It was late when we arrived in Atocha, Madrid, so we went straight to bed. We were awake quite early on Wednesday 8th July and had slept well in Captain Caveman’s niece’s room while the family were on holiday. The apartment was stylish and lovely, we were very grateful we were able to stay there. In the morning, I attended the 3rd session of the Offline Challenge with Lisa Johnson and did a little bit of work before Captain Caveman decided we were off for breakfast and the supermarket. We found a nearby cute cafe called Armonia which we both ordered the open style sandwiches at. Captain Caveman ordered an avocado and turkey while I got brave and tried a bacon, cheese, rocket, caramelised onion and pistachio. It was probably one of the nicest sandwiches I’d had and it wasn’t that expensive, Captain Caveman paid. I had my meal with tea, Captain Caveman with a double espresso and we both had water. Our next stop was to Lidl where we bought the following, prices in Euros;
This shopping would form the ingredients for most of our meals while we were there.
In the afternoon I had arranged to meet Emma, the Lanzarote Resort Expert, and her husband Huse. By complete coincidence they were also going to the Mad Cool Festival but just for day 1 so we arranged to meet in town and grab some food before the gig. Despite doing the same job in different places, Emma and I had never met in person so we were both looking forward to it. We arrived a little late because we had an issue with the barrier at the metro station but we soon got acquainted and started walking down the street. We ended up going to a cafe which had an eclectic mix of dishes. Captain Caveman and I had tapas, I had a Clara and he had wine. The Metro to the venue was absolutely rammed and I had another mini meltdown because I was too hot and it was crowded. Captain Caveman would not let me get off at an earlier stop as he said it would be miles to walk so I had to stay on. A Spanish lady lent me her fan but I was very claustrophobic and panicky so Captain Caveman had to fan me until the lady who’s fan it was got off. When we got to the venue, it was a long walk in very hot sun and then we got in the wrong queue for our wrist bands and had to start again. Once inside we had a wander round, took some photos to send to the Resort Experts group chat and got a drink at the bar. At the bar, we had a delay as it was not only cashless, you couldn’t pay on card either and had to top up your wristband with a QR code using your bank card before going to the bar. Luckily, a guy in the know told us what we needed to do as it wasn’t very clear. The cups were reusable and you had to give a deposit of €2 per cup. I’m not down with the kids so Captain Caveman topped his band up with €50 and we would see how far that got us. There was a limited choice of drinks so I took a chance on Tinto de Verano (red wine with lemonade) which was better for me than the Mahou lager.
Wolf Alice was on the main stage and seemed to be drawing the crowds. I’d not heard of her before and as the 2nd stage had on The War on Drugs half way through, we got to hear a bit of both. There were no seated areas near the main 2 stages so we found somewhere to perch near the bar and VIP area but trying to avoid the sun was hard. We didn’t really see much of Emma and Huse after that as they were there specifically for the Foo Fighters and went right to the front. They had to leave as soon as it finished as they had a flight back to Lanzarote first thing tomorrow. I’d not been a fan of the Foo Fighters particularly but they played a 3 hour non-stop & rivetting set. They were probably one of the best live bands I’ve ever seen and I was so impressed. The portaloos and the free drinking water at Mad Cool also made the festival much more pleasant. They didn’t allow any drinks in or for you to take a water bottle in with a top on (just the bottle) so we ended up buying a bottle in there then topping it up at the free water stations. The venue was pretty well organised and when we came to leave, it was crowded but not horrendous. We got back to our temporary home at about 2am, absolutely shattered. We went to bed thinking we needed to improve on a few things for tomorrow if we were to survive another 3 days of the Mad Cool festival in the intense Madrid heat.
Gratitude List 1. Being lucky enough to stay in Captain Caveman’s brother’s home 2. Getting to meet Emma, the Lanzarote Resort Expert, and her hubby in Madrid 3. The phenomenal performance of the Foo Fighters at the Mad Cool Festival.
I spent Monday 6th July drastically trying to finish all the priory items on my to do list and failing. I did manage to squeeze in a Lisa Johnson Offline Challenge at 10am which was insightful and I learned a few things. I had toast for lunch as I was so busy and worked until 6.30pm. Captain Caveman and I had a walk to the shop where my card got declined at Sainsbury’s due to me not realising my balance was so low. Captain Caveman had to buy the water and travel sweets in Sainsbury’s as tomorrow evening we were off to a 4 day music festival in Madrid. Back home, we sat in the garden with Captain Caveman’s parents and had a glass of wine. For dinner we had chicken and salad which was lovely as the temperature was definitely on the increase now.
Gratitude List 1. The Lisa Johnson Offline Challenge 2. Getting stuff done before we left London 3. Looking forward to my first visit to Madrid.
Captain Caveman had booked tickets for the Mad Cool music festival and arranged for us to stay at his brother’s family apartment in Madrid. Our flight from Heathrow wasn’t until 8pm on Tuesday 7th July so we still had a busy day, for a Tuesday. We both worked at our separate working from home desks, I attended the 2nd session of Lisa Johnson’s Offline Challenge. At noon I packed up my stuff as there was an important event arranged. Captain Caveman’s parents had invited us to the Red Lion in Barnes for lunch and to say bye before we all jetted off on our holidays. The Red Lion is one of my favourites and the food there was excellent. We sat in a shady spot outside and it was definitely summery weather now. I ordered roasted veg on toasted sour dough for starter while Captain Caveman chose to spice up his hummus order with a bit of lamb! We had a bit of a laugh over the menu wording of the bread which made it sound like it had it’s own home on a farm, and had to order it. All became clear once the waiter explained the difference and it wasn’t just ordinary bread. Captain Caveman had a chicken dinner which got snaffled with enthusiasm, Ma ordered a burrata with salad, Pa opted for a schnitzel and I decided on the butternut squash pasta. Captain Caveman’s parents treated us to the meal which was very kind given that they were letting us stay with them and I’d tried to tell Captain Caveman we should pick up the bill. We really enjoyed ourselves and could have quite happily sat there for longer but Captain Caveman had to get back for a 2pm meeting. We finished work at 4pm, got our bags, said our farewells and we were off to Madrid. We were at the airport 2 hours before as we had been notified we had to go to check-in for our hand luggage to be checked. All was fine and we went straight through to the bar for a quick pint. On the flight I spent €12 (£10.28) on a couple of beverages and then fell asleep. We landed at 11.30pm and had a bit of a faff finding the right tram/metro to Atocha, where we were going to be staying for 5 nights.
Gratitude List 1. Free challenges with Lisa Johnson 2. A fantastic family lunch at the Red Lion 3. A good flight from Heathrow to Madrid.
Wednesday 1st July was my last day in Dalyan for a while, as I had some fantastic summer plans – mostly spending time with Captain Caveman in the UK and to celebrate his birthday month with a couple of trips away. But first, I was making the most of my last Dalyan day, doing what I enjoyed the most – a boat trip. I was up and about 3 hours prior to the boat trip to fanny about with banking with it being a new month. I decided that a limit of £30 per day as a budget for July would be the most I could afford and I was extremely hopeful to set it at that – not completely believing I could do it.
It was weigh day but I didn’t get weighed or do my measurements, and I was missing Fat Club today.
Our boat trip was quite a full one with it being a private trip organised by friends and we had quite a few of the usual faces. It was a choppy ride out to sea and we went out quite far, way beyond Ekincik. I’d taken extra strong seasickness tablets so I was fine until someone mentioned fried eggs (I don’t like eggs) and I had to really concentrate on not being sick.
