I've just remembered this blogpost I wrote last month - we've been home four weeks and although its lovely catching up with family and friends as I look back at this post I cant wait to hit the road south to the warm Spanish sunshine soon!
After six weeks away it's time to head for home across the plains of Spain towards Zaragoza, the
temperature falling as we travel, the distant hills touched with snow in the recent cold snap. You haven't heard much from me these last few weeks, the reason being is the useless Internet data speeds in many of the places we visit leaves me somewhat frustrated (despite having a very good little mi-fi device) watching that circle going round at the top of the screen somewhat quells your creative juices!
I'm writing this as we head up to the Eurotunnel terminal on our way home so this post is a synopsis of the highlights of the last few weeks. After we left the hustle and bustle of Benidorm we spent a few days with our friends Janet and Frank - the highlight being Janet's Paella (pronounced Pyeya in Spanish) I even managed a dip in their swimming pool to build up my appetite (well it would be rude not to!) We then headed to the Camperstop at Totana where intended to stay for a few days and stayed for a fortnight! Janet and Frank (and their four dogs) had intended to join us but sadly couldn't make it due to a radiator leak in their motorhome. We put our electric bikes to the test cycling into the mountains of the Sierra Espuna, one day we were very pleased with ourselves when we cycled 28 miles with an elevation of 3500 ft only to be upstaged the very next day by another British couple who did the same circuit on their conventional bikes - Wow! Super fit people!!
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| The view from the top in Aledo |
Another day we cycled up to the village of Aledo where, in a small cafe bar, we met Nigel. Having discovered that Keith shared his birthday with Nigel it was decided that we had to go out together to celebrate the next day and so Nigel picked us up in his car and took us 25miles to one of the best restaurants in the area for an All you can eat Chinese buffet. As well as the cooked food buffet you can select your raw ingredients and take them the chef to be cooked in the Wok, always wanting to try something new, Keith had the Chinese delicacy (?) of frogs legs cooked for him - tastes like chicken he says! Not for me thank you...
The weather turned wet and windy and I learned that this is the season for the Gota Fria - these are intense flash floods usually occurring in a dry riverbed (known as a Rambla) this is really important to know about if you 'Free camp' as you could get swept into the sea if you parked up in the wrong place! As it happened the rain wasn't too bad, but Nigel took pity on us cooped up in the van and chauffeured us about for the weekend, taking us out to Campasol an urbanisation near the coast inhabited by many British ex-pats - we had a delicious Sunday lunch (the best of British!)
After a few days of unsettled weather the blue skies returned, we said goodbye to Totana and our new friend Nigel and headed further south to another of our favourite haunts - La Azohia, from here we headed up to the gun emplacements at Cabo Tiñoso, built before the war to protect the port of Cartagena, the stunning views bizarre architecture and massive guns are well worth a visit. Interestingly the guns were only ever fired once!
As the time to head north got closer we decided to return to the Benidorm area for a couple of days where we discovered a lovely camperstop near Altea. From here we were able to cycle to the pretty (but very touristy) village of El Castell de Guadalest, sadly we didn't a chance to stay long because it started to rain. This was our last cycle ride of the trip, all good things come to an end and its time to head home for Christmas and the grandchildren.
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| This is me with Violet, Lyndsay our daughter with Pearl (aged 4 months) in the carrier at Drusilla's Zoo Park |
