After the dance floor, being on the water is my favorite place to be. It is hard living in London, though, to find bodies of water that are not crowded, polluted and/or freezing cold. A few weekends ago, we headed to a wedding in Cornwall during which time we spent a lot of time on coastal trails (and dancing on the dance floor). Even though it was slightly overcast, and stormy seas meant we couldn’t SUP or go on a boat tour, we still manged to get sand in our shoes and take in amazing views.
Two weeks later, I found myself back in Cornwall. Freewave Surf Academy invited me to their site in Bude for their three day surf and yoga retreat (#gifted). The weekend was jam packed but I will try to fill you in on the key bits of info. If you have any questions though, leave a comment below and I will do my best to answer. The weekend kicked off at 4pm on a Friday night with welcome drinks, a yoga lesson and an introduction to surfing lesson on the beach. To finish the evening, a two course vegetarian dinner was served at the house. Unfortunately, I was unable to arrive until 10pm as I was on a course in London until 5pm. I had to take a train to Exeter and was collected my another attendee (who had a car) from Exeter Central Station for the two hour drive to Bude. They did put some food aside for us to enjoy when we arrived. Everyone waited up but quickly went to bed as they already had a yoga class and surf lesson that evening.
The accommodation was a beautiful five bedroom house with large garden, decks, outdoor BBQ, air hockey table, games, and two sitting rooms. We spent most of our time around the kitchen table for breakfast and snacks for lunch. There were two double bedrooms (one with en suite), three bedrooms with two single beds (one with en suite) and then another full bathroom and a half under the stairs. Elle from Keep it Simpelle and I shared a twin room. Loads of windows and sliding glass doors meant the sunlight (when available) illuminated the rooms. There was parking for about five cars and an outdoor shower to rinse out wet suits and feet of sand. We had to move some furniture for yoga when it was raining outside which made all of the spaces very versatile. Plus the beach was close enough to walk to.
Saturday and Sunday are structured differently, depending on the tides. A typical schedule may look like this (although we had 6:00am start on Saturday). The key points are one surf lesson each morning and two yoga classes per day.
7am yoga 8:30am surf lesson 10:30am brunch and video feedback free time until… 1pm cake and tea 3pm yoga 5pm surf film and chill time on Saturday 7pm dinner on your own on Saturday (we went to a great restaurant, The Beach House, down the road) / BBQ at the house on Sunday
The surf lessons started with basics of how to line up on your board, how to keep it stable as you push up and several options on how to stand up. I was fairly confident that I would not be able to stand up as I cannot do a squat thrust or burpee well. Although I didn’t manager to stand up at my first lesson, I did on my second and third. Robin (Freewave Surf Academy owner) and Charlie (instructor) were there to keep an eye on the six of us, offering tips, providing real-time feedback and keeping our boards stable when a big wave was approaching. In addition to watching us in the water, Robin and Charlie took turns videotaping us from the beach and with a GoPro in the water. After our lessons (which lasted about an hour), we had time to shower and get dressed before Robin put together the clips and reviewed points each of us needed to work on. The primary observation for me was that I needed to keep my head up (looking at where I wanted to go rather than the board) when I tried to stand up.
As I mentioned earlier, we had yoga indoors on the first two days. On Sunday, there was enough sunshine to have one practice in the garden and the second on a clifftop overlooking the sea. There are too many amazing photos (taken by Tommy Hatwell, Plymouth-based commercial and portrait photographer) of both sessions to share here but I have included a few of my favorites. Yoga was taught by the talented Anna Young who is also one of the Freewave Surf Academy instructors. She has a real calming presence and fantastic choice of music. She also helped with breakfast in the mornings and tidied up after us (thank you Anna!).
A fun surprise was taking part in a beach clean up with Ado, who works for the local task force. He explained how much plastic washed up on the beach but also how much the local community works to keep the beach tidy. There were litter pickers and bags at the beach entrance for a #2minutebeachclean movement. We were out there for an hour and filled up one bucket worth of items. Another group had been through earlier, and they collected a lot more than we did. Her told me about how Legos from an old sunken container are washing up on the shore (ironically a sea-themed design) and how his Jack Russel can sniff out stranded seals in the dark.
Most of the guests left Sunday afternoon and evening to get home before work on Monday. With only three people left on Monday, we had an early yoga class and a quick surf session before brunch at 10:00am. There weren’t many waves but I did catch a few small ones before heading back to the house. Robin was kind enough to cook up eggs and bacon at our request. It was a family meal as Charlie and Anna joined us before Elle gave me a lift back to London and Amanda headed back to Staffordshire.
