Seeking the Odd in the Ordinary: A Benidorm Expedition

Some journeys are chosen for their mystery. Others are chosen because your child turns eighteen and I wanted to mark the occasion with her first trip abroad.

Benidorm was never on my personal map of dream destinations, but this trip isn’t about ticking off a place — it’s about being there for a milestone, even if it comes wrapped in neon lights and all-inclusive wristbands.

It’s a Lost Adventure of a different sort: an exploration of connection, celebration, and the gentle art of making space for your own curiosity while honouring someone else’s idea of fun.

A Family Adventure (in a Place I Never Expected)

My daughter’s appreciation of StoryWandering is, shall we say, limited. She prefers clear plans with no detours. Meanwhile, I’m happiest when I’m drifting down odd-looking side streets, following a hunch, or quietly inspecting a strange tile pattern on a forgotten wall.

So this trip is a dance between two ways of travelling. There’ll be sunshine, fruity drinks, and probably a great deal of laughing. There’ll also be moments — brief, stolen, precious — where I slip away and follow a whisper of curiosity.

Not full-on wandering, but pocket-sized noticing.

Grabbing the Moments in Between

I’ve already accepted that I won’t be wandering Benidorm in long, contemplative stretches. Instead, my StoryWandering will happen in slivers:

• A few minutes while waiting for her to finish getting ready.
• A quiet early-morning walk while the rest of the hotel sleeps.
• A detour on the way to dinner.
• A glimpse of something odd spotted from a balcony or bus seat.
• A small ritual of noticing while she’s ordering another piña colada (for research purposes, obviously).

It’s a different rhythm, but it doesn’t make the magic any less real. Sometimes the best discoveries happen when time is short — when you’re not seeking anything grand, just staying open to whatever the place offers.

Benidorm Beneath the Glitter

Behind the high-rise grin of the resort is an older, quirkier city – El Casco Antiguo – that most visitors never bother to really look for. The old town’s crooked alleys, the balconies draped with laundry, the faded shop signs that stubbornly refuse to update themselves — these are the places I’ll escape to when I snatch a few minutes alone.

There’s a certain pleasure in treating a loud, relentlessly cheerful destination as if it’s a shy creature with secrets. It forces you to look past the obvious, which is the whole point of StoryWandering anyway.

Finding Connection in the Contrast

The beauty of this trip isn’t in what I discover about Benidorm. It’s in what I discover about us.

Eighteen is a threshold — she is stepping into her own life, her own choices, her own stories. This holiday is a celebration of that. And part of my own noticing is paying attention to who she is now, and who she’s becoming.

Travelling together in a place neither of us would have chosen for ourselves creates its own kind of enchantment. It throws us into unfamiliar routines, shared laughter, and small moments of tenderness that come only when you’re out of your usual context.

One Quiet Intention

So here’s my aim for this Lost Adventure:

To stay present.
To enjoy her joy.
To catch the odd little moments that drift past unnoticed by most holidaymakers.
To find something — however small — that shimmers slightly out of place.

Even in Benidorm, there will be a thread worth pulling.

And when I find it, I’ll tuck it away, ready to weave into whatever story this trip decides to become.