Cadiz '25

Whole crew takes la playa

Que colores!

May 15, 2025

36.5210° N, 6.2805° W

Joshie's Birthday! First time the whole crew was together on a trip and it was a stunner.

Day 0: Madrid to Cádiz

Getting to Cádiz was a trip in itself.

Phone was stolen the week before so I'm rocking pelotas libres. Subin calls me an Uber straight from school to the airport so I'm about an hour early to our pick up. But no phone. So can't check in. Wait for Char.

I've used Centauro 3-4 times now and it's always been good(ish). This time? They said not todayyyy. NIE active longer than 6 months. Need a Spanish driving license. But I have a International Driver's License? Not good enough. Need it from Spain. But Spain is on the list for the IDL? Doesn't matter. Epic.

Scramble. Audible. Obtain. Pay the price for it. But we're on the road.

Shay, Manth, Char & I mob out. I rip it the 5 hours down sin problema. Just get me to this house.

30 minutes out. 25 km to go. 50 km left in the tank. Should be good.

Gas light comes on. It's 11:30 PM. It's pitch black. No gas stations open. No one else on the road.

20 minutes out. 15 km to go. 25 km left in the tank. That jumped didn't it?

Pass a gas station. Closed. Hmmm.

15 minutes out. 10 km to go. Gas level shows a blinking: "--". What happened to my 25 km?

I'm silent in the front seat. No one noticed the gas levels. I should have thought to fill up the gas. I'm the driver.

Shay looks left. Gasps. "Ryan..." I shush him.

Char perks up. "Yo dude..." No hiding it now.

In my mind, we're gunna have to sleep in the car on the side of the road. Wait until morning until our friends can come pick us up. No buildings in sight. Very few cars. Talk about a spiral.

Decision time. Risk it to the house? We might make it. Risk a detour to an "open" gas station? If it's closed, then we definitely won't make it.

Decision made. Gas station. I exit. Gas station looks dark. Gas station is dark. It's closed. Fuck.

Self-service open 24 hours! Bailed out. Wait. Doesn't accept card. I have cash. Only a €10. I put it in. It takes. I sprint to the nozzle and shove that thing in the car before it can decline.

We arrive at the house. We get a warm welcome of all our friends star-gazing. Todo estará bien.

Day 1: Playa de Casa

I wake up still a little on edge. Josh and Grace were already up to so I join Josh on a morning dip. Our Air Bnb was about a 3-minute walk from a private beach. You actually had to put a code into the gate. Water washes away the stress. I'm here. No phone to tie me down. I'm with everyone who I need to be in contact with. A liberating feeling to say the least.

Step into Liquid

Reyes de Atardecer

Morning

Bant

Scotty, Shay, & I hit the grocery store. Should have picked some different chicos. We came back locked and loaded.

Brekky. Café. Nos preparamos.

All day beach! We started with an adorable circle of volleyball. Thank god no one starting counting out loud.

Swim. Football. Read. Descansar. Todo el día.

Catan break at the house? Porque no.

Dinner was at the restaurant down the beach. We quite literally walked about a 1/4-mile down the sand and had a lovely dinner with the 15 of us. Our side of the table had a great time. We didn't even realize it was time to leave.

Josh on the disc. Buena Noche.