New Year

lighthouse under gray clouds — Photo by Ray Bilcliff on Pexels.com

I’ve left it so long to write that I don’t really know where to start. I guess I’ll start with the start of the year…

We spent new year in Fife, Scotland, where my brother lives. It’s a beautiful part of the world and I fall in love with it a little more each time we visit. On new year’s eve we visited Tentsmuir. The sky was completely clear and the landscape stunning. A great expanse of blue met the sea and we walked along the vast and breath taking beach. Eventually we found our way into tall pine trees and walked back through magical forest. My cheeks were pink and my eyes almost hurt from the bright beauty of the winter sun. Places like that just speak to me and settle my soul in a way that nowhere else does, it’s quite overwhelming. It’s an odd feeling because although I love sharing it with my family, I have moments where I try to hang back so I can take it all in on my own.

New year’s day the crystal clear sky had gone and the weather was far more bleak, I’m just hoping it wasn’t indicative of what’s to come this year! The walk along Burtisland was cold and windswept. Still, we all felt better for it, as you always do! We then headed to Silver Sands, Aberdour, a beautiful beach and a haven for dog walkers. We ate cheesy chips outside and marvelled at people brave enough for a new year’s day dip in the sea.

I’m attempting to do RED January. The idea being that you make sure you are active every day of January to raise money and awareness for Mind. So far I’ve done 2 windswept beach walks, a kettlebells workout (that took a long time to prepare for since I couldn’t actually get my sports bra done up), a run and a gym session. I’m going to try really hard to increase my daily movement and not just focus on half an hour or an hour working out each day. I’m also going to try to get outside more. It’s so bloomin’ good for you! Physically and mentally!

My resolutions are to cook the vast majority of meals from scratch, to somehow limit my phone time and to stop using my credit card. I know new year’s resolutions are a load of crap but I’m a big believer in having goals and these three are important right now. I’ll keep you posted on how I get on but so far, as predicted, the phone one is proving to be the trickiest.

I’ll leave it there for now. I’m back to work tomorrow after what has felt like a proper break. I really switched off from teaching and it did me the world of good. We’ll see what next week brings…

Croatia Days 14 – 21

Tomorrow is our last day in Croatia and whilst I love it here, I’d have my doubts about doing 10 days just the four of us again. I actually had my doubts about this last part of our trip before we came away, because I know that no matter how beautiful the surroundings, it can feel pretty claustrophobic when it’s just us. I also know how tricky our youngest child is and there was no reason she’d change just because we are away. I was right. She didn’t change.

Anyway, we’ve visited one of our favourite places, Solaris, several times. I feel a bit embarrassed to love it so much because it’s a resort, but it’s easy with the kids and the beaches are beautiful there. Solaris is on the outskirts of Sibenik and has actually changed quite a lot over the past few years. The changes this time were a surprise, as they had removed the cheesy pirate ship nightclub that we secretly all loved. I welcomed some new posh toilets but the children were gutted not to be able to steer the ship.

We’ve also visited Banj beach in Sibenik a couple of times, which is a nice city beach that we’ve never been to before. Last night we swam in the early evening and then walked along to Sibenik old town for dinner. I’ve got a real soft spot for Sibenik , there is something about the atmosphere that I adore. I love walking along the harbour choosing boats and exploring the old town never gets dull. What was apparent last night, was that my fitness has seriously declined! I really struggled with climbing all of the stairs and felt pretty light-headed at the top. Admittedly the large glass of red I’d downed on an empty stomach didn’t help, but still I feel motivated to get fit again when I get home. We had a lovely dinner in the evening warmth and I felt a pang as we walked back to the car. I’m actually ready to go home for once, but I will miss the sea so much and the thought of work makes my stomach churn.

