27 things...Take a Motorbike Trip

On our first day back in Germany, Nico took me for a little ride to cross another first off my to do list.  I finally took a ride on a motorbike!  Of course, I wasn't driving, I left that to Nico as the man with a license...in fact the only accident on the whole trip took place as he left me alone with the bike (engine off) for all of twenty seconds so I won't be applying for my license any time soon!

I was a little apprehensive about the whole experience given that my Gran had once been on the back of a bike (at about my age) and had an accident!  I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised, the whole experience was great.  When I first started cycling again, I always felt funny without a seatbelt, well this took that feeling to a whole new level but in a good way.  I never felt unsafe but it did feel very open and breezy of course.  It was a great experience and although I was aching after a while, I'd definitely like to do it again!

27 things...Have an Appy Feet Pedicure

While we were back in England we also crossed another thing off my list of 27 things to do before I turn 27.  We went for a fish pedicure.  This is something I wanted to do ever since we saw a new fish pedicure shop in York at Christmas and when we got back to Morley we found out that a new spa had opened (soak spa) on the main street there so we tried it out.

It was brilliant.  It's a little freaky at first as it tickles a lot but you soon get used to it and then it's quite relaxing.  Nico hates having his feet touched but he even enjoyed it!

First we had to soak our feet for about fifteen minutes, then we could put them in the fish tanks and it's amazing how fast they go to your feet!  They don't have teeth or anything so there's nothing to fear, it really does just tickle.  We had fifteen minutes with our feet in there and afterwards I also had a foot massage with nice foot cream and it was like walking on air!  This was all for just ten pounds.  I bought my friend a voucher and will definitely go again...try it!

http://www.soakspa.co.uk/

27 things...Eat Oysters

On our last evening in Whitstable, we also crossed a target off my 27 things list.  27 things I want to do before I turn 27.  We tried oysters.  There was a lovely little oyster bar in Whitstable.  It's on the High Street and you can't miss it, the whole building is painted pink with the name on the side too.  The usual thing seems to be to order half a dozen but as a first attempt, we ordered one each.  We put on some lemon juice and went for it.  We were advised that you can chew it and don't have to just swallow it down so we did.  All in all, it was more normal than expected.  It wasn't amazingly tasty, it was very salty, but it would make a nice starter, I certainly couldn't eat them as a meal but as a little starter, I really enjoyed it and am glad I did something new.

Whitstable

We've had a wonderful couple of days in Whitstable.  It was really nice to break up the driving with a stop over in the south of England.  We arrived in the town at 4am on Monday morning following a hell of a drive and slept for nearly three hours in a carpark!  We stayed at Flat One, Harbour Street.  The flat was wonderful.  It was such a home from home with the owner, Julie, putting in all the perfect little touches, wine, tea coffee, pain au chocolate, fresh flowers...

Julie's Website

Julie also had lots of tips on where to go and what to do.  On the first day we rested for the morning before taking a walk along the beach, fish and chip lunch and a quiet afternoon before a delicious dinner at Zizzi's.  I really want to give them a big mention because they are the only restaurant I have found so far, and a chain at that, who do gluten free pasta.  We went there for dinner both nights and the food was delicious - highly recommended!

Zizzi's in Whitstable 

On our full day there, we made an early start and hired some bikes from another local business for a tour to Canterbury.  It was a fifteen mile round trip, and I was really proud of myself, never having cycled in England for fifteen years, for making the journey, although some of the hills after the nice flat landscape in Northern Germany nearly killed me!  Canterbury was lovely, a very nice town but as usual for the South of England and the tourist industry, the cathedral was too expensive.  Canterbury also led to a break on my no book buying for a year ban...  Well, how could I go to Canterbury, never having read the Canterbury Tales?  As long as I have read it and all my other unread books this year, I will be happy.  

We also bumped into a German school group, a Spanish school group and an English school group.  I can't believe we drove for so many hours and still didn't escape German school pupils!  A final note on Canterbury is the amazing farmers market we visited as we left.  Absolutely amazing fresh, local products, everything from wine to meat and fish.  If only Nico had had his spice collection there in Whitstable, Zizzi's would not have had a chance!  It was called the Good Shed - worth a visit every time!

27 things...

I've been thinking about my 30 things list a lot lately and considering that I have already crossed eight off, I've decided to change the whole thing.  I'm now doing 27 things before I turn 27 and I'm going to come up with a new list after that.  So with eight crossed off, you can now see that I have 19 things to fit in to ten months.  Here's to a great ten months of more new things!

 Bake bread - done!

Drive a tractor - done!

Eat Oysters

Finish my MA

Finish Reading Emma - done!

Get a Bra Fitting

Get back to Goal ... and stay there!

Go Camping

Go skinny dipping

Grow a mini garden

Have a facial

Have an Appy Feet pedicure

Join a French conversation class - done!

Learn to salsa dance

Pay off a credit card

See a 3D movie

See an opera

See Shakespeare in the Park

Take a Motorbike Trip

Take a road trip - done!

Try a yoga class

Try Scuba Diving

Try shooting - done!

Try sushi - done!

Visit another capital city (Paris, London, Edinburgh, Berlin and Rome done)

Watch 24 in 24!

Watch Gone with the Wind - done!