One of the greatest challenges last season was
getting the “being a
mum” balance right. I was determined that
the kids shouldn’t miss out,
including going on holiday, but with my main
event being at the end of
Summer meant I missed out on any family holiday
time with them.
Then, with the Worlds over and October half term
looming I decided I
really needed a break. Having spent a year
of full on kayaking I was
definitely due a change of scenery. But
winter training had already
started and I didn’t want to slope off. I
spent countless hours
researching options for places I could train that
were also options
the kids would enjoy. With a teenage
daughter who liked her social
life and a teenage son who wanted sport, I was
really
struggling. Looking back on it I don’t know
why it took me so long to
find the solution. We had been on Neilson
holidays before. But back
then when I was a normal person (well, ish), I
was a mountain biker, and
really didn’t like the sea that much.
Almost in desperation I looked
at the Neilson website and noticed they had a
specialist kayak centre
– how perfect is that!
For those of you who haven’t done Neilson, the
combination of a beach
resort specializing in sports, with kids clubs
for different age
groups, has become a family favorite.
A bit of late summer sunshine, the promise of
flat, warm sea,
kayaks, a gym for my training, teenage activity
clubs and an all
inclusive buffet to allow for my serious protein
habit - all bases
were covered.
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| fun boat |
I’m used to travelling with my bike, but I felt a
prize idiot trying
to convince the airport vigilantes that my
paddles were perfectly safe
to take as hand luggage. That feeling continued
as I turned up at the
hotel. The other ladies arrived clutching a
handbag and a large floppy
hat - not a seven-foot carbon Kevlar pole.
I was really excited to get to the beach to check
out the kayaks.
Hmmm... lots of plastic fun boats, sea kayaks and
stumpy boats for
white water... not a sprint kayak in sight. I
couldn't wait to branch
out!
 |
| cave exploration |
For the previous 12 months I had been focusing on
going as fast as
possible in a straight line. Here in Sivota I had
signed up for my 1
star paddle sport award. Having jumped in at the
deep end of elite
kayaking I had missed all the basic stuff, and here
I actually got to
learn basic boat skills including safe capsizing
and deep water
rescue. Now capsizing was something I had done
before, but never on
purpose. To do it deliberately was daunting.
Falling in at home
usually involved the 'swim of shame' in freezing
water to the bank, or
getting a wedgie while being pulled into the
rescue boat. Falling into
the warm Ionian Sea in contrast was actually
quite pleasurable :-)
 |
| capsize |
In fact the entire “holiday” was immensely
pleasurable. I had thought
that continuing my training would be difficult
but I didn’t have any
trouble at all. The gym had an epic view over the
bay and mountains,
and I was able to spend hours on and in the sea
practicing my boat
skills. Going in a straight line in a boat
designed to be
maneuverable actually helped me work through my
technique. Recovery
was also sorted as I could pile my plate
ridiculously high at the
buffet (to the incredulity of the ladies with
designer bags and floppy
hats) with freshly grilled fish, meat and veg.
Mmmm.
 |
| not a shabby place to paddle;-) |
It wasn't all about training though. Without the
need to travel for
training there was plenty of time to relax with
the kids, on the beach
or by the pool.
 |
| relaxing on the beach |
 |
| chilling with my daughter |
The kids got really into the
water sports and my
daughter took full advantage of the powerful
engine (me) as we
explored the local islands and caves in the
double kayaks.
Where else could you get thumbs up from a GB
para-canoeist in
training, a teenage daughter who doesn't like
exercise but wants a
full social scene, and a teenage son who wants to
have a go at
windsurfing, Stand up paddle-boarding,
waterskiing, mountain biking,
Tennis, volleyball…?
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