Another place we visited is Roski Slap. Roski Slap is possibly my favourite place in Croatia. It is breathtakingly stunning. Roški slap is made up of a 22.5 m high main waterfall and countless backwaters and cascades. Roški slap is situated about 36 km downstream of the Krka River spring. After completing the beautiful little walk there, you can swim in a cordoned off part of the river and sit under some of the smaller waterfalls. We also climbed the 517 wooden steps to the cave and were very excited to see bats. There is something totally tranquil about Roski Slap, like you’ve escaped the rest of the world, and it’s pretty rare that I feel like that.

We also once again visited Skradinski Buk, the big waterfall at Krka. The 800m-long cascade descends by almost 46m before crashing into the lower lake, which is a popular swimming spot. Also very beautiful but too busy for me. It seems to get busier each year and this year was absolutely heaving. There is no dignified way to get into the water here and slipping and scrambling across the rocks is the only way to get across them. I came away with a few scrapes and knocks as I usually do. I also had a pretty hairy moment with E, where it became clear that the current was too strong for her. I swam with her on my back to get to the buoys but she was losing her swim shoe and so was distracted. I ended up taking a huge lungful of water and also almost lost a contact lens, clinging on to my precious girl!

We had a night out in Split but again the girls were quite tricky and probably over-tired. Split at night is fantastic and we did have a little drink and dance inside the square at the Diocletian’s Palace. It would have been nice to stay out longer but moaning children meant we cut the night short. The upshot of an earlier night was that we enjoyed a walk around the following morning without a hangover.

These past 10 days I’ve been swimming, slept a lot, sunbathed, eaten a ridiculous amount, had a fair bit to drink and contemplated life. I’d like to take the sea and sunshine home but I’m ready to go home. I miss my friends, I miss exercise and unbelievably, I miss the dog!!! Tomorrow is our last beach day and I plan to enjoy every second. Croatia…until the next time…

Day 8 and 9 – Slovenia

I have fallen in love with the Czech Republic in a way that I didn’t expect to. From the beautiful towns and cities, to the rolling countryside and lakes, we have had such a great time. As you approach the border with Austria, the landscape becomes more Alpine and the views are stunning. We’ve seen lots of wonderful wildlife on this trip, but I was particularly excited when I saw what I’m pretty certain was an eagle!
We realised that the reason E has pretty poor geography skills is because her parents do too. As we approached the Austrian border, we had a brief debate about which country we were actually about to drive into. Once in Austria, I was reminded why I Ioved it so much last year. The scenery is breath taking and spectacular. There is just something magical and beautiful in the towering mountains, pine forests and green fields. The driving was fun too! Twisting and turning up and down mountain roads and accelerating through the fields.
Eventually we entered Slovenia and found our cabin in the woods. We are staying in a two-story wooden cabin situated in a campsite. We are set back right in the woods on the edge of the site. Last night there was an almighty thunderstorm and I sat quivering in bed, convinced that lightening would strike one of the towering trees above us. When I eventually lay back down again I heard a scuttling, scratching noise very close to my head. There was some sort of creature either on the roof or even worse, in the cabin. I hissed at S, who had also heard it but was becoming increasingly irritated with my fussing about storms and creatures. I have no idea when I fell back to sleep but that was not the most restful night ever.
Today we woke to cold and rainy weather but it didn’t matter as we were visiting the Postonja caves, a 24,340m long cave system. The caves were amazing, eerie, cold, wonderful, alien like and awe-inspiring. We travelled into the caves by train and then walked through the caves on foot, before travelling back through the cave tunnels by train again. Formed almost 2 million years ago, the mind boggles as you gaze at the stalagmites and stalactites.

