How lucky were we to go on our summer holiday during the one week of summer in the UK? As we trundled across to a fairly overcast Norfolk, I was filled with some trepidation as to how exactly I was going to entertain an almost 3 year old (+ a husband) on the anticipated rainy days. Well, it turns out I didn’t need to worry at all!

I know for those of you that spent the hottest day of the year in an air conditioned (if you were lucky!) office, workplace or even if you were doing your regular routine at home, hearing a smug account of one of the few people who experienced Mediterranean weather on an English Costa is not going to float your boat. But don’t click away just yet, I’m not going to bore you with the tedium of our beach trips, kite flying and al fresco dining (I did give the smug-off warning!) I think this post is really a reflection on expectations versus reality.

Don’t get me wrong, I was certainly looking forward to our summer holiday in terms of having a change of scene and getting a break from the routine, lord knows not everyone is lucky enough to even do that. But, well you know, holidaying in the UK just doesn’t hold the same coconut scented sun cream appeal of holidaying abroad. But, when on the Tuesday of our week away, I was watching my 3 year old create an elaborate seashell construction whilst the husband flew the aforementioned kite and I sizzled in the sunshine on the beach, I realised that it isn’t half bad when you give it a chance.

We stayed in a lovely cottage in a small village called Thornham (check out www.norfolkhideaways, the accommodation selection is excellent) and far from a regular early evening indoors in front of the TV whilst the small person slept upstairs, we had late night (by late night read 7.30pm – rock and roll!) trips to the local pub for dinner, always eaten outside. We all slept in a little later in the mornings (yay, he slept really well in the too-big double bed) and explored the local beaches, country houses and, mandatory with a small person, a wide selection of parks.

Sure, it was a little different from the pre-kiddy holidays in Ibiza and the like, but really, life’s a little different now. Now it’s full of ice cream, play tents and, more than anything, the happiest of times.