Bournemouth
26th to 30th March 2007

We needed a holiday, one way or another, didn't have the inclination to go too far, and were keen to save a penny or two in any case. So we took a specific recommendation from our friend Jo and booked ourselves in for four nights at a rather fine hotel in Bournemouth. As usual for our holidays, the weather was forecast to be foul but ended up glorious, and we walked both to Sandbanks (with the fourth most expensive land in the world) and back, and Hengistbury Head (overlooking some of the most expensive beach huts to be found) and back - which meant we walked that entire stretch of coastline twice! Being out of season most of the town's tourist attractions were not open, but we appreciated the lack of crowds, and had a good day at the excellent Oceanarium aquarium nonetheless. On the way down we'd met up for lunch at Beaulieu with our friends Gavin and Lucy, and we phoned my mum's cousin Cathie during the week and arranged to visit and take her out for lunch on the way home, so it was a good sociable few days too. Talking of food, one of the key selling points of the hotel we stayed at was the quality of their half-board menu, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Overall, it was hardly the most exciting week ever, but was exactly what we needed so no complaints at all!