After a hectic summer period it
was about time the guys and I had a weekend away. Up until now we were used to
going away within Europe, being Budapest and Krakow, but this time we thought
of keeping it local and headed towards Pafos.
The plan was for us six guys to
rent out a villa, have all the food and booze required for our stay, and to
hang out by the pool when we had time to kill. On that front, time wasn’t much
of a luxury as hanging out and getting a little breather were a commodity given
that our three day stay was intensified with activities to do from the start.
On Thursday, the first day of our
stay, we arrived at our villa at 3 p.m. and begun to unpack. Given it was 35 degrees
Celsius outside we all agreed we had to dip into the pool. So out came the
corona’s and in we jumped. By then we had already felt that we are actually
away from home. Time for play, pranks, immature jokes, guy talk and of course a
little competition in the pool.
We came up with a bright idea of
playing water polo. Considering the combined I.Q. level of the group and the
drinking to add to that, we didn’t find anybody objecting to it. Of course
there were modified rules since none of us had the slightest knowledge of the
game. Now, verbal abuse was allowed, as was choking and drowning the opposition.
Two minutes into the game you could see how serious some of us were taking it.
Boys will be boys. I can swear by the end of it we drank so much pool water that
it was just pouring out of our noses. Getting out of the pool was the hard bit.
We actually had a decent work out to the extent that we dragged our way to the
sunbeds, popping open some more bottles and just lying down in the summer heat.
By 7 p.m. we had to be well
rested and ready for our first main activity. We had booked for go-karting, and
it was going to be at a pretty unusual track. This track boasts 1600 metres in
length, a tunnel, a bridge, and combining that with the 35-40 mile karts top
speed along with the sharp turns we were in for a load of drifting. We had made
the track our own. Competition was going to be stiff and the adrenaline levels
were high. You could tell from the start line and that smirk on everyone’s face
that by the end of it the only way you were going to get away from the banter
was by ending up first place.
During the race tension was high.
By that time the sun was down and the floodlights were on, just to give this an
extra twist and the ultimate condition. We were all looking for top speed, swerving
our way on the tar whilst looking through the rear view mirror to make sure
that anyone from behind would not overtake. Going through the tunnel which was
placed beneath the bridge was always going to be hard and where the race would
be won. The karts would have to slow down in order to turn 180 degrees, so
anybody at high speed at that point would just drift into the tyres on the
side. Any time that someone would crash into the tyres or one of us would overtake
the other there was a little mockery or obscene body language to go with it to
provoke the opposition. Home stretch 15 minutes later and nobody in front I knew
I would be the one with the largest grin at the end of it. I played it cool,
didn’t say a word till later on, and just let the rest of the guys give it out
to each other.
We then headed back home and time
to get the BBQ ready. As I had said earlier we came well prepared. We threw
halloumi, sausages, mushrooms and peppers on the grill and well as some pitta
bread to accommodate the dips for our starters. Following that we had some pork
and chicken kebab with salad. Once the
food was done out came the rum and vodka along with the poker cards and chips.
We had a knockout series and sat on till 4 in the morning although the game itself
was pretty much one sided. Winner takes all and our American buddy had the last
say.
To be continued……
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