I’d taken my case to work with me the previous morning as I didn’t want to risk anyone from the block seeing me leave with it. My taxi picked me up along the way and we went to Manchester airport from there. The plane was on time and I had a good flight, we arrived Arrecife 7.50pm and I had a taxi take me to my accommodation. I reached my hotel just before 9pm so I was in time to get dinner before the restaurant closed, I enjoyed some meat and spaghetti and chinese vegetables.

My first day I spent by the pool, it was very hot and the pool was freezing.  After my shower I went to have a drink at the bar before dinner, I was sitting on the benches outside when I met Lesley, she was going back to her room and stopped for a chat then came back as her partner was still sleeping, so we had a couple of drinks. She said they were going out later and invited me to join the them. I met Lesley, Mick and their two friends in the bar after dinner, we had a few drinks there then went to a few bars  round the square, we had pizza after Legends then got back to the hotel about 3am, we had a great night lots of laughs and I really enjoyed myself

The next morning I had a bit of a headache when I woke up, I went for some breakfast then went back to bed. After lunch I sunbathed by the pool. After dinner there was a dance show on in the evening,  2 females and a male dancer. Some of the dancing was odd, quaint and quirky.

Friday, I went to the beach after breakfast then came back for my lunch and spent the afternoon sunbathing by the pool. After dinner I met Lesley and Mick in the bar we stayed until it finished 11.30pm then went to Legends

Saturday, I felt ill until about 12.30, I didn’t even drink my drinks at Legends Lesley sent me a message, did I feel as bad as her, I’m glad it wasn’t just me. I sunbathed by the pool in the afternoon, I didn’t see Lesley or Mick. after dinner it was the bird show, which I’d seen when I went to Puerto del Carmen the year before.

Sunday, Lesley and Mick went to the market, I went the beach after breakfast until lunchtime the spent the afternoon by the pool. I met Lesley and Mick after dinner, we sat outside to have our drinks.

Monday, It was Lesley and Micks last day, we went to the Hotel Beatriz, very impressive, we had a wander round and took some photo’s then had a walk  before going back to the hotel for lunch and a couple of hours by the pool until it was time for them to leave     The evening entertainment was rock guitar legends band, I was invited for a drink afterwards with some people, we went to Cactus Jacks, it was 3am again when we got back.

2nd week, Tuesday, It was cloudy when I got up to go for breakfast so I went back to bed until 12.30. I had an hour by the pool then went the beach after lunch until 5pm.  Had my dinner then went to bed early.

The next 2 days there was a change in the weather, it was cloudy and very windy, I still went to the beach but was sand blasted  so got a sun lounger and didn’t have any problem then. I met a family the Friday evening, Lizzie the grandmother told me to join them.

Saturday, I went to the beach it was still windy but more sunny,  I met Lizzie her daughter Nicky and the rest of the family in the evening.

Sunday, I spent all day on the beach again, the wind had dropped and it was sunnier, it went really lovely and the ocean was tranquil now, though it was exciting when those big waves came crashing       I met Lizzie and her family for dinner, they were going out as it was her birthday and she invited me to join them. We had a lovely meal, I had a nice steak with pepper sauce, then we had a couple of drinks in the square. Lizzie, Kelly one of the twins and me went back to the hotel first, we’d had enough of the singers old jokes.

Monday, It was  beautiful I had a lovely day again at the beach. I met Lizzie, Nicky and her family after dinner. The evening entertainment was a comedy dance duo, I’d seen them when I was at Puerto del Carmen the year before too. It was a good night and I enjoyed watching them again.

Tuesday, my last day   I went to the beach after breakfast for my last time and last swim in the ocean it was bliss and I hated having to leave. After lunch I stayed by the pool until it was time for me to leave. I showered and got ready before my coach transfer to the airport. Wish I didn’t have to leave.

Again my plane was on time and without any problems. I arrived home about 2.15am

Hello, playing catch up again I’m afraid.  March has been and gone, I can’t believe and didn’t realise it’d been so long since I wrote a post….

I arranged my trip to Poland at the end of Februauy for the 15th March, I counted the days until it arrived, I couldn’t wait. The week before I was going was a very busy one for me, I was working my regular hours and did reception duty on the Monday and Friday afternoon and my old lady friends hair on the Thursday afternoon so did my packing on the Saturday.

Ruth and Doug came about 1pm to take me to the airport, it was great as they stayed with me until it was time for me to go to the boarding gate so the time passed nicely chatting. My flight was on time and no problems, I had a few drinks and because I spent more than £5 I recieved a £5 voucher to spend on any individual duty free purchase over £20, how great is that, so I bought some of my favourite perfume. My taxi transfer was at the airport when I arrived and so I was at my apartment in no time. I was looking forward to the rest and relaxation and knew I’d be comfortable as I’d spent a few days in the apartment on my last visit. My only let down on arrival was there was no computer and when I opened my suitcase my milk powder had opened and spilt over half of my clothes and stuff aaaaaaaaaargh. I rinsed everything through then had a nice relax in the bath and went to bed. I had a very good sleep – noone disturbing me it was bliss

After breakfast I went to find the beach, I was shocked at how steep the walk was and afraid if I lost my footing I’d roll down hill. On the way down I came across a family coming back, I asked if the beach was at the bottom, they said there wasn’t any beach only rocks. I made my way back to the hotel with them and wondered how I was going to spend my two weeks, I didn’t relish two weeks stuck by the pool.

