Spain continued

Hello everyone and greetings from Almeria.

Wednesday 28^th January 2015

Almeria is part of Andalusia and is in the south east corner of Spain. We had already decided on a little trip after Adam’s visit and originally planned on going north to the thermal baths, Jumilla, Yecla and on to the coast near Guadamar. However as with everything in Spain plans often need to be flexible and change. We got the new back box of the exhaust sorted on the camper but any idea that the driver’s door would be a simple job went out of the window. We got to the garage to pick up the van and the door was off!! The reason it had dropped in the frame and was difficult to close was due to water damage in the wooden part of it. There was nowhere secure to put new screws. 

We decided this was a job for caravan repairers rather than the garage and so arranged to drive to Lorca and see if Lorca caravans could do it. They knew instantly want needed to happen, the wood needed replacing and the door re-building...........and while the van was there we got them to check out the gas fire which didn’t seem to be burning properly. The former job was done in a few days and cost a lot!! The fire needed a new part which was due last Friday; it is now Wednesday and it still isn’t there.

We left a day early from Casas Nuevas as the whole village was disrupted, a new water main is being installed as people at the bottom of the village currently have very little water pressure. This resulted in 300 metres of road being dug up, there were lorries, diggers everywhere and no access to the main junction in the village.We decided we were best out of the mess!!

Wild camping near the beach

 As Lorca is in the opposite direction to our little trip, our plans changed and we spent one night in Totana and then a night wild camping near Mojacar. We then set off for Almeria knowing that yesterday was the earliest the new part would arrive. We spent a lovely weekend at Roquetas de Mar, the site was only 5 minutes walk from the beach. The added bonus was a wonderful flat cycle track from the marina in Aguadulce right along the coast for 10-11 kilometres. 

The campsite had large pitches and lots of folk overwintering, 90% were German and most didn’t speak Spanish!! It was spotlessly clean, with a nice bar with a very friendly barmaid from Cochamamba in Bolivia. 

Sunday we cycled towards Roquestas and as it was sunny it was packed with Spanish families. We had a couple of stops for refreshments and then got back to the site and Chris cooked some lamb on the Barbie and we ate outside in the sun.  Monday we went in the opposite direction and cycled to Aguadulce and had coffee in the harbour overlooking a lovely clean beach. 

Tuesday we set off for another part of Almeria, Cabo de Gata, a national park with stunning views. We have been here before and love the tranquillity. A few years ago when the exchange rate was 1.1 euros to the pound we bought some camping cheques as they were good value. The strength of the pound not makes them less appealing and we had four to use up so we are on Los Escullos to use most of them up. It took us a while to find a pitch with a bit of sunshine but we soon got settled. On our first visit here four years ago we met Ken and Marion Mathews; they live in Spain but overwinter here in warm Almeria. So we caught up with them last night and my dry January went out of the window, the lure of Happy Hour was too much!!

Despite the wine we set off walking today, and walked four about four hours. There is a trail behind the campsite that takes you across to El Pozo de los Frailles and our plan was to walk there and back. Eventually though we continued on to the seaside town of San Jose, had a lovely lunch and then walked back. Apart from a few dog walkers as we set off we had the trail to ourselves. The landscape is quite barren but if you look carefully there are loads of tiny wildflowers. One of these days I will buy a book as I like to know what they are.

Not so lonely goatherd!!

Tomorrow we plan to cycle north to Isletas and back and then Friday to go back to Chris’ house via Lorca for the replacement part for the gas fire. I will then have Saturday to get sorted before I head to Alicante on Sunday to meet Imogen and Amy who are coming out for my birthday celebration. I’m looking forward to seeing them and blue skies will be a welcome break for them from the winter at home.

 60 sounds old but I certainly don’t feel it and I am probably fitter now than I was when I was 50. Chris has bought me a camera, although it is in the UK so I haven’t seen it yet and he has arranged a night away on Valentine’s day , dinner and a Rod Stewart tribute act-should be a good night.

Till next time

Norma xx

San Jose as we walked into town

Windmill at El Pozo