I have been trying to get flights to South Africa for ourselves today, from Barcelona to Cape Town. Given that we are 20 minutes away from one of the busiest airports in Europe, nothing goes direct from here to anywhere remotely close to South Africa. Barcelona must be the short haul capital of Europe!

Tracking down the right flights, at the right cost and on the right dates is extremely time consuming. I have spent two days trying to get the right connections, cheapest flights, shortest flight times and everything in between. I think that I have now got the best flights - from Manchester to Cape Town direct. All I now have to do is get us from Barcelona to Manchester in time for the main flight.

I think that EasyJet to Liverpool will be our best best with an overnight stay in Liverpool and a leisurely drive the next day across the 35 miles between Liverpool and Manchester.

Fortunately, this trip we are not doing anything complicated other than the boys being available to register for an ITF tennis tournament, so organising sightseeing trip is not an issue. However, I do think that a spa visit is going to be on the cards. After all the excesses of the last few months moving to Castelldefels and getting settled, I think that something very luxurious and relaxing is just what I’ll need to recharge the batteries.

Check out our spa resorts to see what I might be in for. Perhaps a touch of the Angsana Spa at The Vineyard Hotel or why not stay at the award winning Mount Nelson Hotel and experience the hot and cold stones at the “pink palace”. Or be more adventurous and stay out in the Winelands at Sante Winelands.