So we've just wrapped up this parcel of magazines to send out to Ana in Madrid. Lynda weighed it and we were looking on Royal Mail's website to see how much it would cost to send it. £26.50. Sounds a lot but it was to be fair a pretty hefty package. 'I bet I could get a bloody flight out there for the day for not much more' says I. A few deft clicks later and we'd left Royal Mail and were now checking out Easyjet. Early flight out, late flight back the same day, £32.00. So for £5.50 more I could deliver the parcel personally to Frank & Ana and even squeeze in a couple of hours with the kids. 'Excellent, do it' was Frank's assessment when I rang him up the next morning, so I did.
'Shame Lynda's not coming' said Frank & Ana a couple of days later. 'It is' I agreed 'but if she booked up as well then it would certainly skew the original business case'. 'Shame I shan't be seeing everyone' said Lynda a couple of days after that. So, what the heck, we booked her on the same trip. Never let it be said that we knowingly do anything sensible. But if life was about being sensible, well, we'd all shop at Lidl's.
That’s why we found oursleves in the very familiar circumstances of being in the departure lounge at Luton Airport, very early in the morning, waiting to catch a flight to Madrid. Lynda eyeing up the handbags and me dribbling over whatever supercar was being raffled that day. Plenty of people moan about no-frills airlines; they’re basic, poor customer service, etc. But we love them because they’ve made the world so accessible, and if for the sake of flying to Krankenschunakker for three quid you can’t go two hours without a complimentary bag of nuts or a Coq au Vin from a 4” x 2” foil container, then you have to be pretty desperate. Ok, there’s the green debate. There we are then, we’ve just had it. Job done
'Shame Lynda's not coming' said Frank & Ana a couple of days later. 'It is' I agreed 'but if she booked up as well then it would certainly skew the original business case'. 'Shame I shan't be seeing everyone' said Lynda a couple of days after that. So, what the heck, we booked her on the same trip. Never let it be said that we knowingly do anything sensible. But if life was about being sensible, well, we'd all shop at Lidl's.
That’s why we found oursleves in the very familiar circumstances of being in the departure lounge at Luton Airport, very early in the morning, waiting to catch a flight to Madrid. Lynda eyeing up the handbags and me dribbling over whatever supercar was being raffled that day. Plenty of people moan about no-frills airlines; they’re basic, poor customer service, etc. But we love them because they’ve made the world so accessible, and if for the sake of flying to Krankenschunakker for three quid you can’t go two hours without a complimentary bag of nuts or a Coq au Vin from a 4” x 2” foil container, then you have to be pretty desperate. Ok, there’s the green debate. There we are then, we’ve just had it. Job done
It was damp and bloody freezing when we left Luton but the Madrid morning, although cool was bright an sunny. No hold luggage meant whipping straight through Passport Control to the waiting Ana and Frank and minutes later we were speeding away from Barajas Airport. Frank had planned a day in Alcala de Henares, an attractive medieaval town half an hour out of Madrid, famous for being the home of Spain's oldest university and more so for being the birthplace of Cervantes - he of Don Quixote fame.
We spent the morning catching up and laughing as we wandered around the lovely old palaces and squares in the sun, stopping for a coffee and churros. Come lunchtime, Frank unveilled the day's culinary highlight. He had booked a table in the town's Parador. http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/parador/alarcon.htm should tell you all you need to know about Paradors, and this one in particular. An inspired choice on Frank's part as it turned out because the meal and service were absolutely first class. Better than that, at 29 euros per head for the three course set lunch it was incredible value too. Even better value was that Frank & Ana very kindly picked up the tab as an early birthday present. Thanks chaps - marvellous!
We had lingered over lunch (well it is Spain) and then shot back to the car to go to collect the kids from school. We found a place to stop in the school parking scrum that's the same the world over, then Lynda and I went off to hide while Ana fetched Pablo, Sofi Carla & Andi. The kids didn't know we were coming and so we planned to surprise them when they got back to the car. Our cover was almost blown when they came out of a different gate than planned but we still managed to creep up on them at the car and spring the surprise. Their faces were a picture and after some huge cuddles we piled into the car and went home. The shame is that they thought we were joking when we told them that we were only there for the day.
There we exchanged groceries - our traditional English for their traditional Spanish - handed over the magazines and then enjoyed a couple of hours going wild with the kids. Bass playing, twixie floor mops, quizzes, it's amazing what you can fit into such a short space of time.
Eventually though time did run out for us and it was with huge regret that we took our leave of Ana, Pablo, Carla & Andi to head back to the airport with Sofi & Frank.
A quick wander around the shops then we were boarded and off. The day relied heavily on Easyjet playing their part with regard to the flight times and they were spot on. We were back home and tucked up in bed by midnight, still almost incredulous at what we'd done that day. We'd had a fantastic time and anyone that thinks it's too long, or means getting up too early, or they'd be too knackered the next day, well, just think again.
Thanks to Frank, Ana and the kids. We love and miss you all but now we realise you're a good deal closer than we thought.
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