Sandstorms and nudity, but no camels!!! (Maspalomas)

Member Name: roulette

Product:	Maspalomas
Date:	18/05/01 (821 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's quite hot, good if you're a naturist

Disadvantages: windy, insects, long flight

When my boyfriend and I were looking at holidays, we were trying find somewhere that wasn't totally mental and full of hormones and alcohol,but at the same time somewhere lively and fun.

Gran Canaria seemed to be just what we were looking for.We booked two weeks in what seemed from the brochure to be a nice clean little complex of self-catering bungalows in Playa Del Ingles.

So about six months later we arrive at Gatwick for our flight, excited and raring to go.
But this had to be the day that French air traffic control went on strike didn't it.

We were however very impressed when our flight was not ( apparently ) delayed at all, and progressed straight to the plane.It was only when we were firmly in our seats that we were informed that the plane would have to travel over Ireland and over the sea to avoid French airspace. Absolutely fine, except it took at least 1 1/2 hours to refuel the plane, while we were already sitting on it.Anyone who has been on a package deal to Europe will know how cramped and claustrophobic those planes are.

So eventually we take off. Five hours later we arrive in Las Palmas , Gran Canaria.
You see Air 2000 seemed to forget to tell us their genius diversion would add an extra hour to the flight time.Six and a half hours in a space of about 50cm square (with rubbish air conditioning ), is really just too much.

Anyway, we eventually are brought to our bungalows, checked in, and everything seems to be perfect.We dump our stuff and head off to find a well deserved drink.

There are no main streets in Gran Canaria , as such.The bars and restaurants are all grouped together into different "shopping centres", which I can tell you, are very bizarre.There are actually not very many trustworthy shops in these places , so be warned.

But the drinks were still much appreciated!!!

The next day we went to the supermarket and stocked up on food and drink, and
bought a bottle of champagne to celebrate our first holiday together.

The fridge does not work.

Meat and milk go very funny very fast in 80-degree heat. It was not pleasant.Neither was the warm champagne.

So we hike off to find our Unijet rep, which takes us almost all day. He seems helpful and arranges for someone to fix it the next day.

We relax a bit and head out for a night on the town. Here we get bombarded with people trying to drag us into their bars and clubs, and it's quite hard to remain polite and tactful after the 20th time. Most of the time you don't end up going were you actually want to go.

Back to the bungalows for some sleep. Suprise! We have guests! Pleased?
Not really, I'm not that fond of little friends that fly and go by the name of cockroach.
The people working at the reception thought it was quite funny, I'm glad someone did. They provided us with some fly spray , which did absolutely nothing.Don't really sleep that much.

Next day, a man comes to fix the fridge. He looks at it and tells us it's definitely broken.
Cheers mate. The fact it actually warms our food kind of made us suspicious of that already.

We go and spend about 30 pounds on cockroach killing devices, and spend most of the rest of our stay thinking we should be employed by rentokill.

Eventually we get to the beach, where we have been promised a camel ride across the sand dunes at Maspalomas.

We sit down for a while, and after approx. 5 seconds are covered in wet sand.
Unijet also forgot to mention that Bran Canaria is windy, very windy.

So we go for a walk along to the sand dunes, pass some naturists ( we were warned I have to admit), and got to the beautiful dunes.

No camels, no shops, no taxis, no nothing.

It started to feel like we were in the Sahara, not Spain.

About two hours later we make it back to civilisation, seve
rely dehydrated.

I have to say we did actually have some good laughs, but probably more because e were enjoying our time together than anything else.

Will we be going back this year? No thanks.

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