[Desire HD General] Teichopsia:
Trip to Spain

First of all, thank you for your patience MissB.

My trip was pretty much last minute. Hence, everything I did and found out was rushed.

Before heading over to Spain I tried to find the cheapest flight, which ended up having to make a detour through Atlanta (a beautiful airport for us smokers - and from what I could see from the plane, a beautiful city.) - Painfully, it added another 10 hours to being stuck in cramped seats (I'm fairly tall) - but saved me a good 15%-30%when compared to other flights.

I used several websites to find the cheapest ticket, which if you were to plan ahead and check regularly one can find even better deals. The website I ended up using was expedia.com, a North American website which worked without a single hitch.

From the few articles, they mostly recommended to make the currency exchange from your local bank. Make a few calls to find out which one gives the best rates and remember to ask whether they charge a commission. As I left from Spain I noticed a few kiosks which did not charge a commission; however, one could surmise they were taking euros and changing it to some other currency.

Before going, make sure all your credit cards are up to date. As you can guess my debit card had already expired before heading over. There are a lot of places which do not accept credit cards (edit: not that many but don't expect every place to accept a CC), and fewer that accept American Express - the latter tends to be the more expensive places.

Once you have landed at the Barajas Airport in Madrid, you have the choice of either taking the bus or the metro. The cost of the bus is 5euros and I believe the train costs the same. Once the train reaches whichever destination you are going, one would need to get another ticket for the metro.

The bus will drop you off at Cibeles from where you would take any other bus. Each bus stop has a map with the routes of each one.

The metro is fantastic. If you ever get lost just search for the subway(metro) and you'll find your way back easily and/or you can ask random strangers for directions. They all tend to be friendly.

The metro - there are a few good apps with the metro map on the play store. At the metro in any booth they'll hand out free maps as well.

The cost ranges between 1.50-1.75 per ride which allows you to make as many changes as needed to reach your destination with the exception of the trains to and from the airport - these are a separate company from the metro. There is also a ten ticket stub for 12 euros and change - which can also be used with the buses. Once the ticket goes through the machine it will print a number on the back which you can count to keep track of how many trips you have left with that ticket. Every metro station/stop from one another is literally at walking distance. This metro operates only within Madrid. Not all cities have a metro. One final note, if you are ever pressed against time, the time it takes between each station, stopping and people getting on and off is approximately a minute and half.

Cab fares are fairly reasonable - as long as they are short rides.

If you are planning on going to other parts via train, you would search for the company renfe.

If it's via bus - well, that one I can't remember. I believe there are a few bus stations depending on where you are heading.

If you are staying only within Madrid, the metro is all you need. On that note, the metro closes at 1.30am (double check the schedule). At nights there are less trains/metro's operating, longer waits.

What to do in Madrid? It's entirely up to you. There is so much to do and to top it off it's a pedestrian paradise. Museums are free on certain days and times. The parks are beautiful. The food is great and the beer and the wine are cheap. (Yes Glevitan, we ought to go. The women are beautiful as well. Unlike this soggy country I live in.)

Each city will be a different experience. Up in Vigo-Guixar you'll find an island called "Isla cies". It's considered among the most beautiful in the world (as everything it depends on the source - but it is a natures retreat gentle on the soul).

Toledo has a beautiful contrast between the old and the new when you walk along the outside of the walls that surround what once used to be the capital of Spain.

After this trip, my heart is longing to go live in either Spain or Germany(mainly because there are better job opportunities there than in Spain) which I'll probably do some time next year or the following - of course, depending if the opportunity($) arises.

Perhaps we could plan a Eurotrip and the bunch of us could stay over guy's and/or Muikkuman's place Free lodging and food. :p

P.S. I know I focused mainly on the transportation side of the trip. If there is anything you would like to know, feel free to ask.