Madrid 5th June

Today I was determined to sort out my return ticket with Emirates. I thought I had found the correct address bu decided to hail a taxi as it was about 20 mins by car according to the Google map. Well that was true. The address I had was an outdated one and I found myself at an office building in one of these new commercial parks miles out of town.  Fortunately the receptionist was very helpful and gave me the new address and advised catching the metro as it was much cheaper. That was correct, about € 20 cheaper! I set off for my first metro adventure chiding myself for not checking the address carefully in the first place. A reminder to be vigilant on the web! What do we tell our students? Check and confirm from an alternative source! Anyway I find the metro in a gorgeous environment of gardens and plazas under a very modern building. 

The  attendant assists me with buying a ticket and directs me to the correct platform. I catch the train and head in the right direction for about four stops. At the next station all these people get off and a few get on so all seems okay but then the stations I pass are the ones I just left. I am heading back to where I started! Somewhat disturbed I asked the last person left in my carriage for an explanation and he advised me to get off and change platforms for the other direction. Hmm? I was back on the platform I started from. Another train arrives and I jump on and start going in the correct direction like last time. This time we get to the critical station and everybody gets off. I leap up and ask someone, who actually turns out to speaks English, what is happening and he tells me it is the end of the line and I need to change trains. This bit of information had been omitted from my other conversations and I didn't understand the public announcements. I follow this kind person and get onto the next train and voila, iit continues  in the correct direction to the desired station. As I get off I thank him again for his help. Next challenge is to find the office but when I actually look at the buildings I see both the number and the advertising. You need to ring to enter the office because the door is locked. I suppose they vet you before they open the door. Anyway Roberto a very kind man helped me change the departure date for the cheapest possible cost. I will need to return to Madrid but that is not hard as there are plenty of cheap flights around Europe. Mission accomplidhed eventually. The metro was easy to use and cheap, € 2. 

Now I have to find my way to lunch with the Diverbo English program people at the opposite end of town. Roberto says to take a bus but I figured I had the time so I would walk and in the process see more of Madrid. I haven't quite got the sense of North South yet but nevertheless  I feel confident and only need to check once I am heading in the right direction. I am wearing my new Geox shoes and I develop a blister of all things.  There are usually farmacias ( pharmacies) on every corner but not now of course. Eventually close to my destination I find one and buy some compeeds. She also speaks English though showing the blister explains all. The angels are watching over me today. 

There is a small group of English speakers outside the restaurant and we introduce ourselves. It seems like a good group. Several Americans, Canadians, Brits and Aussies. One from the Gold Coast and one from Melbourne. We have lunch and I spill wine on the Aussies who are sitting opposite. I don't know what happened. Talk about how to win friends and influence people. It is a cheerful lunch and we retire upstairs for an introduction talk and some Flamenco dancing and music. After the show I go off with three Americans, Campbell the social worker, Lawrie an ex marketing teacher and Paul who has been travelling around Europe.  They are of varying ages but younger than me by many years. Some in the larger group are going to do a Tapas crawl tonight but I am not so keen. I have been in Spain long enough to not feel like I am missing out.  I have to be up early and I would like to book a flight from Turin to Madrid.