The holiday that wasn't!!!

We were supposed to go away for a long awaited 5 day break last Monday!  The first time away in more than 18 months.  We enjoyed the drive to the resort, and anticipated being in a warmer clime, natural hot mineral swimming pools, game drives, entertainment, etc.  After a 3 hour journey we arrived at 2 p.m. and thought that it didn't feel any warmer than where we live.  Anyway we unpacked and settled in, (they are building another phase to the retirement park portion of the resort, which is why we went so that we could take a look at it!), and then an agent took us around and showed us what was available.

We then settled in for the evening - horrors we were freeeeeezzzzzing and there was no heating, nor means of heating or heaters or electric blankets, there wasn't even an oven we could turn on!  Ha, ha we are not dumb we had brought a heater with us, only it was no where near big enough to warm the place, which was thatched and had no ceilings, so the warm air went straight up, bet the mice were warm, lol. 

I filled the two hotwater bottles (which I had also taken, added blankets on the bed, ditto) and climbed into bed - what else can a person do???

The next morning I woke early and saw the sun rising - ah it will be better today!  Yeah! right!  The wind was freezing and the sun disappeared, my teeth are chattering, my chilblains are itching and I'm so cold I could cry (don't forget this is sunny South Africa!! we are not used to freezing temperatures) !

Many of you will remember that I nearly lost my husband to pneumonia this time last year and I just wasn't willing to risk his health by sitting around too cold.  So guess what?? We packed in about one hour flat and hit the road home again.  It was warmer here than it was there.  Now they tell us it is the coldest winter they have experienced in 40 years ---- did it really have to happen this week?

So to cut a long story short our less that 24 hour holiday will probably not even survive in our memories and I am now sitting on top of the gas heater toasty and warm, thank you!! And tonight I will have a nicely warmed bed waiting for me, in a warmed bedroom, lol!!

Oh Cathy what a horrible experience for you both after such a long wait to have a break..... but the old saying is..there is no place like home, and i think that is very true in your case.

So sorry to hear this CathyML you really did deserve better!

We all know how hard you work here (apart from your own business) to keep the forum interesting, and yes you've been missed, even for those 24 hours, but you still deserved that break.

When Anna and I returned from vacation in the States a full week early some years ago now, and through similar circumstances, I thought we were alone in saying 'no thanks' (well not exactly that) but this is POE.....evidently not?

Either way welcome home dear friend.

I am talking to people on the net tells me that Denver/Boulder area last night had the most unusual weather...and most the USA has been having it all over these days....they said the lightening strikes were unbeleivable in the sky...an continous for an solid hour not letting up lightening storm. Leslie, whom I talk to in another site lives in the hills above Denver, Ham radio operator...I tried to leave an message to see if all is right in the area...no response so far.

Sorry to hear your holdiay wasn't the greatest..maybe you can make up for it in some way. I was thinking that reading about William and Kate's visit over here...though they showed an picture of her outfit she was wearing that I guess went over really well while they were here, she looked quite lovely ...but the kind of trip they took is one of those constantly on the move most likely. I've taken an few of them myself in the past and your on the go the entire time...you come back home wondering what was the "vacation" part of it all. You know an hour talking to this person, and hour talking to that person...after an couple of constant days of it, wears an person out. Glad they had an good time though, or seemed to of had by the news media.

Oh! LOL!  I forgot to tell you about the straw that broke this camel's back.  The place was practically a building site, with so many chalets being renovated and added on to.  There were gangs of builders, thumping compressors, drills and saws, within 2 chalets from us, and out in front of the chalet they were relaying brick roadways which involved cutting tools for the bricks!  The noise was unbelievable - from the time we got there until 5 pm and then it all started again at 8 am sharp!! During the afternoon we though we would sit a while in the sun and have a cup of coffee - it was impossible!

On top of that they were using an ageing diesel truck - goodness knows if it even had an exhaust pipe - which belched diesel fumes all over our chalet, as the roadway behind the chalet was probably two paces from the back wall.  These fumes filled the chalet we were staying in, probably through the thatch because we closed all the doors and windows.  Ironic when you think the place had no smoking signs all over the place :-)

Then of course I mustn't forget to mention the heavy machinery vehicle with the big scoop on the front that was going up and down the road. lol.  The constant noise was unbelievable!

Anyone surprised we decided to come home???

Hi Cathy, I love this particular avatar of yours!  Hope you are now totally unmpacked and settled in. :-)

Unfortunately there was no refund, and I don't think they could have cared less.  There's the holiday budget gone!  Oh well, I have been taking it easy at home instead, but I'd better sharpen up tomorrow and get something done around here!! lol.