The second week we were sick of walking so we rented a yellow VW Beetle Convertible just because it looked dead trendy!

These are the trips we did in it …

Roque Nublo, the old volcano of the island and it was amazing because for the first time ever it was totally clear. We had excellent views over to Tenerife and Mount Teide and Maspalomas. The air was thin but clean and just a little cooler then lower down … I think even Matt, who, in theory would have the place flattened in favour of a theme park, seemed to get some enjoyment from it.

Puerto Mogan is a small fishing village that has been theme parked into something totally different. Not in a bad way, it is still very attractive, maybe even more so than originally but very obviously worked by developers rather than time.

I had the weirdest steak ever cooked in strawberries and banana which was strangely enjoyable. Daisy had some fresh tuna and now is convinced she preferred it from a tin. Matt and Zoey had Paella but I doubt either will be in a rush to eat it again.

(By now my mouth had stopped opening to more than 1cm which was making eating extremely problematic).

We did Palmitos Park where I and Matt were impressed to see a Komono Dragon, not as large as perhaps we would have liked but at least in the flesh (or scales) so better than TV. The fauna and flora was amazing, it seems to have grown so much even since last year. We also spent a lot longer there than I had done previously which really improved the enjoyment of the place because I actually looked at so much more. I do feel that the keeping methods and questionable as few of the animals seem to have enough space but assuming that side is OK, a very enjoyable day.

Aqualand was another excursion we did and thankfully not as busy as I thought it would be. The ground was even hotter this year than it had been previously and was impossible to walk upon so we just took to wearing sandals. Matt injured his neck in the diving pool. I felt sorry for him but, at the same time, it is useful for the kids to experience some pain now and then to understand the concept of what others may be feeling and show a little more understanding.

We went to a Crazy Golf course though cannot remember where and I doubt it matters anyway seeing as how it was rubbish. Worse yet, we were following 4 German guys that thought they were at St Andrews yet were the biggest cheats I have ever seen in my life and they were deadly serious about too.

Visited Faro 1 and 2 shopping centres and Matt had his first experience of successful haggling and I was ever so proud of him! Sadly, I have since found out that my effort achieved little more than me being conned out of an extra €40 than I needed to pay. Clearly my technique is lacking.

Lastly, we did a couple of visits to the large shopping Mall just between Playa Del Ingles and the airport. If nothing else, it had good air conditioning!

The second week we were sick of walking so we rented a yellow VW Beetle Convertible just because it looked dead trendy!

These are the trips we did in it …

Roque Nublo, the old volcano of the island and it was amazing because for the first time ever it was totally clear. We had excellent views over to Tenerife and Mount Teide and Maspalomas. The air was thin but clean and just a little cooler then lower down … I think even Matt, who, in theory would have the place flattened in favour of a theme park, seemed to get some enjoyment from it.

Puerto Mogan is a small fishing village that has been theme parked into something totally different. Not in a bad way, it is still very attractive, maybe even more so than originally but very obviously worked by developers rather than time.

I had the weirdest steak ever cooked in strawberries and banana which was strangely enjoyable. Daisy had some fresh tuna and now is convinced she preferred it from a tin. Matt and Zoey had Paella but I doubt either will be in a rush to eat it again.

(By now my mouth had stopped opening to more than 1cm which was making eating extremely problematic).

We did Palmitos Park where I and Matt were impressed to see a Komono Dragon, not as large as perhaps we would have liked but at least in the flesh (or scales) so better than TV. The fauna and flora was amazing, it seems to have grown so much even since last year. We also spent a lot longer there than I had done previously which really improved the enjoyment of the place because I actually looked at so much more. I do feel that the keeping methods and questionable as few of the animals seem to have enough space but assuming that side is OK, a very enjoyable day.

Aqualand was another excursion we did and thankfully not as busy as I thought it would be. The ground was even hotter this year than it had been previously and was impossible to walk upon so we just took to wearing sandals. Matt injured his neck in the diving pool. I felt sorry for him but, at the same time, it is useful for the kids to experience some pain now and then to understand the concept of what others may be feeling and show a little more understanding.