I went to find a sunbed to no avail, i asked the waitress, she said there was another smaller pool the other side but no bar, so i took a couple of drinks with me and stayed there. Even though there was a breeze it was so hot, I had to use an umbrella to protect myself and go in at lunch time or I’d have melted. After the days sunbathing and sleeping I went in about 5pm to get ready for dinner, it was strange I had to keep reminding myself it was my birthday. After dinner I went to sit outside and wait for the show, I got a bit of a shock how windy and cool it was and was glad I’d taken some cardigans with me, but first we had to sit through the kids mini disco. It was a bird show, nice to see but not very entertaining, I had a few vodkas, I needed them. At 11:15 the lights went out, I thought oh that’s nice sitting in the dark with my drink. I asked the waiter but he said i couldn’t take them in the other bar but I took them in with me and finished them there.

I soon learnt that when the all inclusive finished at 11pm the bar closed it was lights out and they cleared away and if you wanted more you had to go in the other bar where you had to pay for the drinks. I had no chance of getting a sunbed by the main pool and bar they always had towels on them, I got over that it was just a drag back and forth from the other pool for refreshments.

It was my last day at work Tuesday 19th, yippee!!!! I went to town on the Wednesday to pick up a few last minute things, I’d packed my case already for my friend to come for it later that night, which I was very happy about as I didn’t want anyone seeing me go out with it on the day.

I went to my friends on the Thursday morning to get my case then got a taxi to the airport from there, I was excited but very nervous, more so than usual. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time and checked in without any problems. My flight was on time, so no delays which is always good, I didn’t have a meal on the flight, that’s a first and I don’t know why that was but I had a couple of vodkas and a sleep.

I arrived at Arrecife airport about 6:45pm, I’d arranged my own transfer, a mini bus to the hotel but they put me in a taxi which was even better, no drop offs, so i didn’t have far to travel and arrived at my hotel in no time. I checked in, put my case in my room and then went to the restaurant to eat. After eating I sat out and had a few vodkas and watched the bird show that was on that night.

Neither of us slept too well last night, Antonio spent the morning sorting the bike out as it had a puncture, i did my packing. We went out to get some lunch but i wasn’t really hungry, my flight was delayed but i didn’t mind, it gave me an extra couple of hours. Antonio came to the airport with me, that’s all i can say about today, i feel too sad and upset to think about it.

I’m very sad today all my thinking is my last day and my last day i will do everything with Antonio.

We rode to Don Lino beach, it was a nice day, Antonio did some fishing while i relaxed in the sun and had a swim, Antonio went to get our lunch of fish and rice with beans and came back with a bottle of ron and lemonade. On the way home we went round to Playa Blanca as Antonio had been told he could get some cans of beer cheap. I chatted with a woman at the waters edge and played with her little girl while Antonio got his beer. It was still sunny so we stayed on here, we hadn’t been to this part before and it was nice.

On the way home we met a friend of Antonio, he asked could i clean my feet, she took us to her home and i had a shower down with water from the well, fantastic. We ended up staying, Antonio went to his friend Attoro and they came back with fish for supper, i’m sorry i don’t remember her name but she cooked the fish and rice, it was delicious. So we had a nice evening there eating, drinking and chatting.

Antonio was ill all morning, so we didn’t go out until the afternoon. We went for a ride, it was too late to travel to the beach so we went to the Hotel Pernik. We had to pay to enter 6 pesos each, Antonio had to leave his id card with security and your pass is checked and double checked. It was a waste of money really, we didn’t stay long, it went cloudy, we had pizza then went home for a sleep. After dinner we went for a ride on the bike then to sit in the park.

After breakfast Antonio took some of our clothes home for washing then we went to the beach at Don Lino. We bought fish from one of the fishermen at Playa Blanca to cook at home, they were huge. Antonio had to take them somewhere to be cooked in a big oven.
So we had fresh fish for dinner, i love it but i’ll never get used to having a whole fish on my plate and have to make him remove the head for me. After dinner Antonio went home for the washing, when he came back his aunt was with him, he said she wanted to meet me. He took her back home and said they were going to visit someone in the hospital, i said ok i may be sleeping when you come back.

I was asleep when Antonio came back, he woke me as they were having a party because his uncle had come to visit from Canada. It took me a while to come to and so i had to get dressed and liven up, but it was nice meeting his family.

We didn’t get up until late today so by the time we got out it was fairly cloudy, we drove for a while then Antonio decided to go to La Runa beach. It was a long way though, about 40k, very hard on butt and thighs, but worth it when we arrived, it was lovely.

Antonio went for pizza for lunch, i had pizza served on a leaf we ate and drank ron and bathed in the ocean, fantastic, i love it. It stayed fine for most of the day, hot and sunny, then the clouds came and it teemed with rain, there was a shelter but i was afraid because it was swarming with mosquitos so i wrapped myself in the towels and smothered myself with repellant. We stayed a while until the rain lessened then made the long journey back home.

After breakfast we decided it was best for me to go to the tourist clinic at Guardalavaca, my leg was in a bad way from the bites, i was in agony and could hardly walk. We had to go and extend the hire of the bike first, i couldn’t get about so we kept the bike until the end of my holiday. We drove the long journey to the clinic they cleaned my wounds from the bites and said i’d got an infection, they gave me antibiotic cream. When we came out the police were there, apparently we shouldn’t have parked the bike there, i was so nervous i wanted to leave it there, but they wouldn’t have gone away. Antonio went over to explain the situation and why we’d parked there, he got a ticket, it was only a few pesos but it was still nerve racking for me.
We spent the day on the beach at the Atlantico Hotel, it was a gorgeous day and for the first time no rain!! We had chicken and chips for lunch, and i just enjoyed relaxing on the sun lounger. We got home about 7:30, Antonio washed and cleaned my foot and leg, it was agony and i wanted to pull his hair out, but he did this everyday for me and i’m thanful to him for that.