Day 5, 6, 7 – The Wedding

The weather broke overnight and as we drove to the wedding venue, a few hours from Prague, the rain came down and it was pretty chilly. Despite the weather, the place was perfect! An absolutely wonderful location for a wedding and guests. It’s a house with a pool in a village in the countryside, surrounded by fields. We explored the main house and our cottage before going shopping for food for the guests that were due to arrive that night.
A lot of alcohol was consumed the night before the wedding! We all had a blast and it was so lovely to catch up with family and friends. I stumbled into bed at around 2am and woke with a sore head on the day of the wedding.
The rain had vanished and to our relief, the sun was shining. Those of us who were slightly fragile (and the children), took a quick dip in the pool before the wedding prep began. The day was perfect. We had so much fun and there was a lovely relaxed vibe. My brother and his wife looked amazing and I felt emotional seeing them both so happy.
I love the bubble that surrounds you when you’re at a wedding, where all that matters is having fun, eating and drinking. It was a magical weekend and one that I’ll never forget.
The next day was spent in and out of the pool and packing up to leave. We left for our next destination of Hurka in the late afternoon sun. The drive was spectacular, across winding country roads and through great pine forests. But I was the driver and was tired after two very late nights partying, so when we had to turn back twice because the road was closed, I was starting to get fed up. By the time we arrived (much later than planned), we didn’t manage to visit the lake as I’d hoped. All we wanted was food and sleep. We stayed in a quirky little guesthouse that had a cat hotel attached to the side of it! The woman who ran it was super friendly and we were quickly settled with food and beer. As I tucked into my second portion of deep fried cheese and chips, I briefly pondered how long it might take to work it all off when I return home! That worry I’ll save for another day.

Day 3 and 4 – Prague and Karlstejn Castle

These two days were sweltering. I love hot weather but this was the sort of weather where sweat sits on your upper lip and permanently trickles down your back. This is NOT sightseeing weather.
We drove into Prague the day after we arrived in Karlstejn. We thought M might need her eyes tested after she insisted she’d seen a camel on the way! Prague is way bigger than we’d realised and quite spectacular. We’d need a lot more time to explore it properly but to be honest the children are still a little young for days of sightseeing. We walked 8 miles through Prague, visiting some of the main tourist spots – Wenceslas Square, The Charles Bridge and Prague Castle above it.
The Charles Bridge crosses the Vltava River and is named after King Charles IV. It was absolutely heaving with tourists, weaving in and out of musicians busking and stalls selling all sorts of things. We met my brother and his soon to be wife at the end of the bridge and enjoyed a lovely lunch with them before climbing the many steps up to the castle. Prague Castle is a castle complex dating back to the 9th century. The castle was a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia. The castle is spectacular itself but also provides beautiful, sprawling views across the city.

The next day we walked up the road to Karlstejn Castle. We had a superb tour guide with a dry sense of humour, who taught us about the history of the castle and surrounding area. He led us up many flights of stairs to the top of the tower, so high it made my legs shake. Karlstejn Castle is phenomenal. It is a large Gothic castle founded by Charles IV in 1348. It sits at the top of a hill in amongst the trees, so that from the road it isn’t visible. When you walk up the road it suddenly appears and takes your breath away as you round the corner. It’s the stuff of fairy tales and legends and we had a brilliant morning there.
Walking back we yet again questioned the girls’ eyesight, as E was convinced she’d seen a kangaroo and M was certain she saw a lion. Maybe this place really is magical?!
As we crossed the river I asked S if we could go out on his uncle’s boat when we are in Croatia. I thought maybe we could visit one of the islands (yes I did watch Mama Mia recently). Eva piped up that’d she’d love to do that as she’d always wanted to visit Ireland! She then asked if perhaps we could sail to the Maldives. I must get this girl to look at an atlas at some point.
In the evening we met my mum and grandma at their campsite on the outskirts of Prague. We had a wonderful time swimming in the lake and then all had dinner together, discussing my brother’s impending wedding.

architecture bridge building structures castle — Photo by JÉSHOOTS on Pexels.com

Prague is a magnificent city and I definitely hope to visit again in the future.

Day 2: Journey to Karlstejn

After a very hot and sticky night, we woke to the youngest child having reverted back to her usual self. “Who is your favourite person?” she asked us all this morning. Before any of us could respond, she informed us all that SHE was her favourite person. No great surprise there then.

