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Sunday – Leaving Malaga

Which we really liked.

Both of us feeling mildly spooked at the moment, for no rational reason. Combination of the hire car, unfamiliarity with being abroad, definitely FOIT (fear of IT what with all the paperwork etc. An example is parking in Cadiz – all you have to do is download an app – all in Spanish of course – register, book, and then use the app to open the barrier when you arrive. Possibility of it not working and us being flummoxed is huge. Anyway, it all worked perfectly, although no idea how!!!).

Anyway, moving on to Cadiz which is about 3 hours. Stopped in Vejer which we had been to in May 2017 but it was a bit hazy.

Here’s proof from then!

Anyway on to Cadiz. Pleased it was a Sunday afternoon as our flat is right in the centre of the old town, making navigating and unloading not the easiest. But we managed. Cadiz looking very fine.

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Fun Returns

It’s been such a long time since we’ve had a fun evening. We worked out that eating after 8.00 means you have to book – the Spanish eat ridiculously late – but rocking up at 7.00 means it’s easy to get a table. Buzzing in the old town and really seemed to hit it off with our waiter – from Marrakech. Ordered a bottle of Rioja which was only 3/4 full!!!! But the deal was we just kept drinking and he would keep us topped up. Great atmosphere AND there was deep-fried aubergine with honey which we’d had a few years ago. That combination of saturated fat and sugar meant it was easy to ignore the fact that it was aubergine!!!

And we still really like Malaga.

That’s what I call a blue sky – especially in November.

Obligatory ice cream

And views

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Thursday 11th November

Or subtitled “the trauma was worth it”!

1. COVID paperwork is not easy but we managed

2. M25 closed at 4.30 am so diverting around Herts

3. Hire car a nightmare. Wouldn’t accept my old-style licence so booking nullified. Only company that wouldn’t so fiddling around on the phone booking another for immediate collection – succeeded and at 1/3 of the price quoted at the booking office.

Hey ho. It’s good to be back. Malaga is a revelation in a very positive sense:

Cheers!

And don’t be fooled by the last photo – the pavement is shiny like marble, not wet!

Tapas was terrific and ridiculously cheap, and sat outside in shirtsleeves until about 8.00. What’s not to like?

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The End

It really was a flying visit – just Wednesday to Sunday.

– no masks anywhere which felt really good

– avoiding cyclists and pedestrians while driving is so hard – cars often don’t have right of way. And parking is pretty hard too.

– so lucky with the weather

– really nice to meet so many of Jo’s friends and colleagues so can put faces to names

– Denmark remains scarily expensive

So after all the excitement of Thursday it was enjoying Aarhus.

Autumn Colours

The Seaside

Including skinny dipping ( we did neither!!!)

Shopping

Plus “panting”

Running

Dining in Jo’s flat

Cycling

Ryanairing

Actually all went fine but was soooo busy but good to be back to normal!

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It’s a holiday as well

As well as the main event, it is lovely to have a break. So the alarm was set for 3.00 which about as fun as it sounds. But all went well – don’t underestimate the sense of achievement at negotiating a combination of Ryanair and COVID paperwork. In fact the biggest problem of the whole journey was not being able to turn off the heated seat in the hire car!

Good to see the infinite bridge – world famous in Aarhus!

And it was really nice to be in familiar surroundings. Eileen found a great flat about 20 minutes walk from Jo’s flat and similar from the beach, so just about perfect.

And the weather’s been terrific so far.

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Thursday 28th October

So here she is – Joanna Davies BA, MSc, MSc (Aarhus, 28 October 2021). We’re very proud.

Today was the day when Jo had her mid PhD review with internal and external invigilators. It is public, so we could come, and was a 45 minute presentation and over an hour of challenging questioning. And as well as continuing the doctorate she successfully completed her second Masters.

And we had got the celebratory booze and nibbles in just in case ….

What a terrific day. Well done Jo.

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Friday – Homeward Bound

Enjoyed the morning in Honfleur.

Checking in was sooooo easy ‘cus we’d done the paperwork properly. It was nice (and satisfying) not to have to join the COVID queue at the terminal.

Gave us plenty of time to enjoy the view …

And to sneak on to an earlier train so home by 6.00 (despite the best efforts of the M25).

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Thursday 23rd – A Testing Day

We’d set aside today for COVID testing and paperwork, so the fact that we achieved it counts as success (although we’re still in France, so the proof of the pudding ….).

It was a lovely morning again.

The testing was ok. A lovely pharmacist who spoke good English and seemed to know just when he was tickling your eyeballs to stop! And we’re negative which helps. Goodness knows what would have happened ….

Anyway, managed to complete the YouGov form reasonably quickly, making answers up to the daft questions (what’s your seat number on Eurotunnel).

And then Eurotunnel website crashed so out for lunch.

That was nice – even being able to drink at lunchtime.

And with a bit of help after a revisit to the pharmacy to sort out paperwork and, of course, some help from a well-known IT consultant in Wales, we did it!

So could have a meander – really like Honfleur.

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Wednesday – Final Move

To Honfleur, but first saw the moon setting

And 310 miles later here we are:

Thought it would make sense to reduce the drive to Calais and also give us a day for COVID testing and admin. So it felt a lit like the end of the holiday when we left.

But Honfleur is gorgeous:

So it still feels like a holiday. Here’s where we’re staying:

Testing can wait till tomorrow.