Winter Sun in the Canaries with John, Allyson and Claire

Winter Sun in the Canaries 

We decided to lounge by the pool in the glorious sunshine. Some of the group could not wait to get in the pool for a swim.The water was so nice and refreshing! We had a great time splashing, doggie paddle racing and star floating on our backs. 

In the evening we danced the nights away in some brilliant bars with live music! Some of us took the stage with Karaoke....We felt like pop stars!

Our mission was to make our way up Mount Teide, an active Volcano on the island! We enjoyed the walk along the paths and the beautiful landscape that surrounded us.

 We played a game of boules, girls Vs boys. The boys won the first match but the girls battled on and soon took the lead. 

A boat trip in the blissful sunshine was something we all couldn't wait to do! The Captain gave us an interesting tour of the two islands and its history with the deep channel in between them, allowing a variety of dolphins and whales to pass through at different times of the year. Well, today did not disappoint! We spotted a group of short finned pilot whales which delighted us all.  As we moved away from the whales some dolphins came to play by the boat, splashing and jumping out of the water. What a joy to watch and so close to us too!

There were lots of games to be played around the pool area. Jenga was the most popular game, which was really good fun!

At the Monkey World, everyone loved seeing various species of monkeys, alligators and we were lucky enough to feed the guinea pigs and parrots.

We decided to play a game of football on the beach, it was great fun! Everyone enjoyed trying to score goals against each other.

Bowling and Pool Competition- Notts with David, Ase and Isobel

Bowling and Pool Competition Nottinghamshire  

Off we went to the snooker & pool club to start our competition.The group got into pairs and the competition commenced! Each pair played ‘best of three’ games to decide who would make it into the quarter finals with the semi -finals and the final to be played the following day. It was very exciting and the scores were incredibly close. After some nail biting, close games we had our finalists.

Bowling was the next competition. The adrenaline was pumping and everyone was eager to to play! There were plenty of strikes to be had and everyone congratulated each other on their great performances.

 The busy markets were filled with Christmas decorations and it certainly made us feel very festive and jolly. We met Father Christmas and his elf's and even had our picture taken with him! 

We treated ourselves to the ‘ice cream factory’ where we got to make our own ice cream sundae topped with different flavoured sauces and a delicious selections of sprinkles and sweets. Thoroughly deserved after our sporting triumphs! 

Everyone waited patiently as the scores from all the tournaments were added up as it was time to reveal the much awaited results! All the players were presented with a medal and a certificate for their fantastic participation. Each of the winners received a fabulous trophy as well. The great sportsmanship that had been shown between the group was something to be really proud of!

Attractions of Blackpool with Claire and Midi

 Attractions of Blackpool 

Our first stop was Madame Tussaud's. We could not believe how life like the figures were. We absolutely loved seeing our favourite celebrities and film characters.

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside!

 We had a great morning exploring the tanks and rock pools at the Sea-Life Centre. The group decided that the rays were their favourite fish, with the giant turtle who, we learnt is over 70 years old, a close runner up. We bravely walked through the underwater tunnel where the huge sharks and rays swam above our heads.

We bravely climbed the Blackpool Tower and made our way to the very top! Once at the viewing platform we could see for miles along the coastline.

Next on our 'to see' list was the  stunningly beautiful Tower Ballroom, with all of the glitz and glamour of years gone by. We relaxed on the balcony enjoying tea and cake whilst watching all of the accomplished ballroom dancers stepping and swaying to the organist playing music. It was soon our turn to show off a few of our own dance moves. We couldn’t quite believe we were dancing on this famous dance floor.

We hit the arcades and as well as winning sweets and other prizes, we had our fortune told by the mysterious Zoltar.

In true JollyDay's style, we couldn't wait to get off our seats after the fabulous shows put on by the entertainment team at the hotel and hit the dance floor. We loved showing off our groovy moves to all the disco hits. 

All aboard the River Explorer for a cruise along the Mersey. It was a fun way to see the city and learn about its history. The iconic Beatles statues were a must see and we enjoyed buying some souvenirs to take home. 

We waved to the people on the horse and carriage as they passed us by. 

     

Another beautiful day spent at the beach, wandering along the promenade enjoying the sea air. We couldn't resist a delicious ice cream!

We felt so Christmassy as the twinkly lights lit up the dusky night sky.

We took our ringside seats waiting for the Circus to begin. We laughed out loud at the hilarious clowns and other talented acts. Amongst the favourites was a Cuban lady,performing acrobatics high up in the air using long, white ribbons of cloth to twist and tumble. It was certainly hair raising and nail biting stuff! We had been so lucky to enjoy such a spectacular event.