Getting Gassed (Almost) and Doggie Romance

We were thrilled to have survived the night without being poisoned by carbon monoxide.

Our alarm had gone off while we were walking in Cabo de Palos and we were concerned to see the meter was reading 61 (apparently a fairly dangerous number according to the instructions on the CO meter). "Perhaps it was the wind blowing the fridge fumes in". We decided to keep an eye on it but after a couple of days and nights of open windows, the strange smell seeping from the top of the fridge and the rising numbers on the meter urged us to action.

 

Spot the Dickie - Cabo de Palos

It's our secret - I'm not really an animal

There has been no wee fee for a few days so we phoned Chelston Motors back in England who gave us the number of a dealer in Almeria. "We can't fit you in till the 18th February", were not the words we wanted to hear as we may have been six feet under by then - looking ruddy of cheek as CO poisoning does to you but quite deddles all the same. "Try Caravanas Lorca - they're close to you".

Well the Lords and Ladies of Magic must have been smiling on us as within ten minutes, at the dunny emptying point of all places, we met an Englishman and told him of our trouble. "I've just been given the address for Caravanas Lorca this morning." He produced a piece of paper with all the details of how to find the aforementioned and gave us his phone number to report back as he, too, was having problems with his fridge.

We duly arrived at our destination and with a confident (if a little casual in a Spanish way) manner the shop attendant dropped everything and discovered that the gas jet had oxidised and the exhaust pipe from the fridge was filled with soot - hence the aroma. He and his boss spoke not a word of English despite the sign saying 'English spoken here' on their door, but with the ipad translator and a bit of pointing and, of course, us speaking very slowly and loudly so they could understand (just kidding) we managed to get things sorted. I can now sleep without checking to see if Hugo is breathing every 5 minutes.

Calnegre - a 100 metres from the van

We are now back by the seaside at a beach just outside Aguilas. A few days have been spent wildcamping at Cabo de Palos where the weather was gorgeous and the restaurants even better. Hugo met a lovely little Yorkishire Terrier in a leopard print dress and pearls but nothing came of their tryst due to a locked gate and an unsympathetic owner. Calnegre was the next stop where we stayed at an Aire 1 minute's walk from the beach.

 

a kiss

oops caught

farewell my love

It is now a 20 second walk to the beach here. There is a short stroll to some cliffs with ancient rock carved chambers just over the hill. I think we'll stay on that beach tomorrow - there are some surfers braving the cold waves and a group of French people playing boule over there so we will be able to watch some sport with interest. 

Beach caves - Playa de Carolina

Exposed Elderly Nipples

Guarding the door

Hugo's been enjoying the sun in El Campello for the last week as we bit the bullet and stayed for about eight days as the weather was so nice. Normally we only stay somewhere for one or two days as we like to move around so it was a bit of a change. We were even on 'Ola!' terms with a few of the restaurant barmen. Hugo is enjoying his walks by the beach and is working on his suntan. 

We met a few English people who gave us tips on wild camping sites so we're now down at La Marina, south of Alicante, parked up by the beach with about 30 other motorhomes. The chap in the Niesmann-Bischoff next door has just removed his shirt exposing an elderly chest. To say we're a little packed in is a tad of an understatement but it's free so we're not complaining. If he removes his trousers I may have to have a lie down.

There's a great restaurant 'Galego Playa' that does a 3 course menu del dia for 10 euros - including wine. We've eaten there twice and Hugo has only disgraced himself a few times by barking aggressively at customers as they walk in. Amusingly as soon as anyone goes to stroke him he goes all gooey and starts licking them....weird dog.

Lunch Munch

Rare clouds over El Campello beach

We're off towards Malaga tomorrow taking in a few wildcamping sites along the way. OOh our neighbour has put a clean shirt on ... thank heavens!!

Guns, Dogs and Near Death Babies

Spot the Dickie

'I'm going back to Holland to be arrested". 

Yesterday we embarked on a long beachfront walk from El Campello to the outskirts of Alicante. We met a Dutch guy in a van along the way and after the initial cordial greetings with our fellow motor homer those were the next words he uttered. It's amazing how forthcoming some people are within seconds of meeting them. Apparently his ' ex woman' had told the police he was smuggling guns so, after his van was searched by the Spanish police ( where, he says, they found nothing) he must now return to Holland and turn himself in. At least his bichon frisée was cute and got on very well with Hugo.

