Known Each Other for 5 Weeks and Missed a Flight Home

Peter and I had known each other for just a few weeks when he suggested a trip together. Totally spontaneous for me (Chloe), but I really liked him, so I thought, why not?

Living in Cornwall, our options flying out of Newquay were limited, but Peter found some great weekend return flights to Malaga, and I booked the Airbnb.

We left Thursday after work, landed that evening, and I popped my hire car cherry - a BMW! From there, we drove to Benalmádena, went for tapas, and enjoyed our first evening discovering a new city together.

Day 1: City Views & Steak

The next day, we headed into the city, and Peter surprised me with incredible views from the castle. Afterwards, we went for a steak dinner where he schooled me on Argentina and their amazing red wine.

Day 2: Secret Road Trip

The following morning (or, let’s be honest, afternoon), we grabbed a snack at McDonald’s before Peter whisked me off on another secret trip. There’s definitely a theme in these blogs…

We drove about two hours through the mountains, taking in the breathtaking scenery as the sun began to set, before arriving in Ronda, a hidden gem in the heart of Spain. We found an amazing tapas spot, enjoyed the views, and soaked up the nightlife.

By 3am, we were driving back to Benalmádena. On the way, we stopped to look at the stars, where I spotted my very first frying pan constellation; a memory I won’t forget!

Day 3: Little Venice & Flight Fiasco

Sunday rolled around after our late-night antics. We got up just in time to check out, wandered through a spot we like to call “Little Venice”, grabbed ice cream, and watched the fish swim in the marina.

Then we headed back to the airport, returned the car, only to discover our flight was delayed by four hours. No problem — we grabbed a taxi to a bar with a view before heading back.

Faffing around duty-free, spraying perfume and picking up a few things, we suddenly noticed the flight went from “go-to-gate” to final call. We rushed, only to be told the flight was full and had departed — strange, because we weren’t even on it!

Stranded, But Smiling

It wasn’t ideal, but instead of arguing, we sat down and problem-solved. Peter figured out the insurance claim while I found us a new place to stay for the night.

We ended up booking a new flight for Tuesday, with a 6-hour layover in Belfast.

Those extra days? Perfect. We got to know each other even better, explored the cathedral, and enjoyed even more tapas. Sometimes, missing a flight is exactly the kind of unexpected twist that makes a trip unforgettable.