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DAY 8

Another blue sky coming up Mrs Db


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a few people on the beach


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but I think we are better around the pool with the breeze


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which was a good call as the yellow flag was up when I went passed at 11:30


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I wanted to see how the Lanzarote Park refurbishment was going on


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up by here, an angler was fishing and caught one on bread, he said he caught one the other day of 3kgs


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as i got to the end of the run of restaurants rather than go down the harbour stairs that I normally do I stayed up top to see how easy it would be to get to the otherside of the promenade if walking was a problem


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The promenade turns right at the end of this picture


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and heads up to the main road as in this picture


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which for anyone in a wheelchair I would take and at the next road on the left further down, it then takes you back on the promenade


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I did a walk down this slope which is just before the main road and leads into a gritted car park but IMO I would think the grit would make the wheelchair a hard push and better to use the main road pathway


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But which ever way you chose you will arrive here, ready to link up with the promenade again


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If the harbour project ever gets underway this area will become a plaza type area


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and this wall surrounding the current harbour will become a large promenade leading to cruise ships which are said in the plans to have a harbour quay beyond the current one but on asking around, nobody seem to know and even on the kiosks near the front which would surely go, one of the staff knew nothing about the project, which i find is amazing


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Further along the promenade is the Lanzarote Park hotel which is closed for refurbishment but apart from the pools being empty I couldn't see any work going on but all must be inside work at the moment


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about 3 minutes away is the Flamingo Beach which now have new sunbeds which cost 4€s each and the parasol also the same price.


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Being around the headland a bit, I wondered if there was more shelter from the breeze but I think it was similar but some people are happy with it

less people seem to be risking the 12€'s on the sunbeds

I think the breeze has been blowing around the 14 miles an hour mark, the sun was hot but under 10 miles and hour is a more a pleasant breeze to me, yet people were reporting no breeze at PdC and looking at the direction, the wind was coming from the SE which was unusual


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lunchtime around the pool was a tuna baguette


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however, after lunch there was no time for a rest, as there was a game of petong going on and just like the Apprentice we were asked to pick our team name, we were in teams of three and someone suggested we should be called the champs. Going through my mind as i was about to throw was that we could regret that name lol. Fairly easy game from France, where one throw a jack ball and the nearest team larger balls to it score points


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I started off badly but started to get the idea in the end but got my ball knocked away from the jack several times

but the game turned when somebody knocked my ball nearer the jack and our captain just had to drop his ball on the cinders to grab the one point that was needed but all good fun which ended for sunset lol.

However, the sun had put his hat away waiting for us


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tonight we are going to town promenade and eating La Gondola


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the wind had dropped and we had a table near the front


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Mrs Db had Peppered Steak


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I had Gorgonzola Steak both meals were very nice


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a tree decorated in town


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END OF DAY 8

DAY 9

another blue sky day, I think this is the fifth in a row, I did think I was fit enough for a walk, so emailed Kayak & Walk to see if they had an interesting walk going


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The breeze is back and it looks a rough crossing for the glass bottom boat


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an easy choice for me today, the pool lol some were happy with the beach


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However, once around the pool I was conscripted / volunteered to play the skittles game from Finland, remember last year the entertainments guy Paco had made the skittles himself. However, they were quite light and often blew over but some kind holidaymaker from the UK who was a carpenter, saw the problem and made new skittles and carried them out with him to give to Paco.

The idea is the skittles start in a bunch and using a chuck stick, one can either knock one stick down and get the score marked on that stick or knock several down but one only gets one point for each stick knocked down for more that one that falls. Any skittle that falls is placed in the position it falls in, so skittles widen out as the game goes on.


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to win the game one need to score exactly 30, if you go over you then need to score 45, miss a skittle all together and you lose a life, one has 3 lives


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There was around a dozen of us playing and on the 4th round a Finnish guy hit 30 points and as we all have a go in round 4, I needed the no 11 skittle but my chuck went wide and hit the no 5 skittle.

There was a play off for second spot and a lady and I hit our respect correct pins to finish joint second, so sorry guys the Finnish flag went up but at least I made the podium lol

The winner got a week's holiday in Barcelona (with Paco's mother-in-law) I had to settle for a bacon baguette lol


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the afternoon's entertainment was water polo, which i drew the line at going into a semi cold pool (despite it said to be heated lol)


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by 4pm we had some vodka caramel on the balcony and waited for sun down


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Tonight we were going to dine at the Little Marmite but found them closed and therefore we went to Lani's

Mrs Db had the chicken stroganoff which was ok


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however, I made a big mistake and ordered roast chicken, which tasted very dry I used my half bottle allocation of wine just trying to eat it.


