I had a nice recollection recently and I want to share it with you. Hope you like it.
I was around 11 years old , a scout, my dad one of the scout leaders and the whole troupe in Spain for a long-weekend adventure holiday.
We were staying in a 2 star hotel , the tiled floor would get scorching hot in the midday sun which am pretty sure could fry an egg at the days peak heat. On the first night I had no water and express orders to avoid the tap water. I felt so dehydrated that night I visualised a bar where the sink was , my very first mirage. The next morning I wolfed down my breakfast coca-cola which felt unbelievably refreshing. Can't stand the stuff now.
The young hotel maids would laugh playfully as they cleared our tables then dish out a compliment to one of our group. One morning I was told I had nice eyes which left me youthfully bashful and a little smug to have been picked.
I tried snorkelling for the first time that holiday, after some reluctance mind. As I floated helplessly inside a little cove the waves seemed relentless, I was suffering claustrophobia I've no doubt and it was f**king unpleasant. I battled to keep my head above water the panic increasing until I came round and did what everyone was telling me to do and looked down. Suddenly there was crystal clear water and all its beautiful flora and fauna, shoals of tiny fish darting around in unison, the light shimmering off their silvery scales and alien plants swaying gently with the shifting waters. I loved it so much I decided to go back out with the second wave of people.
We had to climb out onto rocks to put our flippers on which is the point at which I clumsily slipped and wedged my foot between two huge smooth rocks , as I pulled it back out and checked the underside of my wader I noticed the ball of my foot had a smallish circle of black dots. I'd stood on a sea urchin , my dad had to help prise the damn spines out with a pin , I got a little teary which was humiliating but I tried my best to pull myself together , then just felt humiliated that I'd got teary.
After the urchin incident , I slipped over the craggly sharp rocks as we left the area and walking back I was looking at a woman across the street, paying little attention to what was ahead and walked straight into a metal lamp post. I lay there laughing and groaning at the same time.
My head also got tapped when I was out sailing. We'd been told to watch the sail of the boat as the wind could catch it and send it hurtling from one side to the other. I wasn't really paying attention when this happened and 'clang'. I remember seeing my feet shoot up above my head then the familiar taste of sea water. I was sharing this mini vessel with 2 girls from another expedition who offered to turn the boat around to come and get me where I'd fallen in 'Its OK ' I replied as I frantically swam at the boat with the theme tune of jaws playing in my head.
I was a bit shy and wouldn't hang out with the other boys at night. I should have but felt too self conscious so I sat out with my dad and the other adults, I think this affected the conversations they could have and I feel a little guilty now - well kinda as I am not that child anymore , anyways!. The hotel was a street away from the beach at the bottom of a hill which snaked upward covered in beautiful Spanish buildings. One particular night a party was in full swing on the nearby sandy beach and the vibe it created was good.
It was hard to imagine anyone having a bad time at that moment, you could see the crowds of people increasing, being too young to join in made it way more inviting, but atleast I could soak up the atmosphere from the hotel balcony. That feeling, that moment, I wanted to be part of this vibe, this country. That feeling has never left me.
I remember looking up the hill and in the distance I could see two tiny silhouettes of a man and women dancing on their balcony to the music below , He was spinning her around before they snapped back and continued dancing in perfect harmony. It was such a perfect image to encapsulate that moment. That feeling hasn't left me.
I left Spain with some small holes in my foot , a dark tan , a T-Shirt with a rat on it wearing shades that said 'surf rat' and the image of the dancing couple. That image was well worth the trip.