Time to leaves or Gatwick its 9.30 and Lilly is playing "catch me if you can" in the garden. This cat knows we are going on holiday all those bags and people in the house she has sussed us out. I try and play it cool by sitting nonchalantly in the garden and casually walk into the house and try and grab her on the way , but she leaps off into the bushes again. I give up and walk indoors and suddenly she comes indoors. Everyone in the car and we are off, Simon. Elly Beth and the oldies in the car to Gatwick. The M25 was a car park as usual , Graham was panicking that we were going to miss the flight , and after an impromptu stop on the hard shoulder we reached the car park at our allotted time of 12.00 midday. Dave Barb and Jenny had been at Gatwick for hours having a leisurely coffee. We met Sarah and Duncan so the ten on a cat were all complete and ready for our adventures.
Thomson Airlines failed to get our seating together. Graham and I had picked short straws,we had to share our row with the obese ladies who couldn't sit by the aisles because the aisles were so narrow the trolleys wouldn't have got past if they had been in the aisle seats . the wailing children in the row opposite and behind didn't make the journey the most pleasant experience, but we arrived on time at Dalaman Airport on time.
We met Hannah our flotilla hostess who informed us that there were only 2 boats in our flotilla us and a family of 4, a bit disappointing for Jenny and Beth who were hoping for a couple of yachts full of eligible bachelors.
A luxury minibus took us to Gocek marina where our huge catamaran 44ft of sheer luxurywas based. Everyone was impressed except for the name "Don't Panic" . It was quite late now as we had lost a couple of hors so at midnight we were eating omelettes and drinking pints of beer in the local restaurant , and very pleasant it was too, with lovely toilets with revolving seats which really impressed the men.
Some people had better night's sleep than others those sleeping in the stern had to contend with squeaking ropes. Simon and Elly abandoned their cabin in exchange for the deck, but a free breakfast was enough of an incentive to get everyone out by 8am.