Welcome to Malaga: A Rude Arrival

My long flight began with wine and dinner.  Although, I couldn’t sleep on the 10-hour flight to London, I ,am aged to bump into only two walls in the corridors as I prepared for my 4-1/2 hour layover while I waited for my plane to Malaga.  I was told boarding would begin at 13:00, but the gate wouldn’t be announced until 12:50.  Hmmm...ten minutes to get to the gate.  I did it.  Once on the plane, I slept all the way until I landed at 19:00 (I’m working on the new time format).  Those who know me can see me counting on my fingers after the 12:00.  And then the trouble began.

I waited along with about ten others when my bag didn’t arrive on the conveyor belt.  I knew Vicky, my Spanish friend waited and I was getting nervous.  Finally, another passenger pointed to a glassed in area and told me something in Spanish and noodled to me frantically.  Thank goodness for sign language.  My pinkish bag was stuffed between golf clubs and strollers in another room and I was happy to be reunited.  Now, to find the shuttle to Malaga Car 🚘 and find Vicky.

The taxi driver told me to follow the building “about 200 steps” he promised.  I walked into forever before I thought about the fact the Spaniard was about 6’ tall.  His 200 steps translated into my short-person steps about 400?  Lots of car rental shuttles!  It was dark by then and I asked several people along the way.   I heard a lot of people respond, “No sé, lady,”. I don’t know.  When I saw a man with a Malaga Car t-shirt at the end of the mile-long sidewalk, I had to restrain myself from throwing my arms around him.  No telling what his reaction would be, so instead I grabbed his shirt as he turned toward the shuttle and I launched myself onto the seat.  So far, so good.  

I’d used the airport WiFi to tell Vicky I’d arrived and on my way to rental car.  Not until I’d arrived at Malaga Car did I see her response, “what rental car place?”  And I no longer had wife to answer!  Ten minutes later, I had a cute little red car 🚗, it was dark, I had no WiFi (rental place did not have it.). What to do?! By then, I was righted tears.  I found a parking spot nearby and sent panic texts to my friend Steven who was stuck in Barcelona because he missed his Malaga flight and to Miguel who knows Vicky.  And Vicky was not getting my texts.

Breathe in with the good and out with the bad.  Slow and easy.  I tried it all.  And then I thought I should find a hotel.  Wait it out. They’d have WiFi.  Poor Vicky was around somewhere.  What a welcome to Spain.  I’d never felt so out of control in Spain before. So, I went back into Malaga Car and used their phone to call Vicky.  No answer.  I whined that I’d had WiFi at the airport and needed to find my friend.

The woman looked at me like I was frazzled (I was) and a little dense (which I felt like).  She said, “get on our shuttle back to the airport to find WiFi and find her and then ride it back again.”  Now, why didn’t I think of that? #@*#’&’*/_=%;-;= That is what I did.  Once I got off the shuttle, my phone started binging like mad.  Now Steven and Miguel are both panicked because I was in trouble.  And Vicky said she is waiting at Malaga Car!  So, back on shuttle, she is waving like mad and hugs and kisses on each cheek, and I’m calm again.  It was then 11:15 pm.

She led me to freeway so I could follow her to Torre Del Mar and my apartment.  It wasn’t until we left the lights of Malaga that I realized the car lights were not on.  Dear Lord, would this nightmare end?  I pressed all the buttons I could see.  Nothing.  No place to pull over and dark...and then I went through a lighted tunnel, saw the button and violá.  Back in business.  

The apartment is sweet in a lovely plaza area with a cafe beneath me.  In bed by 1:00 am, not sure how to figure out how many hours I had been up by then.  So, I didn’t care.  Sleep was sweet after a wonderful shower.  When I woke up at 10:00 this morning, I had a text from Steven that he’d arrived and was waiting at the curb at the airport.

I woke up fast, threw on my clothes and raced to the airport where I found him easily where I told him to wait for me.  A cafe, where he bought me cafe con leche. 

 His bag 💼 hadn’t arrived yet, but everything was good.  I’d found me way in el Carro II and found the parking garage by accident...well my guardian angel slept through last night but she was alive and well today.  💃🏻🎶🚗
NOW, I AM READY TO ROLL.