It all started so well...

Now, I'm just going to preface this with - I know a lot of people had it a lot worse than us... but still.

We had a lovely first week in Fuerteventura - typically I stuck to neither my healthy eating nor my jogging plans, but there you go. On the Thursday, of course, all the volcanic ash stuff kicked off...

Saturday, we were pretty sure we were going nowhere. There was a fax in reception telling us to check back in 24 hours. We were happy, we were being kept in the same nice hotel, and had even been upgraded to full board with drinks at meals included.

Sunday - starting to get anxious. Hubby due to start new job on Monday. Fax in reception telling us to check back in 24 hours.

Monday - realising that the 24 hour update was normal. Spoke to respective works who were very understanding. Days holiday and pay wouldn't be affected, we were assured.

Tuesday - 24 hour update to stay put. Hit the pool for the afternoon (needless to say all these mornings had been spent packing our cases, waiting in reception for the update at midday to see what was going on, and then checking back into our room once the fax came through). Went out in the evening for cocktails - convinced it would be our last night. Hubby went back to hotel, I got even more pissed, stayed up for karaoke, massively embarrassed myself and stumbled back to our room.

Wednesday - sick as a dog. Sat in reception with bags packed - told that we were to go to the airport for an evening flight to Luton (we flew in from Gatwick, car at Gatwick, were assured there would be coaches to take us to Gatwick on arrival at Luton). Really not feeling great all day. Went to the airport at 4. Stood in line to check in for 2 hours. Got to the front of the queue to be told we weren't on the flight. Panic. Found rep. Angry mob increases in size until we watch the flights we were all supposed to be on, leave, and are told to head for a coach to take us to a hotel for the night. We are given a generous allowance of 5 euros per person to get some food for the evening. We arrive at hotel at 10:30 at night. Luckily found a nice Italian to have a bowl of pasta, but soooo tired. Please note that this was our 4th wedding anniversary - not the way we had intended to spend it!!

Thursday - asked to report to reception at 9:30. No sign of rep until 9:45. Tells us they're trying to get a flight, and will we report back at 11:30 - have some brekkie, read in room, pack bags again. Report to reception for 11:30. No sign of rep. Call comes through to reception at 1:15 telling us to go and have some lunch in the restaurant (buffet). Sit it reception for most of afternoon until 2:45. Situation kicks off as rep is asked for name, refuses, customer takes photo of her on mobile (cell) phone, rep steals phone and retreats to back office of hotel. DRAMA! 2:45 rep's manager appears and tells us they can't confirm anything, but to report back, packed and ready at 3:30. We do. Rep shows up at 3:45 to say we're on a flight. Report back at 4:45 for coach. Coach turns up at 5:15. Go to airport, stand in queue to check in. Long story short: queue for ages, plane delayed, eventually takes off after 9:00 p.m. but they do give us a hot meal on the flight at least.

Friday a.m. - we arrive at Luton at 1:30 a.m. Pick up our bags and optimistically walk through to the waiting coaches. That aren't there. No sign of any rep. Not too bad for us (a pain if nothing else), but numerous other families expecting to be taken to Manchester, Birmingham and Gatwick. Find a ServisAir rep (onsite facilities type) who tells us there were never going to be any coaches. We desert our fellow passengers, take an £80 cab ride home and flop into bed.

Wake up at 9:30 a.m. and drive down to Gatwick to pick up car. Drive back up (90mins!) through horrific traffic and pick our cats up. Get home. Shattered. Spend afternoon going through work emails and catching up on anything I've missed.

So, holiday, what holiday?? Oh, and I'm back up to 13stone 3lb this morning. Concerted focus to try and get to 12stone before USA trip in September.

Must go and take a headache pill now.