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END OF DAY 9

DAY 10

another sunny day


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still looks rough on the sea


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no flag up yet and looks like at this time only a group of students seem to be interested in the beach


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sun beds were popular around the pool, so we were on the couches at the back


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So here I am at the roundabout at the top of the marina road, the town is on my left up the hill


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to my right and straight on is the Papagayo Beach end of Playa Blanca and in that direction there is another Superdino which is easy to park in but the Superdino is not as big as the town one but the cheaper prices should match


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To get there in a car follow this road


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eventually the road forks, take the right fork


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and following the car (passed this car park area on the right)


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Down this road you will come to a roundabout


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turn right at the roundabout


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and you are there (with plenty of outside parking)


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just a few shots inside


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Walking down the end of the same road I came across the Mirador Papagayo Hotel


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I asked in reception if I could take a few photos for a review snd the deputy director took me around


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they have what is a black pool rather than a normal blue pool, I am told the black rock keeps the pool warmer, although the pool is heated, it is more environmentally friendly


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The restaurant is on the lower floor behind the pool and further to the right is a bar


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With a terraced area above


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Also the hotel has showers, lockers and changing rooms for those flying back late that night

walking back up the promenade


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Now at the pirate tower what are these camels, oh they are neonlights, I'll be back tonight to get a photo or two lol


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arriving back at the complex, I was then asked if I would play tennis with others, never played a match in my life. However, we were in two teams of 4, each taking the next shot in turns. Scoring was up to 11 points and you could only score if your teams was servicing and one kept the service if you won the point. I didn't have any photos as I was continually playing. Both teams won a game, so all square in the end

Paco just congratulates the last player as i grab my camera lol


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Lunch was a tuna baguette


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The afternoon was a little more relaxing, with a sort of shove half penny game, except the wooden discs went into slots at the end of the alley and double points were awarded each time a player got one in all slots, I was rubbish at that lol


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Evening came and time for a sunset


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However, the sun did it's disappearing act

Once it was dark, it was off to the Pirate watchtower to see the camels alight, passing the Hotel Volcan with it's lit volcano tower


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and of course the camels


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never see the marina alight from here before, the wind has also dropped and I won't need a fleece tonight


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we were going to La Chalanita's but we have found they are closed on Tuesdays , so instead we are going to the Volcan de Timanfaya restaurant which was crowded as we passed but there was one table left on the promenade


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This was novel, in short sleeves and eating on the promenade


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however, it does have it's set backs with a couple of unruly kids, one running between our table and another screaming lol

I had the beef Burittos with three sauces and really enjoyed them


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Mrs Db had mixed kebabs and she also enjoyed them


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END OF DAY 10

DAY 11

Yet another blue sky morning Mrs Db, I can't recall a run of blue sky days like this year


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I did get an email from Kayak and Walk to say they have a Northern walk usually on a Thursday but tomorrow their car goes in for service but would arrange it another day but I would only have Friday & Saturday left and said it would be too late for them to organise a group walk but perhaps another year

The sea is still rough and the hotel did talk of organising a boat trip on Friday down to the Papagayo beaches and then on to see the sunset from the lighthouse end but looking at that boat. My inside would end up like the tea in the Boston tea party lol


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It was fairly early and one or two people around the pool looked a bit chilly, so Mrs Db read her kindle and I popped across to the market


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the stalls are much the same


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In my travels looking for interesting things I did come across this stall that sold flat bottles with clocks on or with favourite football teams on.


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Then as it was market day, I popped along the promenade on the lookout for one guy that dresses up as various statues, I saw him earlier on but didn't have any money to give him and I wanted to get a couple of photographs of him.


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I wasn't sure where he would be or if he would be there at all

The waves were a bit rough and walking along the promenade he wasn't anywhere to be seen


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and having gone all the way to town, I took a photograph of the town's beach which has got washed away again


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Lunchtime, mrs Db and I had a jug of Sangria in Barney's


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and of course a bacon, ham & cheese sandwich


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I didn't want anything too big as I was going to have a pizza tonight lol


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our afternoon was spent on the balcony and then we got involved with Terminator and the salvation film on TV. However, I found the end was clashing with the sunset

I said to Mrs Db, "I'll be back" lol


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Tonight we are eating in Casale Franco's which was colourfully decorated in blue and white Christmas lights


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I had the Urlo pizza which is massive and full of chicken pieces, it was really nice but couldn't finish it all, I need to do more walking lol.


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Mrs Db had the Saltimbocca which she liked


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We could only just manage coffee's after that and you get a lemon liquor with your bill


END OF DAY 11


DAY 12

yet another blue sky, this is good holiday weather


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and the breeze has dropped, there are two anglers fishing in a small boat, they couldn't have done that comfortably earlier than today


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definitely a beach day for us and on the front row Lol


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and what a lovely morning it was by lunchtime everyone was enjoying it


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I went and checked and the Ice House was open, so we thought we would give it a try


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The cheese and bacon burger was 6.50 and chip were extra but I was wanting to cut back so chips were avoided


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Mrs Db had a wrap of some sort which she said made a change


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I had to test their burgers lol, my verdict it was very nice but just too big for me to eat at lunchtime but im sure others could managed it, I think looking at it I was in the land of Brobdingnag

As the English lady cook collected our plates, I said, "I couldn't manage the last bit" but she replied, "I had done well, as their burgers are big"


