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Castles, crowds & the holy trinity of drinks

Day 8 began with the holy trifecta of travel recovery: a good night’s sleep, a coffee strong enough to revive the dead, and a sudden, dramatic change of plan. The original idea was to hop on the tram to Dénia. Then we discovered it would take roughly two hours each way. We love a scenic tram ride, but four hours of rail-based meditation felt less like “holiday vibes” and more like “accidental commuter lifestyle.” Hard pass.

So we embraced the open road and pointed the car inland towards Guadalest, a jaw-droppingly pretty mountain village perched on a rock like it’s auditioning for a fantasy movie. The drive was easy enough—turn inland at Benidorm and resist the gravitational pull of neon signs and hen parties. We succeeded. Personal growth! 🌱

Guadalest was busy (because of course it was—turns out everyone else on Earth also enjoys stunning views), but we arrived early enough to dodge the worst of the queues for the old castle.

After weaving through the crowds and silently judging other tourists’ footwear choices, we unanimously decided: “Let’s escape back to the beach and eat carbs.” Truly, the wisdom of our generation.

Back home by lunchtime, we secured a sun-kissed table and did our patriotic duty by ordering paella. Because when in Spain, one must eat paella. It’s basically a legal requirement. A post-lunch digestive stroll along the promenade followed, during which we conducted very serious research into “potential future dining establishments,” aka window-shopping menus and pretending we’re food critics.

Late afternoon brought me to my sacred ritual: the daily nap. Do not disturb. This is a cornerstone of my wellbeing and possibly my personality now.

Evening rolled in with our now well-established routine:

• Aperitif: Gin & Tonic (hydration, but stylish)
• Very light dinner: Red wine (liquid salad)
• Night cap: Whisky (because… adulthood)

The others stayed up watching Notting Hill, while I heroically retired early like the disciplined athlete I am (ignore the three drinks, please).

All in all: castles, crowds, carbs, cocktails, and collapsing into bed before the rom-com even finished. A very sunny, very excellent day. ☀️