🛳️MSC Lirica: Alicante and home.

Today, the MSC Lirica arrived back in Alicante, Spain, and I returned to my home in Los Alcazares.

🧳 Morning Check-Out & Passport Collection.

I woke early and saw my suitcase still outside the cabin. I notified reception, who sent someone to collect it while I had breakfast.

☕ Final Coffee & Farewells.

I packed my essentials into my small man bag and headed to the coffee bar for one last onboard drink. Helen joined me, and other cruise friends soon joined us as well. We waited comfortably in the café for customs to return our passports, a much better system than queuing at the terminal.

🧑‍🦯‍➡️ Leaving the Ship & City Walk.

At around 10:30, we disembarked. Many fellow passengers from Los Alcázares were waiting for taxis or rides. Helen and I found our luggage quickly, unlike my last cruise on the 🔗Costa Toscana, where finding my luggage was a hassle; this time, it was waiting outside the terminal, making the process much smoother. My bus wasn’t until 17:00, and Helen’s flight to Scotland was later that evening.

We walked into Alicante and stopped at McDonald’s so Helen could use the Wi-Fi to message home. After a soda, we explored the city, including the street with the famous mushroom sculptures.

🍽️ Lunch & Swollen Legs.

We had lunch at a nearby restaurant. I ordered steak, but it was tough and dry, more like shoe leather than a proper meal. My legs were swollen from the holiday, and pulling my heavy suitcase made walking difficult. We rested in a shaded square before grabbing coffee at a sandwich shop on the promenade.

🚌 Bus Station & Long Ride Home.

We walked slowly to the bus station. Though it wasn’t far, I had to stop frequently due to leg pain. I waited an hour for my bus, while Helen had to return to the port to catch hers to the airport.

We said goodbye, and I boarded my bus. It was supposed to be a fast route, but the journey took nearly three hours, possibly due to a detour or picking up passengers from another broken-down bus.

🏠 Arrival in Los Alcázares.

I was dropped off near my street and walked slowly home. My legs were in agony, and the short walk felt endless. Once inside, I placed my suitcase in the bedroom and collapsed on the bed, waking up the next morning.