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after a nice afternoon on the beach, we went on our balcony and celebrated with the bottle of bubblely the hotel had given us for returning customers, a little bit too brut for me lol


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a great sunset but I kid you not, the sun was too bright for my camera to handle, I need a shield lol


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Mrs Db and I had decided which restaurants we would eat in for our last three nights, tonight it would be Cervantes which we like and no fleeces were needed


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Mrs Db and I both doubled up to try their steak trufado which we both enjoyed


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After coffee's we were given free vodka caramel and ferrero rocher chocolates, I ate Ms Db's as she is not keen on them

END OF DAY 12

DAY 13

Can this run of good weather last our holiday Mrs Db it's not breezy at all


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so another day on the beach


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but after a successful hunt this time for the character who dresses up

I thought he makes an interesting picture but that cactus above would be distracting and would have to be cloned out


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The green flag was flying


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after a strange ham and cheese omelette in barney's where the ham and cheese was inside rather than mixed in but tasted fine


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it was back to the beach for the afternoon


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again the sun was a little too bright for my camera to handle, so the last snatches of it


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Tonight we decided on Blue Notes as we enjoyed our previous meals but on arrive we found them full and made a quick decision to go to Lani's and as it was a pleasant evening we could eat outside


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overlooking the marina


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I ordered the meat burittos that I had enjoyed at the Volcan de Timanfaya a few nights ago


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Mrs Db joined me but had the chicken one


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we both describe them as just being just over warm and I should have sent them back for reheating but we plough on with them, only for them to be cold before they were finished. I had short sleeves on and at 10pm a chill was in the air and I was glad to be back at the apartment.

a disappointing penultimate night for not getting to Blue Notes

END OF DAY 13

DAY 14

our last full day

A little disappointed with some of the sunset shots, I had noticed a nice glow from our front door in the mornings. So having seen the camels at the watchtower, I had a cunning plan lol but would leave Mrs Db without her early morning cup of tea. On my way up there I met a lady from Brussels that I had chatted to on previous evenings at the sunsets. "You should have been up here earlier the sky was red", she said, I knew what she meant as have experienced the sunrise in Nidri Greece earlier on.

However here I was

The idea without any other day's practise is for me to do something special with the sun lol


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but one only gets a few seconds before the sun makes the picture too bright

I wanted to get the camel to eat the sun but not easy in a small display with the camera angled upwards just got it wrong lol


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but one more go tomorrow if I get up early

a lovely coloured cat around the marina, there are several feeding stations and they are given dried food, so a few early cats are waiting around


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however, back at the apartment to report another blue sky day lol


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yesterday the cake shop opened at the end of the marina shopping centre, so I popped along to see the early cakes


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fresh bread and cakes


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Like many others they also sell ice cream


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just outside the crazy golf has now been completed


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upstairs in the shopping centre there is a children's play zone which seems to have supervision


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Springfields also opened yesterday, although I was too early at this point, I did go back to have a look.



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so the marina shopping centre improving all the time


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for us a perfect beach day


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lunchtime was beers and sandwiches


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this afternoon whilst Mrs Db was on the beach I walk down the promenade and I could see one of the glass bottom boats down near one of the beaches, not sure whether the passengers stay aboard but they seem to have a banana boat running near it


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The evening became quite exciting after sitting on the beach in the afternoon to see a massive sail ship anchor off shore, could I get a Fighting Temeraire type photograph of it


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to achieve it I needed to get the sun very near it

I didn't quite achieve it but my after thoughts were it may have been possible from the watchtower provided the land and the marina didn't get in the way


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For our last meal, we chose Casale Franco, as I wanted my favourite campagonola pizza with the caramelised onions


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It's yummy


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Mrs Db had the salmon


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Mrs Db thought this was a lovely meal


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END OF DAY 14

Day 15

well we are all packed and ready to go home, the weather is said to turn cloudy

But Mrs Db left me out my swim shorts and shirt, should there be a sunrise. However, getting up early and looking through the door it looked cloudy but what the hell, it's my last chance lol

but within 10 minutes


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It's times like this that makes the world look wonderful


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Back at the apartment we decided to forego the traditional fry up, to use up the cereal, big mistake lol


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Soon it was time to leave and the coach arrived on time, we were surprised apart from us to only pick up at the Lanzarote Princess and then head towards the airport


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we were calculating that we would be really early and probably not have to queue at the airport at all

how wrong we were, as we turned off the main road and headed into Puerto De Carmen to pick up other clients, the first we waited 9 minutes for a no show and then after another pick up, yet another no show, by this time the rep had joined us and we eventually got to the airport.

Only to find once we were through, the plane was 1hr 20 minutes late


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so here we were aboard the plane an hour after we should of taken off


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a further 20 minutes and we were taking off


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we made up a bit of time due to a tail wind and we eventualy flew over central London, you may just see the Thame


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"Well, what's for tea Mrs Db", "I have a Tesco pizza in the freezer", she replied.

"Oh this doesn't taste or look as good as the one I had last night", "Well you will just have to make do for another year"

Hope you have enjoyed holidaying with the Delboy's once again and a Happy New Year