We hopped in the car and headed to the amazing New Forest YHA for a quick south coast visit to our fabulous friends who moved away a year and half ago. Their son is a carbon copy of K and as well as it being a joy for the kids to spend time together, there's also a big dose of comfort in comparing notes and finding that our families go through things in perfect sync. You do so much more comparing with your eldest - with W, however old he is, I've already had a boy of his age so I'm just that tiny bit more clued up than I am with K!
I digress - I wanted to gush about the YHA. Amazing properties, polite and friendly young people and cheap. What more could you want? We camped in a palatial pre-pitched tent which was supplied with beds and bedding and of course access to a kitchen and proper showers. Possibly the laziest camping experience of my life. It was bliss. The boys couldn't believe there was a lounge with a TV they could use in the hostel (don't judge me too harshly, it was 6am and preferable to them bickering in the tent!)
It was a fabulous 2 days with friends. We relaxed, we went on walks, spotted fish, played in the park and went crabbing. I wish I wasn't so clumsy as I would have loved to get some crabbing photos but I'm not to be trusted with a phone anywhere near water. Even toilets.
We're back and the boys are wiped out - in a good way. It'll take us a few days to catch up on sleep but it was well worth it. Friends are good for the soul.
