by Mollie Millington | Mar 11, 2020 | health, travel
With Coronavirus all over the news and a trip to Japan recently cancelled due to concerns the virus will spread, my husband asked me the other night if we should wear masks when we go on our re-booked holiday to the USA. Let me be clear that I am not a medical professional so if you are worried, you should speak to your GP or consult the links at the bottom of this post before you decide if you want to wear a mask. I do, however, have many years experience fitting people to wear the correct size N95 mask (random part of my job during my masters degree and also part of my current role). Read on to learn more about personal protective equipment masks and what they are used for.
What does N95 mean?
This rating means the mask filters out 95% of particles when worn properly. In the UK, the equivalent mask rating is FFP2.
Where can I get one that fits?
You will need to have a mask fitting to ensure you have one that fits properly. This involves putting a hood over your head while wearing the mask and having a bitter solvent sprayed into the hood (even my mom has had this done!). The idea is that a correctly fitted mask will not allow any air to get between the mask and your skin. This prevents germs from entering the nose or mouth and therefore infecting you. If you have facial hair, you will not be able to wear a mask effectively. You can watch my YouTube video for more info.
Keep in mind, that the news is reporting a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the outbreak. In addition, there are many scams and price inflation occurring on masks, hand santizers and disinfecting wipes. I suggest leaving the masks for the professionals.
What is it like to wear one?
The masks will make it hard to breathe and can be very hot to wear, depending on the environmental conditions and what you are doing. It also makes it hard for others to hear you because your speech will be muffled.
Will the Coronavirus kill me?
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports global death rate of 3.5% for Coronanirus. The population most at risk is people 60+ years old who have underlying health conditions. Children seem to be asymptomatic.
What can I do to reduce my risk of catching Coronavirus?
Many health officials have asked people to self-isolate if they have been traveling to affected areas. Frequently washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, especially when in public places, will also help reduce the risk. Carry hand santizer and avoid touching your hands to your face and eyes if they are not clean. Finally, aim to stay six feet away from infected people, especially if they are coughing or sneezing. Refer to your local health authorities for up-to-date information as the global situation seems to be changing on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, a vaccine is at least 12-18 months away from being ready for market. This is due to rigorous testing in both animal and human models. I have read reports that the incubation period is five days and others that report 12 days. Working at home (which also helps you avoid public transport), will help reduce your risk of exposure and also prevent you from spreading the virus if you are infected.
Each day, we learn more about the virus. The lack of knowledge has been the biggest barrier. We don’t know all methods of transmission, how long it can live on surfaces, and other important information which can help limit the spread of the diseases. Stay up to date by visiting the links and references below for more information (some updated daily) rather than relying on social media:
World Health Organization (WHO) Novel Coronavirus outbreak 2019
Center for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus 2019
UK Gov Corona virus info
Guardian: What is Coronavisus and how worried should we be?
by Mollie Millington | Dec 4, 2019 | gift guide, travel
One thing I have been trying to do more of sharing my active travel and adventures here on the blog. I love to take adventure of all the local outdoor activities when I am in a new place, rather then over indulge on food and drink. For each new destination, I have had to acquire new pieces of kit and now have a living room that overflows with stuff. To help you not over buy, I have listed gift items that are useful on the road and at home. Anything marked with a * i have received a complimentary sample of and enjoyed testing out. The rest are suggestions that I have yet to try.
Paramo Expedition Towel– It is perfect for your gym bag or hand luggage. Made from Parameta® S fabric, this towel provides a luxurious feel with unique water-management properties to give a low bulk, rapid drying towel, ideal for expedition and general travel use. It can even be recycled by Paramo if you don’t want it any more.
Leki Micro Vario Carbon poles- Do you love sporty trekking and are often on the go? The Micro Vario Carbon, equipped with lots of details, supports you uphill and downhill and helps you save energy. In addition to the anatomically formed AERGON Thermo Long Grip and the super simple Speed Lock 2 Adjustment System comes the newly developed ELD External Locking Device, which ensures more stability and safety on the mountain thanks to its special construction. The pole can be folded together to a pack size of 40 cm at the push of a button and can be stored in any backpack. Weighing in at just 240 g, it is a real all-rounder. You might not have a use for this at home but perhaps you can lend them to a friend?
Kathmandu Small Departure RFIDtech wallet– Protect yourself from digital theft with this space saving Departure Wallet. With a few precisely designed sleeves and slots, including two safe RFIDtech pockets, you’ll be able to easily keep all your essential travel documents organised. When you are not travelling, you can also store leftover currency and spare SIM cards.
