Part SIX -Pub-crawling around the world: The Establishment, Wellington, New Zealand

I arrived in Wellington in the very early hours of Waitangi Day, which is New Zealand's National Holiday but it doesn't inspire the same celebrations as St. Patrick's Day or Australia Day for some reason. Kiwi's are pretty laid-back, maybe that's why?

Windy, but lovely, Wellington

Anyhow, after exploring the windy city of Wellington on this beautiful summers' day in February, joining in the modest celebrations down at the harbour for an hour or two, I decided to find a bar and sample some of the local wine, which I'm told is very similar to the Marlborough region wines.






After a little wander down the street, the Establishment looked promising and were doing $5 glasses of beer and wine for the occasion. It was also the beginning of the Wellington 7's weekends so there was much merriment and rugby-related paraphernalia strewn around the bar.

I settled in at a table with my glass of wine and was immediately pounced upon by some members of "Jay and Flynny's quiet couple." I quickly discovered that Jay and Flynny are local celebrity DJ's (I use the term celebrity loosely here) and participants had won the right do join this big 'ol Waitangi/7's/bank holiday party getting free and special drinks in many of the bars around town. A giant pub-crawl no less :) Each member was sporting a t-shirt with the tag-line (as mentioned above) emblazoned across their chest, which apparently made inebriated members of the party find each-other more attractive. I saw people launch themselves across the bar at each-other, pointing at the t-shirt like it made them part of this great club where they had free access to each-other for random snogs and couplings. I'd wager Jay and Flynny may have been inadvertently responsible for an unplanned pregnancy or two.

Still, I was enjoying the tunes and met some other new friends - the friendliest Frenchman I've ever met (and his girlfriend, so no, that wasn't why he was friendly) who had lived in Wellington for three years and had spotted me on my own (after Jay and Flynny's lot moved on for 'quiet' ones elsewhere). The resident DJ, Shaun, was amping everyone for the rugby 7's with chart tunes and anthems, he even played 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' which proved surprisingly popular and I joined in with the crowd, shamelessly twerking with the rest of them.

A short while later I was back at my table with a fresh glass of wine. A group of lads entered and asked if they could sit at the other side of the table. I agreed and shortly afterward one of them, Danny, started chatting to me. I was beginning to think that Wellington people were just the friendliest in the world when Danny stuttered:
"Er, can I ask you something? It's my stag do and the lads have dares for me and I have to give a girl a lap-dance, would you mind?"
Well, what's a girl to do? I played my part  and even tried to tuck a dollar into his belt. He was mortified, it was all caught on smartphones for posterity and the stags high-fived me and bought me a vino before they left. All in all, I think I did very well out of it. Danny was very grateful and said if I was ever back in Wellington, he and his wife would be happy to accomodate me at theirs. I wasn't quite sure but it certainly reinforced my belief that Wellington people are super-friendly.

After I'd finished my wine, I figured that was quite enough excitement for one night, especially given I had a lovely single room to myself tonight and those are hard to come by whilst back-packing. I also had an early start for the ferry to Picton the next day. I reckon if I was with Jay and Flynny's lot, I'd definitely be still going. Still, it was a very happy and pocket-friendly Waitangi Day for me.

Ambience: 9/10 - The Establishment has a great vibe and the crowd ranged from 20 - 50, definitely a party place.
Price: $5 for wine and beer every day until 8pm - bargain!

Food: Food is available, and the prices were very reasonable ($10 upwards) but I didn't see anyone eating.

Location: Courtenay Place, very easy to find in Wellington.
Toilets: Clean and checked regularly. 

Overall: I had a great night here, I should award bonus points for all the friendly people that approached me! 9.5/10

Freefalling in Paradise - the best experience of my life

I never thought I would actually do it, I meant to do it, I WANTED to do it but I was absolutely petrified. There are many people who will testify to my fear of heights, some have seen me lose it on fairground rides, or quiver whilst going up stairs that have gaps in between the steps. I was getting Facebook comments from friends telling me to try a sky-dive in New Zealand and how I would be fine, but I really wasn't sure. However, whilst lying in bed in Kaikoura, sober, I just decided that once I reached Queenstown, I absolutely had to do it. I might never have the opportunity again and that's what this entire trip was about.

So I arrived in Queenstown on a beautiful summer's evening at 5.45pm. I walked straight into the tourist office and asked which company I should go with and how high should I jump from. The woman asked what my budget was and I told her I couldn't afford it anyway, so aside from price, what were my options. There were three companies and three choices - 9, 000ft, 12, 000ft and 15, 000ft - the highest you can go for a tandem without oxygen. I decided to throw caution to the wind (absolutely literally in this situation) and I booked for 15, 000ft with Skydive Paradise the following morning.
http://skydiveparadise.co.nz
For those not familiar, you have to do 10-15 tandem jumps from this height before you're allowed consider going it alone.

I woke up and felt a tightness in my chest, I felt rather out of sorts and unbalanced. These are all the things they tell you to check for if you're doing a jump but I convinced myself it was psychological. One of the guys who was supposed to come with us was turned down due to the fact that he was over 100 kilos and he was really gutted, I felt for him but I was glad they took their safety seriously. So off we went, to Paradise, in Glenorchy, about 45 minutes from Queenstown. On the way we stopped for pics beside Lake Wakatipu

It was really breathtaking, when you're here it completely makes sense why it was chosen as Middle Earth and I was getting to fly over it!

There were nervous jokes about landing in the glacial waters but then we arrived and it was time for our brief (too brief - my nerves) safety instruction and getting suited up. I was almost mute with fear, I had gotten to the point where I was scared that I would be too scared to enjoy it. I desperately wanted to enjoy this and conquer my crazy fear once and for all, but I actually considered the fact that I might have a stroke in mid-air and be a dead-weight on my tandem instructor. I was a little relieved when I saw the big strapping men that we would be attached to. The two Danish girls (yes, both blonde, kind of attractive) that had been on the bus were first up and I watched the tiny plane rise through the air, climbing until it was out of view.

SEE - TINY - A TINY, TITANIUM TUBE!

Shortly afterwards a guy arose from laying on the grass and approached me. He introduced himself as Matias and said that I would be jumping with him. I was confused, was I not going to be attached to one of those big, muscular men I'd seen with the girls? Matias was slight, about 5'6" and at best could be described as lean. I know I'm no Amazon, but if the guy had 5 kilos on me I'd be surprised! In the plane (tube) I actually asked him if he would be able to feel my weight as we fell. He assured me that he wouldn't!

I tried not to look down as we ascended but I couldn't help but notice the snow-tipped peaks growing ever smaller below us and I couldn't breathe. I whispered "I'm not sure I can do this," and had awful visions of the plane having to return to the ground and having failed to confront this fear. Matt simply patted me on the shoulder and told me to move to the door. It's a good thing we were strapped so closely together because rather than sit at the door for a moment I threw myself out, wanting to get it over with and not experience the horrible anticipation any longer.

