And it all went down hill from there

Thursday morning rolled around, and we had now completed our first week in Lanzarote. I was up early that morning so that I could see the lecturers off, and some new friends from the Science Teaching course. Well, I had to make sure they all got on the plane! Holly also joined me that morning, and we all went to the airport. Holly needed to pick up her 200 Euro hire car (a Ford Focus or equivalent). I make a note of how much she paid for her hire car, as I too was due to pick up a car later on in the day.

Anyways, Holly met the 'rep' from the company. Unlike all of the other companies (Avis, National... etc), this company didn't have a desk. We had to meet the rep, who then took us into the car park. It all seemed pretty dodgy to me. In fact I was ready for the woman to pull a gun on us, and demand all our money! In the end, we picked up Holly's Ford Focus or Equivalent (in this case, it was the Equivalent - a Kia Cerrato), and sped out the Airport. Not becuase we feared the gun-toting rep, but because Holly is a mad driver. I didn't make the mistake of sitting in the front of her car again that week (far safer in the back...).

As I said, I was also due to pick up my own hire car. I had searched far and wide to find a dodgy bloke that would lend me a car (as you have to be over 21 to hire a car, and I'm only 19), and I had found 'Montanas y Cars'! The office of this place was a basement underneath a restaraunt (already sounds dodgy), and as I went down the steps, I'll admit I though 'Oh my goodness, I'm going to get mugged and raped...' Of course no one would want to rape me, I'm far too ugly.

Sure enough, in the office, was Michael (no not Michael who had previously broken me out of jail) a German with interesting facial hair. Now I wouldn't say that it wasn't above board, but I'm too young (and he knew this), and he never asked to see my paper driving license (which again is a legal requirement). 100 Euros later, and I was the proud renter of my very own Opel Corsa - Carlos the Corsa! White (shows the rust) 5-door, with colour coded bumpers! When Michael had handed me the keys, he had said to me (please imagine this is a Russian accent - it makes him sound more dodgy) 'It is an old car. Has many, many scratches. If you scratch it - do not worry!' On the outside the car actually looked pretty neat (see CATCOUK2 for pictures), but the inside was sandy, muddy, and a complete tip! Lovely. Well the car went and the radio worked. What more could I want?

For the rest of the week, I drove people around (for petrol money) which was great! I love driving, and I didn't have to plan anything all week! At this point I have to apologise. When I set petrol prices, I failed to take into account Lanzarote's petrol prices (which were half UK prices). I had never meant to make a profit, but in the first week I spent 100E, whilst in the second week, I only spent 20E. Sorry.

Bearing in mind that I paid half of what Holly had paid for her two week old Kia (which, despite being a Kia, was lovely), my car was still great! It had a revolutionary air conditioning system that allowed air (and a hand) in through the top of the drivers door, whilst fully closed! It was great for those hot sunny days. Less funny during the tropical rain storm though (yes, it did happen). Of course, not having driven for a week, Carlos felt fast! That was until I got back to Blighty, and drove Ernie again, and realised my 1986 Escort was a Formula 1 car!

Many of my friends suggested I 'rag' poor old Carlos the Corsa (that is to say throw it around). But I kept telling them that if I loved a car, it would love me back (and not breakdown) - and this car needed ALOT of love! So much so, that when we went surfing on Friday, I took some time to clean thge inside of the car with 'Multi Usos' spray. But of course by the end of the week, I was doing handbrake turns (my first ever I add), and I was redlining the rev counter. Alot.

Side line story: Batman (or Simon if you must), Thom, and Guy decided to rebuild their room, and make a fort (like we used to when we were kids and bored). Again, see CATCOUK2 for photos! That night was a rave, and many people went to bed around 6/7am. When Thom woke up in the afternoon, stark naked face down on the floor, he found a pile of neatly pressed towels next to him. Yes that's right! The cleaner had been in. I'd have paid good money to see her face when she opened up to find their 'Fortress', and Thom on the floor!

Sunday night, many people were feeling (understandably) delicate from the night before. Holly and Kat had booked out a TV, and we saw on the Sky News headlines that Top Gear had screen the Richard Hammond crash! We'd all forgotten. Panic soon spread around the group. But fortunatly my Mum had remembered, and got my brother to record it. We all relaxed, didn't bother getting the repeat on Tuesday recorded, as we had a recording. Little did I know that my brother was incapable of using a video recorded, for when I got back, I found that my retard of a brother had, instead of recording an hour of Top Gear, recorded an hour of static - on the wrong chuffin' channel! What an idiot. (Thank goodness for BBC3!)

Monday night was Karaoke, and I had been challenged to drink 5 bottles of Cider (Strongbow). Yes, by 12 o'clock, several badly sung songs later - I was drunk! For the first time in my life. I only drank 1 ltr of 5.2% Strongbow in 2 hours, but when you think I don't drink, that's not bad. When I got to bed, and rested my head on my pillow (yes my pillow, on my own - unfortunatly, but I didn't want any funky Spanish diseases) the room span! Wahay! I slept well that night.

Well, I couldn't really finish this post, with out a little 'Holiday 2007' message to all of you. NEVER TRAVEL WITH FIRST CHOICE AIRWAYS - THEY'RE CONNING SO AND SO's. On the way out to Lanzarote, we had 20kg for baggage. On the way back, they felt it necessary to reduce this to 15. But we could buy extra kilos for 9Euros each! Obviously everyone panicked. I ended up taking loads of stuff out of my bag, and clipping it, hanging it, stuffing it on the inside of my jacket. Hence the final pictures on my Bebo. I even had a cheese and ham sandwich under my sombrero!

Before I get done for liable, no one was charged in the end. Sensible really, as they had 30 very unhappy students breathing fire down their necks! But it did cause alot of stress. I had three trainers full of stuff in my bag from someone else (that I nearly forgot to give back at Gatwick). Other people were taking wetsuits, clothes, first aid kits - you name it.

Normal service resumes next week. Don't forget to keep looking at CATCOUK2 for my holiday snaps. I will be adding them over the week, so if they're not all there now, please check back later in the week.

If you think that I should of wasted my hire car, and that my driving is girly, why not leave me a comment suggesting that I paint my car pink.

If you think that I was right to treat my car with some respect (well, for most of the week), why not leave me a comment telling me that you drive an older car too.

Quote of the week: 'Look Holly! My boobs are almost as big as yours!' blurted a drunken Maz with ballons down her top.