Saturday 30th March  –  Friday 5th April 2019

 

Well, Alice certainly left us as she found us – she arrived on Saturday night in torrential rain and when we left the apartment on Friday lunchtime it was bucketing it down!!  Luckily in between we had plenty of sunshine … and plenty of fun …. beach-time, swimming, walking, shopping, eating and drinking, sightseeing – a very special time together.

We had a late night on Alice’s arrival on Saturday – we didn’t get back to the apartment till gone 11 and so were up till 2.00am for our first night catch up, accompanied by a Cava session naturally!  We all got very confused with our times that night – we knew that British time was changing but we had no idea that Spanish time changed too!  The next morning all our clocks and watches were saying different things so it took us a little while to work out just HOW late we had slept in.

Mothering Sunday

But of course it was Mother’s Day – so in fact today was all about me!!  A lovely start – banners, cards & presents, messages, delicious breakfast …. not such great weather but hey ho!!  After breakfast we went for a walk along Benalmadena beach – the clouds were still around so a lounge or swim were out of the question.  Took Alice to the marina shopping area – she needed her retail fix!  On the way back stopped for coffee and churros – wow, my first time – they’re scrumptious.  The weather started to cheer up a bit too – yay!

Mid-afternoon we headed up to the Benalmadena Pueblo for a Mother’s Day tapas crawl.  We tried out a few bars/cafes – delicious food, delicious wine … perfect company and so relaxing.  The sun shined most of the time but we ended with a spot of rain.  And we missed you Tom …. but otherwise it was perfect. 💕

 

On Monday we were going to do the cable car ride but again it was quite cloudy, plus it was April Fool’s Day, so we thought we’d do it another day!  Instead we took the train into Malaga – wanted Alice to see the city and there were still things we wanted to do there.  Well, I say ‘we’ – cultural experiences are not always Steve’s first choice but he does join in sometimes!

Walked down to the port area with its fancy shops and cafes – stopped for a bite to eat and guess what …. it started to rain.  Can’t believe after the 4 weeks of sunshine we’ve had, how unlucky Alice is.  But we soldiered on – our first stop (via a few shops of course) was the visiting Van Gogh Alive exhibition – a multi-sensory experience, portraying the artist’s life and works.  It was just amazing – the images at enormous scale filling giant screens, walls, columns, ceilings and even the floor … and accompanied by such powerful classical music.  Even Steve was enthralled!

 

On leaving the exhibition we headed for the city centre – weather was cheering up.  We walked along the beach promenade and then up through the winding city streets until we came to Malaga Catholic Cathedral.  Our next ‘cultural’ stop.  And with audio guides in place, we set off to enjoy this magnificent building –  with its range of architecture styles and stunning artworks … not to mention a truly religious experience.   It is nicknamed ‘the one-armed lady’ as the 2nd tower was not completed.

Steve was on cultural overload by this time so opted out of the next visit to the Picasso Museum – Alice and I went alone.  Not my most favourite of artists but being a local lad felt it was important to visit … have to admit there were many exhibits where you just wanted to say that classic line – “I could do that!”  – was quite pleased Steve hadn’t come in!  But some talented pieces all the same.

Now with the cultural bits done and dusted we hit the bars.  Sensibly started off in El Pimpi for some good nourishment.  Alice took this to the extreme with the largest plate of meat you have ever seen – clearly taking a break from her vegetarian lifestyle!

A few more bars including our favourite sherry bar – Antigua Casa de Guardia – where Alice got to sample some deliciously fine, sweet Moscatel.

 

Believe it or not, on Tuesday we all woke up to blue sky and sunshine (not to mention a fuzzy head)!    There was only one thing for it – head to the beach.  Drove to Fuengirola, Steve went for a run and Alice and I wandered off to the market.  Alice was fascinated by the size of it and we picked up some real bargains – trousers, tops, bags and shoes … lots of fun bartering.  Then we hit the beach for the rest of the day and truly relaxed.

Wednesday was much of the same.  Our itinerary had us down to do a road trip to Nerja but Alice was in favour of staying local and relaxing on the beach …. and why not when you only have a few days off work.  So, relax we did … and read, and snoozed, and swam and enjoyed our picnic lunch.  Home and showered and then down to one of the Benalmadena beach restaurants for dinner.  Alice got chatted up by a lovely waiter with minimal English and even more minimal teeth!!  We shared a fabulous paella – our first since we’ve been here so another tick off the list.

 

On Thursday we could put it off no longer – we had to face our fears and head for the cable car ride from Benalmadena to the top of Monte Calamorro.  We joined the queue and watched as each party embarked on the journey.  I had no idea the pods (or gondolas as they call them) would be so small.  The two other cable car journeys I’ve been on in South Africa and Sydney have been substantial carriages – these were like something off a ferris wheel.  As the people in front of us boarded I noticed that their gondola had the number 12 on it!!  I can tell you now, there was no way I was getting on if a number 13 turned up.   As it happened it was number 16 – Steve was hilariously delighted in suggesting that maybe 13, 14 and 15 had fallen off!

But bravely we boarded – me with my claustrophobia and Steve with his fear of heights … poor old Alice was like our carer, supporting us every inch of the way.  After the initial swinging and bumping we soon adjusted to the ride – the views were absolutely incredible.  And at the top even more so, looking over the Costa Del Sol in all its glory.  We went on one of the many walks which took us even further up … and we had a slippery descent as Alice and I hadn’t worn the most sensible of shoes! 😚

 

 

Going down it felt a little bit speedier but Steve said he just wanted to get to the bottom as soon as!!  Having been such brave soldiers we rewarded ourselves with some beach time and then a delicious beachside meal in the evening.  Steve and I enjoyed barbecued Sea Bass … and Alice fitted in another meat fest (a fillet steak) before returning to her chosen vegetarian life in Manchester!

 

And so Friday came around all too quickly – it was time for Alice to pack her bags and leave us.  And it was raining – how miserable is that!?

We were going to have lunch in our favourite square in the Pueblo but it was far too wet for that – so we opted for an indoors restaurant pizza instead – it may be Italian but it was just the job and cheered us up.   And then we accompanied Alice by train to the airport, by which time the sun had started shining – timing is everything!

It’s been such a fantastic week – thanks for coming to join us Alice … for keeping us company, making us laugh, helping us with the Spanish lingo, sorting out our technology needs, caring for us … just being you.

And in my favourite new phrase you taught me “hasta luego!” ❤️

 

 

Thursday 21st March – Friday 29th March 2019

Another week of activity plus wonderful inactivity too!  For someone’s who’s not great at relaxing, I’m certainly learning the ropes here – it’s part of the culture.  We are truly immersing ourselves into Spanish life and have willingly adjusted to the ‘manana’ philosophy … there’s always tomorrow.  We’re blending in with the local people and their pace of life, we’re improving our Spanish language skills by practising new words and phrases daily (and sometimes they even understand!), we’re certainly enjoying their foods, loving the price of their wines, getting around on local transport …. just settling in really.  We’ve established little routines for daily chores, running and walking, shopping, eating in, eating out, beach time and generally exploring.  We never stop feeling incredibly lucky that we have been able to retire (so young!) …. we plan to use the time wisely while we gently transition into old age!

