Will they ‘Bend it Like Beckham?’
This week it’s the International schools’ girls football tournament in Lisbon. I’ve just waved my daughter off on the coach dragging kitbag and rucksack behind her. I always get a little emotional when waving my children off on trips. Will they be too warm, too cold (Hunstanton beach day trip 2005, sent her in shorts) too hungry (me, London, 1976, gave all my food to the pigeons), eat too much junk food (every trip), get left behind at a service station (not yet)!?
Yep, I’m also just a little bit jealous. Not because I want to play football, go off for three days with a group of close friends (well, maybe) or run around a pitch chasing a ball – although I could do with the exercise. The reason is this.
Will they have to hunt their own food?
I checked out the accommodation on the internet, wondering if they would be camping or staying in a hostel. Perhaps I should pack a hot water bottle, an extra blanket. Maybe they would be in a dorm, ten to a room. Would she get any sleep at all? I imagined a communal kitchen and bathroom. Having been back packing round the world many years ago I shudder at the thought these days.
Couldn’t have been more wrong! The thing about going out of season, of course, is that any accommodation by a beach is extraordinarily cheap. At this time of year there’s no need to rough it. You can get a fabulous hotel room on the outskirts of Lisbon with an outdoor pool, restaurant, heating, right by the beach, great views, play area, breakfast included, for under 38 euros for a double room. Which is where they are staying.
Oerias, Lisbon
Meanwhile we still have no kitchen installed and the fireplace is blocked. So yes, I’m just a little jealous. I feel a short break coming on.
Oh, by the way, Go girls go! It’s not the taking part it’s the fun winning hotel. Or something like that.
‘Bend It Like Beckham’. It’s the taking part of course.
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