Pink Sneakers on the Go: September 2019

Scooting across the runway in Gibraltar

Posted by Nora K ,

“Hey, you fancy dashing across an airstrip for a Guinness?”

An odd question, to say the least, but then, one never knows what sort of hair-raising excursion Travel Bud Oz is apt to suggest. The incessant rain in Spain had been trailing us for three weeks straight and I was a discombobulated mess, whose level of stress had come close to the edge. The daily deluge of hail and sleet had taken its toll on my formerly sunny self and I was desperate to escape the cascading buckets of rain.

One more drop and I’ll surely go insane.

So, why not lift one’s spirits and jaunt into another country? After all, Gibraltar was a stone’s throw away from Algeciras and it would be a hoot to scoot across the runway from Spain into the UK.

You’re kidding, right?

Nope.

You have to skedaddle across an airstrip in order to get into Gibraltar. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes and hesitantly placed my pink-sneakered foot on the runway, I wouldn’t have believed it either! The airstrip is closed several times a day in order to accommodate airplanes that either take off or land on the runway. Uniquely shared by both pedestrians and aircraft, this landing strip is definitely one of a kind!

Yikes!! Exiting the bus in the Spanish border town of La Linea, about a 45-minute journey from Algeciras, I came face to face with the white lettered sign strategically placed at the entrance to the runway, advising pedestrians to “please cross quickly”. Needless to say, I was both intrigued and intimidated by the red plaque, warning unsuspecting jaywalkers to be on the lookout for airplanes.

AIRFIELD AHEAD. You are now crossing a live runway. Pedestrians are to keep within the white lines. Please cross quickly.

Trying to outrun the incessant rain in Barcelona, Alicante and Algeciras, I now faced the challenge of having to also dodge oncoming aircraft! Could it get any worse? Yep, it could and it did, as the second that I disembarked from the bus, I was submerged by a monsoon of a tsunami and drenched from head to toe.

There was no escape. The rain in Spain had once again stalked me all the way from the plain.

A soaking mess, I was a damsel in distress as I had neither wellies nor a slicker to shield me from the elements. My flimsy protection was a battered and broken brollie that had been hastily salvaged from the rubbish bin.

Should I stay or should I go? There was no other option, only one, and that was to R.U.N.!

Scanning the open runway for oncoming aircraft, I practically broke the sound barrier as I hightailed across the pavement, lingering only long enough to get my passport stamped at the border.

Whew!! Safe from wind shear and low-flying planes, my mood brightened as I scanned the multitude of pubs, fish and chip stands and shops that lined the streets. I could feel my heart rate accelerate as I spotted the various British goods for sale in the shop windows. Look...there’s Marks & Spencer’s and the ever so trendy Top Shop, a favourite haunt of Kate Middleton. By crossing over into this British colony, I had now saved myself a ton on airfare, as I didn’t have to jet to London to indulge in my shopping addiction, as these labels were readily available to me right here and now.

Amazing how the allure of a new, limited-edition designer handbag can elevate one’s mood and transform one from a miserable drenched rat to a most agreeable and fabulous travel companion. Here’s to enjoying that Guinness and spending every last sterling pound!!

Come skedaddle across the runway to Gibraltar and discover a flavour of Britain in the rain-soaked Mediterranean...

A few fascinating Pink Sneaker tidbits of info about Gibraltar:

The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht handed Gibraltar over to the British, giving this Spanish territory monarchist allegiance to the Queen.

This narrow peninsula is less than 4 square miles and is called “the Rock”.

The massive limestone Rock jutting out of the Strait of Gibraltar is an impressive 1400 feet high.

Spain and Gibraltar have a somewhat uneasy alliance as this uniquely British colony is situated on the edge of the Mediterranean and is surrounded by Spanish territory on all sides.

The Rock is home to the famous tail-less Barbary apes and according to legend, as long as the apes inhabit the Rock, so will the Brits.

We were advised not to feed the apes and to watch our belongings as the apes loved to snatch tourist’s sunglasses, handbags and anything that they could get their grubby hands on. It was good to know that I wasn’t the only one who had a satchel hoarding issue!

If planning to stay overnight, bring British three-pronged electrical appliances, as your European two-pronged ones will be useless and will not work.

Exchange your Euros for British Sterling and Pounds.

Bring your passport with you, as it is required in order to cross the border into Gibraltar.

This British colony is a VAT and tax-free shopping mecca, catering to your inner shopaholic desires!