The 'spoiler' from my Portugal Blog no doubt gave away that there was another family holiday opportunity with the Clarksons. Again, on another trip which did not disappoint, here are my favourite, and most unforgettable memories;
1) Rancho Texas Zoo and swimming with sea lions
Who doesn't like a visit to a Zoo? Today we would witness something far more exotic than the Isle of Man's Curraghs Wildlife Park with a trip to Lanzarote's Rancho Texas Zoo. Here we would also have the opportunity to interact with the Sea Lions too, in an up and close personal experience.
In today's world you can't help but hear negative stereotypes about Zoos, some of which are described as prisons for wildlife. A place where they make a profit from the bored stares of animals unchallenged by their confined environments. All the news about breeding programs and animal conservation, was it really just a cover-up to help the modern mind cope with a nineteenth-century idea? Having no genuine recollection on the treatment of animals from my one and only visit to Chester Zoo in England, I was none-the-wiser!
However, straight away you could tell that Rancho Texas was a lively place, with its large display of HAPPY animals in spaces adapted to their natural habitats. Crocodiles, Tigers, Komodo Dragons, Anacondas, Dolphins; this had the lot, and best of all proved all of the negative stereotypes wrong! One of the leading examples was in a 'Birds of Prey' showing, where they would LET LOOSE the likes of Eagles, Falcons, Vultures and even Owls, to give them their opportunity for freedom. You could see them flying as 'free as a bird' in the mountains miles away, but each of them would always come back and return to their home. The clever ones would sit and wait for food to be offered first, but it just goes to show the true caring ethos of the Zoo and how well all animals are treated, every single day.
After further viewings of Parrot and Dolphin shows, it was time for the main event of the day; our interaction with the Sea Lions. I was especially excited for this one as they say that Sea Lions have the same temperament and mannerisms as Dogs, perfect for me as I was well overdue a big sloppy kiss (something Natasha couldn't live up to, unfortunately)! First, we would watch the presentation where each of them were a clear picture of health and happiness; their groomed fur coats mirroring the Lanzarote sun. The similarities to dogs were unlike anything I had seen before. Their love for food and human attention, their playful temperament and even the way they stare at you with their dopey eyes whilst tilting their head one way and then the other - a welcome reminder of our dogs Roxy, Rufus and Henry respectively!
They say 'a picture is worth a thousand words', and here you would think my facial expression tells it's own story, but in reality, I loved every second of this experience. We are spoiled with incredible memories, this is truly something we will never forget!
** Just before it was time to go, we got what we wished for! A big sloppy Kiss from Lisa the Sea Lion! **
2) Quad biking Tour Lanzarote
Natasha and I decided against the less vigorous walking Tours in Lanzarote and, instead, went for the once in a lifetime Quad Biking version! This was something that we had never done before and didn't really know what to expect other than another opportunity for something different. Quad biking our way through volcanoes sounded far too much fun to pass up, so we kitted ourselves out with Bandanas to protect us from the loose dust and ash particles (probably the most forward thinking we have ever been!) and we were raring to go!
We all met in the middle of town, which meant we had to drive to our destination on Quad Bikes. The only problem for me was I hadn't even driven on the right-hand side of the road in a Car before, never mind on a Quad Bike! It seemed as though I wasn't the only one, given the repeated shouts of "Keep to the right!" and "Give way to the left on roundabouts!". It sounded easy when we were first told, but I didn’t take into account my girlfriend squeezing the life out of me from the backseat. It wasn’t too long though before I found the trick to our success, and the reason why I’m alive enough to write this blog today! It was as simple as going slow and taking it easy at first. It allowed for me to ease into it and build up my confidence, also as I was afraid of revving too hard and leaving Natasha flat on her arse on the tarmac behind. Admittedly the thought seemed funny for a moment, until I realised she was still halfway through giving me the Heimlich. If she was going down I was going down with her! Fortunately, before I knew it I was relaxed and in my element, experimenting with opening the throttle and listening to the purr of the engine, just in time too for our off road adventure too!
