Day 1:

So we are off to Spain for a three-week road trip starting in Bilbao and heading East to Barcelona. We’re really looking forward to it, planning to hike in the foothills of the Pyrenees and get away from the non-stop rain we have been having at home. Bring on the sunshine, tapas, pinchos and vino blanco.

Not a great start. In a packing frenzy last night, Karen stubbed her little toe and boy oh boy has that gone blue. Has she broken her little pinky, the one thing standing in the way of a hiking fiesta? Will all our plans be doomed?

But it’s today. She wakes up with a spring in her step (ouch) and we’re off.

Okay, so we are not off… Distracted Dom does a petrol in the diesel engine gaffe. Now we’ve got a broken toe and a broken car. Good start to a hike-drive, this one.

And the distance so far? Well, we made it to the Tesco petrol station on the Wragby Road. That’s about 6 miles from home. Doh. Lovely ladies in the station made us a cup of tea…bonus!

Mr knight in shining armour fuel doctor turns up and is great, really helpful (thanks Rich). But the clock has tuck, and we’ve now gone and missed the flight. Day 1: back home to reschedule airport parking, BA flight, car hire, first night’s accommodation… all in all it’s been a thrifty day racking in at about £600 of unnecessary extras. But, Mr T is looking on the bright side because he gets an unexpected extra walk!

So. Later that afternoon, car fixed and foot throbbing, we pootle off again in the incessant rain to a charming hotel room on the Costa del Heathrow. Maybe tomorrow might bring us some of the things we were expecting. (Maybe at least we might get out of the country).