Ellie is an unworldly nineteen-year old, a bookish girl from Manchester, England, who has decided to travel around the world with her friend Linda. Luckily for her, she soon learns that her friend is completely unconcerned about her when, once they get to Málaga in the south of Spain, she leaves Ellie behind while she has a tryst with a local man. Ellie is soon robbed of her possessions and stranded. However, a much more worldly, easygoing German girl helps her find a waitress job at a local restaurant, and she begins to recover from the shock of her situation. A friendly Spanish boy who is a waiter at the same restaurant helps her enjoy life a little, and by the time Linda returns from her romance, Ellie is ready to decide whether to continue with her journey.