And when I say big I mean a holiday with extended family …
Which is an achievement in itself – You need a pretty decent family if you’re going to agree to all go on holiday together – it’s money and precious annual leave days spent at the end of the day …
So here it goes – This year it was decided that it would be fun and make a lovely memory for all of my husbands family to holiday together – a real adventure!
This included his Parents, his aunt and uncle, his brother with wife and two children and his sister and her two children … as well as us …
Thats in total 9 adults, a pre-teen, 4 children and a baby …
Craig, me and the kids stayed in a little holiday home by ourselves as we could not commit as early as the rest of the party … and they all stayed together under one roof …
It made for very over exited, over sugared, over stimulated but veeery happy children, and a lot of fun !
So I would like to share with you what we all got up to in and around Bexhill on Sea near Hastings on the south coast … enjoy …
The others arrived on Friday the 31st of July but we didn’t get there until the day after so Saturday the 1st of August was mostly spent loading the car and travelling down there…
We arrived at our Holiday accomodation which was lovely and clean, modern, and in a good location. We did however feel that the kids were not properly catered for …
Considering we booked for two adults and two children – one of whom requires a travel cot the provision was quite disappointing … there was no bedding for either child and the travelcot had been shoved under the bed in a cardboard box … after a long journey you dont really want to be figuring out how and where you are going to settle the kids down to sleep that night … oh well …
That evening we joined the others for a chinese take out and went back to our house to sleep … however sleep we did not … the night was long and consisted of much restlessness and thrashing due to the haphazard sleeping arrangements …
Not the greatest start …
Sunday the 2nd of August was spent mostly on Bexhill Beach which is pretty much pebbles with no real sand to speak of but it was still great fun for the kids … a very british day … with burgers, hot dogs and fish and chips for lunch … and sunburn for most of the adults…
Not wanting to repeat the previous nights experience I also went into town and accuired some cot bedding in hope of a calmer nights sleep …
That evening we dined at Bentley’s Steakhouse in the Bexhill Town Centre which we would whole-heartedly recommend if you ever travel that way …
http://www.bentleyssteakhouse.com/
Monday the 3rd of August – after a MUCH better night we set off to Groombridge Place near tunbridge wells … This was supposed to be somewhat of an enchanted forrest type experience and there was lots to see and do –
however we did feel that it would have been more suited to older children … let’s just say that the two pregnant ladies as well as 3 pushchairs in our group made the VERY hilly trek somewhat hard going …
Still we sodjered on and had a pretty good time – we even managed to leave just as the heavens opened …
I must admit however that by the end of the trip my hips were hurting and I was exhausted – in fact I got so hormonal that I had to have a little sob on hubbys shoulders before we could drive back home … What can I say … I’m pregnant and sorely missing my comfy bed !
Needless to say that that evening the frozen pizzas and last minute salad were a welcome easy, stay in the house and relax kind of dinner …
http://www.groombridgeplace.com/
We all felt like an easy day the next day so Tuesday the 4th of August we spent the morning entertaining ourselves in Egerton park – either playing tennis or digging in the sandpit or trying out the pedal boats on the little lake … my poor hubby his aunt and the kids got caught in a torrential downpour right in the middle of the lake so as soon as they had managed to pedal to dry land we rushed off home to dry off …
The kids were not impressed but easily soothed with hot tea and warm towells …
Indoor swimming at the leisure pool in the afternoon and then a McDonald Dinner made it another very busy day …
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g503756-d3387802-Reviews-Egerton_Park-Bexhill_on_Sea_East_Sussex_England.html
http://www.freedom-leisure.co.uk/centres.asp?section=246%A7ionTitle=bexhill+leisure+pool
Wednesday the 5th of August was probably my favourite day …
We set off to Hastings in the morning and there really is a ton to do for children and adults of every age: Lovely old town centre with heaps of shops and fantastic bakeries and cafes, cliff railway with old castle ruins, huge play areas by the seafront with mini railway, rides, mini golf, trampolines and so on and so forth… there would have been more to do but thats all we got round to doing that day …
The weather was lovely and everyone could follow their interests without being too far away from each other … highly recommended
That evening we found a lovely country pub with excellent food – we ate outside next to the play area … altogether a brilliant day !
http://www.thestarinnnormansbay.co.uk/
Thursday the 6th of August was the last day we were all together since we were all leaving at various different times the next day so we went to Knockhatch adventure park – another brilliant family day out with something for everyone: from birds of prey to petting rabbits, bouncy pillows, go cart and much more … everyone had a great time and the kids were yet again totally zonked at the end of it …
Ilhan (Craigs Uncle) was kind enough to cook us a proper home made meal that evening which was much enjoyed and devoured in its entirety 😉
Friday the 7th of August was spent on our own.
We decided that we would spend the morning beachcombing as the kids desperately wanted to go to the seaside again before setting off home. We also had what was most likely the kids 50th ice cream that week and then packed the car ready to set off home …
Oh how I love them all !!!
It was a hectick and busy week with lots of sugar and very sleep deprived children but we made some brilliant memories and really connected as a family – The monkeys absolutely adored having so much time with their daddy and we certainly won’t forget this holiday in a hurry !!!
How lucky am I – to have such a brilliant bunch to call my Family (especially since It’s the In-Laws) !!!
Until Next time …
ta da
what happened next 