Palma - Majorca -Cala Millor

So this was my first trip abroad by myself, they say it takes a brave person to travel alone and I can kind of see why, Lets start by getting to the airport and getting through security which was quick and easy but because I got a lift I was at the airport nearly 3 hours before my flight.

*Gallery at the bottom of the page*

So I'm sat in East Midlands worrying about getting on the plane and then getting the transfer to the hotel on top of the thought of am I going to like it on my own, am I going to be able to cope with the heat, will they be able to understand me as I can't speak a word of Spanish, Also would I get lost even thought I'm good when it comes to knowing places and finding my way around also the trusty use of google maps helps.

Once the announcement was made people travelling to Palma go to gate three, I got my bag and walked to the gate however there was no plane there but a load of people, they checked everybody's ticket and passport and then 10mins later the plane arrived. As soon I was on the plane I started to stop worrying a bit and thought I have finally done it something different a new place to tick off the list and the headphones went in ready for take off.

The flight was good however got stuck behind the trolley for 30mins whilst going to get some tissue for my nose trust me wont be making that mistake again but all was good coming into Palma is a thing of beauty you just see all the high rocks covering the island I couldn't get a picture as I wasn't at the window seat it took a good 15mins coming into land which was a lot longer than when I landed in Bergamo (Italy) also as soon as we landed the pilot slammed the brakes or which it felt like he did, I said to the man next to me "he slammed the brakes on there didn't he" he went yeah tell me about it.

Anyways I get off the plane then thinking shit where do I go for my transfer so I got through Border security where there is a guy shouting get your passport out to a blank page so they can stamp it, Quickly got through there and then I shit-you not the airport was massive.

I went to one of the airline desks and ask where the transfers was to which the respond I got was I don't know but try down at the bottom and turn right, 5 mins later I managed to find the correct place went there had to wait for 1 group, which was 4 German males so we go in this private 7 seater a car, 4 Germans, 1 Spanish Women and 1 English Man, Walking out the Airport the heat just hits you I was like dam it really is hot, Luckily the private car had full aircon however to be fair it was still mega hot inside the car after an hour we dropped the Germans off first to be fair we didn't really have a conversation as there English wasn't great.

10 mins later I arrived at my hotel (Hipotels Hipocampo) and I couldn't believe how nice it looked and how close it was to the beach. I did treat myself to a 5 star because it was cheap and why not it was my first time away, I walked to check-in and was offered Champagne or Glass of pure orange juice, knowing im not a fan of champagne I chose the orange just what I needed as it was still so hot. I'll be on a did feel out of place as I'm your average English guy and don't look rich or someone who go's to a 5 star hotel.

I had to pay around €2 for Tourist Tax due to it being out of season it would of be triple if it had been in season, I got my key was told how the aircon worked in the room oh my such a life saver when your not a massive fan of being red hot, however one thing I didn't get told was to put 1 key in the slot to get electric to work in your room which took me a good 5/10 mins to figure out see what I mean average English man however the room was great too check the pictures below for yourself

To top it off I picked a room with a sea room view and this is what I got unbelievable.

Literally was in paradise I put my stuff away knowing I didn't have long here staying 2 nights basically 3 days as the flight back was like 11pm and wanted to get the most out of it. First thing I did was buy a 2 litre bottle of water for like €1.60 decent price and super cold also got some toothpaste €3 which I thought was steep went looking for Sun-cream however they know you will need it, so it is set at a very high price to get Sun-cream some bottles ranging from €15 - €17 for the proper brands.

After taking a look round I knew i needed something to eat and something that I would like as I am very picky with food and cautious in case I got ill from food poisoning or something. So I did the typical thing go to Mac Donald's and had the usual 9 Nuggets, Fries and Orange juice, I did end up trying there beer they had however it was horrible.

After food I went back to the hotel for a nap due to the travelling and heat, I woke up around 8:30pm local time and it was pitch black outside which was a surprise as back home in England it stays light till about 10pm. I decided to get some clothes on and go to the pub round the corner called the Sportsmans and watched some of the Manchester United vs Spurs game and Newcastle vs Everton - It was busy for saying it was a small place and out of season. I got a Sex on the beach cocktail which cost €6 which is reasonable and very nice.

I think this is where its not great being on your own as I don't like talking to people I don't know and there didn't look like there was many places that was extremely busy or party atmosphere however again when its high season I can imagine the place buzzing. First night I had a drink and then went and had a earlyish night.

Image taken from: https://restaurantguru.com/The-Sportsmans-Spain#gallery

The next morning I got up early ready for a full day, I went down to the hotel restaurant to get my breakfast as I decided to get breakfast with my stay, as I entered the extremely posh restaurant I find a seat and put my cap down so no-one steals my seat. Now me being me forgot everything would be in Spanish so I had to download the Google Translate app as I went got a tea bag and teapot then before drinking thought I would double check to make sure it is tea as it was not changing colour like our tea over here, Turns out I picked a herbal tea and not normal tea.