Similar to my ski weekend in Italy with No Boundaries, it was a jam-packed weekend with little time for sleep. My goal for the weekend was to be outside as much as possible. I packed my snorkel, running shoes and trail shoes for hiking. I also had my iPad for reading e-books, and my laptop for doing work (which I only used on the train). The stormy seas were too cloudy for snorkeling and I was too exhausted to run (aside from a few shots with Tommy in the dunes on Sunday night). The weather wasn’t great either so I was happy to stay inside and chat to the other ladies staying that weekend.
The biggest challenge of the weekend was transportation to Bude. It isn’t easy to get to if you don’t have a driving licence or car. The house we stayed at is about 15 minute drive from town, but a short walk from the beach where there is a small snack hut. The fridge and cupboards were stocked with a variety of foods (including dietary requests such as vegan and dairy-free) and drinks (including wine, beer, and gin) but you might want to bring your favorite snacks. For example, I should have packed Diet Coke. The seven of us went to town on Saturday afternoon for grocery shopping (as a few people choose to cook their own meal on Saturday night) and the chemist. We also discovered Temple, a very Instagramable coffee shop and bar that Charlie also works at.
Would I do it again? Heck, yes! I suggested before we left that we schedule a reunion retreat and I hope we do in the autumn before it gets too cold. Robin was open to feedback from us as it was the very first time he held the retreat and he had another group coming in right after us. He was a fantastic host with lots of laughter from everyone over the weekend. I think it would be an active alternative to a birthday party or hen do. You could also make it a couples weekend or travel on your own to meet new people who are interested in the same sports as you. Freewave Surf Academy is happy to arrange any extras that you need (within reason, of course).
Is surfing something you have been meaning to try but haven’t yet? Don’t be shy but instead book in to this intensive weekend and let me know how you get on.
This year I have been so lucky to spend time outdoors on various adventures. Packing for these sorts of trips can be difficult as you don’t want to pack too much but you also want to have the kit that you need. When Keen contacted me about their new Terradora Ethos hiking trainers, I was super excited to try them out. As you may have read previously, I am very familiar with the US brand Keen. I have had a pair of their Newport sandals (or something similar) for years and wore them a lot in Thailand (every beach trip and even when snorkeling to protect my feet from sharp shells). The only thing about them is that they are very bulky and make my feet look very large compared to my dainty ankles.
Keen Terradora Ethos
The Ethos are designed to be a versatile shoe you can wear on the trail but also through water. They are very light with a sleek design and I love the purple colour. I wore them on a few dog walks on Wanstead Flats before taking them to Love Trails Festival. They were instantly comfortable to walk in at camp. The cut outs on the side allow for a cool breeze but unfortunately the occasional pebble. The secure-fit laces make it quick to put them on or take off as I popped into my tent.
The water crossing
At Love Trails, I took them out for a 10k trail run and didn’t experience any Achilles pain. Whenever I switch shoes, I usually experience some discomfort. I think it may be due to a change in the height of the heel but haven’t tried to confirm that yet but looking at the shoe stats. Also, we had a high water crossing on the route. When everyone else was faffing taking off their shoes and socks, I smugly went straight in and out on the other side. Running in the wet Ethos didn’t pose a problem at all. In fact, it was really nice to have the cool water on my feet while the temperature approached 30 degrees.
I also took my Ethos on another camping trip to Wales the following weekend. This time, we stayed at a proper campsite with indoor showers. I wore my Ethos in the shower and around camp to give my feet a rest from my heavy trail shoes. Even though they were wet in my bag for the long drive home, they didn’t stink when I unpacked them late that night.
With the flattering slim design of the Ethos, I think they will be replacing my old Keen sandals on upcoming trips. The are a little more “dressy” if I paired them with jeans while travelling and won’t take up as much room in my suitcase. I can also wear them over multiple types of terrain, apart from snow! I found out they are also very durable as our local fox chewed mine overnight while they dried in my garden. No more drying outside! Lesson learned.
Do you have shoes that are versatile for adventures and travelling?
Thanks to Keen for the complimentary pair of shoes. All opinions (and urban foxes) are honest and my own.
