Monday 31 March
Oh dear! Home tonight so we need to find something to do for the day as taxi picking us up at 3.45 pm. Decided to have the jumbo brekkie at the Paloma Beach bar (first time there all week). We should really have made an effort and gone there at least once during the week but maybe next time. After brekkie we went back to the apartment and the next thing we knew the cleaner was knocking on the door at 10am, so we had to leave and take our bags to be stored by reception, while we went off for a few hours.
Taxi picked us up at the back of the apartments and took us to Playa de las Americas. My leg wouldn’t have stood up to walking both ways so it saved a lot of time and we were dropped off near the Safari centre. We had a look around at some of the shops, Annie still on a mission for a bag LOL! Found nothing so decided to go and find somewhere for coffee and start walking back along the front. Stopped off at the café near Parque Santiago and then moved on to Playa Las Vistas and on to Los Cristianos, taking in all the sounds and sights of this great place.
When we got back to the complex we decided we needed the loo (as you do!) and had to ask the life guard for the key to the loo which was hidden away on the other side of the pool and in the basement of the block. As we walked towards it I looked down and realised that our transfer was 25 minutes early and was waiting by Olaf’s (where we were going to sit and wait after our loo break!). So we rushed and got down to the minibus and there was another couple waiting in the bus for us. We had no idea they would be so early but hey ho, got to the airport an hour before we could drop our bags off at the check in desk. So, with time to spare we sat down and watched the end of Mama Mia until the desk was opened and went through to departures.
There’s a lot of work going on at Tenerife South, so it’s all a bit confusing and some we weren’t quite sure what we were doing. The security gate was an experience, all the staff were miserable and one told Annie that the flight was delayed by 10 mins. Still, we had time to go to the airport shops and get a few bits to take back. When our flight was called and we got to the boarding gate one of the staff asked me about my CPAP bag and told me it would need to go into my hand luggage. “Not possible” I said, it won’t fit and I’m allowed it as a 2nd piece of hand luggage as its medical equipment.” “Oh, that’s OK but my colleague on the gate might not agree!” A lady in front of us had been told her duty free had to go into her hand luggage too! That’s wrong, it’s allowed, and law in Spain for duty free bags to be allowed! Got to the gate and thought I’d be stopped but the girl made absolutely no comment and waved us both through!
Finally seated in 8D & 8E, Annie and I settled down for the flight (8F, next to me ) was broken so there was nobody in it! Result! We got sorted and watched 12 Years a Slave on the tablet and then along came the drinks trolley. After our terrible coffees on the way over we said no thanks but I did get 2 x 1ltr bottles of Whisky for £20 and a watch for £12!
Reached Gatwick early, had a strong tail wind which helped us and when we got to baggage reclaim my bag came round with the handle broken off! No surprise there! Still I can still use it for a storage case, and its a good excuse to get a new one!
John was waiting for us in arrivals and soon had us on route to Swanley to drop of Annie and then home to bed by 1.30am! Lots of memories and photos and videos to watch when we get home and a promise to return to Tenerife another year.
Epilogue: Unwanted souvenir!
Next morning (Tuesday) I got up late and John looked at me and said “What’s wrong with your legs?” When I looked down both legs and my left foot were hot, swollen and very red and spotty. As a diabetic I’m very careful about infections and got an appointment at my GP within 20 mins! Sat down in the surgery to be told I had cellulitis – a bacterial infection of the cells. It comes on when there is small wound, or a bite and I think I was bitten on the left foot 2 or 3 days before and it came up a bit red then. One week of antibiotics later and it was just about gone, and now I’m back to normal. Its not the sort of souvenir I wanted to bring home from a week’s holiday! LOL!
ceejayblue 
Nice to wake up this morning to find such a lovely reminder of my new friends visit. Really enjoyed reading it and meeting both you and Annie xx