Back in Galicia.

So here we are, back in Vigo. What is the first thing we do? Head out to a wifi cafe for a beer, some free tapas and to connect to the internet.

We seem to have been travelling all day.

Well, in fact, that is just about the case.

We set off on our travels with the 9.24 bus to Oldham - and a friendly bus driver who only charged us for the section we would travel before 9.30, at which point our old biddie passes became valid.

Next stage: tram to St Peter’s Square, Manchester. For a good deal of the journey we listened, couldn’t help listening as it was so loud, to the conversation, live and on their mobiles, between two apparently feral teenage girls. They were talking about how they had to go and “see to some girls”. So it’s not just boys who get into physical fights. We were very glad to get off the tram and leave them behind.

Stage three: train from Manchester Oxford Road to Liverpool South Parkway.

Stage four: bus immediately available to John Lennon airport at Speke.

All this because none of our usual lift providers was available. It all worked out very well.

Stage five: Ryanair flight to Porto, with priority boarding to ensure being able to take our little suitcases and a smaller bag into the cabin. This is the latest scam to get money out of passengers. 

Stage six: AUTNA bus to Vigo.

That was where the fun started. We arrived at Porto just before 4.00pm but there was no bus for a good while. At something like 5.15 I popped out to check the timetable on the wall. There was an AUTNA bus waiting! So I ran back into the airport to find Phil and we rushed back out, hoping to get to Vigo before the supermarkets closed. No such luck! This bus was coming FROM Vigo.

So we went back in and waited. But this gave us an introduction to a couple of people also going to Vigo with whom to pass the time of day and swap travellers’ tales. We did them a favour as well because they were unaware of the discount on bus tickets for the over-sixties.

After all a euro discounted is a euro saved. Every little helps!