The year after I met Julien Macdonald, I'd done my Christmas magic at work in London, and headed off to Gran Canaria for some winter fun in the sun, and was due to arrive back the day before the Christmas party at work, tanned and buffed.
I loved travelling by myself, and always met some really interesting people. I used an independent travel agents and was due to stay at a small complex near the beach at Maspalomas.
Monday was departure/arrivals day, and flights were arriving from all over the UK. There were sixteen bungalows, and most people seemed to be congregating by the outside bar, making the most of being in glorious sunshine after leaving a cold, dark wintery UK.
After a couple of hours chatting at the bar, a gang of us decided to go out for dinner before hitting the bars and clubs. We had a ball, the long and short of it being that we formed a little band of really great friends. There was me, John and Don from Glasgow, Giovanni an Italian in London, David from Brighton, and Paul from Geurnsey.
We went out every night for dinner and then out clubbing. They all stayed by the pool everyday. I love the beach, so even if I got in at eight in the morning I was down in the dunes by ten, making sure my tan was not going to have any nasty little white bits.
The highlight of our week was when we chartered a yacht for the day. Theres a great photograph of us all newly arrived, on the deck, arms linked laughing our heads off, quaffing champagne at ten in the morning. I look really happy, I was really tanned, my hair was long and sun kissed. The only frightening thing was that the summer before I'd try to by some lip salve/ sun block in France. The first time I used it people looked at me strangely. It was only later that I realise it was white and not transparent. Thus a little mirror was to be used at all times, much to the amusement of everyone else, to make sure the white stayed just on my lips, as I didn't want to end up looking like Marcel Marceau.
All the others were booked in for a weeks holiday, all except me who had two weeks there. Monday came and we had a last breakfast together. All their luggage was packed. We had all really bonded. I had lots of friends in London but I knew these people were special, especially John and Don. We said we'd all meet up soon for a reunion after Christmas, but how many times do we say that? A Christmas card is about as far as most holiday reunions go.
It was with tears in my eyes as I waved them goodbye and jumped into a cab for the beach.
To be continued.
I loved travelling by myself, and always met some really interesting people. I used an independent travel agents and was due to stay at a small complex near the beach at Maspalomas.
Monday was departure/arrivals day, and flights were arriving from all over the UK. There were sixteen bungalows, and most people seemed to be congregating by the outside bar, making the most of being in glorious sunshine after leaving a cold, dark wintery UK.
After a couple of hours chatting at the bar, a gang of us decided to go out for dinner before hitting the bars and clubs. We had a ball, the long and short of it being that we formed a little band of really great friends. There was me, John and Don from Glasgow, Giovanni an Italian in London, David from Brighton, and Paul from Geurnsey.
We went out every night for dinner and then out clubbing. They all stayed by the pool everyday. I love the beach, so even if I got in at eight in the morning I was down in the dunes by ten, making sure my tan was not going to have any nasty little white bits.
The highlight of our week was when we chartered a yacht for the day. Theres a great photograph of us all newly arrived, on the deck, arms linked laughing our heads off, quaffing champagne at ten in the morning. I look really happy, I was really tanned, my hair was long and sun kissed. The only frightening thing was that the summer before I'd try to by some lip salve/ sun block in France. The first time I used it people looked at me strangely. It was only later that I realise it was white and not transparent. Thus a little mirror was to be used at all times, much to the amusement of everyone else, to make sure the white stayed just on my lips, as I didn't want to end up looking like Marcel Marceau.
All the others were booked in for a weeks holiday, all except me who had two weeks there. Monday came and we had a last breakfast together. All their luggage was packed. We had all really bonded. I had lots of friends in London but I knew these people were special, especially John and Don. We said we'd all meet up soon for a reunion after Christmas, but how many times do we say that? A Christmas card is about as far as most holiday reunions go.
It was with tears in my eyes as I waved them goodbye and jumped into a cab for the beach.
To be continued.
