Yep, off to El Molino, as described in previous blog, leaving on Tuesday so need to do the things we haven't done yet and then cover our 44 point check list for leaving camp.
Route will be the usual “going north”, A7 to Valencia, N23 to Zaragoza, A68 then N 121 to campsite, 600 miles and don't know how many stops we will make but we will not be paying tolls or using campsites on the way up. Have a few lorry stops in mind though.
So what's been happening around here?
Well at last, after 3 months at Roquetas, the promised bus trip to Almeria eventually took place. The parking there is scarce and pricey, but the last time we were there the Castle or “Alcazaba”, a Fortress, was closed and SWMBO had it on her list so it must be visited and photographed to hell and back. Also ever since I was told that it was a €1 on the bus, I couldn't wait to use such a cheap service. That's €1 for 12 miles in a comfortable, air conditioned bus, not anything like the service you get in the UK. Getting the bus from Forest Row to East Grinstead, a distance of 3 miles is over £2! No comparison mate.
I don't like going around castles and the like, dreary, dark old rooms with bits of rusted armour lying about is not for me. This place, however, was really neat and great views. The Moors had originally built it and most of the fountains and water features have been restored to their designs, plenty of pics at the end. Anyway a good day out which actually ended with a pint of Guinness and tapas, how novel.
Back at the campsite, it is still pretty empty, we get the odd German lot who turn up and basically don't speak or communicate in any form until they leave 3 days later, Auf Wiedersehen Pet, I don't think.
SWMBO used a phrase I hadn't heard since my childhood, well I call it a childhood, I used to think knives and forks were jewelry, I had opened the window near her side of the bed and a cool'ish breeze wafted over her semi naked body lying face down in bed like a beached whale, oblivious to the world as it was not yet ten thirty, “Oh, I can't be doing with that.” I shut the window.
Weather is warm 30°C'ish by early afternoon and sometimes unbearable so moving 600 miles north will probably help. We are doing a bit of a “foreigner” in packing up over three days, some of them take a bloody week! But I guess it means we will not miss anything, like not connecting the electrics as I did last time. So green up, bikes, cleaned by Tricia, on the back and in the bike cover that I've still not figured out how it actually goes together.
Stop press! It's now Monday morning and I've just checked the weather in Mendigorria (El Molino) and the weather is shit! Temperature is 9°C-11°C midday dropping to 5°C at night! It's worse than the UK. So the, so far, two day packing is going to be unpacked and we will stay here, in 27°C thank you, for another week.
Downside is the bloody mossies are back and although I plug in, spread on, every anti mossie device known to man, I still get bitten. This particular one is a messy eater though, because there's always a couple of spots of blood on my pillow each morning, at first SWMBO accused me of “sleep nose picking”, like sleep walking, only ambulation is not involved. At least it's a noisy bugger, unlike the ones in Marjal who were quiet and hungry. I'll get the bastard before we leave.
So, as SWMBO likes it here, she has planned an extra week here, guess what, it's involves shopping. She needs another swimming costume (which always means two, one for the wash) as the one she has now is looking a little worse for wear, or that she has got more wrinkles than she lets on, or maybe the real reason is she is now a size 10 down from 12.
Funny and unusual thing happened the other morning after I made my first of the day, Columbian cappuccino coffee. As I was stirring it a hole appeared in the side of the cup. A perfect oblong at the bottom of the cup, about 1cm long, just fell out. Now this was very curious but also quite painful as the side the hole appeared was facing me. Fresh, very hot coffee flooded out all over my crotch and bare legs, thank God at least I was wearing shorts! When SWMBO arrived after the screaming had finished, she thought it quite amusing. Big Jim and the twins, however, did not. Asking for help “down there” from SWMBO was out of the question so it was off to the toilet block for a coldish shower and no coffee.
I've given up bread. I had to finally agree with SWMBO, who has been banging on about it for forever, that I may have a slight problem with wheat, I sometimes get a bit bloated.
So no bread for the last two weeks and damn it, I do feel better for it, or rather without it. Can't actually admit to it though, can I? I mean there are certain things between a man and woman, like “You were right, Pet”, never, ever, enters any conversation I can remember. Luckily SWMBO never reads the blog, as anything that does not involve maiming, killing and generally shooting people, after the first two lines, is a complete waste of time as far as she is concerned.
Of course she then jumps in with ridiculous things like, “Can't have anymore Pizza, either”. CAN'T HAVE ANYMORE PIZZA! The food of the Gods, in fact my favourite pastime is eating Pizza. Is there anything a Pizza can't do? To miss quote Homer. Anyway I know for a fact that there is no bread, wheat or whatever in a Pizza, I mean they come from Lidl (may the Load bless it and keep it), what can ever be bad for you if it comes from Lidl? And pies, surely pies are OK? Good God, pasties are not on the forbidden list? Can't be, says so in the scriptures, doesn't it? OK, OK so I've lost some weight as well, but that's all the extra walking I've being doing. I am starting to think that milk is next, I may have to start hoarding biscuits and my Mars bars asap.
Extra walking? Because the bikes, and it took hours getting two bikes into a Fiamma four bike cover, loaded and alarmed onto the back of the MS, were staying where they were mate. Tricia said it also took hours to clean them. So we have taken to long walks along the beach front to either Roquetas or Aquadulce, between 8-10 miles depending on what route you take or what shops SWMBO is magnetically drawn to. Could be worse, walking along with the Mediterranean on one side, the hot sun shinning and a cool breeze in your face. Problem is that the cool breeze is sometimes 40 mph headwind which whips the sand and grit, from the not yet completed holiday hotels, right into your face, not so nice a thought.
She's on to Cotton Traders on the net and bought two pairs of bikini, mix and match, type of things so I thought I would stay in and read. Nope! “We might as well walk to the “Grand Plaza” anyway because I won't get these until Jean and Derek join us end of May”. “er. .so you want to buy another one to “tide” you over for two weeks?” “What do you want me to do, lie around naked!” Perish the thought.
I've lost my walkman, searched all over but it's gone to that mysterious place I regularly lose things to. How can anything get lost in the confines of the MS?
So anyway the days of lying in the sun, listening to Owl Eyes, Peter Gabriel and the rest are a thing of the past and I have to put up with being able to hear SWMBO griping on about no bread, no Pizza, cut down on the beer (for Christ sake!) etc, etc, world without end, heaven help my poor demented soul.
We were hoping to vote in the upcoming election but by the time the Spanish get round to delivering our postal votes, sent ONE week in advance, it would all be over and done with. I did really want to vote for the “Monster, raving, loony party”, to quote from Monty Python but, for the life of me, I can't tell which one of the parties better suits the description anymore.
The Castle bus trip!
No comments:
Post a Comment