Home ....

Up at 7am, all ready for the return trip. Early breakfast (had to be out of cabins), but greeted by the sun rising through the clouds :)

Coach trip to the airport, check-in, then AJ and I split company for a while - she has assistance travel and as I am not fluent in Spanish and AJ is able to stick up for herself, I agreed I'd meet her on the other side (duty free area). Easier said than done! After going through security checks myself (along with many, many others), found the "assistance" team located at the complete opposite end of the floor. Informed that she would by at gate 16 waiting ready to board, as she would be first on the plane. Sure enough, there was AJ sitting all alone in a wheelchair by the gate. The chair had a note on it saying she would be boarding at 12:55 (flight goes at 13:40). Coffee and sandwich lunch together, before there was a call out for people with children and special assistance to board first. We had been joined by another person in a wheelchair by this time and her partner. There was that feeling of damned if you do and damned if you don't. Went to "information" desk to ask about assistance and they would put another call out. Eventually a young lad turned up, pushed his way with the wheelchairs and accompanying traveller through the queue of others, to the waiting area for assistance. Eventually got settled on the plane - the delay wasn't due to us but 6 passengers that didn't get on, but they hadn't checked baggage in either.

Landed, Gatwick special assistance very good. They have a new vehicle that is able to take people directly from the plane, using a hydraulic lift - fabulous. Into the building, then transported on one of those "buggy"-type vehicles, through passport control and into baggage collection. It was here when my panic set in. By the time we got there, most of the cases had been collected - mine was visible, but not AJ's. We waited, and waited ...... suggested we go to "lost baggage" desk and started completing a form for it to be recorded as lost. Just finished completion, when the next flights baggage started to appear .......... along with AJ's!!! What a relief.

Home eventually and greeted by hubby and Lili - both happy to see us. Hubby cooked tea, followed by pancake (only because of Shrove Tuesday), then relax.

Fabulous holiday, looking forward to next one :)

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