Budget traveller's £44 Spanish day trip with Lidl sausage rolls
A resourceful holidaymaker has demonstrated how to escape Britain's dreary winter weather with an ultra-budget day trip to Spain costing a mere £44, sustaining himself with supermarket sausage rolls and refillable water.
The £44 escape plan
Aleksander Sikora, a 41-year-old father-of-two from Farnham in Surrey, grew tired of England's persistent rainfall and decided to search for an affordable getaway. After scouring budget airline websites, he secured return flights to Malaga for just £32, booking approximately one month before his January 31 departure.
The determined traveller planned every aspect of his excursion to minimise costs, rising at 3am for his 6:50am WizzAir flight from Gatwick. His total expenditure broke down as follows:
- Return flights to Malaga: £32
- Daily parking at Gatwick: £11
- Eight-pack of Lidl sausage rolls: £1
- Total: £44
He avoided any overnight accommodation by scheduling his entire adventure within a single day, driving the hour-long journey from Farnham to Gatwick and back.
A day of sunshine and exploration
Upon arriving in Malaga around 10am, Sikora immediately began exploring the coastal area, carrying only a rucksack containing his passport, water bottle, Lidl sausage rolls, and a drone for capturing footage.
"I told myself when I booked the flights that I wanted to keep my costs to the minimum," explained Sikora, who works as a retail employee trainer. "I bought some sausage rolls and a bottle of water from Lidl the day before, and just ate and drank those in the day."
He spent approximately five hours wandering through the neighbouring town of Guadalmar, located just a short walk from Malaga Airport, enjoying 19-degree sunshine completely devoid of the rain plaguing England.
Coastal discoveries and unexpected sights
During his 15-kilometre exploration, Sikora ambled along picturesque shorelines, visited the Plaza Mayor shopping centre with its art exhibitions, and even stumbled upon a nudist beach.
"I was just exploring for the day," he recounted. "I just walked around the area, I wanted to see something new. I even passed a nudist beach. Although the water was too cold even for them to swim in."
The traveller captured stunning aerial footage with his drone, basked in the Mediterranean warmth, and described the atmosphere as "totally different to the UK."
The perfect return journey
After his day of exploration, Sikora walked back to Malaga Airport for his 4:50pm Vueling return flight, arriving at Gatwick by 7:30pm and reaching home in Farnham by 8:30pm.
The journey concluded with what Sikora described as the perfect ending: "After a day in the sun, the best thing was when the pilot announced there was heavy rain back in the UK. I knew then that I hadn't wasted the day. Everything was perfect."
He arrived home feeling refreshed and satisfied, having experienced what he considers "the cheapest way to spend time abroad."
Inspiring budget travel
Sikora, who originally hails from Silesia in south-west Poland, now encourages others to attempt similar affordable adventures.
"I recommend everyone does this kind of day trip at least once in their life," he urged. "It must be the cheapest way to spend time abroad. I just spent the whole day exploring a beautiful seaside spot - I did lots of steps but it was so relaxing. The views were the best thing. The south of Spain is just amazing."
His experience demonstrates how determined travellers can escape British weather without breaking the bank, proving that international day trips remain accessible even during challenging economic times.