We went to a Crazy Golf course though cannot remember where and I doubt it matters anyway seeing as how it was rubbish. Worse yet, we were following 4 German guys that thought they were at St Andrews yet were the biggest cheats I have ever seen in my life and they were deadly serious about too.

Visited Faro 1 and 2 shopping centres and Matt had his first experience of successful haggling and I was ever so proud of him! Sadly, I have since found out that my effort achieved little more than me being conned out of an extra €40 than I needed to pay. Clearly my technique is lacking.

Lastly, we did a couple of visits to the large shopping Mall just between Playa Del Ingles and the airport. If nothing else, it had good air conditioning!

• Faro 1 still has the giant turn marking where the loos are.
• Roja still make those loos
• Leg room is getting even less on planes and if I notice it must be bad.
• One of the guys at Merlin’s (the Italian one) seriously broke his leg roller skating and is off work just now but hopes to be back for September. He doesn’t look at all himself though, bless him.
• It was lovely to meet Ree and Jules out there a couple of times, they seemed like really good fun so it was annoying I felt too crap to really enjoy their company.
• I am starting to really dislike the Spanish. Not all of them of course, I have not met all of them! Our neighbours on both sides of the apartment seemed incapable of talking to each other in anything less then a bellow. They were worse than the Germans for reserving sun beds. They dominated the pool and just didn’t give a sod if they spoiled the enjoyment of others especially if those others were not Spanish. They smoked regardless of regulations to the contrary. At the airport I was told by a female security operative ( I know of a better and more accurate term) just after I said I didn’t understand what she had just asked me to do in Spanish, that I should learn the language or not bother coming to her country … I wish I had not had the kids with me as I would have liked to followed that up with a visit to her supervisor reminding him or her just who it was that kept them in work.
• Top marks to Pub Nestor for embracing the kids totally. I was dead worried that we would be forced into some horrid straight bar with a crap entertainment or no entertainment but they were brilliant. Not one customer made us feel uncomfortable either except for Matt who was getting a little miffed when it was assumed he was my boyfriend. At one point he asked if he could throw a queenie strop and publicly dump me just to make the point! Of course, if Matt was my boyfriend, what did that make the girls?
• By the last day I was very ill and bringing up blood but thankfully survived both the trip to the airport and the flight home.

• Faro 1 still has the giant turn marking where the loos are.
• Roja still make those loos
• Leg room is getting even less on planes and if I notice it must be bad.
• One of the guys at Merlin’s (the Italian one) seriously broke his leg roller skating and is off work just now but hopes to be back for September. He doesn’t look at all himself though, bless him.
• It was lovely to meet Ree and Jules out there a couple of times, they seemed like really good fun so it was annoying I felt too crap to really enjoy their company.
• I am starting to really dislike the Spanish. Not all of them of course, I have not met all of them! Our neighbours on both sides of the apartment seemed incapable of talking to each other in anything less then a bellow. They were worse than the Germans for reserving sun beds. They dominated the pool and just didn’t give a sod if they spoiled the enjoyment of others especially if those others were not Spanish. They smoked regardless of regulations to the contrary. At the airport I was told by a female security operative ( I know of a better and more accurate term) just after I said I didn’t understand what she had just asked me to do in Spanish, that I should learn the language or not bother coming to her country … I wish I had not had the kids with me as I would have liked to followed that up with a visit to her supervisor reminding him or her just who it was that kept them in work.
• Top marks to Pub Nestor for embracing the kids totally. I was dead worried that we would be forced into some horrid straight bar with a crap entertainment or no entertainment but they were brilliant. Not one customer made us feel uncomfortable either except for Matt who was getting a little miffed when it was assumed he was my boyfriend. At one point he asked if he could throw a queenie strop and publicly dump me just to make the point! Of course, if Matt was my boyfriend, what did that make the girls?
• By the last day I was very ill and bringing up blood but thankfully survived both the trip to the airport and the flight home.