You know it has been a very long time since you shared your life when you can't even remember where your blog is. :-/ Oops
A lot has happened in the months that have slipped by since my last entry. I realized I never did an official "mom travels" post. In the 2 years I've lived in England I have traveled with "the girls" 4 times. It's so important to me, to get away and recharge. I need that in my life to be a better mom and wife.
My first trip away from my family was to the Algarve in Portugal. It was way back in October 2012. Off season, in a beach front room, with abnormally warm temperatures, with friends. It was fabulous. One day was spent entirely laying on the beach, reading and eating. Choosing the perfect ice cream flavor was the most difficult decision. We also managed a boat tour along the coast. Investigating caves and swimming off the boat. Just for the record, authentic peri peri chicken is one of the best foods ever! Sadly, 2 of my travel companions left England before the next annual girl's weekend took place.
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| cliff caves in Portugal |
In October 2013, after spending the summer training for my second marathon, my friend Mel and I jetted off to Majorca, Spain. My first time at the Mediterranean! I was amazed. It was so beautiful. The water so clear. We went all inclusive on this trip. Advantage: never having to worry about where to eat. Disadvantage: Not trying local cuisine and being a slave to the food schedule of the resort (lovingly referred to as the trough). However, another beach front room, running, hiking and biking along the promenade and local hills was relaxing and fulfilling. There was also an awesome Abba show in the resort one evening. When the girls asked what countries were represented in the crowd, they didn't even ask if there were Americans. Ha! Good times, I tell ya. An interesting fact about the part of the island we stayed in: Predominantly German tourists. The resort staff spoke German, English and Spanish. lol The Germans got rowdy one night, singing and clinking glasses by the pool. Loved it.
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| View from resort in Majorca |
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Next up, was an 8 woman trip to Nice, France in February 2014. There was a rock n' roll, 10 mile race in Nice. My friend (Mel, of course) and I decided it would be fun to gather a group of women to travel for this one. We rented a flat behind Hotel Negresco and had an amazing time. We hiked and toured the old town, ate at a lovely restaurant, traveled to Monte Carlo, had another lovely dinner prepared in the flat and ran a fun race. Running along the Cote d'Azure, in a tutu will be among my top 10 favorite running moments.
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| Cote d'Azure, Nice |
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| Monte Carlo, Monaco |
My latest girl's weekend was May 2014. Mel and I went to Ibiza, Spain as a final trip before she, too, would leave England. Another one of the Balearic Islands, a bit smaller than Majorca. Of course, we had a room with a sea view. What is the point of going to the beach if you can't see it. ;-) We accidentally ended up with sun burn the first day. We just aren't used to being in the sun and it didn't occur to us that walking down the promenade would lead to red necks and arms. After laying on loungers near the water, we found a pharmacy that was open and bought ourselves a 12 euro bottle of Aloe. Yes, that is a bit much. Beggars can't be choosers. We ate well in Ibiza. Indian, French, Mediterranean. I discovered that I am not a fan of Paella. At least not the way it was made there. Oi. No thanks. This trip the weather was a bit cooler and we weren't directly on a sandy beach, so we didn't actually go in the water, but we had a nice run and spent a lot of time relaxing and reading. Another successful holiday.
Next girl's trip is Iceland in October! Leaving the beach scene behind for now. I'll be back to share our family adventure in Barcelona and we have a holiday to Ireland in the near future. Plus, I need to tell you about my first triathlon and the Bed Race! Thankful for these opportunities and experiences. I am forever changed.
