Hot Air Balloon Experience with Virgin Flights

My fiancé and I finally decided to go on our hot air balloon experience. We've had a voucher for at least 3 years now and we kept putting it off because of other commitments, so the day finally came and I was excited and nervous, more excited! We chose High Wickham as our site which was suggested as a good location by one of the Virgin staff. We have previously tried to book this flight, but due to weather change it had been cancelled, so be warned guys, there might be a chance that it could happen to you. The staff were very helpful and each time they cancelled they extended the voucher, so we could pick another time and place. 

On the day of the actual flight, there were some changes to the flight plan. The morning session was cancelled and our flight location had changed to one of their other landing sites. Luckily for us our laziness meant that we picked an evening slot for the flight, so instead of waking up at 5am and finding out the flight had been cancelled we were able to enjoy our bank holiday and sleep in a bit. They have 3 sites and we had moved to the backup site in Aylesbury. Luckily we hadn’t already gotten on the train, we called to confirm and got our train tickets extended for the massive cost of…60p. What hassle you say?? It was a bit, but it was worth it in the end. We had the loveliest time!

There were 10 others in the group and we all watched on as they blew up the balloon in front of us. Before we took off they went through the safety procedures and a test run of where everyone was going to be placed and how to get into the basket. Once the balloon was properly upright and ready to go, we had to rush to get into the basket before it floated off without us. Then we were off…

Once we were up in the air, the higher we went the colder the air got outside the balloon, so maybe it is better to layer up if it is not a sunny day. The views throughout were amazing (we could just about see the Shard), but the views at 5,000 ft were absolutely breath-taking, even something mundane like farmers’ fields looked amazing and almost carpet-like. It was fun watching people go about on their daily business.

The flight is meant to last one hour, however luckily for us, it turned into a 2-hour flight because we could not find a place to land. Eventually, we found a spot to land on a nearby airfield. Once on the ground, we all chipped in to help pack away the balloon. A few people were a bit annoyed at having to help with this, though once we got started we all found it surprisingly fun. The night ended with a glass of champagne and some extra pictures and a little certificate to say, we did it!

It was an amazing experience and I enjoyed every bit of it. The staff on the day were so helpful, they even gave us a lift to the nearest station :), that’s what I call dedication! I would strongly recommend using Virgin balloon as the staff were so helpful from start to finish. The group also included people who were scared of heights but they still managed to enjoy the experience, so I wouldn’t let this put you off from enjoying a hot air balloon flight!

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Home Remedies for Dark Under Eyes

Image from Pixabay.com

Dark circles under the eye can be unsightly and are often associated with aging, hereditary causes, signs of illness, lack of sleep, diet and even stress. The skin under your eyes is very delicate and can be damaged easily from excessive rubbing and pressure. Even though there are no serious issues related to having dark circles, most people feel self-conscious and try to cover it up with makeup or try differents products to reduce the effects. Using home remedies are by far the best way to tackle dark circles, as it does not contain chemicals to harm the skin compared to the chemically laden beauty products out there. 

Remedies:

• Cucumber Slices

Apply two thin slices of cucumber to each eye and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes. The cucumber is very cooling for the eyes and very refreshing, do this at least once a day. It is a great way to wind down from the day’s events and just relax.

• Aloe Vera 

Apply pure aloe vera to the affected area to soothe and protect the skin. You can usually buy aloe vera from any health food stores. An even better option is owning your own aloe vera plant, so you can use it whenever you want and it is 100% natural.

• Turmeric and Milk

Mix together turmeric and the milk, equal parts till it forms a paste. Apply this paste onto the affected area. Leave on for 15-20 minutes and then wash off with warm water. Pat dry with a towel being careful not to drag the skin as this can damage the delicate area.

• Honey and Almond Oil

Apply a mixture of honey and almond oil onto the affected area. Leave on for 20 minutes and then wash off with warm water. Pat dry with a towel, being careful not to drag the skin as this can damage the delicate area.

• Mint Leaves and Lemon Juice

Make a paste from mint leaves and add a few drops of lemon juice to the paste. Mix the paste well and apply to your under eye area, taking care not to get too close to your eyes as lemon juice is a strong astringent. Leave on for 15mins and then wash off with warm water. Pat dry with a towel, being careful not to drag the skin as this can damage the delicate area.

• Potato Slices

Slice two pieces of raw potato and place one on each eye. Leave on for 15mins and then wash off with warm water. Pat dry with a towel, being careful not to drag the skin as this can damage the delicate area.

• Tea Bags

Place cooled tea bags on your eyes, any sort of tea bag should be fine. Leave on for 15mins and then wash off with warm water. Pat dry with a towel, being careful not to drag the skin as this can damage the delicate area.

•  Rose Water

Rose water is an old remedy that is great for cooling the skin down especially useful in the summer months, not just for the under eyes but for the face. Apply 2 to 3 drops on a piece of cotton wool or cotton pads and gently dab on to the affected area. 

• Water

Drinking plenty of water is essential for keeping your skin hydrated and for your body to flush out toxins that build up through the day.

•  Healthy Diet

Eating a healthy diet and exercising is vital for healthy skin and it is equally important to get at least 8 hours sleep a day. Learning ways to relax and unwind before bed is a very great way to reduce stress levels. Rather a tall order I know, but if you can manage all these things your problem dark circles should go away with time.

Disclaimer
 

All content within this column is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other healthcare professional.

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5 Minutes DIY Conditioning Lip Balm

Lip balms can be easily purchased from your local drug store, but have you ever tried to make your own?! Let’s face it, it’s quite fun making your own and oddly satisfying. This is a super easy lip balm to make and is very moisturising if you have dry chapped lips. I wanted to make a natural lip balm that was all natural and that didn’t have a whole load of additives thrown in. I haven’t tried making my own lip balm before, so I searched all over the internet for some ideas and came across a few that interested me.  I made a few tweaks and changed one or two ingredients to suit what I was looking for and voila, this is what I came up with. All ingredients I have used are raw natural ingredients and most can be found in your kitchen cupboard, with the exception of the beeswax and shea butter which I purchased online from Amazon. 

Beeswax can be used to soothe and alleviate dry chapped lips and should be able to effectively soften your lips. It is great for protecting your lips from future damage and forming a protective layer on your lips, which is super news for those very cold winter months. It also sets the mixture that you have made, so you don’t get a gloopy mess. Honey and coconut oil both work to condition deep down your skin layers to repair damage. Both ingredients have antiseptic, antioxidants and antibacterial properties. Shea butter has a high concentration of natural vitamins and fatty acids which prevents the skin from drying, therefore making it incredibly nourishing and moisturising. It is also known for having anti-inflammatory properties which would be useful for someone who may have sensitive skin. It also contains a small amount of SPF, which is beneficial as it adds some protection from the sun. 

 What you need:

1 tsp of beeswax

1 tsp of coconut oil

1 tsp of shea butter

½ tsp of honey

Instructions:

1. Place the beeswax, shea butter and coconut oil in a microwavable bowl and heat in 10 second intervals, until it has all melted. 
2. Once the mixture is heated, stir in the honey. The wax hardens fast so you need to work quickly. If the mixture does harden too soon you can always reheat it in the microwave
3.  Pour the mixture in to little tins or tubs and leave it to cool. The mixture will harden within a minute or so.

There is an optional choice of adding a few drops of an essential oil if you feel that your lip balm needs some fragrance to it. Peppermint, sweet orange, grapefruit, lavender or red raspberry seed oil are great options. This recipe is made for two small lip tins, the measurements can be readjusted to the amount that is needed.

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