Colchester “break”

A break away is always good isn’t it? It gives us time to relax, take things easily and de-stress.

This week we have a break in Colchester. We’ve gone to a Landmark Trust property. These are very old or historically significant buildings made available for holiday breaks. Mostly these are 4 day breaks which presents an issue when wanting to have a week away. Our way of dealing with this and still having a full week away was to book two nights in a hotel – then move onto the Landmark Trust property.

It works….. but there have been issues…… for the family in general but more so for me:

Four and half hour drive. The first issue for me was the four and half hour drive down. I struggle driving long distances – and usually we ensure our holidays are no more than around 100 miles away to minimise long drives. This was around 260 miles and I planned a route that took advantage of 3 stops on the way. The four and half hours was just the drive time – not including stops so we left around 10:30am heading for Colchester. Our first stop was due to be Trowel services on the M1. This was ment to be approximately an hour and half into the journey. However, I was starting to feel it was too much around 40 miles before we got there – possibly partly due to roadworks on the M62 adding about 30 mins of average speed of 20mph or less! In the end we stopped earlier as I was concerned I just wouldnt make it to Trowel.

We stopped for around 20 mins, had a coffee and shut my eyes for a bit, but was unable to properly relax. Our next stop was planned to be Leicester Forest East services. Originally this was only around 30 mins after Trowel – but as we stopped earlier it was around 50 mins. Again we stopped for arond 20 mins, and set up a third stop at ASDA in Cambridge. Another 20 mins stop – then the final leg of our journey, and we finally got to the Hotel around 5pm in the afternoon – after six and a half hours. Even counting an hour’s stop in total, that was five and a half hours driving. FAR too much for me.

After getting settled in – we drove into Colchester for dinner (Five Guys burgers) and then back to the Hotel. I have to report that the hotel was not a fantastic experience! 7am the next morning we were woken up by the fire alarm (I was still asleep when it went off!), threw on the nearest clothes and slippers (no time for proper shoes) and went to the front desk where guests started to congregate while the poor girl on reception seemed to be the only staff member around and who didnt know what to do. She was busy talking to someone on the phone – sounding pretty panicked as to what she should do. It appeared it was a false alarm (likely a guest smoking in a room maybe?) and eventually she managed to silence the alarm and we went back to our rooms. As the hotel DIDN’T burn down – then I assume it WAS a false alarm. However, it had set the scene for the rest of the stay!

We went out for a bit in the morning and then came back – I needed to lay down for a bit. I hadn’t laid down yet – but was watching something on my laptop when I heard a knock on the door. I thought it was my wife (she and our daughter were staying in another room – our daughter would freak out staying in a room by herself) and was just about to ask if it was her when the door opened and a member of hotel staff (I assume housekeeping) walked into the room just as I said “Hello???”. It was responded to with “Oh sorry, I’ll come back later” and was gone before I could reply. it was disconcertng. I was not expecting any housekeeping to enter the room regardless of knocking as they left a note saying that housekeeping would NOT enter the room unless guests were staying over 5 nights. This was on the second day! Additionally he entered the room before I could even reply. The thought that hotel staff may just wander into the room while I was asleep – or in the bath was “disconcerting”. I guess part of that is just being in a hotel: Not really expected to stay in your room apart from overnight. However it did mean I could never relax there from that moment.

We stayed in the hotel for Saturday and Sunday night, and had to check out by 10am on Monday morning. We could not check into the Landmark Trust property until 4pm that afternoon. We actually checked out by 9:30am so we had six and half hours to kill while having to have all our luggage with us. We left most of it in the boot of the car, but had to take some items with us There was no way I was leaving my laptop and tablets in the car so I spent the next 6 hours with a fairly heavy laptop bag strapped to my back.

We walked around Colchester, and visited the impressive Norman castle – apparently the biggest Norman keep in Europe. Interestingly the reason for it being biggest is because it was built on TOP of the foundations for a Roman Temple to Claudius that had been there before. The castle then was very old (construction started in 1076) – but the foundations much older! (49CE). we took the tour of the foundations and roof which took around an hour. It was very interesting and the guide was knowledgeable and friendly. However it involved steep stairs (not the best with bad legs already) and VERY VERY low archways (some only about a metre in height). Trying to get under those arches with my laptop bag on involved stooping very low – killing my knees and causing significant discomfort. After the tour I mainly sat and waited for the family as I had close to zero energy left. This was a shame as I had no energy to take photos apart from these external shots:

After our trip to the castle we walked back to the car and then drove to ASDA to pick up some groceries for the stay and then to the holiday house. It is an impressive place but a little “hard” and uncomfortable. The beds are comfortable and there ARE soft sofas in the living room – but most other chairs are hard wooden chairs. I think Landmark Trust properties are a little like staying in a museum. They are great – but museums are not usually the most COMFORTABLE of places!

The events of the day and the previous days however have taken their toll. I felt totally drained that evening – after walking over 5 miles. It’s now Tuesday at 11pm and I slept in till around 11am and then we went for a short walk into town, then I went back to bed again when we got home and got up again around 7pm. I hurt just about everywhere and have no energy for anything. I’ve been working on this post for the last 3 days as I just haven’t had the energy to finish it.

Tomorrow I plan to go to ASDA to get some fruit – but apart from that stay in the house while my wife and daughter go out again. Originally this WAS meant to be their girls break away – so that’s ok. I will just sleep and watch videos instead. If I have the energy I may play a game on my laptop, but the last few days I’ve only had the energy to watch videos or sleep.

Today is our 4th night away. We have 2 nights left after today and due to the starting in the hotel and only arriving here yesterday – it feels like we’ve only just arrived. I don’t feel like I’ve had a holiday at all – and I am sure that has affected the others enjoyment of the holiday too. As much as anything I am now concerned about the trip home just two days from tomorrow morning. Another 4-6 hours drive when not being able to rest that much before. All I can say is I am glad I booked the Monday off as well. When we get back on Friday afternoon – I will have three days before I have to go back to work. I will need it – to recover from the “break”!

I think if I do nothing tomorrow, I can risk doing something (but not too much) on Thursday morning and rest Thursday afternoon and maybe have enough energy for driving home on Friday. In hindsight it would have been better if I had not accepted the offer to come along on this holiday and pay extra for another hotel room etc. It’s cost us a lot more money and I don’t think anyone is getting the benefit of it. My original plan was to take the week off and just have the week away from work with the house to myself and just relax. I think I would have got a lot more from that!