The Arrowgroup

Day One: Monday 19 June

Hola Senors! It was all abroad once again after a hiatus of a few years and it's back to Spain for this one, with Alicante being the choice destination.

All were collected as usual and the Group made their way to Manchester Airport for Easyjet flight EZY1917 which arrived promply at 11.00am. After the usual queues etc we collected the hire car from Firefly Car Hire for an amazing price of 35 euros. For the week. And so the Renault Clio Estate was collected and we drove into ALicante in search of our apartment. It was duly found at 21 Padre Marianna, but was found to be not ready due to some issue which the previous renters leaving late. So the car was parked up and the lads go and have a look for a sub main. An emergency Walter is called with Chris in temporary charge. They find a Pizza place called Pizzeria Sale & Pepe. After the meal it was a walk down towards the harbour. They are setting up for a festival it seems, so the group then elect to go for a drink outside at Kioskoperet. Temperatures were lovely at around 31 degrees. Eventually the Group gained access to the apartment and DSA commenced.

After getting provisions form the supermarket the evening's drinking started where watering holes called the Austin, Amapola (A record actually by the Spotniks, a Swedish Band), Munich and El Buen where a meal was had. Matt provided some mirth when he said to the group, but overheard by fellow tourist on the next table "Where shall we go for a drink later on?". A somewhat indignant reply from the tourist lady, "I'm with my husband.." A good first night.

Day Two: Tuesday 20 June

A new day dawned with the promise of castle visits, so after breakfast at the Bar La Rotondo in the Central Market it was off to the castle - Santa Barbara. Searing heat and a hill climb made for an uncomfortable time with general wandering around the castle battlements etc. There was a lift which was taken then down to the beach level, luckily they only charge for going up. It’s a sub-main at the Rompeolas Café, and Matt's pizza arrives by moped delivery! A walk round the harbour and down to the Naval Galleon that is there provided some entertainment, then back to the apartment via the supermarche for a top up. It was the start of the longest DSA on record during which Matt and Chris go in search of Mercado Tram Stop..

The evening session started after in earnest with visits to Necora in the Main Plaza, New Orleans Steakhouse/Little Italy Pizza then finally the Austin for 3 more drinks, this was then the Group's designated 'regular' with cordial relations with the barmaid. Once again, Matt did not disappoint with more mirth; At the evening meal, Matt is again on the wrong side of the walterable median. Mark reminded him of this to which the response was "Do I look like a man who is bothered about the median, I laugh in the face of the median and tickle its soft underbelly".

Day Three: Wednesday 21 June

Day Three arrives and it's breakfast at the Madrilena, then back at the apartment for some interim DSA pending research on the next project, 'Chris's Charming Corners' tour. This was a delightful amble round some of Alicanti's finest corners from both the old and new town. What better way to spend a morning? Well after all that fun it was coffee time at the 'Red Corner' Cafe. No time to relax though, as there was a visit to the Bonfires Museum (Museo de Hogueras) followed by a walk about down to lunch at the Spiga Restaurant for some salads and then an Ice Cream at Spains 3rd best Ice Cream Parlour (Alicante's best).

Off to the beach for a swim after all that was in order, water was a bit murky but nothing too bad. Needless to say after that and back from the swim DSA starts. Lots of sleeping. After the evening began in the usual way with visits to Ten10, Velvet, Ciao Miami where the Group ate and finishing as usual at the Austin. Fed up with the constant attention from sellers while sitting at these bars, the Group decide to try and make a purchase of a foldaway Apple Basket. The challenge is to purchase 1 for 1 Euro. Chris goes first, and the opening price is 20, quickly reduced to 15. Then Chris throws in what he is prepared to offer and the discussion turns uglier, ending in a 'fuck off' from the vendor. How rude..

Day Four: Thursday 22 June

The holiday continues and it's breakfast at the Bar La Rotondo. The Ukranian waitress working there is getting to know them quite well now. A trip to Benidorm is in order so off they set. Takes about an hour but a lot of time is spent trying to find the way out of Alicante first. A very busy city for sure. Eventually they arrive in Benidorm, park up in the Publico Parco and make for the front where a short pit stop is taken for drinks at La Baija. This is then followed by a 2km walk up the prom in the baking sun to the old town and a visit the promentary and a walk back into the old town.

The Group lunch at Taberna Saltoki which was nice before a walk back via the back road. Stuart orders a salad for lunch and it's late arriving. Everyone else had eaten their hot meal by the time he got it.. It wouldn't be an Arrow Trip without a mini-golf, so a game was played with Matt winning overall. The Group said goodbye to Benidorm and headed back to the apartment via the toll road. They park by the football stadium and it takes 20 mins to walk back due to lack of parking spaces. Home at last and a later start time for DSA

The evening Session started with Somewhere on Navas, Velvet, La Casona Alicantina where the Group had their evening meal and ending up at the Austin once more. It's an early one tonight where they finished relatively early.

Day Five: Friday 23 June

The last full day and again it's breakfast at the Bar La Rotondo. A Segway tour had been arranged to keep the fun going at 45 Casa Mayor. They were given the usual training brief before heading out around the old city and toward the castle and interesting points of the area. At the end of the morning they had finished then hunger pangs were put to bed with lunch at Spiga Italian restaurant as a Sub Main.

They walked then to the Water Museum which was closed, so it was back to the apartment with some cleaning up and packing for the flight tomorrow. Chris and Matt go shopping then its back for DSA proper. The last hurrah consisted of visits in the evening to La Historia, O Hara's and Ciao Miami where they ate, then finishing at the Munich. At the Munich, another salesman comes calling and presents Matt with a lucky elephant. After trying to say no, Matt picks it up and slams it on the table further away with a loud "I don’t want your effing lucky elephant!".

Finally it was back to the apartment, and sleep. Chris's night of sleep seems to be interupted by a man playing a solo euphonium under his bedroom window. That and the constant drumming, firecrackers & cannons all through the night from the on-going festival. It stops around 5 o clock, when the bin men take over..

Day Six: Saturday 24 June

Rise and shine, and the Group leave the apartment for the last time, collecting the car from the Alicante Stadium Car Park. They load up and it's off to the airport. A traffic jam costs them about 1 hour on the way, the reason being the police testing people for alcohol. Fortunately they weren't actually stopped otherwise it would have been a real rush job. Easy Jet Flight EZY1918 departs and they arrive back in Blighty, where the group go their seperate ways after returning from Manchester Airport.

So another trip done, all was most enjoyable but next year would see the group grounded in the UK with a visit to the south coast..