It's some time since I went abroad on my own - 5 years in fact - and back then I was single. It took me 3 days to speak to anyone that wasn't a barman and was a slightly odd experience.
This time however, I am in a happy, stable relationship with my best friend and soulmate Dawn and in an ideal world she would be sat next to me. For some time this weekend had been earmarked as a special weekend when we would head off to Venice from our local Southend Airport. However, things are never as easy as they could be, for a variety of reasons it didn't happen and so I took the opportunity to book a flight to Majorca to see my son Alex who is a professional dancer at Son Amar, one of the big Variety Dinner Shows on the Island.
The break was needed certainly as I have been working incredibly hard recently, right up to practically departure time and when I met Dawn for a pre-trip lunch I still had a feeling of ongoing momentum; like you have when you get off a roller coaster. You've physically stopped but the effects of the ride are still there.
And so it was off to Southend, my local airport, to catch my flight. I had managed to get everything in hand luggage so there was no bag to check (Woo Hoo!) and it made everything so simple and straightforward. The airport is small and so there is little to do, the Duty Free shops have minimal (and expensive) stock so I just sad and people watched.
The group of fancy dressed Stags currently boarding the flight to Amsterdam caused some hilarity but aside from them, the departure lounge was predominantly made up of couples.
Until, that is, a large and rather loud Hen Party (wearing pink sashes with "Hen Party" written on them in case anyone had any doubt) announced their arrival with loud whoops and cackles.
It's at this point you pray that they are either on another flight or at least sat nowhere near you... but then came the different Stag parties, one in their twenties, one thirties and then by far the loudest, drunkest and worst, the middle aged lot in their forties and fifties. One of them was dressed in a pink onesie and an large adult sized nappy. Let's just say it made the flight interesting and when the poor stewardess FINALLY had to exert some authority and tell one in particular to calm down, the rest of the plane broke into spontaneous applause.
No luggage and front seats meant I was first off the plane and through to arrivals, meeting Alex and we caught the bus into Palma to meet some of the other cast from the show, but first having some Pa Amb Bio (Tomato, Serrano Ham, Bread, Olives and Manchego cheese), which filled a hole nicely.
It wasn't long before we were off to Nicholas Bar to meet Alex's friends and then we ended up in Lorien, a bar selling an immense range of beers from around the world and kitted out in a Fantasy theme, with Tribal markings around the walls, a sword through a pillar and Orc masks as lampshades.
Leyland, a slightly mad American and one of the backstage crew kept everyone wildly entertained and was definitely a highlight of the evening. The sound guy, Fernando (I asked if he could hear the drums but he didn't get it - clearly not an Abba fan) wanted us to go on to a Gothic bar but by this time it was nearly 2am and after a long day I was grateful for a lift back from Leyland and his girlfriend Mercedes.
Apparently the weather hasn't been too good here over the last few days and I am hoping for something nicer over the weekend. Fingers crossed.
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