While I was home I met up with a couple of friends who were also shopping in town. I'd eaten not long before but they suggested that we go to Mowgli. I've wanted to try this place for months since I first heard about the swing seating they offer! It turns out only 2 tables have swing seats and they are both tables for couples, not three.

We waited for a while to get in, it's best to get a reservation here, but it was well worth the wait.

The decor was spectacular, heavily featuring monkeys on absolutely everything! Ropes hang from the bars above the tables and there is a giant table for large bookings, separated from the rest of the restaurant by ropes and a giant ornate double door.

Ornate double doors and 'private' area

The food here is Indian Street food served like tapas, so we ordered a selection of dishes with a couple of bowls of rice, roti and puri bread.

 We ordered picnic potato curry, Mowgli paneer, Mowgli chip butty, ginger and rhubarb green dahl, yoghurt chat bombs, Himalayan cheese toast and tea steeped chickpeas.

Water bottles with monkeys!

The yoghurt chat bombs and Mowgli chip butty came out first. The chat bombs were something I haven't really seen before, chickpea and yoghurt stuffed balls, with the perfect balance of spice and cooling yoghurt. My friends warned me that they can be messy to eat so it's best to try to eat them in one bite! I was looking forward to the Indian take on a chip butty, and it was amazing. Crispy curried potatoes with red onion and chili wrapped in a roti. When I ordered it I think I was expecting chippy chips in spices but this was far better!

While we were finishing these dishes, the rest arrived. I was hesitant to try the rhubarb and ginger green dahl, I prefer red lentils usually and didn't think the combination of rhubarb, ginger and lentils would work. I was wrong, this was one of my favourite dishes. Go and try this dish.

A few of the amazing dishes, I love the plates too!

We all fought over the Mowgli paneer, Katie and David's favourite dish. Soft cubed Indian cheese in a spiced tomato sauce - I think next time we'll get one each!

The picnic potato curry was my choice, potatoes and tomato with Bengali Five Spice. Comfort food at it's best.

The Himalayan cheese toast was served with the best lime pickle I have ever tried in my life, and growing up near the balti triangle that's a bold statement! I would like to bring a jar many jars of this pickle back to Iceland.

The tea steeped chickpeas are cooked in a Darjeeling tomato sauce. It's an interesting combination and was really delicious! We have Darjeeling tea available in Iceland so I may have to try this one at home.

Katie-Marie and David enjoying dinner

My first, but definitely not last, visit to Mowgli was incredible! Next time I'm in Brum I will make a reservation ahead of time, and maybe even try to snag one of the swing chairs!

They now have a Mowgli cookbook for sale which I will bring back home with me next time to try to recreate some of the dishes here (we need more Indian restaurants in Reykjavík!).

Reading up on the company I discovered that Nisha Katona, the founder, hand picks 'curry virgins' to work in the kitchen and hand trains them! I think that's amazing!

Nisha, if you ever open in Reykjavík, which you definitely should, please pick me!

Loppy x

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions and recommendations are my own.

A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing grows there.

I can't tell you the amount of times that I have told myself this. Whether it be starting a new job, a new class or leaving the country I always remind myself  that whatever the outcome, at least the borders of my comfort zone will have widened.

It's terrifying the first time. You will want to run back within your limits and you keep telling yourself that it doesn't feel right, everything just feels wrong when in reality, everything just feels different. It's new and overwhelming, and maybe a little intimidating but soon enough it will feel comfortable and familiar. That's how you know you've stretched your limits.

The first time I flew solo I felt sick with worry boarding that plane. I was convinced that I would lose my passport or my money. Maybe my carry on case would somehow go missing from the overhead locker. Maybe I'd oversleep and miss my flight home!

None of those things happened. Nor did they happen when I flew solo a couple of months later. In fact, many solo flights later, they've not once happened. Guess what...I don't even worry about those things anymore. In fact, I really enjoy my solo flights now!

When I made the decision to leave my life in England behind for new adventures in Iceland it all felt very daunting. I knew that I wanted to make changes in my life and I knew that I wanted to be in Iceland but I was still afraid of everything that could go wrong. What if I didn't make friends? What if I can't earn a living? What if something happens back home? What if I can't learn the language? What if I feel exactly the same as I did back in England?

Almost a year later and I can answer all of those questions now.

1. I have made great friends here and still regularly communicate with friends back home. I also have the best boyfriend ever here!

2. Even on minimum wage in Iceland I feel like I am making a fair living, which I couldn't in the UK.

3. The first extremely serious family emergency in my life happened 2 months ago and is ongoing. This has already happened now and there's no point in worrying anymore about this potentially happening.

4. I am learning and continually gain more confidence communicating in Icelandic. I even try to use it in my job.

5. The first time I returned to England I could no longer relate to that life. Everything has improved so much for me in the last year and I've become accustomed to my new lifestyle. I don't think I could feel the way that I did in England even if I tried!

I honestly feel that by pushing your own boundaries there is nothing to lose, but plenty to gain.

I'd love to hear your experiences, let me know in the comments how you felt the first time you really left your comfort zone.

Loppy x

*LoppyLoves is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Just so that you are aware, I may get a small fee for any purchases you make through links on this post.