Furoshiki slip on shoes– these Vibram shoes are super comfortable for exploring cities on foot yet stylish enough to wear almost anywhere. Without laces to try, they make airport security a piece of cake. They do have a zero heel drop so you will probably need to get used to wearing them at first. Another bonus? They pack down small so won’t take up too much room in your suitcase. You can also use them as slippers at your Air BNB.
Osprey Transporter zip bag*- I have been testing out the 30L rollover top bag in teal. It is a little more slick than the traditional backpack I normally use. It has a laptop sleeve, lots of internal organisation and side zips for a water bottle or snacks (which I always have on hand). The material is also water resistant, which is handy in London! Chest and hip straps mean you can travel, hike or run with it too.
Oatein snacks*- I highly recommend their Millionaire squares. Indulgent, portable and filling too which is why I will pack them on my next trip out of town. Did you know the Millionaires are also vegan, contain zero sugar, and are palm oil- and gluten-free?
Miss Plume Bowling Bag– Part of a lightweight and stylish range, this bag adds some sparkle to your carry-on. With a 14L bag capacity, you have room for overnight necessities or gym kit for your weekly personal training session.
Hydro Flask coffee flasks*- These are very versatile for hot or cold drinks (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water, beer, wine, whiskey). The lid doesn’t leak (bonus) and you will be saving the environment too. I used mine at Love Trails Festival this summer as I don’t drink but I do enjoy JD and coke. There are a few different sizes available, depending on how much coffee you normally drink.
1000 Mile compression socks*– These socks are great for helping maintain your leg circulation when flying (I need to wear these because I have a history of blood clots) and to aid in recovery after long days of walking around town. The bright colours makes me smile too. You won’t loose these in your suit case.
Sherpa Amdo crew sweater– A portion of each Sherpa Adventure Gear sale supports children in Nepal so why not get a new jumper this Christmas? Featuring a unique design inspired by the Dhaka textiles, the Kopan Crew Sweater in Peetho White feels super soft against your skin thanks to the blend of extra fine merino wool, alpaca wool and synthetic fibres. Naturally odour resistant and moisture wicking, the Kopan keeps you cool and stays fresh throughout the day. Pair with jeans for the office or layer up under a waterproof for those outdoor adventures. Merino will help keep the your body temp in check and the smell at bay.
Salomon Supercross trail running shoes*– Great for running trails, pounding pavements and treading on snow. GTX means your feet stay dry. There are lots of colours available, quicklace for ease, and a protective toe cap to avoid injury.
Kathmandu Trailhead rain jacket– Available in both men’s and women’s, everyone can be prepared to ignore bad weather with the Trailhead Rain Jacket. This coat is always a good idea to have in your travel bag. This jacket was engineered for easy hikes, with pack-friendly chest pocket and a fit that moves with you as you explore your environment. An inner zip lets you adapt to changing temps by attaching the Trailhead fleece, which you can buy separately.
This list has me excited about all the places I will go in 2020. What is a travel essential you can’t live without that I forgot to put on this list?
by Mollie Millington | Sep 23, 2019 | outdoors, ski, travel
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| View of the valley |
Skiing is one of my favorite ways to enjoy the winter. Unfortunately, London doesn’t get much snow but mainland Europe does. If you plan ahead, cheap flights can be obtained for a quick weekend getaway on Easy Jet or Ryan Air. Of course, you need to factor in the equipment you are taking in terms of luggage but their are ways to make it affordable. I don’t have much time or knowledge of the European resorts aside from Vernier, so when I saw No Boundaries (NB, which sadly seems to have closed) was planning a short ski weekend in Italy with yoga in February 2019, I booked in right away (#ipaidforit). I knew it would be an intense weekend with long days and late night dinners with wine but I thought I could make it for three days. Just. With some energy drinks.
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| Hotel lobby |
The NB team can book flights for you with hopefully a discount if there are enough people booked in. I opted for this with a payment of £125 but there were not enough people to get a discount. NB kindly paid the difference for the ticket though. The cost of the weekend included accommodation, airport transfer, hotel breakfast, and lift tickets plus several yoga classes (in the morning and afternoon on full days). NB likes to work with local businesses and guides where possible and booked us at a family-owned hotel that was about 10-20 minute drive from the mountain. The hotel was a bit dated in its decor but very clean and had a state of the art spa and room for yoga in the disco. Unfortunately, I was too tired to spend a lot of time in the spa or take photos. It had a small pool, steam room, cold shower and place to relax. The annex of the hotel had a boot drying rack with a place to leave skis and snowboards overnight. This meant everything was dry for the next day and didn’t clutter up your room.
