Time to Step Outside

I thought I'd do you a nice, simple, Love-Laugh-Photograph post today, as the last few posts have been a bit more intentional than I had originally intended this blog to be. So, today I shall be documenting the joy of being on holiday - an art I am not well practiced at of recent years. Having not actually been on holiday since a brilliant escapade to Switzerland in Summer 2012, I felt well-overdue a bit of downtime and R&R - so that is what we did. I had a few days off last/this week, so went away to Cromer (which is not a Greek island) with my friend Rhoda for a long-weekend (or a 'weeeekeeeeend'. ie. it was five days. That's pretty long for a weekend, I reckon). 

Oops. Poppytastic.

We stayed in Rhodes' sisters' parents-in-law's cottage...it's less convoluted than it sounds...right by the beach, which was delightfully adorned with poppies (everywhere). I asked Rho approximately twelve times what the significance of the poppies was locally, and we never really found an answer, apart from that they are significant locally (answers on a postcard please), and they meant that one day I could accidentally dress to match the house. 

We essentially spent our time plodding along the beach (some times more purposefully than others), eating our way through the local wares, seeing the town from every angle possible (including almost too-high above), painting pottery, pottering around shops, watching Harry Potter and not stressing too hard about whether there were other 'potter'-y things we should be doing.

Anyway, first film of the holiday wasn't actually a Potter, but The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It's great, you should watch and enjoy if you haven't already, especially if you like exploring and grabbing life by the horns...and it has a cracking soundtrack which I've been listening to almost non-stop since we got back ('Ooh, who sings this one, Rho, do you know?' 'It's Jose Gonzales, Em: exactly the same as last time we were in the car.' Whoops.) 

Soundtrack to adventures outside? Sounds good to me. So, click the video below, then scroll and enjoy 'Stepping Out' to lots of lovely seasidey times...(ps, sorry they're all below each other and can't sit side-by-side. Silly old Blogger. I think we might need to consider a redesign for photos, etc. especially as I can't show really large ones without it being out of line... Any suggestions on more postcards, please...)

Day One: An evening stroll before dinner, with birds, beach, pier et al.

*Squawk*

The epitome of beach

Classic, had to be done, etc.etc.

Gotta take pictures of friends and sea, but seaweed takes centre-stage

Looking North, toward Sherringham

Huts on the pier

Day Two: A lovely long walk along the beach and back along the cliffs, climbing the church tower, infamous millionaire's shortbread from Huckleberry's, and chasing sunsets.

The landmark, Cromer Pier

Cutie-pie, straight out of Bob the Builder, tractor

LOOK at all that beach

Up on the cliffs

The lighthouse, that thing that's meant to be totally visible at all times, that took us most of the walk to locate

Cromer, from afar, and above-ish

Because cliff-high wasn't high enough

This is a THING in Cromer. Me and Rhoda don't really do sea-food. Sorry, Cromer.

The beautiful church, whose tower we then climbed. Highest tower in the East, that is. See if from absolutely everywhere around, you can. Mmm, local knowledge.

OKAY, IT'S REALLY QUITE HIGH. My legs were jelly at this point. I couldn't tell if it was the height, the five mile walk we'd already done that morning, or the 150-odd insanely steep and narrow tower-stairs we'd just climbed...maybe all of the above.

Again, 'pretty high up' just isn't high enough for this one. #thrillseeker

This is a genuine highlight of the trip. Millionaire's shortbread from Huckleberry's. This is half a slice, being eaten on the pier. This is perhaps the best millionaire's shortbread you will ever sample. I implore you to try it if you can. It may also be why my jeans are a little tight...

Then we spotted this brewing in the distance, and went and chased the sunset over the hill...

Because who doesn't love a sunset over a caravan park?

Floral things. Will identify later. Pretty.

...aaaand, close.

I just wanted to finish today by showing you, no, NOT the stairs we climbed up that old church tower to the top o' the town, but the stairs TO MY ROOM in the attic. There are genuine hand-rails just out of shot. I loved it. Such adventure, just to get to bed!

Day Three: Wandering around Cromer, visiting book shops, vegging in coffee-shops, not carrying my camera because I was shopping so doing all of my photography via Instagram...

Tea and crispy cakes in Huckleberry's

#chillin'

LOVE these colourful houses!

Don't worry, we popped to the beach too

Day Four: SUNDAY - painting pottery, toddling on the beach, feet in the sea, #fin

Much deliberation. Honestly, it's harder than it looks.

It's not finished yet! It'll look better, I promise! (I hope)

Such joy

As ever, a pre-dinner beach stroll. Shiny. Look at all that shiny beach.

I finally bared all (of my lower legs), removed the leggings and paddled. If your feet aren't in, you're not doing the seaside properly.

The sky starts being coloured in with a pink highlighter...

...aaaaaand, down she goes again.

Day Five: NORWICH. Now, you'll forgive me for not taking many photos on this day. I took my big camera, but it was raining, and apart from visiting the castle, we largely shopped. But. We did go on the train, and see the castle, and it was joyful (until I ran out of energy then demanded a coffee shop immediately, but apart from that it was all amicable...)

Just to prove I was actually there. This is what happens when you go to take a picture of a sign and realise your camera is on 'selfie' mode. Well, a selfie must occur! This is Cromer train station: two noticeboards and two platforms. Not even a ticket office. I've never enjoyed trains more! :D

Here Be Dragons

Inside Norwich Castle. This is a bad photo, apologies for that. Bad lighting. On phone. Excited shakes. #excusesexcuses 

PHWOAR, what a hunk, knight in shining armour, etc.

Having fun with catapults!

And then, dear friends, I stopped taking photos. Not because of anything drastic, just because pottering around gifty-shops in the rain isn't very photogenic. And then we came home, made carbonara, and watched The Goblet of FIRE.

All in all, a good bit of adventuring. This is the most photogenic life has been in a good little while, so I hope you've enjoyed. I've just renewed my membership to the botanic gardens and arboretum, just in time for some autumnal hues, so who knows, maybe there'll be some more photogenic moments coming your way again soon?

'Til next time, love as ever, x