My adventure trip to Spain

Dear everybody,

there are so many of you asking how I was and what happened to me, that I decided I better post it in my website. Thank you to so many of you who have contacted and asked, I was so overwhelmed and busy that I couldn’t write a personal reply.

As some of you may know, I was already very worried about the pandemic and how it was spreading in London. I contacted RBKC twice to call attention about it, as I was not sure we should continue with rehearsals, and it finally was the case they where cancelled.

I cant really explain how is it to have to be making provision for this whilst organising a matrimonial separation and a move to Spain in April because of my father’s health. It’s been double or triple hard, first emotionally but also for practical reasons: I was not staying at my home since mid January. I have to thank and I will be forever grateful to the Sing to Live member who hosted me for almost a month (you know who you are!–I’m not sure you want I disclose your name), and after that I spent some time in an Airbnb, as I needed to be close to Richmond to prepare the boxes.

As time was passing, I was realising I should leave sooner of what I was projecting; it all felt like I should rush, and also I was very concerned about leaving my son behind. Alvaro is just 18 and very unaware of what he should be doing when I told him it would be best he leaves the country, because if something happened to him, he would be without his mother or father or anyone from his family. I was sad that he decided he wanted to stay in London for some time.

But this sadness turned into panic when we where getting closer to the time and I understood that either Spain or UK could close their borders, and he could be locked in the UK without any family. On March 16, the Spanish government announced the closing of its land borders, allowing only citizens, residents and others with special circumstances to enter the country. I was by then staying in Airbnb and doing my best to make him understand it would be best that he comes with me. I was also urging the RBKC to consider whether it was worth the risk of continuing with rehearsals. When I was told that rehearsals where finally cancelled, I bought my ticket to Spain for the 18th March (Wednesday), but realising that it would be too late for me to reach Madrid, because Madrid is shutdown and also because the delicate state of health of my father would put him even more at risk if I go to my parents house and I carry any viral load.

So I really have to leave soon. If I fell ill, I didn’t have a home where to stay and isolate myself, and I couldn’t afford that, I don’t know what the provision would be for that, so I had to leave, and instead of going to Madrid I should go to Almeria, in Andalusia, where I have an aunt who said she was delighted to have me locked down with her if I can reach. I would fly first to Madrid and two hours later take a plane for Almeria. Still I was upset about leaving my son behind. I had allocated six days to make my boxes and get all my stuff together, but I had to do all this work just in two days. I have left a lot of things behind and take a lot of executive decisions on what to take and what I have time to pack.

Finally in the last moment I managed to make my son understand that he had to leave the UK before this gets worse and travelling is impossible. He accepted and I went to buy him a ticket to fly with me. This was impossible, no more tickets where sold for my trip.

This made things more complicated, as I had to be browsing internet for a long time trying to buy other tickets, but as I was paying for them, I would get a pop up notice saying “this flight is now complete”, and I wouldn’t be able to purchase anything!!!

Finally I was lucky. As I was trying to get him into ANY part of Spain, I managed to buy him a flight to Alicante. Not Almeria, but once he has crossed the border, I would manage to find a way to bring him to Almeria.

It seemed that I had everything organised. But I still had to do it!

And this was only the start!

So on the 18th I get to Heathrow airport. My flight had been cancelled. I feel borders will close soon. I stayed at the desk trying every possible combination, and finally got a ticket for Madrid, the most contaminated area in Spain. I would have to stay there overnight, and then get another flight to Almeria for the morning after. This means I would have to find a hotel, as I couldn’t get to my parents because of risk of contamination.

Notice how some people dress at the airport (Heathrow). And he was not the only one!

When I arrived to Madrid I was so shocked. I know this could happen in London in a couple of weeks, maybe less. Every shop is closed. Only chemists and supermarkets are open, but in order to get in, you must queue and be at 2 metres from anyone.

I queued for 1 hour to buy food. Police arrived and complained that we where not at 2 meters. There was a family with 2 kids. They sent the mother and kids home. Only one family member can shop. I found there where so many rules and profilactic measures I had never been told about!

I went to my hotel and ate the food, and yesterday, the 19th I took my second flight. I was very lucky because when I landed I realised that every other flight to Almeria that day had been cancelled.

But I was concerned about leaving my son behind, and worried about if he would make it, as I knew there had been planes forced to turn back and not able to land. Fortunately he boarded and was on his way to Alicante.

I really need to sleep!

I was by then already very exhausted. I tried to find ways for my son to get to Almeria, but the bus didn’t feel like a safe option. No trains. I tried to find a taxi to collect him from one city to the other, but nobody would want to do this. Only a taxi driver who was locked at home but was a good friend of my aunt accepted to do this drive, from Almeria to Alicante and back. This is 186 miles each way. Only an hour before leaving, the taxi driver expressed his concern about the road situation: there is police and the army in the streets and they stop cars in case that was not essential movement, and it might be difficult for him to justify that move. So I had to go with him to explain in case we are stopped by them, explain that I am the mother and that my son was working in UK and run out of money and had to come back.