Surprisingly, my first sensation was absolute freedom. I loved it. I wanted to whoop and scream and I tried, but it's not very easy when you're flying towards earth at about 214 km per hour. All I could see was the blue of the lake but it didn't feel like I was hurtling towards it. It honestly felt like flying. When Matt tapped me to put my arms and legs out I didn't hesitate, my fear was gone. When he pulled the chute, I was disappointed, I wanted to free-fall the entire way - but that of course, was crazy. That's how I felt though - I was completely high on adrenalin and happiness. Delighted that I had confronted my fear and that I was enjoying so much.

We twisted and turned whilst we glided down towards the ground and I had time to take in the absolutely stunning scenery that surrounded me. I'm sure most people think the same, but I honestly couldn't have chosen a better place to take that crazy dive.

I landed smoothly and even asked if I could go back up again but there was a queue waiting to do their dives so I decided that some other place at some other time would be better.

Most unfortunately my video and photos corrupted so I only have a few snapshots to show but every time I think of it, I remember how I was filled to bursting with happiness and the most free I have ever felt. No Go-Pro could capture that.

So, when I get the money again, I'll try again somewhere, maybe back in Dubai - apparently it's only 10, 000ft - pah! I can do that ;) I'm just afraid it will never feel as good as that first time.

Pubcrawling around the World - Part 3: Infinity, Chiang Mai

Arriving in Chiang Mai for the second time, I was planning a quieter time than my Christmas/New Year trip.  My cousin, Alex, had other ideas. Whilst I was chilling in Jackie's apartment on my very first evening, he called at 9.30pm and said we were going out. I had only arrived that afternoon and I hadn't even a chance to change or put on make-up when I was on the back of his scooter and we headed off to Niemenhaemin. Alex prefers Thai bars and areas and he told me that usually there are huge get-together's in a car-park nearby but it wasn't to be this Thursday night so across the road we went to Infinity.

Immediately I liked the outdoor area, parts are covered with an artful gazebo like structure and the other half is completely open-roofed. On a small stage, there was a girl singing popular tunes and she was pretty good. We were straight into it, ordering a bottle of Absolut, joking around with the waitresses.

You can see the stage in the background

When we had approached the bar, we saw a sign saying "Foreigners: 200Bt entry fee." but I think since it was quiet enough they didn't press the issue with us, or perhaps they knew Alex would be ordering lots of shots...

After a couple of hours catching up and enjoying the atmosphere (and perfect weather) outside, we headed inside where Alex met some of his students who had just graduated. Inside was like a nightclub, there was a Thai band onstage belting out popular numbers (well, I assume so - it was all in Thai but the music sounded superb!) everyone was dancing and whilst there were couches to sit on, there was also a big dancefloor and most people were standing or dancing. Towers of drink were being ordered and there was general mayhem enjoyed by 18-25 year olds! Everyone was really friendly and there was a real party atmosphere in the place.

From the outside, there are huge glass floor-to-ceiling windows which house the club part of the venue, and it's pretty upmarket. It reminded me of super-clubs in other cities and if you're into clubs then definitely give this place ago.

I was really enjoying the music but I did feel a little out of my depth, given that I was probably the only non-Thai present, on the older side of the crowd and I had no Thai to speak of! I had to wander off around 2am, my excuse being that I was still jet-lagged from my Australian flight two days prior. I'm not sure even Alex knows what time he got in, but apparently the club closes pretty late.

Ambience: 10/10 -This place has everything, outdoors for chilling, indoors to get your groove on!
Cost: $$ A little on the pricey side for Chiang Mai, but ridiculously cheap for Westerners - 950Bht for a bottle of Absolut
Food: Didn't eat - not even sure they serve food!
Location: Just off Niemenhaemin.
Toilets: Spotless, with friendly Thai girls.
Overall: A great place for a big night out with a group of friends.

PART 2 - Pub-crawling around the world: Groper's Garage, Kaikoura, New Zealand

Kaikoura is an absolutely beautiful peninsula on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. Many visit for the wildlife - on the drive in you will see fur seals basking on the rocks, albatross flying through the air and if you go on a boat trip, you'll spot dusky dolphins and hopefully a giant sperm whale (or three, as I was lucky enough to!). It's also a great place for walking and hiking, with the Kaikoura mountains providing a stunning backdrop and aptly demonstrating the phrase "Where the mountains meet the sea." that you will notice written everywhere in this little town.
The beach in Kaikoura    

Groper's Garage was recommended to me by the owner of the FishTank Lodge, where I stayed in Kaikoura. Craig is an awesome guy, full of tips for the surrounding area and with a great sense of humour. I popped into the bar at dusk and was delighted to find a huge open fire and really comfy sofas. I loved the layout of the place and although it's quite large and bright, it felt cosy and homely on this rainy evening.

It's located on the main street, a stone's throw from the beach and surrounded by little craft and beachwear stores. There is outdoor seating with heaters too as Kaikoura can get pretty chilly, exposed as it is to the sea and with the backdrop of those snow-capped peaks.

I ordered a spaghetti carbonara from the very attractive barman (always a bonus in a venue!) and a local Sauvignon Blanc, as the Marlborough wine region is nearby and our bus journey took us through them on the way from Picton to Kaikoura. I'm glad to say that the wine was really nice and encouraged me to have a second glass. The carbonara was absolutely steaming when it arrived - a huge portion in an earthenware bowl. I managed to finish only about half of it but it was pretty tasty. Prices were a little on the high side (ranging from NZ$17 upwards for mains although light bites are cheaper) but that's how it is in Kaikoura, so if you're really low on pennies then buy before you get there and cook.

I didn't speak to any other customers there but I was reading so I was happy enough to stay on my own. I noticed one or two other solo travellers and there were groups playing pool. A few locals who worked nearby (I was eavesdropping) were popping in to arrange plans with the staff and some stayed for a drink.

I could have stayed for the night, hoping someone would break out a guitar and give me an excuse, but I had to be up extra early for whale-watching so I called it a night after two drinks but I'd love to return.


Ambience: 8/10 - obviously it would have been better for me if I was with people
Cost: $$$$$ (On the pricey side but the portions are built for sharing) Fries are NZ$8, my dish was $17, the wine was $9
Food: Really tasty, huge portions (too big for me - more suited to a huge labourer)
Location: Opposite the ocean, v.good, easy to find.
Toilets: All good.
Overall: Drop in, if only to see the handsome barman ;)

http://gropergarage.co.nz

Starting 2014 as I mean to go on.....

Another huge break in my blogging but I have very good reason. I am just waiting to board my 11th flight in less than four months, I can't count how many places I've been in each of those countries I've visited and I'm absolutely loving it, having the time of my life.

