Homeward Bound - Day 8

Day 8 was our final day and does not have much to tell. Our alarms were set for 7am and being tired we didn’t get up until twenty to 8 so we didn’t have time for a final swim before breakfast. We were the first into breakfast and had our usual fayre of croissants, bread and fruit.

During breakfast we decided to have a whip round for Pierre who had been a great guide. I was nominated to be the spokesman to give it to him at the airport. When we got back to our room I counted €105. I took a few photos of the hotel before going back to our room to brush our teeth and finishing the last bits of packing.

Just before 10am I took the room key back and we met the others at the entrance to the car park where Pierre was waiting. We loaded our gear and began the two hour drive back to Malaga airport. The journey was uneventful and we arrived, as expected, at 12 noon. Pierre parked the van and we took the lift up to the terminal.

Gabriele was the first one to be flying, at 2.30, so before we split up I had to hand over the money we had collected. I had been thinking about what I could say on the journey and so had a fair idea when it came to saying it.

I told Pierre that we had all had a great time and that seeing the Orca on Monday was wonderful and more than made up for the problems with the boat yesterday and the weather earlier in the week. I then said that his enthusiasm and knowledge of the animals had made the trip doubly enjoyable, and that we had noticed yesterday the other Turmares staff all in the cabin when the long trip looked like being fruitless, but he was on the roof with his binoculars looking out for things, and that his enthusiasm rubbed off on others and made the trip better for it.

I went on that his knowledge of the town and area had enabled us to get more from our holiday than any of us would have without him. His willingness to make sure everyone was happy and (as far as possible) could do what they wanted was great and most importantly he tried to make sure we had as much time at sea as possible.

I told him that we had had a collection and that he could maybe put it towards a new lens. I also said that I was sure he knew a good restaurant where he could spend it (he always knew a good restaurant wherever we were) or maybe even blow it all on mojitos. I said he should have a mojito when he got back to the hotel with his next group and remember us.

Gabriele then went for her flight and the rest of us began our five hour wait for our plane. Poor Silvia had even longer to wait for her flight to Madrid and then connecting flight home to Frankfurt. We had a bit of food, did a little shopping and then eventually boarded the plane home, which is where I am writing this up until this point. We are due back a little early, at 6.30 BST.

The plane landed as expected at 6.30 and we said goodbye to Mike and Gill as they went off for their connecting flight to Manchester. Our bags were through quickly and we said our last goodbye, to David, and caught the bus back to the car. Roadworks on the M25 caused a delay and we finally got to Nanna and Grandpa’s to pick up Henry at about twenty past nine.

We left about an hour later and stopped in town for some KFC before eventually getting home at about 11pm, thirteen hours after leaving the 100% Fun. I sent a text to Pierre telling him we were home and thanking him again for the week. Despite being after midnight he replied with the following text. “Thanks very much for your mssage.it was very nice having you here!hope 2 see you soon again.we’ll keep you posted on what we see this week!cheers pierre & sara”.

And so a fabulous week came to an end.