We had our first swim stop in a turquoise bay which proved a little tricky to get back on to the boat due to the swell. Luckily, Shaun was able to help Nanny Kay and I get on safely, as I didn’t have my glasses on. It isn’t usually that bad but there were lots of big tourist boats causing bigger waves. We had a lovely couple more swim stops, we even had a photo on a rock. Cath, who is a non-swimmer even enjoyed it and we had a couple of minor scrapes from messing about on the rocks. Both Keith and I had to have a plaster on! Captain Fuat always does plenty of choice on the food, and we ate fantastic BBQ food and, as it was my last boat trip in Dalyan for a bit, we had a few wines. I was so busy enjoying being on the boat and chatting to friends that I didn’t take many photos, luckily the keen photographers onboard did. Paul got some excellent photos of the group who swam on to the rocks plus a laughing donkey who posed for him. We had a really lovely trip and I was almost sad to leave, I spent £40 on the boat trip and I forget my bar bill – definitely less than £20 on wine. I got home, did the laundry, packed my bag and did a bit of a tidy round, before getting in bed. Tomorrow, my taxi to the airport wasn’t coming until 3.30pm but I still had a few plans in the morning.
Gratitude List
1. Getting the opportunity to go back to the UK again
2. A fantastic boat trip
3. Being ready to enjoy July with Captain Caveman.
Photo Credit – photos by friends on the boat, including Paul C.
It was a rather busy day on Monday 29th June and I had to take some time away from my office desk to do some important things. My first job of the day was to meet a friend for a little walk before it got too hot. We walked along the river and then went to Kaunos tea gardens for brunch. We each had a bottle of water, a large Turkish tea and a cheese and onion toastie, with chips and olives for a total of 390 lira (£6.30).
I’d not checked my budget for this month as I expected I was way over and decided to do it all in a couple of days at month end. I had definitely underestimated how much money I would need for July, August and September being out of Turkey. After a couple of customer calls, some admin and a chat with a friend it was time to venture on a hot and sweaty bus to Ortaca. I wanted to get my hair done before my next UK and Europe trip and today was the only day Emrah could fit me in at short notice. I arrived early, and glad of the air con as Emrah and the girls worked their magic. I had to get the bus back and was meeting a friend for a farewell drink at 4pm so I asked for an updo. I paid 2,000 lira (£32.26) for the colour, cut and blow dry which I thought was very reasonable and is always so professional. I got the bus back and it was pretty packed and hot.
When I got back to Dalyan I made my way over to Ren Garden where I had arranged to meet my friend. Her and her husband were moving back to the UK and I wanted to wish them well and have a catch up before we both set off. We sat in the back room for a bit of privacy and decided to have a wine (or 2) to mark the occasion. As is the Dalyan way, we did get interrupted when some of the Dalyan Dwellers, who’d been on the yellow boat, came back from their Monday Köyceğiz market trip. Two of them came in first, a bit tiddly, asking if I had seen my parents. I replied that I hadn’t and they were the ones who had gone on a boat trip with them. Apparently, they were all meeting back at Ren Garden after getting off the boat. My parents arrived a few minutes later, also merry, and asked if I’d seen their friends who were now sat in the front bar. This went on a while as more people turned up all looking for each other within a small vicinity. My friend’s husband had joined us and all privacy had gone out of the window so we said our goodbyes and I went to join my parents and the group of boat trippers. I had another couple of wines with them and we chatted to a nice bloke, Ricky, who was staying at Grandma’s Garden, the hotel at Ren Garden. I paid a total of 1,030 lira (£16.61) for 6 wines, 2 soda waters, and 1 water, a very reasonable amount! My next stop was to join my parents for dinner where we had pizza at Heybe and it was very tasty.
Gratitude List 1. Having my hair done 2. A farewell drink with a friend 3. An impromptu catch up with my parents.
Tuesday 30th June was the end of the month and I was astonished at how quickly the first half of this year had gone. It had been both a tough year so far, in many ways, but it had also been pretty good in lots of other ways. In June alone I’d split my time across quite a few different countries. Out of the 30 days this month, this is where I actually spent my time:
Dalyan 7 days Sheffield 7 days Cruising (Budapest, Bratislava, Tulln and Vienna) 5 days Spain 4 days Sevenoaks 3 days Mallorca 2 days Vienna 1.5 days Istanbul (airport) 0.5 days
So I was on holiday for at least half of the month, despite still working most of the time. It was also time to face the music with the monthly finances too, which had certainly taken a hit! I had given myself a budget of £25 per day, so a total of £750 for June. My total spend ended up being £802 so I was £52 over! Captain Caveman had needed to help me out to ensure I got my required amount in to the Turkish bank too and I was about to start July in a deficit of £115 after paying off my credit card. I do that every month and it only has a very low limit. For July I hadn’t set a budget as I knew I was likely to spend more than I had this month and would be relying on Captain Caveman a lot too. All I did today was work as it was the last day of the month and I wanted to maximise any earnings. There was so much fun coming up from July onwards, all of which I was going to continue to do with a frugal mindset and while doing more holiday research for my potential customers.
Gratitude List 1. Being very lucky to be able to work from almost anywhere in the world 2. Having a busy day and tying up lots of loose ends 3. Looking forward to a great summer.
I was busy catching up with chores and writing content on Saturday 27th June. I was meant to go to the market to get fruit but I didn’t end up going as I got busy with dealing with some customer related stuff. The last weekend of every month tends to be the busiest for people getting ready to go away, as well as booking, due to it being pay day for a lot of people. I did manage to force myself out of the house around lunch time, just for a walk so that I actually got some exercise. Other than that I slowly tackled my never ending to do list and tried to spend as little money as possible before the end of the month, and before my trip back to the UK, where I had loads planned with Captain Caveman.
Gratitude List 1. Being busy 2. Managing to spend nothing and have no alcohol in the hope of losing weight 3. Having a short walk around town.
I’d been invited to visit friends, Janet & Ian, on Sunday 28th June and decided I would walk over, despite the heat. I put on plenty of factor 50 suncream, a dress with short sleeves and my sun hat from Vietnam. The walk was only 20 minutes but it was definitely hot in Dalyan now. Having survived the heat of Vienna, Dalyan felt a little more breezy. At Janet & Ian’s we had a lovely time, chatting and lounging round the pool and even a lovely swim. Of course I was ‘persuaded’ in to having a drink at the poolside bar so that Janet wasn’t drinking blood orange gin alone – I’m good like that! Janet and Ian have their property on the market and if I won the lottery, I’d buy it! It’s a gorgeous villa on the edge of town with a deep pool and a massive garden. They are in their 70s now so are looking to downsize. I could’ve stopped longer but it was Sunday and I had 2 more engagements planned. Ian gave me a lift in to town and I went to see Richard and Michelle off at Waterfall bar. We said bye and I was invited to see them in the UK during my summer visit, which was nice of them. We were also going to be arranging a trip to Vietnam in 2027 which would be amazing. Back home, I snaffled down the rest of the leftover curry and then went round to my parents for a drink. I’d last seen them 4 weeks ago when we went to Duble for a meal. While I’d been in the UK and Europe having a lovely time, they had also been having a great time in Dalyan. I had less than 5 days left before I went back to the UK and they had another week after I left. They were going to be joined by my niece and her boyfriend so were looking forward to some time with them. We had some wine and nibbles and arranged to meet for breakfast on my last day, so I could say bye.
Gratitude List 1. Spending time with lovely friends, Janet & Ian 2. Having a last drink with more lovely friends, Richard & Michelle 3. A great evening to round off my Sunday with my parents.
