A pair of best friends have revealed how they nipped to France for lunch and came home the same night.
Mel Evans travelled to Beauvais with her friend and work colleague Joanne Howard, 46.
The 44-year-old managed to snap up return flights from Birmingham for just £48.
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The retail workers set their alarms for 5 am before setting off for Birmingham International Airport at 5:30 am, arriving in time for their 8:45 am Ryanair flight.
They landed at Beauvais Airport at 10:55 am local time and then caught an 85p bus into the town centre.
“We had seven hours to explore before we needed to get the bus back to the airport,” Mel, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, told What’s The Jam.
“The itinerary was to visit the cathedral and wander around the pretty streets and shops, look around the local markets and have some lunch and a drink.
“I love architecture and got lost looking at the cathedral, chateau and old houses.
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“I was in my element.
“When we got there, we headed straight to the market and had a walk around.
“They had fish, meat, clothing, bags, purses and all sorts.
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“We then headed to the cathedral.
“There was a lovely street nearby where I took pictures.
“We walked around the cathedral, then went inside and watched the astronomical clock.
“There was a craft fair, so we bought a few souvenirs for £5.
“We then headed to the Oise museum, which looked like a château from the outside.
“It had beautiful grounds.
“We then headed for lunch in the main square.
“After lunch, we walked around the town some more, stopping in shops and churches.
“We had a £2.50 ice cream, and found a street with old buildings.
“Then we looked around a second market and headed back to the main square for a £2.15 coffee until it was time to head for the bus.”
Their two main meals and two drinks cost £38 before they caught the bus back to the airport and boarded their 10:50 pm flight home.
They landed back in the UK at 11 pm and, after travelling home, Mel was finally in bed by 12:30 am.
Mel and Joanne have been friends for 12 years and have already been on four day trips abroad together to Milan, Bergamo, Alicante and Oslo.
Despite the mammoth day, Mel says everything went according to plan – and she would happily do it all over again.
Mel said: “I’m the planner, and Jo turns up; she’s very happy to go with the flow and my itinerary.
“It works well.
“There were no hiccups at all.”
Mel and Joanne’s trip began on 19 Sept with a £9.50 parking fee at Birmingham International train station, where they left their car for 24 hours before taking the free shuttle to departures.
Their flight took around one hour and 10 minutes, with the pair landing in France just before 11 am local time.
After paying 85p each for the bus into Beauvais, they began exploring the town.
Mel then enjoyed a burger while Joanne had an omelette in the main square alongside two Coke Zeros.
With no delays or other problems, the pair had plenty of time to enjoy their whistle-stop visit before catching the 85p bus back to Beauvais Airport.
The whole trip cost less than £75 each.
They boarded their return flight at 10:50 pm French time before landing back in the UK at 11 pm.
Mel said she was finally back in bed at around 12:30 am – almost 19 hours after waking up.
She said: “At the end of the day, before flopping into bed, I felt very grateful I’d been able to travel.
“The next day is when I feel tired.
“I like that you can explore other countries in a day without having to book annual leave.
“You can explore the world one day at a time.”
Mel and Joanne have more day trips planned for the rest of the year, with France, Italy and Spain all on their travel radar.
Mel added: “We love day trips.
“It gives us something to look forward to, and we have a few more booked for this year.
“Friends and family think it’s great how we nip to France, Italy or Spain just for a day.
“My family call me Judith Chalmers because I’m always away.
“Day trips aren’t for everyone, as they are long days, but for how nice it feels to sit in a local cafe or park in another country makes it all worthwhile.
“I definitely recommend it to anyone.
“My biggest tip is to use a site such as Skyscanner to search for flights.
“Midweek tends to be cheaper than the weekend, and it’s best to book around 12 weeks in advance.”
