Sunday, 12th July, 2026
A beautifully soft and warm evening yesterday as the sun went down across Los Altos over Punta Prima and the Orihuela Costa. We have two more nights here.
A late night / early morning watching football. Don’t really know why I do it. Yes, it was England but I’m not really patriotic in the conventional sense. I don’t do King & Country, Flag & National Anthem although it is mainly because I don’t see them as necessarily symbols of patriotism but rather expressions of political and jingoistic nationalism. Union Jacks strung up on lamp posts have specifically right wing messages in the same way that inherited wealth wraps itself in the justification of religion and monarchy.
Now, when it comes to sport, I instantly become English/British and I suppose that’s why I stayed up to watch England v Norway even though it didn’t finish until 2.00 am here. I’m glad I did.
When we last won the World Cup 60 years ago, I was 15 and on a holiday travelling around Southern Ireland with a friend. I actually missed the Final although there have been quite a few chances to watch it in the past 60 years.
In 1968, I was touring Norway on a motorbike as I ended my first year in the 6th Form. It is a small but proud country of lovely people. Lots of gorgeous girls I remember. Coming full circle, England beat Norway to get to the semi finals of the World Cup. If we get through to the Final, it will be the first time for 60 years. It would certainly be an excellent day to remember.
I can relate to the Hey Jude song from the crowd but I struggled with the Wonderwall adopted by the England team. It is completely outside my experience. My wife seems to know it but I certainly don’t and it doesn’t sound very singable by the crowd.
I shared the match last night via Whatsapp from Murcia with old, College friends from Bridlington, Leeds, Bolton and Central London. Of course, they were in a more comfortable time frame. Didn’t get to bed until 2.00 am (CET) and up at 7.00 am. In the pool just after 8.00 am for 40 lengths over 40 mins. Lovely feeling. I could live like this … I think … although there are people I would miss who are left behind.
We leave here on Tuesday morning for Alicante International. Never been anywhere else that is so difficult to book a taxi. It was the same last year. It was with relief that I found a reliable looking company although they didn’t have an English speaker this morning. The translator app was red hot for a while. Anyway, it is all done and I can relax.
Ended the afternoon with a second, exhausting 40 lengths of the pool in a positively steamy atmosphere. Humidity is extremely high today which makes it feel a bit like a pressure cooker. Love it. Now to teach myself Wonderwall in case we get to the Final.
Monday, 13th July, 2026
Up early to seize the day – our last full day for this trip. Hoping to get a long swim in because I won’t be allowed a late one today. My Housekeeper insists she must have time to get things dry in time to pack tonight. We have a taxi booked for 7.00 am tomorrow. Zygmunt in a black Mercedes will take us to Alicante Airport which will be a journey of about an hour and cost €60.00. The aim will be to have everything done tonight apart from pack our wash bags, dress, finish the orange juice and go.
Don’t know Alicante International at all. We flew in to it a month ago but left the plane, shot through immigration and were outside at the taxi rank within about 20 mins. I’ve been checking it out online because I wanted to know where the VIP Lounge was.
Unlike at Gatwick, there is only one – The Costa Blanca VIP Lounge – which looks quite nice. The reviews say the food and drink are pleasant but I wouldn’t be paying cash to get in. Fortunately, it is all ‘free’ to us but would cost €100.00 otherwise. Quite expensive for Breakfast and WiFi.
Well, it’s 10.00 am, 30C/86F with clear blue sky. I have done 40 mins swimming and my shoulders are aching. I have a shower followed by a bowl of muesli and cup of coffee. My Housekeeper has thrown swimming things into the washing machine and then taken them up to the sun terrace to dry. That’s the last time I will see them for a week or two. She is also planning today’s meal so absolutely nothing is wasted or left behind.
Not much of a photo I know but this is the alternative Last Supper. Chef has whipped up two, home made pizzas which we are eating in the sweaty boiler house that is our lower terrace while watching Channel 4 News. You don’t have worry any more, Dear Reader – and I know you were – I will be back on the South Coast by around 3.00 pm tomorrow …. and so to Sainsburys.
