Doce mesas hacia abajo, el descanso de nuestro vive para ir!

I have much more to write about in the coming weeks, but today is a landmark whereby all that was familiar is past and gone in our story. We have had a couple of friends over to stay last week and we talked mostly of our time and experiences here and what we believed the near and far future held, as did our friends. It's funny, but a number of times neither of us could really believe that a whole year had gone! So many things have happened and time has slipped away. It's certainly a far cry from the way we were living or existing twelve months ago, if truth be told it's only the feature I write for the Echo that really keeps me in touch with that era. But what is stranger is the impact my story has had so far on a number of people from all walks of life. I had no idea so many different people, people I know to complete strangers, relate in some way to what I've written so far and have contacted me to tell me so. It would seem to me that people, no matter who they are or where they're from are the same all over. There's a great number who have thought about or have planned, are planning, or are just about to take the step that Rose and I did last August. I also know a great many people have used and related to the hints and tips I've tried to impart, and have already experienced the challenges, highs and lows of what's involved with such a decision.

In three days time my wife and I celebrate our twenty eighth wedding anniversary (though I've informed her I'm only giving her another twenty eight years and then I'm off!). We may spend it on the beach or in the pool or at a fancy restaurant or at a local Venta with a couple of workmen, whatever, it will be here in our place in the sun.

After breakfast, we packed all we had taken to the rental into three trolley cases, two hand luggage cases and a couple of shopping bags. Even at that stage I was dubious about getting it all through check in at the airport but thought what the heck. Our son Joseph would be in Weymouth at around ten o'clock that morning to pick us up and take us for a cup of tea and the last goodbyes with the in-laws. On his arrival, we loaded the car and all three of us went off to meet Luke at a café for a coffee. The four of us chatted until it was time for the off. Now the tears flowed as we said goodbye to our son. We would however be seeing him again in November as he had booked to come over and stay with us for a week, but this was a moment when for the first time he would be alone and have to stand on his own two feet. I cracked a couple of nervous jokes and after all the hugs and kisses, Luke went off to work and we drove out of Weymouth.

We stopped at Portesham to see Ma & Pa. To say the atmosphere was tense was possibly an understatement. It was as if they still couldn't believe we were going yet there we were all dressed like we usually did for a holiday but on this occasion leaving for the final time.

It was time for the airport, Joe insisted on us leaving in plenty of time to get to Bournemouth through any traffic problems. Derek and Jean had also booked to come out later in that same November but still it was very hard. Dad for all his calmness and laid back attitude possibly took it harder than he let on, for before we left he made an excuse to leave to go do some work, but we understood. After another round of hugs and kisses, we departed for the airport with a hail of see you soon's' and headed off. One thing though, it was nice to have Joe drive us as first it saved us a taxi fare and secondly I was at last getting payback for all the times I'd been called at home at past midnight to pick him up! Ha!

We stopped for a drink on the journey at a pub we'd passed a million times but never been in, always the way I say. We arrived with our donkey load of luggage at the airport drop off and said our last family goodbye to Joe wishing him luck and safe journey for his new vocation. Then we were left waiting in line for check in time. Now I'm a seasoned traveller as is Rose, but on this occasion I knew I was taking a chance on my baggage allowance, especially with people looking at us in the queue as if to say My word, how long are they going for?'

But we needed everything we were carrying, there was no way we could leave anything, and besides, we had already had words over the numbers of pairs of Rose's shoes we were carrying! But I digress. Anyway, check in time came and we were near the front. We placed the paperwork on the desk, smiled politely and waited for the request to declare number of bags and weigh in. There was no problem with the hand luggage, no problem with the shopping bags, but when it came to the cases, oops!

The Thompson Fly lady smiled stating that we were approximately 12 kilos over our allowance in two cases but under in the third. I smiled again stating with puppy eyes that we were actually heading off to live in Spain and that could an exception be made on the weight on this occasion?

Sympathy has no bounds so they say and this lady had none. We were told that we would have to redistribute the bags or they could not be loaded. Imagine, two hundred people behind us all impatient to get through to the departure lounge and we were stuck at the front with a luggage weight problem!

Well, although impassive in her demeanour, the lady them advised us to move away from the main line and proceed over to an empty check in area to try and sort it out, though she did state that as soon as we had worked it all out, we could return to the front of the queue.

By now Rose was having something short of a fit as I grappled with our bags and lined them up on the floor for all to see.

First overweight case that we opened decided to eject it's contents of it's own accord, scattering mostly shoes over the terminal floor. As I stood and watched scratching my head, I was unprepared for the action that followed as my darling wife, now void of any understanding, proceeded to throw said shoes across the floor in all directions muttering guttural expletives as she went. She hissed at me that it was not her shoes that were causing the problem but the supply of bacon and sausages that I had insisted on purchasing from my very good friend Dennis from The Fantastic Sausage Factory. I doubt I helped the situation by giggling being my hand, but it helped me. Anyway, I could not accept this fact as it is patently obvious to any man that meat is far more important than shoes any day!

