SHELL TRAVEL CLUB

We had a great time in Lanzarote at Hotel Sol basking in semi tropical weather and enjoying the facilities of pools and restaurants.  Couldn't ask for any more than a wonderfully choreographed holiday by Rob Jenkins, complete with three inclusive coach trips to the island's interior with warm friendly company and time spent at the all inclusive Hotel, eating and drinking far too much.

A wonderful holiday with a great and varied programme.  Our hotel was well situated at Matagorda; making possible a pleasant range of walking adventures or journeys on the local bus services.

Throughout the food was of a very high standard and we found everything very clean and functional. We had an excellent guide for the three "days out".  

Just a short note to say how much Audrey and I enjoyed the trip to Lanzarote and to thank both you and Alison for all the hard work you put in to ensure the holiday was a great success.

I am a solo traveller. Shell Travel Club's holidays are a godsend to me as you are always sure of a welcome and an invitation to whatever is happening. This can range from a chat with one or two, joining others at a meal through to going on interesting group excursions.

The recent holiday based at the Sol Lanzarote hotel was fantastic. The weather perfect, day and night. The grub scrummy. A good and secure hotel. A great beach. The three excursions informative, exciting and fun.

The group of 34 were welcoming. There were 6 solo travellers in the group and we soon became a core team of firm friends. I always found at least one on this core team up to join me for an 'adventure'; be that a trip on a local bus to the shops, a coffee or Cava, a stroll along the promenade and a swim in the sea.

What a good week! The flights were smooth, the weather was warm, the hotel was comfortable, the staff were obliging, the swimming pools were lovely and the included drinks flowed constantly.......I mean tea and coffee,naturally!....along with much else...

Food deserves a special mention. It was buffet style, but easily the best buffet I've seen, with a wide variety of meat and fresh fish cooked on the spot, many other dishes and accompaniments, bespoke omelettes at breakfast and anything else you can think of, from copious salads to chocolate fountains (and we aren't too old for those!) For those of us who come on our own it is especially nice to meet up with familiar faces for convivial meals, even if nobody can hear anything because we are all talking at once!

Evening entertainment was variable, but of course also optional...there were great flamenco dancers and three very good male singers in the style of the three tenors. Possibly best to draw a veil over the hotel staff's spoof version of Mamma Mia, at least I hope it was meant to be a spoof........! There were reports of a good saxophonist on the first afternoon, but I was on my lounger on that lovely beach so can't give an opinion!

And then there were the outings: a mind blowing visit to the Timanfaya volcanic park followed by, for many, a nerve shattering camel ride, then a less dramatic, but still interesting trip to Fuerteventura, where we saw local crafts and some brave souls had their achy parts massaged at the aloe vera farm, and finally visits to the home (built in lava " bubbles ") of the artist Cesar Manrique , plus the amazing cactus garden he created in a quarry, and the lovely former capital, Teguise. All in the company of a charming guide, Ines. 

So many, many thanks to Rob for all his work in organising this, and to Allison and others in the family who clearly provide so much support. We really do appreciate it.