2007 Graduate Apprentice Blog

I am lucky enough to have grown up in a quiet little place of the world called Torbay.  In Torbay, life is a little slower, the average age is a little higher, and generally most places are only open in the Summer.  The people down in Devon don’t all speak like farmers, although some still do, but you will find that they are all very friendly and very proud of what is affectionally know as the English Riviera.  The place has changed a lot over the past few years, but then again where has remained the same. 

Last weekend, Laura and I travelled back to Devon to a family wedding, and the whole weekend reminded me of just how much you take the beach and the Sea for granted.  I grew up on the beach, spent all of my summers since I was 14 working on or next to the beach, and never lived more than 10 minutes away.  It was always so easy to take the dog for a run, or to go and watch the waves crash over the sea wall at high tide.  The weather at the weekend was fantastic, and while I should know better, I turned a little pink after mistakingly working in the back garden for no more than an hour!  But it was great to be home, great to get a little sun (even if it is a little sore now) and its always great to know that Devon is not that far away.  There is something about the beach, maybe because I have spent so much time there, but there are always happy memories, and there is always a place to be alone with nothing more than your thoughts.

If you are looking for your next holiday, I could not recommend the beaches of Torbay more highly… its come a long way since Fawlty Towers.  The picture below (if it works) is of the view from the Imperial Hotel in the middle of the day… absolutely fantastic.