So in the end I decided to get a hot chocolate and then I had some toast with butter which was one of them turning machines and yes I admit, I had to watch someone do it before I put mine in, I don't know how these things work and I'm not looking like a bigger idiot because I'm on my own I also decided to have a croissant.

After breakfast I decided to book one of the bottom glass boat trips which I booked from the hotel at €25 euros, before that I had to go find a pharmacy to get some paracetamol as I had headache and normal shops did not sell them unlike here in England. After getting some tablets I had a 15minute walk to the

pier for where the boat came its a lovely stretch, Also as you can see below the red pavement his all bike/escooter lane which you see many people going up and down on bikes definitely something I will try when I go again with someone or if I take my kids get a 4 seater bike.

I walked across the lovely beach for a bit and then walked on the path whilst checking out the shops on the way down, It was very peaceful walk down and then I got to the pier and waited for the boat as this big green boat arrived I jumped on the boat and was very for the 2 hour and 30 hour trip.

The first stop was a place called Cala Bona which was just up the road so to speak it had plenty of little boats at the docks

After a quick stop we went back on the sea on the way to Costa Ratjada the views on the way to Ratjada was wonderful

It was a steady trip to Ratjada that took a good 45mins to get too from Cala Bona but some of the views as you can see is stunning as soon as I got to Ratjada I went downstairs from the top deck to see what I could see as it was described as a glass bottom boat however I couldn't see the glass bottom till I saw some stairs to the side and this is what you get. I was expecting the middle bit to be a glass bottom however it was the sides of the boat.

I was enjoying the boat ride however I did start to feel a little sea sick about 2 hours in which was not great, In the picture I just started feeling back but one of the staff on board asked if I wanted a picture so I did. I did manage to see some great places and managed to get my picture taken next to a thing that looked like a cave.

There was a place where we stopped for 15mins so you could have a swim in the sea however I was too sea sick for that bit which was a shame.

There is multiple boats trip that you can go on which range from 2 hours to 4 and half hours which is priced at €25, Travelling from one end Cala Ratjada all he way to Cales De Mallorca which it also calls at Porto Cristo.

After coming back to shore I jumped off the boat quick and because it was still red hot weather 24 degree, I decided to go to an ice-cream parlour (I know that's American) but we only have ice-cream vans in England. I got ice-cream in a tub with Jelly Tots and 100's and thousands on top at a total of €2.80 which was reasonable however the Ice-cream itself was not great.

After this I had a walk back to the hotel and decided to go to the pool for a bit with it being hot and all that why not try the hotel facilities. The outdoor pool was a bit too cold for me now don't get me wrong its not meant to be really warm however it was freezing so I lay on the sun lounger for about 15mins then decided to give the in-door pool a bash and it was lovely and warm and I was the only one in there.

After that I decided to have a look inside which they had a sauna and a Turkish bath I decided to try one of the sauna's but as sauna's are it was boiling and I'm just weird am not a massive fan of heat I even had the air con in the hotel room set at 18 degree.

Image taken from onthebeach.com

After good hour or 2 I decided to have a little walk down to the beach and have a dip in the sea however to be fair it was a bit boring going to the sea on your own, However there was a fair few women on the beach topless like it was a normal thing I'm sure its a European thing. After a little walk on the beach etc I decided to have a walk around the shopping plaza's and came across a casino, I decided to go in their to kill a bit of time and I had a vision before I came on holiday and that I won money at the casino and it paid for the holiday however that was not to be, I did leave after 30mins with an extra 10 euros.

I then went to The Rose and Crown knowing that it was an English pub and would serve my vodka and orange it also showed Sky Sports news so I could catch up on any scores or sports news, I went and got my drink I'll be honest the bar tender wasn't that welcoming however what do you expect he was British. I decided to have 1 there then shoot off to Mac Donald's for some food then headed back to the hotel for a little bit of rest and some cold air.

After an hour or so in the hotel room it was around 8:30pm again I decided to go out and enjoy the last night of my mini break, I went to the little shopping strip that was all still open after looking at many shops for items to bring back I found a place that did cheap magnets 1 Euro per magnet I need to grab two then the guy who owned the shop pretty much pressured me into get a Mallorca top for €5 well at least I have something physical from there. After having a good walk around I decided to go to a restaurant/bar on the sea front called Captain Hook

After a nice drink and a bit of relaxing it was 11:30pm so I decided to head back to the hotel knowing that I would have to leave by 12pm the next day even though my transfer was at 6pm, The hotel receptionist did have a look on the system and said if the room was free that day I would of been able to stay in the room till 6 however it had been sold.

The next morning I got up sorted my bag out packing away the little bit of luggage I took along with the gifts I brought, Then I was trying to plan what I could do for the day as I knew I had to be back at the hotel at 6 and was worried about not getting my transfer or making it to the airport on time. After sorting my bags I went down for breakfast this time phone in hand to make sure I knew what I was getting I decided to ask a waiter which was English tea to which he did help me find English tea so I finally had a nice English Brew, Toast and then decided to have some cereal no name on the front but I could assume they was Frosties which was ok as the milk was not super cold which I like and I can't have to much breakfast as I get full easy in a morning.