So Thursday and Friday we just chilled on the beach after walks and runs.  Steve has ventured back out and is building himself up despite some continuing discomfort.  He has the small matter of a marathon in May and naturally will be doing everything in his power to be on those starting blocks.  I’ll naturally be on the sidelines with the jelly babies!

On Saturday, Steve got up early to do a local run – well I say early, we’re becoming like teenagers, not surfacing till mid-morning some days … and we’re not even having wildly late nights.  If we’re not careful we’ll soon be going to bed before we get up!!  Chilled?  We’re practically horizontal!

Malaga

Later in the day though we ventured out by train to Malaga – there’s so much to see and do there and we’ve only just scratched the surface.  It’s a stunning city and a perfect size for exploring on foot, the streets and magnificent buildings are tightly packed together and accessible – I believe the town planning was of Moorish origins.  We wanted to retrace our steps from the amazing wine and tapas tour we had done with Alicia – we got a little sidetracked at times but we did find all the amazing bars she took us to (we’re practising for when Alice arrives – she’ll be SO impressed with our local knowledge)!

We walked through the famous Malaga market and saw the vibrant food stalls – and at each corner the popular tapas bars we’d been told about, great atmosphere.

We wandered around the city, soaking up all it had to offer.  At one of the many squares we noticed a group of young adults, dressed up in colourful tutus and flamenco dresses – we guessed they were going to embark on a traditional performance so slowed in our pace – when the music started they broke into the ‘Macarena’ routine … it was all I could do to hold Steve back – he knows all the moves you know, thanks to Emma’s meticulous training during our kitchen dancing over the years!

Walked on further and found a perfect tapas restaurant in the cathedral square – we sat and enjoyed the scenery as well as a jug of sangria and a few tapas dishes – it’s all so affordable too – we’re living like students.  From there we had an interesting walk – churches, art galleries, shops, sculptures and quirky sightings …. and then more tapas bars – a little vino blanco and some more tasty tapas in each one.

On our way back to the station we popped into our favourite quaint little sherry bar to finish off a great afternoon/evening – cheers!

Castillo Monumento Colomares

The next few days saw us back to general routines of running, walking and beaching – weather not so great, even some rain at times, and windy!!

On Wednesday we decided on a little walk uphill to a very ornate castle type thing we had seen from a distance, and wanted to explore further.  Google maps indicated a 50 minute walking route but guess what …. Steve knew a shortcut – of course he did!!  So before long we found ourselves on an off-road trail with a steep incline.  Now I hate to be a wuss so I go along with these things … but then I am a wuss – I ended up on all fours going up, because my rucksack loaded with heavy camera was pulling me backwards, and I descended mostly on my bottom (through thistles – and I have the grazes to prove it) due to the steepness.  Once back on normal paths we still faced an extremely uphill trek … and naturally the sun decided to beat down at this point.  Made our way to the Castillo de Colomares though and it was well worth a visit.  It is a monument in the form of a castle, dedicated to the life and adventures of Christopher Columbus.  Not somewhere to spend hours but something to admire and the views over Benalmadena were stunning.

From there we walked further uphill to the beautiful Benalmadena Pueblo.  Cheated the very last bit by getting into a pretty battered looking and very jumpy street lift – always such a relief when the doors open!  And yes, you guessed it – we found ourselves in our favourite tapas joint in our favourite square in the Pueblo – wine/beer and tapas as our reward.

Fuengirola 

Had a relaxing couple of hours at our apartment pool in the afternoon – so sunny but still only the ducks making use of the pool.  I keep trying the water but it’s not getting any warmer.

Took the train into Fuengirola in the evening.  Alli had recommended a Spanish bar/restaurant that they had enjoyed on a recent Redway Runners’ trip – Tabanko El Callejon.  We found it and loved the place – full of Spanish charm and bullfighting memorabilia.  All the tables were reserved though so we just had drinks and moved into another pretty square for yet more tapas – can’t get enough of these tasty selections of food … and everywhere you go the choices are quite different.

Preparing for Alice!

And apart from all that – it’s soon to be all about Alice!!  One more sleep – not that we’re excited or anything!!   I’ve written up an itinerary for her 6 days, want to maximise every minute … I have left her some free choosing time though like any good tour guide would!!  So time to get the room prepared and we’re off soon to buy in those essentials – nutella, croissants, pineapple, chocolate, humus, snacks …. oh and the odd bottle of two of vino blanco.

Safe flight Alice – see you for big hugs tomorrow!

Another glorious week in Southern Spain. Well, the last few days the weather has been a bit iffy – hoping it’s a blip. (How British am I starting off the blog with a weather report)! Still, it’s encouraged us to get a few other things done, rather than that relaxing on the beach temptation.

Thursday 14th March 2019

A beach day – our usual spot in Fuengirola – beach beds 3 euros each including a free drink (bargain), near to shops, cafes and toilets – sun, sea, sand …. everything we need. I started off with a 5 mile walk (ran for one mile of this too), then felt justified to blob for the rest of the afternoon. Big waves today so didn’t venture in for a swim – have still not been in the sea since my memory loss incident last Saturday – need to get myself back in though, it’s a bit like falling off a bike. Although there was a wind today it’s definitely getting hotter, you can tell by the burning of your feet on the sand.

Friday 15th March 2019

Decided to take a drive to Ronda today – we had been recommended it as a place to visit for its stunning scenery – even that’s an understatement – it literally took our breath away.

We managed to get our hire car GPS set (trying to reserve our phone data) and even though it was in Spanish, the pictures helped. The first part of the drive was plain sailing – the A7 is a marvellous stretch of motorway. In time however we found ourselves on the mountain roads that lead up to Ronda …. and when I say UP – they go up and up and up and up – they’re not excruciatingly steep but they twist and turn with blind corners and just get higher and higher …. and they seem to go on forever. I was doing my usual clutching on to everything as the drop at the side of the road got more mind-blowing (spectacular but mind-blowing)! We laughed at the ‘no overtaking’ signs thinking “how obvious.” Our ears popped continuously as we climbed and our eyes popped out at the oh so incredible views. And pretty houses perched on hillsides – some original old farmhouses, many in need of repair, but also state of the art majestic mansions. And villages with pretty pastel and white homes spectacularly lined up, all so very Spanish looking.

Believe it or not there were a fair few cyclists making the ascent – just why!!!? And they have to come down at some point – that’s even worse!! 😘

We eventually arrived in Ronda, parked up and started to mooch around the town. Of course our first stop was some tapas refreshment as it was lunchtime. From here we set off to find the El Tajo Gorge, walking through the pretty white housed cobbled streets till we found the gorge and its impressive arched bridge. From here it was just jaw dropping all the way round – an absolute must if you’re ever in this part of Spain. I could wax lyrical but the photos speak for themselves.

We left the old part of town to walk into the new part of Ronda, passing the its famous bullring – the oldest bullring in Spain.

