Last challenge of the season

The Great East run, the last of Ali's four challenges in one year. I must admit, I much prefer it to the Great North Run, it's 5000 people, I walked with Ali to the start, saw her finish and in between I was very supportive and went shopping.

Titchwell Marsh RSPB nature reserve

An early rise today as we were visiting a RSPB nature reserve, Titchwell Marsh. However, we forgot our membership cards so had to pay £4! Great walk from the visitor centre, past marsh and onto the beach. It was so nice to see Sailor on a beach for the first time. Although the number of razor clams on the beach crunching under our feet was a concern for Sailors but he seemed fine. The beach was desserted apart from the twitchers or nature lovers as Ali prefers them to be called. The sea was so calm, the beach was so big, why do people go to Cornwall when you can go to Norfolk! It definitly exceeded our spectation, we loved our first family caravan park holiday. My favourite bit has to be Sandringham, Ali's favourite bit was seeing Sailor on the beach. Sailors bit must be the amount of time with us :)

Sandringham - the place for muddy boots

Our first family holiday in a caravan park thanks to the Sun newspaper. We arrived on a drizzly wet night into our 70's chalet with sage green walls and bathroom cabinet that is from the decade before. The holiday didn't start too well as Sailor had a bad tummy and was up a few times in the night, then I had a present waiting for me in the morning. So off Ali went for carpet cleaner. Sailor and I walked around the site looking at the diversity of different caravans and how they are decorated. Then our bad morning got worse, no water on site, no shower, the toilet didn't flush.

There was only one thing for it, to go and visit Sandringham, country retreat of the royals where they stay from 23 dec to the end of February each year. We went to the church where you see them exit on Christmas day, even Sailor was invited into the church! It was very orante, especially the silver.

While Ali and Sailor visited the country park, I went into the house.Although it was a royal residence, it's very small and so homely, you can see why it's their country retreat and the guide explained it's the place they go for muddy boots and to be in the country. I saw the dining room, where they eat Christmas dinner to this day, with the menu always in french. The ballroom was very ornate, and they now use a big projector and it's their cinema room where they bring the comfy chairs from the house. There was a lot of 'stuff' around, it really felt like a family home and made them feel so real.

I walked through the grounds to the museum and saw the queen's carving school, old cars, fire brigade and then walked around the gardens looking at the crocuses. I sat in the sun, admiring the house, thinking of how amazing it must have been this winter in the snow. I had a call from Ali, she was lost, so I sat for a long time. We eventually found each other and went back to the chalet for lunch.

We then all walked along the promenade to see the stripey cliffs, quite neopolitan looking.