Two close friends from Gateshead took a day off for a whistle-stop one-day trip to a coastal retreat in Spain. Lorraine Brown, 51, and Julie Wallace, 41, conceived the unconventional plan while discussing over coffee how overwhelmed they felt and how urgently they required a break.
They jetted off to Alicante for just 13 hours before heading back home the same evening. Rather than arranging a conventional holiday, Julie hunted for budget flights and, in 10 minutes, the pair had organised an "extreme day trip" to Spain.
Cheaper than a UK day out
The friends departed from Newcastle International Airport with Jet2 at 6am before catching a Ryanair 10.55pm flight home that same night. The excursion set them back roughly £200 each, covering return flights, airport transfers, taxis, meals and drinks.
"Julie and I were sitting one day talking about how we need to lie on a beach," Lorraine, from Gateshead, said. "Julie, then came up with low cost flights. Alicante has everything close by the airport, the beach, restaurants and shops and it was exactly what we needed. I believe it's cheaper than a day out in the UK by the time you've booked a train."
From bacon sandwiches to beach bars
Horse riding coach Lorraine and hairdresser Julie travelled with nothing more than cabin bags they had bought online, allowing them to breeze through security after reaching Newcastle Airport at approximately 3.45am. Before boarding, they shared a bottle of Prosecco and tucked into bacon sandwiches to kick off their adventure.
Upon touching down in Alicante, they made a beeline for the beach. They popped into a nearby shop for sun cream and refreshments before settling onto a pair of hired sun loungers beneath a parasol. Rather than rushing around tourist attractions, they devoted the whole day to precisely what they'd come for – pure relaxation.
Lorraine said: "Julie had already checked us in as she's the more sensible one in charge of paperwork. Julie had worked out bus times so we hopped straight on which took us to a beach. We had a coffee and some fries sitting outside a local cafe on the beach front.
"We decided to grab a taxi to another beach as there wasn't much on the first one. We nipped in a local shop and bought suntan lotion and some drinks. We literally lay all day in the sun with a few beers and music. We ended up in the beach bar where mojitos were aplenty, then grabbed a taxi to the airport."
Plans for the next trip
The duo estimate they spent roughly £100 each throughout their Spanish jaunt, covering meals, drinks, taxis and beach necessities. Despite having only known each other for around a year and never previously having holidayed together, the spontaneous getaway has already sparked plans for their next trip.
Only their husbands were privy to the trip beforehand, with their children only finding out via FaceTime calls from Spain. Lorraine added: "We only told our husbands. Nobody else knew including our children. It was quite a surprise when they found out. My daughter thought I'd AI'd myself onto the beach so FaceTimed me. My 17 year old twins were mortified and said they should have been able to go - hence why I didn't tell them!"