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| Yoga in the former disco in the basement |
Yoga was at 7am and about 5pm (depending on when the skiers and ice climbers returned) on the full days. We also had a session the evening we arrived and the morning we left. It was beautiful spring spring weather in the Brenta Dolomites (Pinzolo – Madonna di Campiglio -Folgarida/Marilleva Ski Area). It is a small mountain, perfect for families and beginner to novice skiers. There was a van that the hotel lent No Boundaries to drive us to the mountain. We left between 8-8:30am depending on the day and then headed back about 3-4pm. Some people who lived in Italy had driven to the resort, rather than fly, and drove to the mountain on their own. I was a little disappointed the first morning as we didn’t get on the mountain until after 11am. This was because we had to wait for people to get fitted for their rental gear and the company rep to obtain the lift passes in a long line.
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| Small bags and good snacks |
With a limited amount of time to ski, I prefer carrying snacks and eating on the chair lift. This also saved me some money too. The sunshine was amazing though and many people enjoyed a drinks and some french fries. The food prices were extremely reasonable for a ski resort but the lines were also long. We didn’t have time to stop at the grocery store for sandwiches either.
There are a few small shops within walking distance of the hotel and a large supermarket on the way to the mountain. The hotel has a three course dinner available for 15 Euros. Most of the group met about 7-7:30pm to have dinner together. We all shared common interests in travel, being outdoors and keeping fit. It was lovely to meet several other women who were also travelling alone. Although booking solo holidays isn’t always fun, I don’t want to wait around for someone else to join me. It is too hard to find dates off work, a destination, activity, and budget that matches up. Of course, there was plenty of delicious wine along with dinner to fuel the conversation (you have to pay for it but again, the prices were very affordable). Our last night, there was a grappa tasting at the hotel put on by a local distillery. Not sure how often this happens but it was a nice treat.
All in all, I had an awesome time. The only problem was the traffic on the way back to the airport (which should have been a three hour drive) meant I missed my flight. As I had to check in my skis, the airline counter had closed by the time I got there (30 minutes before departure). My tour guide who didn’t have any luggage was able to make the flight and was very helpful getting me in touch with the NB main office who paid for my hotel and new flight hoe the following morning. I am sure NB took this hiccup on board, as well as my feedback to obtain the lift passes ahead of time so that people who have their own equipment can do so asap.
I once again have extreme travel insurance which covers winter sports, so I am thinking about booking another weekend with NB. It will have to be after the Tokyo Marathon though so I don’t know if there will still be snow on the mountains. If you want to get away and ski or snowboard for an affordable weekend this winter, check out flights to Milan or Trento and try to drive up to Pinzolo Ski Area.
As I said earlier, I paid for 100% of this trip. No Boundaries is not compensating me in any way for sharing my experience or their links. I enjoy supporting small businesses that promote leading an active lifestyle and spending time outdoors.
by Mollie Millington | Aug 19, 2019 | travel
It has been a while since I posted. Of course, I feel guilty about this because a “good” blogger posts on a regular basis. When you don’t see me much on the blog, that is because I am out living life in a big way. This month has been no different. Most of my time outside work as been spent outside. I had the London Triathlon (race report coming soon!) and then was in the USA for a week visiting family and friends before a week-long course in Bar Harbor, Maine. I had never been to that part of Maine before and highly recommend for those who also love the great outdoors.
The sun was shining something fierce on the East Coast during our stay and I have happily developed a slight tan despite wearing sunscreen every day. My time was spent hiking up mountains, swimming in lakes, exploring American history, shopping at Goodwill (an American charity shop) and eating a lot of donuts. The #augustrunstreak has been a success so far too. Having an aim of just one mile a day made it very achievable and dare I say, fun.
Check out my Strava profile to see the places I explored on foot.
I am now back in London, feeling refreshed and excited about the things to come. My list of blog posts to write is long and there are a few more adventures I have booked in that need some additional planning. Somehow, I will find the time as all of these things make me happy. I am also re-branding and can’t wait for you to see the fantastic design ThinkMarsh Studio has come up with.