Local legend tells that God, fed up with the constant squabbling of the people of Ronda, sent a huge bolt of lightening down to earth and split the city in two, with the women in one half and the men in the other. Now there’s a thought!! Apparently the bridge was built across the gorge though to reunite the community. A good point for discussion methinks!? 🤔🤣

Before leaving this most characterful of places, we decided to refresh ourselves with some liquid refreshment, ordering what we thought to be hot chocolate as we know it. It was like drinking a bar of chocolate, you could literally stand your spoon up in it. I only had a few sips and I felt a migraine coming on …. and I don’t suffer from migraines! Steve naturally came to my aid and polished it off.

And then we began the long descent down the hill …. well, what can I say. We started off with a slow driver in front of us and that suited me just fine – slow is my favourite speed. However, other motorists behind us were not quite as patient as Steve and so the overtaking began – we just couldn’t believe it, having thought the ‘no overtaking’ signs were stating the bleeping obvious, we were wrong! My heart was racing harder than ever. And then, two motor cyclists came around the corner making their ascent at Grand Prix speed, practically horizontal and knee scraping. Unfortunately my anxiety was going into overload – lucky I wasn’t driving I guess.

I love travelling and all it involves, sightseeing, trying new foods, attempting the languages, new activities and adventures – I even don’t mind the flights and train travel …. but, I absolutely hate travelling on roads, especially where speed is involved. And I would love to overcome this. No-one would believe that I’ve driven a van to Romania and back, twice. Why does age commonly plague you with anxieties? In particular, my ‘nervous passenger’ fear is getting way out of proportion – any recommendations for specific therapy/cures for this would be so gratefully received.

Despite this, it was the best of days … think a relaxing day on the beach tomorrow however!

Saturday 16th March 2019

Yes, we had a quiet relaxing beach day. I walked from Fuengirola back into Benalmadena … found a pretty little beach called Playa de Carvajal. Also came away from promenade walking for a while and more onto coastal path walking (ah, felt like home)! Walked back to Fuengirola and had two swims during the afternoon – and I still remembered who I was and where I was – no memory loss today!

Sunday 17th March 2019

Took ourselves down to Playa de Carvajal this morning for a couple of hours – pretty beach, quieter than Fuengirola – but still not the bargain prices … and still no loos! We did swim though, even Steve took his first swim – well, a couple of quick dips under the water and then back to the sunbed.

Late afternoon we headed off by train to Torremolinos. We’d heard there’d be some interesting St. Patrick’s Day celebrations going on there … and we fancied a night out seeing somewhere different. On arrival there was a marquee in the square with Irish celebrations in full swing – live Irish music and dancing, revellers swathed in all things green and oversized squidgy top hats with Guinness branding … and evidence of drinking sessions from the early morn!

We thought we’d have a look around the town first and so wandered down to the beach area, descending several flights of slippy marble steps to get there. I know it’s out of season but it didn’t seem that bad – Torremolinos often gets a bad press but the beach area with its bars and restaurants was perfectly OK. We stopped at one to take our first drink of the evening.

Then we started to wend our way back up to the top of town, through busy winding streets full of retail opportunities. Settled on a tapas bar halfway up that looked to have a sea view – it was only once shown to a table that we noticed there was no-one else in there … and the views weren’t all that either. And as for my ‘vino blanco’ – it was undrinkable – luckily there was a plant just behind Steve that came in handy for disposing of said liquid. We moved on.

Once back in the square, St.Patrick’s Day celebrations seemed to have burnt themselves out …. so we just found ourselves a restaurant for tapas and vino and then headed off home for a reasonably early night. So, no Guinness hangover for us!

Monday 18th March 2019

Our first real windy and cloudy day. And so we did something unusual for a holiday activity – we planned our next travelling adventure! We actually spent the whole day planning flights, accommodation and itinerary for six weeks travelling around Cuba later in the year – and we are very excited.

We did get out of the apartment late afternoon for a walk from the Marina to Castillo de Bil Bil – one of Benalmadena’s attractions – it looks like a medieval Moorish fortress but in fact was built in the 20th century.

Tuesday 19th March 2019

We were up early this morning – alarm set for 6.30am (unheard of – felt like the middle of the night)! Another colder weather day had been forecast, and so with Steve’s foot on the mend we had made the magnanimous decision to get those walking boots back on and head for the hills. We had read an article in a local paper this week about Malaga’s own mini Camino de Santiago – a 15km path from Villanueva de la Concepcion, through El Torcal natural park and finishing in Antequera. The article made it sound quite magical – a spiritual experience … and described it as a “fairly undemanding hike.”

GPS set (and now speaking to us in English!) we had a smooth hour’s drive to Villanueva de la Concepcion, a sweet looking village set up in the hills. We parked up outside a school and a nearby shop, having identified the start of the Camino Mozarabe. Popped into the shop for some provisions – interesting stocks – lots of stationery, party decorations and dressing up clothes, random selections of food items and then the largest selection of school bags you have ever seen. Picked up water and biscuits, essential for the trek – then stumbled across freshly baked chocolate covered custard doughnuts – 3 for a euro – well, how could you resist? It was only later that we had the thought that we might have deprived a school child of their daily treat – there was only so many to go round!

So we were off to a good start but very quickly took a wrong turning and found ourselves scrabbling up rocky hillsides and then, more importantly, sliding down them again. Identified our mistake (the sign had a cross on it – seems obvious in hindsight) … from then on we got the gist of how to find and correctly read signs and all was well.

We walked on through dramatic countryside with the most breathtaking of mountain backdrops and its renowned limestone rock formations. All so peaceful, we passed 3 other walkers and two farmers in the whole day. The greatest noise of the day were the canine sentries barking ferociously as we walked past isolated country houses – an occasional dog ran out to have a look but left us alone once we walked a safe distance past. Wouldn’t have wanted to have messed with the ones that were chained up however!

Our first spot of civilisation was a lonely goat farmer – we were sat on a rock scoffing chocolate covered custard doughnuts at the time – not sure which of us had the most unusual spectacle!

We also walked past a farm with bulls – luckily the farmer closed the gate just before we walked past – they didn’t seem so friendly – certainly wouldn’t have wanted to walk through a field of them – no way!

The first half of the walk was fairly uphill but decent paths and nothing too stupendously steep, not a patch on our UK coastal path walking (or so we thought)! The terrain varied along the way but cut through the most scenic of farmland and we enjoyed lots of chatter side by side, or sometimes Steve was a pace or 20 ahead of me – for three reasons:

1) I like to take in the scenery

2) I like to take photos

3) Have you seen the difference in the length of our legs!!?

The newspaper article had mentioned a ‘slightly tricky descent’ – this was probably the major understatement and this part of the trek was what compared it to our Cornish coastal walking. We had met a friendly German couple at the top who had just climbed it … and mentioned it was steep. Going down was no picnic – small parts of it had been cemented but largely it was loose stones … and very long and steep. We just took a step (or slide) at a time and made our way to the bottom.

From the bottom we had a fairly straightforward 4 km to our destination of Antequera – so pretty once we had our first glimpse of the town. Found our way to the nearest bar and rewarded ourselves with beer and tapas.

