Day 1: Virgin Flight

Sitting on the plane, Angel just can't settle down her heart that is bursting with happiness and bliss. Looking at the cloud that is now golden and soft due to the bright sunlight, she just feel like jumping out and laze onto the cloud which she believed will be very soft and...comfortable.

The plane started flashing the red light to fasten the seat-belt which she had already done so. As the monitor in front of her showed the altitude and the atmospheric temperature, she happily countdown to its descent.

She breathed in and out and regulated her breath but she just couldn't calm down.

She was already fidgeting in her seat when the plane transit from Thailand to Holland. The flight was 15 hours long but her big and round eyes were constantly open with only one thought in her mind, "Faster land, faster make the plane land."

As the plane slowing descends, Angel looked out of the window to view the change in the wings of the plane and become very excited. She was reaching and her lifetime wish about to be fulfilled!

As the plane slowly come to a stop, the other passengers already started taking their bags and ready to leave but to Angel, who had never flew on a plane before, she don't even dare to move until the red light had diminished.

Ding, the red light disappeared and the passengers all started to crowd the passageway leading to the exit. Angel just sat on her seat and waited for the other passengers to leave first before making her move. She took her little bag and stood up and that was when she felt the ache in her thighs and butt.

Even though she hasn't slept for the past 15 hours, she was still energized and happily hopped down the plane while greeted by a row of beautiful air stewardess who bid her farewell.

Angel took no chance, she carefully scrutinized the notices along the way and found where her luggage was dropped and with her passport and her luggage, she managed to clear the customs. After reaching, she changed some of her cash into the local currency since it was always good to have some spare cash.

Due to the time difference, it wasn't night, it was 9am and the sun was so bright that it was hard to keep her open.

With her white hat and sunglasses, she took her first step out from the airport. She had finally reached the city of sunshine, Spain.

It is very dangerous for a 20 year old Taiwanese girl to be backpacking alone. However, this was Angel's biggest wish in her life, she had alone wished she could backpack alone, she already did all her homework before coming, and she pre-booked her hotel and learned how to take public transport.

Her first stop would be Madrid, the capital of Spain and she would travel from the the south to north, toiling to a total of 30 days of independent backpacking. She promise she will call back every night to assure her parents that she is alive but only she can make the call and her family cannot call her back.

She had been sickly since she was young and her relatives ranging from her father, mother, big sister, 2nd sister, 3rd sister, big brother, 2nd brother, grandma, grandpa, aunts and uncles will always be hovering around her and taking care of her every needs, never leaving her out of sight.

Maybe to others, it's a blessing or a privilege but to her, it's just plain crazy when she has to be escorted by "bodyguards" to just the playground. And because of this, she had been waiting, waiting for this day where she could be alone to travel and far away from Taiwan.

She could imagine her family worrying about her this very instant but, as sorry as she can be, she really just wanted a life on her own, and what's more, it could be a good chance to toughen her up. So she said to herself, "Yes, I can do it!"

Her first stop would be El Prado Art Museum, the greatest museum in Spain and one of the best in the world; she would not give it a miss now that she is in Spain. After depositing her luggage, she went in to take a look. Before coming, she had already researched into the background of the famous artist featured here, like Goya, Velázquez, El Greco, etc. She didn't really know if she liked the painting but she felt pity for Goya who lost his hearing in his later years and also lost his soul, resulting his painting from bright and cheerful to darkness and insanity which suffocates her...

Ahh...spells of dizziness started to hit her which might had been caused from not sleeping on the plane. She felt like sitting down somewhere comfortable and drink some water but drinking was prohibited in the museum...

She had no choice but to endure, Angel dragged her weak body around the museum, determined to view everything in the museum and even asked the security guard to take a photo of her as memento. She took so much trouble to come here so she didn't wanted to waste any time and visited the pretty ancient castle right beside the museum.

Even when the security guard noticed her ashen-white face, she still insisted on going to Columbus Square, her second stop.

Far far away, someone was looking at Angel, her frail body carrying such a big bag, but she didn't notice and just stared at the town map trying to figure out which bus which would bring her to Columbus Square.

After boarding the bus, she saw the wide pathways in Spain, the rows of tall trees that form the shade, occasional fountains and coupled with the intense smell of the wind, the view of amazing. She saw the Statue of Columbus not long after a small pathway of mini-fountains along the way.

The bus driver spoke to her in a string of words that she couldn't apprehend but she could tell from his body gesture and smile, it was her stop. She thanked him with a smile and walked towards the square.

"Hola，senorita!" A young boy suddenly walked towards her and asked. "Hello, miss? Eres China?"

Angel didn't really understand what he was saying and started looking around to see if she dropped something or exposed unwanted flesh accidentally. Everything was in order but he was still smiling at her and moving towards her.

"Are you from China or Taiwan?" He suddenly spoke english. "I guess you are from Taiwan!"

He spoke english and she could understand but what she don't understand was why he was speaking english to her? Nervously, she replied back, "Yeah, I am... from Taiwan. Are you on a holiday too?" She then looked around her to see if there were any tour groups.

"No! No! I am a Taiwanese that grew up here. But aren't you a weird one, backpacking on your own?" He said with a air of Spain.

Angel nodded her head.

"Mios dios! Isn't it too dangerous for you to backpack alone? Are you not aware that Spain is not a very safe place?" The boy exclaimed.

Yeah, Spain's security is pretty bad...which makes the boy much more suspicious! How dare he hit on her just because she is alone? She tighten her grip on her luggage and handbag and ignoring the boy and walked away.

"Hey, hey, where are you going? I am not a bad guy." He caught up immediately and continued, "You are very dangerous alone, don't you need a city guide?"

Oh please, since when do bad guys look like bad guys?
Wait a minute; he said something about a guide?

She was intrigued by what he said and stopped.