As my tan starts to fade, I will be thinking fondly of the good times I had in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Maine this summer. Hopefully you were able to follow the highlights of each location on Facebook and Instagram. If there is anything in particular from these trips you would like me to write about, please leave a comment below and I will do my best to get an answer up by September.
by Mollie Millington | Jul 12, 2019 | product review, running, travel
Summer race season is here. Many committed runners have ultras booked in (any race longer than a marathon) and some even are looking forward to an ultra in an extreme location, such as high mountains, hot jungles, arctic snow, or in the desert. I only have experience with a desert ultra so far so I thought I would share the things I am glad I packed. Of course, this list is not exhaustive nor specific to your event. Be sure you read all of the race info when packing as some races, like Marathon des Sables, you have to carry everything you pack while you run. But others, like Ultra X Co’s events, will transport your luggage for you. These are important details you don’t want to overlook.
In no particular order, here is a short packing list. Items marked with a ✓ are for if you do not have a weight restriction. I will say that a local Jordan man joined us last minute with a regular rucksack, plain old trainers, and a baseball hat and was able to finish the race. No sunglasses or fancy equipment. Mind over matter, eh?
Salt/hydration- In the desert, you are going to sweat more in order for your body to deal with the heat. Plus you will be running, which is another reason to sweat. Staying hydrated is very important. Drinking plain water on its own will affect your body as osmosis in your cells won’t work properly. You need to add salt in some shape or form to your drinks and food. I used Aptonia Salt capsules* during my race, along with nuun tablets and salted pretzels. I kind of made up my own dose and luckily didn’t have any problems. Please speak to a professional when determining how much salt you should take and when.
Poles- I used my Leki Micro Trail poles (similar to these Micro Trail Pros) every day except the first when out in the desert. I didn’t strength train enough, nor practice enough in sand, to move efficently. With the poles, I could use my upper body to pull myself along, as well as keep steady in the shifting sand. My poles have a minimalist ‘glove’ which protected my hands and secured the poles. They easily unclipped from the poles for ease (rather than having to remove the entire glove). The poles were super-light and folded up if I needed to attached then to my rucksack instead of using them. Poles tend to be a personal preference. If you are new to desert running, I would say give them a try. The majority of the competitors used them.
Sunscreen- This is a no brainer. Adding a sun burn on top of fatigue would really put a damper on the race. My Race Kit recommended Tingerlaat SPF50 because the sand won’t stick to it. It was expensive but I used it and can report that the sand didn’t stick to me at all.
Cap or scarf- You need to have something to cover your head from the sun. I picked up the RaidLight Sahara cap and loved it as the cloth attaches with velcro.
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| My snazzy cap and Salomon Agile 6 with Camelbak |
Bag to carry stuff- If you don’t have to carry everything with you, but just what you need for the day, a small rucksack could do the trick. Of course, you should try running in the bag before your race. Figure out how/were a hydration pack will go too. The Salomon Agile 6 worked for me. I had two water pouches (one for plain water and one for nuun tablets) plus it fit my 2L hydration pack. I would have preferred zippered pockets on my waist for easy access to snacks but I guess that is why the bag was so light!
Snacks you crave- As I mentioned, I had pretzels for the salt, but also Haribos, protein cookies, Lucho Dillitos, and more to keep me sane. The one thing I didn’t pack but wish I had was Diet Coke (hello- no weight limit!).
Warm clothes for evening- Depending on the time of year and where you are sleeping, the desert can get a bit chilly in the evening. The nights we were in tents, I was fine. We did have one windy evening outside on a rock, for which I wore my beanie cap and everything I had that was dry.
Biodegradable loo roll- Lessen your environmental impact but using biodegradable loo roll. I found it basically disintegrated when it got wet but it was better than nothing when in the middle of a 50km run.
Sunglasses- You need to protect your eyes from the sun’s rays, as well as have a slight barrier for blowing sand. My SMITH Attack Max with Chromo Pop were amazing. They wrapped around my eyes and had a maximum view of the landscape ahead of me due to the single lens design. The other cool thing, is that the lenses are interchangeable so I could choose a lens to suit the weather (but never had to swap as the sun was bright every day). This option is perfect for like in the UK.
Music for the long days ✓- I bought a £10 MP3 player off of Amazon and only used it on my longest day. I went for something cheap as I wasn’t sure how the heat and sand would affect the technology. To be honest, I don’t usually run with music, so for not having music the majority of the race wasn’t a problem.
Solar powered battery pack ✓- This should be the first extra thing you pack when you discover you can. I used it to charge my fitness tracker and activity camera (or faux pro as I like to call it). Of course, I was not running to win the race which meant I had plenty of time to take photos and enjoy the scenery.
