Day 1

We arrived safely in Barcelona last night. Sadly without Suzanne - we miss you and are thinking of your gran as she goes into hospital!

We caught our flight - just. Nearly lost one wheelchair cushion in Heathrow (NOT Sparks', but Alan's). Ryan and Kathleen ran back, found it, and we were reunited at security having convinced the assistance folk to wait as we had 2 more of our family (they insisted all 10 were related)! Met up with Tetsuya and family in lounge, having again persuaded the assistance folk that we wanted to wait in Starbucks, rather than in a small lounge set aside for passengers with mobility problems. Plane to Barcelona delayed by an hour.

Arrived and bade farewell to Tetsuya and family and Ha (who has deserted us to stay with her sister).

Met our taxis...they had waited for an hour and charged for it instead of checking flight! We squeezed into two taxis (9 of us in 8 seats - thank goodness Sparks travels with her own)!

Flats are 80% accessible. The step at the front door will never be the same...and the door frames in the flats??? Well, with 2 wheelchairs and a scooter, we may be instituting a new architectual feature in Goudie's Barcelona.

The team hit bed at 1am after a Spanish tea at midnight! Woke after 10 to find Rolf had brought breakfast in. Sparks and Christine appeared at 1 pm!

Sparks has been practicing her talk with Rachel who hadn't heard it. When reflecting on the acting, Rachel declared "I don't do drama!" 10 minutes later..."I have been fooled into being in your drama!"

Hitting the Goudie Park later for ice cream!