From Barcelona to Mallorca, with an oops in between

I wander back to the Gothic Quarter. It is hot. It is wonderful.

I stop and have a coffee/croissant/OJ combo (4.90 Euro) at a cafe called Forns del Pi. Delicious, and the OJ is freshly squeezed. I am guided to put my money into a machine which spits out my change - a hassle-free and handle-free cash payment without room for error. Or is there ...!?

There are no masks, plenty of staff, a huge selection of bakery items and a relaxed ambience. It fuels me for the rest of my day. 

I walk through the Gothic alleyways, walk down this lane and up that one. Pop into a few shops, including one that sells bags and accessories made from cork which draws me in. I spot a glasses case with a strap that I figure could be useful to throw over my person - given I'm constantly changing from sunglasses to varifocals to reading glasses, this could streamline the process while travelling. I look but don't buy and carry on. 

I pop into a rather lovely cathedral. Given I'm short on time, I may not get to the main one so this one will do very nicely for a dose of cool contemplation.

I figure I've got time for a quick Metro trip to Barceloneta to see the marina and beach area. It's only one stop away and I have some spare rides on my Metro ticket to use up. After a quick walk around the area in extreme heat, and a trundle along behind a guy rifling through bins and collecting junk in his trolley (there is a lot of this going on), I return to the pleasance of the Gothic quarter for my final amble back to my hostal to collect my bags and head for the airport. 

Could be Auckland!?

En route back to my hostal, my gut tells me to go buy that cork glasses case. My head says no. My gut is almost screaming at me - "just go buy it". My head says I really don't need it. And I don't. This battle between mind and gut continues until I find myself outside the cork place - somewhat of a surprise given there are many shops along all these little lanes. "Go inside and buy it," confirms gut. I follow the very clear internal instructions. 

I'm at the counter, with my glasses case now nicely stowed in a paper bag. I delve into my bag to get my wallet - it's an over-the-shoulder travel bag that is small yet spacious, is easy to clutch tight to the body, and has a strap that apparently cannot be sliced by some madman on a scooter out to steal your belongings as he whizzes by. I purchased this bag in Oamaru, NZ! 

I delve deeper. And deeper. And then I find myself in the serious depths of despair. My wallet is NOT THERE!!! 

I search every pocket of the bag. Shit shit shit. Where the hell is it? I am feeling sick and the young shop girl feels my horror. How can this be, I have clutched this bag tightly all day. The wallet doesn't contain a lot of cash but it has my cards. I pull some cash from another compartment of my bag (never keep all cash in same wallet!), pay for my sunglass case, and hurry out of the place. What to do? Shit, what to do? I have to get an Uber to the airport and time is ticking ... but now I have a mess on my hands! And a cork sunglass case I don't need!

This is a serious travel drama I could do without but panicking is not the answer. Be calm, think things through. Okay, so I know for sure that I had my wallet when I purchased my coffee etc earlier at the machine. I step myself through every movement since. There's no way anyone could have pilfered that wallet, given my arms had been wrapped around the bag the whole time. They would have had to slice my arms off to get near it. 

Could it have fallen out when I pulled my phone out to take photos?

Could a crook with unfathomable sleight of hand ability actually been able to catch me off guard?

Could it be at cafe Forns del Pi?

I retrace my steps to the cafe, endlessly glad that I have remembered the name and general whereabouts of the place (always make a mental note of these things - or take a photo). I make a few wrong turns but eventually I see the sign on the pavement. I'm surprised at my calmness and have everything crossed for a good outcome. 

I enter, and the nice man who served me earlier is busy with the coffee machine, his back to me. I catch his attention, he turns around and there is something about the look on his face that makes my heart skip a beat - I think it's in a good way but I'm not certain yet. 

"I was in here earlier ..." I begin. He is already reaching to the top of a shelf with a broad smile and there, safely hidden behind a small plant, is my LITTLE RED WALLET!!!! Sheer relief floods over me and I claim him as my hero. He tells me he had found it beneath the seat where I sat - quite how it got there I have no idea, and I am disgusted at myself, but there is no time for dwelling on the "how" or "shame" of it all - I have a plane to catch!

And a HUGE smile on my face. That little wallet is safely back where it belongs and I don't need to phone the bank or approach one of those policemen! Phew.

I return to my hostal to pick up my bags, take a quick final photo of Las Ramblas from the hotel balcony, and book an Uber to the airport. 

Uh-oh, the Uber is stuck in a Las Ramblas traffic shambles - it takes about 15 minutes to make the final 500m to where I am waiting with my luggage. I've checked in online, know the airport isn't too far and have allowed plenty of time - but I could have done without an Uber holdup on top of a wallet drama!

Eventually my ride arrives and my very lovely driver - originally from Georgia (she holidayed here 8 years earlier and simply never left) - assures me I'll be fine. She is right and I enter the airport to find ... uh-oh, a massive queue. Please, please, please don't let that be my bag-drop. Phew, it is not. 

I am flying Air Europa and their check-in area is around the corner. There is not a soul there and the very nice woman relieves me of my suitcase and off I go, with plenty of time to spare. 

The plane is on time (as they all seem to be), getting through security is as swift and easy as an international airport gets, and soon enough I am at my gate which is, very handily, the first one in Section C. The long walks to and from gates in some of these airports can be ... very long!

I am in seat 3C, Zone 4 and, being at the front of the plane I am among the last to board. I am pleased to note that seat 3C is a Business Class seat which I wasn't expecting (there are five Biz Class rows at the front). I did not book a Business Class seat, and I did not pay extra for seat selection; it is what was delivered to me during online check-in and it is a pleasant surprise. Pity the flight is only 30 minutes duration - there is no food or drink service, although this does enable, for a short time, enjoyment of the extra few inches of space these front seats provide. 

My Air Europa Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca flight is possibly the easiest and most pleasant up-and-down short-hop one I have ever experienced. Start to finish, there is no sign whatsoever of delays, cancelled flights, ensuing chaos or disgruntled passengers. This airport and aircraft experience was as streamlined as they come. 

And now I am safely and happily in Mallorca ...

OBSERVATION OF THE DAY:
Sometimes buying things can save you from disaster - as was the case with my cork sunglass case. If I hadn't listened to my gut and gone and bought it, I would have arrived in Mallorca completely unaware I had lost my wallet. I'd had no need for it at all, given I'd already paid for my hotel and Uber is booked and paid for on app. 

In essence, my cork purchase and associated horrific discovery enabled me to be reunited with my missing wallet with minimal drama. 

Imagine if I'd gone to buy a beer in Mallorca and ... OMG NO!!!!! That would have been a true travel disaster instead of a hiccup. 

Morals of the story ...
- Buy something often - if only just to check your wallet is where it should be!
- Always listen to your gut!