Day 1

A bright and early start this morning in order to get my 7.30am flight. I bought The Times at the airport which kept me entertained for most of the journey between Heathrow and Malaga. (For those interested in such things, I completed the Mild, Difficult and even Killer Su Doku puzzles, but it was a poor show on the crossword.)

Malaga? I thought you were going to Granada, Simon... Yes, I know. From Malaga I got a bus from the aiport to the bus station and from there I was to get a bus to Granada. Unfortunately I had a bit of a muddle at Malaga bus station:

The ticket seller had just sold me a ticket for the next bus to Granada. "You're on the one o'clock bus", he said. (I looked at my watch. 12.58. I would have to run for it.) "You'll have to run for it," he said, helpfully.

He then explained to me, "Something something something platform something something something 1." I gave my best puzzled look, but he just said, "Quick, you'll have to run for it!"

So I ran for it. I had no idea what he was gibbering about so I just ran to platform one. No bus. Damn. Now what?

I stood looking alternately at my ticket and the empty bay, as if in hope that a bus would materialise. It didn't. Fortunately, a bus driver from another bus did.

Simon [pitifully]: "Granada?"

Bus driver [shouting across bus station]: "Granada!"

A shout came back: "24! But he'll have to be quick about it and run."

Bus driver [to me]: "24! But you'll have to be quick about it and run."

So I was quick about it and I ran.

I got to the bus which was sitting, waiting, at bay 24. Breathing heavily, I got on, took a seat and soon we were off. I was on my way to Granada.