Tue 26th Sep to 27th September – Day 27 – Barcelona to Munich to Singapore to Melbourne

Itinerary said:  

Tue 26th Sep – Day 27 – Barcelona to Munich to Singapore        

Barcelona Sunrise 7:42am                                                                         Steps: 5,118

Departure transfers arrive at Barcelona airport at 07:00, 09:00 or 11:00. The 09:00 transfer continues on to Madrid Airport and hotel arriving in the early evening. 7am airport arrival.

Depart            BCN on LH1809 at 9:20am            Arrive MUC at 11:20am      1hr 50min layover

Depart            MUC on SQ327 at 1:10pm                                                 

Wed 27th Sep – Day 28 – Singapore to Melbourne                          

Singapore sunrise 6:52am             Melbourne sunset 6:20pm             Steps: 6,042                                                                                                             Arrive SIN at 7:00am           4hr 10min layover

Depart            SIN on SQ217 at 11:10am             Arrive MEL at 8:35pm.        13hr 15min layover

Hotel:                      

ParkRoyal Melbourne Airport

Included Meals:      Breakfast      

Barcelona 26 Sept 2023

The fireworks that I could see & hear from my hotel room, finally stopped just before 11pm. I woke at 1am, 3am and then again just before 5:15am so got up. Packed up and took all my luggage downstairs just after 6am. There were 5 of us on the first transfer. An American couple heading home and a couple from Western Australia, heading to Southern Spain for 5 days before then heading home.

We arrived at the airport around 7am and I soon found the Lufthansa check-in area for my flight. Unfortunately I made the mistake of not putting the bottle of Rose that I bought 2 weeks ago, in my checked luggage, so when I went through security, it got confiscated. As it only cost 3 euro, I wasn’t overly fussed. 

Had a wander around the area after security and found the lounge, so went up the escalator and after having a cup of coffee and a bite to eat, I’ll now people watch. Will also have to keep an eye on the time, as they don’t release the departure gate # until about an hour before the flight.

120 people got off the plane that my next flight will be on. Boarding started at 0905 but we stopped part way down to the plane. I think they are still cleaning. On board by 0910. Airbridge detached at 0935. 

The captain made an announcement that traffic control had informed him, that because of the fog in Munich, we can’t take off from here for another 20 minutes. A minute later he said we could take off asap. Pushback at 0941.

I only have 1hr 50 min layover in Munich and if I miss my connecting flight I’ll worry about it then. At least I’m on the way home, so it’s not a major problem.

Lift off at 0955.

I didn’t realise that the airport was so close to the ocean.

A meal was served at 1015. I think it was a breakfast. Some ham, 2 slices of a hardish cheese and scrambled eggs. They were cold but surprisingly tasty. A roll, butter, jam, sugar and milk if you opted to have coffee or tea and a dessert, or what seemed to be a dessert. A creamy like custard with what tastes like small balls of apples. Different but tasty. I was finished by 1035.

We are flying over some mountains. I’ll have to check  google Maps when I can to try and work out where we are. I took a photo, so I have an idea of the time.

I was just having some shut eye and when I opened my eyes there are snow capped mountains passing below. I’ll have to check the flight path to see if I can work out where we were/are. Again.

11:16am. Now there is green countryside below.  

Landed in Munich at 11:30am.

My flight is now leaving from a different gate, than what is on my boarding pass. Also it’s departing from T2 and apparently this flight landed in T1. Anyway, I had to walk some distance to the end of this terminal, down 2 flights of stairs, catch a train to another building which is T2 but only gates G & H. I think. Passed through passport  control, then find the gate, which I did with about a 5-10 minute wait until we started boarding. 

Cut it a bit fine but the gate stays open until 10 minutes before departure, so in reality? I had plenty of time. 😂😂

I’ll try and add this to my blog when I get to Singapore.  Didn't manage Singapore but am doing this in Melbourne.

27 September

I “went to bed” at 10pm Singapore time and apart from waking a few times, slept through to just before 6am, when breakfast started to be served. For the first time, the bed was reasonably comfortable. 

SQ217 Singapore to Melbourne 

The walkway detached at 11:00 and pushback was at 11:10.

Taxiing started at 11:13 and then we waited from 11:18 to 11:21 until we turned on to the runway.  Liftoff was at 11:24.

An uneventful flight. The food was delicious. I took a photo of one of the meals. 

We arrived in Melbourne on time or earlier. It was a breeze going through passport control. I was declaring some chocolates that have fruit & nuts in them. When the guy heard what I was declaring, he took my card and told me to depart. 🙂

I walked across the road and checked into the ParkRoyal. 

My flight tomorrow is at 0950, so I’ll check out of here, check in and then go to the lounge to have some breakfast before the flight.

So ends another lovely holiday. 

Mon 25th Sep – Day 26 - Tour Day 10 - Barcelona, the City of Gaudí

I had a lovely sleep in this morning, as I had nothing planned for today, apart from the included walking tour starting from the hotel at 11:30am and then the celebration dinner this evening, departing from the hotel at 7pm.

I think I went down to breakfast some time after 8am.  There were a few other people from the tour there, so I guess quite a number didn't do the optional to Mount Monserrat and the Black Madonna, or did it a couple of weeks ago, as part of their extended Northern Spain Tour.

It's a holiday here in Barcelona today, so apart from local coffee shops and the like, no other stores or banks or businesses are open. Apart from the tourist ones.  I went for a walk around the extended block AND didn't get mislaid at all. I was only gone for an hour, so not an especially long walk.

