The World of Simon T: August 2011

Wednesday 31 August 2011

Day 4.1 Kefalonia - Moving Day and Step-er-cise

After Mrs CT's negotiations with our holiday rep and the hotel management, the day of our move to "private suite and pool" is upon us.

However, this morning we conducted a thorough pros and cons exercise on the transaction and decided to stay put and spend the extra money on something else.

That was until we went to reception to report on our findings. On the way there we bumped into the Head of Housekeeping who was delighted that we were taking a suite and that she was supervising the handover personally. Our reputation has obviously spread locally!

This sentiment was echoed by the receptionist who said that we should view the accomodation first before making any hasty decisions. Georgi and his golf buggy was summonsed hence and within 5 minutes we were viewing suit 812.

From the initial look on Mrs CT's face it was evident that our early decision had been overturned. The large bedroom, living room and bathroom bigger than the whole of our previous room were the deciding factors not to mention the private pool with airjets and garden area with sofa and chairs.

Here are a few pictures. Some of the inside tomorrow.

There are a couple of downsides to this move. 1) I am now considerably further than 30m from the pool bar and with no personal beer button and 2) it is now 176 steps up to the restaurants. With 3 meals a day that is 1056 steps per day. Surely that is compensation enough for not going to the gym?

Tuesday 30 August 2011

Day 3.2 Kefalonia - Dwindling Hotel Guests

Further to my earlier blog, I am starting to get concerned about the ever decreasing numbers of guests in this hotel.

For example I am sitting in the main hotel bar at 19.30, prime time for a pre dinner drink, and look.....

Yup, me and the barman Nikos. Greece is in the sh1t and make no mistake about it.

Either that or we have come to a hotel that everyone avoids but we didn't know about it......

......or maybe there is another reason? Suggestions please.

In the meantime I will carry on as usual.

Oh that's my other bar friend in the background, the lovely Dina who always has a smile. (PS does my beer glass look drunk in that picture or is it my eyes?)

Monday 29 August 2011

Day 2.1 Kefalonia -Early mornings and Beer Button

Alarm went off at 6.30 as Mrs CT wanted to go to the gym. Result - Mrs CT rolls over and goes back to sleep leaving me wide awake at silly o'clock whilst on holiday.

As it happens we were first to breakfast and then had the pick of any two of the 128 sunbeds. That exercise took at least 10 minutes as Mrs CT made me calculate the passing trajectory of the sun in relation to all four corners of the pool. Just in case anyone is interested we are lying in the NE end of the pool area.

Look at this. I don't even have to walk the 30m to the pool bar. One press of the button shall summon forth the lovely Poli with beer in hand!

Sunday 28 August 2011

Day 1.3 Kefalonia - numb bum

As per our normal practice we booked extra leg-room seats for our 3.5 hour flight to Greece. My experience this year was numbing, literally.

When Thomson merged with First Choice they inherited the latter's ageing Airbus fleet. Whilst I am sure they are mechanically sound the interiors I can only describe as tired.

When taking my seat, 13a, I assumed that the internal stuffing had collapsed causing my well padded nether regions to be in contact with the 2 steel cross members of the seat frame.

"No that's not a fault" declared Tracy, "we take all the stuffing out of seats 12a, 13a, 12f and 13f because it makes you sit lower next to the emergency exit and therefore making escape easier".

Is she pulling my wotsit? Sitting on 2 metal bars for 3 hours AND charging me an extra £40 for the priveledge is taking the pi$$..

I lost all feeling in my left buttock just over Luxembourg with my entire rear end going missing in Croatian airspace!

Refits needed Thomson Fly, please take note.

Anyone paying for these seats, also please take note.

Day 1.2 Kefalonia - early morning dickhead

Now I know I am prone to the odd rant on these holiday blogs but this usually doesn't occur until day 5 or 6.

For the arrogant prick in the check-in queue this morning, I am going to make an exception.

After what appeared to be a one sided heated discussion with the Thomson lady at the desk he turned to the whole queue and announced that she was very rude and everyone should move to the other desk. At which point he picked up his bags, his wife,who was steadily chewing on a wasp, and barged into the other line.

Our turn was next only to find the poor girl in floods of tears. She pulled through this and gave us the courtesy and professionalism that we have always received from Thomson's.

As for you big man, I just hope that you are not in our hotel......for your sake.....because if one more wrong utterance comes out of your mouth, you may find yourself taking an unplanned swim with the turtles.

Ok, rant over.