DAY 1 - TUESDAY 17TH OCTOBER
Woohoo! The start of another holiday!
Tam must be excited as she is up at 5.30am. I manage to stay in bed until the normal rising time of 7.15am. It’s off for a normal day at work, at least until 3.15pm when we leave early to get home and throw the suitcases in the car. This is easier said than done and there are a good few muttered swear words as I try to fit 3 very bulging suitcases into 1 small car alongside the 4 occupants. With this conundrum solved we are on the road at 4.10pm and on the way to Gatwick.
The journey is pretty uneventful apart from the usual nose to tail traffic on the M25. Georgia is particularly incensed by a driver of a 4x4 texting on his phone while he drives. A career in the police force lies ahead for the girl I believe.
Around 6.45pm
we pull into the Summer Special car park at Gatwick, which is
costing a very reasonable £60 for 18 days. Mind you, I would
like to have sat in on the meeting where they decided what to
name this particular facility. I suspect some illegal substances
may have been involved or at least copious amounts of alcohol.
‘What shall we call this place where you can park your car
during any season of the year?’
‘Let’s call it Summer Special Parking’.
‘Righteous, dude’.
Car parked,
cases in the bus and we are off to the Sofitel to meet up with
Deb and Matt who left an hour before us and are now on their
second drink at the bar.
Straight into the brasserie style restaurant as we are all
starving and some of us (i.e. me) are more than a little thirsty.
We’ve eaten here a few times before and the food is
reasonable if a little pricey. Matt spends a considerable time
before plumping for the burger. Sorry – Aberdeen Angus Beef
Pattie. Give it up Matt, we all knew it was a done deal as soon
as you saw the menu. If it contains cow, Matt is eating it.
We are all
excited about the holiday and Georgia is doubly excited, as it is
her 13th birthday
tomorrow.
After the meal we retire to India and Georgia’s room (they
have there own room this trip as the Sofitel couldn’t find
us a family room) as we have learned our lesson from previous
trips regarding the exceptionally high prices in the bar and have
brought beer and wine to sustain us for the evening. It’s
class all the way when you’re on holiday with the Stringers
and Churchills.
Things are
going exceedingly well as discussion takes place regarding the
forthcoming holiday. It all starts to go wrong when Matt spills a
few drops of wine on his shirt, but Tam comes to the rescue with
a magic tube of stain remover. Back to the conversation and happy
thoughts until Deb (who is lying on Georgia’s bed) spills a
larger quantity of red wine over the bed and her blouse. Out
comes the magic tube and the dabbing goes into overdrive. This is
all well and good until Deb discovers that she has spent 5
minutes trying to remove a mole! (Of the skin blemish type, not
the burrowing furry animal).
Not to be outdone Tam manages to deposit half a glass of wine
onto her skirt. The magic tube appears again (the poor little
beggar must be on overtime by now) but attempts at stain removal
are thwarted when it is discovered that Deb has broken the end
off the tube. Sometimes I wonder just what the heck I am doing
with this group of reprobates. Our only defence is that alcohol
had been consumed. To give credit to India and Georgia they are
the ones looking at the adults and wondering if the ages have
somehow miraculously been reversed during the evening. They have
a point.
I also learned a new language today. I think it’s called ‘teenager’. India was removing her makeup and accidentally put some of the lotion in her eye, at which point she exclaimed ‘My lord, that canes like a badger’. I believe a rough translation to be ‘I say, that stings somewhat’.
Around 11.00pm
there is very little wine left, most of it having been deposited
on clothing and bed linen, so Deb and Matt leave for their room.
A most satisfactory, if somewhat juvenile, start to what promises
to be an amazing holiday.