(From my journal written on holiday, aged 12 years)
Leave Northampton: 5.15pm
Miles on the clock: 32493
Big towns passed on the way to Dover: Luton, London, Rochester.
Miles on the clock at Dover: 32640
Boarded the ferry at 11.30pm
Thursday 28 August 1980
Arrived in Ostend at 6.30am
Stopped for breakfast in France
First toll: Lille to Paris 25f
Filled tank with petrol. Miles now 32841
Big towns passed: Lille, Paris, Lyons
Stayed at Le Relais des Lacs for typical French lunch of pate, bread and wine. Bill came to 30f.
Stopped at a pub and had a beer.
Passed a beautiful village of St Pourcain.
Miles on the clock 33067
Stopped for the night at a hotel called Norwelle Norme (L'Auberge de L'Etang).
For dinner we had a choice: Dad and I had escargot, and Mum had raw, smoked ham. For our main course, we had roast beef in a mushroom sauce, lettuce and cheesy potatoes. After that we had pudding. This is a typical French meal.
Friday 29 August 1980
For breakfast, we had rolls, butter and tea. The total bill came to 370 francs.
Mileage when we left the hotel: 33071
Filled up with petrol 100f
Met a lovely dog that looked like Karl.
Stopped for a drink in the village of Lanau. Next, we stopped at Aumont Aubrac for lunch. We had cheese rolls and the bill came to 27.50f.
Filled up with petrol: 100f
Crossed the border into Spain, then we stopped for coffee and a roll, and Dad rang the hotel to tell them we would be arriving late.
Arrived at the hotel at about 9.30pm. We had lost our way and ended up on a mountain road in the dark! We then couldn't find our way so we asked a policeman, and a woman who owned the hotel showed us how to get to our apartment.
Ate beans and ham and went to bed.
Mileage: 33483. Total 990.
Saturday 30 August 1980
This morning I was woken by a hen! We had cornflakes and coffee for breakfast, and then I had a swim.
We went to the hypermarket and bought some groceries, and I bought some flip-flops at a nearby shop. After shopping, we returned to the apartment and sat by the pool. Lunch was corned beef sandwiches and peaches.
Later, we returned to Tossa de Mar and Dad promised me a big hat and Mum some jewellery. We had a drink in a bar and I chose a huge ice cream while Mum and Dad enjoyed a jug of Sangria.
Dinner tonight was spaghetti and meatballs with salad. After our meal, we went into the town and stopped at a bar near the castle for a drink before exploring the back streets in search of a fish restaurant. We enjoyed an ice cream before returning to the apartment.
Sunday 31 August 1980
Today, it rained! It stopped soon, though, and I went swimming in the pool. Afterwards, we walked into town to change some money and hired three bikes.
We cycled up a long road, turned back and stopped at a bar for a drink. We returned the bikes after our little ride and went back to the apartment for lunch. In the afternoon we stayed by the pool and Dad took some photographs.
Later on, Mum and Dad walked into town and I stayed behind to wash my hair. For dinner tonight, we had cottage pie and after we'd eaten we decided to play mini golf. Mum won, Dad came second and I was last!
Monday 1 September 1980
Dad went to buy some croissants this morning and we enjoyed them for breakfast. We stayed around the pool until about 11am, and then walked into town. I bought three postcards, stamps and two purses. Mum bought a hat and Dad booked a trip to see a bullfight.
Back at the apartment, we had soup and bread for lunch and relaxed by the pool with our new friends.
In the evening we went to a restaurant called L'Ancla for dinner and we sat outside. For a starter I had a Spanish omelette, Mum had Catalan salad and Dad had fish soup. I chose steak and pomme frites for my main course, Mum had entrecote steak, and Dad chose Monkfish in a Fisherman's sauce. We had a coffee at another bar and returned to the apartment.
Tuesday 2 September 1980
We had croissants and jam for breakfast again before lying by the pool. Our friends came along as well and we chatted for a while.
At lunchtime, we walked into Tossa de Mar and had chicken and chips at a cafe by the sea. Afterwards, we had a walk around the town and Dad bought me a face mask for the pool. It was 150 pesetas.
We tried to go to the supermarket to buy some groceries, but it was closed, so we returned to the apartment and sat by the pool. I tried out my new face mask and could see how the pool sloped and all the details under the water.
Mum and Dad went back into the town and I stayed behind to shower and wash my hair. For dinner tonight we had corned beef salad and new potatoes. After we'd eaten. we walked around Tossa de Mar and stopped for a drink by the castle. Mum and Dad had Campari and lemonade. After our drinks, Dad treated us to kebabs and we visited our favourite bar and ordered what we thought was hot chocolate. Instead, we had three glasses of cold chocolate!
Wednesday 3 September 1980
This morning, after eggs and bacon for breakfast we went to see Sandra (who books excursions) and asked her about a barbecue trip, and another to Montserrat.
We went into town and had a drink while Dad went to buy tickets for a boat trip to Blanes, along the coast. We boarded the boat at 11.30am and the first port we stopped at was Canyelles, followed by Lloret de Mar, Fenals, Boadella, Santa Cristina and then Blanes. In the town, we had some lunch and then took the return boat back to Tossa.
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| Lunch in Blanes |
Tonight, we stayed in and had corned beef salad for dinner.
Thursday 4 September
After a breakfast of croissants and jam, we went to the market. We were hoping to see lots of things but it wasn't that good! We did some shopping and I bought a little water bottle for 195 pesetas, and a little ornament for Mrs Bateman (our neighbour) which cost 100 pesetas. Dad bought Mum and me an ankle chain each, and we also shopped for potatoes and wine. Dad spotted a shark's tooth on a chain, which he bought for himself.
