Two friends jetted off to Spain for a whirlwind day trip and it cost less than £120.
Helen Dalling joined pal Alina Durrington, 50, for a 16-hour trip to Palma as a belated birthday getaway.
They flew out at 8am and returned the same night, squeezing in sightseeing, swimming, tapas and even some sweet treats.
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And despite packing in a full holiday experience, the total cost per person came in at roughly £117 -£137 each.
I love going somewhere new and although I have been to Mallorca a few times, never actually visited Palma itself before,” Helen, who is from Milton Keynes, told What’s The Jam.
“Plus it was my friend’s 50th birthday in December and she wanted to join me on one of my ‘crazy day trips’ as part of her year of birthday treats.”
Sharing the best things about her trip, the 55-year-old added: “The fun of jumping on a plane for a day trip, getting some sun, swimming in the sea and eating great food and drink.
“We talked for about 21 hours straight – and not about work.”
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Helen, who is head of employer engagement at a university, says the two arrived in Palma to 22 degree weather and enjoyed a “blue sky all day.”
The friends flew from Luton Airport at 8am and arrived in Palma by 12pm, where they took a bus into the city.
Their return flight wasn’t until 11.25pm, allowing them to arrive home in the UK around 12.30am.
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EasyJet flights were snapped up for £53 return per person, though Helen used a £20 credit voucher on hers and managed to get the cost down to £33.
Parking at Luton airport cost them £15 each, while the bus to and from the airport in Palma set them back €10 (around £8.63).
Once in Mallorca, the two made the most of their limited time.
They spent the day visiting a cathedral, which cost them €11 (around £9.49), walking around the harbour, enjoying tapas, pastries and iced coffee.
Altogether, they spent around £55 each on food and drink, including items picked up in the airport.
Helen said: “The biggest challenge was going full authentic Spanish and ordering cuttlefish with black ink rice for our lunch main course but it was a step too far.
“We couldn’t eat it despite being adventurous with our food taste.
“We had black mouths and teeth.”
The friends spent the rest of the day exploring the city, visiting a sky bar restaurant for lunch, heading to the beach to swim and even stopping for iced coffee at a beach bar.
Despite only being in Spain for a matter of hours and needing to get up early the next day for work, Helen says she’d definitely do it again.
She added: “I’m always buzzing after a day trip and even though I didn’t get home until 2am, I was awake before my alarm at 7am alarm for work.
“I was tired by the end of the day but fine.
“I would definitely do it again, it’s a great way to visit countries you’d never visit by going on one holiday a year.
“Last year I visited seven new countries and it’s liberating.”
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