It was only on leaving Antequera in a taxi that we realised how big the town was – not sure our weary legs would have been up to much more wandering however. The taxi drove us pretty crazily back to Villanueva de la Concepcion – and again this village looked way bigger than the one we had set off from, and with our limited Spanish we couldn’t convince the driver to drive around until we found our car. So, we basically got dumped and then had to search nervously, not recognising a thing and at times doubting we were in the same village – finally using google maps to locate schools and so traced the whereabouts of our trusty Citroen Cactus.

And so two weary ramblers returned home – it was great to have had a new adventure though – we loved it.

Wednesday 20th March 2019

It’s Wednesday, it’s cloudy – this could only mean one thing …. household chores, supermarket shopping and blog!

Amongst this though we did fit in a walk from Benalmadena to Torremolinos … and Steve tried out a bit of running. Bit grim on that front however, the left knee was painful, but it took his mind off the foot pain! We covered 5 miles all in all and so tucked into sardines, prawns, avocado and vino blanco at a local chiringuito, as way of recovery.

And so … we’re already half way through this Andalucian adventure – we’re certainly missing everyone back home but loving the experience of living in Spain. And we do see it is as that rather than a holiday, just doing every days things and having the luxury of time to both relax and to explore.

We’re hoping the sun returns tomorrow though – enough’s enough. We’re ready to get back on that beach. We’ll keep you posted. 😎

7th – 13th March 2019

During our second week in Andalucia we’ve managed to venture a little further – a road trip inland, some more city sightseeing and discovering Benalmadena Pueblo. Steve’s getting steadier on his ‘foot’ now, although it’s still not up to running or long treks. Oh well, mustn’t grumble – loving the chilled way of life!!

On Thursday we took a wander around Benalmadena Marina and then to the nearby beach. Loved the marina and discovered it to be the pretty end of town with interesting beachside shops and cafes too. The sunbeds are more expensive than Fuengirola though and toilets not so accessible (very important factors when you’re pensioners!), so our other beach days this week have seen us return to a favourite spot along Fuengirola beach. Steve’s happy resting up while I fit in my 5 mile promenade walk most days – wherever you are along this coast the promenade just seems to stretch for miles. There’s also plenty of exercise equipment dotted around for stretching it out too. It’s not that I’m a fitness fanatic (I wish I was) – I just have to compensate for that ‘essential’ holiday eating and drinking!

However, on Saturday’s beach trip I had a bit of a ‘funny turn!’ After my walk I went in for a swim – it was pretty cold as usual, I seemed to be the only person in the sea that day. I came out and must have very quickly dozed off in the sun …. and when I came too I had lost part of my memory … I knew who Steve was but I just couldn’t remember where we were, how we had got there, where we were staying etc. It was really scary and I think I freaked Steve out. It was a good hour or so before things starting to return to normal. We’re guessing it was sunstroke or my body reacting to the extremes of temperature. Of course Steve’s had plenty of mileage out of it since … trying to convince me that I don’t like G&T … and apparently I hate shopping … oh and I’m married to George Clooney (still waiting for evidence of that one)! 😆

So on Friday we decided to embark on the 180 miles return road trip to Granada to visit Alhambra, a palace and fortress complex steeped in Moorish and Spanish history. The drive was pretty spectacular in itself – the vast stretches of farmland and hills and the snow capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada. The road systems were amazing too, we were often one of a few vehicles on vast 4 lane motorway stretches. The GPS went a little astray towards the end, due to new roads we think, (plus navigating never was my strong point), however we eventually found our way into the car park and eagerly set off to join the queue. Only to be informed that as I had no ID we could not enter the palaces. I was devastated … I tried the “we’ve driven 2 hours to get here” “I’m English and we don’t carry ID” …. I even considered trying to raise a few tears … but it seemed that nothing was going to make them budge. Some compensation however in that we managed to save ourselves some euros and there were parts of the grounds we could visit without an entrance ticket – and it was all stunning – so all was not lost.

On Saturday, after my mysterious ‘memory loss’ incident, we were booked on an evening Airbnb experience – a wine and tapas tour in Malaga. I was still feeling a little bit dizzy but we set off with the thought that we could return if I didn’t feel well at any time. It turned out to be a fantastic evening. We met up with our host Alicia (https://ohmygoodguide.com/) and 4 others in the group, all youngsters in their twenties – all so friendly. We learnt so much about Andalucian tapas and the local sweet wines. During the evening we wandered through the beautiful city of Malaga and sampled tapas and wines in a few different bars. There was a fair bit of standing up although a few times they found me a stool (age does have its compensations)! The local sweet wines are what we would call sherry – delicious – reminded me of the odd schooner at Christmastime. And later we had Vermouth – now that reminded me of 70s nightclub drinking! We ate little bits of food in different bars – tortilla, gazpacho, olives, broad beans, goats cheese, Serrano ham, tuna and breads. For old’uns we kept up well with our party until it was time for us to leave to get the last train back to Benalmadena. Sat amongst the late night revellers in their tipsy states on the journey back – we felt like teenagers!

We’ve been back a couple of times this week too to explore the delights of Benalmádena Pueblo, and we’ve absolutely fallen in love with it. We spent the whole morning up there on Sunday, enjoying the pretty streets and houses, visiting the church with its open doors as the mass was being said, beautiful hymns ringing out and we soaked up the amazing views over Benalmádena. We sat and had coffee in the square – such a great atmosphere, the sun shining down.

We returned late Tuesday afternoon to do a little wine and tapas tour, sampling in three bars …. and loving the life. We’ve been looking longingly in the Estate Agents’ windows – could absolutely live here – as well as its quaintness, mass is at the reasonable time of 12.30pm …. and they sell ‘Yorkshire Tea’ in the local shop! What’s not to love!

On Tuesday we took ourselves off to the very large market in Fuengirola – even if you don’t buy it’s an experience. We managed to restrain ourselves from overspending but I did come away with a sun hat and Steve splashed out on some walking socks and some very snazzy red shorts. Afterwards we wandered into the old town of Fuengirola, mostly searching for reading material as stocks running low. Found one bookshop with extortionate prices for English books and limited choice, but needs must. I’m alright Jack – I have my kindle!

We spend occasional time too at our apartment pool although the water is definitely on the chilly side. Another couple of residents were there on Sunday – and ‘Macho Mike’ jumped into the pool to impress his stunningly attractive young girlfriend but almost stopped breathing with shock in the process … and made a quick exit out!! So I’ve decided not to venture in quite yet.

 

Adios for now. The sun is shining … wish you were here 😎🍷

Alicia’s Wine and Tapas Tour: https://ohmygoodguide.com/

Well we’re 7 days into this trip and have been making small steps into our exploration of the area. This first week has involved a lot of chilling, getting to know Benalmadena, Fuengirola and Malaga … all at a slow pace – largely due to a foot injury Steve sustained on the explorer run before leaving MK … and sadly recovery has been slow (and ongoing)!! So no big walks as yet and even sightseeing has been limited – the physio has declared that rest is the order of the day. Not that the chilled days on the beach and the gentle sightseeing strolls haven’t been appreciated – to be honest I don’t think I’ve EVER felt so rested … AND … I can finally keep pace with my limp-along hubbie!