Blister kit- This is a no brainer. Do your research to figure out exactly what you need. Practice taping your feet up beforehand too.
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| Getting blisters fixed by the pros |
Hand sanitizer- For the wild wees and camping without running water. Nobody wants to get sick in the middle of the desert. Along the same lines, don’t high five anyone until after the race.
Camera ✓- As mentioned above, I had a faux pro for snapping the scenery and taking some videos (which will some day be a vlog). The serious competitors did no bother with this or used their mobile phones. It depends on how you want to remember and commemorate the experience.
Diary and pen to write memories ✓- This would be the thing I pack after the battery pack. I have a terrible memory so I needed to take a few minutes each evening to record what happened that day. After a while, everything becomes a blur! If weight is precious, you can download an app, such as Evernote, to type in your memories each evening. It works without internet.
Head torch- Because it gets dark. Make sure it had red light so you don’t wake up your tent mates and is strong enough to light the path ahead of you when running before sunrise.
Container and spork for eating food- Depending on what you pack, you will probably need a bowl of some sort (although I think for MDS you can use water bottle) and a spork. You will be hungry.
Comfy shoes with insoles- In Jordan, I wore the Salomon S Lab Sense 6* (similar to these Sense 7s) with SOLE active medium insoles*, plus sand gaiters. Because of my history of Achilles tendinopathy, I am very particular about what trainers I run in. I need something stable and cushioned. The Senses were super comfortable during my training before I had the velcro for the gaiters sewn on. Unfortunately, that is a risk with any pair of shoes when you have to add on velcro. I was so bummed I couldn’t wear them any more! I have worn SOLE in the past and went with the medium thickness to allow for sandy conditions where my foot would be flexing over uneven terrain. I then transferred them to one of my other pairs of running shoes and am very happy with the fit.
If you have ever run a desert ultra, let me know if there is anything I have missed off of this list by leaving a comment below. If you want a packing list for a regular race, click here to have a read of my head-to-toe packing list.
Interested in the Ultra X Jordan race (read my review of the 2018 event here)? Entries close 21 July 2019. You had better register asap if you want to join the team this year.
Items marked with an * were given to me pro gratis to review. As always, all opinions are honest and my own. This post also includes affiliate links which cost the buyer nothing extra, but help contribute to running this website.
by Mollie Millington | Jun 19, 2019 | outdoors, travel, water sports, yoga
After the dance floor, being on the water is my favorite place to be. It is hard living in London, though, to find bodies of water that are not crowded, polluted and/or freezing cold. A few weekends ago, we headed to a wedding in Cornwall during which time we spent a lot of time on coastal trails (and dancing on the dance floor). Even though it was slightly overcast, and stormy seas meant we couldn’t SUP or go on a boat tour, we still manged to get sand in our shoes and take in amazing views.
Two weeks later, I found myself back in Cornwall. Freewave Surf Academy invited me to their site in Bude for their three day surf and yoga retreat (#gifted). The weekend was jam packed but I will try to fill you in on the key bits of info. If you have any questions though, leave a comment below and I will do my best to answer. The weekend kicked off at 4pm on a Friday night with welcome drinks, a yoga lesson and an introduction to surfing lesson on the beach. To finish the evening, a two course vegetarian dinner was served at the house. Unfortunately, I was unable to arrive until 10pm as I was on a course in London until 5pm. I had to take a train to Exeter and was collected my another attendee (who had a car) from Exeter Central Station for the two hour drive to Bude. They did put some food aside for us to enjoy when we arrived. Everyone waited up but quickly went to bed as they already had a yoga class and surf lesson that evening.
The accommodation was a beautiful five bedroom house with large garden, decks, outdoor BBQ, air hockey table, games, and two sitting rooms. We spent most of our time around the kitchen table for breakfast and snacks for lunch. There were two double bedrooms (one with en suite), three bedrooms with two single beds (one with en suite) and then another full bathroom and a half under the stairs. Elle from Keep it Simpelle and I shared a twin room. Loads of windows and sliding glass doors meant the sunlight (when available) illuminated the rooms. There was parking for about five cars and an outdoor shower to rinse out wet suits and feet of sand. We had to move some furniture for yoga when it was raining outside which made all of the spaces very versatile. Plus the beach was close enough to walk to.
Saturday and Sunday are structured differently, depending on the tides. A typical schedule may look like this (although we had 6:00am start on Saturday). The key points are one surf lesson each morning and two yoga classes per day.