I have become an expert packer and I'm a total pro with a backpack now. It definitely took awhile but now I have it so what I need in one place is on top, or I can access it easily. Of course you can get one with all the little zips and pockets to compartmentalise but those are more expensive, no doubt about it. If you need tips on this sort of stuff I follow https://twitter.com/nomadicmatt and I find him absolutely awesome for info on the road.  I think I did ok in my original packing - two pairs of jeans,  one pair of shorts, a pair of leggings, couple of summer dresses, a rain jacket/windbreaker and waterproof hiking pants - alot of rollable items that don't crease! BRING tampons ladies, they don't seem to be available in many places in South-East Asia or Sri Lanka. If you're passing through Thailand you can buy EVERYTHING on a budget, including any pills you need for sleeplessness etc. I met a guy who arrived in Bangkok with a plastic bag, great call. Leave space, you can always buy things. The night market in Luang Prabang is great for t-shirts (surprisingly good quality), bags, gifts. You can buy hoodies in any market in Thailand. Before you leave, if you're in Europe near a Tchibo store - they have good, reasonably priced hiking shoes which have seen me through 3 mountain climb/hikes (upto 3,500m - can't vouch for above or icy conditions).

So, I rang in the New Year in Chiang Mai, Thailand beside the Iron Bridge watching more fireworks than I've ever seen (yes, even in Dubai) and a sky full of Chinese lanterns. I was surrounded by amazing people, including some family (my aunt Helen and Uncle Tony were visiting from Seoul and my cousin, Alex is now living in CM) and the whole night cost me about 8 euro, including two song-teow, a plate of food and copious amounts of alcohol. I even had a man to kiss at midnight ;)

Australia Day was spent in Perth, having a barbie beside a pool with a group of Irish people! Alot of fun but I've had more Aussie 'Straya Day's in Dubai down at Barasti. Interesting seeing a whole Irish community 20, 000km from home. Waitangi Day was fun in Wellington, less of a celebratory feel than other national holidays but some very friendly Kiwi's about nonetheless.

Chinese New Year I spent in Brisbane and it was a nice dose of culture, although I'm sure it would have been much better in Melbourne, Singapore or Bangkok.

I learnt many things about being on the road  - it's cliched to say always expect the unexpected but I can't stress it enough. There will be quibbles, mess-ups and emergencies (try overbooked hostels, buses that don't have your name on the list, running over a kerb in your friend's lovely car!!) and next time I would have an EMERGENCY fund of about $1000 (AUD/USD) for these things... but credit cards come to the rescue.

In New Zealand I've finally understood the phrase "It's not about the destination, it's about the journey."  It's the one country that taking a bus in really rewards you, I just wish I could have stopped every half hour to explore!

In Perth I had people offer to walk me two blocks to show me where I needed to get to, stop on the street for a chat, on the Gold Coast I made friend's with a cockatoo, I finally held a koala in Lone Pine Sanctuary, petted a kangaroo and on Rottnest Island I got up close and personal with a quokka, a rare marsupial with the cutest face. My experiences are increasing everyday and I honestly couldn't be happier.

I keep getting told I'm "so brave," for travelling alone (as a girl). No one seems to ask the men. This is brief but I like it - another solo female traveller
http://www.trishavelarmino.com/2014/01/an-open-letter-to-solo-female-travelers.html?utm_content=buffer25a56&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
People tell me they admire me, which is nice but really it's a little selfish and I'm ok with that. I've got to the point where I'm doing what I like in my life and I'm really embracing it. I don't regret not doing this when I was younger, now I know that you get more out of the day by getting up earlier and I'm not throwing up over the side of the boat because I drank too many shots last night and can't appreciate the dolphins. Don't get me wrong - I still party VERY hard, anyone that knows me will attest to this - I just pick and choose my times more carefully, most of the time. (There have been a few write-off days and I've been hungover in more airports in the last two months than most people have probably been in airports in the last year!)

So, I will catch up on my blogs and keep reading all of yours, but if you're going to do anything this year - book a holiday somewhere you've never been - it's not about the money - you can go 100km away in your own country and have a walking tour, and remember "Travel is the only thing you can buy which makes you richer."

A very late (but not so much for Chinese) Happy New Year.

Some cool travel peeps on twitter
@LeanItinerant
@theintlwanderer
@LiveTravelling
@Wegotwo
@Just1WayTicket

Pub crawling around the world:An introduction

"Most of my twenties and thirties I spent investing in bars." so said my uncle, Tony when I bemoaned the fact a few years ago that I didn't own a house yet. What he meant, of course, is that he partied hard and he told me he had no regrets about any of it, that it was really "Investing in memories." Although it took me a few more years to stop chasing the dirham (or dollar) it rings true with me now as I try to travel as much as possible. However, it's widely known that I'm a party girl and whilst visiting my friend Becky recently in Bangkok and discussing my travels she mentioned that really I'm just "Pub-crawling around the world," and she may have a point.

A new idea has been born, my posts will continue about various places but I'm going to intersperse them with my tales from bars in each place I visit, they aren't going to be straightforward reviews as it will be my, completely biased, take on each establishment and my night out there but I will include info on prices, location etc should you wish to find one of these places on your own trip. I would appreciate suggestions particularly for the following locations:
Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Christchurch, Auckland, anywhere in Malaysia and possibly Bali.
I will add more locations soon. Feedback is also important as I want to make this as interactive as possible, please tell me your experiences too!

I will include some of my old favourites, places you may or may not have known about and hopefully have a bit of fun with it. Of course I could create a whole other blog on this but I've enough on my plate and I think it's roots lie firmly within lilirishtravels so here we go. So there will be posts on bars from my fair isle of Ireland, Dubai, Thailand, Sri Lanka etc.

Apologies on the delayed blog posting, Christmas and New Year were spent travelling, often without the time spent to compose a blog post but there are a few in the pipeline.  So, please send your suggestions and stories, particularly of far-flung places that I haven't seen yet. I know there are some well-oiled travellers amongst you!

Last night in Split

Most of the boys grabbed a quick kip on the bus back to Split whilst Ryan, Lisa and I chatted boobs and bodies. Back onboard Sarah showed me her wares from shopping (including a pretty little friendship bracelet for me) as I lolled on the bed, needing a nap but knowing I had no time. A shower pepped me up and we had a quick vodka before leaving - already late for the restaurant.

We headed to a pretty courtyard in Split where Louise had booked us in for dinner. Even though we were late - once again they hadn't the table ready (did they just not believe 18 of us would turn up?). We all got seated, ordered wine and beer and set about perusing the menu. Lisa and I were both looking for a bit of seafood and after tasting Lucie's delicious octopus salad starter we knew we had made a good decision. As one can probably imagine, being so coastal - seafood everywhere in Croatia is pretty much delicious. They do like to make it in pies and quiches though which isn't really my style. I prefer it on the grill with a bit of garlic and salt - and straight to my plate. More food and wine arrived, laughs were being had around the table. We tried to get Allan and Lisa to wear their new ti-shirts - Allan's was "Nude Lifeguard"! No one was thinking about the fact that it was our last night. We discussed future group activities - a ski/snowboard trip to Lebanon, the boys doing a triathlon, my solo trips to various places next year. The restaurant rustled up a kind of birthday cake (there seemed to be alot of cream or ice cream and not alot of cake) for Allan and it was time to make our way to the end of cruise party at a nearby bar.

Chloe and I after dinner.

