Spain Day One: A Long Day, A Red Eye Flight, A Detour To The Wrong Country And , Finally, The Rock Of Gibraltar.
I am writing this blog, trying to stay awake, in the Heathrow Airport in London. It is 7:30 a.m. United Kingdom time but 3:30 a.m. my time. I am at the American Express Lounge waiting for a flight to Gibraltar. I’m exhausted, but excited. I have wanted to see the Rock of Gibraltar since I first read about it in my elementary school geography class. Hopefully, in a few hours, and a short flight I will cross this item off of my long bucket list. After a few days on the “Rock” I plan to explore southern Spain looking for the migratory birds returning to Europe after their Winter vacation in Africa. 
So this adventure began at around on Thursday when I left my home in the Green Ridge section of Hazle Township, Pennsylvania. I was tired at the start having not slept well the previous night. I did my usual morning walk and spent the morning at my law office before driving the 130 miles to the Newark airport. I left early since I always seem to hit a traffic jam on my way to this airport. Traffic was light Thursday afternoon and I enjoyed my drive through the Pocono Mountains and rural New Jersey. 
I arrived at the Newark Airport Hilton where I parked my Jeep. I was going to stay at the hotel on my return trip. While waiting for the shuttle, I heard the Beatles song Across The Universe, a favorite song from my youth. This was an amazing coincidence since I heard it for the first time in many years the night before . I posted in on my Facebook page when I wasn’t sleeping. I explained how it reminded me of my mom and a cassette player she bought me. . I took it as a sign mom and dad were traveling with me again. I had a great childhood and I miss them. Well, anyways, the shuttle had me at the airport in time to get through security,
and to the gate in Terminal B for my flight on British Airways to London. It was a red eye flight leaving at 7:30pm. 
It’s now 7 a.m. Friday, only 24 hours since I last I typed the last sentence, and they were a interesting, exciting and exhausting 24 hours. I am in The Rock Hotel in Giraltar but it wasn’t easy getting here after my flight landed in the wrong country. But more about that later. First, back to yesterday. After arriving at the airport I was a little early so I first stopped for something to eat at a Panda Chinese restaurant. It wasn’t a very good meal and not worth the $20 dollars. I then quickly made my way through security. I wasn’t checking any luggage, my friend Elaine, a fellow world traveler, would be proud, she taught me to travel light. 
I made my way to my gate and and waited to board my plane for the 6 1/2 hour flight to London. While waiting I engaged in one of my favorite activities, people watching. I love watching folks interact in airports. There are so many emotions on display, love, sadness , fear, humor, angry and everything in between. I also took in the view of the Manhattan skyline across from the airport.
Our flight boarded on time and I received a pleasant surprise, the middle seat next to me was empty. What a great way to start my adventure. 
We were soon in the air and I looked down at the bright lights of New York City with the almost full moon shining above.
I didn’t sleep well the previous night so I hoped to get some sleep on this flight. I usually like to watch the changing landscape from my window seat, but it was dark so I tried to dose off after the meal they served. Unfortunately some unruly children were shouting and acting up for much of the flight keeping everyone awake. They were traveling with their dad and he didn’t care. I did doze off a few time for about a 1/2 hour. But I didn’t get more then 3 hours sleep on the flight. The dark skies began to lighten as we approached London. 
We landed on time but we didn’t taxi to a terminal. Instead we had to board a bus and take a winding and bumpy ride through the bowls of the terminal . We were let off at a terminal, but, I was told to get on another bus to terminal B. It was confusing and stressful, especially after a red eye flight with little sleep. 
Thankfully the American Express Lounge was available at the terminal so I was able to get a bite to eat and some privacy to work on my blog.
When it was time to board our flight to Gibraltar I walked over to my gate only to find more mass confusion. It appeared another bus was taking us to our airplane. The bus was boarding and no one from the airline was directing the boarding. Everyone just rushed to the buses. After another 10 minute bumpy and winding ride, standing on a packed bus, we boarded our planes, carrying our luggage up the steps to the plane. 
I got lucky again as far as my seating, with another open seat next to me. However, my luck ran out when we were delayed, for a 1/2 hour , according to our very friendly pilot , for unknown reasons. The closed the runway down when we were ready to take off. When it reopened there was a long line of planes waiting to take off behind us. 
It was a quiet 3 hour flight to Gibraltar. The skies were cloudy so not much to see from my window seat. However, our pilot was concerned with the winds in Gibraltar. He said there was a good possibility we would be diverted to Malaga airport in Spain if the winds were too strong to land. 
Well as we neared Gibraltar our pilot told us it was to windy to land there and we we headed to Malaga airport in Spain and would be bused to Gibraltar. I asked one of the flight attendants how long the bus trip would and was incorrectly told less than an hour. As we descended through the clouds,
I got my first views of Spain. 
We landed at the airport with storm clouds above. 
We again did not taxi to tjhe terminal We had to descend the plane, on stairs, in the rain 
and boarded another crowded bus. 
and we were taken by bus to immigration were were were left with no idea what to do. . No one from British Airways was there to advice us. A few passengers said there will be buses outside. I had only carry on luggage so I was one of the first through immingration . I left the terminal but there were no buses outside . No one form the airline was around either. I met a few other passengers who were taking a taxi , about 200 euros, or $225 dollars, to Gibraltar. 
I re-entered the airport and met some other confused passengers. No one had any idea when or where the buses would arrive. Some passengers said it could be hours. I decided to take a taxi and found three pleasant young folks from England, a married couple and their friend. We agreed to share a taxi to Gibraltar. We soon hired a friendly taxi driver, who spoke little English, and we were on our way, on a 1 1/2 hour drive to the border. 
It was a nice ride through the Spanish county side with occasional rain. We drove through a few long tunnels as we made our way through scenic mountians. .
I enjoyed talking with the folks from England,. And, in a remarkable coincidence, learned they were attending a wedding in Gibraltar the next day and the groom was from Reading Pennsylvania, about an hour away from my hometown. 
We talked about the wedding, travel, politics and life on our drive. It made an unforeseen difficult situationwe encountered much easier to deal with. The sun emerged from the clouds as we neared Gibraltar.
I got my first glimpse of the famous Rock. Out driver had to leave us off at the border, so we departed the taxi and made our way through the gate, leaving Spain and entering the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. 
I said farewell to my British friends who were staying at a nearby hotel. However, my adventure wasn’t over. I still had to get a taxi to my hotel and that was another adventure. I was staying at the famous Rock Hotel, about four miles away. There was not a taxi to be seen at the border crossing . I inquired, in the strong winds, where the taxis were. I was told to try the airport, located a few blocks away. Well it wasn’t easy getting there in the traffic and wind. . I now experienced the full fury of the winds that diverted our flight. They were nasty. My luggage was being blown by gusts of wind that were over 40 miles an hour,pulling me along. 
I finally made it to the airport. There were no taxis here either. It got worse. It started to rain. I went inside the airport and a woman at the information booth called for a taxi. I waited outside in a shelter for 15 minutes before a taxi finally arrived. The driver, Peter, was a tour guide and a wonderful fellow. I learned a lot about Gibraltar on my ride to the airport. I was happy to finally see The Rock Hotel after a grueling day of travel. I was in Gibraltar but 3 hours later then I planned. I wasn’t in my hotel long, After checking in, and quickly unpacking, I was off to explore. But that is in my next blog. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web site with some more photos from my travels to Gibraltar. Spain Day One Travel March 12 2025. 
“Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”—J.K. Rowling
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