Friday 1st March 2019

Very much enjoyed our first visit to the local supermarket – stocking up with Serrano ham, manchego, olives, pimentos, Spanish tomatoes, the tastiest of fruit, crusty bread … and then the wine. Steve’s eyes were popping out of his head at the crazily cheap prices …. just how do you choose? – he spent more time on this aisle than the rest of the week’s shop altogether.

Returned home and had our first lunch feast on the balcony – a bit of everything …. and everything is SO tasty – we’re becoming such foodies – Spanish foodies. The haze of the morning had lifted and our view of the sea was now becoming clearer.

Took our first drive down the hill to the nearest beach- Playa de Bil Bil and spent a couple of hours relaxing in the sun. Steve had a bit of a snooze (resting his foot … and eyelids!) and I took a walk along the beach, paddling in the near on icy water – nobody seems to be swimming!

Afterwards we took a short drive up into the hills – our apartment is fairly high up into the hills, away from the hustle and bustle of the coastal accommodations. To be honest, I hadn’t realised that Benalmadena was the metropolis it is – I had imagined white sun-drenched hillside villas, sloping down to quiet beaches – but it’s massive – high-rise hotels and hundreds and thousands of apartment blocks …. but with the most stunning backdrop of mountains and blue blue sky.

Back home and of course it was beer/G&T o’clock … whilst looking longingly at the apartment’s pool which is apparently too cold for swimming. Well at least the ducks are making use of it!

Whilst sipping, Steve started to research Benalmadena and discovered its history of earthquakes and tsunamis – oh well, I guess there had to be something!

Saturday 2nd March

It had been a fairly stormy night and this morning the wind was still giving the palm trees a good old blasting. Determined to get back to his running soon, Steve wanted to continue resting his foot, giving it every chance of recovery, so I set off solo for a walk of the local area. Took in a fair few hills, up and down – stunning views down to the sea and up into the mountains. Walked for a couple of miles at a fair pace so felt that at last I was getting some exercise … even got the lycra out.

Later in the day we took an Uber up to Benalmadena Pueblo, the original part of this area, with its whitewashed houses and cobbled streets – this was the Benalmadena of my imagination. We had heard that there was to be a carnival parade so got excited about a colourful fiesta fest – however, it turned out to be a few children dressed as pirates, princesses and fairies and a few Dads in Spanish dresses … I’m sure there’ll be others! Stopped for pizza and vino and soaked up the atmosphere of this old Spanish town. Didn’t wander far on the cobbles though – not conducive to foot recovery! Will defintely be back to explore more.

Sunday and Monday 3rd & 4th March 2019

Both of these days were particularly hot so, of course, it had to be beach and we took a drive to Fuengirola both days where we knew we could secure sun loungers and shade (it’s important business foot resting you know)! 6 euros equipped us with all we needed and included a free drink each. I snuck in a 5 mile speed walk along the promenade the first day – joining a whole army of Lycra clad ladies doing similar struts, all of us weaving in and out of the more leisurely beach goers! And the rest of the day we lounged and read (both getting through so many books) and lo and behold … I actually swam in the sea. I can’t lie, it was freezing – but as always once you’re under it’s gorgeous – it’s just the getting under that hurts!

On the Monday I didn’t fit my walk in – I’d had a little too much wine the night before so just rested … and swam (nothing like freezing water to clear the head).

Steve’s comment of the day: “Day 4, still no friends!”

Tuesday 5th March 2019

Decided to venture out to Malaga today, by train. We wanted to check out the journey as we’re booked on a tapas tour there on Saturday evening. Drove to the station – stopping off to navigate the recycling and waste disposal systems on the way – parked up near Tivoli World for 1 euro for the whole day (bargain). Phrase book in hand, I delivered my best Spanish request for ‘two return tickets to Malaga please’ … and he actually understood me … “muchas gracias.” (No Caroline and Jim, I didn’t ask for a table for eight fish 🤣). Lovely clean and air-conditioned trains – passengers could do with a few more manners when embarking and disembarking however – Steve managed to stand on a lady’s foot who stepped up as he was stepping off — his bad foot too!!

Loved our first glimpse of Malaga – didn’t get far as gentle strolling only – but certainly got a feel for later visits, things to do, places to go. Walked around the moneyed Marina area – some rather delicious yachts moored and a selection of upmarket bars and cafes – with KFC and McDs thrown in of course …. plus Hard Rock Cafe opening soon.

We managed to get ourselves lost on the way back to the station and Steve (being a man) not being one to ask for directions left it to me to practice my Spanish a little further. I asked a lovely lady “Donde esta l’estacion?” (I learnt ‘donde esta’ … (where is) when I very first came to Spain when I was 18, and I’ve never forgotten it – so today it came in handy. This very sweet young lady caringly guided us up the road like two lost grandparents and set us off in the appropriate direction. We chatted and found out she was Russian and came to Malaga to visit her children – so we sort of made a new friend – no Facebook contact however!!

Once back in Benalmadena, we stopped off at a couple of local bars for sundowners …. as you do.

Noticed we were the only consumers wearing ‘summer gear’ – everyone else was swaddled in jumpers, hoodies and coats … and not another exposed leg in sight – just us then! Haven’t come across that many Brits yet – seems to be largely a Spanish area. Have to admit I was slightly worried after watching recent episodes of ‘Bargain Brits abroad.’

Wednesday 6th March 2019

As had been forecast, today is mega windy and overcast. So it’s been a day of housework (yes, we’re in an airbnb apartment and we actually have to do our own cleaning, washing etc. – it’s not a holiday you know!! 🤣) supermarket stock up and blogging. A big rest day today for Steve – foot up and showing some slow signs of recovery. Those of you that know my marathon man husband will know how much he is missing his running and generally active life – please heal soon!

So blog done, I’m off to do some yoga – Namaste 🙏

We’re back on the rambling road … this adventure is taking us to the Andalucía region of Spain. We’ve packed running and gym gear, walking gear and yoga mat – so intending to be pretty active … well, let’s just see about that!! 😘

We’re excited about ‘leaving’ again. I know some of you can’t fathom us out, constantly packing and moving around, sleeping in other people’s beds – but we love it …. and there’s so much to explore and so many experiences to encounter in our retirement. 21 months in and we’ve certainly been around – but we’re nowhere near finished! Have been home for quite a spell this time as had a few things to fit in – my 60th Birthday celebrations, Christmas with the family, Emma and John’s outstanding wedding day (following months of preparation), the old medical checks of varying types + £1,000 worth of unexpected dental treatment following Steve’s bridge collapse!

But now we’re sitting in Heathrow’s Terminal 5, awaiting our flight to Malaga. Bags checked in (after some late rearranging due to weight – the case that is!), the trauma of security navigated, a delicious late breakfast of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs in Giraffe, some duty free shopping naturally … and relax!

