First day in New Key

 [Editor’s note: Maybe the best part of this journey is how we ended up here. 

It started as so many such stories do, with an ad for Aer Lingus for $350 fare to Dublin.  We all know that that was a teaser price.  And then K’s vaacation people had a place in Devon for another $350 for the week, and they had this week open, and…

Aer Lingus’s hot deal was ver alst week, so that idn’t work out.  But then the fares to London weren’t too bad (we paid ~500) and we got to talking and the place in Devon was a long way from anywhere.  a Quick booking.com check and here we are, in the surfing capital of Britian, which is kind of like saying the fishing capital of a desert. :)]

I wasn’t going to blog on “the first day” (you know, fly over day) but we did so much here and it is so lovely and unusual…well, I had material.

First, where we are staying : we ended up in Newquay, on the northwest Cornish coast, because it’s on the coast and near their airport.  It is famous for it’s surfing.  And you can really, really tell. 

Second, we are staying in one of those most British of cultural things: a caravan! Yes, we are glamping.  When I searched booking.com, it came up, the rate was cheap (almost like dirt) and the pictures made it look nice.  When we got here, I told K the pictures made it look bigger than it actually is, but they weren’t far off.  

This is for the thumbnail — one of the beach shots today.  As you can see it was beautiful and water is a beautiful shade of aquamarine.  

The trip could not have gone better, despite the usual on overnight trips to Europe.  K sat next to a guy who hogged seats; I got my leg and shoulder rolled over on the aisle multiple times.  The food was terrible (when they ask “chicken or…” take the “or” EVERY time).  

But our luggage arrived relatively quickly, then we had to find our airline, since they had no app and their website wouldn’t load for the last day. ):  When the counterperson asked why we were going to Newquay, I said “to surf” and she said “oh,” like she understood and K had to butt in and tell her “no, he’s just kidding.”  The surf joke has gotten some play already. 

The flight from Gatwick to Newquay was on a duo prop plane with maybe 40 passengers.  The best part was that we swept in from the southwest and came in over the ocean and the beach. 

Yes, I said “prop” plane.

I do not think I’ve ever walked so far as we did from the terminal to the Europcar storefront.  Which we were told is temporary.  Good timing on our part, but we found out it is going farther out!!!

I was signed up to get a Ford Focus with a manual transmission; I drove out (eventually) in a Mercedes C-class with automatic transmission.  :). They gave me a “deal.”  What the heck!  But then we sat in the car and couldn’t figure out 1) how to move the car seat (it was up too close for me to get my legs in), 2) how to put it in Drive and go!  We had to rely on Mr. Google both times.  The seat adjustment is on the dash, above your right knee, and the transmission — it’s a handle on the steering wheel like your turn signal!  

I did not hit anything on day one, driving on the wrong side. 

Dinner was at a beach view pizza joint.  Not exactly food porn worthy, but here’s the baked camembert.  It was pretty good. 

It is worth noting that the caravan place has A LOT of caravans and we have gotten lost trying to find our way up the hill (the office is at the bottom of a hill) both times we have come back.  There are no signs and the numbers aren’t in order. 

Also, I went to take a shower and got no hot water.  Turns out I had to turn the heater on, which also heats the water.  I figured it out, sort of, but called maintenance and he told me to do what I’d already done! yeah, rah. 

Anda that is day one.  Surfing tomorrow.  (I’ve been told there is serious money in there being a picture of me on a surf board in a wet suit…😂