I know I have mentioned countless of times already that although I have been calling Dubai my second home for two years now, my heart still definitely belongs to my original home and my love for Filipino food will never be replaced. And that is also the reason why I feel very proud knowing how the number of Pinoy restaurants have grown in the emirate, Little Manila, being one of the many options.

Feels like yesterday when I was drafting a blog post about my first year here in Dubai, and now here I am, working on an entry for my second year! As the cliche goes, time really flies when you're having fun!

Photo taken from HERE.

My love for cooking is an open book. While others have this penchant for reading, shopping, or hitting the gym, there's just this peculiar bliss that I feel every time I'm cooking or baking. But of course there are also times when I'm not in the mood to cook. And in times like this, Mark comes to the rescue.

As the name of the restaurant suggests, Totora is a Peruvian cebicheria, specializing in ceviche and promises a taste of Peruvian food. I am a noob when it comes to Peruvian cuisine as I haven't tried a single dish yet, so I gladly obliged when I received an invite as I was also curious about what Peruvian dishes are like.

Your daily commute can be extremely stressful, as well as uncomfortable, but if you follow the five tips below, you can reduce your stress and anxiety while feeling more at ease inside your vehicle.

1. Always Reserve Your Parking Spot in Advance
One of the main reasons why a lot of people hate their commute is because they have to find a parking spot in an often crowded city at the end of the ride. If you’re commuting into a large city, it can be nearly impossible to easily and quickly locate a good parking spot where your car will be safe and you’ll be close to your destination. Thankfully, though, you can reserve your parking spot in advance so that it’s right there waiting for you to simply pull in and be on your way. Check out www.yourparkingspace.co.uk to learn more and to start reserving your parking spot.

2. Position Yourself Correctly
Do you find that you feel uncomfortable during your commute because you start to feel achiness or muscle tension along the way? Perhaps you feel stiff even when you get out of your car once you’ve arrived. The key to preventing this discomfort is knowing how to properly position yourself in your vehicle. Start by placing your body in the middle of your seat. Make sure that the backs of the knees don’t hit the front edge of your seat, as that will restrict circulation. Also, you shouldn’t ever have to scoot your body forward in order to reach the pedals with your foot.

3. Keep the Car Clean for Optimal Visibility
In addition to keeping the interior of your car free from debris that could make you feel stressed just looking at it and knowing that you have to clean it up, you should make it a point to increase your visibility by cleaning the mirrors and the windshield regularly. Once you have a better view of everything that surrounds you on the road, you’ll be more confident, less stressed, and more comfortable behind the wheel.

4. Listen to Relaxing Music
Relaxing music could be the ideal way to clear your mind of stressful thoughts that can actually cause tension throughout your body. Remember, the way that you feel in your mind can have dramatic effects upon how your muscles feel. To keep your muscles relaxed, you should relax your mind, and you can do that by listening to soothing music, such as classical music, or by listening to a guided meditation that will increase your mindfulness while allowing you to stay concentrated on.

5. Maintain the Optimal Temperature
Finally, you can increase your comfort during your commute, particularly during cold weather, by checking for any draughts that might be causing chilly air to enter your vehicle. Point all the vents away from you and close them completely to find the location of any draughts, and then check your car’s weather stripping, particularly on the inside of your door, to see if it needs to be replaced.

With the five easy tips above, you should be able to make your commute as comfortable as possible. :)