France: Cholet, Carnac and La Baule

So, I recently gate-crashed my parents holiday in France. I flew out to meet them as they had a car and were driving around part of France

Cholet was the home for stage 3 of the Tour De France team time trials. The days we were there very little was open, which was a shame as it had a shopping centre just off the town square. The shops had yellow mats out especially for the cycling and there was an exhibition of past memorabilia. Unlike when we had been in Nice there was no village for the Tour. On the day of the time trials the roads were closed and there were a collection of stands giving away freebies, but some made you answer a question first. The Tour De France is always preceded by a parade of caravans throwing free stuff from the floats. The floats are always pretty fun and people fight over the things that are flung from them. The team time trials were held over several hours with 5-minute intervals between teams. We stayed for about half of the teams as they pass by very quickly, although we were at a point where we could see them leave on one side of the road and arrive back on the other.

Cholet took it's preparations seriously

One of the many 'caravans'

One of the Tour de France teams

Next stop was Carnac, which is also a relatively small town with one main street. We were there for the World Cup semi-final game that France were playing and therefore quite a few places had closed. We took a little tourist train which took us through Carnac, along to Trinitie sur mer where we stopped to look at the harbour, which had a 1000 moorings and was full of yachts. 

Harbour at Trinite sur mer

After an ice cream break the train then took us to Les Alignments – a collection of Mesolithic stones all in straight lines. 

We visited St Cornely's Church. Legend says he was being pursued and turned his pursuers into stone (the megaliths know as Les Alignments). The Church has lots of beautiful stained glass windows and an intricately painted ceiling.

Portion of the ceiling

One of the stained glass windows

We also spent a few hours at the beach in Carnac which had very glittery sand. We also visited a biscuit factory and saw the chef rolling large sheets of butter into bread dough. There were lots of biscuits to sample and buy as well as souvenirs.

Our final stop was La Baule which was the biggest place we visited. There was a lovely Vietnamese restaurant near the train station which I would recommend. Most of the time here was spent on the beach, aided by men with carts going along the shore line selling drinks and ice cream and a number of bars are also situated on the beach. My parents went to look at U-boat pens and war memorials/cemeteries as there are lots of these around France as a result of the two world wars.

View of La Baule from the sea

There are 2 hypermarket chains in France which we enjoy – Carrefour and Auchan. This is the place to do all your shopping of French food and wine to take home as you aren’t paying tourist prices.

The other thing I love about France are the Patisseries. They open early every day with fresh bread and pastries. They are great places to pick up something for breakfast or to treat yourself.

Nantes airport is a very small airport, with nothing else apart from the duty-free shop, so if you are flying out of Nantes go prepared. I would recommend taking food and some entertainment or you may end up getting very bored.

Restaurant Review: Chez Bruce - London

Recently I went to Chez Bruce for dinner in South London. This is a Michelin star restaurant, which offers a 3 course lunch and dinner menu. The food is all seasonal - the difference being that lunch costs about half the price of dinner for the same menu. Drinks are not included, but you can buy some very high end wines should you wish. Booking is essential, but it is definitely worth the cost.

Whilst you wait for your starter to arrive there is the standard delivery of some very nice fresh bread and there is even someone who can help you pick out what wines you wish to drink with your meal.

The menu is specific to the date that you go and then as to whether you are there for lunch or dinner. As I mentioned, the menu is the same for both times of day, but the price is what differs. The food is fresh and seasonal, so the menu changes throughout the year.

Suffolk Lamb

I must have been spotted tipping the ice from my drinks glass into my water glass as about a second later a glass of ice, complete with a spoon in appeared next to me. This shows just how high the standards and level of service are at this restaurant.

When we paid we were then given a small bag of chocolate truffles and another of biscuits to take home with us. This was on top of a small plate full of truffles that had appeared with the bill.

 The price of 3 courses for dinner was £57.50 not including drinks. For lunch it is about £35 for 3 courses, so you can see the price difference

Magnificent Motors, Beachy Head and a trip to the Seaside

So I went to visit one of my favourite places recently. This blog will be more pictures than words, especially good if you like looking at vintage cars.

Magnificent Motors
This is held annually on the Western Lawns of Eastbourne seafront in May. A collection of vintage cars descend for public admiration and some of them are pretty amazing. I can't do more than look at the pretty cars and take photos as my car knowledge is non existent, but it makes for an afternoon well spent.

Beachy Head
The cliffs at Beachy Head are stunning. There is a classic red and white stripe lighthouse and lots of paths to walk. There is a high rate of costal erosion, so you can't get too close to the edge in places and it is also sadly an infamous suicide spot. The Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team patrol these cliffs and do a pretty tough job in intercepting those who are in very dark places. On a nice day the view extends out over Sussex and is absolutely beautiful. There are places to park at £1/hr and also a pub, should you care to go for lunch or dinner.

The Beach
Eastbourne is a pebble beach, but with the pier, the bandstand and the carpet gardens running along the promenade there is a lot to see (and photograph). It was a beautiful sunny weekend, so I got some lovely views to share with you.

Eastbourne is under-rated as it is often referred to as God's waiting room. However, it is full of things to do for all the family and is more peaceful than a trip to Brighton. It is mid re-development but the shops at the Arndale are still open for business. It is also great for country/seaside walks if you want to walk with a view.

