Good Karma

My life has been a bit of a whirlwind just lately.

The morning after the Battle proms Concert we set off in the motorhome for West Runton, Norfolk.

I love the coast, and after a brilliant holiday last year, we’d promised ourselves we’d return, but I wasn’t 100% about it.

Loosing Jasp was still very raw, and I feared re tracing our steps without him may be a bit too much to cope with, it had been bad enough going to Devon, and there were no ghosts of happier times there.

The first night on site, after a humdinger of an argument from trying to erect the awning on a cliff top in strong winds, I announced I wanted to go home.

The next morning everything looked different though as we set off to walk to Sherringham on the beach. We talked about Jasp, and I actually found myself smiling as my memories of him came flooding back.

I’m pleased we decided not to go home, as the week turned out good, and by the end of it I didn’t want to go home, we even checked to see if the pitch was available for a few more days, but sadly it wasn’t so we returned home on the Saturday.

 

I had taken many photos as usual, but this time I was concentrating on getting something more abstract for my planned revamp of our bedroom with a beach theme.

On the Monday morning while browsing a local craft store for ideas, a text came into my phone. It was Deb, my younger daughter.

It read ‘We’re off to Mallorca on Thursday OK?’

I knew she’d been looking for a last minute chill out holiday, but her friend had been unable to get time off, so happy for her that she’d found someone else, I replied ‘Wonderful, who are you going with?’

The reply came back…………….. ‘You!, my treat’

OMG! The last time I’d had a total chill out beach holiday, was in France over twenty years ago!!!

……and Palma Nova, Mallorca?? wasn’t that geared more for 18-30’s

I drove back home in a bit of a daze, walked into the house, and announced to T that I was going to Mallorca on Thursday.

I don’t think he believed me, as he just grunted, and didn’t even lift his head from the newspaper he was reading.

“Did you here me?” I said “I’m going to Mallorca on Thursday”

“Huh, who with?”

I still don’t think he believed me, even after I explained the text message from Deb.

Anyway, Tuesday I popped into town to get some Euros, and a few other bits and bobs when my phone rang, it was the Yorkshire Health Authority.

“Hello Vicky, I thought I’d let you know your mum has improved so much, we are looking at her going home sometime next week”

My mum has been between hospitals and nursing homes since December last year, so to hear that news was wonderful, my plan was to be there on her discharge, so I had to explain I wouldn’t be in the country and could it be delayed a week.

Everything sorted, I jumped on the bus home, only to realise in all the excitement I’d forgotten to get my euros 😕

Wednesday, after another trip into town, and my case packed, I went to bed early ready for the Thursday 3.15am taxi to the airport.

The flight was on time, and it wasn’t long before we found ourselves queuing at the Thomas Cook reception desk to locate our coach that would take us to the self catering apartment Deb had booked.

Giving our names to the rep, she said “could I ask you both to step round the corner of the kiosk please, the manager would like a word with you”

Wondering what we had done, we left the queue and waited, while others happily made their way to the waiting coach.

A man suddenly appeared “Good morning, are you miss and mrs H off the flight from Birmingham?

(I can honestly say my mind went into overdrive in the split second before he continued……. had someone planted something on us! ………why hadn’t I bought a padlock for my suitcase!)

“I am extremely sorry, but your apartment has been double booked, but we would like to offer you an upgrade to a 4* all inclusive hotel, which we hope you will accept with our sincere apologies”

Upgraded from 3* self catering to 4* all inclusive, I had great difficulty stopping my jaw from hitting the floor.

Trying not to look too excited, we made our way to the waiting coach.

What a surprise Palma Nova was.

Nothing like the rowdy image painted by the TV programs I’d seen, it was beautiful too.

  

We spend most of the holiday, totally chilling on the beach during the day. We ate breakfast and lunch in the hotel, but decided eating out in the evenings would be nice .

Perhaps one too many San Miguels 😉

On the Saturday, I wasn’t just glowing with the sun, I was glowing from the inside too, at Deb’s heroism.

We were walking along one of the streets, when she suddenly took off like a bullet across the road, shouting back at me to ask the couple in front of us if he still had his wallet.

It turned out she thought she’d seen a young man and his girlfriend pick pocket the old man’s wallet, and she’d set off in hot pursuit.

The old man was missing his wallet, I pointed in the direction Deb had gone and explained my daughter was running after the thief. I could see her in the distance, she’d caught up with him and was demanding he gave her the wallet, which he eventually did.

Running back to us, but pointing back at the young couple, she was shouting at the top of her voice, someone call the police, they’re pickpockets!!!!!

She handed the wallet back to the old man, and told him off in quite a stern voice to put it somewhere safe and not in his back pocket. We left them standing totally speechless, probably wondering what whirlwind had just hit them.

I had been thinking about buying an air bed, to float on the sea in, later that same afternoon, we were given one by a family who’s holiday was over, was that good karma or not? 🙂

It saved my knees a couple of days later when I was carrying it to the beach, catching my flipflop in a crack in the footpath, I launched it in front of me and landed on it with a splat. Deb called my acrobatics the Vic Splat 😀

The food in the hotel was lovely, but there wasn’t a vast choice for vegetarians. Deb had pointed this out to one of the waiters, asking if it would be possible to add a pizza or some pasta just with vegetables to the self service menu.

Talk about good service, the next day she was presented with a plate of pasta AND a pizza, specially prepared for her. 😀

The holiday was quickly coming to an end, we’d had a wonderful time, with stunning weather and temperatures in the high 20’s

Just a little respite from the sun on one afternoon, when clouds came rolling in bringing about ten minutes of rain.

Wednesday night, en route to our favourite restaurant, this beautiful moonlit scene caught my eye, typically I only had my phone with me, but I still think it captured it well.

Up bright and early on Thursday morning, waiting for the coach to the airport, we both agreed we’d had a fabulous week on a beautiful island.

  

Goodbye Mallorca, I will be back. 🙂

So in my whirlwind three weeks I’ve paddled in the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the Med. 😀