Gallivanting in Camber Sands.

We all do it, don’t we.

No, not that, not everyone does that. Hopefully.

We all judge a book by it’s cover. It’s probably one of the first things we are taught. That and how to use a potty and how to read. Reading a book or looking at your phone whilst on a toilet should be a no-no automatically from thereon in.

Book, cover, don’t judge, yes, that’s where we were.

The Dancing Queen and I went off for one of our jaunts this weekend. We couldn’t decide where to go and couldn’t face the drive to Cornwall or The Lakes, so we put a pin in a map and headed off towards Trinidad, fortunately I checked the travel time and we headed to Camber Sands instead.

I’d never been to Camber Sands before and The Dancing Queen has always wanted to go there, so I researched and found there is one hotel there – The Gallivant. They are having a refit at present so they upgraded us to a suite when I booked the room.

I was a touch disappointed when we arrived to find half the front boarded up and loads of builders knocking about. So I judged the place by half it’s cover and suggested we turn round and go home.

The Dancing Queen advised me that she liked the smell of planed wood – it’s good that we can still discover new things about each other, even after 14 years together- and so we went into reception to be met by a lovely lady called Hannah who was probably one of the best Hotel Managers we have met, very professional and smiley and told us cake and tea would be served shortly, so go and settle into your room. She had me at cake.

After tea and cake (lots) we went for a pre-dinner walk on the beach to catch the sunset. A hop skip and jump found us coming to the brow of the sand dunes and boom, I was transported back 40 years. Camber Sands has sand dunes, it has a huge beach, it has horses cantering along the sand. It was just like Ainsdale Beach near Southport where we used to go to when visiting our Grandparents. The only thing different was that there wasn’t a 10 year old me. Being taught to drive. In a mini. On the sand. With the only instruction being “not to hit Southport Pier”. Times change.

We went back to the hotel after watching a lovely sunset and prepared for dinner. I had pigeon, followed by short rib of beef, followed by ginger sponge. Yes, I’m, sticking to my vegetarian diet. At home.

We spent the following day in Rye and ate cake and then lunch and walked the 3 miles back to the hotel to prepare ourselves for more pre-dinner cake and a stroll on the beach.

Dinner was pork croquette followed by lamb followed by custard tart and rhubarb which were just as fabulous as the night before offerings.

Today saw us head home, after a delicious breakfast and then lunch at The George in Rye, which I won’t tell you was fabulous as I want to be able to get a table there again. Soon. Don’t mention me either, I think they thought me a tad odd – when asked if we had any dietary requirements I said:

“The Dancing Queen is vegetarian, but don’t hold that against her and I’m greedy”.

And when The Dancing Queen left the table at the end of the meal she told the Restaurant Manager not to catch my eye as I was bound to ask for another meal to be delivered to the table.

Anyhow, back to the Gallivant, go to The Gallivant, don’t worry what it looks like on the outside, after all you’re looking out. I think it will become rather popular.

Don’t judge anything by what it looks like, apart from me. I really am a glutton, and have started keeping wood shavings behind my ears.