Family Trip to Norfolk - Day 4

On the Monday of our holiday our parents all went home! I am so glad that the five cousins and the baby decided to stay though because it was lovely for us all to spend time together. In the morning we had everyone over for breakfast at our caravan and we cooked fried egg and bacon or facon sandwiches for everyone. It was lovely! My mum and stepdad left at about 11 o'clock and my aunt and uncle about an hour later. We got a photo of all of us before anyone left although I don't have it downloaded. 

After the parents had left we went down to the amusements again. We got ice creams and T had some - he hasn't had ice cream before! - and he liked it. We played in the amusements and then they all headed back to the caravan for T to nap. So Lee and I decided to go into Hunstanton town a little bit and have a look around. It was aboslutely boiling!

We parked on the street and went into a charity shop where Lee spied an SAD lamp for me! I use mine year round because I like the bright light. My old one was smashed in the front so it had been limping on for a while, but then a couple of weeks before our holiday half of the bulb went so I needed a new one. They're the best part of £100 though so we had been putting it off. But then this one was in the charity shop for £10! It was almost exactly the same model as the one I had before so I knew it was perfect! I don't care if it only lasts a few months because it was such a bargain! 

As it was so warm we decided to get a drink in a bar with a terrace overlooking the sea, which was absolutely gorgeous. I had a San Miguel - I'm developing quite a taste for it when the weather is hot! We then headed back to the caravan and at 4pm we all went swimming. T loved it - he's so good at splashing and generally likes the water! 

When we got out and showered I sat on the decking for a bit and just enjoyed the sunshine. I was trying very hard to be in the moment and enjoy myself. For tea we had leftovers from the previous days as there were loads, and we played a daft game Peter had brought and did some quizzes. When we went to bed I was so hot and I laid on the bed in the dark, and I could see the Big Dipper! It was pretty cool! 

Here's T wandering outside our bedroom with the milk. Like you do

And here he is a bit later as we got ice creams in the funfair

I had a flake and sprinkles!

Here's T eating his mum's ice cream

Looking down on to the sea from one of the streets in Hunstanton

My ice cold drink

Much later one when I was enjoying some time on the deck

With the window wide open about 10.30pm

And there, can you see the Big Dipper?

Family Trip to Norfolk - Day 3

On the Sunday of our trip we went to the beach! It was amazing! One of the things on my 'Forty one before 41' list was to swim wild with my aunt, so we decided this would happen while we were away, and it's one of the reasons that we decided to go to Norfolk. 

We again all had breakfast separately. Neil and Rob and T set off to the beach earliest because they wanted to watch the lifeboat people practicing their manoeuvres or whatever. The rest of us travelled to the cliff top car park at about 11.30. It's not a long path down on to the beach. Beth and I chose a spot sort of in one dune and got set up. Everyone else arrived, we had a llittle tent for T so he wasn't too exposed to the sun. I had already put my swimming costume on underneath and I also put my Saltwater sandals on because they like being in the sea and I hadn't worn them yet this summer! 

Neil, Caroline, Rob and I went in the sea! It was glorious! It genuinely wasn't that cold so we managed to get all the way in. The current was quite strong but it was just so lovely to be in the water. We got out a bit and had snacks with everyone else. I had taken my dressing gown so that I didn't get too cold because it's something that I struggle with and I just didn't want it to happen. As it was, I kept toasty warm and then we decided to back in the water! I couldn't have done that if I'd got cold. 

We packed up about 1.30 and then Peter, Lee and I headed to the amusements to play for a bit. We had ice creams and played on the arcade games and then went to Tesco for a few bits we needed before heading back to the caravan. I had a shower and then I played the Rocky Horror game that I bought recently with my mum and Caroline. It was fun, it took a bit of working out but it was good fun. 

The Belgian Grand Prix was on and all my family are into the Formula One, and this year Caroline and Neil have been making food to go with the locations of each Grand Prix, so we had to have Belgian food! So they had quiches and they walked along to buy chips for us. We had some of the tapas leftovers too. It was good fun! 

Rob was going to make waffles - also Belgian - but the waffle maker tripped the electricity which was a bit of a problem. So he ended up making pancakes instead, with chocolate chips and cream. They were amazing! Lee and I walked along to the playground but there were kids in it so I thought I better not play on the swings, and instead we just sat at a table chatting for a little bit before heading back. 

And that was Sunday!

Our spot on the beach, absolutely lush

Saltwater sandals! I keep thinking I'll buy a pair of the ones with the thicker soles, but I do love these too

There I am in red!

Wading in

Beth and T paddling on the shore

We got quite far out but not so far that I couldn't stand up 

Huge ice cream I had in the afternoon

Here I am, post sun, post sea, post ice cream, waiting in the car while Peter and Lee went into Tesco

The Rocky Horror game, I got it with a voucher some friends bought me for my birthday

At 6.30 I was sitting outside the caravan soaking up the sun

Looking the other way on to our deck

The sky at about 9.45 when Lee and I went to the playground

More hydrangeas! Do they just grow well in Norfolk or something?!