I met a friend for a walk and talk at 7.30am on Friday 26th June. We talked about how my trip to England and Europe had gone. She’d also been busy so it was a good catch up and we had to wait at Kaunos tea gardens for it to open. We just had 1 large tea and 2 waters for 65 lira (£1.05) then both went back home to get on with our days. Upon my return, I snipped as much of the unruly bushes that I could then messaged the gardening company to ask them to do the rest – it had obviously not been touched for 3 weeks at our side of the complex, but Block A looked very tidy. I finished work at 4pm, despite having a lot to do still, as I needed to get prepared for my guests. I’d invited Richard and Michelle over for a curry at mine but I needed to get some ingredients in as I’d not done a proper shop yet. Here’s what I bought with prices in lira;
Star Gurme 1 tin baked beans & 1 jar curry sauce Total spent 300 lira (£4.84)
Yaman Büfe 2 1 bottle of Angora red wine 525 3 Dido chocolate bars 105 Total spent 630 lira (£10.16)
I didn’t need the beans or curry sauce but had walked all the way to buy curry paste and they didn’t have the one I wanted. I couldn’t remember if I had an alternative at home so I bought the jar in case I needed it to make a quick version of my chicken curry. The naan bread is just a pide type of bread but does the trick.
I threw everything in to the slow cooker and had a paste at home I could use, plus it didn’t need to be ready until 9pm so I had time; 4 hours on high. I met my friends in Retro bar for a pre dinner drink (or 2) and they brought me some gifts which was really lovely and much appreciated. I paid the bar bill this time at 950 lira (£15.32) and then we went over to mine for curry. We had another drink while I popped the rice in the rice cooker and we had a good old chat, mainly about holidays and future plans. The curry went down well and the Dido chocolate bars worked as a dessert. It wasn’t a late one as I had work in the morning and my guests were off on a boat trip.
Gratitude List 1. Walk by the river with a friend 2. Retro bar for drinks with friends 3. Hosting a curry night at mine.
I needed a rest on Wednesday 24th June and I was also not used to having to prepare and cook my own food! As it was weigh day and I was back at Fat Club this afternoon, I took my measurements to find strange results; I had put a whopping 3cm on my bust, lost 2cm off my waist and put 1cm on my hips!! It was going to be interesting to see how much weight I’d put on, using Carol’s scales, after my 3 weeks away. The home scales reckoned I’d put on 1.9kg (3.8lb), which was bad enough! At 9am there was a planned power cut which meant I only had enough battery to work until 1pm, but the outage was for most of the day. At 3pm, I was back to face the music. The weight gain was much more than I imagined, or felt, at 3.3kg (7.3lb) – more than half a stone in 1 month! I felt bad but I’d really enjoyed my various trips, maybe I would have to knuckle down and lose a bit, though! It was good to see the other ladies again after being away and there was so much to catch up on, as people had been away or were about to go back to the UK soon. I called at the shop on the way back to buy light wholemeal bread and marshmallows for 168.45 lira (£2.72) and then got ready to go out. Friends, Richard & Michelle, were in Dalyan so they had invited me to join them for drinks at the Waterfall bar and then for a meal. After a beer in the Waterfall, we decided to try out Doris Garden, which had a new owner/staff and had been getting good reviews recently. We chatted over wine, mainly about our shared interests in holidays. The food was very good, the service attentive but not too intrusive and we really enjoyed our meal, sat outdoors in the lovely garden area. We even bumped in to a couple of Dutch friends who were on a repeat visit. The beef çökertme was very tasty and went well with the Angora red wine. Michelle is not a big drinker and didn’t join us with the red wine, instead she prefers the odd cocktail so we went over to Efe bar for a nightcap. We ended up having another bottle of red wine as it was on special offer for Wine Wednesday at only 750 lira (£12) compared to 1,100 lira (£18) in the restaurant. Michelle had a cocktail and they did look very impressive too. We arranged to meet up again at the weekend and, as we said farewell, I had a feeling I might have a hangover tomorrow, after quite a lot of red wine.
Gratitude List 1. Surviving an all day power cut 2. Being back at Fat Club 3. A great meal and night out with friends.
On Thursday 25th June I had a bit of a woolly head but had to get on with a load of shit! My To Do List was huge. I also had multiple holiday enquiries to look at, which I was appreciative of. I barely had time to eat and had a Resort Experts team meeting at 1pm, where I’d been asked to do an update on my recent luxury river cruise. I kept it short and to the point as I was aware that there were others within our team who already knew about cruises, then I sent out the information on email for anyone who might be interested in it. I didn’t leave the house all day and I had to make myself stop working at 7pm to eat a chickpea curry. I briefly spoke to Captain Caveman in Sheffield to let him know I was back in Dalyan – he was looking forward to seeing me in London in 7 day’s time. The only photo I took today was of my dinner. It was an early night for me as I had so much to do tomorrow.
Gratitude List 1. Getting more holiday enquiries as a result of being away 2. Being asked to do a presentation on my cruise in the team meeting 3. Chickpea curry.
My plan to get back to Dalyan on Monday 22nd June was probably more complicated and longer than it needed to be, however it meant I had almost 12 more hours in Vienna. I’d initially thought of taking a train to Bratislava for 6am, then flying at 9am directly to Dalaman. This was the cheaper option with a Ryanair size under seat bag, which I didn’t have, and an extremely early start. Instead, I paid £88 (£24 more than the Ryanair direct flight) to fly 6 hours later in the day, with an 8kg allowance of hand luggage, via Istanbul.
This meant that I could have a leisurely breakfast at Sissy’s, who had gone to work but had left me some fresh bread from the bakery and I had it with some jam from the fridge. The schnitzel and accompanying leftovers were made into a snack for my journey as I wouldn’t get home until very late.
I worked in the morning at my laptop and then got the Metro, before my 24 hour ticket ran out, to meet Sissy. We decided to go for a quick lunch at Vapiano, a pizza and pasta restaurant where you choose what you want and they make it fresh at the counter in front of you. I also found the names of their drinks quite funny and had to order a Schartner Bombe. Sissy had a traditional herbal drink called a Almdudler, which had a familiar taste but I couldn’t place it until later – ginger and elderflower. Both drinks were great and my spaghetti was amazing.
It was sad to say bye to another wonderful host and friend, we’d had an incredible time of just under 30 hours together and I appreciated every minute and I hoped we would meet again soon for more adventures, perhaps in Turkey or Vietnam.
Sissy walked me to the train station to get the airport train, it was a bargain €5.40 (£4.63). We walked together to the platform and said bye several more times, by the time I was on the train I was emotional. The girl opposite me on the train got chatting and was an Austrian, who was on her way to Greece for a holiday but had grown up in Turkey.
At Vienna airport it was super efficient and clean, I ate my chicken schnitzel and snacks then boarded the plane to Sabiha Gökçen at 5.30pm, taking off at 6.05pm. The Ajet flight was busy but comfortable and I got an aisle seat near the back. I landed in Istanbul at 9.20pm and I had a drink and a snack for 495 lira (£7.68) in the airport while I waited for my next flight to Dalaman which was leaving at just after midnight.
Gratitude List
1. Getting a later flight back from Vienna 2. More time with Sissy 3. Austrian food and drink.
The second Ajet flight took off on Tuesday 23rd June at 00.05 from Sabiha Gökçen and landed in Dalaman at 01.25am. I had a wine on the plane for 150 lira (£2.38) and had fallen asleep by the time we landed. As I had no luggage to pick up and I was quite fast at getting out, I was in the taxi with Sonuç, who I had booked ahead, in no time. Back home in Dalyan, I had to duck under overgrown bushes to get to the steps and then up to the apartment. There was no internet so I went straight to bed and slept very well. When I woke up, I needed to put the internet on and get some food so I went out. Here’s what I bought, prices in lira;
Migros Supermarket 1 plastic bag 1.00 Yoghurt 54.95 Pain au chocolat 54.95 Olives 61.50 Total spent 172.40 lira (£2.74)
Captainnet internet 1 month 750 lira (£11.90)
I also decided to visit one of my favourite cafes in Dalyan, Mornings in Mavi, where I ordered the Nectarino sandwich, water and a cookie for a total of 770 lira (£12.22). It’s not the cheapest cafe in town, but it’s definitely delicious and I really enjoy the food there. I even took half of my sandwich home to have later. I spent the rest of the day catching up on laundry, emails, blogs and unpacking Pauline, of course. I had just 7 days in Dalyan before I headed back to the UK for another holiday.
