PARIBC – Torquay hols, TLH complex = Sun 09/03/25 – Fri 14/03/25.
(I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really, want,………!!!)
After the success of last year’s, (2024), trip to Devon, this year we took an increased number of people, 50 in total, down to the English Riviera for a repeat week, with some extra bowls matches, thrown in for good measure.
The coach journey down was uneventful, till the first comfort stop had been completed. With the tourists then being less than a couple of hours away, the second comfort stop was cancelled by the driver, (but he didn’t tell the travelling party) and the coach ran non – stop to the hotel. On arrival, never have so many people, been seen to depart a coach so quickly, in search of the toilet! Relief personified! Going back, the 2 booked comfort stops were adhered to, although at the first, the gents toilets were closed, so this meant that Soozie Moreton put on her toilet attendant hat and organised an orderly queue for both sexes to use the ladies. Well done that lady! Thanks also to Marc Carr for taking one for the team and sitting in the coach seat that was broken and stuck in the reclining position and to Sheila Matthews, sitting behind, for putting up with having Marc’s smiley face looking up at her for the whole journey back!
On the bowls front, we played 8 matches, (rinks format, 2 woods each) and manged to win 5 out of the 8, with 2 of those losses, coming against the strong team from Exeter, (ISCA BC), who were wiping the board, with all who they played. Other teams there for the week, were from Ashby de la Zouch, Bristol, Cowbridge and Taff Ely, as well as a couple of local teams, who came in each day to play. The indoor 4 rink green, (blue!), at the complex, was very, very, hard to read , not only the speed, it was quick, but also how much green you had to take, for the bowls to swing in and also each rink played differently. So think, playing away at Swale IBC and then quadruple it. Even after 8 matches, I don’t think we had mastered it, but we were getting there. Each match saw a different set of 16 players play and for each match, the 4 teams each time, were mixed up each time, thus all got to play with each other….whether they wanted to, or not! It was nice to get feedback from our various Oppo’s, who commented on what a friendly bunch we all seemed to be………little did they know! But all in all, I think we did the Club proud both on and off the green!
The evening entertainment, was the same as last year, the usual mix of singers, comedians and even a magician, with the latter having youngster, Luke Green join him on stage for some of the tricks, (Luke’s face, a genuine picture at times when things were disappearing / reappearing) and also then joined by mum Joanna Green, to see her wedding ring vanish, only to find it re – appear again, but enclosed within a watch, that was in a locked box….see if you can work that one out…it is obviously some form of witchcraft down in this part of the country?! So now it was Joanna’s face that was the picture, as she had hoped it had gone forever, so that would mean hubby Phil would have to buy her another one. Still in a state of confusion, after the show had finished, Joanna ventured back to the Toorak hotel to have a drink in the bar there, (and to tell the PARIBC regulars in there, all about her experience), only to find it closed and then on her return to her room, found she was locked out of the link between the hotels, as the outer doors had been locked for the night. So the picture on her face was now the look of thunder, as she had to venture round the whole outside of the complex, just to get back to her room, via the Derwent hotel main reception. Bingo wise certain individuals proved that money goes to money, but often when they won, there was 2 or more winners so the winnings were halved, but still worth having. Thus congrats to Roy Baston, Elaine Beard, Christine Brind, Marc Carr and Joanna Green and these are the ones to speak to, to see if they can lend you 10p for a cup of tea! Having said that, after Elaine won, partner Ray Ecclestone went up and got a couple of doubles from the bar, but on his return, the costs of aforementioned drinks had virtually wiped out all of Elaine’s winnings! It was also an eye opener of an introduction to bingo for Bruce and Jan Robinson, so if / when you see Jan now and you mention the numbers 02 and / or, 22, to her, don’t be surprised if she starts quacking back at you, like a duck! We can take no responsibility if her and Bruce, have now developed a gambling habit!
With the weather set fair for the whole week, very crisp bright days, quite cold, but in the sun, very warm, then most people ventured out, not only locally, but far and wide on all days, making the most use of their bus passes, returning with many a touristy tale to tell. Some this year even got to ride the steam train from Paignton to Dartmouth, which for one, turned into the sleeper service, as he was gently rocked to sleep, as it puffed its way along the coast and river Dart, whilst Bruce and Jan Robinson, ventured further down to Plymouth to see some old friends and also take in an afternoon session or two, at the Gala bingo!
Prior to the usual “team” photo, we were treated, (if that is the right word?), to an impromptu dance routine from the (Old) Spice Girls, namely, Rose Bell (Baby), Joanna Green (Scary, very scary), Sheila Matthews (Ginger), Soozie Moreton, (Sporty) and Glynis Whatman (Posh), see the pics at the end of the report. This was part of a thank you to the organizer for his efforts in sorting out this year’s trip. They also presented him with a very undeserved, but very much appreciated, monetary gift, from all the group, which he promised not to squander on the weeks racing at Cheltenham! Mention must be made of “Jock” Mollins, possibly our top tourist, who kept us and many others there, entertained, most days and nights, with his many stories, most of which involved tales of either his knees, or his numerous, (and we are talking many here!), female acquaintances and that was before he got on to showing us the pictures on his phone. Suffice to say, he enjoyed his week away. Hopefully, the same can be said for all on the trip, as we all seemed to mix and get along, outside of the usual Club environment. It must have gone well in some aspects, as this year there was no mass vegetable spillage by Dave Cook and even Marc Carr was persuaded to dip more than his big toe in the swimming pool on most days. Thanks to all those who helped on the morning of the return trip on the Fri, with the moving of cases and bags, due to the coach being in the wrong place. Thanks also to Mick T Smith for taking all the pics, ably backed up by the Green family for their additional snaps and thanks to Guinness Whatman for her help, on the out and back trips, dealings with the coach firm. Finally thanks to Christine and Richard Brind, who joined us for the week, from deepest, darkest, West Wales, we enjoyed your company and hopefully you had a good time and managed to put up with us all…just about!
Needless to say, if the support is there, then we shall return next year, for another week and to see what that brings, when we hear, the Beverley Sisters could be making a comeback?!!!
Kind regards, someone who couldn’t organize a………! (Mon 31/03/25).
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Page Last Updated on 31st Mar 2025