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The Island Bowl (Guernsey)
by jrh2
Guernseys only bowling alley, the Island Bowl, is a great place to go for any age or ability. I am not that good but have a great time trying, its the taking part that counts, not the winning.
There are 18 lanes which all have the option of barriers. I prefer these, at least then the ball will get to the pins after a few ... bounces off the side. The lanes are on a small raised wooden floor area away from the seats. This floor is always spotless so you must wear the provided shoes so no rubber marks are left on the wood.
There are ten pins at the end of the lane which I often manage to miss. They are white and have red bits on so are easy to see.
The balls are in the machine that returns balls and on shelves behind. The balls are many different weights, green ones are light, red ones are heavy. I usually go for orange which I believe is in the middle, weight wise. Each have two finger and a thumb hole but I find some are too small or big for my fingers. If you wish, you can use your own ball, I don't have one though so I use theirs.
The scores are kept on televisions above your heads. One for each lane. At the beginning of the game you follow a simple set up entering the players names and choosing a look for your scoreboard. The board is a decent size so everyone can read it easily.
For children there are the things to push the ball down. This is very beneficial as it means the ball will go straight down the middle without touching the sides. Unfortunately, I think I'm a bit old for them though. There is not one of these for each lane but probably every other lane. They are never all in use though.
The bowling alley is not usually full unless it's a time when schools are closed. It is open 10am until late in the evening.
The prices are very good with one game being £4 for an adult before 6pm and £5.50 after. To have a lane for an hour is £25, good price for larger groups.
Harrys Bar is a nice place to have a meal. I have eaten here and really enjoyed their food. They serve bar meals like chips, burgers, sausage, pizza. The bar is always busy when football is on as they usually show Sky Sports on the television. It is not always people who have been bowling in there.
The Piazza cafe sells similar foods and drinks including Slush Puppies. The cafe sells lidded drinks which can be taken to the bowling lanes. This like the bar are reasonable prices, not sure on the exact cost though.
There are five American pool tables which are hired by the hour. I havent played this, I wouldn't know what to do. There are also lots of video games like the dance stage, racing games, and more. There is one I particularly enjoy but can't remember what it is called. These all take coins and the staff at the desk are willing to give change from notes. Children always run off to play these games and they like the one you have to grab the toy but they can never get it so parents get a bit irritated having to keep giving the children change.
The bowl has parties for children which include a game of bowling and a meal. I have been to many parties here as a child, including my own, and children always have a fantastic time and can get very competitive. The staff will always bring the birthday cake out for you, this is nice as it means you've got hands to take photos.
They also have two rooms for parties which can be hired. One upstairs away from the noise and one downstairs. I had a disco here which was equally as fun for me and my friends.
The bowl pro shop sells bowling balls and other equipment for those who do it professionally. The shop is not always open and I've never been in. I don't think I'll ever be a professional.
However I will continue to go for fun with family and friends. Who doesn't love a game of bowling?h
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Le Friquet Garden Centre (Guernsey)
by jrh2
Le Friquet Garden Centre is the largest garden centre in Guernsey. I visit here quite a few times a year however you will never see me gardening. Most people visit for the cafe and restaurant or gift shop.
The building is unique and is a doughnut shape. You can walk around in a complete circle indoors and the centre of the ... circle (or the hole in the doughnut) is outdoors. To walk the whole circle takes quite a long time before you are back where you started.
When entering the building you will see a large water feature. This is a nice focus on arrival. It always captures the attention of children as you cannot touch the water, it is behind glass.
The tills are in front of the door so it doesn't matter which way around you go. Unfortunately for the staff they have said it is cold by the doors in the winter as there are always people entering.
I usually go right when inside and this has a large area of indoor plants and gifts. Some plants I have bought here are Orchids as there are some beautiful ones to choose from. The gifts include a wide choice of bath sets, photo frames, kitchen equipment, jewellery, chocolates, candles, something for anyone. I have bought Christmas presents here and they are reasonable prices.
Further around are clothes and shoes. I have never bought any clothes here as I prefer high street brands but I have bought some nice slippers. Although you would expect outdoor clothing brands this is not the case. There are casual clothes as well but not well known brands.
After the clothes area is the cafe and restaurant. This has a large area of seating and a childrens play area, both indoors and out. I have never taken a child here but children are always telling me about how much fun they had at my work. This shows how great it is if they remember a few days later to tell me. They get very excited when they've seen there friends here.
The food is a selection of delicious cakes, fruit, biscuits and meals which I have not tried here. I like to have a tea and cake before continuing to shop. All the food is homemade. Unfortunately the prices are quite expensive for food.
Along the side of the cafe and restaurant is a indoor path which is great as it means if you don't want to stop for food and drink you don't have to force your way through all the tables to get to the otherside.
On the otherside is a wide range of books and toys. These are mostly cooking, gardening or childrens books. I like looking at these though. My cousin who is six always buys a Mr Men or Little Miss book when he visits which he enjoys as he can start to build his own collection and he uses his own money which makes it feel more of an accomplishment.
The toys are not branded but there is a nice selection which you probably wouldn't get on the high street. A lot of them are related to books like the Gruffalo.
The next area is not my favorite because it really smells. I nearly run through the fish and pet area. There are nice displays of fish and rabbits and parrots, etc. Children love to look at these and it's cheaper than going to the aquarium.
The last area before you are back at the tills is gardening equipment including wellies and gloves, and children and adults gardening things I don't know the names of.
Outside in the centre is a huge selection of outdoor plants, gates, fences and other things that belong outside. There are doors all the way round to get outside and there is an outdoor climbing frame for children and seats for the cafe in the summer (or at least when it's not raining or snowing!)
There is a large car park outside which is free to use.
The opening hours are:
8:30am - 6.00pm Monday to Thursday, 8:30am - 8.00pm Friday to Saturday 10:00am - 5.00pm Sunday
This is a fantastic place to visit even if you don't like gardening. I particularly love it at Christmas when all the trees and decorations are out.
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Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA)
by bluebiro
I have started to travel to the US a couple of times a year and have had to do the ESTA procedure.
To be quite honest I do not see how it helps anything but I needed so did it. The ESTA itself cost me about £12 after the exchange rate so not sure how much it will be when you do it.
There does seem to be some ... rather strange questions like 'Are you a terrorist or been involved in terrorist activity.' Possibly I am being cynical but I really can not see many terrorists been foiled by this cunning plan of just asking them, same as 'Am I a nazi war criminal' I would of thought any nazi war criminals who have evaded capture for 68 years have got quite used to lying about it.
Apart from that little moan the form was easy to complete without any difficult questions, I don't have a criminal record so had nothing to worry about. There is a lot of information asked for which they do not require although you do need to read the small print for this, i.e name of hotel where staying. I only noticed this as I was going to be moving about and not sure where I would be all the way through the trip.
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