CLUB TOUR TO ANDALUCIA - 2008
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Brian Gillard reports:
This year the Club took a party of 34 members, wives and friends on tour to Spain for a little pre-season sun and to challenge the locals to a glass of sangria and a game of bowls.
Most of us found the Bar but only a few found the Jack.
Our first game was at Benalmadena where we put out 7 rinks and lost overall. With our second game at Mijas another 7 rinks battled hard to achieve 3 winning rinks.
The Sun continued to shine and by the time we arrived at Miraflores B.C. we were in good spirits albeit by this time we were getting low on numbers to field 7 rinks due to illness and injuries. Still, undaunted most us arrived at the game in good order despite having left Maureen confined to the Hotel with Sally acting as nurse, Trevor injuring his hand whilst trying to board a train and David getting excited and having a nosebleed. The game went on and we achieved a notable loss, but appreciated the opposition giving us a guard of honour as we departed.
Trips on the cable car and to the lakes went without too many injuries but a number of sore feet were reported.
Our last game was against the Hotspots Bowls Group who fielded 11 rinks so we borrowed 4 rinks from Santa Maria and I have to say that this was our best result as we registered a victory. However it should be said that without taking the 4 borrowed rinks into account we lost.
As usual we had our awards ceremony and Mike fought hard to win the giraffe award. If you are not familiar with this I'm sure Mike will explain it to you.
This year we thought it appropriate to have a new award for the most excuses why they lost and introduced the Bull.... award which it was felt could only go to Tom Coster.
David & Shirley won the partners prize but Vicky Freeman had to have the prize for being on the bus first each morning in order to see the streaker in the flats next to the hotel (photos available from Vicky).
All in all an enjoyable tour packed with incidents and finishing up with a 2 hour delay on our flight home and then being dropped at South terminal with our luggage going to the North terminal. We sorted that and finished the tour with a game of “find the coach” which was also at the North terminal and then on a different level to us when he eventually arrived at the South. Finally, we all made it back to Thorpe Bay for a nice cup of tea.
This year the Club took a party of 34 members, wives and friends on tour to Spain for a little pre-
Most of us found the Bar but only a few found the Jack.
Our first game was at Benalmadena where we put out 7 rinks and lost overall. With our second game at Mijas another 7 rinks battled hard to achieve 3 winning rinks.
The Sun continued to shine and by the time we arrived at Miraflores B.C. we were in good spirits albeit by this time we were getting low on numbers to field 7 rinks due to illness and injuries. Still, undaunted most us arrived at the game in good order despite having left Maureen confined to the Hotel with Sally acting as nurse, Trevor injuring his hand whilst trying to board a train and David getting excited and having a nosebleed. The game went on and we achieved a notable loss, but appreciated the opposition giving us a guard of honour as we departed.
Trips on the cable car and to the lakes went without too many injuries but a number of sore feet were reported.
Our last game was against the Hotspots Bowls Group who fielded 11 rinks so we borrowed 4 rinks from Santa Maria and I have to say that this was our best result as we registered a victory. However it should be said that without taking the 4 borrowed rinks into account we lost.
As usual we had our awards ceremony and Mike fought hard to win the giraffe award. If you are not familiar with this I'm sure Mike will explain it to you.
This year we thought it appropriate to have a new award for the most excuses why they lost and introduced the Bull.... award which it was felt could only go to Tom Coster.
David & Shirley won the partners prize but Vicky Freeman had to have the prize for being on the bus first each morning in order to see the streaker in the flats next to the hotel (photos available from Vicky).
All in all an enjoyable tour packed with incidents and finishing up with a 2 hour delay on our flight home and then being dropped at South terminal with our luggage going to the North terminal. We sorted that and finished the tour with a game of “find the coach” which was also at the North terminal and then on a different level to us when he eventually arrived at the South. Finally, we all made it back to Thorpe Bay for a nice cup of tea.