Hugo fresh from Golden Retriever incident

The drama continued as a small baby was almost toppled out of his pushchair as his mother's golden retriever lurched across our path to sniff Hugo's pert buttocks, pulling both the mother and the heavily laden pushchair with him. I raced over to save the baby from a certain sub dural haematoma as the pushchair fell in slow motion towards the concrete, baby head first but happily strapped in. Luckily the child only had a massive fright and not a massive injury....his mother was very grateful and the dogs bounced around playfully, unaware of the excitement they had caused. 

enjoying the pulpo gallego

The rest of our walk was uneventful apart from a massive shoal of silver fish, presumably sardines, swimming in the waves. Graham was very excited but refrained from getting his rod out. We have been in El Campello for several days wild camping as the weather is excellent....even got the legs out yesterday! It will be cooling down tomorrow but there's lots to do here and the restaurants are excellent. 

can you see the silver fish?

Benidorm Amusements

I can think of few things less pleasing than to earn my living in the vicinity of a rotund truck driver's sweaty genitals. There are many prostitutes by the side of the roads around Benidorm and Alicante who seem to spend most of their days sitting on a chair (if they are lucky) awaiting the advances of passing motorists to earn a few euros.

The chap we saw in Benidorm wearing rubber pigtails and a gigantic plastic penis would possibly bring a derisive smile to their lips if they had the misfortune to meet him on the side of the road but I'm sure the rest of the men would not be so amusing.

Mad dog and Englishman in the midday sun

For anyone who has not yet been here, Benidorm has a lovely long beach dotted with hundreds of bars, Asian bazaars and elderly people on mobility scooters - we even saw a few tandem ones - perhaps Mr Fluffy and I should get one in a few years time. The weather is gorgeous, around 20 degrees, and we had our first bad meal out....fabulous calamari but mussels you could play football with....rubbery...yuch! 

After checking out a couple of campsites Mr F could not cope with the crowds so we ended up spending the night in the Carrefour car park...not as bad as it may sound as we could get up and do our shopping without moving to far. We weren't the only ones there thankfully. We're getting braver about staying in strange places. 

We spent a couple of days with Graham's sister Jane's family in Altea La Vieja. I am totally jealous of their lovely house with amazing views over the mountains and a rather delicious pool- sadly a bit too cool for a dip at this time of year.

The Venema family

Off to El Campello for a bit more sun.

More Than a Bad Hair Day

No chance of Mr Fluffy's freshly laundered underpants being stolen today. Around 5am I awoke to the sight of Mr F, torch in hand, peering out the window asking if I'd heard a gurgling sound.

We were both a bit on edge as, earlier in the day, a van had been broken into while the occupants were on a walk on the beach. The thieves had used a screwdriver or something similar to crack open the door and had taken everything - this was in daylight with a couple sitting in the neighboring van. They had seen and heard nothing but a snoopy local had seen the event take place through his binoculars and called the police - but it was too late.

When the gurgling took  place Mr F thought someone was siphoning the petrol tank but alas, when he went to have a shower, the dreadful truth arose. Temperatures had been so low overnight that the automatic 'empty the water tank so it doesn't freeze' had been triggered and we were left with no water.

This constituted  DAY 3 of  'not washing the hair in a bid to wean myself off daily shampooing' (Mr F says it's bad for your hair). Now my double crown takes a little bit of work to calm it down on a good day but three days (!!) of non washing is too much. The peak on top of my head is not a good look especially with an oil slick either side. There will be no photographic evidence here.

spot the Dickie - with accompanying skinny street surrounded by water

Despite the thievery and lack of water the beaches near El Saler, south of Valencia, are lovely and the paella in the area is excellent. We drove to El Palmar for lunch and had a hairy drive through the small streets of the village. We recommend leaving the van at the car park before you enter the village as the streets are a little slim.

Monasterio de Santa Maria de la Valldigna

Happily we now have water and are parked up at Simat de la Valldigna surrounded by orange groves, with a 13th century monastery (haunted) up the road and mountains all around. I've just looked out the window and there's an amazing flock of birds, mainly white or black bodies with the underside of the wings in red or green or yellow - it almost looks like they're painted. G thinks they are painted pigeons - is that a thing??

 Heading further south tomorrow.

Beachy Shots

The flamingos were a little too far to get any good shots but I must say this area is absolutely stunning. The beach goes on forever on one side then there are rice fields on the other side. The atmosphere is very tranquil - when the hunters stop shooting for 5 seconds. Here are a few shots I took today.

Looking out over the rice fields

Getting Arty

Boats awaiting fishermen

Beach Sculpture

Map So Far

Where we've been

This morning Graham went for a cycle ride and has returned with stories of endless beaches and clouds of flamingos. Trabucador is an area of wetland in the Delta de L'Ebre and a very attractive place it is too.

We had a stopover in Cambrils yesterday for a spot of lunch on the beach but as parking by the beach overnight is forbidden we came here at the suggestion of the Venema clan (Graham's nieces and nephew). 

It is a little disconcerting to hear the continuous sound of gunshot as hunters take aim at the large variety of birdlife here. Hopefully they're missing quite a bit.

loving a clean Dickie

Dickie is being cleansed as we sit in the sun before taking off to check out these flamingos.