Saturday 17th
So, we’re finally off on holiday, only for a week this year and our first break since Spain last year. First things first, sorting out the dog; we took Monty to Riverside Boarding kennels on Middleton St at 9.00am and left him wondering what was going on, he should be fine it’s not his first time. After that it’s off to Sainsbury’s to fill up with petrol and by 9.30 we were on the M69 and on our way to Torquay. Nat, who gets travel sick, was equipped with a bowl for emergencies and Han settled down to play on her Nintendo DS.
We stopped for a break on the M5 around 11.00; after devouring our sandwiches Nat, Han and I decamped for the shops and loos while Deb stayed in the car. What a shame, the lovely little pasty stall, next to the main services building, was shut. We had bought pasties there on our way back from Cornwall in 2007 and they were delicious. Lets hope there will be pasty shops in Devon (there were, lots of them) where we can stock up.
The rest of the journey passed uneventfully and eventually we reached Torquay. Here the Satnav on my Nokia N82 came into its own when we took a wrong turn at the sea front. Punched in My location and Osborne Club and it rerouted us in a few moments, I love Satnav on phones it’s so useful.
We arrived at the Osborne Club at 2.30, found reception, registered and because the key to our apartment wouldn’t be available until 4.00 we decided to explored the grounds and surrounds. We walked through the wooded areas then made our way to the gate that gave access to the seafront below the site. We had a wander on the beach then returned to the club and sat at the picnic tables to finish our sarnies (there was a very high-end wedding taking place that day and, as we munched, we were surrounded by well dressed Toffs swigging champagne and doing their own thing; Han was very jealous of the bridesmaids and they lovely dresses) which were Deb’s homemade BLT’s and they were absolutely scrumptious. I washed mine down with a beer the others had pop. Han went to play on the swings, it was beneath Nat’s 12 year old dignity to consider joining her, while she played I downgraded my phone camera pixel count so that I could sent a photo, via MMS, to Donna. I never managed to get that MMS to transmit, the phone reception in the area was chronic. 3G coverage was non-existent and even the kids 2G phones couldn’t get a signal. This was to prove a continuing bugbear during our stay; again and again when trying to use my phones GPS on our various trips, I’d get messages telling me that there was no coverage.
At 4.00 we returned to reception and took possession of the key-cards to our apartment. We were given the keys to our apartment (No.38) which was located at the top of the stairs on the first floor. There are times when I seriously question the wisdom of our acquiring a timeshare but this concern is immediately dismissed whenever we actually arrive and see the accommodation we’re going to be staying in; No.38 was no exception. A split-level apartment, the bedrooms (3) and toilet facilities (2) were located on the lower level whilst the living area and kitchen were located above. As always, beautifully furnished and equipped. I was very tempted, when we left, to see if I could smuggle out the large flat screen TV.
After we had settled in we decided to go for a drive, partly to reconnoitre the area and partly to stock up on necessary provisions. We had spotted an out of town shopping centre on the drive into Torquay so we back tracked thorough the town site-seeing as we went. Eventually arrived at Sainsbury’s where we purchased the weeks essentials, in addition to the beers we also bought some food. By now it was beginning to get dark and cold so we returned to the apartment for the evening. While Deb has a rest after all that driving Nat, Han and I went to the swimming pool for a quick dip. Lovely pool, there was also a fitness club and sauna next door, which we were lucky enough to have all to ourselves. When we returned Nat and I played “who’s sleeping in which room” after Han had decided she was sharing Deb’s room. In the end I got the double bedroom next to Deb’s and Nat got the single at the far end. I had wanted the single, in order to be as far away from the snoring twosome as I could be, but luckily the walls were thick and with the door closed they were barely audible!
It had been a long day, Deb and the kids when to bed around 11.00; I stayed up a while longer in order to watch some TV in peace and chillax. If you had my kids you’d need to chillax too!!!!
