Wednesday 25th September
Can you believe it was a year today that we first uploaded our website, that means that this time last year we were staying at Bob's in Cowes, putting the final touches on Disco 1 before the big off, unfortunately the weather doesn't seem to be much better. We are currently suffering from a rather large low which has made it rather chilly here.
The last 3 weeks have completely flown past. We have been busy, busy, busy. Last night was a big night for me as I made pasta, it was really tasty especially as I made the meatballs for on top. The only error was in the choosing of the flour, we managed to pick a bread flour etc etc but there was one word we didn't understand, after consulting the dictionary on our return we realised it was wholemeal! But it made good pasta anyway.
I feel like I know the contents of every chandlery in Palma, we have slowly kitted the boat out, Matt has even changed the toilet pipes so that they are MCA compliant! We've even had the boat name put on the back. That was just in time for the arrival of Scotty, Penny (Cheeky), Naked & Sally.
After their last visit to Palma when it mostly rained we were all extremely relieved to wake up to blue skies. Breakfast was eventually eaten and then we hit the seas! Charlie was in town too, so we planned to meet in Andraitx for dinner that night. It was a downwind trip so we decided to try out the cruising chute, while other boat's sails were flogging, we were happily sailing at 6 knots. We stopped in a bay for lunch and a quick dip before continuing our trip.
Andraitx is a very pretty town at night and down a side street we stumbled across a mexican where we enjoyed a fabulous dinner. An early night was in order for some of us, so we could make the most of Sunday.
Sunday brought more sunshine and a pleasant trip back. Naked and Sally were on a 5 o'clock flight so they abandoned ship around 3. We anchored in a bay and the pair of them paddled to shore in that inflatable thing we have called a dinghy, Scotty kindly swam behind and brought the dinghy back. They were surprised when they arrived at the beach to see that everyone was completely starkers, they then realised it was a nudist beach, and there they were fully clothed walking with their bags up the beach! Scotty arrived back at the boat grinning from ear to ear as he thought about Naked and Sally hoping over bodies as they made their way up the beach. Isn't it ironic - Naked on a nudist beach! A relaxed lunch was then had on the boat before the last leg back to Palma.
Abaco was the venue for those early evening drinks, followed by a cute tapas restaurant across the road. The perfect ending to a perfect weekend. Matt and I were completely exhausted, and stumbled round the boat Monday getting ready for our flight back to London at 2AM!!
We landed around 4.30AM on Tuesday, we then hung out at Luton 'till 7AM when we could pick up the rental car. We then went to Matt's sisters for a quick nap before heading to our storage to collect some items for the boat. We were done in record time and drove straight into London to meet up with friends in Jamie's. By 6PM I was so excited I couldn't sit still and Matt finally said we could wander down to the bar. My friends Fiona & Sonia were first to arrive, and then they just kept on coming. I could name everybody but I think that may be a little boring, so the best thing would be to look at the photos as I managed to catch most people before they left! My Camp America friends arrived late, I was beginning to panic but as usual they had just been delayed in another bar. It was a truly amazing night and I absorbed so much information/gossip it was everything I could have hoped for, well, a few hours more with them all would have been nice.
Wednesday morning we headed sown to the boatshow, where we both gained sore feet after wandering round and round, checking out the deals. 7PM was there before we knew it and then it was off to Portsmouth to meet up with Dave the Teach and Nikki the SR Virgin, we went for tapas and the menu was even in Spanish, we found it very entertaining! Then it was bedtime and boy, did we sleep well. Then it was back to the boatshow on Thursday to start shopping. Anna & Scotty appeared around 2PM, so we managed a bit more shopping before checking out some of the new boats, none of course being as great as DI2!!!
Thursday night was almost over by the time we arrived at our evening destinations, Matt went to Watford to see Jules, Steve & Martin, while I had the pleasure of checking out the new Miller/Brown residence and a yummy dinner. It just felt like old times and when I left it seemed strange that I wouldn't be popping round there again in the next few weeks.
Friday was spent in Watford buying more stuff that we can't get or is over-priced here. Friday tea was had with Matt's family and made the perfect ending to such a fantastically hectic week.
Now finally we are back home, returning slowly back to normality and preparing ourselves for this week's guests; Hutch, Colette & Slim followed by the arrival of my Dad & Debbie. How will my liver ever cope!!!!
On to Adios Palma, We'll be Back!!
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