However, we leant when we started out way, that this was now illegal. It is not allowed to go three people in a car, so we where risking being stopped and them asking me to get off the car. Still worth the risk, as I couldn’t figure out any other way.

Yes, the tins where previously disinfected

We have been very lucky, as this worked out to plan. The taxi driver was a bit nervous about driving people who just arrived from London, but still did a fabulous job and now I am locked down in isolation in Almeria, together with my son, in relative safety.

Now the rules here are totally different. When I arrived to my aunt’s house, I had to remove all clothes and take a shower in hot water then put on clean clothes that I had to borrow. Suitcase is disinfected, all clothes are washed in hot water, shoes shouldn’t get inside the house. Nobody should be in the streets, unless you are going to buy food or to the chemist, and you must show your ticket to prove you really did that. Police and the Legion are on the streets to ensure that, and to control entry to supermarkets. Supermarkets are stocked and you can find almost everything because it is controlled who comes in, the separation distance between people, and they make sure you won’t be hoarding. You must take your own bag with you, and when you arrive home after shopping, put the bag to the wash if it’s made of cloth.

Every day at 12pm the church bells ring for the ill and for the dead. Every day at 8pm people is out of the balconies (not throwing themselves, eh!) and out of the windows, to applaud to the healthcare personnel, and sometimes, to sing. We all already know this, but this is one more of the moments in which you realise how much singing gives you strength and puts people together, and whilst we can’t hug each other, we can reach each other far with the gift of our voices.

Isolation means isolation: empty streets.

I can’t believe this is happening, but I would really want to be back in the UK to live, if I manage to organise it and once my family has been sorted and assisted. After all, now I am British, and I am possibly not the same person who left Spain in 2012.

Keep singing,

and take a lot of care of yourselves.

I would love to see you again when all this shit is over.

Warm virtual hugs for all,

Maria xxx

Comments

  1. Fraser Borwick says:

    My goodness! What a fantastic story! You have a possible film script there! It was so exciting to read what happened next. I am so glad you are home safe now. Here we are catching up with Spain as our pathetic and hopeless PM wakes up to reality. He has learned about “testing”!! This is a novel process by which you find out who has the virus.it has just dawned on Boris as he is a slow learner and takes too many drugs! Will keep in touch with you and we’ll meet again don’t know where,don’t know when…. love graser

  2. Paul Jelley says:

    Oh Maria, such an exhausting and highly anxious time for you! I’m so glad you managed to get at least a portion of your life under some sort of control.
    We’re expecting stringent controls to be enforced in London any day now, in fact I’m surprised it hasn’t already happened.
    Best wishes for the future and I hope to see you in London again some day!

  3. Maggie says:

    Stay well my friend.
    We’ll be here when you come back to London.
    And we’ll be singing just as badly as you remember!

  4. Yolande Fernando says:

    Hello Maria, glad that you and your son are back safely in Spain!
    I agree with Fraser, there’s a possible film script here!
    As Maggie added we’ll be here when you eventually come back to London and possibly singing
    even more out of tune than we used to, ah ah!
    Take care!
    Yolande xx

  5. LINDA WALLIS says:

    So relieved to know you made it, Maria. What a nightmare!
    Thank you for this fabulous report, taking us through all your experiences.
    I hope you and your family are managing to stay well and hope we can all get together when you come back to London.
    Linda xx

  6. David Cornish says:

    Your adventure was an amazing series of events in very strange times.
    I am glad you found ways to deal with those things and hope that you all are safe and well.
    I am focused on Spain’s situation, as my daughter is there. She has the advantage of some outdoor space at her house and she can legally walk round the block, as long as she takes her dog. On her last walk she witness a person being fined for not using the nearest bakery to his home. The school, where her friend was compelled to teach, after it should have closed, was fined 10,000 euros!
    We have valued you immensely as our singing teacher, clearly the best in RBKC. A wonderful unassuming professionalism and an ability to join us in having fun.
    I hope we will all meet again when you return to London.
    Con mucho aprecio David

  7. Maria Soriano says:

    Having a dog is nowadays an amazing resource to go out! Perhaps you know that a group of people where detained in Alicante because they where all walking the same dog!
    I am safe, although I don’t have a terrace or garden, so must be indoors all the time. It’s hard at times, but worse is the situation out there, so we can say we are lucky after all.
    Thank you so much to all for your wonderful comments, and I will keep in touch!
    Keep safe!
    (Will email soon x).

  8. Prof June Boyce-tillman says:

    Dear Maria
    Such courage you have shown and such initiative. Your devoted attention to your son is so moving. You are in my thoughts and prayers as a valued and wise friend. Sending you many blessings from the house wherever shared the last celebration. June

  9. Stephen Roberts says:

    What an ordeal you have been through. It must have been a terribly stressful and anxious time. I am so pleased that you have somehwere safe to stay with your son. Thank you for posting this. It is a salutary reminder of quicly the extraordinary has become normal. I hope you all stay well. God bless you.

  10. Lieve Carchon says:

    Sent you an extensive e-mail Maria before I noticed this way of commenting.
    To all our fellow singers: keep being creative, just online now and clap tonight at your front door

    Lieve

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