I had to bid a sweet goodbye to Lisa as she was ill and flying very early and then Chloe and I went on our own little tour to find the bar, and perhaps a tattoo parlour on the way. We had decided on our first night to get tattoo's together but we couldn't decide on designs etc. There had been some joking at dinner that I would get the line from "Braveheart" - "This is my island" inked somewhere on my body but I thought that might be a future regret! I was contemplating some musical notes, a melody or riff - somewhere inconspicuous but there was no tattoo parlour in sight so we settled on some shots in a side street bar before finally reaching Cocktail Bar Paradiso for the Sail Croatia farewell party. There we hooked up with our super rep Janice and had a few drinks with her before the Jager train to top them all. In our usual tradition, it had to be bigger, better and longer than anyone else's. You'd know we lived in Dubai! I don't know how the number came about - I believe it was something to do with beating other boat's tallies but 62 was decided on. It took an hour and a half to set up (mainly because some muppet stood on the bench where it was being set up and knocked half the red bulls down).

Even in the photo we can spot some of our new friends!

After we'd all had a few and mingled with the strangers, it was time to embarrass Allan (It was difficult to know whether he was embarrassed or not as he was so sunburned! You can see him at the top of the picture there - darker than anyone else). Lauren (my friend in Dubai, dating Allan) had sent gifts from Dubai for Allan to open on the night and Gareth felt it only right to give the birthday boy a snog. I've never seen Allan snog a man before and to be honest I'm not sure it will happen again! I fitted in some time to kiss Sarah (She begged) and have a little dance around. I don't even remember the music. There may not have been music!

We walked back to the boat through picturesque rain-washed streets and decided to get our party on back onboard. Drink was acquired from various places, music was set-up on the top deck and deck-chairs were dragged around. Perfect for more dancing. Our fun didn't last long, the Captain came up and asked us to not to party. A little deflated but aware that he was being perfectly fair (He did have to get up every day and cook for us) Doug mentioned a beach nearby so we decided to bring the party there. Gary even let us borrow his speakers. The beach was a bit of a walk away so many got lost along the way and there was a weird crowd there (outsiders!) when we arrived. After a vodka I decided I would head back to the boat. I was a little disorientated and seemed to have lost alot of people so I thought it would be better to go back and find them.

I met Chloe as I got on deck and we sat down with Katie and Elliot just inside the hallway on a little sofa where they'd perched many nights of the trip. There were people running around the boat and from room to room as dawn broke and all I could think of was how I had to leave so many amazing people in a few hours - including my old (and new friends) from Dubai. I was exhausted, 7 nights of drinking was taking it's toll and I was all too aware that I had to be up in about 3 hours. It wasn't the best feeling.
Suffice to say, it only got worse before I left. I managed to only get about an hours sleep, and ended up packing in the most uncoordinated, horrible mindset I've ever been in. I wasn't quite hungover but I was definitely dehydrated, I wasn't quite sober but not happy drunk. It was dreadful. Meanwhile Sarah was singing around the cabin, still drunk and completely oblivious to the fact that we had to get up and out.
As I sat on a bench beside the boat (and found my pashmina tied around it?!) in the blazing morning sunlight watching Katie spew into the port I was hit by bags of rubbish as some of the crew removed them from the boat. That was pretty much how it felt - from top deck luxury to the gutter - all in a few hours.

It was a strange last night but an amazing trip that I'm sure none of us will ever forget...
Hvala na sjećanjima Hrvatskoj.

White-water Rafting - Omis

We were already in motion as breakfast took place on Friday morning. I was in great spirits after a good night sleep and was dancing around our cabin. Sarah was just laughing at me, particularly when I managed to stub my toe off the end of the bed and yowled in pain. I wasn't excited it was the last day but I was definitely going to make the most of it.

After our morning swim we all congregated on deck to chat about our plans for the day and night. Most of us had signed up for white water rafting which we would reach by bus from our next stop in Omis. Some of the girls had opted to stay behind for some shopping and Louise said she would organise dinner and drinks for Allan's birthday that evening.

So we boarded a couple of buses to take us to our start point and I got to catch up with Katie and the goings-on with some of our other passengers and accompanying Sail Croatia boats. It seemed there was no end of scandal and the final night was sure to bring some more! Put it this way, there'd been lots of secrecy about who was with who and as a result some egos had been hurt and others had been doing things as revenge. Possibly a little childish, but what does anyone expect with boatful's of single people?

All of our group couldn't fit in the one boat, which was a little disappointing but we kitted up and got ready to go. I'd never tried it before and was very excited, if a little nervous that I might get flung off over some rocks! Gary and Gareth took up the front, Cahal and Pearce behind them, Lucie and I were opposite eachother with Doug and Lisa beside the instructor(whose name escapes me right now). Doug had chosen to ride with us for some good photo ops.

Our instructor was brilliant and it seemed pretty clear. There was also something very sexy about him in a real rugged, outdoorsy way :)
We could row forward or back and Boomba! meant get your oars flat on the side of the raft as quick as possible and duck! It started off rather gently but we were in hot pursuit of the other boats and enjoyed a bit of splashing them with our oars, particularly one of the other boats who were rowing around in circles. We seemed to get a good rhythm going between us, but I think I may have poked Lisa or Lucie on the knee once or twice with my oar. I'm not hopelessly uncoordinated but nor am I a natural! It was much better fun whenever the instructor shouted "Boomba!" as the trees came in low and we all had to scramble low in the boat. Once I managed to miss this and got walloped by a branch but I thought it was quite funny.

We also rowed hard up against some rocks to get right up and over having a proper splash down and emptying our helmets of water over ourselves and other boats to cool down (It was utterly freezing water) and have some water fights. The scenery was absolutely spectacular. We made our way slowly through these towering rocks (which people have been known to base jump off) and it was like a scene from Lord of the Rings. Once again, Croatia was taking my breath away and I've no idea why it's such an under-rated place for holidays.

We stopped at a little place to climb to our next part as apparently the rafting was too advanced and dangerous in one part of the river. That was a little disappointing but a stroll through the hills in the sunshine was lovely and Lisa tried to convince Phil that a tumble in the jungle might be some fun - unfortunately there was no time for that!

Back in our boats we had some more fun, picking up speed to make the drops more exciting. There was plenty of laughter on our boat and the girls had pushed through the pain barrier (It really hurts your arms at the start then it doesn't seem to matter so much anymore) so we all had a good rhythm going again. We rowed in under a freezing waterfall and got some great photos of Lucie and Gareth enjoying splashing around in a cave (I swear both must have been dogs in a former life - and I mean that in a good way) and then onto a rest stop where the boys took turns in jumping off some of the rocks. Plenty of belly flops there! Cahal seems to have jumping off things down to a fine art as he can back flip and move in mid-air - very graceful!!!

We were sad when it came to an end but it meant celebratory beers and chips after an exhilarating day. I'll definitely be trying that again, absolutely loved it!

Thanks again to Doug for the photos - none of our cameras were waterproof!

Korcula - I thought I knew ya....

Finally I made breakfast! Sleepy headed Sarah was baffled when I clambered out of my bed at 8.30am and asked where I was headed but she decided to join me and Lucie at the breakfast table. It was a very continental breakfast - meats, cheese, yoghurts and bread. Not quite enough fruit for my liking but at least we got something into us. On Day 4/5 of the holiday, it felt like an achievement. The weather wasn't looking too great yet so we grabbed another hours nap before our daily jump into the sea to blow the mind and refresh the senses. I tried to jump onto a lilo and completely missed. Doug saw the whole thing and cracked up but luckily didn't catch me with his camera.

