Traveler's nightmares

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Morocco had been such a wonderful experience and we looked forward with great anticipation to our visit to Spain.

Things fell apart from the outset.
Tangier Ville where we stayed is 40 minutes drive away from Tangier Med where the ferry was leaving from. Its the only shipping service I found on line, but on the ground we had several ticket offices with ferries from Ville. Anyway we got to the BALEARIA ferry ticket office by check in time for the 9.30am ferry.

Sorry. CANCELLED. Next sailing at 12 noon would arrive Algeciras at 2.30pm cutting it close but still manageable for our train reservation to Granada departing 3.30pm

Patiently we sat and waited. The Immigration check point for departure was confused by our TT passports and spent several minutes consulting, conferencing, telephoning, checking on line, calling in the senior officer... but we had time and there was no line of people waiting.

The bus arrived to take us to the ferry, about 5 minutes drive away! Its a massive vessel for over 1,000 passengers, with all the luxuries, a cinema, duty free shop, cafeteria, cabins, and vehicles. We left at nearly 1230.

En route we sailed past the Rock and had a clear view of Gibraltar. By the time we arrived at Algeciras it was clear we'd have to make a run for it. Exiting the ferry was confusing via a lift then down a very long passenger tunnel walkway. Where we met Immigration. Then needed a taxi to get to the Train station!

We arrived about 10 minutes after the train had left. MISSED IT. Our reservation tickets were useless, payment was made for that specific train only. Next train..
TOMORROW!
We discovered a bus would be leaving in an hour and the bus station was across the road. So bus it would be.

We arrived in Granada about an hour later than the train would have got in so that's not bad. A lovely hotel in a touristy neighbourhood. We enjoyed here.

Ill make this blog all about the travel disasters. So let's keep moving. Robert our travel host had a broken tooth from Marrakech which by now needed a dentist. Granada would be the plane to see one. The visit showed that the cost and time required wasn't worth it, so we should return to Canada early. That meant getting back to Madrid Airport.

Which meant cancelling hotel bookings with free cancellation deadlines which had passed. Which meant writing pleading letters of explanation. So far the Madrid apartments are still pending.

We bought train tickets to Sevilla, only to find there was a train problem so we would actually be travelling by bus for two hours then connect with the train for another 2. Sigh.

The Sevilla Hotel Roma was another story. We had 3 nights booked, with a one night penalty for cancelling after the date had passed. We thought we would stay one night and pay the cancellation for one night. Not the senorita at the front desk. In rattling Spanish she denied we could pay one night and was adamant that all 3 nights must be paid. ALL OR NOTHING. After this all-Spanish exchange and debate went around the corner a few times we took the nothing option and left.

Headed for the nearby hotel Albacin where our original plan was to meet with Margaret Bishop and her friends and head to a flamenco show. So we did. We went across there, we met, Jesus at the front desk was heaven sent ? and allowed us to leave our bags in the hotel secure room. He offered us coffee, we sat and relaxed then wandered the streets of old town where the hotel is. Lovely weather, sunny afternoon when we took a stroll and I found some Andalusian olive oil to buy.

The final blow. According to one site called trains on line, there's a train from Sevilla to Madrid leaving just after midnight arriving at 6am. Perfect! We would see the flamenco show, enjoy Tapas then go to the train station near for Madrid. According to Renfe the train company there was NO SUCH MIDNIGHT TRAIN. In fact the last train would depart in 2 hours at 9pm so we wouldn't even see the flamenco show and had to leave right away or miss the train and our early morning flight.

And that's the way it ended. We took the train, slept in airport like the dozens of Ryanair young people lying around us, and after 6 hours like this we caught the flight back to Toronto. And to Ottawa where Robert 's home is.

The end of travels in Spain. But I'll be back to continue the blog visits and photos.

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Comments

[Thelma]

Travelers nightmare
We have had similar experiences with a certain ferry company whose name Margaret I am sure you are familiar with?