DCX day 1

It was an early start but all went well and we got to Tenerife by lunchtime. Hotel Jardin Tropical was looking as splendid as ever and we had lunch at the pool bar, followed by a dip and a snooze - the thermometer in the shade was reading 24 C.

Just for a change, I had ordered simple t-shirts for poolside wearing, and it was just as well I wore mine for lunch, as everyone else had just assumed they were the usual golf shirts and had planned to wear them tomorrow - that could have been a bit of a faux pas!

Dave dozed as Richard looked on:

Richard was obviously thinking about the horses:

Dick was relaxed - honestly! He just looks a little stressed, that's all:

Nigel has just landed from Dubai via Gatwick and we're meeting for cocktails shortly, followed by dinner at El Patio restaurant, reputed to be the best on the island - it was shut on our previous visits here, so who knows?

Tomorrow after breakfast, it's down to Los Christianos harbour and on to the ferry to La Gomera for a round at Tecina. Who'll win the first 2009 logo'd ball?