I always have a lot of questions about accommodati I always have a lot of questions about accommodation when we stay anywhere as a family so I thought I’d share this little tour of our room at @windjammerlanding which was a pretty perfect place to stay.

It’s the ‘Ocean View Two Bedroom’ which was like a little house, with an upstairs and downstairs, built into the hillside. Both rooms had outdoor space and their own shower rooms. Such a great option for a family.
A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. A little photo dump from our holiday in St Lucia. We’ve been back a few days now but still miss the heat, the food, the pool, the constant sounds of wildlife and the lovely people. It was such a great holiday and I’m sure we’ll be back one day.
And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is And just like that, Athena is 12! What a joy it is watching her grow and what a wonderful young woman she is becoming. We could not be more proud. Love you Pickle, have a great birthday.
We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in S We’ve just got back from two glorious weeks in St Lucia staying at @windjammerlanding and it was just the holiday we needed. Two weeks of sunshine and relaxation in what must be one of the most beautiful islands in the world. 

We can’t wait to go back again in the future. Here’s just a little snippet of our trip.
AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @na AD - Press Tickets | We had such a nice day at @national_motor_museum despite the rain! The children loved the Little Beaulieu play area and we loved exploring the National Motor Museum and Top Gear exhibit before having a ride on the monorail! We went on an old open topped bus, explored the Beaulieu Manor House and loved the gardens. 
Beaulieu is always a great day out - whatever the weather. This summer they have a whole ‘Summer of Fun’ planned, with activities most days - parades, bird shows and hundreds of sculptures within the grounds too. If you’re looking for a day out this summer definitely think about heading to Beaulieu.
AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to t AD - Press Tickets | Tonight we took the kids to their first concert - but it was so much more than just a concert! @abbavoyage is incredible. With CGI ABBA and a live band, it’s like being at an ABBA concert 40 years ago but with modern lighting, effects and sound. ABBA look and sound real, it’s a mind blowing experience.
The set includes all the songs you know and love as well as a few less familiar ones.
You can’t take photos during the show which actually made a refreshing change. A whole arena focused purely on the show and soaking up the moment. It’s definitely something the four of us will always remember.
Now, I’m off to sing Dancing Queen all the way home.
AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdo AD - Press Trip | We had such a great day at @phdockyard today. They have a fantastic Ultimate Explorer ticket that lets you visit all the attractions as many times as you like for 12 months - and after a day at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard we can see that you need more than one day to really do everything!

We explored HMS Warrior, HMS Victory and the Mary Rose Exhibition - which is incredible! We also saw where ships are built and restored and spent time in Action Stations where the kids climbed and did an assault course.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is such a fun, educational day out with something for all ages - we can’t wait to go on their harbour tours next time we visit!
AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To cel AD | WIN!! Would you love to win a holiday? To celebrate #100YearOfARoads National Highways have launched their #ARoadsToSummer competition! It's all about celebrating summer holiday moments, time together, fun in the sun, days out and more.

So why not be in it to win it? To enter, all you have to do is send @nationalhways a DM on here with a photo or video of your favourite holiday moments. You can also comment on their Facebook or Twitter #ARoadsToSummer posts with your holiday photos. I've shared a few of our favourite photos to give you some inspiration.

The best six entries will each win a £500 @nationaltrust holidays voucher! SO what are you waiting for? Dig out your favourite holiday photos or take some new ones to share!

The #ARoadsToSummer competition runs from 24 July to 10 September 2023. Winners will be announced in September 2023.

Good luck!
Oh these two! Every day I feel lucky to have them. Oh these two! Every day I feel lucky to have them. As school draws to a close at lunchtime, I’m looking forward to a whole summer with them. My favourite people.

They’ve both had a great year at school this year. Troy’s first without his sister by his side and Athena’s first at secondary school. 

They both had great reports, always did their best and have made some really lovely new friends this year. I could not be more proud of them.

Now, let’s go and enjoy the next six weeks before school starts all over again!
  • Reviews
  • Recipes
    • Slow Cooker Fudge Recipes
    • Christmas Recipes
    • Easter Recipes
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Blog
  • About
  • Featured In…
  • Work With Me/Contact
  • Reviews
  • Recipes
  • Travel

What the Redhead said

The Future's Bright, The Future's Ginger

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • As Featured In…
  • Work with Me

Favourite Posts, Opinion/Debate · September 21, 2018

Learning to Swim has Changed My Life

In July I went to Wales for a week to learn to swim in a residential swimming course. I knew after that week that being able to swim would change my life but, when I left the course I still had some reservations.

During the course we didn’t go out of our depth. We didn’t learn to tread water. We learnt to have confidence in the water, we learnt breaststroke and elementary backstroke and we learnt to float. But, because I hadn’t yet been out of my depth I didn’t know if I could actually do it. I didn’t know if I could actually swim confidently where I couldn’t touch the bottom and until we went on holiday last month I still wasn’t sure if I could do everything I wanted to do. But, I knew I was prepared to give it a go – which was a massive step forward to where I was a year ago.

A year ago I wouldn’t go out of my depth at all. I had to be comfortably in my depth to be happy in the water but then I would get bored easily as I couldn’t swim, I wouldn’t put my face in the water and I just really wasn’t happy with the water side of any holidays.

This meant that on our holidays before kids to the Dominican Republic, Egypt and Tunisia, as well as our honeymoon to Mexico I watched Dave snorkelling and swimming. I watched him do so much and I just didn’t have the nerve to participate. I was terrified of drowning, terrified of the sea and much happier sitting in a kayak watching him snorkel with sea turtles with the rest of the group. But, it left me feeling sad that I hadn’t experienced everything I possibly could.