How to make the most of your Staycation

According to the powers of the internet, a staycation is when you have a holiday whilst staying at home. I have just had a staycation, rather than go to another city or country. These are my tops tips for making the most of your holiday at home.

Start by doing your chores

I know this doesn't sound like a fun way to spend your holiday, but hear (well read) me out. Start your holiday by spending a couple of hours (not necessarily all in one go) doing your chores and tidying up. This will not only help you relax as you will be in a tidier home, but mean that you can go out without the nagging preoccupation of the things you should have done.

Make time for your friends

Whether they come round for a takeaway and a DVD, or you meet up for a night out, make time to catch up with your friends. If you are the only one with time off, aim for an evening or weekend. It is always great to catch up with your friends, so take the opportunity while it presents itself.

Go into the city

Have a day out into your nearest city centre (not local town centre) as you will find a whole host of things to do there. Museums offer a great day out and you can broaden your horizons at the same time. You can often find a new place tucked away that is a hidden gem. I found a garden that I have walked past relatively often and I went inside for the first time - the garden was full of sculptures and monuments that are really pretty and yet I had never seen before.

Go shopping

This one sounds odd I know. I don't mean go shopping for things you need, but take the time out to go window shopping somewhere. This may not be up everyone's street, but I enjoy the freedom of looking at things, without the purpose of needing something specific. Sometimes it can be inspiring, or you find something you fall in love with that you may otherwise never have seen. On the other hand you can see things on sale that make you question who ever thought to create them and that's ok too - might even make you laugh.

Do something active/ Go outdoors

If you are super active then go for a run or a swim - something to burn off some energy. If you're not that way inclined then go for a walk around a local park. This will get you out of the house and into the sunshine, or rain in my case. It's just nice to be out in the open, whatever the weather may be doing.

Eat Out

You can either go somewhere new, or stick with your favourite place, but eat out somewhere. Food opens the door to so many places that we have never been, or provides a familiar comfort. I guarantee that if you went away you would eat out, so make sure you do it on your staycation too. It will be at least one meal with no cooking or washing up.

Go see a show

This can either be in a cinema or a theatre, but it's fun, so find time for it! It doesn't have to be expensive; you can get 'last minute' tickets from theatre box offices that can be cheaper than using online sites and you may even end up going to see something brilliant that you didn't plan to see.

Drums in the wings at the theatre

See what's on near you

Using the power of the internet or other more local sources, see what's on near you. There may well be lots of small scale events that you would enjoy, but not necessarily always get a chance to do. Whether it's a fair, an exhibition, a festival or other event, there is normally something going on for everyone.

Allow yourself some 'lazy' time
Have that lazy day or that long deserved lie in. As well as making the most of your time off, make sure you give your body some time to relax and recover.

Career Break - 1 year on

This time last year I was at the airport about to board a plane to India for my big adventure. It is hard to believe how much has happened in one year. This blog is a more personal account of what has changed as a result of my career break and all that travelling.

All packed and ready to go

The medical internship in India re-ignited my desire to learn, especially about medicine and the human body. Working in a day care centre in Sri Lanka was fun, but nowhere near as engaging as I found being in a hospital. This led me to assess the job I was in and search for a new job in a teaching hospital where I could continue to learn as I worked.

Learning about Imaging

Being away for 3 months was hard and I missed my family more than I thought I would. I made some amazing friends who I was able to explore these new places with. However, on my return to the UK I wanted to be closer to my family and in a place I felt there was more to do. I therefore moved back to the area I grew up in, which has allowed me to be more involved in the community I was always a part of, wherever in the world I went. Some of the people I met lived hundreds of miles away from their wives and children, as the jobs/opportunities were better in the cities. It is a privilege to be able to live and work in the same place as your family when others have to leave their families behind to find work to support them.

Temple in Delhi

In India and Sri Lanka, people lived simply and were generous with what they had. I had a spring clean on my return and take inspiration from the generosity I was blessed with by people who I met in India. The doctors sharing their food with me, as well as the tea will be something I am ever touched by and grateful for.

South  Indian Masala Dosa

I still love to travel and experience different places and their cultures. Planning the next place to go is always a challenge, as the world is full of places that would be amazing to explore. I am currently trying decide if I want to go on a cruise or go on a tour of Japan next.... Watch this space.

Dubai Cityscape

I have no real favourite places I have been, everywhere is amazing in its own right. Everywhere has things of beauty; be it architectural, cultural, natural or the people you meet. All of the places I have been in the last year have been amazing and I have had new experiences, made new friends from around the world and read a lot of books in that time.

Sri  Lanka: Lion stairs

Whether you travel 20 miles down the road or half way around the world, I would recommend travel to everyone. It allows you to make friends for life, have some amazing experiences, see the beauty in what is around you and eat some really, really good food. It was months before I would eat anything other than curry when  I came back.

Sri Lankan breakfast platter

So that's the year I have had since I left on a jet plane for the adventure of a lifetime. I am thankful to all the people who supported me to go. I was so blessed whilst I was away in so many ways I am not sure I can even list them all. I was talked into starting a blog and I have been almost overwhelmed to see how many people have read them. It is something that I will continue to write to share my experiences with you all and I  still love hearing about other peoples adventures too.

Trevi Fountain in Rome

Thank you to everyone who reads my blogs and for all the love and support you have all given me. It is appreciated more than you know.

Here's to the next 12 months.

The Red Arrows