Then it was time for some editing on deck (Yes, I brought my first draft!) in the sunshine until we docked in Korcula. Even at first glance it was beautiful and resembled Dubrovnik. We all took off exploring the old town and churches, Lisa and I lighting candles and admiring the art within. Korcula was the home of Marco Polo but also seemed like a setting for Romeo and Juliet. I took more photo's here than anywhere else.

There was a cocktail bar recommended where you could get your cocktails by pulley which we really fancied, but it wasn't open so we stopped at the Fly-In near our port for drinks in the afternoon sunshine. After a few drinks and ice-creams Lisa, Pearse and myself took off to book a place for dinner which we all agreed on (Croatian tapas - sounds good to me!) and a look into some of the shops.  Tipsy shopping can go well or not - I ended up with new flip-flops, new sunnies and a hat! After another afternoon tipple some of us headed back to the boat but the boys continued enjoying their pints in the sunshine.

After the pre-requisite drinks on deck we strolled down one of the pretty alleyways to our restaurant for dinner. It was quite near the photo taken above and they set up our table out on the terrace (as they couldn't fit us inside!). Gary and I decided on a sharing platter to get in as much of the good stuff that we liked (Olives, cheese, meats, bread, anchovies...yum) after an eggplant starter. The wine was good, conversation was flowing and a guitarists melodies drifted over from a bar nearby. We didn't want to leave, however we had a street party to get to and some people were on a mission to score that night so we finally did, after sitting over dinner a few hours. Of course we started the street party with a Jaeger train and Lisa carrying men off down the street as well as a bit of pole dancing (I missed the pole until later when there was some greasy man on it!!). I got involved in shots with some others from our boat - Ashley, Josh etc and Lucie and Halvor joined in. We thought we had a few casualties and early sleepers but it turned out Gareth had broken his flip-flops and they had gotten delayed at another bar!

Pearce had stolen my hat and was being chatted up by men nearby. Katie dragged me over to give Elliot a talking to for misbehaving the previous night. It was all getting very messy by the time we reached the club. Jagers were going down like water, people were being pinned up against bars in suggestive dance moves, all of us were jumping on the couches dancing and singing our heads off. In restrospect it sounds messy. It was, but it was a lot of fun!

After getting involved in one too many love triangles and trying to play Mommy too much I decided to redeem the night and sought out Dave for a few drinks. Dave is always a solid man to have a good time with. He never moans, he'll listen to you have a moan but then he'll get you in the mood for a bit of craic anyway. Thus we ended up wandering the streets of Korcula looking for sustenance around 4.30am. He was missing his lovely wife Linda (who couldn't come with us on the cruise) and drunken texts seemed like a great idea at that moment. As it started to get bright I got tired and headed back to the boat. There was much running around as usual so I took to one of the decks with Katie and Andre to make innings into a bottle of vodka. This wasn't my brightest idea as the sun was coming up and eventually I ended up tearful and maudlin, sitting with Cahal, both of us wishing things were different.

It was a sad way to end Korcula, as it really is a spectacular place but I was sure after a few hours sleep the boat would look very different.

Memories of Mljet

Tuesday afternoon I crawled above deck just prior to docking at Mljet. Everyone was gathered around Lisa who had tales of her "birthday present" and it seemed some people down the other end of the deck were discussing it too ;). After we'd post-mortemed the night (Classified!) and our tour guide advised us all on the afternoon's activities, we disembarked to go swim in the sea nearby.

Mljet is a gorgeous little island off Dubrovnik, with a national park and a small community devoted to conservation. The sea was freezing, as usual, but we had fun playing around in the small pool nearby and the boys took turns in trying to dive through the various rings they had brought. Somehow I managed to hit the bottom of the sea, despite being the smallest, scraping my already banjaxed toes along the bottom. Ryan and Gary had the music going and it was very relaxing. When the wind had blown us dry we picked up and headed back to the boat for some afternoon drinks and to prepare for a cycle around the island.

Sarah and myself's late night chatting caught up with us and we decided on a quick nap but when the boys came to get us for cycling neither of us could move. It looked absolutely spectacular, particularly St. Mary's islet and monastery. After I'd caught an hour or two sleep I went off on a little walk of my own to explore. It was absolutely peaceful and the sounds of nature recharged me as I walked. On my way back I decided I'd choose a restaurant for that nights dinner and spoke to some of the restaurant owners. They were all friendly but I needed a place to cater for the various palates of our group so I settled on one where they had a varied menu. I stocked up on some snacks and drinks at the local shop and returned to the boat - having to cross 5 other boats to reach ours. In the process I lost one of my lovely white flip flops but decided against retrieving it as the depth of the drop between the boats was a little far for me!

Then it was time for drinks in the bar on deck again and everyone was pretty relieved that this definitely wasn't going to be a late night. No hidden clubs in coves here! We headed over to dinner and after a little bit of a wait we were delighted to find that the local food was very nice indeed. Gary said it had been his best meal on the trip so far.

Conversation over dinner at my end of the table centred around jobs in Dubai and us trying to convince Katie, Chloe and Liz that they should go to find work in Dubai. I think we sold it well? (Although after a week with us on a boat maybe not?!). The wind was sweeping in off the ocean making us very chilly but a nice Intrada wine warmed me up.

Dave, Gareth, Doug and myself stayed back at the restaurant to finish the wine, being literally the last to leave the restaurant and then Doug and I got into a conversation about the photography industry - given I had worked in it back in Dubai. We stopped off at the nearest little beach bar to the boats and had a drink with some people who were on other cruises. Back onboard it was time for a little night-cap on the top-deck with most of the girls cosied up under quilts. It was so windy, but the sky was sparkling with stars and we all felt we could have slept out there.

I retired at a reasonable hour - think it was just past two - and delighted that I could probably get a quality night sleep before our trip to Korcula on Wednesday.

(Photos - Doug Harding for the group shot in the pool)

Rainy Day in Dubrovnik

Sarah and I were jolted awake by a strange loud noise....the anchor dropping. It was time to jump off the top deck into the sea to awaken the senses. Some were feeling better than others, some were worshipping the porcelain god. As we sailed towards Dubrovnik the skies darkened and drops of rain could be felt on the top deck. I still wanted to explore this UNESCO Heritage city and see it's historic walls but a few of our group cried off in order to nurse sore heads, tummies and bottoms!

So we headed by bus up to the old city. A tour guide met us to take us around. The city is listed as one of the ten best walled cities in the world and it has some really beautifully preserved buildings. Although the Yugoslav wars affected Dubrovnik as recently as the early '90's and results of damage from shelling can be seen in various places  - alot of restoration work has returned the place to splendour. I personally loved the little side streets and all the steps that looked like they lead to little hideaways. Lucie was snapping away and has over 300 photos of the place!