Then the children came along and I made an effort to get in the pool, but would get out swiftly afterwards, knowing that I would be next to no help if they got in trouble in the water and preferring Dave to be there with them, keeping them safe. But soon the children could swim better than me anyway, and I was happy in the knowledge that they knew water safety, they knew how to swim and they were sensible around water. But, it made me so emotional watching them swim. I loved that they had this new found confidence, I loved how much fun they were having but I felt so sad that I couldn’t enjoy it with them – or even enjoy the same things my children were enjoying as I didn’t have the confidence or skills.

So I learnt to swim and when we flew out to Florida I packed my swimwear happily. I knew with complete certainty that I would play in the pool with the children this summer and I just could not wait. Zoggs actually sent all of us swimwear and goggles to take with us that you’ll see throughout the posts about our holiday.

Learning to Swim has Changed My Life

And that is what happened. I played in the pool with the children. We played games and they tried their hardest to teach me more about swimming. I soon realised I couldn’t swim underwater – I just didn’t know how. So the children and Dave – as well as his parents – tried to help me learn. By the end of the two weeks I could do a roly poly in the pool, even a double roly poly, and I had done handstands too. I think if we’d had another week there I would have started to get better at being underwater but by the end of the two weeks I knew with complete certainty that I could swim and that I was happy in the water for the first time in my life.

A huge part of the holiday for me was when we went to Discovery Cove. I wanted to snorkel and I knew this was the time to do it. There have been so many times I missed an opportunity to snorkel but that was about to change. So I grabbed a snorkel and mask and followed Dave and the kids into the water. I was prepared for it to be difficult, for it to feel unnatural and for snorkelling and swimming at the same time to be hard work. But it wasn’t. It felt so nice to have my face under the water and not have to think about breathing. It was amazing to see under the water and I was just so happy.

Learning to Swim has Changed My Life

At Discovery Cove there was a reef to snorkel and Dave, his Dad and I went over there to have a go. The children didn’t want to – they didn’t like the idea of fish being around them – so the three of us went there instead. I was immediately faced with my biggest fear – being out of my depth – but I knew I had to get past it.

To get into the main reef you could either wade into the water, through the many tourists and try and find a free area or you could swim off a ledge into water that was around 10 feet deep. I stood on the edge and told myself that the water didn’t want to swallow me up – that water actually wants you to be out of it. It wants to push you up, it wants you to float. So, I swam off that edge, put my face in the water and hoped that I wouldn’t sink. And I didn’t.

Learning to Swim has Changed My Life

Instead I swam. I swam in circles and I watched the fish below me. I don’t think I have ever been as proud of myself in that moment. I could have cried at everything I had missed out on during our previous holidays but instead I thought about everything I could now experience. I felt such amazing freedom and looking down at the fish below looked like a whole new world.

Rays swam right next to us. Fish were here, there and everywhere and there was even a glass wall you could swim up to that had sharks on the other side. It was incredible. I could not believe that things like this were right there and I had never experienced them before.

Learning to Swim has Changed My Life

Afterwards I swam to the shore with Dave and gave him a hug. He could see how happy I was and I told him how I felt like I just had to have faith in the water – and that if I stayed calm and relaxed the water would keep me safe.

I sound a bit like a hippy. But, it’s worked for me. I never expected to be able to swim with the children and I really never expected to be comfortable swimming out of my depth but I can do it. And, the biggest part of it for me was learning to float. It was also learning to put my head under the water and relax, pushing my body down into the water and feeling the water push me back up. I think learning to swim as an adult is so much to do with getting over the fear of the water and having trust in the water. Once you manage that anything is possible. When you learn as a child swimming is just something you do – not much thought goes into it. When I asked Dave how he swims underwater he couldn’t explain. It’s just something he does without even thinking about it.

I feel like I now have so much to experience. I feel like I have come so far since July. I can now happily jump into a pool – with no grace at all – and I can be comfortable out of my depth in water – although I prefer to be horizontal as being vertical and out of my depth still makes me panic so I’m focusing on one thing at a time. I can float happily and I can swim. I really can swim and it really has changed my life. I’m now looking forward to our next holiday and to doing a trial scuba dive session in a pool at the next opportunity. I’m really never going to miss out on anything again.

Learning to Swim has Changed My Life

In: Favourite Posts, Opinion/Debate

You’ll Also Love

What’s the Point in Moaning?
Do You Ignore Other People’s Children?
Barnaby's Visiting for the Holidays {The Ordinary Moments}The Headache of Adverts on Children’s TV

Comments

  1. Dave says

    September 21, 2018 at 7:24 am

    Awesome post, it hasn’t just changed your life but ours too, having you there in the water making memories together x

    Reply
  2. Plutonium Sox says

    September 21, 2018 at 11:05 am

    So pleased for you, it’s brilliant how well you’re getting on with swimming and it really is life changing. Being able to swim has given me so many opportunities and it’s brilliant that these are now open to you too.
    Nat.x

    Reply
  3. Sandra Russell says

    October 31, 2019 at 10:14 am

    Thank you for this currently looking to book to go along. I year and half later are you still swimming?

    Reply
    • Donna Wishart says

      October 31, 2019 at 6:17 pm

      Yes! Well, I say yes. I don’t go regularly but I swim any time we stay somewhere with a pool and live in the water on holiday. I am still so, so glad I did it x

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

Gymfinity Kids Farnborough Review | AD

About Me
Hi everyone! I'm Donna. Mummy. Blogger. Social Media Manager. Traveller. Lover of stars, rainbows and gin. Firm believer that tea and cake can fix most things.

Sign up for Emails

looking for something?

Reader Favourites

Privacy Policy | Disclosure

Copyright © 2023 What the Redhead said · Theme by 17th Avenue