Tuesday, 14th July, 2026
The morning started at 5.00 am in Spain with a temperature of a steamy 30C/86F. Beds were stripped, floors mopped, fridge/freezeers emptied, bins emptied, towels and sheets folded and placed on a table for the incoming cleaners, keys left on the table, suitcases locked up and wheeled out, computer cases zipped up and attached and out.
The last thing I do is record the scene. I have learnt from bitter experience to keep a photographc record of the property as we left it.
The gated community is exactly that and the moment we leave, we cannot get back in so we had to be sure we had done everything. Our black Mercedes taxi was waiting to speed us through the rising sun coastline with its lakes of salt and flamingos to the Alicante International Airport. It is an hour’s driving and cost €60.00. Our driver is a lovely chap and we give him €70.00.
Unlike Murcia Airport last year, Alicante feels busy. We wizz through Security and on to the VIP Costa Blanca Lounge. It is delightful although we learn from the screens that our flight is delayed by 25 mins.
THe aircraft hangar that is Terminal B is rather hot and busy. The Jet 2, Liverpool flight leaves before us from our Terminal which rather conflates things but Easy Boarding is soon called and we are off. Have to say that in nearly 50 years of flying, I have never seen planes so empty as ours have been this summer. Once again, we were in a row of three seats with one empty and two of the three seats in front of us were empty. Something is seriously going wrong with the model.
A flight of 2.35 hrs is so short for us now that we were there before I could do anything about it. I watched a couple of episodes of a new drama from Netflix and suddenly heard that we were landing. With no bags to collect, we walked off the plane, through passport control and out to the carpark bus in under 15 mins.
An hour’s drive home and all was as if we’d never been away. The automatic watering system had done its job. The potatoes were ready and so were the onions. The lettuces are ready to cut and the basil is absolutely wonderful. Unfortunately, my watering system had encouraged the weeds to germinate and grow in the false lawn like some hydroponics on steroids. Have to sort those out tomorrow. For tonight, a long, travelling day has tired out a sad, old man like me. I’ve just managed to get through the football and now, it’s off to bed. Big day tomorrow.
Wednesday, 15th July, 2026
Arriving Home is always lovely but I am usually tired and immediately have a list of jobs that need doing. I have gradually learned to pace myself but they still get to me. Last night we had a snack supper – potatoes out of the garden, prawn and pulses salad with a bottle of champagne to celebrate a really lovely and successful month long trip and looking forward to the next to Athens.
And then, of course, I had to watch the football while my Housekeeper unpacked. Much as I would like England to win, it would be great for Spain to force Trump to present them with the trophy. Currently, he is shunning Spanish exports because they have been critical of him.
To bed and slept incredibly well until I woke up when my body clock said it was 5.00 am but, in reality, it was just 4.00 am. Listened to a political podcast and then had to get up and hit the floor running. Housekeeper to hairdressers and then on to Sainsburys.
While she is busy, I set up her laptop which we took away with us, updated software, recharged the Ring DoorCam battery which had run down over the month, set the watering system off to cover the back garden, started to look over the investment portfolio some of which matures and needs reinvesting. And this is all by 10.30 am. It is a sultry 28C/83F.
The car is absolutely filthy after a month of baking heat in Gatwick Long Stay Carpark so I’m taking it to be valeted. May saunter on the beach for a few minutes this afternoon in the sunshine to say hello to it after a month away. Amazing how even a wonderful time away makes home feel so much better than when we left it.
I have loved travelling all my adult life. It has definitely informed my personal development as I met new people and encountered different customs and languages. My Digital Memory Box reminded me this morning that 9 years ago in 2017 when I was only 66, I was going to an open air cinema showing of a comedy film featuring bug-eyed Marty Feldman in Bologna while on a driving tour for a month in Tuscany.
Absolutely loved it. We visited Pisa, Florence, Genoa and the most lovely Lucca where I visited the Birth Place of Giacomo Puccini. And the drive across Europe and then all the way back stopping at delight places and lovely hotels which we would never have otherwise done. These are memories to savour.
The one thing I am absolutely convinced of after a hot day at home is the need for air conditioning. I am going to set about getting that intalled with a will. It is 5.00 pm and we are seeing 33C/92F. I’m not going through another year sweating in my own home after a month relaxing in very cool property in Spain. That is going to be a focus over the next week.