Saying goodbye to Suffolk for another year

Bye to the beach!

It's July again and it has come around so fast in the same way it always seems too now we're all at uni but this time July marks our last 4 month summer until we resume our studying for one final year come September. Although it may be a hindrance for the majority of the time, having friends dotted around the country does provide some great chances for a couple of weekend mini breaks to previously unvisited places of the country, and no more peaceful than the Suffolk coastline where Olivia studies at University Campus Suffolk.

Windy and raining but still loving Aldeburgh beach

We eat in all weather conditions!

True to form the English weather decided to somewhat disrupt our plans for three days in the sun by the sea, so our first day on the east coast was spent exploring Aldeburgh and Shotley rather wrapped up and battling the rain!

Abandoned jetty at Shotley, so photographically beautiful

As we embraced the rain we also embraced another English tradition, eating fish and chips on the beach and the reputation of the shop in Aldeburgh lived up to its expectation and definitely warmed us up!

Road-trips to the coast with this beautiful human

The princesses get to go to the ball!

Aside from helping Olivia pack up her room, the reason for our trip at the weekend was to go to her end of year ball or in other words an excuse to wear a long dress and drink a few too many with her friends!

I did Olivia's hair for her but she looked fabulous all by herself, and my dress was one I picked up in Paris in April. Luckily for us the sun shone for the evening and we had a great night especially by making use of the free photo booth!

Me and Olivia outside Ipswich town hall

So many pictures in the photobooth! These are the 'normal' ones!

Papped unaware at the ball

Finally the sun came out! 

Thank god the sun finally made an appearance so that we could lap it up on the beautiful sandy beach we found at Covehithe. Knowing how secluded the beach was, we parked up on top of the cliffs in the little village and got to take a wander around the ruins of the church/cathedral there.

Covehithe Cathedral ruins

Olivia loving the beautiful beach we found!

Sand for miles!!! The sea may have been classically English in its murky brown colour, but had it not been for that, we could have pretended we were in the Mediterranean the sand  was so perfect and the beach so empty!

Doesn't she look amazing!

OMG it's England and I'm wearing a bikini in public!

I cannot believe this is in England, such a tranquil deserted beach

We stayed for a few hours on the beach and Olivia watched while I took the plunge and went into the sea, it was freezing but amazing! Among the sand were some great pebbles and shells so we walked along, heads down in search of some treasures, unfortunately to no avail, but we did find a dried out baby starfish! A gorgeous afternoon and some mild sunburn later, we went for a second portion of fish and chips at Aldeburgh with Olivia's flatmates where we sat on the shore line.

I am yet to end my love affair with the sea and luckily for me, Olivia has one more year at uni so I shall be back to visit! See you soon Suffolk!