Ibiza bound

After an uneventful journey, we arrive at the villa around 7pm to be greeted by the owner, Christine. It’s a traditional Ibizan house with bougainvillea draped over two arched windows, tucked away down a short unsurfaced track on the outskirts of Santa Eularia. The tour reveals a spacious house with generous outside living space and quirky décor – it feels very homely. Two of the bedrooms are separately approached and one of them is tucked right behind the house down a short flight of steps. That's the pink room Xara had her heart set on, but I’m pretty sure Mel won’t be happy to have her so isolated. We prepare Alex for the possibility that he may have to share, but he doesn’t mind at all.

The supermarket will close at 9 and won’t reopen until Monday, so we set off to buy enough groceries to last us until then. We’ve decided on a barbeque in the casita for the first night and Alex is in charge of building the fire. It’s pretty late by the time we eat but Mel is due to arrive just after midnight so there’s no rush. There’s a minor drama when I go to unpack and find a tiny gecko on the ceiling of our room and have to catch it and liberate it in the garden. By 11.30 Alex is beginning to flag and despite our best efforts falls asleep on the sofa.

I’m a little late setting off on the 20 minute drive to the airport and arrive around 12.30 by which time amazingly Mel and Xara are already outside waiting. Xara is very excited but is happy to concede that the pink room should be her dressing room rather than her bedroom; I help her put away her things while Mel unpacks and finally we are all ready for bed.