After some pizza and more exploring everyone decided they wanted to climb the city walls (by steps, not ropes and harnesses!) but after I slipped on the first few steps I decided I couldn't apply myself to the task and really I just wanted to go back to bed! I'm sorry I missed the views but it was lovely to get back to the boat and listen to the rain from the comfort of my bed.

We got up as the sun was setting and everyone was feeling recharged and ready for a night on the town. It was time for drinks on deck again to toast Lisa's actual birthday so we started on the cocktails and the banter was flying. No man or woman was safe tonight with us unleashed on the streets of Dubrovnik.

We had booked a recommended restaurant for dinner, Ragusa 2 (Ragusa is the Croatian word for Dubrovnik) and we ordered some local specialities and a bottle of Prosecco for birthday girl. Unfortunately the food wasn't that impressive - Lisa had to send hers back twice! But we had a few good giggles and got her some chocolate cake. After that it was time for Jagers, Tequilas and BUCKETS of drinks at Skybar. Sarah and I got all serious and emotional for a bit (constant drinking and late nights will do that to you!) but soon loosened up and started dancing in the laneways. I got chatting with Chloe, one of the lovely Kiwi girls from our boat, and we all headed off to Revel nightclub, in the city walls! Ever so cool location! Doug, our brilliant photographer captured us all on our way to Revel.

Chloe and I finished our buckets and hid them near the door of the club as we wanted to bring them back to the boat. Inside was cavernous and very cool with a light show and dominatrix styled dancers. It was Jager time at the bar again (When is it not?) and then we started drinking Vodka with Blueberry red bulls - not bad!!! Lots of dancing, posing and pulling funny faces at Doug as he snapped away. We managed to vandalise a poster and all pose with it. It was just good, clean fun really. After I was sweaty enough I decided to head back to the boat and Chloe said we should we should have a late night swim. In my sweatyness I thought this was a superb idea.

We took a bit of a detour home, not necessarily intentionally and we had to hide behind cars to relieve ourselves - not noticing that in fact there was a road above us where people had a great view of our backsides. Cue more giggling and trying to flag down taxi's to get us away from our viewers. I ended up doing the city wall tour by night in our quest to get to port!! By the time we got back to the boat I wasn't sure about getting in the freezing water and there was also the chance we'd be thrown off the boat and could be fined by Dubrovnik Port Police for swimming at port. A guy and a girl from one of our sister boats came over to chat and have a drink so I sat on the steps chatting to a lovely boy, Blair, as Chloe and Emma swam around the boat. Then there was mucking about at the front of the boat and balancing on the buoys. General mischief.

When Sarah got back I followed her to the room for late night catch-ups and a post-mortem on the night. We ended up chatting until 7am when I had to call time and go asleep!! Then one or the other of us would say one more thing but eventually drifted off at dawn....knowing we'd be awakened by Pitbull blasting in the corridors around 11am.

The sleepy little village of Trstenik - ... until we arrived.

I hadn't planned on making breakfast and I also missed out on practically everyone having a go at jumping off the boat! We were fed healthily again (Well we over-indulged in the first course of spaghetti as we were all starving having missed brekkie) at lunch and Penny, our new rep came onboard to let us know of various activities for the rest of the day and the following day.

We docked in the pretty little seaside village of Trstenik after lunch, where we'd been told to try the wine-tasting. That was music to our hungover ears, no better cure. We high-tailed it off the boat as soon as we docked and headed straight to the local wine cellar. 

It was a quaint little place that barely contained our group as we sampled their local red and white. The owner's son delivered his well rehearsed speech about their vineyards and wines punctuated by wild bursts from his crazy father who was wielding a large knife rather alarmingly (supposedly cutting bread). I didn't dare mention that the white wine wasn't great, but the others thought the red wine was fine. The owner had said that the vineyards were best placed for growing red grapes and he had 30, 000 acres so I'm sure he knew what he was talking about. His son encouraged us to come to the beach party later where he was the DJ and would play us some trance. We weren't sure of this invitation so we scuttled out and decided on a bit of a walk to shake out the cobwebs.

Up a steep hill we found staggering views and the boys ahead of us claimed they'd seen huge fish jumping out of the sea. It was absolutely peaceful, except for us girls sharing stories and occasionally leaping with fright at an empty snakeskin or huge buzzing insect. I managed to keep my cool (those who know of my previous "episodes" with bees/wasps will be pleased to know) and even wanted to explore off the beaten tracks but we were scared off it by other creatures coming out of the trees to investigate.

After our little adventure we thought it was time for drinks and ice-cream sundaes overlooking the tiny harbour. Other people from our boat were splashing around in the water, which looked very inviting. There was plenty of banter and giggles about the night before, particularly how one of the guys from our boat - Andre, had tried to pick Lisa up (literally). Bad move since Lisa has the strength of a lion (She's a kick boxer!) and pretty much ended up carrying him around the bar!

Back on the boat it was time for snoozing in the sunshine

 and showers. We were planning a quiet night and a few drinks on the deck as we knew Monday would be a big one in Dubrovnik. We started on cocktails - Zombies, Sex on the Beach etc and I suggested a game of "I have never". About ten of us were playing and suffice to say that some people should never be allowed around children and others should be closely monitored at work. There were also some painful stories about intimate parts being damaged. Louise and Katherine were very lucky they were asleep through it all!

By 11.30 a trip on a speedboat to a remote cove with trance music sounded like a great idea so we were herded onto a tiny boat, given our token free drink and off to the beach we sped. I ended up with my drink all over me but Sarah gave me hers to compensate. As soon as we were at the beach it was Jager time and I'd spotted a single pole on a table that looked like it needed me hanging off it. First I had a bit of a dizzy spell and Sarah tried to convince us all that our drinks were spiked. Ashley, from our boat, suggested that perhaps it had been the wild ride in the speedboat over? This was far more likely but it took me a little time to recover.

Then it was time for some pole dancing. 

I wanted to climb up it but was wary, as if I fell off it was straight onto concrete and into the water. With my reputation for injuring myself and silly decisions whilst drunk added to the dizzy spell I didn't exactly cut a striking figure on the pole. Lisa, however, really did. She was like a beautiful ballerina on it.

At midnight it had ticked over into Lisa's birthday so she celebrated by snagging me (with my predilection for blonde girls when I've had a few, this wasn't a problem) and carried Gareth off up the beach to show her strength. I believe some boys got kissed in that little bar but I didn't see anything so can't confirm!

Although some of our party had bailed early, a handful of us stayed til the end and giggled all the way home on the speedboat. Then it was time for high jinks in the cabins. Poor Ryan's sleep was interrupted as Allan, Katherine, Louise, Gareth, Lisa and myself bowled in and thought all of us in the bed would be great fun (Nothing kinky, just seemed fun at the time!). This didn't last very long, but for a time Lisa found a pillow on my breasts and we had a little snooze. Eventually we thought we should find Allan and tell him he could sleep in his own room without two lipstick lesbians in the bed beside him so we took off around the boat. It was early morning by the time Lisa and I retired to bed, exhausted from the nights shenanigans and we still had another night of her birthday to go. Onwards to Dubrovnik.