This year I have been so lucky to spend time outdoors on various adventures. Packing for these sorts of trips can be difficult as you don’t want to pack too much but you also want to have the kit that you need. When Keen contacted me about their new Terradora Ethos hiking trainers, I was super excited to try them out. As you may have read previously, I am very familiar with the US brand Keen. I have had a pair of their Newport sandals (or something similar) for years and wore them a lot in Thailand (every beach trip and even when snorkeling to protect my feet from sharp shells). The only thing about them is that they are very bulky and make my feet look very large compared to my dainty ankles.
Keen Terradora Ethos
The Ethos are designed to be a versatile shoe you can wear on the trail but also through water. They are very light with a sleek design and I love the purple colour. I wore them on a few dog walks on Wanstead Flats before taking them to Love Trails Festival. They were instantly comfortable to walk in at camp. The cut outs on the side allow for a cool breeze but unfortunately the occasional pebble. The secure-fit laces make it quick to put them on or take off as I popped into my tent.
The water crossing
At Love Trails, I took them out for a 10k trail run and didn’t experience any Achilles pain. Whenever I switch shoes, I usually experience some discomfort. I think it may be due to a change in the height of the heel but haven’t tried to confirm that yet but looking at the shoe stats. Also, we had a high water crossing on the route. When everyone else was faffing taking off their shoes and socks, I smugly went straight in and out on the other side. Running in the wet Ethos didn’t pose a problem at all. In fact, it was really nice to have the cool water on my feet while the temperature approached 30 degrees.
I also took my Ethos on another camping trip to Wales the following weekend. This time, we stayed at a proper campsite with indoor showers. I wore my Ethos in the shower and around camp to give my feet a rest from my heavy trail shoes. Even though they were wet in my bag for the long drive home, they didn’t stink when I unpacked them late that night.
With the flattering slim design of the Ethos, I think they will be replacing my old Keen sandals on upcoming trips. The are a little more “dressy” if I paired them with jeans while travelling and won’t take up as much room in my suitcase. I can also wear them over multiple types of terrain, apart from snow! I found out they are also very durable as our local fox chewed mine overnight while they dried in my garden. No more drying outside! Lesson learned.
Do you have shoes that are versatile for adventures and travelling?
Thanks to Keen for the complimentary pair of shoes. All opinions (and urban foxes) are honest and my own.
I have been lucky enough to visit seven countries in the last six months. Holidays are a great time to explore an alternative side to the local culture and see how they stay active and healthy. In Thailand, the sun was shining every day, which instantly made me feel a bit more cheery. Although it was way too hot and humid to run, I was able to use a few hotel fitness rooms to complete my corrective exercise homework from Function360. But I really wanted to spend time doing activities that I couldn’t do at home (when in Rome and all that!) so I booked in for several unique Thai experiences.
Feeling tough and super sweaty
Muay Thai The first was Muay Thai boxing, of course. Via Trip Advisor and Google, I found Master Toddy’s Muay Thai Academy which is Bangkok. The location didn’t seem too far from our hotel but the public transport and traffic in Bangkok is a bit nuts so I took a taxi there and back. When I arrived, I was greeted by a gym member who was originally from America. He asked me what my experience in Muay Thai was and if I spoke Thai. I replied I have none with either. My instructor’s name was Korn, and my new friend told me Korn didn’t speak much English. I expected this and wasn’t too worried. As long as I could copy the movements he made, I thought I would be able to learn the technique. After changing into my workout clothes, I grabbed my water bottle and headed into the ring with Korn.
Perfecting those pesky front kicks
We started off with a warm up and stretching. Korn could count to 10 in English which was really handy. The lesson was private, which meant I always had a clear view of him and he was watching what I was doing. After the warm up, we went through basic punching and kicking positions in slow motion and without pads. Finally, he go out the long pieces of cloth, wrapped my hands and chose my gloves. I was ready to fight.
Playing in the background was a recording of about 20 three minute rounds. My guess is that there was about 60 seconds rest between bouts. We started off by working on the basic punches and getting power into the pads Korn was holding. Then we worked on the kicks and sorting out what my natural range of motion was. Once he was happy with the my technique, he designed various kicking and punching combinations for me to complete during the bouts. The gym was a large fenced in garage so the temperature and humidity was the same in the ring as it was outside. I had brought 2L of water with me and made sure to take sips when I could. Korn had to help a bit because the boxing gloves limited my ability to open and handle the bottle.