We’re staying in an Airbnb apartment for 6 weeks, near Benalmadena, so we will have one base (no rucksack on back!) – looking forward to making it our home for the duration. Hoping to do plenty of sightseeing and walking in this culturally rich area of southern Spain. One website describes Andalucía as “the Spain of the imagination, a dreamy sun-kissed land where passion, poetry and drama collide.” That’ll do for us.

Departure gate – Heathrow Terminal 5 – we’re ready to fly away again!

Arrived in Malaga in good time. Packed flight as aircraft small – a few arguments about hand luggage space (not us I might add). A little bumpy at times, made worse by a group of schoolgirls near us who screamed like we were on some mega rollercoaster. Pleasant evening temperature on arrival and all went swimmingly with car hire process – has to be a first!!

Our ‘wheels’ for the next 6 weeks – they upgraded us from a Seat to a Citroen Cactus

Only a 15 minute drive to our apartment so no big trauma. We were met by Sue and Anne who showed us around – still no hiccups. It’s always strange arriving in the dark though – can’t wait to see our surroundings in the morning. Too tired to go out so toast and cheese, peanuts and a bottle of red wine it was (left by the Airbnb as a welcome pack).

And woke up this morning after a comfortable night’s sleep, had breakfast on the balcony from which we surveyed the locality. Beautiful pool (but clearly too cold to use), gardens, tennis courts and the sea not too far away – oh yes! 😎

Now off to explore what the local area has to offer + the inevitable first day Supermarket stock up. Here’s to some exciting Andalucía discoveries 😊💃🏽

Monday 5th November 2018

Unfortunately felt a wee bit delicate this morning so didn’t venture too far – had a brilliant, but boozy, evening yesterday with Fran and Andy and also Tim, who had all just arrived in Hikkaduwa – all set for the test match starting on Tuesday. Did plenty of swimming in the hotel pool and engaged in my new passion for ‘Desert Island Discs’ podcasts (as recommended by Judy) – particularly atmospheric when listening to them on the beach with the soundtrack of waves.

Early afternoon we set off for Unawatuna – there was a planned Barmy Army pre-test party on the beach there. Steve, Tim and I treated ourselves to a driver (rather than the tuk tuk option) as it was a fairly long journey. Bagged ourselves a good table at the Lucky Tuna bar, under cover, which paid off later when the heavens opened – and the place was rammed. Karen, George and Howie joined us. A fun night – Steve had a good go at keeping up with the younger members of our crew on the Lion Beer front – they’re rather large bottles!!! He was however the only one of us mingling in with the Barmy Army crowd as they started their singalong … “And did those feet in ancient time” …. (Jerusalem) 🎶 “We are the army, the Barmy Army” … 🎶 etc. etc. etc. I did manage to whisk him off at a sensible time – just in time I would say.

Tuesday 6th November 2018

The first day of the test match in Galle … the excitement was building. We were up early for a walk to the local train station – paid all of about 25p each to catch a 3rd class ride into Galle.

We met up with Tim at Galle station and scooted off for a sausage roll breakfast, washed down with incredibly sweet and milky coffee. Once in the ground we found our seats – we were booked into the Harbour Stand which had very posh white satin seat covers – a bit like a wedding.

We were amazed how they had transformed the ground since our last visit here, lots of temporary stands in place, all looking quite elegant. Not quite fully polished however (the toilets left a lot to be desired – and that’s an understatement)! … and not quite ready – as the game was starting there was a dog running around on the pitch which had to be chased off and they were still fixing up the frill to our stand. Also, we were well into the 5th over before they finished putting the boundary pads in place and up until lunchtime still placing the advertising boards – stadium management at its best!

England started the batting and lost a few early wickets … so a little shaky – more than made up for it later on though. A fantastic atmosphere, about 6,000 in the crowd, predominantly English. Hordes of spectators too on the Galle Fort wall. It was a great day of cricket and, believe it or not, the rain stayed away.

Caught the last train back to Hikkaduwa. Had dinner at Refresh Restaurant – tucked into a delicious cashew nut curry – had to chuckle at the menu wording!

Wednesday 7th November 2018

Plummed for a leisurely morning at poolside and then caught the more speedy train from Hikkaduwa into Galle.

Steve and Tim joined George and Howie for some more cricket and Karen and I escaped for a little ladies time. We took a tuk tuk into the old town – stopped off at the Amangalla Hotel so that we could book a table for afternoon tea. Intended to go shopping at this point but decided on a glass of Prosecco first instead – strangely enough we were still there quaffing Prosecco when 3.00pm came round and it was time for our afternoon tea. Such an elegant place and we had the full works of delicate sandwiches, savoury pastries, sweet pastries, cakes and scones/cream & jam – we felt like real ladies … and very full ladies at that. We spent the afternoon nattering, exchanging our life stories and laughing at all sorts. Did manage to leave at 5.00pm for a bit of shopping in Galle’s classy shops before we met up with our men.

Thursday 8th November 2018

Decided to take a day off cricket today. Steve got up early for a run – I have decided to address the whole exercise issue when I get home now!! Spent a beautiful morning at Turtle Beach – so perfect to watch these amazing sea creatures calmly weave their way in amongst the bathers.

Had lunch on the beach but unfortunately had settled ourselves at the only cafe that didn’t have Wi-fi. Steve by this time was itching to find out how the cricket was going so we headed back to the hotel and ‘endured’ some lazy hours chilling at the pool, listening to Talk Sport!

Met Tim in the evening and had dinner again at Refresh – more cashew nut curry – I love it. Poor Tim had travelled back from Galle by tuk tuk in the pouring rain and the tuk tuk had broken down 3 times – quite a journey. The torrential rain persisted all evening … so much so we were forced to resort to cocktails after dinner as far too wet to leave! A self-inflicted lock-in!

Friday 9th November 2018

Our last full day in Sri Lanka after 5 fabulous weeks. Decided on a bit of beach time before we travelled into Galle. Our lovely tuk tuk driver, Roisin, drove us to a pretty tucked away beach that has magnificent coral and marine life – popular for snorkelling. Just standing on the shore you could see hundreds of fish, all shapes, colours and sizes – you didn’t even need to snorkel or get into a glass bottom boat.

As usual we were joined by a dog on the beach – you can never go anywhere without seeing a dog here. And sadly a lot of them are not exactly blessed with good looks – they remind me of the hyenas out of the Lion King.

At lunchtime we set off for Galle for what promised to be the last day of this test – England in a strong position to win. The train was delayed so we put our trust in Roisin to tuk tuk us to the cricket ground – as it turned out it was OK.

Once in the ground, we met up with the others and enjoyed the next few hours of England bowling in the final innings … and we won …. hooray 🎉 Admittedly, Karen and I had a good old natter during this time and everytime a big cheer went up we had to confess to missing the wicket. A few beers were consumed in this time too and on victory there was much merriment. Even a good old-fashioned streaker!

We all went to celebrate in the very salubrious establishment called Joe’s Bar in the Sydney Hotel – one drink there sufficed. Moved on to the other extreme in visiting The Fort Printers Hotel in Old Galle town – shared a very decent bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Managed to get a taxi home (although the driver was not sure of the way) and popped into Buddes Bar for a final meal on Hikkaduwa’s beautiful beach. Fran and Andy joined us for a drink – so nice to catch up with them before leaving.

