The location of our hostel really couldn't be better. We walked half a block to las Ramblas, then one block to the corner of plaza Catalunya, and there was a row of airport taxis right there.
Stuff must not get started around here until late. No shops were open yet. Probably because they party all night here! They have to sleep in!
Anyways, got right in a nice taxi - electric car - and started trying to make our way through the bad traffic. Took quite awhile, and I didn't think we were ever going to make it through the roundabout in from of the art museum. Got to terminal 2 - good thing our taxi driver new which one - right at 9:30 and right in front of Ryanair. Oh, the sign in the window of the taxi said approx. 27 Euros to the airport. The price ended up being 26.90.
Found our check in desk and waited in the short line to drop off our bags. This was the airline with the strict one bag policy and we had already paid in advance for the checked bag (even join it would of fit - we have backpacks too). Once we got to the front, the lady said we had to go to another desk and wait in another line for "passport check." All they did at that first desk was take your bags. So over to another line - where there were two young Canadian girls freaking out and screaming about missing their flight (they almost got kicked out of the airport) - got our passports checked and went back to the other line to drop off our suitcases. Weird process.
On Ryanair, you MUST print out your boarding passes ahead of time. I guess one of the ways they keep it so low cost is by not really having an administrative desk. Just drop your bags and go through - unless your a non EU member. They charge SEVENTY EUROS to print off a piece of paper. That's almost more than be flight. No joke. That's what the girls were yelling about. (Although it is plastered all over their website and they send you numerous email reminders stating that.)
Got through security with no problem. I really like that they aren't quite as strict in that department over here. We haven't had to take our shoes off once.
Quick bathroom break and then found some food. Fruit juice, Greek yogurt, and a croissant. We've had more carbs on this trip... All we've been eating is bread it seems like!
The gates are weird here. You have to watch the board and it eventually tells you which gate to go to. We waited in front of the board along with everyone else to figure out where we should go. Once it finally flashed up and we went - it was very close - there was already a long line! They must of known ahead of time somehow!
So we waited in the long line for 35 minutes because there aren't assigned seats on Ryanair and we wanted to sit together. But as a lady came around to check our boarding passes and passports, she said we had a reserved seat and moved us way up to a much shorter line. I forgot I paid extra last week when I checked us in and printed the boarding pass! Yay! Shorter line and in row 3! And they let me on with my backpack - which is over the size and weight limit. I hid it pretty well behind me whenever they came around. It fit just find under the seat though!
45 minute full flight in to sunny Ibiza! We were both in awe as we flew around the island. There were little coves and beaches everywhere with crystal clear turquoise water. Unbelievable.
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That's as far as I got yesterday, haha. Needless to say, we hit the ground running once we set foot on the island.
Short version again:
Took forever to get the rental car, but lady at desk was so helpful and gave us lots of maps and told us about her favorite beaches. Paid extra 5 Euros per day for automatic (it's both actually, but I don't have to shift) and added insurance this time after Azores incident. Super nice car - kind of SUV - that is so weird. It's a hybrid and shuts off when you stop at a stop sign or anywhere.
Directions I had printed got us to the hotel lux mar right on the beach. Nice enough. Much bigger than any room we've had - two small beds, little kitchen area , tv that doesn't work, balcony you can see the water from. Not very nice, but great location. No free wifi in the rooms, which totally sucks. And free wifi in the lobby wasn't working either.
Our balcony
Changed clothes in to swimsuits and hit the road to find the hidden beach from the pages of my travel & leisure magazine I ripped out. But food first. Walked along the Main Street trying to find food. Ended up at a little pasta shop and had smoothies too. Good food. Stopped in souvenir store for a towel (beach) and found a new Ibiza bag and a picture frame too. We were going to go to the pharmacy for some face wash (we're running low) but everything clothes from around 2-4 for siesta. No joke. They all close up shop and take naps. Amazing.
We're going to that tomorrow!
Nice drive to other side of island. Roads are nice and well marked - easy to navigate. Shopped a few times along the way for awesome views.
That's me standing on far left.
Stopped in the village of Portinatx for some sunscreen. Found the beach down a little dirt road without any problem really. I couldn't see the road very well - not much of a road. Saw a little path to the right I though and asked Matt if that was my turn. "Ummm, no. That's. cliff." Haha - whoops!
Beach was beautiful. Clear water surrounded by cliffs. Jelly fish everywhere though! Little sandy beach area. Maybe 10 people there. Laid down kind of on each other ( learned a new way in Barcelona) since we only had one towel and took a little nap to the sounds of the waves.
From there, drove back across the island to Sant Antoni to check out a hippy market. Town was cool, market sucked. Headed back to Ibizia town and started getting ready for Pacha nightclub.
Sant Antoni
Dinner reservations for 9:30. First ones there in empty restaurant. Rookie American mistake according to our waiter. No one eats before 11pm here.
Dinner was awesome. Two sushi rolls to start, then suckling pig and rack of lamb for entree. Some sake and Matt had three gin and tonic drinks - giant ones. We thought we had to spend a set amount each to get in to nightclub. Turned out our waiter was just a pro at selling. We didn't have to - but we did end up spending a lot of money.
Went to cat around 12:30 to take a 20 minute nap, then back in to the club. A couple of different rooms with different djs. No one really dancing. Just kind of stand there and bounce around. Music was louder the Vegas. So loud it hurt my ears. But djs sucked. All night. Couldn't believe it. Hoping Pacha is just not that cool of a club and tomorrow will be better. (It was still really cool, just not up to Vegas standards. Club was old and not as nice, and people were in jeans and hoodies and flip flops - whatever. I was way over dressed in my little black dress!)
Stayed until 3:30 and came back to hotel. Matt's phone wasn't working so we had to figure out how to get back on our own - which wasn't too bad because I'm generally pretty good with directions! Bed around 4am.
Round two tomorrow at the big Ushuaia opening DAY party - 1pm to midnight.
(Scratch that - just found out the opening party goes all night long...probaly until the sun comes up. Yikes!)
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