - and more. Apparently, the polar bears at @zoosauvageofficiel are quite at home in the cold weather and completely undisturbed by the presence of humans. The parc is a great stop for families who want to see things together and perhaps have smaller youngsters who can't walk as far. There are vehicles that take you into the enclosures - and it's the humans who are caged not the animals. #explorecanada #saintfelicien #quebecoriginal #quebecregion #zoosaintfelicien#QuebecOriginal @explorecanada @tourismquebec @hillsbalfour @hillsbalfourluxe

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#Saguenay was built around the paper mill and shipped paper to the UK for newspapers from the end of the 18th century. This was once the world's biggest pulp mill. The mill had a pivotal role in the development of a town that increased its population from 708 in 1899 to 4255 in 1929. The site also features the House of Arthur Villeneuve, now a museum. The barber-artist painted the entire building inside and out like a series of canvases in his bright, naive folk style. The history is ever present - and the beauty of the snow is quite astonishing. #quebecoriginal #quebecregion #QuebecOriginal @explorecanada @tourismquebec @hillsbalfour @hillsbalfourluxe #TourismQuebec #TTIN #WritetoTravel

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In the Vallee des Fantomes, part of the #Parcnational des Monts-Valin, bright colours stand out against a monochrome background - you could be a painted figure in a black and white movie. You arrive at the base of the mountain in a snowcat vehicle with caterpillar tyres. The silence is eerie so the loudness of colour seems welcome. Don't worry, there's a warm cabin half way up the mountain, where everyone talks to everyone else. Its a great spot to readjust to your surroundings #quebecoriginal #quebecregion #zoosaintfelicien#QuebecOriginal @explorecanada @tourismquebec @hillsbalfour @hillsbalfourluxe #TBIN #TTOT

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So while I was escaping the #BeastfromtheEast in Rodrigues, Anna from #LondonUnattached was off in Canada for the Quebec winter carnival - and she had a real party! As she pointed out there's nothing like having fun in the deep snow - where you can literally jump in it #QuebecOriginal @explorecanada @tourismquebec @hillsbalfour #explorecanada @hillsbalfourluxe #TBIN #TTOT

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Ile Aux Cocos - Rodrigues Island Mauritius

If you thought the little fairy terns a few posts back on #IleAuxCocos looked slightly surreal how about this fierce chap! I'm no ornithologist, but I believe he's a #brownnoddy or #CommonNoddy. On Ile aux Coco 4km to the west of #Rodrigues, all the birds are carefully protected by human 'guardians' (there are three staying on the island at any one time) and the population has grown to around 4,500 birds in a space of the 1.5km x 250m island. That means they are remarkably unphased by cameras and humans - they just sit watching carefully, deigning to allow us to invade their space and occasionally proving their superiority. We were all quite fascinated to be able to get up close and personal (this shot is taken without a zoom lens) to watch these birds at rest. #SecretRodrigues #RodriguesIsland #Birdwatching #your_best_birds #bird_brilliance #nuts_about_birds #feather_perfection #eye_spy_birds #bb_of_ig #thebirdingsquad #sassy_birds #birds_illife #bbcearth #birds_captures #birdphotography #birdsofinstagram #birdextreme #nature_worldwide_birds #travelblogger #instatbn #writetotravel #ttot #tbin #travelblog #secretplaces

For more about Rodrigues, check my main blog post about top things to do on Rodrigues, Mauritius

On the itinerary of our trip to Rodrigues was a 'visit to Eastern Crics' which I googled with little success. Somehow I found 'crocodiles' (there are no crocodiles on #Rodrigues). All became clear when our guide told us we needed our hiking sandals. Three languages are spoken on Rodrigues - French, English and Creole. And, they are interspersed at random. Eastern Crics are the Creeks on the Eastern Side of the Island, wonderful, quiet sandy beaches and coral reef seas lined by craggy cliffs. You can walk around the coastline on well guided routes - with treks that run up to 7 or 8km taking you through casuarina woodlands down to the beaches. You can stop at the first Crick or beach or continue round through Anse Bouteille , Grand Anse and Trou d'Argent Cricks, Beaches at Saint Francois, Anse Ali, Fumier and Pointe Coton with restaurants, Table d'Hote and accommodation en route. #SecretRodrigues #RodriguesIsland #Rodriguestourism #SecretMauritius #travelblogger #instatbn #writetotravel #ttot #tbin #travelblog #secretplaces

