The Flying Banana is back..................
 

................................................. On the road but not before she drew blood from Matt Darke, who fitted her new inertia switch today. And just to prove she does not like being fiddled with she even gave me huge bruise on my knee. I was trying to access the switchl when I slipped and caught my knee on the sill.
She even drew blood from Allen last week when he tried to re-set the switch.

Anyway she had a very spirited test drive down to Newquay this afternoon as she followed Grovey to the Pentire Hotel. Not a mini tour as such as we are staying put till Monday. I'm back here for another go at the skittles competition, the game and not the sweets. Was here two years ago last. Couldn't come down last year as I was selling the flat.

So here we are, I'll let you all know how early I get knocked out. Just retiring to the bar for a drop of Rattled or two.

Ah, banana on a bender!

Rattled?


How many have you had?? :D

Six so far and it's only 11pm.

Good man. :bowdown:

Gosh I feel tired......................
 

.................................................. ..... Certainly getting old these days. 7 pints of Rattled was all I could manage in the way of cider. Then the drinking games started. Sambuca followed by 20/20 Strawberry flavour were the two drinks that I now next had to drink for failing to ring the bell on one game along with another daft game.

The evening meal was excellent I must say. Started with spring rolls then the main was Navarin of lamb with mash and veg. For dessert I had the cheese board. Stilton, cheddar and Corning yard. Cream crackers were the biscuits. Then it was coffee before returning to the bar.

I'm playing in one of the teams, "The Oddballs" and our first game is at 9am this morning, second game is at 13.30. So early breakfast before battle commences. As the weather looks good I might have a walk up to the headland and take a few pictures, yes I've brought a camera., after the 2nd game.

I'll keep you all informed of my progress. Thanks for reading.

With advice from Matt.......................
 

.................................. My game improved somewhat


Never slept really well last night so was up early and into the shower. Dressed and met some of the others downstairs before we went into breakfast. No kippers and marmalade this morning, maybe tomorrow. Just had the full English, toast and tea... Then it was into the ballroom to play our first game, we are the "B" team so some of our other team, "The Mis-fits" came in to support us. I didn't do very well. Played 6 games and I scored the lowest at 28.
That meant I had to wear the "soap on a rope pink appendage", but I stuffed into my ipad bag.

Our next game was at 13,30 so I decided to grab a camera and walk up to the headland. But it was too chilly and windy so I cut back and down to the cliff path. Stopped and took a few pictures, watched the surfers. Then as the chill started to set in I took a leisurely walk back to the hotel via the main road. Got back to a chorus of "where have you been? You ain't half got a red face".
Time for our 2nd game and following Mattes advice I done better. Managed 40, and handed the" soap"to Sue who only scored 37. Plus in this game I also had to do the scoring for both teams. No idea how I got that job.

Then time to have another pint before retiring to my room for 40 winks and then a shower. Off to dinner in awhile.

I'll post some pictures up once I'm home. Thanks for reading.

Why would you pay for your accommodation.................
 

.................................................. including your food up front, then go out for a meal instead of eating at the hotel. Well, 8 of the party went out, 4 to the local Indian restaurant and 4 to the Wetherspoons. Plus a further two had pizzas delivered. More money than sense.

So that meant there was 10 meals going begging at the evening meal, still at least we was able to treble up on starters, mains and dessert. I could hardly walk. It was nearly two hours before I could squeeze a pint down.

Our first game tomorrow is at 9am, again, and our opponents are last years champions, so no pressure then. And our 2nd game is against our other team. If we should survive either games then we will get into the semi’s. For me it’s just a bit of fun not to be taken too seriously.

Rounded the evening off with a couple games of “Chase the Ace” card game. I got knocked out early. So early night for me.
Hope to get Banana up to the headland tomorrow to get a few photo’s.

Thanks for reading.

I blame the curvature of the ...................................
 

..................................... earth for my dismal playing on Sunday. First game I scored a 2. The perishing ball kept being pulled by gravity towards the side of the alley, and I was completely sober. Maybe that was the reason.
But in the second game I did manage to score a 9 out of 6 attempts. We still lost to both teams.
Oh! Well there’s always next year.

Our other team got knocked out, lost by a mere 40 points.
Still it’s only a bit of fun, alas some of the teams take it all too seriously. Like they are playing in the National Championship.
But I’ve had a good time with cracking friends.

Many thanks to Matt and Shirley for putting it altogether.
Be a early breakfast for me as I need to get home earlier as I have another gas engineer coming to look at the boiler in the house.

Off to wake ole Yella up from her slumbers.

Thanks for reading.
Next scheduled tour is in February up to Warwickshire.

At 202900 miles and she....................
 

.............................. pulls like a train.

Our journey home was not as straightforward as we had hoped. We left the hotel with Grovey leading, just us two monograms travelling together. Got past the Quintrill Inn ok but further along the road was closed so we turned left up a very narrow lane but the cars we met pulled in to let us past. Soon we were back onto the A30 only to find we had a rolling roadblock, Smokey 4x4 slowing us down.

A unmarked car went through the traffic with twos and blues on, the 4x4 got over to let it through. Once the unmarked was clear then we was released, no idea what that was all about. But we swept along at Warp Factor 3 till we came to our turn off and then we was back on the A38, down past Trago Mills. Banana wanted to get past Grovey but I held her till we got onto the dual carriageway then I wound the rubber band up and we went past at Warp Factor 3 and a bit.
For a 1.8t she can certainly shift.

We then led till our Latchbrook turn off came into view then it was a wave, flash of lights and a toot and we then separated. Grovey still had a long run home up to Torquay but we was home. With Banana parked up between her sisters she gave me one small reminder that she needs to be fussed over, brake light bulb out symbol on the dash.

Round trip of 93 miles. Many thanks for reading.