Corfu, Greece

I have returned from my trip!!  I am so wonderfully excited to have so many new followers... hello all and thank you for taking an interest :) I will definitely check out all your blogs too!

Greece was...interesting!  The main reason for our little get away was to see some sun for a week and drink ourselves silly (but not necessarily in bars and clubs).  So we booked an all-inclusive package through 118travel.  In hindsight this was not the best move for two reasons; first, our hotel food and drinks were not particularly amazing and second, once we arrived in Greece we discovered that it was ridiculously cheap (ie. two course dinners for 7 euros, two for one cocktails everywhere, etc.) but at the time we were taking a gamble as considering Greece's current economic situation we thought prices could have gone either way.

We stayed at the Aquis Capo di Corfu.  The hotel is nice, but not a luxury resort, as it is described on their website.  One thing we couldn't understand were the rave reviews this place received on TripAdvisor.  It  is definitely a nice hotel but I have stayed in far nicer places for far less money!  It is rated very highly with everybody commenting on the quality of food and drinks etc. and I don't know if it's because I've been lucky enough to have travelled a lot, or if I just have high expectations but in all honesty the food was OK, at best good and the drinks were, sadly, awful (no... gin and lemonade does not qualify as a proper cocktail thank you very much).

Anyway, all that aside we had a fantastic trip and the scenery, fantastic weather and staff made up for everything else our hotel seemed to be lacking.

The beach at our hotel

Our view whilst eating dinner every night (above and right).

Not posers at all

Yes, I do wear SPF 50 on every holiday (except when I'm in Aus. as they only sell up to 30).  I take sun protection really seriously and wear a minimum of SPF 15 on my face, chest and hands every day (SPF 30 when I'm back in Australia EVEN during winter).  If I'm honest this is probably for 40% health reasons 60% vanity - I am petrified of getting old and wrinkly but also equally aware that these days skin cancer is rife and that a tan is not worth the severe consequences skin cancer can bring.  Don't get me wrong though... I happily sit in the sun for hours I just always do my best to keep myself lathered in suncream.

The boy being a creep

Bikinis: 

Purple:  H&M - Top @ £9.99 and Bottoms @ £7.99

Tan/Gold: Topshop - Top @ £12.00 and Bottoms @ £8.00

On one of the last days of our holiday we decide to venture out of the hotel... not just to the nearest town or bar but in true Charlotte style we took a quick trip to Albania.  The port of Saranda is only one and a half hours by boat from Corfu - who knew (I certainly didn't!)?!  This place was absolutely stunning... it reminded me a little bit of Nice - a very old town that had parts that had recently been refurbished in order to  keep up with the tourist trade and become a bit of a hotspot.  TRUST me when I say Albania is the new up-and-coming tourist destination in Europe (if it isn't already that is).  It has beautiful scenery, wonderful weather, wonderful food and is very VERY cheap.

On our way

 A view of Saranda from the boat

Arriving at the port

Being cheesy tourists 

Our wonderful lunch (you know what a foodie I am):

Caprese salad, shrimp with saganaki, tzatziki, aubergine/eggplant and pepper/capsicum with garlic and cheese, calamari

All for 20 euros including two (alcoholic) drinks each - how is that possible?!

  The unbelievable view we had during lunch

Albania is 100% top of my list for next most wanted holiday.

Anyway, that's all for now.  I hope you're all well and somewhere sunny!

Four days to go....

Until I will be here:

Hopefully with one of these in hand:

Mmmmm.  I literally could not be more excited.  I have my bikinis, books and factor 50 at the ready (yes I seriously do wear SPF 50 wherever I go on holiday (in fact let's be honest, I even wear it on my face, chest and hands just for walking around London when it's sunny)... I'm scared of wrinkles!).

I have been incredibly well behaved this week in regards to eating, drinking and exercise.  A drop of alcohol has not passed my lips since Sunday (this is quite an achievement considering the boy and I drink almost every night together).  Diet wise I'm probably eating more than I did before but I'm eating differently - I've started eating breakfast which I hardly ever do; usually just a piece of fruit first thing and maybe some yoghurt and then having an extra meal at work of either porridge and honey or some grilled mushrooms and baked beans.  I don't eat lunch as my busiest hours at work are lunch time so I eat again around 4pm or just wait until I get home for dinner.  My meals have mainly just been salads with some form of protein: chicken, steak or tuna.  I haven't eaten bread, pasta or potatoes since Sunday but the starchy carbs I'm eating are things like wholemeal crackers as a snack, corn cakes, popcorn, etc.  I've also been snacking on carrots and hummous, celery, tzatziki (my fave!!) things like that.  So from the girl who usually eats a pizza a week and lives off ready meals I feel this is quite the accomplishment.

 

My biggest accomplishment this week though has definitely been my exercise regime.  I have never been someone who exercises regularly and to be honest, I don't enjoy exercise at all.  I do, however, enjoy the results and in my opinion the fastest way to shape up is by running.  I have run 5k every day since Monday... this morning I even got up before 6am to go for a run before work (I know! Who am I?!).  Running on a treadmill is fine but I think you see results faster if you run outside and let's be honest who wants to run whilst  staring at a reflection of themselves when they could be running through a park or past a lake etc?!   I am lucky enough to have Clapham Common at the end of my street and although I get lost every time I go there it definitely feels like a breeze running for half an hour around it as opposed to pounding away on a treadmill.

I honestly believe anyone can run.  I am so unfit and it doesn't take long to be able to build up to a full 30 minute run.  You don't even have to run, just jog or even walk briskly...pick a scenic route and go for it!  And most importantly have a playlist on your iPod that will help you stick to it.  There are so many times when I have hit ten minutes and I just want to give up and then suddenly before I know it bam, 30 minutes... today I actually did 45 because I got lost haha.

I feel very inspired!  I hope I can keep it up!  I shall leave you all with some motivational pictures

Does anybody else run?

Hope you're all having a great week.  It's Friday tomorrow :D