Last week, my friend Diane told me about a trip she was planning to take to see the Algar Waterfalls. By the time we parted company, she had convinced me it would be a good day out and booked an extra place for me.
I met Diane at a bus stop a short 5-minute walk away from my apartment at 8:10 am. The coach picked us up and, as it was empty, we got a seat in the front of the coach. We made another pick-up at Los Narejos before driving to Benidorm. On route, we made around another eight stops to pick up more people. While this does delay the trip, it is very lovely to see some of the smaller towns and villages on the route that I would not usually see.
When we arrived in Benidorm, the coach dropped us off at a hall where we were given coffee and cake. After our coffee, we were taken into a small room to sit through a sales presentation for about 1½ hours. Today, the saleswomen were trying to sell reclining beds. I have to say, even though it was all in Spanish, my limited Spanish knowledge did allow me to understand some of it. Diane, being fluent in Spanish, understood everything and filled me in on anything I asked her about. After the talk, people were asked if they wanted to test the bed, and Diane got up to test the bed. As she lay down on the bed, the woman asked her in Spanish, ´Would your husband like to test it with you?´. Diane replied, in Spanish, ´He is not my husband,´ and the room erupted into laughter, with all the Spanish enjoying this reply.
After the sales pitch, we were led back to the large hall, where we were given a Menu del Dia meal. It consisted of a few pieces of sliced meat and a salad to start with. This was followed by an excellent meat paella and finished off with ice cream. Jugs of red wine with lemonade were left on the table. These jugs of wine were very refreshing, and the meal was delicious. Just before we left, we were given a free hat to keep the sun off our heads as we continued in the afternoon.
We left Benidorm on a short trip through the beautiful countryside and soon arrived at the Algar Waterfalls. We walked up a very steep hill to the entrance whilst the organiser of the trip paid our entrance fee and told us to meet back up at the coach at around 5:30 pm. It was pretty busy as we walked in carrying our bags, and I didn't see anywhere to change. We began the walk up the side of the falls, but it was very steep, and my calf muscles soon turned to stone, and I had difficulty breathing in the stifling heat. At one point, a young lady in a very tight but tiny bikini came galloping past, and my brain told me to follow her up the steep climb. I raced up the climb for about 30 feet behind her before my brain reminded me how old I was, and my body told me to forget trying to keep up with her.
On three occasions, I had to stop for a rest to allow my legs to get some feeling back in them and to allow my shallow breathing to return to normal. My friend Diane kept an eye on me, and several times, she went on to see how much further the climb was while I recovered. We eventually got to the top, and while Diane went into the water, I had to sit down again to regain my breath. When Diane returned, she said that the water was ice cold, and as I was having trouble breathing, I didn't see it was necessary to jump into ice-cold water to give my body more of a shock. While I sat down, I took a few photos of the waterfalls and the surrounding area.
When Diane was ready to head back, we looked on the other side of the river and found a much easier path to follow that had no steep steps and was paved. We followed this path until it came out near where we had started the walk. We then headed back to where we were dropped by the coach and sat in a bar to have a beautiful cold pint whilst we recovered.
The coach arrived around 5:45 pm and took us back to Benidorm, where we dropped off the guide and headed back home. We retraced the trip going up, dropping people off on the way and arrived back in Los Alcázares at 8:50 pm. Diane and I went our separate ways, and I walked along the beachfront back to my apartment. As soon as I got in, I turned on the air conditioning and collapsed onto my sofa to rest my legs, which by now were very sore. My calf muscles felt like stone, and I was ready for bed.
I enjoyed the day, and although it wouldn't be for some because of the sales pitch part, I thought it was fine. The trip costs only €10, including the coach and coffee when you arrive at Benidorm, the sales pitch lasting around 1½ hours, a Menu del Dia meal at lunchtime, entrance to the falls, and the sunhat. For €10, I had a good day out, a nice meal, and got a nice sun hat in the bargain. I would do this type of trip again, maybe not this one, as the steep climb was too much for me, but I will look for other similar trips.
I thank my friend Diane for organising everything and looking after me while climbing the waterfalls. You were good company, and I enjoyed our day out. Thank you.