Upon our return from Paris, Petra noticed a man sleeping on an inflatable raft at the airport. The kind you would use in a pool or a lake or something to just float on. I’m not sure if she was joking or not, but she knew I have 2 long layover ahead of me, and said I should get one.
I totally wanted one. Yes, this is a BRILLIANT idea. I will just get one back in our little beach town.
Finding an inflatable raft became quite the mission. It seems the stores in our town sell pool noodles, swim wings, inner tubes, inflatable dolphins you can ride, and even inflatable pool sets if you’re weary of the beach. But no simple little blow up rafts to float on.
I was thinking something similar to this:
Looks pretty comfy, and not too bold (maybe in a more neutral/less flashy color than orange and yellow, but you get the point). Even this super small basic one would have worked:
Xavi suggested I try a department store so I hit up El Corte Ingles in Barcelona the next day. Mind you this is an 11 story store that takes up the entire city block. I read the signs and it appeared it might be on the 7 floor.
When I didn’t see any, I approached a sales lady and asked. However, I don’t know how to say “inflatable raft” in Spanish, so I asked “where would I find something I could use to float on in the water?” lol
She pointed me in the right direction. However, this section was filled with more pool noodles and some boogie boards. So I asked another sales lady who looked at me funny and asked “for you?” Yes. She directed me to the 8th floor with the sporting goods.
There they were. I had finally found them!
But something was terribly wrong. Yes very wrong. These all had weird cartoon like creatures on them. Surely there were others?
not the exact one i found, but you get the point
I walked around the section a few times and didn’t see any so I expanded my search. The entire floor. This didn’t help so I found a sales person.
“Do you have anything similar to this but without…(pointing to the weird cartoons) THESE?”
(chucking) “No that’s all we have left”
“Ok I guess I will take it. Where do I pay”
“Right here”
As I pulled out my credit card and asked if they take cards, he said yes and even asked if I war to be charged in euros or dollars.
Whoa! They can do that? Dollars please!
So despite the fact that I will be spending 17 hours total on a raft a la Dora the Explorer or some weird gremlin-like things, I’m totally stoked with my purchase. Practicing Spanish + getting charged in $ (avoiding the foreign currency fee) = a totally stoked Caro. With a child’s raft.
melissa 
