It’s always the way. You attend a conference, return home fired up with ideas then real life gets in the way and your blog gets neglected. I have been writing, but not on my poor old blog. Deadlines for my column kept creeping up plus I’ve had the BritMums travel round-up to compile, all before we go away to Oslo.
At the moment I’m trying to clean the house so while the Harpic gets to work and before the next load of washing needs to go out, let me give you a flavour of what BritMums Live was like, just using some images.
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| Bedroom at The Montcalm at the Brewery, London City |
I stayed here in 2013 too. Excellent service, comfortable bed and the conference was in the building next door. There are often good discounts available, especially at weekends when there is not so much demand, it being in the financial district. Just beware, they add the VAT onto the initial online price rather than include it.
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| Sarah Ebner moderating the session on Women’s Voices – with Stella Creasy MP, Bryony Gordon, Eleanor Mills and Helen Wills |
One of a number of interesting sessions at the conference. I took this photo before the debate started and the panel look very relaxed. It was much more animated than that, I can assure you.
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| Relaxing before the Brilliance in Blogging awards with two of the other finalists in the travel category: Emma Raphael and Selena Jones |
None of the above won the award but many Congratulations to Gretta from Mums Do Travel for a very well-deserved win.
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| Waiting for our travel panel session with Emma and Simon Calder |
Simon, TV travel guru and travel editor for the Independent, was a very warm, approachable man. He was very happy to talk to people and I spent some time chatting with him beforehand in the Morrisons Lounge – as you do.
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| Discussing travel inspiration with moderator Steve Keenan, Simon Calder and Emma Raphael. (Photo courtesy of The Ginger Warrior) |
A very enjoyable travel session where I felt surprisingly at ease despite unwittingly showing a bit too much leg. Tried to cover them up with a clipboard.
Of course, the best part of the conference was meeting up with old and new friends. I shan’t mention everyone as I’m likely to forget some, but I would just like to say it was so lovely to meet Katia from Funky Wellies Random Thoughts who had travelled over from Germany to attend BritMums Live.
Right, the Harpic has done its job and the washing is ready to go out so I will leave it there. Will be back after our trip to Norway.
Great review of a great weekend. So nice to see you, and I loved our panel. I reckon we should ask Simon if we could be on the telly with him. It would be brilliant! I even like the pictures of me, apart from the top one! 😀 Have a fabulous time in Norway, you will LOVE it! 🙂 xx
A bit of a rushed review, to be fair, but it seemed too daunting to cover everything in depth.
I can just see you, Simon and I fronting the new Holiday programme: let's make it happen.
(I was tempted to out an exclamation mark there but realised Simon would never forgive me.) I see you put plenty in your comment – that's you out then…
It was lovely to have a hug!
Oh it was lovely, Jen. Shame we haven't got a snap of that as a memento.
Have a great time. And there's no need to worry about flashing pins when they look like yours!
They look ok from afar. You should see them close up…
Looking forward to our trip. Just keeping fingers crossed as rain forecast.
Hello Trish,
Although you may not have been able to put all the ideas gleaned from the conference into action just yet, they will pop into your head again when the time is right. It is always so energising to attend these events and it does inspire one in so many ways.
Safe travelling!
I think you're right. I know several people who came away with lots to think about, wanting to change blogs etc. I will let the dust settle then see where to go from here.
Thank you Jane and Lance x
I'm really enjoying reading everyone's BritMums posts and I'm definitely going to the conference next year. I'd love to have seen your travel panel session, I bet you were fab. Thank you for your congratulations, I was thrilled to win the travel category and to follow in your footsteps x
Yes you must go next year – you will enjoy it. Shame you couldn't be there to collect your award x
Hobnobbing with the glamorous and famous – I hope Simon Calder appreciated it!
I do hope so. He was a very nice chap and cleared up my glass of water when I spilled the whole lot on the floor.
You've got the great legs for to show! What a great sounding conference! How fun!
It was fun, Jody. You would have loved it.
Sounds like you had a very enjoyable time.
Bonnes vacances!
I did,
I will x
Thank you so much for the mention, Trish! It was absolutely lovely to meet you too and I am very happy we had a decent amount of time together. :o)
Love your review and photos, and very much enjoyed the travel blogging session. I would not say that you were showing too much leg!!
Sorry for commenting so late, I have been away so much recently – and off again at the end of the week – that it has taken me a while to catch up. xx
I have noticed some of your Facebook statuses about the bath in that hotel. Amazing x