Gratitude List 1. An uneventful journey back to Dalyan 2. A delicious brunch from Mornings in Mavi 3. Being back home for a week.
On Sunday 21st June I woke up early to a lovely sunrise in Vienna. I had arranged to disembark the Riverside Mozart ship early and spend 1 day and night in Vienna with a friend. It wasn’t the first time this month that people had thought I was being a bit silly by only visiting a place for such a short time. I was getting off early to walk to the nearest metro and go to meet my friend, only to spend a day sightseeing in a city that had a lot of things closed on a Sunday. If I’d learned anything from my 36 hours in Mallorca last week, it was that even the shortest of visits can still be the most enjoyable. I was about to meet Sissy for less than 30 hours and I had no idea at this stage, just how good that would be! I had my breakfast served to me in the dining room of Riverside Mozart, by a Bulgarian waiter. We chatted about my forthcoming trip to Sofia and Plovdiv and he said we would love it. The breakfast pancakes were excellent and the pot of tea was just how I liked it. I was there by myself for about an hour so I quizzed the staff, who we had got quite friendly with, what time my fellow Fam trippers had gone to bed. They were very coy and didn’t want to spill the beans but I gathered it was definitely a late one for some of them. Of course it had taken me no time at all to pack Pauline, my petite pink under seat case, and neck pillow. Surprisingly I also had spare knickers, a clean bra and an outfit I still hadn’t worn! My flight back to Dalaman was meant to have been from Bratislava at 9am on Monday but, as it was with Ryanair and I’d have had to pay extra for Pauline, I decided to fly with Ajet and take a later flight from Vienna. I asked the Riverside Mozart reception staff for the directions from the ship to the nearest Metro station. My instructions to get to meet Sissy seemed straight forward;
Take the Purple Line on the U6 at Stadion and get to Reichsbrücke. From there, get the red line at Vorgartenstrasse, in the direction of Alaunstrasse/Oberlaa, getting off at Schwedenplatz to change on to the Green Line, U4, to go to Rossauer Lände.
“What could possibly go wrong?”, I asked myself and fellow travel buddies, as I said farewell and departed the ship at just after 9am!
After quite a hot and confusing walk from the edge of the Danube to the Metro station, I had managed to purchase a one way ticket to where I thought I was going to meet Sissy. It cost just €3.20 (£2.74) and I thought I was heading on to the correct platform. The streets of Vienna had been empty apart from one woman who I asked if she could help me check I was going the right way. She helped me but said my written down directions were confusing so she wasn’t sure, she also got a little offended when I asked her if she spoke English. Apparently most Austrians do! By 10.15am I had to contact Sissy to check as it did look like following the directions I had, would send me in the opposite direction to what I needed. Sissy confirmed I did need the Purple Line to Seestadt but to change at Schottenring on to the Green line U4, in the direction of Heiligenstadt. I was at Stadion convinced I should go in the direction of Karlsplatz as that empty metro came in. I took a chance and I managed to find my way – I have no idea how, especially when I mixed up Rossauer Lände and Ländestrasse.
Finally, I met up with Sissy and we laughed at how rubbish I am at following directions but how pleased I was not to be travelling with lots of luggage. We walked a short distance to her delightful apartment, which was very cool inside. Pauline, my petite pink under seat case was popped down as she was not going to be dragged around town. After a quick recharge, some fabulous tap water, and a smothering of sun cream I was ready to see the sights. I’d met Sissy quite a few years ago in Phong Nha, Vietnam, when we did a motorbike tour to Hue via Khe Sanh. We’d met again a few years later and then things got in the way and we never made it to Vienna. Now I had jumped at the chance to extend my trip and squeeze in a visit with the lovely Sissy. Back at the Metro I was able to buy a ticket that would allow all travel for the next 24 hours at a cost of €10.20 (£8.74). It felt strange having to pay for things again, after being on the free Riverside Luxury Cruises and Travelpack Fam trip for 5 days! Once in the city, armed with fans and a UV umbrella, it was time for Sissy to put on her local tour guide hat. There is nothing better than seeing a city with someone who lives there, honestly it was unbelievable the amount of things we crammed in to just one day – thankful for my comfy shoes. We walked through gardens as I marvelled at the sights of all the buildings; Schönbrunn Palace, Belvedere Palace some historic buildings and then we got to go inside of St Stephen’s Cathedral.
It was just after mass had finished so Sissy got us in for a free look around. The cathedral was very impressive and a lovely cool temperature after being in the hot sun outside. We took our time and had a good look before heading out to the sunny streets of Vienna again.
I instantly loved it, there were historic and modern buildings intermingled with each other, some old buildings now utilised by modern companies, there were churches next to shops, museums, libraries and musical references everywhere we walked. Sissy and I did so much walking and talking that we had to stop off for a spot of light refreshment for lunch. Treześniewski was a first experience for me and, if I’m honest, I would not have tried it without being with a local as I wasn’t sure what the food actually was. Sissy knows I’m a fussy eater so she helped me choose the toppings on our open rye bread sandwiches. I had lentil and beetroot on one and tomato on the other, I think Sissy chose fishy and egg based toppings. We both decided an Ottakringer beer was in order and we had our first cheers together. Sissy treated us to lunch so I’m not certain of the cost but it seemed very reasonable and the food was exceptionally good.
Feeling refreshed, we continued on with the sightseeing in what was definitely very hot sun now. The Column of Pest was very eye-catching, as was the Habsburg Palace – even the secret underground toilets were fancy.
We had a wander round the Demel Bakery where I was glad I’d already eaten as the sweet treats in there were like masterpieces. The famous Sachertorte was getting devoured by lots of customers too.
More walking was done as we took in the Green Rabbit, Prince Eugene’s equestrian statue and the opera house. I may have seen so many buildings that I forgot the names of some, I recall a library and more museums too – mainly as they had a bit of shade near them, which we were desperate to seek by this point. Just as I thought that Sissy and the city of Vienna had nothing more to surprise me with, I was proven wrong!
When Sissy suggested a sit down in a bar around 3pm, I was quite keen. We had definitely put some paces in and the sunshine was relentless. Before I knew what was happening, Sissy was greeting the door man of Hotel Sacher Vienna and sashaying her way through a beautifully decorated room to a bar. Blaue Bar was incredibly opulent, cool and stunning as we plonked ourselves down on plush velvet seats that were so comfortable. The staff were lovely and we decided to order one of the speciality drinks, a Hugo spritz, as well as some tap water. It came served to us like we were royalty and I had to check I’d definitely left the cruise ship, for a split second! Served with ice, mint, lemon and a large glass it was just so refreshing. We also got served sunflower seeds, corn snacks and juicy olives! The drinks were roughly around €13 (£11) each and were so worth it! I tried to pay but Sissy insisted and it was such an amazing place that anyone going to Vienna has to try it. We stayed there a while to take it all in and relax and I absolutely loved the decadence of the place – what a treat.
We got the bus back towards Sissy’s home and stopped off at a wine bar which had live music playing, on the way. The prosecco was pleasant and very reasonably priced, with a couple of cheeky chaps serving it outside to save customers having to go inside to order.
