An English Road Trip

It’s amazing how much can change in a week, yet things still remain the same. A little over a week ago I left a sunny warm South of France to see family in the UK. I came back to winter. Brr!

Nice AirportIMG_0015

Flying over the Alps

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Yellow Submarine outside Liverpool AirportLiverpool

Our first stop was Liverpool. My boyfriends family are from near Middlesborough ‘up North’. The only ‘Northern’ airport Easyjet flies to from Nice in the winter in Liverpool. If we travel to see family together we like to have a day to ourselves readjust to the UK and to shop! The choice available in the UK compared to the rest of Europe can be overwhelming initially, so we like to get it out of our system before seeing family. Liverpool didn’t disappoint! We stayed in a self catering apartment slap bam in the middle of Liverpool One, aka the shopping district! Christmas was all around!

IMG_0041Bridgestreet Self Catering Apartments. Perfect for shopping until you drop!
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Apartment vistas
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The supermarkets didn’t disappoint either! The choice of healthy and organic food now is amazing. Everytime I go back, the choice gets better and better. The choice of chocolate and processed goods however gets more and more and cheaper every time. It can be upsetting sometimes when you know how easy and cheap it can be to eat fresh produce.

Before setting off to see Pauls family we went for a 6km run along the Mersey River by the old docks. It was a slow run as I kept pausing for photos! Even though travelling I still like to train. Not as intense, but enough to get a fix and kept calm. I’ve got quite good at adapting yoga in tiny hotel rooms!IMG_0104The Mersey River
IMG_0106 IMG_0109 IMG_0110 IMG_0111 Complete with a Liver Bird on top!
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The North was cold. The South I think was colder! Both sides of the family were all okay. My brother is emigrating to New Zealand next month and my mum wanted experience a chaotic afternoon one last time, which was the reason of our trip!

The North:

A windy pre dinner walk

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First post injury HIIT workout with the Tone It Up girls Beach Babe DVD 2. 2 litre bottles for weights, a little awkward but they did the job!

IMG_0154Yet more shopping at the Metro Centre, Newcastle
IMG_0179A morning run through Thornaby, with the Spitfire memorial in the distance

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The South:

First time in a gym in a long time, albeit a hotel one! It was good to be back in one after training at home for 2 years.IMG_0218It had to been done! Fish ‘n’ Chips. Mushy peas and veggie spring rolls English style (deep fried!) for me.IMG_0223 He comes with hotel, hiding in the back stairs. I think he’s seen better days.

IMG_0235 Morning run in IpswichIMG_0241Running through Chantry Park, Ipswich
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Leaving grey skies and the English countryside behind. Until next time…
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I used to laugh at those who use airport trolleys. Now I love ’em!IMG_0339

Happy to come home to these two little faces.IMG_0361IMG_9655

Not so happy to have 7 loads of washing and an all night storm!

When you travel depending on the purpose, do you workout or use it as opportunity to rest? If you’re a runner, do you go on sightseeing runs when away?

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