07/09/2024
On Saturday, Monty and his friends began their journey to the South Terminal of Gatwick, heading for the Hilton Hotel for an overnight stay, ahead of the early 06:00 flight the following morning. With everything packed and ready, the group felt well-prepared for the adventure that lay ahead.
The journey up from the Isle of Wight went without a hitch. After a smooth crossing on the Wightlink Ferry “Victoria of Wight”, Monty and his companions made their way up the A3 and joined the M25, avoiding the more scenic, yet roundabout-heavy, route. Monty had wisely chosen the path this time, cutting the usual 23 roundabouts down to just 7 – a much more moose-friendly option!
Upon arriving at the airport, Monty headed straight to the car drop-off area in the Orange Car Park, Level 1. There, the luggage was unloaded, and Monty handed the car keys to the ever-friendly Maple Parking attendants, who took care of the vehicle with a smile.
With all the bags loaded onto trolleys, Monty and his friends made their way up the enclosed ramp from the car park to the hotel. Check-in was smooth and straightforward, and within minutes, Monty was in his room.
Rather than risk a morning scramble, Monty and his companions wisely decided to keep their trolleys in the hotel room, ensuring they wouldn’t have to go searching for them the next morning while managing their luggage. Always a practical moose, Monty preferred things to run like clockwork!
After a brief refresh, Monty and the group ventured back down to reception and decided to pop over to the terminal for a snack while they awaited the arrival of a few more friends, who were travelling slightly later.
A few hours passed before Monty received word that the second group was nearly at the airport, so Monty and his friends returned to the car park to meet up with them.
Once the rest of the group was checked in, they all gathered at the hotel’s restaurant for a delightful evening meal. The dinner was filled with laughter, shared stories of their journeys, and growing excitement for the holiday ahead.
As the night wore on, it was finally time to return to their rooms for some well-earned sleep. However, it wouldn’t be a long rest—alarms were already set for 3 a.m., signalling the early start to their next big adventure.
08/09/2024
Awoken at 03:00 by the shrill call of the alarm, Monty and his friends reluctantly shuffled out of bed. A quick shower and a change into travel attire later, they were ready to leave the hotel room. As they stepped outside, they were immediately met with the chaotic fury of the weather – torrential rain poured from the sky, accompanied by thunder and flashes of lightning. It’s not exactly the most inviting start to a travel day.
Despite the wild storm, the route to the terminal from the hotel was all undercover, and once at the terminal, check-in was fairly quick. Monty and his companions sailed through the process with no issues, and security was equally swift – in under five minutes, they were through and into the relative calm of the terminal. Once past duty-free, they made a beeline for “Lounge 1,” where they planned to fuel up on a hearty breakfast.
At 04:54, the gate announcement came through – it was time to head to gate 27. They gathered their belongings and made their way to the gate, anticipating the flight ahead.
Once on board and settled into their extra legroom seats (a must for a moose and his tall companions), the flight took off smoothly. The journey was mostly uneventful, with the flight lasting 1 hour and 58 minutes from wheels up to touch down. However, the last 20 minutes brought an unwelcome surprise – turbulence. The captain advised all passengers to take their seats immediately, and Monty’s crew braced for the bumpy descent. The plane shook noticeably as it came to land, but fortunately, no harm was done.
They landed in Majorca in wet conditions, as the island had been hit by overnight storms. Still, the Spanish side of the journey proved efficient – security was quick, and passport control, with the mandatory stamping of documents, was done in a flash. Baggage reclaim, however, took a bit longer than expected, but nothing to cause a significant delay.
By 11:07, Monty and his companions were on their way to the hotel, enjoying a relaxed journey in a spacious 7-seater private transfer minicab. Monty had wisely decided long ago to skip the standard included coach transfer, which would have involved a tedious three-hour tour of every hotel along the route – not ideal for an eager traveller. Instead, just under 1 hour was on the cards.
Arriving at the hotel, Monty was pleased to be back in block E, though he wasn’t in the same room as last year. However, the second floor, the middle one, was perfectly suitable. It still offered a lovely view of the sea rather than the pool, which Monty always preferred. A peaceful spot to kick off another grand holiday!
