Showing posts with label Sea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sea. Show all posts

Monday, 1 May 2017

Life's A Beach!

Good Evening, 

So here Mr. Warehouse and I are after a lovely long weekend, knackered and tired but thoroughly happy with this Bank Holiday Weekend's activities gone by. With a work colleagues beautiful wedding on Friday night in the bag, Mr Warehouse and I were well and truly excited for our mini-break to Great Yarmouth. Situated on the Norfolk coast Great Yarmouth was a fabulous choice for us as it was only two hours drive or so from home and nicely nestled between the cold North sea and the good old British Norfolk Broads, we imagined that we would have plenty to do not just spend all day on the beach walking the shore or in the arcades playing the slot machines. 

Arriving at our hotel I must say was not the most glamorous of stays that Mr. Warehouse and I have ever had, however was nice and plenty for what we needed. It was the first bed and breakfast that the bae and I had stayed in with a dog but I was pleasantly surprised as I was expecting the room to be a lot smaller and more cramped for the three of us. Now this isn't to say that it was a large room by any standards and the decor could have definitely done with an update from at least the last decade, but as I explained to Mr Warehouse on the way back from dinner last night have you really stayed at a B&B by the sea if the room's don't look like a gaudy replica of your grandma's spare bedroom. In all fairness though the hotel was everything that we needed; Free Wi-Fi, Free breakfast and even free parking. 

After checking in and getting they keys on Saturday afternoon we decided to head down to the seafront for our pooch's first outing to the beach. Running onto the golden sand's, she was more than excited and I can honestly say that it brought a tear to my eye to know just how close both of us came to losing her only a few months ago. I did think at one point throughout that whole ordeal that we would never even get to this point where Mr. Warehouse and I would be able to see her run and frolic amongst the sand dunes without a care in the world. My thoughts turned to the day of her operation to have her Pyometra removed and how sickeningly worried we both were for our dog. Thankfully though Pup pulled through and we were all here on the beach having lots of fun throwing stones into the ocean and seeing which one of us would get splashed by the waves first. I am sure that it is not, but I imagine that this is what parenthood feels like - Chasing each other along the shore and making sure that there are plenty of memories being created and enjoying every precious moment there is, laughing all the way. 

After the exhausting fun by the sea Mr. Warehouse, the dog and I headed up the promenade towards the main town centre to enjoy some of the sights and smells at the seaside had to bring us. Stopping for some hot doughnuts and drinks, I reflected on how much fun I was having already and we had hardly spent a penny. Feet thoroughly painful I suggested going back to the hotel before maybe heading out again for some dinner just the two of us, but I will be honest by the time I got back my feet were so painful that I would have had to have a wheelchair in order to go out for dinner and so I got a delivery in of Chinese whilst Mr. Warehouse and I kicked back for a relaxing evening in front of the telly albeit a smaller one we were used to. 

Sunday was definitely the day for the adults, no doggies allowed. Although apparently taking your dog into the arcades was not as taboo as Mr. Warehouse and I once thought. Don't get me wrong it was weird not having the dog with us, she is essentially an extension of ourselves however it was nice having a day all to myself with Mr Warehouse. Almost like having a night off from the kids, it was as if we were having our first date again; Eating ice cream, messing around in the Amusement'S and going on fairground rides together. Suffice to say that it is days like this where I fall more and more in love with my dearest boyfriend. Even if he does push me under the spray of the log flume to get soaked. 

Waking up this morning I was sad to know that this was the last time I would be by the sea for at least the next few months, only difference being that next time it will be in a much warmer climate and without the dog. Scoffing down our fried breakfast and packing everything in the car to go home, I drove my little family down to the seafront for the last and final time, indulging ourselves in our favourite seaside activities such as playing on the 2p games in the arcades and amusements, running along the beach chasing each other over the sand dunes.

