Majorca, Mojitos and Midday Mountaineering!

Well hello everyone, and welcome to my first (and probably last after you read this!) guest blog for Rachel’s weekly news. I’m Deborah (otherwise known as Mum) and you’ll be thrilled to hear that Rachel gets her wittering and waffling from me, so please bear with! :)

Rachel has asked me to be her guest blogger this week as to be honest, I have had an exciting and eventful week on my travels whereas Rachel has been covering all my hours at work in the shops and so has no news (I’m sure your week was very exciting really Rach, tee tee). It's fair to say, I have been looking forward to this holiday for so long and if you know me, you’ve probably had to listen to my constant countdown of days, hours, minutes, and even seconds for about the last year or so ;). I really wanted our week away to live up to all its expectations (they were very high) and I’m pleased to say, it really did!

After a very early and groggy morning start Thursday last week, my partner and I boarded the plane for sunny Majorca. I am a very nervous flyer and my poor partner had dented nail marks in his arm by the time we had landed but once we stepped into that sunshine, I knew all that worrying, sweating and reassuring myself in my head was worth it! We were only about an hour transfer from Palma airport and on arriving at the hotel, I literally gasped with the view, it was stunning. Even if this wasn’t my hotel, I think I would have clambered off the coach to try and book in!

(Our room with a view)

I have never been on an all inclusive holiday before and I can honestly say, I was like a child. I couldn’t believe that I could have whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted….I can really have a chocolate croissant now?….and another one if I want to? The food was incredible, the choices endless and my plate most mealtimes…..well….voluminous! I must just add here that I have been doing very well losing weight over the last six months or so (going to Slimming World every Friday) and having lost about a stone and a half, I had decided that I wasn’t going to even think about "Slimming World" the entire week. In fact my partner had said that those "two words" were banned on the holiday and I should enjoy every minute of it and not give those "two words" a second thought. I did indeed banish all thoughts of slimming and proceeded to eat like I’ve never eaten before. They even brought glasses of Prosecco and watermelon to you on the sunbeds, how wonderful is that? I think the airline may have been about to charge me excess baggage on the way home as I’m pretty sure I have once again found my one and a half stone!!

Although, it has to be said, I did haul myself off the sunbed on a couple of occasions! My partner is not a lounge by the pool sort of person (don’t understand that myself but hey ho) and so we agreed that although hotel and pool days were plentiful, we would venture out of the all inclusive heaven and see some of the sights. “Let’s walk to Port Pollensa”, he said, “it will be lovely”, he said. He didn’t mention that we would be trekking across a mountain to get there in the midday heat. Whereas he arrived to sit in the harbour bars in Port Pollensa looking cool, calm and tanned, I had a face like a grilled tomato, hair frizzed to triple its size and was actually hyper-ventilating…..not a pretty sight!

I would also like to mention that not only did I do some mountaineering, I was coerced into climbing 365 steps (yes, I did say 365, and it was midday heat, again!) to see a church in the old town of Pollensa. It was actually worth every step (grilled tomato face again though).

(Look at aaaaaall those steps)

On another adventure though, it was slightly cooler as we took a trip to the Caves of Drach (Dragon Caves), they were breathtaking and after walking through the caves, we were all seated in darkness as some rowing boats passed across the lake, all lit up with an orchestra playing in them, it was magical.

Another excursion saw us dropped off at a liqueur factory where we were all given a shot glass each and told to make our way around the barrels tasting the various liqueurs as many times as we liked. There were a lot of barrels to enjoy and having tasted a few, we purchased a bottle of the coffee liqueur, very nice indeed! There were a lot of glazed eyes getting back on the coach that day I can tell you. The tour guide did tell us we may see three buses when we come out and to make sure we got on the right one!!

Another day out included a trip to the beach, it was a very humid day and so the sea breeze was greatly appreciated. It was a gorgeous white sandy beach with clear turquoise sea, even wading out quite a way you were only knee high in the gentle waves. Just beautiful. After that, we may have had the odd cocktail in one of the sea front bars. Well, it has to be done!

On that note, I nearly forgot to mention that the all inclusive package also included cocktails on the roof top bar of the hotel. The views were stunning and that warm breeze refreshing, I just may have been up there every night of the holiday!!

Well, I feel I have wittered on enough about the beauty of Majorca and I would highly recommend it. I am already dreaming of going back but I promise not to bore you with all the pics again next time! I can’t quite get back into the reality of the real world again but I will try my best over the next week or so. If you see me sitting on my roof, cocktail in hand, just leave me to it!!

Deborah x