Well it is the annual holiday time for us.
Day 1
I got up really early, I so could have stayed in bed. But I needed to do a few things. First thing was make some bread in the breadmaker, it is always nice to have fresh bread. Then I had to put the dishwasher on as I forgot to do it the night before. I checked I had packed everything we would need, we always forget something. With loads of time to kill before we needed to be on our way. I sorted out a note of the cat sitter and hoovered the house. This woke up my son who decided that special yogurt, corners you know the brand, was for breakfast, these needed to be used up so just this once he was allowed one.
My daughter on the other hand didn't want one.
Almost time to go and we had to get the car packed up. Our poor cat Baskerville had to be shut in the bathroom or he would have been out the front door so fast and it would have taken ages to get him in again. Once we had packed the kids in the car we did one final check of the house let Baskerville out of the bathroom and left the house. But we were not quite on our way yet. First I needed to drop off the keys to our cat sitter and give her all the information she needed.
Then we finally left.
We were travelling nicely on the motorway until we came to junction 28 of the M25 and straight into a massive traffic jam. It took more than half an hour to get to the Dartford crossing. When we finally got through we went to the A21 down to Hastings as we were going to stop off and get some shopping before our final destination of Rye Harbour. But there was more traffic jams on this road so we ended up taking the A268 to Rye instead and we would go shopping later. When we finally got to the cottage my mum, sister and brother were already there and we were joined about 20 minutes later by my sisters boyfriend who had come down on his bike.
After a short rest my sister, her boyfriend, my brother and my husband and myself went for a walk. We found a Martello Tower, the local shop, a nature reserve and two pubs. When we got back it was almost time for dinner so we decided to try one of the pubs out. I had fish and chips so did the husband and the kids had pizza and chips with salad. The children's meals came with a drink and ice cream for pudding.
When we got back the children had stories and when to bed. They are very happy as they have bunk beds here. But the rule is that my son is not allowed to go on the top just in case he faints.
This is a trial run to see if they are ready for bunk beds at home.
When the children were in bed everyone except my mum and kids went to get some shopping in Hastings. We would never have found it if we had come earlier in the day. Then it was back to the cottage and bed.
Day 2
After a bad night sleep, the bed was really hard. We got up and had a lovely fried breakfast made by my sister and mum with a little bit of help from me until I dropped the salt on the floor.
After breakfast we went into Rye as it was quite a rainy day due to ex hurricane Bethera. It was pouring with rain so we ducked into the Information Centre which combined a old penny arcade with automatons which the children loved.
There was also a model of the town with a full history show. When we came out the rain had stopped. So we went to explore the town.
After 4 hours we came back to the cottage for a rest before going for a walk in the nature reserve down the road. The children really enjoyed themselves and we went into a hide to watch birds. Many hours were spent enjoying the birds.
Day 3
We were up early and were going to go to the steam railway but it was pouring with rain on and off so we decided to go to Eastbourne and go to some indoor activities. Once we got going with us in the car and my sisters boyfriend, Uncle E following on on his motor bike.
Poor Uncle E got caught in every shower the weather could throw at us.
But when we got there all the rain had stopped but it was very windy.
The first place we visited was The Redoubt which the children loved see pics below. We then took a walk along the beach and saw the damage done in the recent fire on the pier. It looks like it will be a long time before it will be open again for business.
By this time the children were getting very hungry so we did what you do when you go to the beach, you get fish and chips. The fish was very yummy and so we're the chips. We then went to a "How we lived then" Museum of Shops. My daughter and husband did a quiz as they went round. They got 100%. After we had finished we went back to the beach so the children could play.
The best game they came up with was getting a stone throwing it into the sea then running away from the waves. The waves almost won a few times. We also had ice cream which was a highlight for the children.
It was a better trip back to the cottage as the weather was sunny. The only thing was the traffic but we were travelling at rush hour along the coast road.
Day 4
We woke up after a very very loud thunderstorm. It was still raining, well showers, but today was the Steam Train trip and my sisters boyfriends last day with us. We got to the Kent and East Sussex Railway station in time for the first train of the morning. I took a photo of my children and husband by our train. We got on a carriage and we had a compart all to ourselves. The train went all the way to Bodiam Castle. The children really enjoyed themselves travelling on the train. After we got off at Bodiam we got some local homemade fudge, the bit that I had was very yummy.
Bodiam Castle is a National Trust property. The day we went they had people showing you how they made coins, pots and did woodwork in times gone by. Both my children had a go at minting a coin. My daughter almost dropped the hammer.
Both my children wanted to go up the towers, they have no fear. So they went up them with Uncle M and my husband. They were joined by Uncle E, my sisters boyfriend, up the second tower. By this time the children were getting very hungry and we thought we would go to the local pub. But upon sitting down found the main meals were over £13 and there was no childrens menu. So we promptly left and ended up in the café in the grounds of the castle. This was a much cheaper option and a burger was only £6.50 half the price of the pub.
Then it was time to come back on the train.
My daughter fell asleep on the train home and so did her daddy. When we got back to the station we went into the museum and while we were almost at the end a bottle of pop that was in my brothers rucksack went bang and shot the top off the bottle. That gave us a fright and the person who took our money came running in asking if everything was ok. I think he was relieved that it wasn't one of the exhibits.
After we left and went back to the car it was time to say goodbye to Uncle E, he had work to go back home too. He got on his bike and was gone with a wave goodbye.
We went back to our cottage for dinner and that was the end of day four.
Day 5
Today we woke up to sun shine and it is Battle day. As we are in 1066 country we had to go to Battle Abbey and town. If you are going get there early as the English Heritage car park gets full very quickly. We had a really good time and the children let off a lot of steam. When we had been round the abbey it was time for lunch and today it was Italian. We had a really lovely meal and pudding was amazing and so so yummy. With full bellies we left Battle and headed back to Rye for a look round while it wasn't raining. But low and behold when we got there it started drizzling, it didn't last long though.
Then it was back to the cottage and dinner of chip butty and a night in of watching Great British Bake Off.
Day 6
Up early again this morning and to sunshine which was a bit of a surprise, it was supposed to be raining all day.
Due to this we were going to The Observatory Science Centre at Herstmonceux. We really enjoyed this place as the children could try out all the experiments and there was a science show where they made lots of bangs, this the children enjoyed very much.
After a very long time we got hungry and stopped of at a small town for a quick bite for lunch. Then it was on to Pevency castle for the afternoon. While we were there the only two flying Lancaster Bombers flew passed on their way to Eastbourne.
Day 7
Is the last full day of our holiday as day 8 is going home day. We went into Hastings to the shipwreck museum and the fisherman museum. Both of these are free entry and really informative. The fisherman museum is housed in St Nicholas church which was the church of the fisherman of Hastings. We had a packed lunch on the beach with the seagulls watching us. Then the children, my sister, husband and myself went for a little paddle. Well if you're on the beach it is a thing you must do.
After our car park time was up we came back to Rye to pick up some biscuits for my husbands work, he always has to take something back.
As it was our last night we went out for dinner. We found a lovely pub called The New Inn Winchelsea, why is it always that you find a hidden gem of a pub on the last day?
Day 8
Time to leave and come home. The morning was spent finishing the packing and putting everything we had bought into the car ready for the journey home. We did come back with an extra though, one Uncle M came back with us to stay for a few days.
So that's it our holiday over for this year.
