Back to reality and Luton Airport. Three and a half hours drive from our UK home in the early hours of the morning, but when you are doing the return journey at 2pm on a weekday afternoon you can be looking at anything from four and a half to a head banging seven stressful hours.
In all fairness the seven hour journey was a one-off and a culmination of circumstances including roadworks, an accident on the motorway and the instructions from ‘Dora the Explorer’ (our sat nav). She sent us on an alternative route that was supposed to avoid congestion on the M6 but got us stuck in a small town off the motorway in rush hour. Not helped by the fact that the ‘Dora’ equivalent of half the other cars on the motorway had directed them through the same small town. Result, M6 motorway running freely, but back of beyond town in rural Staffordshire in complete gridlock. What fun.
What could possibly be concerning me while I was sat in this stagnant queue? Tiredness, hunger, thirst, the need for a wee stop? No, my one focus was DVT. Yes, deep vein thrombosis. I mentioned this to Deb and she looked at me as if a stranger had just thrown me out of the car and sat in my place. ‘We are sat in Back of Beyondsville, hours from home and you’re concerned about deep vein thrombosis.’ She said, astounded.
‘Absolutely,’ I said. ‘A client of mine was stuck in a traffic jam for 4 hours and got DVT. That was 3 months ago and he’s still under medical supervision now. Think about it. Exactly the same circumstances as being sat on a plane. In fact we’ve just been on a plane and now we will be sat in a car for who knows how long.’
I wasn’t sure from her look whether Deb was concerned for my physical or mental health but she said, ‘As soon as we can, let’s stop and get something to eat, drink, have a walk and maybe a wee visit.’ I knew she loved me.
That was a traumatic journey, and one that nearly made Deb look at booking Alicante flights from Manchester Airport, only 45mins from our UK home. But the cost savings and the calm, stag party free flights to Valencia from Luton were hard facts to ignore, so Luton it will always be.
Moving to Spain? Help! 