Our dinner was at an absolute treasure of a place too, which had been owned by the same family since 1787. Heuriger Kierlinger was a little on the outskirts and it was very busy with locals, drinking a spritz and ordering from the buffet counter or menu. Again, without Sissy being my guide and translator I wouldn’t have got very far and probably wouldn’t have enjoyed trying the different foods as much as I did. We had salad, sauerkraut, gherkin, horseradish, a buttery dip which was very moreish, cow’s tongue and pork belly, plus a schnitzel and the traditional potatoes that go with it. Obviously we over ordered but, with just one night in Vienna, it was essential I try as much as possible. The food was superb and even the bread which looked so ordinary was amazing. I learned that horseradish isn’t just eaten in a sauce and was quite partial to it as a dry side taster! The white wine spritzers were great and so cheap compared to what I’d pay in the UK or Turkey. We couldn’t finish all of the schnitzel so, of course, I asked to take a doggy bag. Sissy was in favour of this too and said it was definitely something Austrians don’t frown upon like my English mates sometimes do. She even stuffed the extra leftovers in the bag and a breadroll to make sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. It was a perfect evening, but we had to get going back to Sissy’s neighbourhood where we watched one of the World Cup football matches with a shandy each! It had been an amazing Sunday with Sissy in Vienna and I wished I was staying for longer. We made plans to not leave it so long to catch up again and I definitely needed to come back to Vienna as I had really fallen in love with the place. That evening I slept well on the sofa on account of how many steps we must have walked, trying to see the best of Vienna.
Gratitude List 1. Vienna and all I got to see and do in 1 day 2. Sissy, not just a great friend but a great local guide to spend the day with 3. Austrian food and drink.
On Saturday 20th June, Day 4 of our Riverside Luxury Cruise, we arrived in Tulln, Austria. Something concerning had happened to me, though! I’d woken up very early feeling a little unwell and my tongue had swollen up. It was just like the time I had found out I was allergic to kiwi fruit. I took antihistamines and drank all the water I had, hoping it would subside, as I needed to be on an excursion at 9am. My continental breakfast today was chosen to be eaten in my cabin while catching up on some Resort Experts emails, knowing that today was our last full day and night on this fantastic luxury cruise. I still hadn’t booked my flight back to Dalaman so I also needed to do that, as well as finalising arrangements with a friend in Austria who I planned on meeting up with tomorrow. I’d selected the continental breakfast option thinking it may be less filling than the cooked breakfast – it wasn’t and there was loads of it. The butler had sent it in just before 7am as they were busy today. I found it hard to eat as my face was puffy and the swollen tongue wasn’t helping. I decided to message Victoria to see if she wanted to take my place on today’s excursion but she wasn’t able to. I wasn’t too sick to go, I just didn’t want my potential allergic reaction to get any worse. My first reaction of being on a 9am wine tasting excursion was that it might be a tad early in the day for me! However, I was wrong and the excursion was absolutely fantastic. We had a short coach ride to Schloss Gobelsburg, one of the oldest wineries which dated back to 1711. The owners met us with 2 overexcited dogs, who were soon taken back indoors.
We had a wonderful tour round the cellars and learned about the history as well as the specific wine making processes a while before we got to sample any of the products. By this time the antihistamines had taken more of an affect and my eyes had stopped watering. The trip also had another surprise in store if we made it through the cold cellars (I took a hoodie), to the wine tasting room. I loved Schloss Gobelsburg, where we got to sample Grüner Veltliner and Riesling white wines. What made it all the more special was a surprise rendition of some popular songs from an impressive quintet. The memory of sipping one of the white wine classics, Messwein, while listening to a Boney M classic will stay with me for a very long time!
On the last evening of our Riverside Luxury Cruise on Riverside Mozart, we enjoyed even more Taittinger champagne and the sunset before dinner. We set sail through the beautiful Wachau Valley and I didn’t want the cruise to end. It had been a remarkable journey which Travelpack and Riverside Luxury Cruises had organised for us and I felt so lucky to have had the experience. I also knew I wanted to do more river cruises and I was certainly sold on this luxury one. All of us said we fancied a winter trip next, and I was already imagining Christmas markets, Christmas or New Year would be a great time to do a trip like this.
The dinner in Waterfront was excellent and I even managed a dessert after my beef main, this time. We had a last drink in the bar to round off the night but I didn’t want a late one as I had an extra day planned in Vienna tomorrow.
Gratitude List 1. Recovering well enough to enjoy the wine tasting excursion 2. Sailing through the Wachau Valley 3. A wonderful last meal to round off the perfect cruise trip.
Photo Credit – some photos by other Fam Trip Attendees
I was missing 2 important events in Dalyan on Friday 19th June; my friend’s 60th birthday boat trip and the arrival of Sausage Dick and his wife. Both knew I would no longer be there for them today and were very supportive and pleased that I would instead be enjoying Day 3 of a luxury river cruise Fam trip. We’d spoken and rescheduled our meet ups so I was free to get on with my jam-packed day along the Danube. I woke up to an unfamiliar sound and found myself in a first-time situation; we were in a lock! It was fascinating watching from my picture window, in a robe as I drank orange juice, tea and buttered my toast. Daniel, my butler, had already arranged for my rather large breakfast to be delivered to my cabin this morning. This was an absolute feast which set me up for the day! I loved being able to choose between getting dressed to eat breakfast in the ship’s dining room, or to lounge on the sofa in my cabin, wearing my robe. We had a free morning to relax and I had intended to visit the spa before lunch. Unfortunately, I had selected a detox shot on my breakfast menu, not knowing what it was. I necked it, only to find it was an excruciatingly strong vinegar of some sort. I felt like my teeth would melt and that my throat and my insides were being burned. I tried to rectify the matter by having all the suitable liquids I could gather; water, orange & cranberry juices and tea – nothing soothed me. What a rookie error and the uncomfortable feeling lasted all morning! The rest of the breakfast was delicious but the uncontrollable burping was a bit of a pain.
I worked a little bit and caught up on some blogging before it was time to meet the others for lunch. Victoria had arranged for us to eat at Blue Deli, another of the restaurants to try. Being on a luxury river cruise doesn’t mean that you have to eat posh nosh and fine dining for every meal. Our evening waiter, David, had recommended we try the well loved Smash Burger for lunch today so that was the plan. Only 4 of us ate at Blue, all of us ordering our own specific burger requirements and we washed it down with a refreshing lavender lemonade. If I’m honest, that wasn’t my favourite drink but the others enjoyed it. I also had to leave some of my bread as I was so full from breakfast and still had a heartburn-like feeling going on, from the detox shot. We were then ready for an afternoon of excursions and activities. This relaxing cruise was certainly not boring and there was so much to do for any active people.
On our walking excursion of Bratislava we were given quite a treat from our expert guide; history and music were the main feature – finished off with a glass of fizz and a nice piece of cake. The guide was very aware of the heat and did her best to stop in the shade, she also was able to split the group for those who felt less capable of walking on the cobbles and steps up to the castle. I thought it was good that guests can pre-book to add the excursions on as a package and the ones we went on were very well done. It was a very hot day so I was particularly pleased that we hadn’t selected the bicycle ride along the Danube (again). The passengers who did that trip looked very hot but said that the excursion was great too.
The evenings onboard Riverside Mozart were perfect for me. Before dinner we were given an early evening show from Vienna’s Opera Ballet Soloists followed by a chance to learn a few steps of the Viennese Waltz. I got partnered up with a lovely man, whose wife was particularly thankful that she didn’t have to join in. He and I both had chubby tummies so the positioning of our legs with touching thighs had to resort to barely touching shins. It was a really good laugh, where the embarrassment of volunteering soon dissipated once we realised we were actually learning how to dance.