Sunday 18th
After breakfast we decided to take a longer look at Torquay; while we’d driven through it three times yesterday we hadn’t actually stopped to take in the sights. We parked in the multi-story on the sea front and set about exploring. Han was running short of socks, due to Monty eating most of hers, so restocks were in order. We walked away from the sea front and into the main shopping area. Like most towns in the UK these days the shops, in the main, were the same ones you see on every high street but there were some local quirks, being a seaside town there were quite a few touristy shops and tat shops (Nat’s 2nd favourite type of shop) catering for the holiday visitors, best of all there were a number of Pasty Shops….Hooray!! We walked most of the length of the main drag seeing what was what before turning round and spending our way back to the front (an aside:- I counted no less that five mobile phone shops on this one stretch of road, I see and retail implosion on the horizon). Deb took Han into Primart to buy the needed socks while Nat and I wandered further on to take a look in WH Smith’s and Waterstones. The new Sony Touch e-Reader was on display in Waterstones and I decided to take a closer look; I was approached by a member of staff who, noticing my interest, enquiry as to whether I might be interested in purchasing said device. I had a good time "out-teching" the gentleman who eventually beat a hasty retreat after realising I knew more about e-Books than he did. Childish and pathetic to enjoy it I suppose but I really couldn’t help myself. These things are coming to market so thick and fast that it really is necessary to take a step back before committing to buy anyone of them at present. Since this encounter at least three new models have been announced and more are expected shortly. I want one but I’ll wait for now. Eventually Deb and Han arrived and we returned to the car to drop off our booty (booty/socks. get it!). On the way back to the car Nat and I decided to call into one of the previously mentioned pasty shops and indulge in a little West Country goodness, he had a traditional Cornish pasty whilst I had a spice beef one. Munching and marching on, taking lots of photos as I went, we eventually made it back to the car and offloaded our goodies. Then we crossed the bridge from the multi-story and walked toward the harbour. We passed a large water feature on the way that for some inexplicable reason was full of soap bubbles? The harbour dominated the seafront and contained a respectable number of high-end boats. We did a complete circuit of it over the next hour or so stopping for lunch on the way. We stopped at a Harvester restaurant that seemed reasonably priced but were very disappointed with the quality of the food they served. We all had chicken of some sort and without exception it was over cooked and dry. Mine was drenched in an over spiced mouth burning garlic sauce and I somehow managed to finish it all, Deb and the kids left most of theirs. This meal was a classic case of false economy if ever there was one! We picked up a leaflet which asked us to submit comments and offered the chance of winning £1,000 or an iPhone. The comments we submitted were far from favourable so we don’t expect to win!
One of the things we’d bought was a bucket and spade for Han who was now desperate to go to a beach to try them out; after much begging on her part we agreed to complete our circuit of the harbour and make for some sand. We passed a Wetherspoons on the way back and Deb and the kids had to drag me passed it kicking and screaming. I love Wetherspoons pus, they stock good beers and a lot of them are as cheap as chips compared to most other pubs. I was denied access to this beery Mecca on subsequent visits and never did get to drink a pint there. Oh Wetherspoons, I’m sorry so so sorry it wasn’t my fault…honest.
We drove to Babbercombe, which is nearby, to see and hopefully ride on the vernicular railway, this is a cog/winch railway built on an almost vertical slope that takes passengers either down from the cliff top to the beach or vice versa. When we arrived we discovered that it had closed for the season in September and wouldn’t be operational again until March 2010; we decided not to wait! At a loose end we decided to carry on driving along the coast road to see what we could see. We drove until we reached Dawlish. By now it was late afternoon and the weather, which had been fine up till now, was beginning to turn cloudy and overcast. We had stopped a few times on route at Shaldon, where we saw the rather odd “The Ness” pub and Teignmouth which is directly across the bay from Shaldon. The trip was fun but noisy, every statement anyone made was followed by either Nat or Han saying, “Or did we?” “Or were we?” and such like. In the end I was forced to tell them that if they didn’t shut up I would kill them, “Or would I?” On the return trip we stopped at Labrador ?????? where we parked and took some photos of the spectacular view.
Eventually we were back in Babbercombe and there we turned onto the coast road that ran past the bottom of the Osborne Club. We stopped and went to the beach where Han was finally able to use her new bucket and spade. In need of a wee I popped around behind the stairway leading down to the beach to relieve myself. Here I was almost cut-off by the incoming tide. When she realised how much insurance she had missed because of my narrow escape all Deb had to say was “DAMN”!
After Han had finished having a good dig and I had narrowly escaped death by drowning we drove on to the Osborne. Deb went swimming with the kids leaving me to have a break from them, it was Channel 5’s superhero film night so we watched the end of The Phantom and Spiderman. Deb and I watched The Punisher after the kids had gone to bed. Afterward Deb went to bed I went for a walk and came back to watch some more TV before climbing down the stairs to Bedfordshire. Fell asleep listening to podcasts on my phone.
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