Hello Benidorm

Its been a couple of years since we went to Benidorm. as Phil and Irene were there from the UK for a weeks holiday, we booked a night in the same hotel, all inclusive, so we could spend some time with them. As we payed very little for the aparthotel room. we wondered what it would be like but when we arrived at around 11.45 the hotel receptionist let us check in straight away into the spacious, clean 1 bedroom apartment. We met up with Phil and Irene and went for lunch,the food was very good, hot and with plenty of choice, this was the case throughout our stay. Usually with the bar in an all inclusive hotel you end up in along queue for drinks but although the hotel was full, service was extremely quick.
After the urbanisations of the Vega Baja the Benidorm skyscrapers are quite imposing and since we were last there a new bus station and fire station have been built. There seemed to be a lot of holidaymakers around so maybe they are going to have a good year, in fact, New statistics are showing that tourism to Spain has risen for the first time in 18 months with 119000 more tourists arriving in January this year, making a total off 2.66 billion, half a million of those being Brits.
Only an 1 hour and a quarter drive from Guardamar, it is certainly another world for us for a couple of days.

Ryanair Mutiny

Trouble started on a the tarmac of a Ryanair flight due to fly to Belgium from Lanzarote, when Ryanair staff attempted to charge a passenger for excess baggage, most of the rest of the passengers joined with the protest. and the pilot through the control tower called for police assistance, 104 passengers were removed from the plane and not allowed to reboard, only 64 passengers continued with the flight to Charleroi in Belgium. The passengers left behind had to find different carriers or other forms of transport.
Flying with Ryanair is a bit of a challenge, If you dont have a computer printer handy or know someone who does it will cost you another 40 pounds, if you cant print your own boarding card. unless your hand baggage is in a regulation size case there is every chance you will be charged extra for it, you do really have to have an interpreter to understand cabin crew instructions, and the 3 pound a cup of coffee tastes terrible, but we all still fly with Ryanair because even after the hidden addons when purchasing a ticket, it works generally out cheaper, - that is as long as you dont break the rules, Starting or joining a mutiny might give some satisfaction but in the end more expense and inconvenience. In my opinion the only answer is pay a few more euros or pounds and fly with another carrier, if a good proportion of people did this for long enough, Ryanair would have to do something about there appalling customer service/relationship.

La Marina campsite

Well done to the La Marina campsite, it has been ranked 2nd out of 8500 in Europe in a survey taken by the Dutch tourist organisation ANWB Eurocamping. the first spot went to a camping ground in Holland,

Lumsdens Auctions

Lumsdens auctions at the British indoor market site on the Industrial estate between Formentera del segura and Rojales is now a large affair they quite often have cars and motorbikes for sale and a large selection of electrical and household items, generally 500 lots or more, theres plenty of bargains. visit the website from Thursday evenings for photos and details of lots. The Auction is held between 11:00 and 14.00 on Saturdays and Viewing on Fridays from 10:00 till 14:00 and on the morning of sale.

No smoking laws

The affects of the new smoking laws here are very noticable, bars and restaurants have all created outside areas of tables and chairs for people who wish to partake in the "habit".its most noticable to us in establishments we previously had thought were closed but is now more obvious they are open, i am pretty sure that some businesses will loose trade, because sitting outside in winter does not have the bar type social atmosphere. An enterprising person in Guardamar has opened a "Smoking Club" which because it has membership is allowed, although they are not meant to serve food or coffee.