Alicante, June 2024
Hey, it's Wednesday night, almost June, and I'm buzzing with excitement because I'm Spain-bound in just a couple of days.
I've got The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón to keep me company on the trip, and I'm planning to listen to some crunchy tunes from Botanist's latest album — Paleobotany — to set the mood.
Thursday rolls around, and I'm tossing up whether to chuck a handheld game console into my bag for the flights. I end up packing it, but guess what? Didn't even touch it. Oh well, you live and learn.
Come early Friday, I'm a bit tipsy from wine and staying up late reading. I've got to pack today, and I'm just throwing stuff into my suitcase, no checklist or anything. It's not like me, but hey, sometimes you've just got to roll with the punches. I'm a bit on edge, not gonna lie, so I pop some clonazepam to take it off.
Saturday's here before I know it. It's go-time. I'm all jittery with anticipation and scrambling to get those last few things done. By noon, I'm at the airport, ready to brave the chaos of the international travel cult.
It's Sunday afternoon when I finally land in Alicante, Spain, after a stopover in Frankfurt. Even in business class, I couldn't catch a wink. I'm beat and can't think straight until I've had a shower. I say Alicante, but I'm not exactly in Alicante; my resort's an hour away. It's huge, with all these restaurants and pools, but it feels a bit too polished, a deepfake of sorts, kind of like Disneyland for grown-ups.
That night, after a few drinks, I manage to socialize a bit. When I hit the bed, I'm hit by this wave of thankfulness for the love I've got waiting for me back home. Tomorrow, I'll catch up with work pals and do the whole networking dancing. But first, I need to pass out.
Waking up on day two in Spain, I'm itching to see what's beyond the resort's glossy exterior.
I decide to sneak off to Alicante for a bit. The drive's relaxing, with the Mediterranean sea on one side. I stop at a pharmacy to grab some stuff I forgot, and just walking around the city feels so freeing. It's rough around the edges, and I love it for that.
After running around, I grab a coffee at this little café off the main drag, soaking in the local vibe. It's a short trip, but it's exactly what I needed to remind me what's traveling is about. After a while, I I head back to the resort, deciding to keep my little adventure to myself.
Late at night, I'm in my room, sipping on some Cune Rioja and snacking on sweet roasted almonds. My mind wanders to a recent spat between my parents, and it's got me feeling a bit off. I draw a bath, pop open a small bottle of Spanish Cava, and just try to relax. I've been feeling pretty bad about not getting around to those bedtime stories I promised my little one. I keep telling myself I need some alone time, but I'm starting to wonder if it's really worth it. It's like I'm torn inside, and I can't seem to shake it off.
The rest of my trip was just a whirlwind of meeting people, going to parties, and way too many drinks, with hardly any time to just breathe. It felt like I was getting dragged out every night, and just to end totally wiped out.
When I needed to get away from it all, I'd sneak off to my room and dive into "The Shadow of the Wind". Those quiet moments were like a healing potion, helping me clear my head and get back some peace of mind.
On tough to wake-up mornings, I'd crank up Rotting Christ's latest album. Those riffs were essential as coffee to get me moving and face the day.
Now that I'm back home, it's like I've hit a wall. The jet lag is brutal, and to top it off, I've caught some nasty bug—probably the same thing everyone else got. I'm trying to keep up with work, spend time with the family, and get stuff done around the house, even though I feel like garbage.
Being home is nice and all, but I'm still so tired that everything feels like a huge effort. I just want to crash, but life doesn't stop, you know? Getting back into my regular routine is comforting in a way, but my body's screaming for a break.
And yeah, I'm still hooked on "The Shadow of the Wind". It's such a good read—slow-moving, but the story and characters are so well done. It's my little getaway from feeling so run down, and honestly, I'm dreading the moment I reach the last page.