(Thanks to Doug Harding, Lucie Jurenova and myself for the photos!)

Heaven from Hvar - not very far.....

We boarded Futura, very excited; there were hugs, exclamations, running up and down corridors, running on and off the boat and much teenage behavior. I think Allan actually jumped from his door onto the bed in the Master Suite (Of course it was his - it was his birthday cruise!). Spirits were high and happily also being served in the bar. We ran across to the various stalls by the port to pick up hats, sunglasses, beach towels and anything else that had been forgotten or didn't fit into carry-on (in my case!). Then we all took our drinks top deck and started sun-bathing as we set sail towards Hvar.


Lunch was served (3 courses!) and we met our lovely Sail Croatia rep Janice. She was bright, bubbly and exotically pretty. We all adored her on sight. Luckily she was also a fount of great information and told us we were up for a great party night in Hvar. She promised a bottle of Jager at the first bar and we knew we were in for some fun. After a few more drinks in the sunshine people started retiring for snoozes. First to go was Gareth and then Allan so I started getting apprehensive. My plan had been to drink straight through but if these party animals were getting a nap in then maybe I wasn't ready for the mayhem planned. I had another vodka - just to be sure, and then decided a little lie-down wouldn't be the worst thing. There was talk of a hike to the Spanjola when we docked but sure we weren't there yet (and I also had a broken toe to contend with - yes, I managed to break my toe two nights before the trip). Off to our cabins we went.

That evening first stop was to fuel our bodies for the night ahead at the Mizarola Restaurant. The location was in a gorgeous main square and we were seated out on a terrace. I was beside Allan and opposite two girls from our boat who were rooming together but were strangers - Chloe and Laticia. There was much merriment and the food was delicious. The prawn gnochhi was tasty and much lighter than I thought. I got in deep conversation over some lovely chilled white wine, catching up with my Dubai friends until Gareth came tearing back down the street from the first bar, telling us we had to come down for the Jager Train in Nautica.

It was happily received as you can see above. The night got more raucous, with bottles of Jager and vodka and plenty of red bull. I found something high to dance on (always a good thing!) and the girls all got friendly! The tunes were pumping, everyone was sweaty and delirious and really just had all the contents for a brilliant night out.

Every so often I'd pop out for some fresh air and meet interesting people at the tables overlooking the harbour. There were many nationalities there other than Croatian - American, French, English, as well as a multitude of Kiwi's and Aussie's. What brings them so far?

Whilst some ventured off to "Pink Champagne" for dancing, Dave, Gareth and myself chilled out eating pizza on the waterside. We were joined by Katie from our boat and Elliott, who was on another one of the Sail Croatia boats. He was proudly displaying his shark bite from that day. I was skeptical but he did have huge bruised indentations on his thigh which didn't look human. We headed back to the boat for a late night drink on deck and contrary to everyone's expectations we all were in bed before 4am that night.

Hvar ticked many boxes for me - good food, great company and plenty of Jager and dancing. Night no.1 had been an enormous success and we had lazing in the sunshine to look forward to in Trstenik next day.

(Me posing in front of Beyonce's boat - well it might have been!)
Thanks to Doug Harding for these photo's - www.hardingphotographics.co.uk

A warm welcome to Wales.

I entered the Cain household in Wales on a gorgeous Tuesday evening and was greeted warmly by Gareth's Mum Coral, sister Jenny and her fiancé Owen. Gareth and his Dad were outside chatting about the TransAm. I was promptly handed a glass of wine (obviously Gareth had told them something about me!) and barely had time to get my bearings before we were all sat down for dinner. When I settled the first thing I noticed was how much warmth was in the room. The house was absolutely immersed in love. I haven't noticed that about many households but as the family bantered and questioned me I couldn't help but settle and be myself; the wine probably helped. After dinner we moved to the sitting-room where Pete waxed lyrical about books and film - I hadn't expected him to be so chatty and welcoming. My preconception of military men was altered considerably! Later, Coral took out some old family photographs and I got a potted history of how their lives had been, and saw how like Gareth's grandmother he was. I think he was embarrassed by all the photo's and stories but he took it in good nature, very typical of him. I left Gareth up chatting to his mum as I cosied up in bed, but he crept in to whisper that she thought I was lovely, which helped me into a comfortable sleep.

Next morning Gareth had to get up to move the TransAm to the local garage. Since it was still dark and stormy outside I was a bit bewildered by him climbing out of bed and groggily said "It's the middle of the night!". I didn't live that comment down for my few days in St. Donat's. I rose much later, a little embarrassed I had slept so late. It was bacon and eggs all round and we took a trip to the local college, a United World College, steeped in history. I have my own history with UWC as I was accepted back in 2008 to a UWC in the U.S and did a UWC short course in Lithuania that year but I didn't pursue the college place. Nevertheless it was interesting been shown around the beautiful castle grounds and gardens, overlooking the sea.

Afterwards it was time for the pub for one or two, and more quizzing me on behalf of Gareth's gran who apparently was very inquisitive about me, or maybe just in general! I offered a background check and my significant digits (waist, bra-size etc) but they said she probably already had those! Back at the house Jenny whipped up a lovely carbonara for us and we got ready to go and meet friends of mine who just lived up the road in Llanwit Major. We had an entertaining cab ride to the Old Swan Inn where we met Sharon and Matt who I hadn't seen in about 3 years. There was a little of the evening sunshine left but soon we went inside to play pool, the jukebox and have some comedy gold from Sharon. The girl should be on stage! The vodkas were flying in, there were specials on Jager and soon Cain family dancing ensued. Interesting to note that Jenny and Gareth dance remarkably similarly, although I'm sure she'll still strenuously deny this! We seemed to have lost Owen for a bit but we found him outside pondering the stars. We certainly weren't ready for the night to be over so we took a walk to Matt and Sharon's place where the Reverend Boult was babysitting their kids. It was a loooooong walk as I remember and considering it was alcohol fueled it must have been quite a distance - Sharon will maintain "It's just around the corner," but at least she regaled us with funny tales of an Irish girl in a Welsh village throughout. The air had gotten to us by the time we reached theirs as none of us could finish the drinks they'd given us; I did however get to see her two beautiful boys, Evan and Sean, tucked up in bed. They looked so peaceful; I'm not sure it's always that way!!! We struggled to get a taxi and at one point Jenny and I thought we'd just sleep on the couch but eventually Sharon's persistence paid off and we got back to St. Donat's. We tried to be quiet but I'm pretty sure we woke Coral and Pete up! Noisy drunken teenagers....oh wait, we're not teenagers anymore! So, a late end to a fun night out - it just shows it's the company and not the place.

