The Apple & Cart

The Apple & Cart

  • Home.
  • FAMILY TRIPS.
  • FRANCE.
    • DUBAI.
  • TRAVEL RESOURCES
    • TRAVEL DEALS
  • FOOD & DRINK.
  • About.
  • Contact.

peru

Let the packing begin!

June 17, 2014 by theappleandcart Leave a Comment

12.06.15-mjs_cc_packing-list_582_394

In a few weeks my daughter and I will be boarding the plane for Peru. Well, I say for Peru. I mean a 30 hour trip via London Heathrow, Madrid, Lima and then onto Cusco.

So, looking down the Global Volunteer Network check list, that means it’s time to get packing!

According to GVN the key to packing for a trip to Peru, and Cusco more specifically, is to pack for a variety of conditions. Cusco is truly a land of extremes with intense sun during the day and cold mountain nights to remind you that you are 11,200 ft/3,400 mtrs.

We intend to travel outside of Cusco to Machu Picchu so we need to be ready for the heat and humidity there too. I’m hoping our experience of seven summers in Dubai will give us a head start.

Apparently, dressing in layers is the answer. Here is the suggested packing list:

  • 7 Pair of underwear
  • Daypack
  • Shampoo
  • 7 Pairs of socks
  • Water Bottle
  • Towel
  • 5 T‐shirts
  • Camera
  • Sun block
  • 3 Long‐sleeved shirts
  • Laptop (optional)
  • Soap
  • 4 Pairs of pants
  • Umbrella
  • Toothpaste
  • 2 Pairs of shorts
  • Razor
  • Swim wear
  • Jacket
  • Rain gear
  • Athletic/walking shoes
  • Hiking Boots
  • Sandals
  • Sunglasses
  • Hat

Doesn’t seem much, does it? I notice there is no mention of chargers!

Well, the aim is to travel light (background noise: husband choking on a cup of tea) with only one rucksack and a small day backpack. Accordingly, I’m expecting my daughter to treat me as her walking coat hanger and so I’m staying one step ahead of her and limiting the day bag to one.

The return luggage will be a different story altogether…

Share
Posted in: LIFE Tagged: dubai, dubai blogger, family, family travel blogger, peru, travel blog, volunteer trip to peru, zoe cooper-clark

Police check. Check.

June 13, 2014 by theappleandcart Leave a Comment

Police check New Year's Eve revellers in cars in Queen St, Brisbane

In July, I will be travelling with my daughter (aged 10) to Peru to assist with duties at the Cusco Conservation Zoo. All adult volunteers taking part in the GVN volunteer program are required to have a police check. We are British citizens living in Dubai so I was expecting this to be a difficult process. Thankfully, this was not the case.

After waiting for my new passport to arrive from the UK, applying for a new visa and then finding time to drive to the other side of Dubai, I finally have my Certificate of good conduct aka Police Check.

Here are the 5 steps to getting your Police Check in Dubai, UAE:

1. Check your passport (and visa) is up-to-date.

2. Arrange for x 2 passport photographs and photocopy your passport.

3. Take your ID, passport, photographs and passport copy to the CID building between 7.30 and 2.30 (map below).

4. Take a number and sit in the respective area (there is a female seating area to your left) and watch the digital board for your counter number. The cost is AED 110 for expats. You will be asked for the items above and to come back in 3-4 working days.

5. Return to the same building, look for the desk with a sign showing ‘pick up certificates’ –  number 17 when I was there – where you will be given an A4 envelope with your certificate inside. Done.

The process is very straightforward, especially if you already have an up-to-date passport!

This of course is assuming you have a clean record (parking fines are not taken into account). 

Dubai Police General Headquarters,
Near Al Mulla Plaza, Dubai.
Timings from 7.30 am to 2.30 pm

Phone: 700040000

Map: http://bit.ly/TOsIoE

 

 

Share
Posted in: FAMILY TRIPS, LIFE Tagged: blogger, certificate of good conduct, dubai, peru, police check, police check dubai, travel blog, travel blogger dubai, zoe cooper-clark

Countdown to Cusco, Peru

May 16, 2014 by theappleandcart Leave a Comment

Cusco, Peru

Cusco – birthplace of the world

In less than eight weeks my ten year old daughter and I will be travelling to Cusco, Peru to volunteer in the local conservation zoo.

As volunteers, we will be based in the ancient city of Cusco, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and only a few hours from Peru’s most famous landmark, Machu Picchu. We plan to visit the surrounding area, the captivating landscapes such as the Sacred Valley, markets and take a two day tour to Machu Picchu.

Cusco sits at an altitude of around 3,500m with a semi-dry and cold climate and we can expect temperatures of 21°C down to 1°C. The  capital  and  largest  city of Peru,  Lima,  is a 1 hour flight or approximately 22 hour bus ride away from Cusco.  Many people think of it as a small village, Cusco is actually a bustling city of 400,000 people.

Seductive, striking and natural, Cusco’s history lives in its streets, squares, valleys and towns. There is a plethora of museums, markets, cultural and historical sites within the city limits that are easily accessible and visited.