Mr. Warehouse and I finished off our little trip with the pooch in true British style by eating fish and chips by the cold and grey sea front and watching the shore lap against the wet sand. It was in this moment that I noticed something dark and long in the water. Whatever it was it looked as if it was moving and as I yelled at Mr. Warehouse to look out to sea in order to confirm my sighting we both were shocked as the head turned to look at us dead in the face as if he heard us talking about him. It looked as if it was a seal in fact I'm almost certain of it. A dark grey figure with an almost dog-like head took one look in our direction and proceeded to swim away. Knowing that no-one would believe either me or the boyfriend if we said we saw seals off the coast of Great Yarmouth, all of us began to chase along the shore to see if we could get a better picture of this mysterious animal. Again the canine-appearing creature decided to raise its head again above the choppy, green sea to have a look again towards land  before diving deeper, not to resurface again before we headed back to the car. 

What a wonderful way to end such a fabulous weekend, and all for a relatively modest budget of under £100 each. A cheap B&B, a penny jar full with odds and sods from purses and wallets over the last few months and the drive to get up and do something more than just sitting and catch up on telly or sleep of a bank holiday weekend in blightly. OK, granted it was certainly not the best weather in fact I would have probably liked it a bit warmer but it didn't rain and as long as you plan for rain and have any ideas of what you may do up your sleeve for if it does everything will be just fine. Wonder where our next adventure will be ... 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

Monday, 30 January 2017

More like Shakira, Less Like Shamu!

Hey Hey, 

Running off into the bedroom screeching at the top of his lungs, Mr. Warehouse was more than excited. 
"Wait! Wait! I need to check my name is right?!" my boyfriend yelled from the bedroom of our ground floor apartment. After explaining that he knew his own name he can pounding back into the lounge throwing our passports on the sofa and saying that he was now ready. 
"We don't check in for another six months at least dear, why are the passports out already?" I exclaimed, smile brimming on my face. 
"Just to sure!" my Beau replied. 

Finally we had done what we had set out to do for years - A proper beach holiday. Just me, Mr. Warehouse, Some sun, sand and sea. It feels like decades since I felt the sand between my toes and I will certainly be glad to get back to sunning myself by the shore in the late August sun. And after months of looking and a large amount of pestering from me, Mr. Warehouse and I finally settled on and sifted through many, many holidays only to settle on somewhere he had already been. I think if I was honest with myself though, I knew it was going to end up that way. I enjoyed how enthusiastic he was about it all. 

Mr. Warehouse one and only beach holiday (apart from Newquay that is) was in the black-sand isle of Tenerife in the Canaries. Famous for its volcanic rock beaches and hot weather, Mr. Warehouse's first trip there was anything but relaxing it seemed. It was a stag do, one of his brothers I believe and by all accounts it was certainly memorable. Trips to titty bars, lap dances and some good old frolics in the sun, I heard Mr. Warehouse spent most of the first few days there in bed with minor heatstroke. Here's hoping that wont happen next time. 

We are staying in the Playas De Las Americas in the South of the Spanish island is located also near to the infamous aqua park, Siam Park. With its lazy river, man made White sand beach and never-ending stream of slide and water chutes this place seems far from what I remember a water park being as a kid. This is insane. Also nearby where we are staying on the island is Loro Parque a beautiful wildlife park where education and entertainment goes hand in hand with daily shows from the regular zoo performers including penguins and sea lions but also Dolphins and Orca's. 

Now I here what some of you may be saying, that Orca's and Whales of that size shouldn't be kept in captivity. But what about all the good work that goes on behind the scenes that shows what investigating animals in a close environment can help us as humans understand them and meet there needs in the wild better. I agree that some of the things, true or false, that have come from SeaWorld over the last few years since the 2013 Netflix Docufilm Blackfish aired have been far from savoury but I for one to say that I am for one looking forward to seeing these beautiful creatures in a way I would never be able to before or maybe again in my lifetime or even my children's. I mean if I could convince Mr. Warehouse to go to Orlando in Florida to see DisneyWorldSeaWorld  and all the rest of them then I would but it is a bit of a mean steep to do in six months. 