Korn and I in the ring
Front kicks were probably my worst skill as I just couldn’t get any power behind them. I was pretty good at a side kick though and my hook is killer. The session was two hours long which was probably better suited for a couple or group. Towards the end, Korn took me out of the ring and had me practice on punching bags in the workout area. The humidity made them a little slick but I was able to work repeatedly on one move at a time. I think I would have preferred to start with the bags and then build my way up to the rings. Although I have a certificate saying I now know the fundamental basics of Muay Thai, I didn’t feel very confident after my lesson. I am really glad I had my first lesson where Muay Thai originated though. If you are interested in taking lessons, Master Toddy offers accomidation for those registere in his intensive training program.
Selfie while wearing my Subea mask
Snorkeling I am lucky enough to be able to called myself a marine biologist (yes I have seen the Sinfield episode). I spent as much time as I could in the water while in Thailand. True, there are many places off over the world where you can snorkel, but rarely do we visit those places. James and I did a full day snorkeling trip from Kkao Lak, and then I did a separate excursion to Coral Island on my own. We snorkeled a few times at the Khao Lak hotel, and the bride and groom arranged a day-long boat trip with the wedding guests too. My bum totally got sunburned and my hair was salty but my heart was oh-so-happy. Using the Decathlon Subea face mask, it so easy to see everything around us and not have to worry about clearing the snorkel. Our masks didn’t fog up and were easy to fit without any leaks (James and I had different sizes).
These fish were everywhere and would swim right over to you.
My G-Eye 900 action camera accompanied me on every dive. I took both photos and videos to help me remember what we saw. There is so much video to go through! I am not very good with Latin names but could pick out general groups of fish (such as trigger, damsel, parrot, etc). Sadly, the guides on our trips didn’t know what any of the fish were so I couldn’t ask them too many questions. I was thrilled to see a puffer fish and some small cuttlefish. Sadly, we didn’t see any turtles in the wild but did visit a rescue and rehabilitation facility near Khao Lak. If I go back, I will try to go when the sea turtle nest on the beach. How cool would that be?
If you go to Thailand, bring your bathing suit, cover up, water shoes and lots of sunscreen. Being on the water totally calms me. You don’t have to get in but something about being on a boat is so relaxing. The fish come right over to you so you will see lots of different critters while you are in the shallow water. Try not to step on the rocks and coral because you could injury yourself and the coral is very delicate. I wore my Keen sandals the entire time, which were a bit heavy but really helpful when I got caught in a current and needed to swim to shore for a rest.
Parrotfish in the center.
Thai Massage My brother-in-law’s wife (now my sister-in-law?) invited me to a spa day with the bridal party. I booked myself in for a Thai massage and honestly had no idea what to expect. Every massage I have ever had, you undress, lay flat on a table and are rubbbed with oil or lotion. But for a Thai massage, you put on these pajama-like scrubs and have your feet washed before you start. You then lay on a table and the fun begins.
All treatments start with a foot bath, even the manicures!
Thai massage combines pressing on the body (rather than rubbing) with yoga-like body positions. My massage did have some traditional massage movements, but also a lot of stretching, pulling and body movement. I tried to stay as relaxed as possible as the women bent me in all sorts of directions. I even had to sit up at the end while she stood behind me to crack my back somehow.
I was more bemused than anything by the end but also felt a little lighter and taller. There were massage parlors everywhere in Thailand so if you want one, it isn’t hard to find. I even got a foot massage in the international terminal in the Bangkok airport before we left for home. It was really peaceful and relaxing, which helped me sleep on the overnight flight back to London.
Bride-to-be and I had our treatments in the same room. That was another first for me.
If you have been to Thailand, what other activities would you recomend? Leave a comment below and let me know.
All the photos in this post were taken with my G-Eye 900. Some were actual photos and the others are screenshots of videos. Anyone have tips on how to make videos into photos? I would greatly appreciate some advice. Decathlon graciously gave me the Subea masks and G-Eye 900 to review. All opinions are honest and my own.
I have been lucky enough to visit seven countries in the last six months. Holidays are a great time to explore an alternative side to the local culture and see how they stay active and healthy. In Thailand, the sun was shining every day, which instantly made me feel a bit more cheery. Although it was way too hot and humid to run, I was able to use a few hotel fitness rooms to complete my corrective exercise homework from Function360. But I really wanted to spend time doing activities that I couldn’t do at home (when in Rome and all that!) so I booked in for several unique Thai experiences.
