Location: Los Alcázares, Murcia, Spain
Summary: The week began with final preparations for my India trip and ended with me landing in New Delhi. In between, there were coffees with friends, frantic packing, travel hiccups, lost phones, noisy hotels, airport assistance, and the long journey from Spain to the UK and then on to India.
Monday, 3rd February
I woke at 08:00 feeling rested, and for the first time in days, my knee felt noticeably better. After checking my messages and taking my tablets, Lawrence picked me up for a coffee at Café Prensa. We sat with Steve, Martin and Christine, chatting for an hour before he dropped me home.
Back in my apartment, I pulled my suitcase from the wardrobe and started preparing for packing later. I made a bacon sandwich to use up the last of the bacon in the fridge, then spent the morning removing dead links from Google’s index and converting more images on my 2023 journal pages to the new WebP format.
I watered all my plants, both inside and on the balcony, making sure they would survive while I was away. Then I printed every document I might need for the trip — train tickets, flight tickets, hotel bookings, itinerary, insurance, visas and vaccination papers. Everything went into my carry on bag.
As the sun disappeared behind the clouds, the apartment grew cold, so I put the heating on. In the afternoon, Kate came round to trim my hair. She checked my new skull shaver and confirmed what I already suspected — I had broken it trying to clean it. After she shaved my head with my old beard trimmer, I ordered a better quality shaver from Amazon, one that would arrive before I left.
I showered, worked on my website, and listened to the Transfer Deadline Day programme on Sky Sports. Arsenal signed nobody, which was disappointing. I went to bed at midnight.
Tuesday, 4th February
I woke at 07:15, made a coffee and checked my messages. Amazon confirmed the new shaver would arrive before I left, and Renfe informed me that my train from Torre Pacheco to Albacete had been replaced by a coach again due to ongoing rail work.
I took out the last bag of rubbish, had porridge with blueberries and honey, and waited for the delivery. It arrived just before midday. I unpacked the shaver, charged it, and then walked to the pharmacy for omeprazole and paracetamol to take on the trip.
Back home, I finished packing, put on my travel clothes, loaded the dishwasher and waited for June. She arrived at 14:00, and we set off for Torre Pacheco. She hit the speed bumps with enthusiasm, and I suspected the eggs and milk I had left on her back seat might not survive the journey.
At the station, I chatted with an Air Force pilot from San Javier before boarding the coach. We were delayed by an accident near Murcia, and the coach made several stops, so I worried I would miss my connection. But Renfe were superb. When we arrived in Albacete, two staff members were waiting for me. One pushed me in a wheelchair through the station and security, while the other carried my case. They got me onto the train with minutes to spare.
The train sped through the countryside, arriving in Madrid at 20:00. I ordered a Cabify taxi, but after leaving through the wrong exit, I had to wait for the driver to find me. When I reached the hotel, I realised I had lost my phone. Thankfully, the receptionist contacted Cabify, and the driver returned with it for an extra fare. I was relieved — a normal taxi would never have come back.
I went to bed exhausted, only to realise I had stayed in this hotel years ago with my mum. The stuffed animal heads in the lobby brought the memory back. They were still there, and still not to my taste.
Wednesday, 5th February
I slept reasonably well, though the paper thin walls meant I heard every baby cry, every tap run and every toilet flush. I showered, packed and went for breakfast. The tostada and coffee were lovely, and after eating, I waited in the lounge for the airport shuttle.
At the airport, assistance was already arranged. I was taken through security, transferred between chairs, and driven across the airport in a minibus through tunnels and terminals. At the gate, my boarding pass triggered an alarm, and for a moment I panicked. The security lady asked if I was blind. I told her I was blind in my right eye, and she waved me through.
The flight to London was comfortable. A mother with a baby sat next to me, but the baby was quiet the entire time. I read my Kindle until we landed at Heathrow. My bright orange case was the first out, and I collected it easily.
I caught the hotel hopper bus, though my UK debit card refused to work on the machine. My Spanish card worked instantly, which made no sense. A helpful passenger lifted my case on and off the bus for me.
At the hotel, I checked in, got some cash, and ordered a pizza and a pint for £17. The TV could not show the Arsenal match, and there was only one USB charging point in the entire hotel, already in use. I went to bed early and slept almost immediately.
Thursday, 6th February
I woke at 07:00 and went down for breakfast. The buffet was excellent, and I ate far too much. After breakfast, I typed up my notes, showered, and checked out early so I could charge my phone at the only USB point in the lobby.
At 12:30, I waited outside for the hopper bus. It never came. I went back inside, waited again, and eventually caught one at 13:30. This time my UK card worked. I arrived at Heathrow seven hours before my flight, checked in, and was taken to the assistance waiting room.
I could not enter the lounge for four hours, so I bought a coffee and water from Café Nero for £7.95. When I finally entered the lounge, it was underwhelming. Two Fanta oranges and some pasta later, I decided I would never pay for lounge access again.
With forty minutes to go, I still had not been collected. I asked at reception, and they phoned for assistance. I was collected quickly and pushed through the airport to the plane, boarding as one of the last passengers.
The overnight flight was comfortable. Another baby sat next to me, but again, it was quiet. The people who kept kicking my legs were less quiet, but a sharp look or a gentle nudge solved that. I watched a film called Thelma, which was funny and sad in equal measure, and then read my Kindle until dinner arrived. The Indian meal was delicious.
Friday, 7th February
Today I landed in New Delhi to begin my escorted tour of India.
Saturday, 8th February
Today I took a tour of Delhi before travelling to Jaipur.
Sunday, 9th February
I was supposed to tour Jaipur and visit the Amber Fort, but I woke sick with diarrhoea and spent the entire day in bed with food poisoning.
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