No roaming despite activating!

On 3 September, I called you to arrange for roaming. I was told by the call service agent that it was activated, and that all I had to do was switch my cell off and on to connect with an overseas network. PLEASE trace the call. Now I'm in Spain, and my roaming is NOT working, and there is no way for me to correspond with my friends who are supposed to meet me on the Camino, or to receive a call from home if my 77 yr old mother takes ill. The stupid advice you gave my mother this morning, was that I had to call you on 082111 (HOW DO I DO THAT WITHOUT A NETWORK?) and to sms Travelon (HOW DO I DO THAT WITHOUT A NETWORK?). You're messing up my expensive trip with your incompetence, and refusing to speak to anyone but me (HOW DO I DO THAT WITHOUT A NETWORK?). When I return, I'm suing you for 10 days without service, and the phone and sim I was forced to buy here. No excuses - we're going to court.