Feeling tough and super sweaty
Muay Thai The first was Muay Thai boxing, of course. Via Trip Advisor and Google, I found Master Toddy’s Muay Thai Academy which is Bangkok. The location didn’t seem too far from our hotel but the public transport and traffic in Bangkok is a bit nuts so I took a taxi there and back. When I arrived, I was greeted by a gym member who was originally from America. He asked me what my experience in Muay Thai was and if I spoke Thai. I replied I have none with either. My instructor’s name was Korn, and my new friend told me Korn didn’t speak much English. I expected this and wasn’t too worried. As long as I could copy the movements he made, I thought I would be able to learn the technique. After changing into my workout clothes, I grabbed my water bottle and headed into the ring with Korn.
Perfecting those pesky front kicks
We started off with a warm up and stretching. Korn could count to 10 in English which was really handy. The lesson was private, which meant I always had a clear view of him and he was watching what I was doing. After the warm up, we went through basic punching and kicking positions in slow motion and without pads. Finally, he go out the long pieces of cloth, wrapped my hands and chose my gloves. I was ready to fight.
Playing in the background was a recording of about 20 three minute rounds. My guess is that there was about 60 seconds rest between bouts. We started off by working on the basic punches and getting power into the pads Korn was holding. Then we worked on the kicks and sorting out what my natural range of motion was. Once he was happy with the my technique, he designed various kicking and punching combinations for me to complete during the bouts. The gym was a large fenced in garage so the temperature and humidity was the same in the ring as it was outside. I had brought 2L of water with me and made sure to take sips when I could. Korn had to help a bit because the boxing gloves limited my ability to open and handle the bottle.
Korn and I in the ring
Front kicks were probably my worst skill as I just couldn’t get any power behind them. I was pretty good at a side kick though and my hook is killer. The session was two hours long which was probably better suited for a couple or group. Towards the end, Korn took me out of the ring and had me practice on punching bags in the workout area. The humidity made them a little slick but I was able to work repeatedly on one move at a time. I think I would have preferred to start with the bags and then build my way up to the rings. Although I have a certificate saying I now know the fundamental basics of Muay Thai, I didn’t feel very confident after my lesson. I am really glad I had my first lesson where Muay Thai originated though. If you are interested in taking lessons, Master Toddy offers accomidation for those registere in his intensive training program.
Selfie while wearing my Subea mask
Snorkeling I am lucky enough to be able to called myself a marine biologist (yes I have seen the Sinfield episode). I spent as much time as I could in the water while in Thailand. True, there are many places off over the world where you can snorkel, but rarely do we visit those places. James and I did a full day snorkeling trip from Kkao Lak, and then I did a separate excursion to Coral Island on my own. We snorkeled a few times at the Khao Lak hotel, and the bride and groom arranged a day-long boat trip with the wedding guests too. My bum totally got sunburned and my hair was salty but my heart was oh-so-happy. Using the Decathlon Subea face mask, it so easy to see everything around us and not have to worry about clearing the snorkel. Our masks didn’t fog up and were easy to fit without any leaks (James and I had different sizes).
These fish were everywhere and would swim right over to you.
My G-Eye 900 action camera accompanied me on every dive. I took both photos and videos to help me remember what we saw. There is so much video to go through! I am not very good with Latin names but could pick out general groups of fish (such as trigger, damsel, parrot, etc). Sadly, the guides on our trips didn’t know what any of the fish were so I couldn’t ask them too many questions. I was thrilled to see a puffer fish and some small cuttlefish. Sadly, we didn’t see any turtles in the wild but did visit a rescue and rehabilitation facility near Khao Lak. If I go back, I will try to go when the sea turtle nest on the beach. How cool would that be?
If you go to Thailand, bring your bathing suit, cover up, water shoes and lots of sunscreen. Being on the water totally calms me. You don’t have to get in but something about being on a boat is so relaxing. The fish come right over to you so you will see lots of different critters while you are in the shallow water. Try not to step on the rocks and coral because you could injury yourself and the coral is very delicate. I wore my Keen sandals the entire time, which were a bit heavy but really helpful when I got caught in a current and needed to swim to shore for a rest.
Parrotfish in the center.
Thai Massage My brother-in-law’s wife (now my sister-in-law?) invited me to a spa day with the bridal party. I booked myself in for a Thai massage and honestly had no idea what to expect. Every massage I have ever had, you undress, lay flat on a table and are rubbbed with oil or lotion. But for a Thai massage, you put on these pajama-like scrubs and have your feet washed before you start. You then lay on a table and the fun begins.
All treatments start with a foot bath, even the manicures!
Thai massage combines pressing on the body (rather than rubbing) with yoga-like body positions. My massage did have some traditional massage movements, but also a lot of stretching, pulling and body movement. I tried to stay as relaxed as possible as the women bent me in all sorts of directions. I even had to sit up at the end while she stood behind me to crack my back somehow.