Whale Watching tours, Sunset and Stargazing as well as the staples of a good old fashioned tat-market so I can buy my holiday knock-off handbag, I am fucking stoked for going. I cannot wait. Firstly though I think I may need to get my head in the game and start heading to the pool and some classes, half a stone in a month has gone already but it wont keep coming unless I keep up with the fitness regime, especially since I want to look more like Shakira than Shamu ... Bikini season here I come!

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx

Monday, 12 October 2015

My Big Fat Greek Holiday!

Good evening all, 

And so I am back from my travels yet again, this time to Kavos on the Greek Island of Corfu for those that did not read along last week - Naughty Naughty! And what a week it has been; There has been Holiday Hotties, Ocean Occurrences and Bathroom Bust-ups, but all has been in good taste. 

Last week I wrote about the journey to our holiday apartments and how they were much nicer than the dreaded anticipation of a 2-star, out-of-season-getaway usually is. An improvement further to the situation was the hot barman whom looked very much like Mr. Grey 2015 himself - Jamie Dornan, of whom I am a big fan. However not as much as Miss Tweedle-Dee and after snapping a few secret pics of the poor bloke I started to question whether she was still into the female variety or not!? Nevertheless the holiday was good fun and for the first three or four days we just got up at whatever time we felt, going to the pool and alternated between there and quick trips to the sea/beach which as I said previously, would not have looked out of place in Clacton

On Wednesday we were invited to BBQ at the Hotel we were staying at by the Scottish owner and her gorgeous son and no word of a lie this was more of a BBQ than I think I have ever had. Steaks the size of my head and sausages the size of my arm, literally. So much food and such small bellies. But we took a keen interested in the cocktail list did Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I. Ordering as many cocktails as we could handle we chatted casually amongst other guests as we ate, laughed and enjoyed the company. Many a strange and jovial story was shared over the table that night and subject of conversation ranged from 'Very Hairy Ladies' to Poo, all of us throwing in our own anecdote or two for good measure. 

The following morning, with fuzzy heads we decided to get the local bus into Corfu Town, about a mile down the other end of the island to Kavos. We would have otherwise headed into Kavos but the fact that there was extremely little there to see and even less to do out of season was a reason to avoid it. Corfu Town however was lovely and I was unexpectedly pleased with how pretty the harbour areas looked. Big ships and cruise-liners stretched out along the shores and in the distance you could still make out mainland Greece. Little tug boats and small fishing vessels also littered the coast as we walked around paroozing the local shops and stalls for something to spend our pennies on. On arrival home that night back to the hotel I really felt as though I had bought well for my money and after bartering the price of a faux designer handbag and couple of pairs of sunnies I knew I had a good deal. A multitude of other items have been brought back with me from holiday however I am hasten to add that the majority of that is food. The coach journey back was long though and since it was a local bus and our hotel was down a dodgy dirt track, we knew we would not be dropped off anywhere nearby to where we needed. And so I took it upon myself that once close to the entrance to our hotel's road I would simply ask the driver to stop so we could get off. However in pitch black of nine-at-night, with Miss Tweedle-Dee's anxious predisposition and Miss Tweedle-Dumb's feeling rather travel sick I knew we were all relying on me to stop this thing! And so that is what I did. turning a corner I saw the bins we had previously hailed the bus down at that morning and so alerted the driver we would like to depart in the only way I knew how. 
"STOP! Stop the bus!" I yelled out loud as if I had some sort of undiagnosed bus Tourettes. Immediately the bus stopped dead in its bumbling tracks and allowed us to get off but not before the conductor asked us if we were sure. 
"Are you sure you want to get off here?" the Greek Conductor said questioningly in broken English, a look upon his face as if to say "there is nothing around here". I nodded and proceeded to help Miss Tweedle-Dee, Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I off the bus. 