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OK, so sometimes, very rarely, I do have regrets. This was one occasion. I've never used a #zipline and for the most part those I've seen go through trees. In #Rodrigues, the ziplines run across a massive gorge - they are the 4th highest in the world and they really do afford a brilliant view through the gorge down to the sea! I watched one of my friends @eatcookexplore having a go. It looks all at the same time thrilling and relaxing. The ideal activity for adventure and nature lovers and for those who have wished to experience flying like a bird along the mountain, the zip line adventure namely knows ‘Tyrodrig’ takes you across 3 lush green valleys amidst the flying ‘paille en queues’ and golden bats. The longest line is 400m - but it still seems to take just seconds to get across. Apparently, it's recommended for everyone over 4 years old! Certainly, it looked very well organised. Well, I'll just have to go back! #SecretRodrigues #RodriguesIsland #Rodriguestourism #ttot #tbin #travelblog #secretplaces

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A pair of ethereal fairy #tern sitting on a branch on Ile aux Coco 4km to the west of #Rodrigues,. Despite my preconception, the name of the island is actually 'egg island' - a place where locals from Rodrigues used to come to stock up on eggs. These birds (also called the 'virgin bird' and the others on the island (brown and lesser noddys and some migratory sooty terns) are carefully protected by human 'guardians' (there are three staying on the island at any one time) and the population has grown to around 4,500 birds in a space of the 1.5km x 250m island. They lay their eggs, one a year, on the bare branch of the tree or sometimes on the ground - and they are strictly monogamous - they stay with one mate for life! They are also remarkably unphased by cameras and humans - they just sit watching carefully, deigning to allow us to invade their space. More about this to come on the blog! #SecretRodrigues #RodriguesIsland #Rodriguestourism #Mauritius #travelblogger #instatbn #writetotravel #ttot #tbin #travelblog #secretplaces

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If you happened to be looking for an affordable #island paradise

If you happened to be looking for an affordable #island paradise with a tropical climate, stunning sandy beaches and crystal clear seas, you might do worse than consider #Rodrigues. This is the three-star resort where I stayed for the first part of my trip #CottonBay - as you can see, at 4 pm in the afternoon the pool and the beach are empty despite the blue skies and warm temperature (around 27c). My stunning sea-view room opened out on a balcony overlooking the beach, but unlike #Mauritius here the luxury of a sea view is affordable and the pace of life is altogether gentler. It's also eco-friendly (plastic bags are banned altogether on the island and plastic bottles will be too soon). And, those lucky enough to live here are warm and welcoming. Look out for 'table d'hote' - not what I thought (a posh meal in a hotel) the local homes open their doors on request and will cook you authentic Rodrigues dishes for around £5 a head. What you'll find is a lot of fresh fish and Creole-style food with a good dash of Chinese influence. People on Rodrigues live simply. Even the internet seems to be made out of string and tin cans - don't expect to stream videos here. But, if that's what you are looking for Rodrigues may not be for you. I have to confess until I was invited to find out more, I'd never heard of #Rodrigues - it turns out that most of the people who come on holiday here are from Mauritius! An unspoilt island paradise - what could be better? Well, everything is reasonably priced - so, once you've got here, you might not ever want to leave! #SecretRodrigues #RodriguesIsland #Rodriguestourism #travelblogger #instatbn #writetotravel #instapassport #postcardsfromtheworld #guardiantravelsnaps #ttot #tbin #travelblog #secretplaces For more about Rodrigues Island Mauritius - check London-Unattached

I escaped the Beast from East by fleeing from London to Denia, Spain. By the marina, I was able to dream that I was looking back at my beautiful yacht. Though it was chilly, the sun was shining and there wasn't a flake of snow in sight. Living the dream, wearing my classic and classy Adexe watch helped with the fantasy. This watch is so versatile it can be worn with casual and smart outfits, and has a really clear dial. No more approximating what the time is!. I love my new watch from @adexewatchofficial #stylewithadexe #watchlover #watchesofinstagram #watchesdaily #gift

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It was sheer chance that we turned up in Rodrigues the same week as the Fête du Poisson - the start of the net fishing season which runs from 1st March to 30 September. Traditional net fishing here, in this small island about the size of Jersey CI and just to the north of Mauritius, is done by draping nets on poles in a kind of semi-circle while the co-operative of fishermen in their traditional boats line up along the edge. Once the nets are set, the fishermen use the poles that are normally for pushing the boat along the shallow waters, to hit the side of boats and literally drum up the catch. Innocent bystanders watch as shoals of fish start to leap out of the sea - and are caught in the nets. The occasionally one makes it over the top and breaks for freedom, while the others are hauled in, onto a waiting boat. The catch is shared between the collective for their own use and sold. We went to #Rodrigues to explore this wonderful unspoilt and relatively undeveloped island that is just an hour's flight from #Mauritius and thrilled to find such an amazing range of things to do and places to explore. There's a lot more to come so do follow along and find out more about #SecretRodrigues #RodriguesIsland #RodriguesIsland #travelblogger #instatbn #writetotravel #instapassport #postcardsfromtheworld #guardiantravelsnaps #ttot #tbin #travelblog #secretplaces #FeteduPoisson

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