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On The Edge by Maddy Bell
Copyright© 2021 Madeline Bell
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The Kids are United
To be honest I didn't sleep well, no that's not right, I slept very well its just that there wasn't a lot of it. Oh I wasn't feeling ill or worrying about anything, nope, it was excitement, excitement on so many levels – seeing my friends, getting to ride my new steed, the apres ride and we're flying to get there.
So okay, the last isn't exciting per se, i've flown a few times now, Canada, the US, Japan – regular globetrotter me but still, I like flying and today its quite a long one, I think Dad said four hours or something.
But despite my fitful slumber and my usual aversion to mornings, I was awake and dressing for the day before my alarm sounded. We might be going to the African coast but here in the Rhineland Palatinate its still winter so I decided on a layered approach. Okay, not exactly haute couture but practical, short summer dress, footless dance tights, cardigan on top, trainers on feet – I can lose the cardi and tights when we get there.
Okay, I had made an effort to co-ordinate things, I even had a scrunchy that matched, bit of lippy, quick lick of massy et voila. I made sure I had my phone and charger, added a jaunty pair of dangly earrings to my ensemble and headed downstairs.
"Morning!” I sang out, yeah I wasn't my usual tardy self but Mand and Dad still beat me to the kitchen.
"Someones full of beans this morning,” Mand suggested.
"Not yet, coffee?”
"Instant,” Dad supplied.
"Really?”
"Well unless you want to clean the machine down before we leave in, oh, fifteen minutes?” he queried.
To be fair, its not so bad, instant it might be but its Douwe Egberts™, at least it tastes like coffee. I could just about wait until we get to Thesing's but its just wrong leaving the house 'dry'.
I gave a sigh, "Instant it is then.”
Of course the same applied to any thoughts of food, we're away for a week so other than cereal, Frustück materials are a bit short and even then there was no milk.
"You are taking a coat?” Dad enquired as I waited for the kettle.
"Yeah,” I confirmed.
"Sugar!” Mand exclaimed, "Jacket!”
Its not just me who can forget stuff.
"Morning Gaby, don't see you here at this time much these days, you just missed Connie.”
"Morning Therese, off to the airport,” I advised, ”three breakfasts please and three coffees.”
"You want the eggs hard or soft?”
"Er soft please.”
"Connie said you were off somewhere, somewhere warm I'm guessing?” Therese mentioned as she put our order through the till.
"Tenerife, training camp for the Radteam.”
"Very nice, thirteen fifty.”
"Oh and can I have three Streusal to go as well.”
"Sixteen fifty then,” she adsvised taking my proferred twenty note. "I'll bring it over.”
"Thanks.”
"Okay kiddo?” Dad asked as I slid into the booth, the same one that the Angels used to favour.
"Yep. This brings back memories.”
"Hark at the old woman,” Mand scoffed.
"It does,” I replied defensively, "Me and the girls used to sit here every morning.”
"Every morning?”
"Well school days obviously,” I let out a sigh, "I miss that.”
"You miss having two breakfasts,” Mand scoffed.
"And?”
A Thesing's breakfast is like a condensed version of the spread popular in many German households, a pot of joghurt, boiled egg, a couple of rolls, cheese, sliced ham and to dress it up, a bit of salad stuff. Its quite filling, maybe a bit less than i'd have at home but for today, it'll take us through to our check in, we can get coffee to go with our Streusal then. Its very easy to lose track of time though as you get distracted by other customers, whats going on outside and so on.
"You both about done?” Dad queried.
"Uh huh,” Mand supplied.
"Pretty much, we've got a few minutes yet.”
"I know I said nine,” Dad started, "But i'd rather have extra time at the airport than sitting here.”
"S'pose.”
"Well I'm ready,” de Vreen stated.
"Okay, I just need a wee.”
"Have a good time,” Therese offered.
"We'll try,” Dad opined.
"Thanks, say hi to Con for me.”
"I will, tschuss.”
"Bye!”
In truth, by the time we'd got sorted, used the facilities, walked around to the car and set off, our 'early' had turned to late, well only a couple of minutes but nevertheless, it was after nine. On the plus side, that meant we missed the tail end commuters heading down the valley and we were soon heading down the autobahn almost at Mumspeed. We usually cross the Rhein and get on the Köln motorway but today Dad kept us on the west bank almost to Mainz and without the drop out of the Taunus, arrival at the airport was almost a surprise.
"Right, I'll drop you two with the bags at the terminal before I park the car.”
“'kay, we'll go through to check in.”
"By the meeting point, I don't want to be searching the airport for you.”
"Yes Dad.”
The traffic on the terminal approach was slow of course, rather than wait until we reached the official drop off zone, Mand and I hopped out before we got that far, it was a bit further to walk but Dad could get out of the queue and be away to the parking a good few minutes faster. We might not have bikes with us but three suitcases and our cabin bags required a trolley, Mand spotted a stray one and we were soon inside the cavernous building.
