HOLIDAY EXPERIENCES

I took my laptop on holiday with me, so wrote a diary entry each day, and here you can read about some of my holiday happenings.

Day 1. It was a bright although not sunny morning when we loaded the car up and set off for our holiday, but part way along the clouds thickened and became showers of rain. For the first year that I can remember we arrived at this holiday destination in rain, usually the sun had shone. To see where we are staying have a look here - you`ll also see the view I had from my bedroom window, which was the left hand one of the two bay windows at the top of the building.

Day 2. Well, what an strange night that turned out to be. I was awoken from sleep at around 2.30 a.m. by sounds of lumping and bumping coming from another room. It sounded as if they were moving all the furniture around, slamming doors as they did so, then there were voices of people talking, which got louder and louder, a mans voice and a high pitched femail voice which seemed at time to be whining and wailing. This kept up for two hours. I felt I wanted to get up and go on knock on the door, if I`d known which door it was, it was loud so I assumed it was from the one next to me or opposite me, and remind them that people were trying to sleep. Needless to say, I didn`t venture out of my room to do so, I just laid there unable to sleep getting more and more irritated and wishing I was at home and not come away on holiday, because one comes away to have a rest. Eventually after a couple of hours it went quiet and eventually I slept till the alarm woke me. Going down to breakfast in the morning, we were told the reason for the disturbance - a couple had been having a punch up in their room (the room under mine) and the proprieter had had to call the police, to take the man away!
Let me hasten to add, that the hotel is in a good area and this was a most unusual occurance.

Day 3. Walked miles today! the sun shone and it was beautiful by the sea. Strange isn`t it, that although I live by the sea, I see more of the sea when I`m away on holiday than I do at home. I suppose there its something I just take for granted, yet, I know I couldn`t live inland or away from it somehow. Once having a holiday away from the sea it just didn`t seem right. Maybe it too goes back to feeling shut in, with buildings all around instead of somehow the openness of the sea on one side

Day 4. "An ill wind...." . My parent didn`t feel very well this morning so was unable to go out. So, I spent a pleasant morning wandering around the shops on my own, and then an afternoon walking and sitting on the sea front, enjoying the sun and the breeze. I shouldn`t say it, but it was nice today to get a day to myself!

Day 5. We found Paradise this morning. A place full of the history of how the earth had evolved, fossils from thousands and millions of years ago. Plants from all around the world - I`ve never seen so many cacti all in one place before!

Paths through gardens with interesting features at every twist and turn, relief from the heat of the sun in the shade of hedges and trees, ponds and streams all full of fish. I was very taken by the pure gold colouring of one of them in particular, I`ve seen gold fish and shades of yellows before but this one was like a metallic 24 carat gold. The trail was quiet and peaceful, we scarcely met another soul as we followed the arrows around the route, giving us time to stand and stare and enjoy.
(to see more, look here)

Day 6. A friend came and joined me today, so, "parking" my parent in her chair for a while we went off for a long walk and a natter. How good it was to have someone to walk my speed with, to exchange news and talk about nothing in particular. We discovered talking together that we both feel lonely at times and feel isolated through being single, finding it difficult to make friends with others. It was in some ways good to know that someone else feels the same as I do, but doesn`t solve the problem. Still we both enjoyed getting together today and catching up on things, and the sun shone again.

Day 7. Round and round the shops. The majority of today was spent pushing my parent around the shopping centre, and in and out of gift shops, book shops, clothes shops, stationers and many more. Not that I minded doing it, and it gave her an opportunity she seldom has of going round large stores and I quite enjoy wandering round shops. Gradually though it became a problem to carry all the bags and so they piled up on mothers lap, until she could just about see over the top of them all! It did get hard work pushing her too as the wheelchair got heavier and heavier and heavier due to all her purchases! We nearly gained several people on mother`s lap too during the day, as people just walked across or out infront of us without looking. I think I shall have to buy her a bicycle bell, or maybe a horn to toot to warn them!

Day 8. Home again. A good drive, which I enjoyed, and the bonus of no traffic jams or road works.