Those doing the included Barcelona walk and visit to Sagrada Familia were on the coach and on our way on time.

Sagrada Familia is so very crowded, and more and more tourists visit Barcelona every year. I was looking at some of my photos of Barcelona, when I was here in 2005 and the crowds have changed. A few pics from today's visit.

Tomorrow is the start of the journey home.  My bag needs to be out at 0530 and the transfer to the airport is at 0630, so I won't be staying up late tonight.

Night all

Sun 24th Sep – Day 25 – Tour Day 9 - Pamplona and on to Barcelona

I woke with the alarm this morning and went down to breakfast at 8am. Even though I reported to reception yesterday morning that I could not get access to the wardrobe or the safe in the room, the stuck door still hasn’t been fixed, so I reported it again when I checked out this morning.

We were all onboard the bus by 8 and we were away by 8:03. Almost on time.

It will be a long drive today. Over 500kl. 

08:47 driving through the mountains in fog. I managed to get this pic of a fog covered valley.

We arrived in Pamplona just after 9am.

First up was a walk to the "Running of the Bulls" statue/monument.

After that stop, we then walked to  restaurant Iruna

and had a coffee. I sat outside in the sun. It cost a little extra but the sunshine was worth it. 

We then walked the bull run.

Just a small part of the street of the bull run. Actually that's about half of the run.

After that we had about 10 mins to do any souvenir shopping. I bought another magnet. After that we all met up again and walked to a nearby street, where the bus pulled up and we were on our way again at 10:45. Next stop will be in an hour or so for lunch at a roadside station.

1:20pm

We have just had our lunch break and are back on the road again for Barcelona. Just on 300k according to Rory, so with another short ‘comfort’ stop, we should be at the hotel around 5ish.

2pm and we are passing through some very dry looking countryside. Not at all green like the previous landscapes on this tour. I didn't take a photo.

14:24 and we just passed from UK Meridian time into European Meridian time. All of Spain is in European time though in actual fact, part of it should actually be UK meridian time.

14:30

Green fields again but these crops  are being irrigated. Apparently this is the desert part of Spain, hence the irrigation.

14:45 and the outside temp is 26c and the sun is shining.

15:25 and our last stop before Barcelona, where we arrived just after 5pm.

The lifts in this hotel work differently from all others. There is a keypad in front of the lift door, Lifts A, B, C & D. Punch in your floor on the keypad  and it tells you which lift will be going to that floor, so when that door opens, just enter and it takes you to your floor. An efficient way for lifts to run.  If I remember, I'll take some photos tomorrow.

I have a room with 3 beds. 

Might need a degree to work out the shower though.

I had a bar snack for dinner tonight with a glass of wine.  I'm not doing any of the optionals here in Barcelona. I'm planning on going for a walk around the neighbourhood in the morning, as I don't have to be up early.  It's a public holiday tomorrow, so many places will be closed. 

I'll be doing the included visit to Sagrada Familia, which goes into the church and the farewell dinner tomorrow night but apart from that, it will have a leisure day.

My pickup for the airport on the 26th, departs at 06:30am BUT I have to have the luggage outside my room by 05:30am.

That's it for today.

Night .

Sat 23rd Sep – Day 24 - Tour Day 8 - San Sebastián, Pearl of the Cantabrian Coast

Another wet day on the agenda, although the forecast I saw, didn’t mention rain. Saw a partial rainbow earlier this morning.

We got away on time (0900) and were soon on the highway heading for France. I had one of the front seats' today.

Light rain most of the way to Biarritz, home to the rich and famous. We turned off the highway about 0945, for our  tour in Biarritz.

First up was a visit to view the lighthouse and view of the ocean.

The propeller of the Frans Hals 

After that we went into the town centre and were shown where we had to meet at 11:25am.

I ran into Lorna & Heather and we all had a coffee together, before heading back to the meeting place and heading back to the bus.

I also caught up with Joy. Her lip is healing nicely.  A very funny lady.

All back on the bus by 11:45 and on to Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

Our lunch establishment

We all met up again at 2:20, to go back to the bus

14:50 and we were back in Spain and the sun is still shining.

After we arrived back at the hotel, I decide to go for a walk down the street to the Miramar Palace.  It isn't open for visits inside the building but the grounds are lovely. Fabulous ocean views of Monte Igueldo, Monte Urgull and the Santa Clara Island.

Out front, visitors walk around on the grounds admiring the flowering plants in the beds or sit on benches or on the lawn to leisurely enjoy the ocean views of Monte Igueldo, the Santa Clara island, and Monte Urgull.  

After wandering around there, I then walked back up the hill to the hotel. Slow and steady. Certainly got a heart workout. :)

Once back at the hotel, I decide to have a wine and read the latest edition of "Variety", seeing San Sebastián is hosting the Film Festival. After that I decided to have a light 'bar' meal with a 2nd wine.

a small part of the bar eating area.

Heather & Lorna came downstairs and also decide to have something to eat.  After chatting etc, we went our seperate ways, me to pack up for our departure tomorrow.

Our coach, after Vitor spent an hour or so, cleaning it this afternoon.  He was washing it when I went for my walk and was still washing it when I returned 2 hours later.

We depart for Pamplona and Barcelona tomorrow at 8am and it's almost 10pm now, so goodnight all.