Ibiza will cure those blues say BOBBIE THURGOOD

IT started as a great idea to get away from the misery of England's World Cup fiasco.

After weeks of staring in disbelief at the likes of Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard, a quick break in the sun was just what was needed.

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And there's nowhere better to cheer yourself up than the party island of Ibiza. The promised land of sun, beer, non-stop parties and fantastic beaches. Plus with the pound gaining a bit of strength against the euro it's probably cheaper than a week in Blackpool.
Even better, Spain had played something called decent football and actually won the World Cup.

So, in theory, everyone in Ibiza would be in an even sunnier mood than usual.

After a quick internet search for flights - we chose light-on-the-wallet easyJet over the classy new British Airways service direct from swish London City airport - we were sorted.

We decided to stay in Es Vive, where the lovely Jordan partied after her split from Peter Andre.

Say what you like about the woman but at least she looked like she was having a damn good time. And that's precisely what we were after.

So after whizzing through Stansted airport we were comfortably settled on our direct easyJet flight with our first drink of the holiday. Which we could afford because by just travelling with hand luggage we'd saved both time and money. Ibiza itself has been famous since the hippies discovered it on their way to Goa way back in the 1960s.

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It's a small but perfectly formed gem of an island shimmering in the Mediterranean between its larger Balearic cousin, Mallorca, and the Spanish mainland.

In the summer you can fly direct from almost every British airport in just two hours.

And while you can still go bonkers and lose the plot in the St Antonio superclubs and drink-allyou-can-for-a-fiver bars, the island has cleaned up its act since the mad old days of the Ibiza Uncovered TV series.

In fact Ibiza is now so seriously cool and celeb packed it's untrue. Kylie Minogue chose to launch her new album there, the Black Eye Peas regularly play Pacha nightclub in the main town, Dannii Minogue, Jade Jagger and James Blunt all have villas while Dizzee Rascal, P Diddy, Paris Hilton, Kate Moss and Lady GaGa are all regulars.

With the Ibiza Rocks hotel series of gigs (celebrating five years this year) it's also become the hottest place to play. Bigname DJs like David Guetta and hot indie acts like Florence & The Machine and Pendulum are all performing this summer.

Then there's Hed Kandi, with a circus-themed night every Saturday at the glamorous Es Paradis.

Sarah Harding and DJ boyfriend Tom Crane love Ibiza so much they're buying a place in the World Heritage site old town.

But for those of us with proper jobs and budgets to keep, we were through Ibiza airport (currently being modernised to cope with the increasing demand of tourists) and at our hotel within three hours of leaving the soggy UK. Es Vive hotel is the brainchild of Ibiza entrepreneur Jason Bull, an expat who is living the dream at a stupidly young age by running one of the coolest hotels on the island and also Sands bar on Playa d'en Bossa beach.

The once derelict building is now a stunning Miami Beach style Art Deco boutique hotel that is very definitely adults only.

Set in its own palmfringed grounds between Ibiza Town and Playa d'en Bossa (the longest, most gorgeous beach on the whole island) Es Vive serves up great music, food and atmosphere at a price everyone can afford.

Playa d'en Bossa is rapidly becoming the hip place to go in Ibiza with beach bars catering for every pocket and taste.

You can dance to Pete Tong and Carl Cox in your bikini at Sands, eat the best food ever and sip icecold bubbly at the stunning Nassau beach restaurant or do the Ibiza thing by hitting superclub Space and then continuing the party at Bora Bora, which is bang in the middle of Playa d'en Bossa.

Football, work and drizzle were forgotten as we really chilled.

Then we decided to go to our favourite place in Ibiza - the beautiful Blue Marlin restaurant and beach club. Set in a sandstone cliff ringed bay in the southwest of the island at Cala Jondal, it's everything you want on a Mediterranean holiday.

So there we were sipping our sangria and congratulating ourselves on escaping World Cup misery when the husband's face suddenly made like a Manchester sky - stormy to say the least.

What on earth could be wrong in this little piece of paradise?

Then I glanced over my shoulder and froze.

Because staked out on the sunbeds right behind us were Steven Gerrard, his missus Alex and a group of mates.

Every bloke in the place was staring but pretending not to while mentally rehearsing how to phrase the question "what were you useless lumps playing at?" in a friendly way.

Thankfully, us being Brits, the only people brave enough to go up to Gerro were over-excited 12-yearolds asking for pictures and autographs.

To be fair to Stevie G he was doing his best to look as downbeat as possible given his location.
And he stuck to what looked like Diet Coke all afternoon.

For the girlies, though, Alex was the real problem.

She is far more gorgeous than she looks in photographs and was a picture of tanned, toned, blonde Scouse sassiness.

She was also really lovely to the kids who wanted pictures and happily snapped away as her husband posed with his fans. Bless.

And another jug of sangria down the husband's neck and all was forgotten.

Especially as someone who looked suspiciously like Spanish midfield maestro Xavi Hernandez had just walked in.

In the end - as often happens in Ibiza - the whole day turned into one long party with everyone just being loved-up and happy.

Those original hippies certainly knew a winner when they saw it.

IBIZA FACT FILE
EASYJET flies to Ibiza from Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and Newcastle. Prices for a one-way ticket start from £33.99 and include taxes (prices are subject to change).

Visit easyjet.com to book.

British Airways launched a direct flight from London City airport to Ibiza for the first time in May. Prices from £49 one-way. For more information and booking go to britishairways.com.

A double room with buffet breakfast at Es Vive hotel costs from £100 a night, including all taxes. Special weekend rates, midweek specials and longer deals, including seven nights for the price of six, are available. Check out the website at hotelesvive.com or call 0034 971 30 19 02.

Blue Marlin restaurant, beach, terrace and lounge club on Cala Jondal is name-checked in the Dizzee Rascal hit, Holiday. Book in advance for a double sunbed and lunch. See bluemarlinibiza.com or call 0034 971 410 117.

Sands beach bar and restaurant, on Playa d'en Bossa, is great for a party. See sandsibiza.com or call 0034 971 396 849.

Nassau beach bar and restaurant, Playa d'en Bossa, has a fantastic vibe and great sunbeds.

See nassaubeachclub.com or call 0034 971 396 714.