This was one of those "Guardian" deals, where we can rely on being cossetted. We arrived at Heathrow at about 0845. We checked in & chattered to Canadians in the horrendous queue for the X-ray machines, some of which were not working, presumably because it was a Sunday. However, we did not have to take off our shoes although some did. Then, there was the ordeal by hypermarket. There is now (this is Terminal 3) a huge shopping area before you get a sniff of somewhere to eat. Although I later spotted an Eat, the 1st we came across was a TGI Fridays, where we had a mediocre breakfast for a whopping £17.06, which I had in change, so no tip! There was another huge queue at gate 11 & we were given a forceful reminder all told, of why we dislike airports, apart from the Green Deficit. The flight was smooth enough but we were in row 30 of an A330, so the pong of the loos leaked over us. Madrid airport is a very different beast from when I had that business trip. It is two very long buildings & we were at one end, despite being on an Iberia flight. It was a long walk to the middle where one went down to the baggage & another long walk to find which reclaim to go to. We got on the coach but were last, so over the engine at the back. The countryside is not that thrilling between Madrid & Salamanca. Much seems either rocky or with very thin soil, rolling with the odd range of hills, often with lines of wind turbines along the top. It was usually hard to tell the sheep from the rocks: same colour. We stopped at a services, where we had rather good focaccia butties with ham & tuna, swapping half way & beers, E13.05.

At Salamanca, the hotel is built round ruins & facing the two attached cathedrals. The rep is a middle-aged FOB called Fiona & very solicitous. She must have met a lot of tossers on these trips. Right, so we have a coffee each (E 3.60) & wait for the lift queue to clear, get to our room (austere but big), wash a bit, change & the rain buckets down as if there was no tomorrow. So, no walk into the city & look for dinner. We got together with a pair of sisters, Jackie, very bright, works at GCHQ & still married & younger Val, who is divorced. We have dinner, set menu at E18 but I don't know yet how much the wine lake is & a generally enjoyable evening.

Day 2 - Salamanca

Day 3 - Segovia

Day 4 - In Madrid

Day 5 - Aranjuez

Day 6 - Toledo

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