Was it only Wednesday when I was here with Gran? Seems like longer but I recognised where we were and was able to direct de Vreen and our luggage through to the Lufthansa check in hall. The meeting point is pretty obvious and we arrived just as a couple of seats were vacated, timing or what! This is the bit of flying I get nervous about, I always want to get checked in and through security asap, waiting on the 'wrong' side of all that just seems wrong.
"Give over Gab,” Mand demanded.
"What?”
"You've been up and down like a flippin' yo-yo for the last ten minutes.”
"He should be here by now.”
"Its not like we're short of time.”
True enough but nevertheless...
"Ready?” Dad enquired a full thirty minutes after dropping us off.
“'bout time, thought something had happened to you.”
"Come on, there's an empty desk,” Mand enthused, suddenly leaping into action.
I think she was starting to get concerned by how long Dad was gone even if she was doing the cucumber bit.
"So?” I queried as Dad and I trailed in the wake of the SS de Vreen.
"They had one of car park entrances closed and then I couldn't find a slot until the seventh level, I didn't think I did too bad considering.”
Check in was a cinch, we even got through security without too long a wait so we did actually have best part of an hour before our flight was called. A trawl through the duty free outlets supplied some 'in flight' Haribo™, Dad got himself a copy of The Guardian and we had time to get coffee to go with our Streusel. They don't call the flights as such, everyone's watching the departure boards and drifting towards their Gate's until the magic 'open' appears.
It was clear from our fellow travellers garb that mostly they were off for some winter sun, there was a small group who stood out as radfahrer by their demeanour and conversation, I guess we look more the former than latter. Of course, most flights at Frankfurt involve a bus ride out to your plane, you'd think they'd get that sorted a bit better but we were soon climbing the steps to our air transport. You have allocated seating of course, none of the free for all i've seen on some of the budget airlines, we had D,E and F on row twelve, the plane had that 'new' smell, probably because it was, an Airbus A320 according to the safety card.
By the time we'd done rock, paper, scissors to see who got the window, stowed our bags and coats and organised our little flight 'cave', the crew were closing the lockers and checking seat belts. Then it was the interminable taxiing during which we had the safety talk but despite being in a queue for the runway we didn't stop, rather the pilot just let her have it and within moments we had that little lurch as we broke gravities pull and we were airborne.
I'll not bore you with the flight, all four and a half hours of it, but I got through a big bag of Gummi Bears, had three cups of coffee and the inflight meal, chicken salad with a roll and until we left Europe behind, spent much of the time trying to work out where we were.
"That it?” Mand enquired peering over my shoulder.
"Guess so, there's a big mountain.”
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are now on our final approach to San Cristóbal where the temperature is a pleasant twenty three centigrade and the local time is five pm so reset those watches. We hope that you've had a pleasant flight and look forward to welcoming you back to Lufthansa in the future.”
"Like how do we get home otherwise, duh!” Mand suggested.
"Ferry,” Dad mentioned, "The seniors and team truck with all the bikes came from Huelva last night. George did suggest we did the same but the logistics didn't add up.”
"Yeah, like two days driving for starters,” I scoffed.
"That and flights are pretty cheap,” Dad advised.
We were on terra firma before we knew it and unlike Frankfurt, Tenerife Nord is a small enough airport that we were soon at the terminal and disembarking along one of those arm things. Passport control was quickly cleared then it was through to the luggage belts, landing to 'what now', under thirty minutes.
"Right,” Dad started, "Wait here and I'll go sort out our transport.”
"Can we sit outside?”Mand asked.
"Okay but don't wander too far, I shouldn't be long.”
Where have I heard that before? So with that, Dad headed to the car hire and Mand and me headed to the sunshine.
"Wish i'd thought of that,” Mand moaned.
"You either have it or not,” I grinned back, pulling my tights off to expose my pins to the late afternoon sunshine.
"Not sure what it is you've got but those gulls are giving you a funny look.”
"Har de har.”
"Hey, I think thats your Dad.” Mand pointed across to where a sort of goldy coloured VW Transporter had just pulled up.
"Geez, that was quick.”
"Well don't just sit there, come on,” de Vreen urged, once again in charge of the luggage trolley.
"What now?”
"Hotel?” I offered.
"Not yet, Darren's flight gets here in about,” Dad checked his watch, "Five minutes.”
"When do the others arrive?”
"They should already be here, they were due in about the same as us but at the other airport,” Dad advised.
"We got to collect them too?” Mand asked.
"No, they're getting a taxi, we should be at the hotel complex before them, looks like our boy just coming in now.”
We all craned to see the incoming flight, one of those Ryanair things, yeah like we'd actually be able to see Daz.
"You two waiting here?”
"Whatever,” I sighed.
Yeah, I like flying, its all the waiting about associated with it thats not much fun.
"You can come if you want,” Dad offerred.
"I could do with a lav.”
"Mand?”
"I'll stay here Mr B.”
"Okay, come on then kiddo, lets go find Mr Fox.”
Back inside the terminal building we made our way to the arrivals gate, via the facilities of course, we didn't wait long before the first few passengers came through looking decidedly the worse for drink and noisy with it. They continued in dribs and drabs until I spotted our man coming through.
"Daz, over here!” I bounced and waved to get his attention.
The frown that was on his face lifted when he saw us, "Gab, Mr Bond.”
