We are at a beautiful campsite-Les Medes, in L’Estartit on the Costa Brava. Mike has secured another of his excellent deals and we are paying less than the council tax and electricity would be in England. (The owner commented that he was ‘worse than the Dutch’ with his negotiating skills).The facilities are fab as well; a 25ft indoor heated pool, bar and restaurant, shop, internet facilities (including Wi-Fi). It’s a short walk into town along a beautifully maintained promenade, and there is a great network of cycle paths all around. Although most of the town is shut for winter like all seaside resorts out of season it has a real peaceful charm about it.

Some of you may have seen it on the internet and some were there with us to celebrate as we finally tied the knot. There were several damp eyes in the Little White Wedding Chapel, Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a light hearted ceremony conducted by the Rev. Keith Love. Yes, that really is his name. A very genuine, likeable man who seemed to understand us all very quickly. We start off all very Church of England mumbling our first Amen, but this doesn’t suit our Keith who very quickly has us roaring our A-mens with great enthusiasm. He comments that I have ‘made it to the altar with everything Vegas has to throw at ya’ but we all have and Mike and I are both very touched by the efforts that everyone made to get there. 

Thank you all so much-all for a ceremony that lasted less than 10 minutes. Our poor guests also had to wait outside in the FREEZING cold for ages while we did all the paperwork. Vegas is a complete onslaught on the senses-we are ill with jet lag and tiredness from the long flight, the air-conditioning has given us nose bleeds and sore, cracked lips. We have blistered bruised feet from all the walking and the hotel is ripping us off with the cost of the drinks. But we had a fabulous party that went on all week. Everyone got on famously and it was definitely the right thing for us to do. We now have our rules for a successful marriage safely tucked away and I think we naturally abide by them anyway.                     


On our last evening I went to see Prince with a small group-it was an excellent venue he was so close I touched his shin. A cruel commentator on this story suggested that he was kicking me away-not so-indeed. But Mike cannot abide Prince so he has happily decided to have a little night out on his own. He chooses his favourite Mexican restaurant for a meal inside the New York New York Hotel and while sitting at the bar finishing his red wine he gets chatting to a group of American bikers also in town for a wedding. ‘Chromium’ invites Mike to join them as they have free entry to a bar called Coyote Ugly. One of the girls in his group, married, aged about 18 and endowed with a superb cleavage which she proudly displays to all takes a particular shine to Mike. In fact she takes every opportunity to push past him in the crowded bar facing forward and thrusting her endowments towards him. At one point Mike asks where he may find the restrooms and she enthusiastically grabs his hand and offers to lead him there. As they reach the door and have their hands stamped Mike turns to see her husband in hot pursuit, he also grabs her hand says ‘I’m sure Mike can find the restrooms himself’. Who knows what treats my new husband would have had to turn down had she been successful in her mission?

Mike did extremely well towing the car behind the Motorhome with great care all the way down from Norfolk-it really is a beast. Unfortunately a young girl driving along towards him did not drive with such care and actually continued to drive past him although the gap was not big enough and she scraped her car all along the side of the Motorhome. Her first exclamation was that she didn’t realise how big our van was but of course her story is now very different and quite ridiculous. She has actually claimed that Mike bounced off the kerb. I witnessed the whole lot as I was following behind in my car. Fortunately the damage to ourselves was minimal (Mike’s pride a bit dented) but she is going the whole hog with a full claim and no doubt a new pack of lies. 

Never mind that was last year and now on with this new one. Happy New Year to everyone and hopefully 2007 will be a great year for all. We had an excellent Year’s Eve. The first half in the van-I cooked steak in Roquefort sauce with chips. The chips were fabulous as the potatoes actually tasted like potatoes unlike their poor watery English cousins. After our meal we headed for the campsite bar. The owners handed round party bags and a small bag of 12 grapes. They put the TV on just before midnight and we had to eat a grape a second for the last 12 seconds of the old year-I can’t remember what the significance of eating the grapes was but I couldn’t keep up with the demand as they had pips in. We all wished each other happy New Year, learnt how to say it in Spanish and Joseph, the owner, turned off the TV and played fantastic party music. We were at our drunken dancing best and the night was made complete by me leading everyone in a conga including a visit to the gents’ toilet, I was turned away at the kitchens though and dutifully performed a U turn not wishing to push my luck. At 1.00am we celebrated the English New Year by going outside and singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ There must have been about 12 of us in the circle. Luckily the next day we were in good shape and took a long beach walk in the sunshine to the end of the town-a round trip of about 3 miles. 

The New Year has seen us focusing on new healthy lifestyles. Healthy eating, reduced alcohol intake and we try and take exercise every day. We have got a couple of folding bicycles which have been a great success. We had the ‘Menu del Dia’ yesterday at the campsite restaurant. The main was pork cheeks. A first for both of us and absolutely delicious tender meat served on the cheek bone.