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Sexy Mazda MX-5 131ps Sport Nav with Black Leather in Soul Red Crystal Metallic…
Living life in the fast lane
Sometimes, even when life is good and especially when things are busy, I get this feeling of confinement and crave freedom. Especially when I think about home and my family. Do you ever get that?
I’ve been in the UK for a number of years now and even though I’m lucky enough to get to see my family in NZ most years, I still miss the freedom and intimacy that coming from a small city allows. Like a decent beach, with Fish n Chips! You just can't always do that in London.
Just getting in a car and driving anywhere…even to the corner shop is a luxury! Something that I took for granted…
I was speaking to a kiwi friend about a weekend to Whistable that he recently went on, and I felt myself feeling incredibly envious. It’s a place I’ve been hearing about for so long, and especially being an Oyster-lover (We have the best Bluff oysters in NZ) I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been yet. And there were some coffee shops I wanted to visit.
So I teamed up with Mazda took their new MX-5 out on the road, because what screams “freedom” more than the latest sexy convertible with the wind blowing through my hair, as I play cheesy eighties rock down the boulevard?? Use your imagination…
AND what a great excuse to also check out some of the restaurants and coffee shops I’ve only heard about, along the way.
Two things I’ve never experienced before happened this weekend… Read on.
I didn’t know it was a thing in this country that people learnt to drive only on automatic cars, so I think the fact that I could drive a stick, impressed him... ;)
I had a secret though. I haven’t driven in the UK for….TEN YEARS. Sorry Mazda I should’ve said... So needless to say I was a little nervous in the beginning, navigating my way out of the stuffy, congested London town. But once we were out of the London mess, the road to freedom was so fun to drive!
Though, the first time getting in and locking the MX-5, was a hilarious debacle. I couldn’t work out the smart keyless entry. Clearly it’s me that’s not smart, but once I worked it out, I felt smart.
I drove straight to Driftwood beachhouse, Whistable Bed and Breakfast in around 1.5 hours. What an absolute find. The ower's Jez and wife Michelle greeted us at their 3 bedroom B&B which is across from the beach and right on the back of a reserve grassland. Dreamy! It’s a really creative, unique and affordable place to stay. Something I’ve not seen much of in England. Most privately owned B&B's are a bit grubby, musty and old. I appreciate those quaint old school B&B places , but I do prefer something that’s clean and a bit more modern, with genuine personality. This place had it all! ! It also had a great road nearby we could see what the MX-5 was made of!
At Driftwood B&B, I booked the Moroccan room which is obviously a huge inspiration to the couple running it. Every room has a private terrace area outside (which is still being renovated), along with a conservatory where I was able to do a little work (Yes, no rest for the wicked). The owners have built it up over the last couple of years and every room has its own private spa. Not just any spa though. Ours was a Skarsgard hot-tub that was WOOD-FIRED! I’ve never been in a wood-fired Swedish hot tub before, and it was such an amazing way to spend a beautiful evening watching the sun set, tummies full of fresh seafood, drinking bubbles while being IN bubbles! The smell was so incredible, like toasted marsh mellows. And if it starts to cool down (which it doesn’t) you can just throw another log on the fire!) They are still doing it up a little, but in the end, I'm told it will be covered in greenery and plants.
Getting back to the fantasy of the wind in my hair, let's talk about how much hair-flying my new whip could generate, which was what I was interested in! I didn't happen. Even with the top and windows down I still couldn’t get much air in my hair, because it’s so aerodynamic! Annoyingly it was always the right amount of wind, refreshing, but not invasive. I had a lot of fun trying to get videos of myself in the passenger seat though, to get my hair all slow-motion. On the other hand, IF I was one to actually have my hair done, I’d have been very happy. (I was happy anyway, don't worry!)
Two firsts this weekend… Driving a sports car and basking in a wood-fired hot tub. Excellent.
Whistable is a cute little town where my main aim was to eat as much fresh seafood and visit Garage coffee’s pop up and Coffee Blueprint where I enjoyed reading their range of "Little people, big dreams" books by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara while sipping on my flatwhite roasted by Cast Iron Roasters.
TIPs for Whitstable:
Dinner at The Whitstable Oyster Fisheries company and Samphire is a must. The oyster fisheries is right on the beach front and the sunsets are perfect to watch from there. It’s the kind of clean, white, but country interior décor that I love, especially when eating oysters.
Stay maybe 10minutes drive from the town as its beautiful and quiet and still really easy to get in. There's enough parking around.
Get to those charity and second hand shops! I picked up some great retro cocktail glasses and jelly mould. There were full vintage tea and coffee sets that I was considering too, at a fraction of the prices you'd find in London.
DO book at The Sportsman. I naively thought I could just rock up, and even though they did their best to accommodate me, the Michelin star restaurant (Literally 10minutes walk from our B&B) is one to book way in advance.
Another place on my check list was Canterbury and Margate. Having a car makes it so convenient. We actually drove to both places, and Margate twice. In Margate we visited our friend Stu, who works for the Margate Fire Department, and gave us a tour of his fire station too! Those guys do such a great service.
Canterbury reminded me a little of Cambridge with it's bunting and university vibes.
In Margate we visited "Storeroom" by Curve Roasters. It was such a treat to be able to pull up, run in, grab a coffee and drive off on our way back to London. We got used to the interested stares and questions about our MX-5. It’s one of those eye catching cars that is more fun, than ostentatious, which is totally me. I have to say though what I really enjoyed was having a touch screen navigation system that connected to our phones so we could get around easily and listen to our own music on the premium bose sound system with NINE speakers!! Just an excuse for me to sing louder though...
Margate:
We parked in the Dreamland carpark but didn't have time to try any of the rides! But I did manage to get an ice cream and fish n' chips to eat on the beach!
There's an Itallian restaurant called Caruso which is really cute. It’s unusual to see a café or restaurant that serves stovetop coffee, so it was a treat to have this here. I know how Italians love their stove-tops!
The Turner Contemporary gallery is also a great place to have a peruse. Lots of interesting work there and Tracy Emin still has a couple of pieces exhibiting at the moment.
There's also a great little bottle shop on the sea front Marine Drive called The Bottle Shop. Lots of craft beers to drink in or take away if you please. (but no drink driving please!!
Don't forget to eat a pint of prawns!
A few days away felt like an entire week! And it felt so satisfying to fulfil a fantasy of mine which was driving down the coast with the top down, drinking great coffee and eating amazing seafood, just like at home in NZ. I had so much fun away in this sexy Mazda MX-5. We're really so lucky to have such great places to explore in the UK. I always say how important it is to take some time away, refuel and go for your dreams! Your work, family, friends and relationships are much better for it.
One things for sure, I'll definitely be getting away again soon I hope, but next time to check out more coffee shops around the UK!!!
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