Well hello my dear readers,
Did you miss me while I was away? You can tell me. I know you did really.
So where will I start in recounting this tale of dashing heroes, beautiful heroines, dastardly villians, romance, treachery and noble sacrifice in the face of true evil?
Oh hang on...
No, sorry, thats a story. I'll telling you about my holiday aren't I?
So we will begin, as is traditional, at the beginning.
And Manchester Airport at around four in the morning. Which I'm sure you'll agree, dear reader, is far too early to be doing anything other than sleeping let alone getting through the check in desk at terminal two. There was already a queue which I joined the back of. It was then I spied something to chill the heart of many a traveller on a cold, dark, wet winters night. A group of lads with the words 'Zante 13' emblazened on the front of their t-shirts and various nicknames on the back. Now, my dear reader, I'm a quiet, sensitive soul (SHUT IT!) so my first reaction was, I'm sure you'll agree, quite understandable.
It was:
"Oh shit, I hope they don't end up sitting anywhere near me."
So, anyway, the queue made its merry way forward and whilest there, I tried a little furtive scanning of the crowd to try and see if there were any more single people around. I couldn't see any but as it turns out there were four more people flying from Manchester. So on the queue went with me minding my own business, stoically ignoring the mocking call of the airline rep and her cruel taunts of the availability of extra leg room seats which were now being offered at two for the price of one. It's getting to something when even the airline is taking the piss out of your single status.
Eventually I managed to get through check in, security (with no hassles), and was in the departure area where it was time for breakfast.
*memo to Burger King*
Yes, I know what the sign said but, when you need an electron microscope to see them, don't you think you're taking the 'mini-pancake' thing a tad far?
And then it came time to board and be on our way.
Or so we all thought.
After an almost completely unintelligible message over the plane's intercom, we sat there for about forty five minutes. And it was during this time that one of the 'Zante 13' massive decided to fall ill. Yes dear reader, damned inconsiderate of him I know. Eventually he was removed from the aircraft, his luggage (as well as that of one of his friends who volunteered to stay with him) soon followed and after a two hour delay we were away for what, after that slight excitement, turned out to be a very uneventful flight.
Three and a bit hours later we landed safely on the tarmac at the airport to the island of Zante. Or Zakynthos depending on what you call it. Once the plane had taxied to its final position we all disembarked into what we thought would be blazing hot sun.
Except we didn't. I mean we all got off the plane. And it was hot. But, thanks to a nice breeze, it wasn't stop you in your tracks hot like some holidays I have been on. At this point I didn't even take my cardigan off. Yes, dear readers, I was wearing a cardigan. Well down wiv da kidz me I'll tell you. We then got on the little bus that takes you from the plane to the arrivals area. A journey which, in this case, took all of a minute.
Then, my dear reader, came a moment which you may decide is pure fantasy, but which I can assure you was 100% true. I quickly made my way through passport check and headed towards baggage...
To find...
My case was already on the carousel waiting to be picked up. Seriously, my dear reader, as I walked up to the carousel I saw it making its way towards me. Now how cool is that?! So without futher ado, I grabbed the case and headed for the exit and started looking for the pick up. Which again I did almost straight away. I was, I think, second to make it though. The others swiftly followed me and we were led onto the minibus which was to take us to the hotel. The five of us then introduced ourselves and started chatting away during the twenty or so minutes the journey took. At which point I began to think that, as these four all seemed to be rather nice people, this was going to be a rather good week.
We were then at the hotel where I was re-aquainted with the rep (by the name of Andy) who I had originally met in Rhodes. Then we got our room keys, shown to our rooms by Andy (four of the rooms, including mine, were next to each other) and left to unpack. This done, I took off my cardigan, put on some shorts, some sun block and headed out to explore the bar and beach area. I had only just reached the bar when I bumped into Andy again so we sat and had a beer whilst having a nice catch up chat.
A quick walk round the beach area where I had another nice chat to the two lovely ladies in the Manchester part of the crew, Vicki and Amanda, and then back to the hotel room for a wee kip. Then came another important step in the weeks holiday. Something everyone goes through at some point. Seeing if the shower worked (which it thankfully did). After that it was then time for dinner...
Coming up in part 2:
What happened when the Bristol and Gatwick people arrived.
The local pubs and bars
And, the question you all want to know (well if you've read the previous entry)
Did I find my 'impossible girl'?
Tune in next time to find out
Ta ta for now
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