It’s been a long summer… the last weekend the Boy and I spent together alone at home was the weekend of 9th/10th of July, and then it was a series of weekends away for my birthday, anniversary, with friends visiting from Australia, visiting friends in Sweden… and all too soon it was 11th August, the date my parents landed in the UK and stayed with us for a month until 11th of September. During that period, the Boy and I slept on mattresses in our living room. It was a really stressful period and we were both stretched to our limit. Towards the end, I was close to my breaking point.

And so, just as the weather was turning colder, it seemed to me like summer had just begun, post my parents’ departure on 11th September.

I then promptly fell ill, through a mix of the changing weather and the stress of the past month.

But today, I’m very proud of myself, because I completed a 45-mile charity bike ride from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle (Palace to Palace bike ride ), in under 5-hours (started 6:58am, ended at 11:41am), despite no training and the fact that I’m just recovering from my cold. My quads, glutes and arms are aching, my knees are completely busted, and I’m exhausted. But still, I’m contented and on an adrenaline high.

Now that my bike has finally been unlocked (with the help of a locksmith to saw through my D-lock which keys I had lost), I feel pumped and feel like challenging myself with future bike trips / challenges. 100-mile ride, anyone?