Flashback Friday - Laganas 'Ladies'

I missed Flashback Friday totally last week.  The long Bank Holiday weekends and the good weather went to my head and I've been totally slacking in the blog department lately. So I'm making up for it with a bit of an epic this week.

I'd always been fairly long-term relationships from the age of 14-15 then got married first time around at the age of 22 so I never got to experience a 'girls holiday'.  To be perfectly honest, the idea of a holiday with a massive gang of girls in some 18-30 club never really appealed to me.

When my first marriage ended in 2001 I lived with my best friend for about 2-3 months until I was able to get my own place (there was no way I could have lived with my parents - as much as I love them).  I still owe my friend and her Son, who was about 8 at the time, so much.  He gave up his cabin bed for me and slept in with his Mum whilst I took over his bedroom. Having her Son at a younger age my friend had never been abroad for a girly holiday either.

We decided to go for it - we both deserved it!  Her Son was more than happy to stay with his Nan and Grandad for a week and my friend and I booked an apartment on the island of Zante, Greece for July 2002.  We ended up in Laganas.  I believe now, this is the biggest (and noisiest) resorts on the island.  I'm not saying it was quiet when we went - far from it.

My friend and I had 'bumped' into a gang of about 14 rugby players from Bradford in a bar on our 2nd or 3rd night I think.  Okay, I hold my hands up...I fancied the pants off one of them and in my drunken stupor practically forced my friend to go and check him out for me. The whole "See my friend over there? She really likes you" thing.  All very cringeworthy but it worked!  We ended up with them all night dancing and larking about then staggering back to the apartment and dunking each other in the sea at 6am.

The next night we had loosely agreed to meet the two lads at 'Cocktails and Dreams' (!!) but they didn't show - turns out afterwards they were in the bar opposite all night.  My friend and I ended up getting absolutely slaughtered as we forgot (!) to eat dinner. We got chatted up by two Swedish guys - it's hard enough to understand someone from another country trying to speak your language when you're sober, nevermind when you're totally wasted on vodka and cocktails.

I dragged my friend away because I needed to be sick - lovely. I found a little spot down a side street that was home to some litter - the height of class.  In true 'friend' fashion my mate photographed the occasion.

Somehow the two of us managed to make it back to our apartment about 3am.  Well, I almost did.  I fell asleep on the bench on the road outside our apartment and woke up about 5 or 6am still holding my handbag! My friend was out cold in her bed in the apartment with the patio door wide open - we were on the ground floor! I really shudder now to think how totally irresponsible we were.  We stayed in bed until about 4pm that day as we couldn't move - apart from fighting eachother over the toilet or sink to throw up in.  Not good.  We vowed never to drink again but after a greasy late afternoon fry up we were fine again.

As it happens we did see our rugby friends again. I actually got a serious relationship out of it back home traveling between Chester and Bradford for a fair few months. He was a lovely guy but I ended it and broke his heart - it's not often you make a rugby player cry. I'm a bitch yes, but it was for the best (long complicated story) and I'm sure he'd thank me for it now.

I've called this post Laganas 'Ladies'...we were far from lady like but it was a great week!

I've been umming and arhing over which photos to post.  I didn't feel it was right to post photos of all the lads (I have some corkers!) incase someone recognises one of them and I didn't want to post the photo of me throwing up near an empty packet of hula hoops down a side street.  It's also unfair to post any of my friend as, at the moment, she doesn't know about my blog.  So, here are two of the shots which sum up what sort of week I had.  Look at the state of me...

Totally wasted!
Before I threw up then slept on a bench.
What the hell am I doing? 

Back on the cocktails.
I really think I'm the dogs doo-dars...
I look like Rudolph.

Now head over to Cafebebe and check out the other entries...

Listography - Top 5 Places I've Visited

It's time for the Listography from Kate Takes 5 and this week it's the top 5 places you've visited.

I've been fortunate to visit some great places so it's really difficult to pick my 5 favourite but here goes (click on the place titles to get a taster) and these are in no particular order:

1. Tromso, Arctic Circle, Norway

It was the one place my husband has always wanted to visit as he longed to see the Northern Lights so being the lovely wife I am (ahem) I secretly booked a 5 night trip for a 30th birthday surprise.  We went over New Year and stayed in the most lovely hotel. I'd already arranged with a local photographer and guide, Kjetil Skogli (who has since appeared on a program about the Northern Lights with Joanna Lumley) to take us up into the mountains outside the city and we were lucky enough to witness this:

Seeing the Northern Lights was an unforgettable experience, it was so magical is moved us both to tears. We also went husky sledding through the mountains and ate reindeer (don't tell your kids!)

2. Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii, USA

We stayed on the islands of Oahu and Maui in Hawaii and they were both very different but I've picked out Waikiki for the very reason we had a beach front suite hotel room (well, it was out honeymoon) and the view was amazing.  We also had surfing lessons and to say you've surfed the waves of Wakiki Beach is something to be fairly proud of!  I was going to post a picture of me riding the waves but it's the most tiring thing I've ever done in my life so the photos are NOT flattering.  

3. Chicago, USA

America is close to my heart.  I've got relatives in a few different states and so far I've visited about 18 States.  We even did the ultimate road trip in 2005 traveling from Chicago to L.A. following Route 66 in a cabriolet!  We've been to Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, New York and Washington DC.  All great cities apart from Las Vegas and L.A. which weren't for me (but that's another story).  But my pick is Chicago.  It's not just because I have relatives there, I just love it because it has this busy but also relaxed atmosphere.  It's less 'in your face' than other places.  The skyline is amazing overlooking Lake Michigan you have Navy Pier and Millennium Park - it's fab!

4. Santorini, Greece

This place just takes your breath away.  I will never forget sitting on a rooftop restaurant watching the sun set over the caldera.  This island is said to be the location of the lost island of Atlantis and I like to think it is :)  All the whitewashed churches and houses with blue domed rooftops are just absolutely stunning, they cling to the volcanic island edges surrounding the Aegean Sea. 

5. Tallinn, Estonia

Thankfully we visited Tallinn before the 'budget airlines' bombarded it and it's cheap booze made it a surefire destination for the Brit Stag Party.  Tallinn's old city is a maze of cobbled streets which are filled with medieval houses and alleyways.  The people here were so friendly and the city was relaxed and picturesque.  I'm not sure if we visited again it would still be the same which is sad.

So, what would be in your top 5?