Category: Uncategorized

south africa

On By lex270In Parenthood, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I have just returned from the most epic trip to South Africa!  It was extremely refreshing and revitalizing to get some winter sun as well; I get a bit grumpy in the winter months when I don’t see the sun, but who doesn’t.

To start our 24hr journey, we had to get to Heathrow board an 11hr night flight to J’bourg.  We had three seats between four of us (the babe is not two yet so he’s on our laps). The kids took it in turns to sleep, and got huge amounts of joy kicking the shit out of one another to wake each other up.  We did not get a wink of sleep.  I did not get to drink my mini bottle of wine and watch Bad Moms.  It was not a good flight.  The next flight was shorter therefore better.  However, I felt like I was on a ferry for the next day from all the motion.  Weird.

Moving on from the travel we arrived at Sunstays apartments on Lagoon Beach where our apartment overlooked the Atlantic, and the bar had a view of Table Mountain (YAAAAASSSSSS).  The place had blackout curtains as well which meant the kids slept from 8pm – 8:30am.  Winning at life right there.

The week in Cape Town was filled with family lunches at vineyards, climbing Table Mountain (well, the cable car, can’t really climb it with the littluns), hanging out at the V&A Waterfront, eating lobster, taking boat rides, swimming with penguins at Boulders Rock, using the facilities like the gym and roof top pool, and chilling on the beach with a Hunters Dry in my hand.  It was a fantastic week!

Then we moved on to Knysna where we stayed at Strode House.  This was epic.  It had incredible views, a pool and a friggin HOT TUB!!  Yes I drank wine in the tub while stargazing and loved every minute of it.  We took a trip to the Elephant Park where we got to feed the elephants (amazing!!!), trek through a pretty scary jungle where we got eaten alive, shop at the cute boutiques, (yes I bought my body weight in swimwear), found an epic backpackers lodge off the beaten track where we had lunch nearly everyday, got to have Valentines Day dinner in a ridiculously beautiful restaurant over looking the lagoon, and generally hit the beach and the pool and enjoyed the sun!  I even went boogie boarding.  Yes yes, boogie boarding.  There was an alright looking right hander about 300yards off shore, but no one was surfing it and I certainly wasn’t going to be the first, way to sharky.

It was time for our South Africa travels to come to an end.  We started out on our 24hr journey home, the short flight was a doddle.  We had a Wimpy before we flew which was gross.  Landed in J’bourg with a 5hr layover.  We hit KFC, which was also gross – what KFC doesn’t serve any form of sauce??  Then time for the 11hr night flight.  We took off, the four year old was watching Finding Dory, the one year old was passed out on my husbands lap.  I got myself a mini bottle of wine and settled into my seat watching Bad Moms.  I was as happy as a pig in shit.  I nearly ordered another mini bottle (it was a Malbec as well, nice), but I thought as I was already tipsy (I hadn’t had my plane food yet and the KFC was hours ago), it was best not to get drunk while looking after small people on a plane.

It was a brilliant family holiday and I never wanted it to end.  A definite highlight was explaining to the four year old that Daddy is South African, so that made him half South African.  I was literally watching his mind being blown.  Too funny.

 

the ocean and i

On By lex270In Fitness, Parenthood, Surfing, Travel, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The ocean and I go way back.  My first encounter was in the south of France when I was eighteen months old.  My folks walked me down to the ocean and apparently I just kept on walking until the water was nearly over my head.  That was it, I was sold.  I needed the ocean in my life.  Like many millions of other who feel they have a connection to the ocean, I have my reasons as to why I love it, and I’m sure you do too… Here are mine:

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1. Calmness.  When ever I pull up to the ocean, no matter what its doing, I get a wave (pun intended) of relief wash over me.  If you get the feeling you’ll know exactly what I mean, if not, its quite hard to describe.  Its like I’m exactly where I need to be.  The calmness sets in and time doesn’t exist.  (I get this feeling when I’m near any body of water which is probably why wakeboarding has stuck with me seeing as I’m landlocked!)

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2. The lifestyle.  I absolutely love waking up not have to worry about clothes or make up.  When I’m on a surf trip, everything is stripped back.  No outfits, no make up, no hair styling.. just glowing skin smelling of sunscreen, salty hair and slightly burnt lips.  Its the simple life and its fabulous.

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3. The beach.  I have always loved the beach, but now I have a new love for it because of my kids.  I’m doing all the fun stuff that my folks used to do with me, like build sandcastles and bury each other.  The beach is a much more valuable place for my kids to play than an indoor play centre.

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4. The ocean.  If there are waves you can surf.  If the conditions are not right you can do anything else, swim, jump over waves, body surf the shore break, paddle board, the list goes on.

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5. My body.  I absolutely love what the ocean does to my body, because I’m using it, it keeps me fit and healthy.  The salt heals everything.  Everything.  Also there are more negative ions around large areas of water which boost our mood and help us stay positive.  (Seriously, google it).

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So if you’re an ocean lover like me, high fives!  If you’re not, get yourself to your nearest body of water, take a moment to just stare in silence and see you can feel it.

 

2 0 1 6

On By lex270In UncategorizedLeave a comment

I started to insert photos of my favourite bits from the year and write small captions about them as I’ve done in the past.  However, something stopped me.  I could fill this blog post up with all of my professional photos and show the glossy side of life… or I could write about those really tough days when I’ve been in with the kids all day and not interacted with a single adult soul, but I’ll do neither.  What I want to post is all my family and friends photos; days where we’ve been out adventuring with the kids and getting lost and muddy, those are the best days.  But they are personal photos and will remain safely stashed on my iPhone, mac book and hard drive or hanging on my walls at home. 

2016…. you’ve been a fabulous year filled with family and friends, wakeboarding, coaching, surfing and travelling.  Its been a crazy year of parenthood as I’ve strived to learn how to be a parent of two boys (yes they are still animals).  

As a family we’ve traveled to Dubai, Devon, France and Portugal, some of the trips we did with friends and family, some just the four of us, and they were all fantastic.  

I’ve had brilliant times coaching, both on the GB Squad on the Development Camps and privately, especially as my lil athlete Izzy Goode was ranked Number 1 in the World. 

I’ve loved shooting and filming for my sponsors and can’t wait for more next year. Thank you WaterSports World, Hyperlite, Mystic, Nalu Beads and Veho for all your support.  I’ve also enjoyed doing collaborations with other brands as well, the biggest one so far being New Balance. 

I’ve had some great highs and some horrible lows this year, but what this year has taught me is that my favourite bits are spending time with friends and family, and of course, keeping active and getting on the water. (Mummas gotta clear her head somehow!) 

I hope 2017 brings me more joyful times with the people and activities I love. 

So heres a photo I snapped – after a great wakeboard session and I was buzzing off my tits – that for me sums up my 2016. 

Happy New Year everyone, heres to an even better 2017 xx