Wasps and Worcester

We took full advantage of the Cockliffe House breakfast on Tuesday morning before our road trip to Wales. There was a fire-engine outside but the fire officers assured us it was just a regular fire drill.
I got into the TransAm doing last minute checks of my handbag for the usual keys, phone etc. It was then I noticed a wasp on my lap. Gareth was just getting into the car when I let a blood-curdling scream out of me. He nearly leapt out of the car in alarm but I was straight out of the passenger seat, hysterical in the carpark. This garnered a few suspicious looks from the firemen mostly directed at Gareth, wondering what he had done to induce such a reaction! He coaxed me back into the car after awhile, I peered around anxious that another member of the wasp family would be back to greet me but I settled in. Gareth was a little in shock, given the fact I'd gotten used to the bushes beside the hotel populated with bees and we'd left the windows open on the two balmy nights we'd spent there which had encouraged a few long-legged spider friends to lurk around our room. Whilst he was settling me I saw a look of alarm pass over his features - I was about to berate him for winding me up, that this wasn't the place when he said ever so calmly "Get out, get out of the car,". Once again I leapt out shrieking, this time in tears. The wasp had been hiding in the T-bar of the car, awaiting my return!! Gareth managed to get the wasp out and stamp on him to death on the ground. It took a little longer to stem my emotions but eventually we took off on our journey. I was still shaking and hunched over; I have a full-blown phobia of wasps. He did his best to reassure me and after a bit even managed to have a little laugh about it with him telling me in loved me in spite of my crazy phobia.

We were speeding down the motorway, Gareth showing off about how the speedometer was off the mark in the TransAm and I drifted off to sleep for a bit in the heat of the summer sun (I wasn't allowing the windows open very much in case any other unwelcome visitors decided to appear). I woke up to a small explosion and the windscreen being completed flooded with an unrecognizable liquid....We quickly pulled in roadside and investigated. I, of course called Mum & Dad (although how they were likely to help, being in Ireland, I've no idea!) who said to call the AA, something Gareth was already doing. We had some fun with me steering the TransAm whilst he pushed (Fun for both given it's a HUGE old car) and sat on the side of the Motorway waiting for assistance. We were blessed with a beautiful day so I just people watched on the M5 in the hour and twenty minutes it took for the guys to arrive. I even had a read of Cosmo! There had been a mix-up with the AA, so the roadside assistance literally just towed us to the next exit, 1 mile away. After more communications with the AA we took a seat in the Three Pears Beefeater and decided no time like the present for a lunch break whilst they attempted to fix the ripped pipe (hence the over-heating and explosion). Unfortunately it couldn't be fixed, given that TransAm parts aren't exactly in the average AA truck these days but it meant Gareth could have a pint to ease the stress (and a vino for me!) and we climbed aboard the tow truck for the next leg of the journey.

After another little snooze we were informed that the driver could only take us over the border into Wales where we would make a change to another tow truck. I hadn't been told about the crossing of the Severn and it's beauty took me by surprise. On a gorgeous summer's day like we were experiencing I was surprised I didn't spot any wake-boarders! The stop was lucky in away as I got to freshen up a little before the final leg of the journey - it was over 8 hours since we'd left the hotel and I had a little bit to go before my first meeting with Gareth's family. I didn't want to arrive a stinky mess!! The last tow truck driver was a friendly man, full of chat about Wales and pointing out the sights. There were some tricky roads to manoeuvre coming to St Donat's but we passed through some quaint little towns and I could see the sea glittering in the distance. We eventually pulled up to St Donat's about 6.45pm, a little frazzled and at least 4 hours after expected and Gareth's Dad waved from outside the cottage as we disembarked, ready to meet the Cain family.

Nocturnal Nottingham

Gareth spent most of his adult life in Nottingham - uni, work and married life, so we planned a night out to catch up with his mates there. Newly engaged Tanya and Jonny were nice enough to give us a bed for the night so we arrived there late in the afternoon (MUCH later than planned!) after a Toy's R Us visit and a new pair of jeans for me (as a slight aside - I'm sure most women will get this - nice new jeans are so hard to find!!). I'd met Jonny a few days previous over lunch in Manchester so had hasty introductions to Tanya and their cute little one, Jess and we bundled straight into Jonny's car to go off to the pub.

At the pub we met Nicole, David, Katie and Charlie in the lovely beer garden. Nicole and David are also very old friends with Gareth - they worked alongside him and Beki for years, and Gareth is godfather to their son Charlie. Charlie and Jess were absolutely adorable with each other, two gorgeous little blondes - like an Anne Geddes photo!

I was a little on edge, so keen to make a good impression, but I tried to relax over a few glasses of wine. Gareth and I also shared an amazing platter - funny how I always remember the food - there were skewers and a baked camembert, so bad for me yet too good to resist! Besides, I was on holiday!
Back at the house we got ready quickly (into my new jeans!) and headed into town. First stop looked like a real old man's pub, it was called The Golden Fleece; it was actually quite funky! It had a lovely roof terrace (which was too cold to sit out on for us Dubaians) and we met up with Tara and Matt. Gareth was keen to show me as much of Nottingham nightlife as possible so we also took in the Dragon, Saltwater and the Malt Cross. We didn't even get to half the places we'd planned but the drinks and conversation were flowing and various friends were popping by along the way so everyone was in high spirits. We tried and were refused shots in the Malt Cross - a travesty! Tara and I noticed the boys seemed a lot drunker than us but they seemed like they were having so much fun so we decided we'd better play catch-up. We headed up the road to The Cookie Club, where Gareth, feeling generous, paid for everyone to get in! Then it was time for vodka, red-bull and lollipops. I loved the Cookie Club, 3 floors of indie, chart and cheesy music. I make no apologies for enjoying a bit of cheese on a night out! Tara and I hit the dance floor and Gareth and I were even dancing out on the roof terrace - oh to be young and in love. Everyone was so friendly to me; I wondered what I had been apprehensive about. Having said that, it's a difficult situation - Gareth and Beki were together for over 10 years and I didn't want anyone to think that I was trying to replace her and don't have the utmost respect for her memory. I think everyone could see that we made each other happy; and I guess after Gareth having such a loss it was great to see him in such high spirits. As ever on a night out, he was friendly to one and all, striking up a conversation with some guys who had arrived in wearing suits. I noticed that they didn't seem that friendly when he lay down in front of them, messing around and I was a little alarmed so Tara stepped in to calm the situation. Gareth had been bottled in Nottingham last year and I think I felt a little nervous about Nottingham - although the same could happen in any city unfortunately. They really didn't seem like nice types; maybe too much beer that night so we gathered everyone up and headed for kebabs.

There were more high-jinks at the kebab shop. Matt and Gareth were play-acting a bit and Matt told Gareth to punch him in the head. Why? No idea - it seemed like good fun at the time! Matt kept insisting so eventually Gareth gave in - he's very easily persuaded after a few drinks. I'm not sure everyone in the kebab shop took it in the same spirit so we quickly got out of there and into a taxi. I was seriously flagging at this point - sometimes I just want to get home, so I devoured my kebab and was straight up the stairs into bed back at Jonny and Tanya's. Gareth, being the lovely boyfriend, was up to bed very shortly afterwards and we passed out into dreamless sleep after the mad night in Nottingham. Next morning Matt had a lovely purple egg-shaped shiner on his forehead, but was a total gentleman about it. Gareth felt awful about it but we all knew it was just a funny reminder of a good night out! I'm sure it's healed by now; what a good sport.

So it was onwards to the country-side for us, and a baby shower to attend.