7am yoga
8:30am surf lesson
10:30am brunch and video feedback
free time until…
1pm cake and tea
3pm yoga
5pm surf film and chill time on Saturday
7pm dinner on your own on Saturday (we went to a great restaurant, The Beach House, down the road) / BBQ at the house on Sunday
The surf lessons started with basics of how to line up on your board, how to keep it stable as you push up and several options on how to stand up. I was fairly confident that I would not be able to stand up as I cannot do a squat thrust or burpee well. Although I didn’t manager to stand up at my first lesson, I did on my second and third. Robin (Freewave Surf Academy owner) and Charlie (instructor) were there to keep an eye on the six of us, offering tips, providing real-time feedback and keeping our boards stable when a big wave was approaching. In addition to watching us in the water, Robin and Charlie took turns videotaping us from the beach and with a GoPro in the water. After our lessons (which lasted about an hour), we had time to shower and get dressed before Robin put together the clips and reviewed points each of us needed to work on. The primary observation for me was that I needed to keep my head up (looking at where I wanted to go rather than the board) when I tried to stand up.
As I mentioned earlier, we had yoga indoors on the first two days. On Sunday, there was enough sunshine to have one practice in the garden and the second on a clifftop overlooking the sea. There are too many amazing photos (taken by Tommy Hatwell, Plymouth-based commercial and portrait photographer) of both sessions to share here but I have included a few of my favorites. Yoga was taught by the talented Anna Young who is also one of the Freewave Surf Academy instructors. She has a real calming presence and fantastic choice of music. She also helped with breakfast in the mornings and tidied up after us (thank you Anna!).
A fun surprise was taking part in a beach clean up with Ado, who works for the local task force. He explained how much plastic washed up on the beach but also how much the local community works to keep the beach tidy. There were litter pickers and bags at the beach entrance for a #2minutebeachclean movement. We were out there for an hour and filled up one bucket worth of items. Another group had been through earlier, and they collected a lot more than we did. Her told me about how Legos from an old sunken container are washing up on the shore (ironically a sea-themed design) and how his Jack Russel can sniff out stranded seals in the dark.
Most of the guests left Sunday afternoon and evening to get home before work on Monday. With only three people left on Monday, we had an early yoga class and a quick surf session before brunch at 10:00am. There weren’t many waves but I did catch a few small ones before heading back to the house. Robin was kind enough to cook up eggs and bacon at our request. It was a family meal as Charlie and Anna joined us before Elle gave me a lift back to London and Amanda headed back to Staffordshire.
Similar to my ski weekend in Italy with No Boundaries, it was a jam-packed weekend with little time for sleep. My goal for the weekend was to be outside as much as possible. I packed my snorkel, running shoes and trail shoes for hiking. I also had my iPad for reading e-books, and my laptop for doing work (which I only used on the train). The stormy seas were too cloudy for snorkeling and I was too exhausted to run (aside from a few shots with Tommy in the dunes on Sunday night). The weather wasn’t great either so I was happy to stay inside and chat to the other ladies staying that weekend.
The biggest challenge of the weekend was transportation to Bude. It isn’t easy to get to if you don’t have a driving licence or car. The house we stayed at is about 15 minute drive from town, but a short walk from the beach where there is a small snack hut. The fridge and cupboards were stocked with a variety of foods (including dietary requests such as vegan and dairy-free) and drinks (including wine, beer, and gin) but you might want to bring your favorite snacks. For example, I should have packed Diet Coke. The seven of us went to town on Saturday afternoon for grocery shopping (as a few people choose to cook their own meal on Saturday night) and the chemist. We also discovered Temple, a very Instagramable coffee shop and bar that Charlie also works at.
Would I do it again? Heck, yes! I suggested before we left that we schedule a reunion retreat and I hope we do in the autumn before it gets too cold. Robin was open to feedback from us as it was the very first time he held the retreat and he had another group coming in right after us. He was a fantastic host with lots of laughter from everyone over the weekend. I think it would be an active alternative to a birthday party or hen do. You could also make it a couples weekend or travel on your own to meet new people who are interested in the same sports as you. Freewave Surf Academy is happy to arrange any extras that you need (within reason, of course).
Is surfing something you have been meaning to try but haven’t yet? Don’t be shy but instead book in to this intensive weekend and let me know how you get on.
Thanks to Freewave Surf Academy for this complimentary weekend experience. All views and opinions are honest and my own.
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