Friday 7th May 2010, Roquetas and Sunday we leave.

Day started out not good. Chuck died during the night. We had seen it coming, he had been struggling a bit lately and the relatively cold nights were just too much for him. So he joins his other two brothers, Not Going to Make It and Haven't a Chance, in the rubbish bin. I blame SWMBO myself, when we planted the three Chili seeds I knew that somehow or other she'd kill them. Her fingers aren't green at all, probably purple for all the good it does any plants or flowers she gets involved with. So we won't be getting fresh chilies plucked from our own little chili tree, never mind.

As you can see from the pictures, it's pretty quiet round here, quiet is not the word actually, bloody deserted is more like it! Mind the weather is fine, mid 20's and hardly any wind. As the weather at El Molino is down in the teens I don't know why we are going. Well as SWMBO is already booked on a Ryan-air flight out of Barritz to join her brother for his 50th birthday in Dudley on Saturday 15th May, we have to be somewhere closer by then. Changing the flight and the car rental so we can stay here and she can fly from Almeria is almost the same as buying new tickets, so we go.

When we called into the site on the way back from Alan's 60th thing, it was great there, but as it is 600 miles north of here and 1,000 feet up in the air, weather can be a little unpredictable.

I'm glad I didn't accept SWMBO's order the clean the car the other day as it rained that “brown” rain last night and the car's a complete mesh, so wash it tomorrow night. Went for a long'ish walk to Roquetas and back via the coast, bloody knackered!



So we pack up again tomorrow, green up and bikes on the back of the MS take up the most time but hey ho. Plan is to hook up Saturday evening then first thing Sunday, slide out in and gone.



Saturday and I've just paid the bill, €1,003 for 95 days which works out to just over €11/day including wi-fi and electric at 10A. Not bad as I budget at €15/day. Still handing over that much, all at once in cash, is soul destroying.



Next blog will be from El Molino on the 11th May, hopefully.
Well that post did not happen did not quite happen. Today is, 10th May. They (Roquetas camping) managed to screw up the internet for the last two days we were there and when we arrived at El Molino Wi-Fi is only available (free though) at the coffee area around reception 400 yards from our new site.



The 620 mile, two day, journey:- left at 9am promptly after some pretty smart maneuvering by yours truly, involving reversing, in more or less a straight line all along our calle and out. Managed to get through the “muy perigrosa” roundabout near Roquetas which involves a blind entrance to a roundabout everyone takes a maximum speed. As this was Sunday and early, less traffic and OK.



Tricia started eating, no comment.

A7 and then A23 and tried a Spanish type Aire just off the motorway but it we did not feel secure there. Mind at the time the weather was looking ominous and the wind was really picking up so a stop now might be a good idea, pressed on though. Then a stopover at the very large forecourt of a Repsol Garage near Sarrion in Arragon. A few lorries there at first but they left and they we were, in a space for about a hundred lorries, just us. The service had a shop with a bakery and coffee machines and showers, so kitted out well for the drivers. Reason for the scarcity of drivers? No HGV's on the roads in Spain on Sundays, so that's the day to travel.

Although we were not exactly scared staying overnight there, we took precautions, next to SWMBO's bed was her BB gun, a baseball bat, mace and the bar that holds the slideout, out, as a cudgel. God help anyone whole actually got past all the alarms and extra locks on the doors and windows.

Because we were out in the boonies with no lights the Moon was a bright silver crescent and the stars were like diamonds scattered on a black felt cloth and filled the night sky, beautiful.



Next morning, a fantastic dawn and no trouble except a few people from the gas station who were curious about the rig.

So a quick breakfast and on the road at 8am. A couple or three hundred of non problematic miles and we arrive at El Molino in Mendigorria, Navarra. Drove straight on to a grass pitch in 24°C and sunny weather. We are paying €15/night with the ASCI card as there is no reduced rates for medium/long term stays, which is probably the most we have ever paid, ho hum.



It was supposed to be a “fully serviced” pitch, i.e. water, electric and waste, all we have is 10A electric. But that was the pitch we picked, there are some full service pitches but they appear smaller, crowded and full of the English, we prefer our view of the mountains and river rather than Caravans and Motorhomes. See pics at end.