Top raver, booth infiltrator and our very own AM to PM girl, Lissy Lübeck is back for summer 2023, sharing her thoughts, experiences and inner musings from Ibiza's clubland. A year older, but a year wiser? Probably not.
If you heard it from anybody else, you'd dismiss it as hyperbole, but Lissy Lü's real life is like that.
Partying as a profession is a hard life... but somebody's got to do it!
Monday 10 July
Before work, I took a trip to SLUIZ. to shop for Hayley's birthday presents. If you've never been, it's this amazing shop in Santa Gertrudis that sells everything from clothes and furniture to novelty gifts. It's very quirky and sells the coolest stuff - perfect for our Hayley.
I picked up some fun (slightly rude) novelties, alongside some candles, acid smiley coasters, (she LOVES an acid smiley), as well as some flowers and a cute vase. The staff even wrapped everything, ready for us to give to her on Wednesday.
Unfortunately, I can't be there as I'm flying back to London for life admin.
In the evening, it was time to head out on the Cranchi with Hayley and Jo. The perfect afternoon out at sea with the girls, we sailed on down to Port des Torrent, Cala Bassa and then stopped in front of Sunset Ashram. We had our own private captain, an unlimited supply of soft and alcoholic drinks, as well as snorkelling equipment and paddle boards.
Before setting off, we plugged into the Bluetooth, put on a playlist of Katrayanda and Ewan McVicar and headed south.
As usual, the waters at Cala Bassa were as calm and blue as anything, so we used this opportunity to get the goggles on and have a swim. Jo and I posed and paraded around the deck, as Pete navigated the drone from land.
At sunset, we hovered at the classic spot just in front of Café Mambo. A little overcast, it was still very scenic and the vibes unmatched. You just can't beat being on a boat during sunset.
Afterwards, we had a quick turnaround before heading out. There wasn't enough time to eat, so thinking on my feet, I ordered a takeaway pizza which later ended up in the DJ booth. It might still be there now, as I got distracted and food soon became an afterthought. Whoops.
Tuesday 11 July
A midday flight back to the UK was made even more depressing after waking following a heavy night. Jumping on a plane was difficult and not the best idea I've ever had.
If you've been to Ibiza in peak season, you'll know that the airport can be a humorous place. Bodies are scattered everywhere like dead weights.
Wherever you find a patch of free space in the airport, you can be sure you'll find a sore head trying to get those Zzz in ahead of their flight. These sorry sights kept me entertained and made me feel slightly better about my own hangover predicament. Guess I'm a sadist.
Airport heaven? Or airport hell? Let the Gods decide when we're judged
I flew with Jet2, and to my surprise, my co-passengers were as rowdy as they tend to be on their way to Ibiza! Spirits were high, as Jess Glynn sounded our touchdown on UK soil. "Ahh, back to reality", I heard the girl in front of me say.
It's always a bittersweet feeling landing back, I could almost relate. At least I'm coming back.
Home comforts - my sister providing the nutritional goodness an Ibiza diet sometimes lacks
Although sad I was going to miss the week, I was still excited to indulge in some UK food: Greggs, Nandos, going to the supermarket, my sister, Kristy's cooking… the list goes on. After buying my body weight in snacks, I still found room for a cheeky Nandos.
Rot for my stomach and rot for my brain, tonight's TV viewing consisted of a very juicy episode of Love Island. I went off to bed shortly after, as my 09:00 appointment at the consulate loomed.
Wednesday 12 July
Up and at 'em! As it turns out, the address I had to go to for my long-awaited appointment was only a 15-minute walk from where I was staying. I strolled on over with my documents and sat down with a very helpful lady to discuss my bureaucratic status.
This is my second time doing the process and I feel just as clueless as I did the first time. They don't make it easy for you. In fact, I think it's designed to be the opposite.
I only realised a week before the appointment, that my ACRO police certificate had expired. I only got it last year and presumed it would still be valid. Nuh-uh. Hidden in the small print, it states that the document must be no older than six months. I ordered a new one straight away, but this can take weeks. Then it needs to be apostilled and translated. What a ballache!
Unfortunately, the mix-up with the paperwork meant that my application could not be processed at this stage and I would need to wait. Forever in limbo and, seemingly, a wasted trip. That said, at least I managed to see friends, family and get some UK partying in. Every cloud...
Clearly being an impatient person in a process like this, is not a good trait to have. A little frustrated, I booked my flight back to the island for Sunday. Thankfully, I managed to see my gorgeous nephew after two and a half months, so it wasn't all bad.
Note to others: Don't be complacent. Even if you think you're doing things correctly, check and check again. Chances are, you'll get pulled up on the most niggling of oversights.
Friday 14 July
Back in the big smoke after my fleeting visit to Surrey. It's Danny Howard's birthday today and he's throwing a lavish, but intimate party at KOKO's members club in Camden.
Before heading there at 20:00, he invited what seemed like the whole cast of Annie down to the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge for a few pre-drinks for the last hour of his radio show. Usually, this wouldn't be a frequent occurrence, but I think presenters' birthdays may be the exception.
King for the day - the birthday boy plays up
After a pretty thorough security check and our photos taken for our visitor's lanyard, we headed on up to the floor where the radio studios are situated. I've been there a couple of times before, but it was nice to take my best friends there for them to experience it.
Between live segments (or the industry term a 'link'), Danny darted in and out to open presents, greet friends and sip on champagne. We then ordered Ubers to North London to KOKO, to find that some of his guests already waiting for the birthday boy. Not good hosting etiquette, Daniel!
KOKO London in Mornington Crescent is one of the city's most iconic nightclubs
The private member's club is a quirky space with a pool table, boujee interior design, elegant sofas and two bars where the staff poured welcome drinks for attendees. After filling up, George (AKA Garcia) and I jumped on the decks, before the Radio 1 Hunz took over, followed by a fun throwback set from Danny's producer Jay.
Before we knew it, 02:00 had arrived. Mano Le Tough was playing in the main club downstairs, but the afters was calling.
7 AM vibes with Mitchy
Not to worry, as former Radio 1 employee, turned successful tour manager, Billy Clarke (AKA The King of the Party) invited everyone back to his. Of course, we stayed way past sunrise and ended up heading to bed at 08:00. Another 12+ hour party stint in the bag. Next stop: Ibiza.
Ready for more misadventures in clubland? Back in her rightful place, right here on Ibiza, Lissy's next dancefloor diary entry is online now.
Read last week's capers here:
Rubbing shoulders with A-listers
More misadventures in clubland next time. For daily insights, you can keep up to date with the life and times of Lissy Lü by following our TikTok channel here.
