Spain 2014.
In 2014, my friend Paul Dunne and I planned a two-city break in Spain. We flew to Madrid, spent a few days there and then caught a train to Barcelona, where we planned to spend a few more days before flying home.
The plans didn't work out quite as planned for me. I ended up in a hospital in Barcelona. I came close to death, even closer to losing my right leg and will never get over the injuries I sustained there.
As if that wasn't enough to give me bad memories of the trip, my dear mum died in the UK whilst I was in the intensive care unit of Barcelona University Hospital.
![Hotel Torre Garden.](/images/headers/travel/spain/hoteltorregarden.jpg)
I woke around 5:45 this morning, 15 minutes before my alarm went off. I packed my last belongings to take to Spain, made sure mum was okay & then sat watching television until my friend Les arrived to pick me up to take me to Fareham train Station.
- Written by: Alan Morris
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![Alan Morris and Paul Dunne on Segways in Madrid.](/images/headers/travel/spain/madridsegway.jpg)
After a large breakfast, we caught a taxi to where we were taking a Segway tour. We were a bit early, so we had a coffee in a local bar before returning to the Segway tour office.
- Written by: Alan Morris
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![Puerta del Sol.](/images/headers/travel/spain/madrid.jpg)
This morning we took a train into the centre of Madrid, to the Old Town in the 'Puerto del Sol', or 'Gate of the Sun'. We saw two guides who were giving guided tours, the type Paul & I like, they were free & you just gave a tip if you enjoyed the tour.
- Written by: Alan Morris
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![Madrid train station.](/images/headers/travel/spain/madridtrainstation.jpg)
We checked out of our hotel in Madrid today to take the Spanish version of the bullet train to Barcelona. It was quite comfortable and a lot better than the Chinese one I went on just a few months ago.
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![Alan Morris at Montjuic Castle.](/images/headers/travel/spain/barcelona.jpg)
I got up around 9:00 am, which is late for me; I had a relatively good night's sleep. I went to get breakfast in the hotel restaurant & was immediately unimpressed by the person letting me in.
- Written by: Alan Morris
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![Montserrat.](/images/headers/travel/spain/montserrat.jpg)
We got up early today for a coach tour to Montserrat via The Church of Colònia Güell on the way. We had no breakfast as our hotel doesn't serve breakfast before 7:30 am.
- Written by: Alan Morris
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![Alan Morris in Barcelona University Hospital.](/images/headers/travel/spain/barcelonahospital.jpg)
This was not where I expected to be waking up in Barcelona. My leg was giving me a lot of pain now, and they were treating it for an insect bite after last night's Doppler scan showed no thrombosis, and the x-ray showed no breaks.
- Written by: Alan Morris
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