Tuesday 30 November 2010

"It's Only a Winter's Tale"


As we prepare to return to the UK tomorrow after what has been a a distinctly winterly feel to our short sojourn in Spain: One day of brilliant sunshine followed by two days of constant, if somewhat warm, rain and now flash warnings of snow from Galacia in the north to more of the same just outside Alicante here in the south! It will be an interesting journey back home tomorrow if the reports I've read from friends on Facebook are to be believed about what is currently falling from the skies around Farnborough, Fleet and Farnham. I only hope that the ever increasing snowfall in the locality of home does not mean escaping from Spain just to face an arduous overland trip once back in Blighty. I would rather stay holed up here with Lyn and Graham and enjoy the Spanish life style (just checking I have enough Xeloda to tide me over):

Supper rural style with Sheila and family at Albox:



Passionatley Paella
From hob ......
.....to table


After tappas lunch at La Manga






















PS (Thursday 02.00hrs) The latest update from Spain is that it all  began to go pear shaped when it was apparent from surfing the web that no Sleasy Jet, or much else for that matter, was taking off from Gatwick first thing Wednesday morning. Hence our aeroplane wouldn't be coming to Spain to collect us. Flight cancellation confirmed on check-in at Alicante and no seats (on EasyJet) to Gatwick available until 9th Dec!!! Returned to Laderas del Sol with Lyn and Graham to trawl internet for replacement flights asap and now finally booked on Iberia out of Alicante on Thursday lunchtime for flight to Heathrow via Madrid at a cost of £1000+ notes. (Other cheaper options included Flybe to Soton on 6th but the concensus overruled despite my protestations to stay put either at Torrevieja or Albox, and avoid heading back to some remote location and into ever more deteriorating weather conditions before tackling the even more daunting task of negotiating the UK traffic mayhem) What we are heading back into heaven only knows according to the ongoing reports of heavier snow falls and the inevitable travel disruption and chaos in the UK as usaul under these conditions!


Onwards and upwards into the valley of ...........as I don't have sufficient of my chemo to last out for a few days here in the sunshine and seeing what develops; even if things at home do get worse. But there again I came off Xeloda for a week or so not long ago to get some side effects under control so I am sure a quick call to the team in UK would have sanctioned a short 'holiday' under the circumstances........What a shame never mind............ and as usual when the well meaning cogniscenti get their heads togther I am considered uninformed and incapable of planning and decision making with an opion that counts for nowt!

Admittedly a bad decision on my part regarding this trip was not advising my travel insurance company of my change in circumstances, viz-a-viz the cancer, prior to embarking on what, after all, was only going to be 'just a quick trouble free breakaway in the EU armed with only my EHIC'. So the likelyhood of any compensation for the additional expenses incurred are probably fairly remote. So my advice to anyone else in the same boat is use common sense: After all, like it or loathe it, it's what we pay insurance premiums for and the ground rules are explicit.

On the bonus side it has meant an extra day, December 1st, in now once again sunny Spain (after two days of rain and cloud) and, once the re-arranged travel was sorted, we enjoyed the benefits with a relaxing lunch at Villa Martin and a trip to the seaside at La Horadada:


The idea of a quick evening dip in the pool on returning to Laderas del Sol was just a bridge too far!



In keeping with the continuing pattern of sleepless nights I sit here in the middle of the night contemplating tommorrow's rescheduled journey home and wish to thank everyone here and back in the UK for their invaluable help and support, without which this much needed breakaway would not have been possible. Special thanks to Gary for house and dog sitting whilst drinking my best wine, to Caroline for keeping Chaka company and well exercised on daily walks, to Pete and Paula, who, without any prompting, immediately rallied to rescue us from whatever remote outstation we find ourselves transported to on arrival back in blighty tomorrow, and to Dave Lavelle for voluntarily being on standby cavalry duties. It goes without saying how much we appreciate the unstinting hospitality of our hosts here in Spain, Lyn and Graham and in particular for ferrying us all the way to Albox so that we could enjoy an evening with Shiela, Emma, Adz, Roxy and Alfie.

The First Farewell!






3 comments:

  1. Looks like you've been having a great time, David - well deserved!
    Bet you wish you could get the camera out here in Northumberland - it's pretty spectacular at the moment. Snow galore!
    I thought of you today as I wandered through Hexham's Aldi. They are selling a special gift box of Bishop's Finger with a glass!
    Shents xxx

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  2. Gatwick's closed David so check before you set out and find out what happening first.

    Last report on TV said they're going to review at 6am tomorrow (Thursday).

    If you've got enough tabs, stay where you are for a few days it's seriously, seriously cold here.

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  3. It all began to go pear shaped when it was apparent from surfing the web that no Sleasy Jet, or much else for that matter, was taking off from Gatwick first thing Wednesday moring. Hence our aeroplane wouldn't be coming to Spain to collect us. Flight cancellation confirmed on check-in at Alicante and no seats to Gatwick available until 9th Dec!!! Returned to Laderas del Sol with Lyn and Graham to trawl internet for replacement flights asap and now finally booked on Iberia out of Alicante on Thursday lunchtime for flight to Heathrow via Madrid at a cost of £1000+ notes. What we are heading back into heaven only knows according to ongoing reports of travel disruption and chaos as usual in the UK!

    Onwards and upwards as I don't have sufficient of my chemo to last out for a few days here in the sunshine and see what develops........What a shame :o(

    Nice to see you both girls, especially post-op Carole, and thanks for poppping in.

    David [[xx]]

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