For our evening meal Norbert Toth, the Food & Beverage Manager, had invited us all to the Atelier Restaurant where we had a food tasting extravaganza. It was a proper snazzy dining experience, where we tasted everything on the menu aside from anything with nuts or molluscs in (due to allergies). There was so much to eat and it was such a good representation of the countries we were visiting – the wine pairing was just spot on. We had a delightful evening which included watching the sunset as we sailed to Tulln, Austria. In the bar, later we listened to the piano player and a saxophonist then it got a little livelier with some of us getting on the dancefloor and partaking in a Baby Guiness nightcap. If I hadn’t been sold on river cruisers previously, I was fast becoming a propenent of them now!
Gratitude List
1. A luxurious start to Day 3 of the cruise 2. Seeing a little of Bratislava 3. A fantastic dining experience at Atelier, onboard Riverside Mozart.
Photo Credit – some photos taken by the Fam Trip Attendees
Thursday 18th June was Day 2 of the Travelpack and Riverside Luxury Cruises Fam Trip and it was an absolute delight. I didn’t make it to the breakfast in the dining room on account of me still having half of my cheese plate from last night to eat – as I don’t like to waste things I had that with water and then realised my cabin didn’t have a kettle, only a coffee machine. I asked Daniel, the butler, if he could oblige with a pot of tea and he brought a proper pot of tea in with a smile! For our daily excursion we did the Panoramic Budapest tour, which was excellent. We visited the State Opera House which, as a former musician, blew my mind. The whole tour was done with an ear piece in so we could listen to our tour guides throughout. After an extensive tour round the opera house we had a glass of champagne and a bit of a surprise. As the performers were rehearsing we were treated to our own private showing in an intimate gathering on the stairs – just wonderful. I was shocked to find out that to get tickets to the royal box wasn’t even that expensive so it was definitely on my list to do with 9 other people (the royal box seats up to 10), ideally in a winter month.
We had a good walk around in the sunshine and visited Heroes Square before returning to Riverside Mozart for a delicious BBQ lunch on the sun deck. Other guests returned from other tours and I was very glad to have not been on the ebike tour as the sun was pretty intense and they all looked sweaty. Captain Caveman would’ve preferred that tour when we get to do a river cruise.
The lunch was lovely, I chose steak and prawns mainly, with another glass of Taittinger – obviously. After not too much champagne we had a guided tour of the ship and giggled at how familiar I was with the laundry room already. Someone had left a pair of red undies in there so I was fortunate it was after my visit so that none of my whites were turned pink. There was a beauty and hair salon for any titivating, a wonderful spa to relax or swim in and a very well equipped gym. I noticed some weighing scales and was almost tempted to get on them, having missed Fat Club yesterday – we all agreed it would be unwise. We used the private dining room for our office in the afternoon and actually did some work as well as having presentations on what Riverside and Travelpack could offer our customers. I now needed to up my game to find clients and friends who wanted to book, or come with me, on more of these types of luxury holidays – I already had a few people in mind!
Back in my cabin, I checked my emails and noticed I had won another prize from one of the other suppliers I have booked holidays with. It was a travel towel and suncream set – it looked great and I sent them my address in Sheffield so I could get it when I finally got back to the UK in July. Back once again on the sun deck for cocktails we set sail for Slovakia, it was a good feeling knowing that we would wake up tomorrow in another new country. In my harmony suite the water level of the Danube was just below the picture window and it was calming to look out at. Dinner was once again an absolute pleasure and the wine and fizz went down quite well too. This time I decided to have the steak with a pepper sauce and it was very tasty. I wasn’t keen on the first taste of the red wine offered so I was given a Primitivo instead, without any fuss. My butler, Daniel, had left more treats in my cabin and sorted out my room for the evening. I was starting to really enjoy being a river cruiser!
Gratitude List 1. The Budapest State Opera House and our private show 2. The Riverside Mozart ship and all it’s luxury 3. Being a river cruiser.
Photo Credit – some photos taken by the other Fam Trip Attendees
I was a giddy little kipper on Wednesday 17th June as the day of my 5 day Riverside Luxury Cruises and Travelpack Fam trip was here, at last! In the afternoon I would be boarding the Riverside Mozart ship and sailing down the Danube from Budapest to Vienna. When my alarm went off at stupid o’clock that morning, I was feeling sad to be leaving Mallorca and really had enjoyed an amazing 1.5 days cramming in stuff with the Mallorca Resort Expert. My flight was at 6.50am so the taxi was booked for 4.30am and was costing 50 Euros. We said our farewells, both knowing we had forged a great friendship and would definitely see each other again. The taxi was good, the driver spoke English and there was no traffic. My flight was with easyJet back to Gatwick, it was practically empty and I had nodded off before takeoff. Pauline, my petite pink under seat case kept her wheels on and there were no issues. I landed in a very rainy and cold London at 8.30am and had to get a bit of a spurt on. My next flight, which had been booked for me by Travelpack, departed at 11.05am and I had a small dilemma. They had booked me a Wizzair flight from Gatwick to Budapest with 20kg hold luggage and an underseat case. It would be my first time flying with this airline. Unfortunately, Pauline my petite pink case was 5cm too tall without the detachable wheels and couldn’t go as hand luggage. Wizzair staff at the bag drop told me that they would be strict at the gate so it would be better for me to pop Pauline in the hold and definitely not to chance taking her as an underseat bag. I wasn’t keen on this, with her being so small, and I had to take out my laptop, chargers, diary and other work related stuff, which I put in a shoulder bag. There was barely anything left in Pauline – mainly just dirty laundry, toiletries, a pair of sandals and a new sandy travel towel. Wizzair weighed my checked luggage and, although allowed 20kg, it was only 7kg and I got a receipt. Of course, I had the obligatory wait in the airport near a screen until an hour before the departure time, when the gate would be made public. It was too early for me for an airport pint so I ended up spending almost a tenner in Boots and doing some work. Oddly there was a member of staff there complaining to me about the heat and apologising that the AC wasn’t working. I had my hoodie on as it was comparatively cold to Spain and Mallorca. Here’s what I bought, prices in pounds;
Boots 1 paper bag 0.18 1 chocolate bar 1.00 1 smoothie 3.00 1 Hoisin Duck wrap 3.75 Meal Deal discount -2.75 1 mini cocoa butter 2.20 1 mini mouthwash 1.80 1 mini toothpaste 1.65 3 for 2 minis discount -1.65 Total spent £9.68
I’d had to buy the toothpaste when I realised I had left the rest of my toothytabs in Mallorca. I also didn’t really need the paper bag from Boots but it was another travel hack. If you buy a bag from any of the airport shops you can count this as an extra hand luggage at no extra cost. I used it to put my lunch plus diary, headphones, water bottle and other bits and bobs in. At the gate, I witnessed every passenger have their hand luggage measured and weighed with many having to pay a £70 fine – even some passengers who argued they had been told they could take carry on. The Wizzair gate staff were having none of it, they definitely charged a lot of people extra and boarding took ages. The Wizzair plane was not particularly clean and I got sat on an aisle seat near the back of the plane. A stag do of 10 lads had decided they weren’t that bothered about paying to select seats together so they were spread out, one in the window seat of my row and one behind us. We had a chat and it was a nice lad who offered me one of his jelly bears. I didn’t partake incase they were laced with drugs but the stag lads turned out to be a lovely bunch. They let me wear one of their masks, I shared a few travel tips with them and we had photos and drinks to pass the time on. When I told them about the neck pillow filled with clothes travel hack, they loved it – especially as one of them had paid an extra £70 and wasn’t happy about that as it was more than the cost of the flight. We landed in Budapest at 2.40pm and it was probably the longest I’ve been in a passport control queue in a while. Luckily, I got chatting to a man who often holidays in Budapest and he gave me a few ideas and tips based on his several visits. He even saved my space in the queue when I needed the toilet.