"Good flight?” I queried, well there are rules of engagement at airports right.
"Bloody awful, a load of drunks, two babies and no leg room.”
A woman walked behind Daz with an apparently comotose babe in her arms – figures.
"So how about you guys?”
"Nothing half as exciting,” I allowed.
"Where's your case?” Dad queried.
"Not got one,” Daz unshouldered some sort of rucsack affair, “'s all in here.”
"I wish my daughter travelled that light,” Dad mumbled, "Come on Amanda'll be wondering where we've got to.”
"How far is it to this hotel place?” Daz asked as Dad navigated out of the airport spaghetti and onto the TF5 Autopista, the main route along the northwest side of the island.
"About twenty five kilometres, we should be there in about fifteen, twenty minutes.”
"Sounds a right place,” Daz mentioned, "a couple of blokes from the club have been, said its got everything.”
"As long as its got a bed I'll be happy,” Mand voiced from the back row of seating.
"Probably camping on the beach.” I suggested.
"Better not be.”
The road to Puerto de la Cruz could be anywhere in southern Europe, parched fields alternating with whitewashed housing, shell warehousing and blue skies, except of course its not, in Europe that is, the Canaries might be part of Spain but they're closer to the Atlantic coast of Morocco so technically they are part of Africa as far from Spain as Lands End is from John o'Groats.
"Look at that place, up on the hill,” I suggested spotting a huge building sat high above the motorway a short way ahead.
"George said you could see it from the autobahn,” Dad told us, "Next junction then right at the Shell station.”
"We staying there?” Mand asked.
"Well its where George said to bring you.”
Damn, maybe I shoulda brought a posher dress with me.
Once off the motorway it was but a couple of minutes before we were climbing the lump of lava that the Hotel Las Aguilas sits atop of. Geez, I hope there's another way up! And there, parked off at one corner of the car parking were the senior squad vehicles, bus, truck and George's BMW, guess this is the place.
By the time we'd parked and dragged our bags and selves to reception we had a small welcoming committee, George, Kat and I guess the tall, thin individual is something to do with the hotel.
"Dave! Good trip?” George asked.
"Had worse,” Dad replied shaking the boss' hand, "How was the ferry?”
"Not cheap enough, so this I take it is Mr Fox?”
"It is,” Dad agreed, "Darren, you remember George from last year?”
"Er sure,” Daz replied as he was clearly trying to decipher the German. "Erm, danker Herr Mooler.”
"We will work on the Deutsche eh Dave?”
"He'll soon pick it up,” Dad stated.
Yeah, George's English isn't great but its better than Daz's German!
"So,” George went on, "The girls are out for a short spin before dinner so lets get you settled in eh. Oh, introductions, Miguel here is liason with the hotel, anything you need, want to know, he's your man. Miguel, this is Dave Bond, Jungere team manager, the tiny one is his tochter Gaby, our Weltmeisterin.”
"Nice to meet you Dave, jungere, Katia has your room cards so I'll leave you to settle in, I shall see you at dinner later.”
Miguel made tracks, George dragged Dad off to what looked like the bar which left the four of us in reception.
"Long time no see Katia.”
"Gabrielle.”
We exchanged a hug.
"Hi Kat,” Mand offered.
"Looking good de Vreen, and the new boy, Darren, welcome on board the mad ship.”
"So, where are we staying?” I hinted.
"Come, we've got almost a whole floor on this side,” Pinger advised leading the way out of reception.
"Its a bit posh,” Mand opined as we padded along the carpeted corridor of the fourth floor.
"Not many,” I agreed.
"The rooms are the same as anywhere,” Kat stated, "So Darren, you'll be with Josh in four one two, you two are in four seventeen.”
"Cool,” Daz allowed opening the door.
"See you in a bit Daz.”
"Sure.”
We dragged our cases along to four seventeen, "I'm across the way with Petra, i'd best get back down for the others.”
"So when, where is dinner?” Mand asked before Kat could disapear.
"Seven thirty in the restaurant.”
"Do we need to dress up?” I just had to ask.
"Just tidy eh, I know you Gaby Bond.”
"Guess that rules out the bikini then.”
Kat just shook her head.
The room, as Kat had said, was just a room. So okay there's a balcony, you could just about swing a cat and there's carpet on the floor, nice but not exceptional.
"What time did she say for dinner?” I queried with my roomie.
"Seven thirty.”
"Sugar, thats in like ten minutes!”
"Can't be.”
I checked my watch again, yep seven twenty, "It is, look.”
But instead of looking at my time piece she pulled out her phone, "No its not, its not six thirty, bags of time.”
"How can it be six something, we didn't get here until seven, I checked.”
"Check your phone.”
I dug my Handy out, huh? "Six twenty one, how's that possible?”
"Guess you weren't listening when we landed.”
"To what?”
"The pilot? He said it wasn't CET here. Talk about dumb blonde.”
Well to be honest i'd never thought we'd be in a different time zone to home, we didn't change when we were in Spain last year but I guess this is further west.
"It slipped my mind.”
"If you say so.”
Maddy Bell © 28.02.2021
