'I found love on a banana'
Thursday 3rd September 2009
Straddling the big yellow banana, I squeezed my eyes shut and clung on for dear life. 'Smile!' my mate, Annette, yelled from behind me. 'It'll be a laugh.' 'As long as I don't drown,' I muttered.
When I'd agreed to go on a girly holiday to Cala Vinas in Majorca, bouncing across the sea on a giant inflatable banana hadn't been part of my plans.
It was all about sun, sand and sangria… but no men. 'No blokes allowed,' Annette had said when we'd jetted off in July last year. 'That's the only rule.' 'Deal,' I'd agreed. Annette was moving to Ireland and we didn't want any men ruining our last holiday together.
We were sunbathing on the beach on the third day of our week's holiday when Annette had spotted the floating banana. Now, the two of us and our other mates, Vicki, 34, and Becky, 28, were all lined up on the inflatable banana along with three lads we didn't know.
'Hold on tight,' yelled the captain of the boat that was towing us, as he revved the engine. Suddenly, the banana shot off across the waves. The other girls whooped and laughed as we bounced up and down, but I just gripped the handle for dear life. Please don't let me fall off, I prayed silently.
Too late. The driver made a sharp turn and the banana swerved to the right. I flew through the air, then hit the water with an almighty splash. Gasping for breath, I paddled to the surface. A spray of salty water stung my eyes as I felt an arm pull me back on to the banana.
'I thought I was a goner,' I said as I clambered up. But then I noticed a commotion a few feet away. A semi-conscious man was being dragged out of the water and onto a speedboat. 'What happened?' I asked Annette. 'When you fell off, you kicked the poor bloke sitting behind you round the head,' she said. I did?
Back on the beach, I hurried to the first aid tent to find him. He was lying on a stretcher in his shorts, and I couldn't help but notice his tanned, toned six-pack. He was gorgeous. His name was Andy Wood, 43, and he was on a lads' holiday.
'I'm so sorry,' I blurted, feeling guilty as I spotted the lump on his forehead. 'It's fine,' he smiled. But I was mortified. 'Can I buy you a drink to make up for it?' I asked. I knew it was against our holiday rules, but surely the girls wouldn't mind? 'Sure,' he smiled.
I took his mobile number and texted him later that night. We'll be at Bonkers later. Maybe I can buy you that drink? My heart raced seconds later when my phone beeped. I'll hold you to that, he replied.
Thankfully the girls didn't mind, but I spent the rest of the night on tenterhooks waiting for Andy to arrive. 'I guess I wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to see me again,' I sighed to Annette. But at 10pm I spotted Andy at the bar and we spent the rest of the night chatting. Not only was he handsome, but it turned out he was a nice bloke too.
We were inseparable for the rest of the holiday, and when I called him the day after I got home, we spoke for two hours. 'I'd love to see you again,' he told me. 'I'm free this weekend,' I replied. Shameless!
We had a great weekend and neither of us wanted it to end. But with me in Manchester and Andy 300 miles away in Kent, we could only see each other at weekends.
Five months later, we went on a week's holiday to Sharm el Sheik, Egpyt, and had a great time, without an inflatable in sight! And when Andy got me tickets to see Girls Aloud in February this year, I was over the moon. Thanks… I just love you, I texted him, too nervous to say it out loud. I love you too, he replied.
Andy's scaffolding business means it's difficult for him to up sticks and move to Manchester, so now I'm planning to move down to Kent to be with him.
I never expected to meet my dream man on a giant yellow inflatable but I feel so lucky. I'm bananas about him!