Change the light bulbs.....

So the Seychelles leg of the tour has finished. The 15th hole got the the better of me over three rounds so l will watch with interest as the PGA Senior tour play the course in December. It will be an interesting logistical exercise as the hotel only holds 210 guests. They are expecting 450 players and hangers on. The De Havilland Otter only holds 17 people, and for the note of Wallasey golf club members, the course has no practise facilities.

We have now flown to Mauritius. Things have deteriorated. For a Country which has tourism as its major industry, a two hour queue to get through immigration was totally unacceptable. Half the desks were unmanned and it took an age to process people entering the island.

The Heritage Awali where we are staying then did not live up to its 5 star rating. Our sea view room looked out onto some brown worn ground which was once lawn. Behind that was the children's pool, then some beach umbrellas behind which was the sea. Not what was expected. The hotel were not overly co-operative, so I was forced to call Trailfinders at home. Even they could not get any change from the hotel.

I think it is all because their sister hotel next door is closed for a four day private Asian wedding and many guests are staying here. So we had a meal at the beach restaurant resigned to our lot. We drank wine and watched Les Bleu qualify for the World Cup final.

This morning we explored the hotel. We now have a daily massage plan in the Spa, tee times at the golf course and a meal schedule at all the restaurants. This was still a struggle even with a Premier all inclusive package.
Our day just got better though as we have just been upgraded to a  beach front room. It is actually a suite so thank you to the hotel and Trailfinders for sorting that. So now all need to do is see England do the business tonight, and nobody will need to come home early.

Here we go here we go here we go

I had parrot fish for supper last night, I had parrot fish for supper last night. Before that, of course, we watched the England football with a few other footie supporters. Beer was on offer so a few were taken. This is Winter here in the Seychelles and boy did we know it last night as the heavens opened. Just the sort of rain that's needed at home, but not here as it wiped out the TV feed for the Russia v Croatia game just as Russia went 1-0 up.

Earlier in the day SWMBO joined me in the golf buggy and took a shot at the downhill 15th featured in the last post. Her ball is somewhere in the jungle as, to be fair, is mine.  Seven balls lost between us but the green staff have kept us topped up with spares as needed. One more round to try to hit the green on 15 and to improve my eclectic, then off to Mauritius for holiday part 2.

Today is a chill day and tan top-up but still a bit overcast. We have become minor resort celebs as we have had extended loan of the golf buggy for a couple of days while everybody else has to walk. Might hit the gym this afternoon though!!

I had parrot fish for supper last night.

Birthday pens

Blimey it has been busy. On Saturday we hosted a party for SWMBO in the Racquets Club in Liverpool. It was the start of her 60th birthday celebrations, and was well organised by the children so she had to no nothing except enjoy herself. She did that right enough!

On Sunday we did bbq and cake for the ankle biters at Becky's before packing for the next bit of her birthday adventure.

So on Monday we set off on an Emirates Airbus to Dubai. A quick change into a Boeing 777 and we ended up on Mahe in the Seychelles. It was then unexpectedly quick to arrange a 20 minute transfer to our hotel in Praslin. We flew on a De Havilland twin prop Club. 15 seats and a view through the cockpit made for an interesting take off and landing.

The hotel is part of the Constance group and has the only 18 hole golf course in the Seychelles, what a surprise!! Last night though we ate then crashed hoping to wake for the Columbia v England footie. It finished at 01:30 local time so we are chilling today ready for the delights ahead. Photo's will follow!!

So Harry, Gareth and the boys give us an extra treat for Saturday afternoon. Is it really coming home?

January monthly review

Christmas has passed and the Hillhouse occupants have eased into the New Year. Both girls, Emma and Becky have new homes to furnish and manage as they seem to have got themselves settled into other areas of the Wirral. Emma's girls have settled into Birkenhead High School Academy so SWMBO only has Emilie to look after during the day, although school pick-up duties are still required.

Wallasey golf club continues to see far more of me than I had planned, but with a relatively mild Winter, the links have stood up well, and the sandy subsoil enables ma and my fellow members to play any day we wish. Neighbouring clubs on clay bases are struggling with courses or sections of courses closed for days on end. As a result, the applications for membership has escalated and there is now a waitlist as well as a sizeable one-off joining fee when looking to become a member.

SWMBO has a significant birthday this year, so I am whisking her off to the Seychelles and Mauritius  later in the year. We have never been to the Seychelles, as much because I have always felt it would be a bit too relaxed with little to do, as for any other reason. You will not be surprised when I say that the hotel I have found has the only 18 hole golf course in the Seychelles, so I thought that would be ideal. We stay there a week and then travel to Mauritius for a week for a bit of pampering and, oh yes, more golf!!

As a warm up I have again entered the Sir Gary Sobers golf festival in Barbados in April, and as way of a change we are staying on the West coast so we can sample the delights of The Cliff, Tides, Daphne's and Sandy Lane, as well as Holetown and Ape's Hill.

We might try and schedule some decorating while we are away as SWMBO thinks the paintwork is getting a bit tired!

The London branch did not make it up North for Christmas, so we are trying to fit in trips in both directions to meet up, but with term time commitments it is not easy to get them all together. Tim, though, is hoping to get to Liverpool for my 65th in a few weeks time. I am waiting to see how much the government are going to give me for getting old!!

As we move towards February, and the start of the international rugby season it will be time to meet up with a few old mate's and tell all the stories we have been telling for years. Some things never change!