After taking a few deep breaths, I attempted to continue with rearranging and transferring our items from case to case until, with the help of a spare set of airport scales, I thought I had done enough to get us through. We returned to the checkout line, obviously the centre of a number of bemused looks and whispers in order to try again. The lady wasn't smiling anymore but I was and I think Rose was though through clenched teeth. The three cases were now a matter of grams under the maximum weight though the hand luggage and shopping bags were now bulging with clothes and shoes. But everything was now in order and we were allowed to proceed to departure.

But we weren't out of it yet. On arrival at security, it was the turn of the search team to have a laugh though I was beginning to lose my sense of humour. It appeared that on this particular day we were required to remove shoes, socks, belts, jewellery and anything else they felt like at the time. As stated, I am a seasoned traveller and Bournemouth appeared to have one of the most disruptive and unproductive searching regimes I have encountered. Made London and New York look tame. Anyway, the bags we now carried as hand luggage were full to overflowing and inevitably as they went through the scanner, a number of items either fell out or became separated. We took time out to re adjust the bags but one thing was missing, my Panama hat! I mean, why had I had to remove a see through cotton hat and place it on the conveyor?

I looked down the chute looking for the missing item whilst a man proceeded to ram a stick down to free my beloved hat from the machine's workings, all again to the bemusement of his team. That was until I informed him quite sternly that the hat in question was in fact of 100% Palm leaf construction purchased from Saville Row and cost around £200, and if he liked, he could explain to his superiors why they had received a bill for said item! I retrieved my hat without humour with the now subdued search team continuing to undress people as much as possible. Probably more of a fetish I would say than pertinent security.

Rose's turn to be doubled up in fits of laughter. (Let's not be flippant about flight security, but then again, let's be sensible eh!)

We awaited boarding without any further mishaps partaking as we always did of a coffee in the bar and munching on the bacon sandwiches that Rose always makes prior to any flight, though on this occasion they were a little more compressed than usual.

It was sunny as we boarded Thompson Fly 6058 for Malaga that afternoon, and though we had made the journey many times, this time the feeling was completely different and hard to explain, but if you've been or are going there, you'll know what I mean!

Useful hint
Some people drive, some people fly and some people sail, whatever way you choose to undertake your journey, make it part of the experience! You see what happened with us. A slight miscalculation generated a challenge, which caused stress, which at that stage was not welcome due to our highly emotional state of mind. No, get rid or travel light is my motto. Enjoy the trip as if it were just another holiday, after all, if you're like us, you're moving to relieve the stress not create it.

Useful tip
Etiquette can be a strange thing in any country, what's right and proper in one can mean something completely different in another. Here we've learnt there is more than one way to say hello, to answer a question, to address someone who is young or old, to call for assistance, to be heard in a bar or even just to wait in line. The other day I was eating a plate of Churros' for breakfast at a local Venta and had left my hat on the table. The waiter came over, removed my hat and pulled up another chair on which to place it. From what I could gather in our exchange it was very unlucky and very rude to do what I had done. Lesson learned. Likewise, it's acceptable here to shout Oiga' loudly to get the attention of a waiter for service, imagine doing that in a restaurant in England! Mind you, most of this etiquette is mainly for us Campo' walla's to observe inland. On the Coast there is a little more tolerance towards the tourist faction.

Spanish facts
The largest University in Madrid is the Complutense' which has more than 120,000 students! Phew, that's a lot of spots!
If a Spaniard is known as a Meztizo' (Pronounced Methtithoh) he has Spanish and Indian blood in him.
You've probably heard the word Parador' a number of times commonly used in Spain, however, it's proper meaning is actually a Castle that has been turned into a Hotel.
The word Superextraordinarísimo' is the longest word in the Spanish dictionary, but I reckon you can work out its meaning for yourself!
And today saw day 68 of continuous sunshine and no rain in this region. (That reminds me, must hang the washing out, should dry a treat!)

Useful phrase
I thought I'd mentioned them enough, so numbers and how to say them may be a good one this week.
Uno dos tres cuatro cinco seis siete ocho nueve diez once doce trece catorce quince dieciseis diecisiete die ciocho diecineuvo veinte veinteuno.
Pronounced: oonoh dohs trays kwatroh thinkoh sayees seeaytay ohchoh nwaybay dee-eth ohnthay dohthay traythay katorthay kinthay dee-etheesayees dee-etheeseeaytay dee-etheeohchoh dee-etheenwaybay bayeentay bayeentay oonoh.
Meaning: One to twenty one and numbers in between.

Next week:
We're not on holiday now you know, well, maybe for a bit!'