Family Trip to Norfolk - Day 2

On the Saturday of our little break we all had breakfast in our own caravans, and then my mum, aunt, and uncle went in one car to the Norfolk Lavender fields, and Rob, Beth, T and I set off in their car to meet them there. Everyone else stayed back at the caravans, which is fine - no one has to do anything they don't want to on a trip like this!

You could pay to go into the main lavender fields but I didn't do that. There's plenty to see anyway, otherwise. We walked into one of the garden bits and looked at the lavender. We went into the farm shop and another fancy interiors shop. We walked round the old mill building and looked at the river. We went across the bridge and played Pooh sticks on the water. Beyond the bridge were some cool things - a kind of giant's kitchen and a teepee type thing. We took lots of photos of course. 

We went back to the caravans and had some lunch, and then Lee, Peter and I walked across to the parents' caravan as we hadn't seen it yet. It was so hot! The weather was ridiculous. Then we walked across to the pool with my mum to go swimming at 4pm. It was really nice in the outside bit of the pool because the weather was so nice. Beth and T joined us for a little bit which was lovely of course - T really likes swimming and we moved him across the pool a lot!

When we got back I had a shower and then everyone started cooking. A few weeks previously I had had a dream that all of us were on holiday in Spain together so Rob suggested we should make tapas. We all decided different things to make. I made a Greek salad and mozzarella and tomato salad. Lee made patatas bravas with two sauces. As you can see the spread was immense and really lovely! 

I also mixed up some white sangria for us and a lot of people liked it and wanted more. We played quiz games in the evening which is something we all like to do together. Last thing at night I took a picture of the stars and it turned out I'd taken a picture of the Summer Triangle! Who knew! 

Drying lavender by the old mill - it smelt amazing as you can imagine

One of the free to access fields - the paid ones were much bigger and across the road. My uncle paid to go in because he wanted to take photos

You could have just been in Provence!

And there were a few different varieties

I love hydrangeas so nearly always take photos of them

The water coming down where the water wheel used to be

My mum thought this was some kind of hydrangea too

Looking down stream

My aunt and I on the bridge

T on the giant's chair - so cute!

Giant pencils

In use! Haha

Looking up in the teepee

Look at our magnificient tapas! It wqas honestly so nice. The pans in the back had meatballs in them

My white sangria

And finally stars!

Family Trip to Norfolk - Day 1

At the end of July Lee and I went to Norfolk with my family for a few days! In previous years we have been camping as a family and it's always been a really good time. But baby T was born a year ago so Rob and Beth didn't want to take him camping just yet - which is fine especially as it can drop really cold over night - so we decided to go in static caravans instead. Rob and Beth and Lee and I were in one, and our parents were in another. The parents just stayed for three nights, but the rest of us stayed five nights. We were also able to persuade Rob's brother, my cousin Peter, to come with us and stay for five nights too. He's been having a bit of a rubbish time so I'm really glad we were able to get him to come and hopefully relax with us for a few days. 

I've only been to Norfolk once before and it took us an absolutely ice age to get there so I warned Lee the traffic might be terrible. We set off at about 10.15pm on the Friday morning and we ended up reaching Hunstanton at about 2.15, and we had stopped for some lunch, too! So that was really good, actually, and I'm glad, because it was really hot. We stopped at a roadside farm shop thing called Ivy's, and had immense sandwiches and some chips. 

When we got to Manor Park we realised it was a Parkdean Resort (we had booked privately, so hadn't realised) which Lee and I have visited before and really rate, so that was good. We met Rob and Beth and T at the caravan and got settled in. It wasn't huge, but it was basically fine. It was comfortable and clean and had plenty of stuff in it, so it was fine. 

Lee and I booked into swimming at 4pm and went. There was a totally outdoor pool but it was shut which was a shame. But the main pool had a small outdoor bit! It had a bit you could swim through to and it was so lovely to be outside in the sunshine. The water was really warm, too. I'm glad we bothered to go on the Friday afternoon!

Peter arrived just after 5pm and my mum and stepdad and aunt and uncle came over to our van. We had spaghetti bolognese for tea and sat on the decking for a bit before T went to bed. Then we sat inside and were more quiet so we didn't wake him up! 

Around 8.30 Neil wanted to go down to the sea front to look at the sunset. Hunstanton faces west so the sun does set off the sea front even though it's really over the land in Lincolnshire. Peter and Lee and I decided to go with him and it was really pretty so I'm really glad I did. We then popped into the amusements very briefly before coming back to the caravan! 

My nails were this gold Maybelline polish that Chloe gave me recently, I really liked it

Lee and I had one of the small bedrooms and my bed was right under the window, and this was the view from it 

I think when I'm old I would like a bed under a window so I can watch the stars at night

The pool just before 5pm when we got out. The outdoor part is on the left there

There were plenty of ducks around in the park which was cute

T rifled through my handbag - what is it with babies and bags - and he discovered an apple, so I let him chew on it a bit

The sunset when we went down, it was really pretty!

I love beaches at sunset