Abandon Ship

Early start to get tender documents out today, but don't know what time the office opens so take my time and delay my arrival at the office until 8am. All goes well, finalise the documents and get them all in the post by 9.30am.

Return home in time to finalise packing ready for 11.30am departure. Fortunately K has done most of the preparation for us and I just have to throw the things in the suitcase. P arrives at 11.30 prompt, to come to the airport with us. I drive , P will take over from the airport and take the car home. No problems with travelling and we arrive at Cardiff Airport by 12.30, in good time for our 2.25pm flight to Malaga.

Check-in is a breeze and we're soon through to the departure lounge. Bit of a disappointment as we're ready for lunch and it's cramped and busy. Seems a bit on the small side, a bit amateurish, for an international airport departure lounge. To be fair, it is in the process of an overhaul since being taken over by the Welsh Assembly Government so maybe it'll be a bit more spacious when it's finished. We flew from Cardiff two years ago and it was much easier then .

Flight to Malaga is uneventful, although there were a few sharp intakes of breath and gasps at the bumpy landing in Spain. Transfer coaches are waiting for us and it's a 20 minute drive to the ship we're told. We're going on a cruise on board Thomson Majesty, visiting Lisbon, the Algarve, Casablanca, Cadiz and Gibraltar. Need a break after all that's been going on since Christmas!

Warm welcome to Malaga, lovely evening as we drive along the coast road to the port. Very efficient transfer and we're soon boarding, having registered and got our room cards - suitcases have been taken away at the airport and will be delivered to the cabins. We're fairly late arrivals and as we approach the gangway the lifeboat drill is going on above us, bright orange life jackets standing out against the white of the ship. Our drill will be later on.

We're on holiday! Tomorrow is a day at sea, then next stop Lisbon.