Digital Detox
It’s very trendy to eat clean and stay active. But what about cleaning your mind? Running Louisa Elizabeth means I am tuned into my computer or phone most hours of every day. Needless to say, every now and again, I NEED a digital detox. Yes, that’s right, no wifi, no phone signal and no electricity! Daunting though it sounds, I decided to go cold turkey for three days and cut myself off from the outside world.
Welcome to my new home for the weekend! What do you think? Already waiting for us on arrival was a lovely cake and freshly cut flowers! I’m sure that the word camping fills a lot of you with dread, but this isn’t just camping… it’s GLAMPING! If you are not yet familiar with the term ‘glamping’, simply put its glamorous camping. I realise that’s an oxymoron but if you’re in need of an escape, this is a simple getaway, whilst keeping a few of life’s little luxuries.
BBQ time! Emily and Nick, our hosts, really thought of everything. We pre-ordered a BBQ hamper before we arrived, which was jam-packed full of delicious ingredients for the perfect dinner. All we had to do was cook the pre-marinated meat and lay the table and we were ready to eat! You can’t get more romantic than a cosy dinner for two, eating by the log burner by candlelight. Oh and the desert… It was chocolate mousse heaven. This was definitely not for the faint-hearted given how rich it was, however, we tucked in and gave it our best shot! After we had adequately filled our stomaches with steak and yummy chocolatey deserts, we settled in for a cosy night under canvas, toasty from the wood burner, with a big pot of ice cream.
Waking up to rain battering down onto the canvas the next morning only added to the atmosphere. I dashed over to our kitchen pod in pyjamas and wellies to make a start on our breakfast (another superb selection from Emily in our breakfast hamper!) The basket was filled with local organic produce and eggs fresh from their own chickens on the farm! A Full English cooked on a camp stove takes a little longer than it does in the comfort of your own home, as there are a lot more balls to juggle. ..but it’s completely worth the wait!
Wakey wakey, rise and shine! There’s no need for an alarm clock when you’re camping as you wake with the sunshine. Unfortunately, we woke up rather chilly too after the fire had gone out in the night. So first things first, we got the fire going again and then it was time for Pancakes! Breakfast isn’t complete without a good stack of pancakes, so I made a big mix before we left home and kept it fresh in a flask. You can get my recipe for these here. I popped some butter on the top to melt and served them with honey and blueberries.
Tummies full, we headed to the coast of Blakeney to go seal spotting with Beans Boat Trips. Despite the black clouds, boats were still going out regularly, so we donned our coats and climbed aboard. We weren’t disappointed. Come rain or shine, the seals still wanted to play. They came right up to the boat to say hello. Now sufficiently wet and cold we headed back to our pod to warm up.. in our very own roll-top bathtub… (Didn’t I say it was glamorous camping!)
I have a personal weakness for roll-top baths, so relaxing in one in our bathroom pod in the middle of a field is sheer bliss. Unlike the baths you’re used to, the water has to be heated from a fire. Nothing is quick or convenient when camping. So with the fire lit, we retreated to the bedroom pod for afternoon tea. Hot cross buns toasted on the top of the log burner…As I said earlier… this was a digital detox, and not a food detox.
The instruction manual allowed for a ‘good’ half an hour to heat the tank of water and they really do mean it. I would allow for about 2 hours to heat the water. Once the water in the tank is hot, start to fill the bath, but this will only be enough to fill a 3rd of the bath. Leave that water whilst the next tank begins to heat. The upside to waiting this long to have the bath is that by the time you’re ready to take the plunge, the bathroom pod will be nice and toasty from the fire! It really is a faff, but the best kind of faff. Having to make everything from scratch here really gives you a sense of accomplishment. It goes to show that when you take away technology, you have a lot more time on your hands to do things.
This back-to-basic lifestyle is one I could easily become accustomed to. What better way is there to go back to basics and really slow down, than in an electricity and 3G free, domed paradise? This was just what the doctor ordered. We all tend to put too much effort into our physical health and then work ourselves to the bone. It’s easy to forget that sometimes our minds need a break as well. Remember we all need time to switch off… literally!
For more information on where you can escape to check out Canopy & Stars for some inspiration.
