This weekend just gone, I travelled to Benidorm for a friends hen do. I have never been to Benidorm before and have to say I have no immediate desire to return. I had an amazing time with some amazing friends old and new, but the place itself is completely like the programme Benidorm and worse. But let’s leave that there shall we?
There was one MAJOR problem I experienced this weekend that trumped all others. My passport!
When you travel in a big group, there is always one, and that one this time was of course me. I went and had my passport stolen. And yes, there was a lot of tears and tantrums of how on Earth I was going to get home. People always say that your passport is one of, if not the most important document you can own, and until someone takes it from you, especially when you need it most, you don’t fully believe it. Well I do now.
You would think these days, the embassy could email something to you to allow you to fly home, especially in this day and age (yes I sound like my mother). But alas no.
Arriving on the Saturday, it wasn’t until the Sunday that I realised it was missing. I called the emergency consulate who advised me that I needed to apply for an emergency travel document online, and that it would take 48 hours to process (from the Monday), but that I would then be able to pick the document up from the consulate in Alicante to then travel home. The problem was, 48 hours from the Monday was Wednesday and we were due to fly back on the Tuesday. So I had to book another flight for the Wednesday at a cost of £120, thank you Jet2, and then book a hotel in Alicante which was another £80. M7y husband did offer to stay with me for the day, but that would have been the cost of 2 new flights, plus someone needed to get home to collect the dog.
My Day in Alicante was relaxing, and I will say it is a beautiful city, but after all the trauma of trying to sort out my passport I again have no desire to visit, well not in a hurry.
Eventually I did make it home (obviously as I am writing this), but with a big life lesson learnt. LOOK AFTER YOUR PASSPORT!
Has anyone else ever done anything similar? Let me know below.