Andy and Clive Go To Spain - Part 13 (trece)

A stay of execution and the story of a cake fairy.

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AudioBoo - Romance Is Not Dead.

A Spanish Holiday - Part 4.

I've just answered a comment, on my last holiday blog post, by Ken. He noticed that i wasn't sure what day it was when i wrote that post & he's right. I did have to think about it. As i've replied to him. That is what this type of holiday is all about really and exactly what we were looking for.
Especially, after the year that we've had so far.

Although, there is no regime to the holiday and that is one of the best things about being somewhere familiar and having no real plans for your time. It is amazing how quickly you start to slip into a kind of pattern and one that is so different to what you are used to.

For me, the day usually starts around 8am, when i get up and go and have a nice swim in the pool. I do this for a couple of reasons. One, because i think that's the best time of the day for a swim. Mainly because, as the sun is not yet made much of an impression, the water feels at it's warmest. The is not so much of a difference between the outside temperature and the temperature of the water.
I also swim, very badly as it happens, for the exercise aspect of it. It's a great way to wake you up in the morning and really gets you going.

But, even this, is a change to home life. Obviously, we don't have a nice handy pool at home. If only we did. But, when at home, my wife is always the first person to get up in the mornings. Whatever day of the week. And yet, when we're on holiday, it's always me that's up first.
So, why is this?

Well, after writing that last paragraph, i had a discussion about just that point, with my wife.
She agreed with what i'd written and said that, when on holiday, she has nothing to think about and therefore, nothing to really get up for. She feels more relaxed on holiday, because of this and consequently, she sleeps longer.
I do understand exactly what she's saying there. When you're at home, there is usually something that needs to be done. Whether that be work, or family related. That tends to keep your mind more acrtive and because of this, you don't tend to fully relax. And, subsequently, you don't sleep as well. Your mind is always, subconsciously, telling you that you should be awake and dealing with "stuff".

I can relate to this in a work context as well. Ok, so i'm not in work at the moment. But, when i was, i never felt particularly stressed and never felt that my work affected me at all. But, when i look back, i realise that it did. I've certainly felt better and more relaxed since i've stopped working and i know that i'm not alone in noticing that effect.
So, even if we don't realise it, our "real" life does have an effect on us and, as i said before, coming on a holiday like this is the perfect remedy for it.

The only trouble is, reality is only a short airplane ride away and it's only a matter of time before we board that flight.
Having said that. For me at least and for the first time ever, that is not the case.
And that will be the topic for a future blog post.

Points Mean Prizes?

I'll admit that i've always been more than a little cynical about, so called, "Loyalty Schemes".
For a lot of people, they are usually thought of as just a sneaky way of supermarkets etc monitoring & watching what you buy in their stores.

You only have to look at the promotional vouchers that they send you periodically, through the post, to realise that they have an awful lot of information about your spending habits.
It really is quite frightening, when you start to think about it.

You're giving away all of that information, quite freely & all for the promise of some money off vouchers, or coupons. If somebody was to stop you in the street, or come to your door & ask you about the contents of your shopping basket, would you tell them quite so happily?

So, i guess the question we need to ask is, "Is it really worth giving away all of this information? And what rewards are we gettting in return?"

I remember years ago, my parents collecting Green Shield Stamps. Remember them?
They would be given away, when purchasing certain items, or in certain stores (I think!)
You then stuck the stamps in specially provided books. The idea being to fill up & then save the completed books. You could then exchange these books of stamps for specific items. Which were displayed in special Green Shield Stamp catalogues.

Aah, those were the days.
When nobody was really that bothered about what you were buying & when you were just being rewarded for buying certain goods. Nobody was trying to build up a huge database of what their customers were buying. And your innocent little shopping basket was not being used as a secret market research tool.

I have no doubt that some of these Loyalty Schemes are a lot better, than others. I know for a fact that i get far more from some, than from others.

From a purely personal point of views. I think i do fairly well from the schemes that i use.
I'll admit, that i don't use, or sign up, for very many of these schemes. That is partly because of that cynical nature of mine that i mentioned earlier. I don't really want too many people having too much information stored about me.

I realise that this is probably a very naive pont of view. Because my personal information is, more than likely, currently stored on computers all over the world.
Still, i suppose i can kid myself that this isn't the case?

But, i do feel that i have been "rewarded" pretty well by one of the schemes that i'm signed up to. Albeit, by using it smartly.

As a family, we usually do our shopping at Tesco & as anyone who regularly shops there will know, they have their own loyalty scheme, Tesco Clubcard Points.
Like most people, i suspect, when we first signed up for Clubcard Points, we just got the money off vouchers & were quite happy with that. After all, they are giving you money off vouchers for doing the shopping that you would do anyway. How can you lose?

I then realised that i could have the Clubcard Points transfered straight into my Airmiles account. Yet another Loyalty Scheme. but, one that has the potential to get you free flights.

Well, since making that switch, i have "earned" two free flights to the USA & also a cheap weekend for all the family to New York City. That's some kind of reward for doing your weekly shopping!

In 2008, i got a free return flight, with British Airways, to Chicago & i have just booked another free return flight. This time to Los Angeles, also with British Airways.

And, no, there isn't a catch. In fact, the 'deal" has got better over the years. In the past, you had to pay taxes for the flights. But, now there are no taxes to pay & it is all so much simpler.

I know this all sounds like a bit of an advert for Tesco & Airmiles. But, really the point i'm trying to make is that, if you play the Loyalty Scheme game correctly, it can be used to your advantage.

And, all you have to do is go out and buy your weekly shopping.

Have a nice flight.