Happy Holidays

Well done to my DH for managing to post a blog almost every day that we were away.  Phil did hint that he would have liked me to write a post to give him a break but I was too much in a holiday mode and plus I didn’t take my laptop.  I had a great holiday, well actually I feel like have had 3 holidays in one and it was just great to get away and escape.  It was bit manic getting things sorted before we went and I feel like my feet haven’t touched the ground since we landed, but it’s been worth it.

Of course, in true Krause style our holiday wasn’t without problems.  The first glitch was the Gatwick hotel going into receivership the day before we flew.   We managed to book another but I have still got the paperwork to fill out so we can claim our money back for the original booking.  Easy Jet also changed our flights so we had to fly out really early in the morning.  We picked up the hire car from Las Palmas okay and with the help of the sat nav loaned to us by Chris Ford (thanks Chris) we managed to find our way to the hotel.  What I hadn’t realised was that our hotel was smack in the centre of las Palmas and the other thing I hadn’t realised was that the hotel didn’t have a carpark.  It was a nightmare finding the multi-storey and even more of a nightmare parking on the 3rd floor in our allocated space but we managed.

The weather was good, not boiling hot but around 23, hot enough to sit outside with a beer.  It was quite nice having a few days to chill out before the cruise and something I think I would do again in the future.  It was bit of a nightmare finding the port in Las Palmas even thought it was only a few miles from the hotel but we conquered, managing to drop off the hire car and making out way to the ship.  Check in was easy and we were on board with plenty of time for lunch.

I personally was disappointed with MSC and probably wouldn’t cruise with them again. The ship itself was good, clean and with plenty of facilities plus it was easy to navigate.  But that said, the food was a bit hit and miss, as was the service at times.  Some of the bar staff were lovely and we had 2 great waiters at our dinner table in the evening. I felt the entertainment was lacking, not just in the evenings but also for daytime activities as well.   Phil and I are normally safely tucked up and in our cabins by 9 o’clock but not on this cruise.  Oh no, I don’t think we made to bed any night before midnight and sometimes beyond that.

We were also lucky with our dinner table; we had the Scots Jim and Gina who were very nice and the two single German ladies Helga and Elizabeth who seemed to enjoy our company because after dinner was finished they followed us round different bars and even to the nightclub.  Actually I think Helga and were a little bit in love with Phil, weather it was his Germanic genes or his good looks I dunno but he definitely had 2 admirers.  At times I would have preferred it to be just be the 4 of us but that’s just Claire being unsociable and grumpy.  If I were solo cruising I think too would seek out the company of others.  We promised to keep in touch but already I have lost their business cards.

We had a good time and it was party, party, party.  We were glad that we invited Sue and Ian to come along and we got on great.   Both Sue & Ian are good company, they are very laid back and I think we gave each other space when needed.   It was a shame that the weather wasn’t so great.  I have never seen rain before in the Canaries but I have since learnt that the cold weather was due to there being so much snow in Teide in Tenerife which brought a cold front to the islands.  But I mustn’t complain as it was much warmer there than it was at home.

Sue & Ian came back to our hotel in Playa des Ingles for one last supper and it was a little sad saying goodbye to the airport.  After all the dancing and partying we felt a little flat for a couple of days but then we chilled. I was really looking forward to staying in a Riu hotel even if it was self catering, however I was disappointed.  Our Riu was tired and unloved, the room was okay but the kitchen facilities were very basic. In retrospect I wished I had of complained and asked to be moved especially because our balcony only got the sun in the morning.  But that said, the hotel was full of Germans and I am not sure I would have blagged an upgrade even if I paid more.

The other gripe I had was that I really didn’t like Playa des Ingles, it was so commercialised and god only what knows what made me choose there for my last week, especially as I had been there before.  Phil felt the same and I know he was disappointed with the hotel but he didn’t complain too much even though I would have done if it was the other way round.

Actually Phil was a star for the entire holiday, he drove the hire car and got us to where we needed to be; he cooked a few times, washed the pots and even made me tea in bed on more than one occasion.   I know we are fortunate to go away so often but this holiday was really needed and it has done us the power of good.

Thanks to Sue for coming to pick us up from our Gatwick hotel on Sunday morning, 4 hours of driving for her in the wet and the rain.   We got to the flat at midday and then got collected by taxi to go to the Old Swan at Woughton for our Christmas get-together with Sue and Ian.  Originally we planned this because we were due to get home on the Saturday but then Easy Jet changed our flights.  Never mind, we had roast beef and red wine, what more could a girl want.  Afterwards we went back to Sue’s to open pressies and then home to crash and catch up with X-Factor and Celebrity.  We were cream crackered but it was a lovely end to a great holiday.

Yesterday was busy, Phil picked up Georgina from Roade and they went to spend the day with grandma; I had 150 emails to read, a tonne of post and 8 loads of washing to do.  I also did a food shop in Asda which took me nearly 2 hours.  A reminder of why I hate Christmas, next year we are going away for the whole shebang, I have decided.  I went to visit my nieces in the afternoon and then came back to tackle the ironing.   What a miserable day it was.  Last night I caught up with my soaps.

And so am I ready for Christmas, well sort of.  I am going to the gym this morning.  Been lucky only put on 2 pounds on holiday which is pretty amazing considering how much I ate and drank but I danced every night on the boat and Phil & I did a few hours of walking which must have helped.  After lunch I will pack the bags and we will drive to Melton to spend a couple of days with mum.  It will be a quiet one and after Boxing Day, Phil and I intend to hole ourselves in the flat, catching up with TV and generally doing nothing.

I will do a Christmas post tomorrow and then will be quiet for a couple of days.  Phil will do his usual end of month, end of year summary and I also have asked Sue to post a guest blog which hopefully she will get round to doing before the end of the year but she has a busy schedule so it may be next year.  Right now, I leave you with the best of my holiday photographs.  Happy hols everyone!