Newquay

A UK holiday this year, just like the rest of the UK population. That’s to say, the rest of the UK population with any sense! The problem is, it looks like the rest of the UK population with any sense has decided to come to Newquay as well. ‘Every man and his dog is here’ said Anne. Every man and his dog, wife, two-point four children, gran, grandad, auntie, uncle Tom Cobley and all more like. And the school holiday has not even started.

We had an ultra-mini road trip to get here. A quick overnight at G’pa’s proceeded by a day on Budleigh beach. The beach was quiet, the sea was clear and the sky was blue. Perfect for a UK holiday, shame we didn’t think about staying there for a week. But I did get to try out my wetsuit. It was amazing (apart from looking like a pot-bellied seal). Cottage pie and a couple of glasses of Merlot at G’pa’s and back on the road the next day to Plymouth. We spent a wonderful afternoon with Martin and Julia and an even better evening watching England thrash Ukraine in the Euros. We can bask in the glory of being one of the best footballing nations in the world for a few more days, woohoo!

Onward and westward – the plan was to drive to Newquay via Bodmin and stop off on the moor for lunch. Torrential rain for the first few miles and that we forgot to pack an umbrella/marquee meant a change of plan. So off to the Eden Project. The Eden Project has been on my bucket list for years, but never really got any higher than position 37. But needs must. Or, rain = indoors, woohoo, the Eden Project!

The sun came out for the last leg and we reached Newquay mid-afternoon. Our residence for the week, the Atlantic Hotel, is on the top of a headland between the two main beach areas, west to surfers paradise (Fistral Beach) and east to kiss-me-quick and donkeys, without the donkeys (Towen Beach).

I’m writing this on day six and I can say that apart from the smoke alarm going off at 4.30am, room service consisting of a bag of towels left by the door, no hot water all day yesterday, yellow hot water today, the cocktail bar being shut, decorators painting outside every day with a radio tuned to Radiozurnal (popular Czech radio station), the hotel is lovely.

Finally, the Atlantic calmed down enough for me to don my wetsuit and rent a paddleboard. When asked by the 15-year-old surfer dude in the shop if I had paddle boarded before I was compelled to say ‘No, but I have surfed so I think I will be okay.’ I added a sanguine laugh for authenticity. I think I fooled him, he answered with a sage nod of the head while acknowledging my gnarliness with the universal appraisal, ‘cool man’.