I’m looking forward to scouring the markets for a few trinkets and gifts. Here’s my must-go list of Cusco markets:

  • Plaza San Blas – workshops and showrooms of local craftspeople
  • Center for Traditional Textiles – traditional weavings and textiles
  • The Centro Artesenal Cusco – souvenirs and alpaca wool handicrafts
  • San Pedro Mercado Central – fruit and vegetables
  • Central Plaza de Armas  – street food and drinks

‘Weird and Wonderful things at Cuscos San Pedro market’ , not your usual display of  fruit and veg – especially numbers 1 to 6! 

Share
Posted in: FAMILY TRIPS, LIFE Tagged: blog, blogger, conservation, cusco, dubai, peru, travel, travel blogger dubai, zoo

5 different: Ceviche recipes

March 15, 2014 by theappleandcart Leave a Comment

Ceviche simply

We are off to Peru in June so thought we might try a few South American dishes to get us in the mood. There are only a few meals that give you that holiday feeling and for me, Ceviche is one of them.  Originally from South America, Ceviche is typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and chili peppers. There are a number of different versions of the dish with some adding chopped onions, tomatoes, orange juice and coriander. There are also various preferences for side dishes like sweet potato, lettuce, corn, avocado or tortillas.

And its no surprise that the greatest variety of ceviches are found in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. 

Here are five different recipes to try:
The Guardian
Felicity's perfect ceviche
½ red onion, finely chopped
250g skinless and boneless sea bass or sea bream fillets
½ tsp salt, plus extra to season
Juice of 4 limes
Juice of ½ orange
1 red chilli, shredded, or 1tsp aji amarillo paste
Small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
Simply recipes
Ceviche simply
2 lbs of firm, fresh red snapper fillets
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 cup of chopped fresh seeded tomatoes
1 serrano chili, seeded and finely diced
2 teaspoons of salt
Dash of ground oregano
Dash of Tabasco or a light pinch of cayenne pepper
Cilantro
Avocado
Tortillas or tortilla chips

Gaby Holland 

salmon_ceviche_with_avocado_page_1_image_0001
300g fresh salmon fillets, skinned
2 limes, juice only
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and very finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil

Garnish
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp pink peppercorns
Salt

Channel 4 Food

peruvian-ceviche_A0four
1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
600g sea bass fillet, skinned and trimmed
½ tsp Medium Red Chilli /Amarillo Chilli Tiger’s Milk
A few coriander sprigs, leaves finely chopped
1 limo chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 sweet potato, boiled and cut into small cubes
Fine sea salt

For the Amarillo chilli tiger’s milk

1 small clove garlic, halved
4 coriander sprigs, roughly chopped
Juice of 8 limes
½ tsp salt
½ tsp medium red chilli

And my personal favourite:

Gutsy by nature 

Easy-Shrimp-and-Avocado-Ceviche-Gutsy-By-Nature

1 lb. shelled, deveined and cooked shrimp, cut into bite size chunks
The juice of 1 lime
The juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small cucumber, diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons chopped red onion or shallot
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

For full recipes, click on the links.

Share
Posted in: FOOD & DRINK, LIFE Tagged: blog, Ceviche, family, peru, volunteering

Volunteering in Peru.

January 15, 2014 by theappleandcart Leave a Comment

We are going!

It sounds cliche but I’ve started this year with a fresh approach to life. And a new blog.

Where possible, do what you enjoy doing. Make it happen.

And on that note, I have decided to take my nine year old daughter Sadie on a volunteer trip to Peru to experience a new culture, travel, do some good deeds and hopefully to be inspired by the zoologists, conservationists and locals we meet.

 

Global Volunteer Network

 

After a bit or research (and the shock of the costs involved) I decided to go with http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/ There are many others out there but it seems the most organised, professional and not all of them that accept under 18’s.

 

Share
Posted in: FAMILY TRIPS, LIFE Tagged: blog, family, peru, travel

Find us on facebook

Categories

  • DUBAI
  • FAMILY TRIPS
  • FOOD & DRINK
  • FRANCE
  • LIFE
  • TRAVEL DEALS
  • TRAVEL RESOURCES
  • WISH I WAS

Recent Posts

  • Zena, Dan and Asha the van
  • Spend a day on Bendor Island, Bandol
  • The World’s Best Once-in-a-lifetime Journeys
  • Our not-so-relaxing holiday!
  • Wish I was: in Nara Park, Japan
  • Bonjour France!

MEDIA

  • Good Housekeeping
  • Dubai Eye 103.8
Expat Interviews
Follow on Bloglovin

Archives

  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • January 2016
  • September 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014

TAGS

Aurora Borealis blog blogger blogger dubai bucket list certificate of good conduct Ceviche competition conservation cusco deals driver dubai dubai blogger dubai deals family family travel blogger gem factory hotel hotel deals dubai hotelreview iceland kandy kenya luxury travel Masai Mara peru police check police check dubai review Reykjavik safari sri lanka temple of tooth The Mara tips travel travel blog travel blog dubai travel blogger dubai travel offers dubai volunteering volunteer trip to peru zoe cooper-clark zoo
Google+

Copyright © 2021 The Apple & Cart.

Family WordPress Theme by themehall.com

Follow via Facebook Follow via Twitter