Wake, Fry, Repeat

That man Chaucer knew what he was talking about when he penned "Time and tide waits for no man", and it seems especially true when on holiday. It was a surprise to discover this morning that we had reached the penultimate full day of our time here, or if you prefer, the antepenultimate day of the overall holiday. Time certainly flies when you are having fun.

Today's weather is......hot, going on hot-hot. The same as yesterday, the same as the day before and in all honestly the same as every day we've been here. Consistency in the weather is not something I am used to and although the above may sound negative, no one is complaining. I am normally only interested in the weather forecast when planning a cycle ride and this summer's most frequent announcement has been "good it's going to be above 12°C so we won't need long trousers", but I still take my waterproof jacket just in case it rains (and it usually does).

If you plot a graph of the learning and subsequent loss of driving skills, with increasing age along the x-axis, you may not get a perfect bell curve but the general principles of one will be held. This has become particularly clear on this holiday. On our last visit to Croatia together, I was the main driver and Kev the backup. I sat nervously beside him as he experienced his first time in control of a left-hand drive vehicle. Fast forward 5 years and with neither of us having had any further practice, the roles have clearly been reversed. Although I drove (quite adequately I might add) on the first day, Kev has picked up all the remaining driving duties and I feel everyone in the car is happy with that arrangement. It may just come down to a difference in confidence rather than actual skill but, to quote Darth Vader, "the student has become the master".

There are a number of ways to enter a swimming pool, from the dramatic cannon ball to the slow progress that starts with a tentatively dipped toe. Mostly for the benefit of the grandchildren, but also because it involves quite a big temperature change, I go for the slowly, slowly approach whilst loudly commenting on how cold it is. With the right response from the audience, I can make this last for more than 10 minutes. Today I decided on a plan to create maximum amusement by walking up to the edge of the pool and achieving full immersion quicker than a repentant Baptist. No one noticed.....

In another first, I decided to stick my headphones in my ears and dry off while lying on a lounger beside the pool - in the shade naturally. It felt very comfortable and inclusive (despite the headphones), with a gentle breeze making the 34°C temperature feel more like a warm hug. Shame I only discovered this option so late on the week.Read more