Holly's highlights

I'll share some of my favourite things we've done this year:

A week in the Lake District is breaktaking. We stayed in a youth hostel that been there for a hundred years, a gorgeous old building in brilliant setting. Sam and I climbed Englands highest mountain. We visited the Derwent Cumberland pencil museum. We walked around lakes, through forests, it was the most stunning scenery I've seen in a long time:

I'm currently studying a Bachelor of Art in English Literature and Art History, my first degree. So this year, for Art History we did a trip to Florence, the home of the Renaissance. Mum and Dad came and looked after the boys. After the 5 days in Flo, we went and stayed in a villa in the hills of Tuscany. A visual feast of a holiday.

Then we were in Paris, with Mum, Dad, Paul and Sharon. We had tonnes of fun exploring my favourite city. Visiting the Louvre after studying art makes it a whole lot more interesting. It was the boys first time, so we did fun stuff with them. And of course we drank a lot of wine and coffee.

The past 7 years I've been going to Wales for an adventure weekend with a load of local women. Its the only chance I get all year to do the fun outdoor stuff I'd like to do more of: rock climbing, gorge scrambling, kyaking and a big beach bonfire, a few bottles of vino and a bunch of crazy women is always good for a few laughs. This year I had a go at kite surfing too! (can't seem to upload pics - will try another time)

Then the Crazy English Summer - this year we only went to one camping festival "The Big Chill" - we all had a brilliant time. The Kids are getting good at festivals now. We had a big bunch of shiny balloons attached to the top of a telescopic fishing rod, so we could be seen pretty anywhere we went.

Doing a 10km fun run was a bid deal for me, and I'm glad I did it. Oscar was proud of his Mum too - He cheered me on, from Big Ben, Whitehall. The run took us from Hyde Park Corner, along Embankment, around St Pauls Cathedral, over Westminster Bridge full of landmarks, so it didn't get boring! Over 10,000 competed.

This year we raced in the Great River Race again. +200 boats racing from Richmond - Greenwich along the might Thames. Last year our womens crew came first, this year second - but we did it in better time, chasing those Olympic paddlers in the other outrigger meant it was a full on race!

So, we hope to continue the fun and frolics, but this time in more sunshine. Its been a wet old summer and a very grey year. There were a few times when I'd start twitching and then there would be a sunny day that would lift the spirits. The thought of not going to Australia for some sunshine strikes fear in my heart - we are so lucky - we can hardly wait!