We packed the car and set off to find breakfast. I was sure I could eat something healthy, perhaps some fruit or something protein laden. We stopped at a service station and found croissants, pain au chocolat and breadsticks dipped in Nutella. Healthy breakfast fail. After also failing to get coffee from a machine due to some complicated ticket system that I didn’t understand, we finally got our caffeine fix at the next services and set off for the Czech Republic.

Again the journey was fairly uneventful, other than a van engulfed in flames on the other side of the motorway in Germany! We played our usual games…holding our breath through tunnels (to the point that I always worry the driver might pass out) and M’s choice, ‘the link game’. The link game is basically word association but is quite stressful with our smallest girl, especially as she always seems to follow my hubby, who makes fairly obscure links. I spend most of my time with 4 and 5 year olds, so know how to play with children in mind. We tried to change the direction of play to help M, but an argument ensued as to who was starting the game. Eventually M lost the plot and then screamed at her sister, “Mummy says not to talk to me when I’m angry.” I did indeed say this but it’s kind of backfired on me, as most of my strategies with this child do.

The other challenge with service stations on this journey, is my eldest child’s absolute fear of a) getting locked in a toilet b) a self-flushing toilet flushing on her. To be fair, both of these things have happened to her in the past so the trauma is real. It just makes every toilet stop complicated and drawn out.

Anyway, after driving most of the day through Germany, we eventually entered the Czech Republic. The road to Karlstejn was small and windy and I could see the dubious looks from my hubby out of the corner of my eye. We drove through beautiful forest and I was uncharacteristically optimistic. I was right to be so, as this place is gorgeous. It’s a small town on the river, surrounded by tree covered hills. A railway runs through it but Karlstejn is remarkably quiet. We went and paddled in the river before watching a hot air balloon take off from the field next us.

This evening we ate dinner outside at our hotel and tried to tell the children how lucky they are to be able to travel. We sat in the dark and talked about how important these trips are to us. I feel relaxed. This is rare. Day 2 – another success.

Day 1: Journey to Cologne

We are just settling down to bed in our stunningly hot and sweaty room in the youth hostel in Cologne, Germany. My eldest daughter has just asked if we might die in this room tonight! I mean it stinks of sweaty feet, but I’m really hoping to make it through the night.

We set off first thing this morning and the journey was worryingly uneventful, other than the usual amusing comments from the girls. Initially E thought that she’d spotted the Disneyland palace on the way to Dover but it turned out just to be a church. My hubby had the bright idea that double decker motorways should be invented (he’ll no doubt now be googling if this is an actual thing) and then E became very confused about how long it would take to get to Dover. She felt very strongly that an hour and a half was exactly the same time as half an hour (note to self – do some work on time with my almost 9 year old child).

A Taylor Swift/Katy Perry mix on Radio One saved us just as the girls started to get restless and then there was great delight at some chewing gum we’d bought. “This is the first time using chewing gum the right way!” our youngest child declared. I dread to think what she’s done with it in the past!

After catching the ferry to Calais, we drove across to Belgium. Searching for a cashpoint, we drove down some of the back streets a while before reaching Brussels. The houses were amazing, each one different from the next and all really delightful in their own way.

There was drama in the back of the car when E removed her shoes. M has a very acute sense of smell and her sister’s cheesy feet was too much to handle! We had to have a period of the girls choosing the car music to keep them happy. E chose a succession of Little Mix songs and then M opted for her usual choice of Bon Jovi, blasted at full volume.

Eventually we arrived in Cologne and went out in the sweltering heat to find dinner. Cologne is beautiful and the atmosphere is lovely. After dinner we sat by the river with beers and ice cream and watched the boats go by.

Which brings us back to the sweaty room. Both girls are now asleep but I have to say the air is suffocating. It’s been hot in the UK recently but this is stifling. My hubby is sitting in bed drinking beer after washing his feet because I moaned so much about the smell. Thing is, I’ve got a horrible feeling it might be mine I can smell!

Day One has been a success. No major meltdowns from anyone, a smooth journey (so far) and a gorgeous evening in Cologne.

architectural photo of bridge during nighttime — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com