Saturday 10th November 2018

Big farewells to our lovely friends at Vesma Villas and we were given such a heartwarming send off. I think we’ll be back – how could we not!?

Today we fly back home, in time to celebrate my 60th Birthday at the end of the week! It’s been an amazing trip – some fabulous sights visited, wonderful people met and new friends made … and of course cricket was a big part of this journey – it’s been a pleasure to watch our team play so well and achieve great things.

We will miss you Sri Lanka … but looking forward to the sanity of English roads! 😊

Monday 29th October – Sunday 4th November 2018

After a lot of moving around, sightseeing and cricket over the last few weeks, we really fancied a chilled week – and that has gone exactly to plan.  We feel so at home back in Vesma Villas, in the pretty village of Thiranagama, in Hikkaduwa.  It’s a 10 bedroom villa complex tucked away amongst fruit trees, coconut palms and paddy fields – so incredibly pretty and peaceful.  And the staff are delightful, especially Asie who is just always there with a big smile, ready to provide whatever is needed.

We’ve sort of fallen into this relaxed daily routine.  Breakfast at the hotel (always freshly and deliciously cooked by Monty, served by Asie.  There’s just one other couple staying at the hotel – the lovely Claire and Andy from Yorkshire – so normally we have a chinwag over breakfast.  And the most amazing thing happened … just in conversation we realised that we know Claire’s best friend – Bobbi Jo Harrison.  Until recently, Bobbi ran an hotel in Phuket and it just so happens that Steve and I stayed there for a month last year … such a small world.

After breakfast we normally spend a few leisurely hours sunbathing, swimming (I get my 50 laps in a day),  Steve tries to fit in an early morning run and I do some yoga – we just generally luxuriate in the peace and serenity of our little haven.  The only noise being the birds, the odd dog bark, relaxing music (c/o Claire and Andy) … oh and occasionally the washing machine!  In the last couple of days, we’ve been treated to some pink gin and tonic at lunchtime (how decadent) – kindly provided by our new Yorkshire friends.

Then early afternoon we take a walk through the pretty village of Thiranagama to get to the beach … and every day is different.  We pass by the paddy fields, we see cows grazing at the side of the road, numerous wild dogs just strolling around, beautiful peacocks in large musters running through the fields … and the village folk so ready with their smiles and hellos – some walking, lots on bikes, young children with their fascinated faces (I guess we stand out like sore thumbs – our villa is a bit off the beaten track).

So the afternoons are generally beach time and in contrast, the beach can be a fairly busy place – there are restaurants, bars and cafes along the whole strip.  The sunbeds are free and then you buy drinks and food from whichever establishment you have based yourself at.  And they’re all pretty good.  Our favourites are Neelas, The Drunken Monkey, Buddes, Sunny’s and Chill Space – so we’ve tried a few.  The beach is gorgeous but unfortunately the sea is really only for strong and confident swimmers.  The waves are so high and the currents strong – it looks great fun – there are plenty of swimmers, surfers and bodyboarders … but this time we’re just watching.  We tried it last time we were here – it’s not for us.  We’ve been told that there are 4-5 fatalities a year here with rip tides!!  But we’re happy relaxing on our beds and having the occasional paddle – also kept busy with the frequent visits from beach-sellers – products and services ranging from sarongs, wooden elephants, monkey and cobra photo opportunities, spices and Sri Lankan flags.  My favourite has to be the team of men who look about 90, generally with one tooth, carrying a little plastic bag of aloe vera, offering foot massage!  Haven’t been tempted yet!

Most days we stay on the beach for drinks and then early dinner so we can catch the sunset – all very casual dining.  Mostly living on curries, chicken & rice and seafood – not complaining however, the food’s amazing.  Naturally accompanied by Lion Beer / wine / cocktails.

Sometimes we go back to the hotel to freshen up first – especially if we’re meeting friends.  It’s been fabulous meeting up again with Karen, George and Howie (previously called Harry in error) in Hikkaduwa.  We’ve had dinner and drinks together a few nights – such great company – lots of laughs.  We’ll be seeing them at the cricket again next week and Karen and I are hoping to slope off for some girlie time!   We also had a fun evening on the beach with Claire and Andy – I started off planning an alcohol-free night but, best-laid plans and all that – great fun.

 

No sightseeing trips this week, just pure relaxation – it’s been fantastic.  Today three more friends are arriving out from the UK, ready for the test matches which start on Tuesday in Galle.  So, let’s see what next week (our last week in Sri Lanka) brings in the land of palm trees.

 

 

Thursday 25th October 2018

Another day in our lovely ‘Ellen’s Place’ hotel and another delicious breakfast. While we wait for our eggs to be cooked each morning, they provide us with freshly baked ‘warm from the oven’ cakes – sometimes banana cakes, sometimes pineapple cakes – ooh the calories!

Sorted out some laundry before leaving this morning – this item on the laundry list made me giggle – well at least it means that Steve’s not the last person in the world still using handkerchiefs!

So today’s plan was to ‘nip in’ to Immigration to renew our visa (we’re here longer than 30 days) and then head to the beach. Suffice to say there was no ‘nipping’ – a crowded, stressful and irritating 4 and a half hours ensued as we were passed from desk to desk, photographed, interviewed and endured long periods of waiting (including their lunch break)! Finally at a cost of $54 each our passports were returned with gleaming new visas.

Off to the beach we headed and enjoyed a late lunch and much needed coffee – the wind was already getting up and within a very short space of time the black clouds started to gather – so without even a swim we packed up and headed back to the hotel. The rain continued most of the evening … but we managed to fit in dinner at Sugar Bistro and then a quick night cap at The Cheers Bar. “Norm!…” (for any Cheers fans out there)?

Friday 26th October 2018

A pretty straightforward day today – arranged to meet Richard and Judy at Sugar Beach. Headed out there nice and early to maximise the day. It’s a beautiful beach we’ve discovered, predominantly a locals’ beach – just the odd tourist. Today it was fabulous to be there as there was lots of fishing activity. It’s incredible the lengths they go to to bring in a few fish – not sure how lucrative it can be as there’s a lot of men to share the profits.

We got a couple of great swims in and Steve even got to use the restaurant’s bodyboard – so he was in his element playing in the waves.

Richard and Judy unfortunately ended up at a different end of the beach so we didn’t get to meet up – made plans for tomorrow.

Had the usual torrential rain in the evening so rather than walk we got a taxi to the Italian restaurant Bayleaf which we’d been to on our first night in Colombo. Fabulous meal again and we were entertained with fireworks as apparently there’d been a sudden change of Prime Minister … just like that!

Saturday 27th October 2018

Poor Steve’s having a real time of it … he had a troublesome night as he developed a sore throat, chesty cough and some breathing difficulties. For someone who’s so rarely ill he’s certainly packing it in on this holiday! At 5.00am he was drawn to look out the window at the sound of a marching band … he initially thought he had become delirious. But apparently there was a full-on parade, marching band, fire-eaters, whirling dervishes … the works! The hotel staff were oblivious to it when we asked them, but decided it was probably connected to the installation of the new Prime Minister.