After breakfast I went and sat on the balcony just off my hotel room looking out as the weather looked like it was going to be a cooler and dull day, after 30mins I decided to have another look from the shops to see if there was anything else I could bring my kids back when I found a cool looking Pikachu wearing a pink hoodie on a keyring which I thought would be perfect for my daughter which cost €5 and then went looking for something for my son as he into Pokémon however he is in to Sonic the Hedgehog which I managed to find a black cool looking one again at €5 so I got them both grabbed some Orbit chewing gun now Orbit is meant to be the same as Extra Wrigley's in the UK however this chewing gum blew my mouth of it was so strong.

Image taken from video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r18nz6P0Ce4 Channel Name: One and More Aviation

I did forget to mention as soon as I left the hotel to go to the shops the sun came straight out hot as normal. so I headed back got into the hotel at 11:30 packed my other little bits that I brought and sat down for 30mins on the balcony admiring the view for one last time. 2mins to 12 I decided to get my bag and head to reception to have my keys in. Reception was really nice and stored my bag in the luggage room till my transfer which was 6 hours later.

At this point I had seen most of Cala Millor so this is were a bit of boredom kicked in, I was thinking what can I do for 6 hours can't really go swimming as my bag would of got wet, I'm not a fan of just sitting in the sun for hours the other thing I could think of was its beautiful here and quiet. I had not seen ambulance, fire engine or even a police car since I had been there.

Knowing my flight was at 11pm and I wouldn't get home till about 3am I knew I would need some sleep somewhere so I decided to go and chill on one of the sun loungers at the hotel and try have a nap but also thinking what If someone takes my phone or my passport that I had on me. I managed to get a good 30/45mins nap maybe longer in the end, After waking up I was still tired but thought I would try get a coffee to keep me awake, I wanted a mocha however the hotel didn't do mocha's so I had a coffee with some hot milk on the side and I tell you what it was bloody lovely.

After that I decided to go to the casino to waste a bit of time and knowing it would be cool in there and that time should go quicker as I still had 4 hours to go, After wasting about 40 Euros I decided to go get a cocktail on the sea front and relax. After a hour or so I needed to charge my phone up as it was going flat and I knew I needed it for the Flight back etc. so I went back to the hotel and sat in the reception area with my phone on charge checking out the football results.

6pm had it and my transfer had not arrived so I started to panic a little bit rang them up on the number they gave in the email and was told it is coming will be with you in a couple of mins and 5mins later it pulled up. We managed to get to the airport 3 hours before the flight which was earlier than I wanted but at least I was there, I went through security and forgot I had a bottle of water to which security was like do you have a bottle of water in the tray to which I responded Oh shit yeah I forgot sorry so he just took it told the other security guy and threw it in the bin.

I am there thinking oh god that was a bit embarrassing but then thinking I know I'm in the airport now just the plane to get, completely forgetting about border control so I see a Mac Donald's however its the opposite end to where I need to go, so I decided to take a trip down there as I was a bit hunger and slightly nervous getting on the plane. I brought my usual nuggets and fries however the nuggets was horrible didn't eat look fully cooked so I left half of them and then decided to end to where my gate was.

I did go to one of the stands to get another bottle of water as It was boiling in the airport 35 degree at 10pm at night was a killer and what made it worse was €3.25 Euro's for a bottle of bloody water after that walked to where I needed to go and saw broader control and was like oh shit forgot about this go to the gate and the guy is shouting at me going hat and glasses off in his Spanish accent, which I was like what you say and he was like HAT and Glasses. Took them off and got through broader control and then I knew I was all ready and just needed to know what gate to go too. My plane was the second to last plane and they started boarding us late as another plane was delayed. Once on the plane I just relaxed and hoped it was raining when we got off the plane back in England, I did like flying at night as when your coming you see all the lights and certain buildings.

Arriving back into East Midlands I had to wait an hour for my bus back to Derby, Which when it did come I knew I had to get to Derby quick as I had 10mins between this bus arriving in Derby and my last bus home leaving, The bus driver did floor it most of the way however as we are coming back into Derby there was a bunch of idiots blocking the road stopping cars for lifts which annoyed thinking great im going to miss my last bust and have to get a taxi which would of cost £30 instead of my £2 bus trip. Luckily the bus driver started trying to go round the cars which he did manage within a couple of mins that when I knew I was back home got in town centre which was full of police. I then had 5mins to wait for my bus which I managed to get and got back home at 2:55am.

That was first solo trip I would do it again but I would only go for the 2 nights again as It can be boring on your own if you don't like just relaxing in the sun. My experience was a good one and has opened my eyes to a lot of things.

I will post all the pictures I took below.