Friday we had opted for an excursion and much to our excitement it was yet again on a boat. Previous years holidays have seen The Tweedles and I embark on many a boat trip in our time from the glass-bottomed boat of 2013'S Trip to Majorca or maybe the Pedalo that existed in our first girls holiday in Fuerteventura. As we placed our towels in our bags and slipped into something easy over our bathing suits I wondered what ship would i be this time. I was hoping for a Kardashian styled Yacht although I am sorry to report that this was not the case as many many other people wanted to go on said trip and so a larger boat was required. Oh and I s had hoped for sunbathing on the bow! Getting on and getting a set was a dilemma and a half but once we spotted a little section on the starboard side we immediately took it and never left for fear of seat stealing. First stop was some scenic caves and coves that rumoured to belong to Poseidon, the Greek god of the ocean. In honour of us exploring Poseidon's cave dwellings we lived it up with a little boat party, music blaring and everyone on their feet clapping and dancing, I felt more on a Kavos holiday out at sea than I ever did in the small town of Southern Corfu. Next stop however I was very much looking forward to - Some of the clearest waters in the world off the coast of a small island called Paxo. Clear water as see-through as a swimming pool was warm and deep but forever and gloriously turquoise in colour. It felt as though I was in the Caribbean with water so clear. But as I approached the Stern of the boat, bikini clad and in all my slightly tanned glory I asked the question - Can I just jump off?

Crazy as it sounds I wanted to do it. I was scared as I was greeted with a Greek smile and a helping hand to the edge of the boat. Standing on the edge of the boat, legs on the opposite side of safety I looked back to see if the girls were filming and taking pictures. If I couldn't have my Kardashian styled Yacht I might as well have a styled out photo showing me having the time of my life. Nervous of the jump I looked back towards the blue hues of the ocean and took a deep breath before I simply stepped off the edge. A scream, a heart-stopping drop and a salt water plunge into the blue later and I resurfaced. Everybody on the boat was now looking at me! "Mission Accomplished" I thought, although as a huge Titanic enthusiast I wondered that if I was scared at that relatively short jump and plunge into warm and clear waters, I could only imagine what it was like in April 1912 when hundreds of people had little choice but to make that same move from a far higher standing Titanic into the below-freezing temperatures of the black Atlantic. 

I was joined soon after in the warm waters by my Tweedles, Miss Tweedle-Dee and Miss Tweedle-Dumb although after loosing my cherished and much loved flower headband to the sea and swimming frantically to get away from the suction under the boat I had inadvertently given myself an asthma attack and with no inhaler or medication on-board I was scared. Swimming constantly and desperate to catch a breath of air and not salty sea water caught me off guard and only exacerbated the situation more. Slowing down I tried to keep calm as Miss Tweedle-Dee and Miss Tweedle-Dumb took the safe bet of just using the boats steps to get into the clear sea. Petrified I tried not to make a fuss but was secretly struggling to gain breath and to swim against the current. So it didn't help when Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I were about to get run over by another bigger tourist ship coming into dock. After attempting to swim out to the sandy beach which seemed a lot closer than it was Miss Tweedle-Dumb and I were accepting to the fact that we just were not going to make it there and back in time before our ship left. However when a liner slightly bigger than ours drops anchor meters from us and with the suction of now several ships in the areas trying to drag us back under water I mustered up what little strength I had left to swim back against the currents to our ship. 

Back on board we dried off and headed to our final stop, a small, very French Rivera looking harbour where we had a chance to have a bite to eat, albeit surrounded by sickly-looking stray cats, and a quick look around the shops there before heading back home to the hotel. 

For the rest of the holiday we chilled out, relaxed and looked forward to going back home to Blighty. I am much glad I am at home now, although not so sure I will be drinking the water in foreign countries any-more as all I have seen of my flat since landing has been my bathroom. Welcome Home eh?! 

'Til next time, Love A.Lou xx