After about 90 minutes, I was through to pick up my luggage – needless to say little Pauline was on the baggage carousel belt on her own. I picked her up and walked out to arrivals where I was met by Suzie, an employee sent to accompany me on the private transfer to the ship. She looked shocked and apologised that my hold luggage, which she presumed had got lost, would be retrieved and brought to the ship as soon as they could. I explained that I travelled light, there was no more luggage, and she was even more shocked. The minibus driver asked where my luggage was, I explained and he and Suzie had a good old laugh together about that. While Suzie gave me some tips on how to say the basics in Hungarian, we drove along the Danube, where I would board the ship. Even the view from the minibus was fantastic and I was very excited for my first ever river cruise.
As I boarded the Riverside Mozart docked on the river Danube in Budapest, the porter, the receptionist and then a waiter were equally baffled over my lack of luggage and that I hadn’t lost any. I was given a welcome glass of champagne, a lady in the bar shouted hello but I wasn’t sure who she was until later and then I was shown to my cabin, number 153. My only comparison was a ferry so I was extremely impressed with my sleeping quarters for the next 4 nights. My cabin was a Harmony Suite with a picture window and was around 20 square metres. It was the ‘basic’ level cabin and I was certainly impressed with it – it was much better than any hotel room I’d been in this year. This was my first ever cruise and I had never had myself down as a cruiser – that was about to be challenged! It was also my first time visiting Hungary, Slovakia and Austria so I saw it as a great introduction to 3 countries I may want to see more of in the future. The Riverside Mozart wasn’t a massive ship but it can fit 162 guests and 82 crew – so far I had seen far more crew than guests and, at 23m wide, this boat felt pretty roomy. I had a welcome bottle of fizz and some rather lovely chocolates in my cabin and a note to welcome me. The bathroom was an absolute delight with one of those Japanese style toilets which can wash and dry your nether regions while having a heated seat! The shower was marvellous and had opulent toiletries so I needn’t get out my travel ones. I learned that Riverside Luxury Cruises do not charge a single supplement for any of their cruises! This was good to know as I often get requests from solo travellers who obviously don’t want to have to pay up to double the price. I also learned that I was on the Premium All Inclusive package with included excursions and that was an absolute bonus – I am partial to the odd tipple and the diet was certainly on hold from now on.
I felt so lucky to have won this trip and I almost skipped to the bar to find the other travel agents. On the way, I found the free DIY launderette and popped in my dirty laundry so I could start with a full complement of clothes. The bar was fantastic, the kind of place they hand out Taittinger like it’s water and the nibbles need a Google to work out what they are. Our first task was to listen to the safety briefing from a very dishy Captain, who’s priority was only the safety of his passengers. My fellow sailors on this Fam trip were; • Victoria – the Business Development Manager at Riverside Luxury Cruises • Joely – the Business Development Manager at Travelpack • Amy • Grant • Paul • Cath • Sam So, there were 8 of us in total; 5 other Travel Agents, me and the people in charge of putting on the trip. They seemed a nice bunch as we went through to the Waterfront dining room.
We sat over 2 tables and had a waiter, a server and a sommelier at our table, making sure we were waited on very well. There was a menu which changed daily, as well as a menu that was available throughout our stay. Amy & I chose the Asian spring roll to start, it was pretty and delicious. Grant and Cath had what looked like parma ham wrapped round bread sticks on a bowl of salad – they liked it. The next course for me was a soup, also very nice, I was on my second lot of bread and double parked with wine and champagne. Cath had a pasta dish which also looked good but rather filling as an interim course. For main, we all had the beef and it was absolutely delicious – fancy, but not over the top! Of course, it was served with fabulous wine which was probably too expensive for me to even appreciate, given I’d had 3 champagne, 1 white wine, and now an ample pour of Merlot. The desserts on the menu looked good but I had laundry to attend to, much to the amusement of my fellow Fam Trip winners. I excused myself to tackle the rather enthusiastic tumble drier, hoping to reconvene for a cheese plate and more Merlot. I got chatting to a guest in the laundry room, she was younger than I’d imagined the average cruiser would be and this was not her first rodeo with Riverside. She could not praise them enough and she told me that I was going to love the excursion tomorrow. We chatted a little before me taking my laundry back to my cabin to find someone had been in there. It turned out that I had a butler, who had brought me a treat and turned down the luxurious bedding, on the off chance I was too lazy to know how to get in bed unaided. Daniel, the butler, had popped on some mood lighting and closed my picture window curtains. The bottle of champagne was chilling and my ice bucket was full. So, this was what luxury cruising was about! There was a note on the desk to say to call Daniel or WhatsApp him if I needed anything at all – including room service! I messaged to say hi, ordered a glass of red wine and a ‘bit of cheese’. I made sure I was drinking water as there was plenty in the fridge and I read the itinerary for the next day.
I popped back up to the top deck bar, where my fellow Fam trippers were, and had a drink with them while we sailed down the beautiful Danube. My photos really didn’t do it justice and it didn’t help that I was somewhat merry. I said goodnight, leaving my new friends having a night cap, and returned to my cabin around 10.45pm where a substantial cheese plate with a glass of red sat waiting for me – this was the life! When I finally got in to the huge bed, it was so comfy that I fell asleep instantly!
Gratitude List 1. A fun journey from Mallorca to Budapest, via Gatwick 2. Being part of the Fam Trip with Riverside Luxury Cruises and Travelpack 3. Being wined and dined like royalty on Riverside Mozart.
Photo Credit – some photos taken by the rest of the Fam Trip Attendees
I had no idea when I woke up on Monday 15th June that today would be such a great day. We saw our last sunrise and sea view before I needed to pack up Pauline, my petite pink under seat case, for destination number 4 in 3 weeks. Due to me winning a luxury cruise Fam trip, I had needed to rearrange my Spanish section of my trip and I was now going to Mallorca to visit my friend, the Mallorcan Resort Expert, for only 1.5 days!!! I’d managed to get bargain priced flights from Malaga and then to Budapest and my friend was very kindly putting me up in her apartment. It was the last buffet breakfast at the Ramada by Wyndham and I certainly made the most of it. I’d really enjoyed this hotel although, on checking the rooms the others had, I did think their rooms could’ve done with a better layout and their bedrooms were on the small side. I’m glad 3 of us were sharing and had a bigger room, despite sleeping on the pull-out sofa bed which was very comfy. I made a note for future customers, I would recommend the better rooms. Everyone made it to breakfast for our last one and I even made a cheese and ham sandwich, plus took an extra breadroll for the last of the pork – I often take an airport sandwich if I can. It had been such a lovely weekend and I genuinely was sad it was ending. Our taxi to the airport was booked through the hotel reception while Jamie had booked an Uber with Charlotte and Kerrie as their Bournemouth flight was slightly later than the Gatwick flight. After saying bye to Carol, who was staying on to meet a friend, we said farewell to Jamie, Charlotte and Kerrie even though we would probably see them at the airport. The Gatwick lot plus me got in the taxi to the airport. Reports of queues at Malaga airport were not what we found and everything was straight forward. We saw the Bournemouth gang who were a tad early and they were heading for a bar/lounge. I said bye to Claire, Dawn and Spawn at the international terminal and popped over to domestic one to find that my flight had been delayed due to a storm. It was disappointing as now my Mallorca trip was even shorter. My flight should have been at 1.55pm but it turned out that we were only just taking off at 3pm. At Malaga airport I learned that the water dispenser was much colder in the domestic terminal than the international. It was also much quieter with lots of seating areas for me to snaffle my sandwiches and have a browse round the souvenir shops. My flight with Vueling was booked with an under seat bag where the permitted measurements with this airline was 5cm shorter than that of easyJet. I’d checked this before I flew and noted that Vueling is the same as Ryanair. Pauline, my petite pink under seat case, wouldn’t adhere to that despite having detachable wheels and being under on width and depth. I couldn’t acquire a new case so I did a bit of research to work out how I could take Pauline, plus my neck pillow stuffed with clothes and not have to pay up to £70 in charges at the gate. To add on a larger carry on bag it would cost up to £50 if adding in advance. However, I noticed that if I added on a seat selection for an exit row at online check-in, it would be less than half the price and my case would have to go in the overhead locker anyway. I did that, confident that Pauline would not have to be put in the hold and I wouldn’t get a hefty fine for the sake of 5cm. The flight was good, I had a row to myself and all went well with the travel hack to get Pauline through as hand luggage. I was really looking forward to meeting my colleague in Mallorca on what would be very much a flying visit.