There were plenty of opportunities to explore the different landscapes and geological formations Lanzarote has to offer; the Green Lagoon, the Salt Fields, Los Hervideros to name a few! My personal favourite was weaving in and out of the volcanoes, like a skier on a slalom course with no care in the world! I just remember thinking that elsewhere people are in offices, stressed and counting the minutes until 5 o clock. Here it was the complete opposite, here we were praying for time to go that little bit slower, to let this moment last that little bit longer. Here we didn't want the day to end!
Natasha wanted a few turns driving too, and strangely enough, the backseat experience was even better! It's like we had driven through the barriers of inhibition and self-consciousness. Where was that girl who was so tense and terrified from Jet Skiing, that she couldn't walk for hours afterwards? Three years on and I have never been so proud of her - she was even clocking speeds faster than me!
We reached the end of the Tour absolutely covered in filth and dirt, but did we care at all? Not one bit! We ate our Guacamole burger and chips with huge smiles on our faces, basking in the pride of another fantastic sense of achievement!
3) Jameos Del Agua
Everywhere you turn you can't help but hear of the negative impact of Human Interference. You see the newspapers reporting population growth and expansion contributing to deforestation; you turn on the 10 o'ClockNews to find out that yet another animal species is endangered from poaching; you even see stories about KFC and Pizza Hut being built in the Pyramids of Giza! There is an argument that everything we touch, we destroy. While I don't fully agree, I do think that there are many examples to support this claim.
Jameos del Agua, however, is one of the better examples of Nature and Mankind coming together in perfect harmony. You sense this right from the very first steps as you walk through the Lava tubes formed by the now extinct Volcán de la Corona. The aftermath of eruptions from over 3000 years ago has been transformed into a unique World Heritage Site.
Hidden inside the grotto there is a lake which is home to thousands of Blind Albino Cave Crabs, all living in a place where peace and quiet prevail. Visitors are given the opportunity to experience first hand the conservation site to these Blind crabs (Albino Cave Crabs). Tourists are reminded not to disturb or even throw coins in the pristine lake though, as the rusting can harm the crabs. This proud symbol of Lanzarote is, in fact, an endemic species, only native to Jameos del Agua. We were all in complete appreciation for this truly unique view of Nature.
Personally, I loved the overall experience and actually having the chance to learn more about Volcanos too. I thought I knew it all having watched 'Dante's Peak' on repeat. I've sat through years of GCSE Geography and have even flicked through National Geographic! What more was there to know? One thing I did learn is that Dante's Peak isn't even a real Volcano, and that the Movie was focused more on becoming a Hollywood Blockbuster than anything factual. I was devastated to hear it at first, but I soon got over it when I looked back on another great day with the Clarksons! The most important lesson, in the end, was that documentaries, movies and articles could never come close to replicating reality or give you that one-on-one experience with nature! Go there and see for yourself if you get the chance.
4) Family Shenanigans Part 2
This is my last bit of Blogging from 'Previous Holidays', so I wanted to top it off with something I enjoyed writing the most: another Family Shenanigans section. I have already given an insight into Clarkson family life in my Portugal post, so this is more of a continuation or a sequel if you like.
Paul and Nicola continued in their usual roles, you could always expect a Roast for Sunday Dinner, and no one dares step out of line under the supervision of Nicola! Paul, however, was at it again with his all of his jokes and nicknames. The 'Pool-boy' was again called Lorenzo and the 'Cleaner' was called Lena. You can imagine how happy he was to hear that Lena walked in on me when nature was calling. Still to this day I'm having an affair with her, apparently!
I can't forget the early morning Yoga sessions with Nicola either, a time where the whole family would come together in peace and unity. Nicola would be the shining example and show us poses such as down dog, cat and crow. At this point, Paul would be impersonating the animals noises in the background. The elephant noise was an exception though, he would just settle with "Give us a bun!".
Ben would be around too, reading his book and doing his crosswords. He wasn't the biggest fan of my smelly shoes, so obviously I tried to wear them around him as much as possible. When he had the chance he would pick them up with the other end of a mop and take them to a 'safe zone'. These heroics would allow the Clarksons to breathe the free air again.
The Villa is probably quarantined now, as I left them there (the shoes not the Clarksons) before we made our way back to the IOM.
Not even the embarrassment of England losing to Iceland could spoil another successful and memorable Clarkson Family holiday. Once again this is another huge thank you, for bringing me along and letting me be a part of the most amazing memories! x
