making the flight to spain

Our trip to Spain started with a delay, as all great travel adventures do. The flight was overbooked, and the airline went full game show host trying to get volunteers to stay behind. They started at “$500 and a hotel stay,” worked their way to “$1,200 cash plus food vouchers,” and still no one budged. Eventually, they had to pull two unlucky passengers off the flight, which meant we all sat there, staring at each other, while someone rooted around in the cargo hold for their luggage. Riveting entertainment, let me tell you.

The flight itself? A tumbling tour through turbulence town (yes I know, thank you, thank you). We bounced. We jostled. At one point, I think I may have briefly defied gravity. The pilot’s valiant attempts to find smooth air were, let’s just say, unsuccessful. Sleep was my goal, but turbulence and sleep don’t get along, so I spent most of the 8+ hours in that awful half-conscious limbo where you feel like you’re dreaming but actually, you’re just staring at the back of the seat in front of you.

When we landed in Madrid at around 8:00 AM local time, I was running on pure adrenaline and the faint hope of Spanish coffee. Customs was surprisingly painless—I’ve had more hassle getting into a concert than I did entering Spain. Before long, Susanna met us in arrivals, her energy far outshining our travel-weary faces, and shepherded us to a waiting bus.

The bus took us on a whirlwind drive through the city as we headed toward our hotel. Our rooms weren’t ready yet (of course), but they’d kindly set aside three rooms for us to stash our luggage and splash some water on our faces. It wasn’t quite the revitalizing power nap I craved, but it would have to do. Madrid wasn’t going to wait for us to wake up.

We started our tour with some iconic sights:

• The Royal Palace: It’s massive, majestic, and looks exactly like the kind of place where someone would dramatically yell, “Off with their head!”

• Plaza de la Armería: Big courtyard vibes. It’s the kind of place you imagine riding a horse through while shouting, “For the kingdom!”

• Plaza Mayor: A historic square full of charming old buildings and probably 50% of Madrid’s pigeons.

For lunch, we headed to the rooftop of El Corte Inglés, a department store that feels like Macy’s but with more flair (and tapas). While some people browsed the store, I decided to stretch my legs and explore the surrounding streets. I didn’t find anything to buy, but I did see a dog in a little sweater and honestly, that was better than any souvenir.

After lunch, we strolled through Parque de El Retiro, Madrid’s central park. It’s full of fountains, statues, and beautiful tree-lined paths that practically beg you to slow down and just enjoy the moment.

We wandered until dusk started to creep in, at which point exhaustion was winning the battle. Back at the hotel, we finally got to claim our rooms and properly freshen up. I’ll be rooming with Luke for the next 10 days—fingers crossed he’s a quiet sleeper, or else this trip might turn into a snore-off.

Dinner was the grand finale of the day. We went to Las Cuevas del Duque, a charming little restaurant that felt like the perfect introduction to Spanish cuisine. The food was great.

By the time we stumbled back to the hotel, full and happy, my bed was calling louder than ever. Day 1 in Spain was a success, turbulence and all. Bring on Day 2!