I landed at Palma airport at 4.30pm and made my way to the arrivals area where the Mallorca Resort Expert was waiting for me. I was delayed, she stood there patiently and I was able to sneak up on her. It was the first time we had met in person and had so far only met online so I was really looking forward to meeting her. We hugged and it felt good to finally get together even though we had a very tight schedule. Rather than wait for the airport bus, we jumped into a taxi straight to Palma city centre. My host had organised for us to eat at a tapas restaurant which not many tourists know about and had booked us a table for when it opened at 6.30pm. This meant we had a bit of time for her to show me around some of her favourite shops in Palma. I was also glad that I had only taken Pauline, my petite pink under seat case, as we needed to walk through the busy streets of the capital and it was sunny. We stopped to listen to a street musician who was playing a Stevie Wonder song, we visited two of Dagne’s favourite shops; Georg’s which sold Salamis, herbs, olive oil, honey, and balsamic vinegar. The shop was so lovely, the owner very attentive and she let us try everything before I got a couple of souvenirs, mostly for myself. Puzzles was a really cute shop where they sell original puzzles that you can try out while at the counter and if you get frustrated and can’t complete them, the owners will lend you a hammer as a solution. It was such good fun and we had a good laugh before heading off to Bodega. For those not in the know, like the Mallorca Resort Expert, you would be forgiven for ending up at a different one. Ours was not the fancier, pricier La Bodega – more the traditional tapas place where locals queue as soon as it’s opened to get a seat.
Bodega was small but cosy and Pauline sat neatly under the counter/bar which we sat at on high stools. My fellow diner had a zero alcohol beer and I had a glass of red wine while we perused the excellent menu. We ordered a selection of tapas; croquettes, tortilla, brie, burrata on bruschetta, and patatas bravas which were all amazing – we both agreed on which were the best dishes. We had another drink each and, even though we were full, we chose 2 more of the pinchos to have with our drinks. The food and wine was so good that I would definitely put it in one of my top places to eat. When the bill came, I was expecting it to be so much more expensive so I was pleased when it came to just €25 (£21.25) each.
Next, we got the bus to Santa Ponsa, where Pauline and I were met with quite a few steps to climb that certainly weren’t in the brochure! Once inside I got a lovely welcome from my host who had bought me some gifts and even put some balloons out with ‘Welcome Jo Lo’ written on them. I felt like a celebrity or something as she had got both copies of my books out, ready for me to sign. After an admiration of the amazing sea view balcony and a drink of water, it was time for a quick shower and change. My friend had arranged for us to visit a roof top bar and hotel where we enjoyed a glass of champagne while admiring the view. A kind guest took our photos at the H10 Casa Del Mar hotel and did a pretty thorough job. It was lovely for someone I work with to be so thoughtful and I had definitely found a good friend here. The rooftop bar was really cool and we relaxed by the pool with our fizz, laughing and getting to know each other more. Even when we were back home, the hospitality and kindness shone as my host tried to insist I take her bed and she have the couch – I was having none of it as I was not about to take someone’s bed, I was more than happy on the couch.
Gratitude List 1. Having the last morning in Spain with the Costa Del Sol gang 2. Meeting the Mallorca Resort Expert in real life 3. Fantastic local tapas and rooftop bar drinks together.
Photo Credit – some photos by the Mallorca Resort Expert
We all had good intentions on Sunday 14th June as the plan was to spend the morning on the beach, come back for pool or siesta time and then go out for a meal at a pre booked restaurant this evening. Claire had been looking after everyone and she had suggested a lovely loll on the Fuengirola beach. Unfortunately, by the time we had ransacked the breakfast buffet, time was ticking on and we sacked off the idea. We went round the pool and I decided it would be good to get us some bucks fizz. I’d not paid for a taxi last night, nor had I bought any shots (which we thought were probably not the real Tequila Rosé, anyway) so it was a small gesture to show I wasn’t the cheap chaser I came across as in my blogs! I also treated my roomies to a strawberry Calippo each. I thought the on-site shop was, once again, reasonably priced and was well stocked with cold drinks. Here’s what I paid with prices in Euros.
Ramada Hotel shop 1 carton orange juice 2.50 2 Calippo lollies 6.00 1 bottle of Cava 8.50 Total spent €17.00 (£14.43)
For lunch the gang had more munchies from the shop but I made my sandwiches from breakfast bread rolls and the left over pork knuckle – it was still amazing! I really do think not wasting food and eating more leftovers is the way forward, even on holiday. At the Ramada by Wyndham resort there was a train to take guests around but we never quite timed it right – such a good idea when it’s sunny or for families, though. Of course, I’d made use of the washing machine facilities and done a wash ahead of my 4th destination tomorrow. By late afternoon a few of us were lounging around our room and decided to play some of the games Claire had brought. It was a great way to pass the time when we had a short shower of rain and I enjoyed having a laugh with everyone. In the evening we ventured out for drinks and dinner in the very classy Mijas Pueblo – I even popped on a long black dress and borrowed a strapless bra from Dawn. We had some lovely wine, cocktails and sangria at Alboka Gastro – a delightful place not far from the donkeys we had been warned against riding. I’d been there a handful of times over the years and it’s never been on my itinerary to ride the donkeys or horses, it’s just cruel! We had a nice little wander around the area and got a few photos. A couple were hogging a horse statue for way too long so I ended up taking their photo.
The placeholder we had booked for dinner was cancelled and Claire went on ahead to scope out a more suitable alternative for our evening meal. She chose Restaurant El Mirador which had good views, a substantial menu, cheap house wine and lovely staff – perfect for our last night together! Having already eaten a large breakfast and most of the other half of the pork knuckle in sandwiches for lunch, I wasn’t particularly hungry so I plumped for a mushroom risotto – it was huge! I didn’t eat it all but decided left over risotto tomorrow before our flights might not be a good idea and didn’t bother with a doggy bag this time. Everyone enjoyed the meal but I was so full I could barely move – Carol’s Fat Club scales, when I got back to Dalyan, were not going to be favourable at all! The free limoncello nearly tipped me over the edge but we didn’t want to offend the kind staff so it was forced down. Claire and I got a taxi back leaving the younger and wilder ones to give the ball a kick for the last night. I’d had such a lovely weekend away and it was really good to have taken some time off. Tomorrow 6 of the gang were heading back to Bournemouth or Gatwick, while one lady was staying an extra night with a friend in Fuengirola and I was off to another exciting destination.
Gratitude List 1. A relaxing Sunday with the gang at Ramada by Wyndham 2. A classy night out in Mijas 3. Great food and hilarious company.
Photo Credit – some photos by the Costa Del Sol gang
joloyolo 