After breakfast we hit the streets of downtown Colombo 8 to find a pharmacy. Then equipped with cough mixture and lozenges we walked a but further to track down an ATM. Now Sri Lanka IS a beautiful country … but not so the back streets of Colombo. Many of the buildings and pavements are in a state of decay and sadly ridiculously dirty. Our pretty and clean hotel just seems to have been planted in a ‘not so pretty and clean’ area of town. But it was all an experience and even Steve with his breathing problems soldiered on amidst the fumes emanating from the hordes of tuk tuks and their cheap petrol. We had just been discussing tripping hazards when literally about 20 yards from the hotel Steve went flying off the pavement into the gutter … into the biggest and muddiest puddle we’d seen all morning. He was covered in mud from head to toe and had grazed his hand and knee …. but mostly his pride was wounded. We managed to sneak back into the hotel unseen and all was recovered.

Once cleaned up we set off for the Mount Lavinia Hotel where we were meeting Richard, Judy and family. This is another colonial heritage hotel and has great charm. We had some time around the pool, some buffet lunch then spent a short time on the beach. All really pleasant and great to catch up again with the Benmores … but we had to head off mid-afternoon because of course there was cricket this evening – and we couldn’t possibly be late!

This time we got it right … we had pre-booked Hushni to take us to the stadium and to meet us later (to avoid a repeat of Tuesday’s getting home nightmare). We got there in plenty of time and enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere of this T20 game – the Sri Lankan supporters were out in force.

The England boys did well from the start and it was exciting to watch. I can understand why the younger folk prefer T20 to test matches – it seemed a lot more lively (probably not supposed to say that)! But inevitably the rain came, not torrential this time but the covers came on and play was postponed. We made the decision to cut our losses and get clear of the stadium in case there was a sudden evacuation. A wise decision – Hushni met us, with his lovely wife in the car too, and we returned to the hotel to watch the resumed match from the comfort of our bed, with snacks!

Sunday 28th October 2018

More suitcase packing and more farewells today as we leave the lovely staff at Ellen’s Place. It wasn’t the greatest of locations but everything else about the hotel was amazing, including the warm hospitality.

Hushni arrived promptly at 10.00am for our drive from Colombo to Hikkaduwa. Before we left the city we took a little tour of Galle Face, the Fort area and the bustling markets of Pettah.

It was a reasonable drive down, some incredibly busy areas where lots of beeping went on, particularly if a bus happened to be tailing us. Once on the highway it was a lot quicker and smoother. Reaching the green forest areas felt such a welcome relief after the mad city life we have experienced this week – it just looked and felt so fresh. Reaching the familiar area of Hikkaduwa and its coastline felt like coming home and as we wound our way down the village lanes to Vesma Villas we felt so excited. This is where we stayed earlier in the year.

And what a welcome we had … all the staff came out to greet us with genuine excitement. We were presented with the most beautiful and scented of flower garlands and proudly escorted to our chalet which had been dressed up fit for a King and Queen.

We are back in the Sri Lanka we love … and we can breathe the beautifully fresh unpolluted air. Here’s to two weeks of relaxation. 😎

Tuesday 23rd October 2018

To be perfectly honest this was not a good day!!

Started off keen with an early rise & breakfast, so we could get to the cricket in plenty of time.  Luckily we got into conversation with another hotel guest who pointed out it was a day and night game, starting at 2.30pm!   Not quite that keen.  So had a leisurely morning and big catch-up blog time.

When it came time to go all the Ubers seemed to be stuck in traffic – the city grinds to a standstill early afternoon as the schools chuck out.   Our hotel chappie sourced us a car from elsewhere and so off we set, not quite as early as planned but we were on our way!  As we inched our way through chaos there was a sudden bang … a tuk tuk had driven in to the back of our car.  The two drivers proceeded to rant and rave leaving us deserted in the middle of about 4 lanes of heavy traffic … and time was getting on!   Eventually they decided to pull over to continue their ‘discussion.’  So we took the opportunity to get out, pay up and flag down a tuk tuk in desperation!  We got to the stadium just as the first ball was bowled.  Phew!

We met up with Richard, Judy and family … the sun was shining and there was some good cricket – the Sri Lankans batted well.  During the day we enjoyed a few beers together, ate a bit of chicken and rice (as you do!) and all was well.

We marvelled at the pelicans flying overhead and as it got towards dusk the bats arrived … some extremely large ones too!  England came into bat and there were some early wickets … we tried to keep the faith but our batsmen were dropping like flies.

And then came the rain.  And extremely ferocious thunder and lightening.   So the end of play was announced and Sri Lanka had won the day – they genuinely deserved it.  We however now had the problem of getting home in this most torrential of rain.

Thousands of bodies were leaving the stadium en masse – the local roads and transport systems just weren’t up to this volume of traffic.  We had to wade though deep puddles of muddy water along the edge of what felt like the M25 … we walked and walked in darkness, in the pouring rain, until we found what we thought might be a suitable place to book an Uber – no such luck – the main roads were gridlocked too.  So we walked on, not really even sure of the direction to our hotel.  Eventually, again in desperation, we took a tuk tuk.  And boy did we regret that – he drove like a bat out of hell, taking us in a large loop around the city, down lots of bumpy passages and side roads, and half an hour later passing where he had picked us up from.  I was pretty much traumatised – and after an incredibly near miss when he drove through red traffic lights, Steve demanded he stopped (+ a few other words)!  … and we got out and walked the rest of the way.   It really was two hours of hell – we got back to the hotel drenched and fed up – that is definitely the last tuk tuk we will use in Colombo!

Wednesday 24th October 2018

We slept off all the stress of the previous day – today just had to be better.  We set off to find the beach area of Mount Lavinia – nothing like sea, sand and sunshine to make the world feel better.  And that’s just what we found on Sugar Beach.  Rocked up at a seafood restaurant that allowed us to use their sun loungers as long as we bought refreshments.  It was a simple place but food and hospitality was superb.  Our first sea swim of the holiday – fabulous, we had a perfect day.

Today was a Poya Day which is a monthly full-moon inspired National Holiday for the Sri Lankans.  So the beach was full of local families and groups of youngsters enjoying themselves – it was lovely to watch them laughing in the waves and playing cricket on the shore.

We got back to the hotel just in time to avoid another heavy downpour.  We were determined to make up for our misery of last night, so got all dressed up and called a taxi to take us to a restaurant called Barnesbury’s that Steve had found online.  It was a stylish restaurant with a grand looking bar area – this was more like it!   My mouth watered as I settled in for my pre-dinner G&T … but it turned out they didn’t sell alcohol.  The waiter smugly informed us that we wouldn’t get alcohol anywhere tonight anyway, as it’s a Poya Day.    The food however was superb … as were the mocktails.

When we got back to Ellen’s Place, our bijou hotel, the lovely waiters allowed us some beer.  They informed us earlier in the week that they’re not allowed an alcohol licence as they are near a school – they can sell their local Lion Beer however as it’s only 4.4%!!

So city versus beach … it’s beach for us everytime.