I was more bemused than anything by the end but also felt a little lighter and taller. There were massage parlors everywhere in Thailand so if you want one, it isn’t hard to find. I even got a foot massage in the international terminal in the Bangkok airport before we left for home. It was really peaceful and relaxing, which helped me sleep on the overnight flight back to London.
Bride-to-be and I had our treatments in the same room. That was another first for me.
If you have been to Thailand, what other activities would you recomend? Leave a comment below and let me know.
All the photos in this post were taken with my G-Eye 900. Some were actual photos and the others are screenshots of videos. Anyone have tips on how to make videos into photos? I would greatly appreciate some advice. Decathlon graciously gave me the Subea masks and G-Eye 900 to review. All opinions are honest and my own.
When travelling, I love to use my free time to prioritise fitness and try new things. I spent a lot of time researching different fitness trends in Chicago that were not commonly seen in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to try them all. Here is what I suggest you do next time you visit The Windy City.
This studio offers beginner/foundation to advanced aerial exercise classes, such as Flow and Core. The fabric, called a hammock, hangs from the ceiling and can be twisted together for additional strength or extended to fully suspend your entire body. Don’t worry, it really is strong enough to support you while laying horizontal a few feet off of the ground. Alexis taught my class and was very good at explaining which ways we were to flip our bodies up and around in the fabric. The two other women in the class had been to the studio before and were much more confident with their ability, while I had never done anything like this. (I did a cocoon class at Gymbox once but that was just for relaxation). Within the first few minutes of class, I was already hanging upside-down during the warm up. It was such a strange sensation to feel the pressure of the hammock on my lower back as the blood started to rush to my head. It took me some time to learn to trust the hammock and relax into each movement. Alexis, a former dancer, taught us a few separate sequences to build a one minute routine, which we tried at the end of our 50 minute class (click here to watch a video of Alexis demonstrating). Unfortunately, my lack of upper body strength hindered my ability to do several of the moves. I was sweating profusely throughout the class, had to take a few breaks, and definitely felt the session in my arms the next day. Classes can hold up to 22 people at the River North location. The studio has recently launched Floor Lab too, which is a barre-inspired workout session that covers plyometrics, planks, and push ups.
What woman didn’t dream of being a mermaid when she was a little girl (or even now)? Splash was one of my favourite movies growing up. I used to swim like Madison in all my friends’ pools. When I saw I could do this as an adult with a real tail, I knew I had to try it. AquaMermaid Chicago offers classes on Sunday mornings at UIC Sports and Fitness Center. The classes can also be arranged for birthday or bachelorette parties. I roped two of my good friends, Lisa and Pattie, to try it out with me at the Hilton Chicago pool. All I can say is that I was smiling from ear to ear from the moment the tails were pulled out of the bag. Our swim instructor, Cora, was very friendly and patient as she taught us how to float with the tails on, swim from one end of the pool to the other, and how to do a somersault. She also tried to teach us how to do a dolphin circle (not sure if that is exactly what is was called. We had to do a backwards somersault while keeping our legs straight) towards the end of our session. But by this point, we were getting tired and water kept going up our noses. A few moves were challenging for us to do because we only had one lane of the lap pool available to move about. We made it work though, as you can see from the photos. We all got a few foot cramps from the monofin so make sure you eat a banana earlier in the day and take the time to warm up before the class. Overall, this was an absolute blast!
Explore the 606 Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to The 606 but I absolutely love the idea of it. It is an abandoned railway line that now provide 2.7 miles of trails for walkers, runners, and cyclists. Along the way there are art installations and green space. You can have a look at all the maps here.
Divvy, Chicago’s version of Boris Bikes OK, yes you can rent bikes in London, but I didn’t realize Chicago offered this too until my last few days. I would have much rather ridden a bike around town that taking the subway. You can see things from a pace riding through neighbourhoods rather than from the train line. Prices start at about $10/day (or $99 for the year), where a one way ticket on the L train is $2.25 and a one day L pass is $10. In Oak Park, the suburb where I was staying, I saw several commuting cyclist and numerous cycle lanes. The only downside to the bike rentals is there isn’t a helmet included, but you could probably rent one of those too from a local bike shop. If you are confident on a bike and up for exploration, I highly recommend trying these out.
There were many more things I wanted to try, like a kayak architecture tour and indoor surfing class, but I just ran out of time. If you have a suggestion on other active travel for Chicago, please leave a comment below.
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