Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain.
Summary: A warm and personal recap of my Week 36 in Los Alcázares, swims, friends, meals out, website work, cruise planning, and the small everyday moments that made the week memorable.
Monday, 31st August
I went swimming as soon as I got up. After swimming, I had a shower before sitting at my computer. The Aura ring I use had given me a free plan for the first year and is up this year. I had noticed that the free data is good but not brilliant, so I did lots of research on different watches to do the extra things I would rather not pay annually for. A new watch would also allow me to tell the time without having to use my phone.
I haven't had a watch for a while and decided to do lots of research on different watches. I eventually settled on a Garmin Venu 4 with a bigger screen to make it easier for me to see with my poor eyesight. Once I had ordered it I went to the Corner Bar in Los Narejos to meet my friend kelvin for breakfast and a few beers afterwards. We used to be good friends when he lived in Los Alcázares, but he had to return to England and now lives in Norwich. It would be the first time we had seen each other in over 3 years.
I met Kelvin at the Corner Bar. Guessing that we might have more than one small bear I ordered a medium size full English breakfast to help soak the beer up later. Breakfast was great and Colin and I sat chatting for around and hour before we left and went to Pizzeria la Sombre to see Martin. We all sat chatting for hours, drinking, chatting and drinking some more. Martin and Aria left about 16:00 but Kelvin and I stayed longer still, talking rubbish, like old friends often do. We left at about 18:00 and went to the Marinocio café near Kelvins daughters home. We had another beer and when Kelvin left I went to Harry's Bar on Rio Nalon.
I had a beer in Harry's bar and had a chat with my friend Andy before leaving to go home to watch the Arsenal vs Aston Villa game on TV. When I got in, I sat down just as the game kicked off. I fell asleep almost instantly and woke up as the final whistle went. I checked the score and saw that Arsenal had won the game and went to bed happy.
Tuesday, 1st September
I got up late today and didn't go swimming. I think yesterday's beer session with Kelvin was responsible for me feeling a little under the weather this morning. I turned the TV on and watched the Arsenal vs Aston Villa game on catchup.
I had a very lazy day, feeling sorry for my self-inflicted situation. In the afternoon I got on my disability scooter and went to a drop-off point for SEUR deliveries in Los Narejos. I dropped off the wetsuit to be returned to Amazon and then went along to the DIA store to collect another Amazon package, a new beach towel.
I spent the evening working on my website and watching TV.
Wednesday, 2nd September
When I got up today I didn't feel like swimming again and had some overnight oats for breakfast. At around 10:00 I met Lawrence at the Telik 2 chiringuito, outside my apartment. We sat and chatted over coffee for an hour before we both left.
This afternoon I collected the new watch I had ordered from Amazon. I walked to the DIA store and got it from the lockers there and walked home to get ready to go out this evening to meet my friends Pat and Bernard for a drink and a meal.
I got to Porscha Bar at 18:30 and got a beer while I waited for Pat and Bernard. They both turned up, and we sat talking and had another beer. We walked across the road to the Thai Aroi restaurant.
I love the food in Thai Aroi and as always, it was a beautiful meal. We finished and left at about 22:15, and I noticed that Porscha bar was still open, so I walked across for a beer before I went home. When I got to the bar I saw my neighbours Christine and John who were already sat there. I joined them for a drink and when they left I had another drink before paying my bill and walking home.
When I got back to my apartment I tried to open the apartment main door, but the door would not open. I tried a couple of times and couldn't get in. I wondered if it had been double locked from the inside, something tourists sometimes do. I tried again but still couldn't get in. I walked to the garage door, intending to go through the garage. I put the garage lift key in the lock and it wouldn't turn. I tried it again and it still wouldn't work. I looked more closely at the keys, and they looked right but as I was looking at them, I noticed that the key fob was different. I suddenly realised that although the bunch of keys looked like my keys and that both keys I had tried to use, did fit my doors, they were, in fact, not my keys. I checked my other pockets, I wear cargo shorts with about six pockets in them. Sure enough I found my keys in another pocket.
Thinking back on where I had been during the night I decided to retrace my steps. I walked back to Porschas bar first. Luckily, for me, they were still open, and I was able to hand over the keys to the person they belonged to. How the mistake had been made I had no idea. Apart from the fact that the main key fob was the same as mine and the keys all looked like mine, I couldn't work out when I had seen them and mistakenly thought they were mine.
I walked home and this time managed to get the doors to open. I was soon in bed and fast asleep.
Thursday, 3rd September
I woke up late this morning. I had another very lazy day, working on my website, upgrading the software on my server, and vegetating in front of the TV.
Friday, 4th September
I woke up at 07:00 today. I did the Wordle puzzle before walking to Buenavista to meet Lawrence for breakfast. After breakfast, I went back to my apartment and spent the morning working on my website.
Before lunch, I went to EconomyCash for some rolls and tomatoes. When I got home I had lunch and then continued working on my website. I had been looking at a cruise going to Antarctica next year and this afternoon I messaged HX Expeditions, a cruise company, and a Facebook group about quotes for an Antarctica cruise in March 2027.
Strangely while I was researching the Antarctica cruise, I heard from my friend Gail. She has booked the cruise I am doing around the Dominican Republic and Caribbean in January. She will join the ship before my birthday in the second week of my two-week cruise. Meaning, I will at least have someone I know to celebrate my 60th birthday with.
Saturday, 5th September
I woke up at 07:15, got changed and as soon as it was light enough I went down to the Mar Menor for my swim.
I swam out to the rocks and was just beginning my second lap when Lawrence turned up. I continued my regular swim and Lawrence swam a lap of his own before going to the Telik 2 chiringuito. When I had finished the third of my laps I got out of the Mar Menor, dried myself off and joined Lawrence at the chiringuito. We sat chatting for a while and I had a coffee before we both left.
When I got home I showered, changed and sat down and continued to work on my website. At lunchtime, I went to EconomyCash for some rolls. On my way back I stopped off at Porschas bar. I had seen their advertising for takeaway Christmas Dinner and decided I would book one. I went in and spoke to John and ordered the Christmas dinner, paying for it in full, so I don't forget to pay and miss out on it.
When I went home I got some lunch and worked on my website for a while before then spending a lot of time researching different options for an Antarctica cruise. I went to bed quite late because I had completely lost track of time doing the cruise research.
Sunday, 6th September
I was up early today, at about 06:00. I did some more cruise research until the sun came up enough for me to go swimming and then walked down to the Mar Menor. I swam out to the rocks and was just beginning my second lap when Lawrence turned up. When we had both finished our swims we had coffee at the chiringuito before leaving and going home.
I spent the day working on my website until the Arsenal vs Chelsea game came on TV. It didn't start out well. Chelsea scored in the second minute of the game. For a short period, it looked like Chelsea might score again, but Arsenal soon came back into the game and took control. They equalised in the twenty-fifth minute and afterwards never looked like losing. In the second half they scored a second goal and won the game 2-1. Arsenal looked excellent, and it should be a warning to the rest of the Premier League that Arsenal will be difficult to dethrone this season.
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