One of my favourite clothing and homeware brands is Cath Kidston. I've been buying their products for years and love them for their quirky vintage-esque British style and high quality. One of my favourite dresses to comfortably travel in is a Kidston, but I own many others too! Here is a list of travel products that I either already own (and frequently use!) or are high on my wishlist.

Cath Kidston Victoria Ivory Rose Oilcoth Travel Wallet*

Photo: amazon.co.uk

I was bought one of these as a gift by my friend Rachael a while ago (thanks Rachael!). It has since become one of my favourite possessions and I can't imagine travelling without it now! It has labelled slots for my passport, boarding pass, a card slot and a detachable currency purse - literally everything I need. This rose print is gorgeous.

Cath Kidston Floral Print Oilcloth Weekend Bag*

Photo: amazon.co.uk

 My grandmother bought me one of these weekend bags for my 16th birthday...8 years later it's still as good as new and it gets used a lot! They're a decent size but not ridiculously huge, perfect for a weekend trip.

Cath Kidston 'Ashdown Rose' Oilcloth Hanging Roll Toiletry Bag*

Photo: amazon.co.uk

This is the next thing I want to buy! I never really understood the point of these until I worked as a hotel housekeeper, they're so useful! A lot of people use them and they save so much space, they can hold more toiletries than I ever need on holiday and just hang off the door handle/shower rail/door frame etc.

Cath Kidston Blue Painted Birds Travel Wash Bag*

Photo: amazon.co.uk

This wash bag is just too cute not to include on this list! I mainly use these bags for domestic trips rather than international just because I usually fly carry on so need to use clear bags for my liquids, but I also use these day to day in my handbag. I keep pens/makeup/tissues etc in them.

Cath Kidston Wild Rose & Quince Travel Trio Set*

Photo: amazon.co.uk

I love the scent of this travel set, it's my favourite in the Cath Kidston range. This set contains body lotion, shower gel and 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner - all packaged in adorable Cath Kidston print.

Cath Kidston Hot Air Balloons Oilcloth Passport Cover*

Photo: amazon.co.uk

I'd definitely have damaged my passport now if it wasn't for the oilcloth cover! The hot air balloon print on this one is very unique, no chance of taking the wrong passport. This cover also fits into the travel wallet mentioned above.

Cath Kidston Retro Polka Dot Luggage Tag*

Photo: amazon.co.uk

This is the print that most of my Cath Kidston travel products are in (except mine are light blue rather than red). This cute luggage tag is an affordable addition (or start) to your Cath Kidston collection.

Hope you like the products mentioned, let me know in the comments what your favourite Cath Kidston item is!

Loppy x

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions and recommendations are my own.

On Friday I decided to go shopping after visiting my mom, being home for a couple of days meant that I could actually go clothes shopping without spending a fortune! After visiting a few shops I realised how hungry I was and decided to go to my favourite veggie cafe...but not a single table was left and I was at a loss of where to go. I wandered away from Martineu Place and spotted the new vegan fast food joint in City Arcade. It had lots of free tables so I decided to look at the menu.

Fressh opened as a fast food establishment in October 2017 and offers a 100% vegan menu with many gluten-free and allergen-free options. The menu is varied and I was intrigued to see a vegan alternative to tuna, made from chickpeas, which I haven´t seen offered elsewhere in the city. Everything is made in-house on a daily basis. I was also very pleased to see that the coffee is sourced via Direct Trade which gives a better deal to coffee farmers.

Loads of great options for a reasonable price

I walked in and was greeted by 2 lovely servers who didn't rush me and answered my questions politely. I decided to go for the meatball sub with fries and a homemade lemonade. When I was 17 I was put off veggie meatballs after eating some that were still frozen in the middle and haven't eaten them since, but the sub looked so tempting so I gave in. After trying it I realised that I´ve been missing out for the last 7 years - they're so good!

The sub was made fresh in front of me and didn't take long at all.

I'm not usually a fan of vegan cheeses but the mozzarella on the sub was delicious! The skin on fries were perfectly seasoned and moreish. The absolutely best thing about the meal was without a doubt the lemonade, in fact I bought a second cup! The lemonade was £1.85 for a generous serving and the the food came to £5.45, not bad for the city centre!

Best fries I've had in a long time and the lemonade is delicious!

The cafe had a clean but cosy vibe, the walls are white without making the atmosphere sterile. The rustic wooden tables and green graphics on the walls give the space some colour. A few plants are dotted around which ties the place together.

Graphics and plant decorate the walls

I noticed that they also had a breakfast menu, offering vegan alternatives to popular breakfast food such as sausage and cheese muffins, and breakfast burritos with tofu scramble. I wasn't in the city long enough to try the breakfast but I can't wait for next time!

Spoiled for choice at breakfast

Overall I think the cafe is well worth a visit, especially considering that I only paid £7.20 (including drink) for delicious, freshly made, cruelty-free fast food in the centre of the second city. This place is definitely a budget friendly option when travelling. They also deliver via Deliveroo and UberEats which is worth knowing if you´re working in the local area or staying in an AirBnB.

Loppy x

*This post was not sponsored, all opinions and recommendations are my own.