Back at the apartment, we had soup for lunch and then lazed about by the pool all afternoon. We said goodbye to Terry and Toby (our friends) and went inside to have dinner. Later on, Terry came around with eggs, jam and tea for us.
Dinner tonight was beef casserole in a red wine sauce, potatoes, courgettes and onions. After eating, we changed and went out to play mini-golf. After our game, we walked up to the castle and found a lovely bar where we had a drink.
Friday 5 September 1980
Dad went to buy croissants for breakfast and after we'd eaten we drove the car up into the mountains that surround Tossa de Mar. At the summit, we got out of the car and I found a huge pine cone! We drove back to Tossa and did some shopping before relaxing by the pool for the rest of the afternoon.
In the evening we went out for a drink and a hamburger.
Saturday 6 September 1980
After breakfast, Mum and Dad went to do some shopping, and in the afternoon we explored the area around our apartment.
For the rest of the afternoon, we stayed by the pool and I made friends with a girl called Sally.
Towards the late afternoon, we went inside and started to get ready for the bullfight we had booked. We walked to the bus terminal and boarded a coach with about fifteen other people. The road to the town was very scary, with steep drops on one side!
The bullfight was in the town of San Feliu de Guixols and it started at about 5.30pm. There were six fights lined up, and the first wasn't very good as the Matador didn't kill the bull instantly. The second fight was much better and the bull was killed swiftly, which the crowd liked. There were some bullfighters on horses (picadors) and I was scared the horses would get hurt. Mum and I didn't really enjoy the bullfighting, and it was very hot.
We returned to Tossa de Mar and had dinner in a restaurant. The bill came to 1,160 pesetas.
Sunday 7 September 1980
After breakfast, I went swimming with Sally while Mum and Dad went into town to get the bullfight poster I wanted. However, the exchange shop was closed. Later on, when Sally and I walked into town, we managed to get it.
In the evening we walked into town again to see a display of Catalan dancing. On the way, we saw a bike race. The Catalan dancers were a bit boring so we returned to the apartment and ate dinner. Dad cooked us steak with courgettes, a side salad and a baked potato.
After dinner, we went into the town and had a drink.
Monday 8 September 1980
After a breakfast of eggs and bacon, we went gift shopping. I bought my friend Linda, a Spanish mouse, and we bought her Mum, Marie a wooden pestle and mortar. We bought bottles of wine for the Nans, Dad treated Mum to a leather handbag, and I received a big sombrero! I also bought myself a little bull to take home.
After a cup of coffee, we went back to the apartment and had a salami salad for lunch. The afternoon was spent swimming with Sally.
In the evening we got ready to go to the barbecue we'd booked. Our coach left at 7.30pm and we drove to Pineda de Mar. We had wine first and then we were taken to long trestle tables and were given a piece of chicken and a baked potato. One of the men serving came around to everyone with a bottle, which had a long spout and poured the wine into your mouth. Another man took a photo:
After the chicken, we were given a pork chop and steak and had to wear funny hats. Dessert was ice cream followed by sparkling wine (Cava) and hot punch, which I didn't like.
Mum and Dad bought the photos and we went to the bar and had a drink and a dance. The coach left at midnight, and we had made friends with some more people.
Tuesday 9 September 1980
This morning it was pouring with rain! We had toast and cornflakes for breakfast and afterwards, Mum and Dad went shopping. They bought a pen set for me, a chessboard for Dad and a bracelet for Mum.
Lunch today was salami rolls, which I hated, and I spent the afternoon swimming with Sally. Mum and Dad said that if the weather was horrible tomorrow we would go home a day earlier.
We had curry for dinner and then went to play mini-golf with the couple we'd met yesterday at the barbecue. The min-golf was closed, so we walked into the town, had a drink at a bar near the castle and stopped at The Three Barrels on the way home.
Wednesday 10 September 1980
The sun was shining this morning so we decided to stay after all! We walked into town and bought a record by Julio Iglesias (it was playing everywhere) before going back to the apartment and relaxing by the pool.
Dad made fish soup, which was horrible and we spent the afternoon by the pool.
Later on, we walked into town and Dad and I explored the rock pools. We found a mussel! We had a drink at a bar by the castle, bought some French bread and returned to the apartment.
Thursday 11 September 1980
Start of the journey. Mileage: 33508
Filled the tank with petrol: 2000 pesetas.
Stopped at a toll: 225 pesetas.
We stopped at the French border and changed our pesetas into francs - 900f.
We went through the border at 10am and bought sweets and drinks.
Stopped for lunch of rolls and coffee at 12.15pm 28f. We also bought wine 35f and sweets 5f.
Stopped a couple more times for petrol and numerous tolls.
After a long day's driving, we found a place to stay called Le Grand Hotel just off the autoroute. We ate egg mayonnaise and sausage for a starter, followed by beef bourguignon with fries. (I think this was the village of Tonnere). Dessert was ice cream and plum tart.
Friday 12 September 1980
We were awake early and had a bath. Breakfast was bread and jam. The bill for the hotel and meal came to 196f.
Mileage on the clock: 34096.
Stopped for petrol and tolls, and just outside Paris for lunch of rolls and coffee.
Stopped for more petrol and arrived at Calais at about 4pm. Rather than return to Dover, we took a ferry back to Folkestone. The crossing was rough and Mum was sick.
On the way home we called to see one of the Nans, and once home, enjoyed a Chinese takeaway!
Final mileage on the clock: 34534.
"The end of the best holiday I ever had"!
