Dreams and Promises

[smokingboot]

Last night we met up with an old friend in Blackheath. We drank, ate excellent curry and talked rubbish as usual.

Years ago, with a pint of Pina Colada in his hands and the Alicante seas chucking copious wreaths of bobbly sea-weed over the surf at us, said friend outlined his grand plan; a group of chums taking a boat from Marseille, sailing down the Med til we found the Dalmatian coast and then...

Then our already booze enhanced geographical ambitions had expanded to the extent that I can't remember where or when our trip was meant to end, if indeed, the plan was ever to come back. But I have decided that retirement will be the time to hold him to his dream/promise and scoop us all back together for an adventure. How hard can it be? If Europe is still there, and pina coladas are still cheap, nothing can stop us. Beats sitting in a front room watching the telly and eating our own cardigans.

So, that's old age sorted out. Meantime, I finished my first attempt at using power tools in the creation of a vast bug hotel, as well as photographing a spectrally beautiful and quite rare mushroom. Heady days.

Comments

[nortysarah.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I don't think piña coladas are cheap anywhere any more :o(

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

We'll bring barrels of pineapple juice, and extend the voyage to find some place where rum and coconuts are cheap!

[november-girl.livejournal.com]

Assuming that Debbie is talking about the night I think she is talking about, I can confirm that the pina coladas haven't gone up very much at all. When I was there again last year I think it was about 5 euros for a pint.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Is that standard Costa Brava rate, or 3am-here-have-a-bucketful-and-let-me-close-my-beach-bar prices? ;-)

[november-girl.livejournal.com]

I think it's standard rate for that bar only, as I don't recall them being so cheap elsewhere on the Costa Blanca. Didn't hunt too hard though. Last time I was at the beach they were a similar price at about 8pm, and the bar is supposed to be 24 hour anyway so I don't think he was going to get to go home, even once he got us idiots to stagger off. I do like that bar.

[november-girl.livejournal.com]

If it's the night I'm thinking of, I seem to recall that you were going to keep going round and round the Med until you got bored and then set off for the Caribbean. But I might be wrong.

I hope he's well. I haven't seen him in a very long time.
x

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

You have the right of it I think - though our westwards direction may start sooner if Pina Coladas have become too pricey across the Med.

He is very well though his hair is shorter and his views are softening to a bluer shade of red!

[november-girl.livejournal.com]

Hmmmph. He had lovely hair. T'other two things please me though.
x

[caddyman.livejournal.com]

You make it sound like a bad thing, but a nicely toasted cardie, especially if it's angora, can be an especial treat on days when the north wind is making blackbirds bleat.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

I'd sooner see it hoisted above the crow's nest, that pirates may fear our approach!