21. Feb, 2017

21. Feb, 2017

TUESDAY 21-2-17

When we are touring with the motorhome we use single beds which run from back-to-front at the rear of the vehicle (I will eventually get around to taking a few internal pictures). When we are to remain in one location for a while we'll make it in to a king size double running transverse across the rear. As this trip is to be about half-and-half I opted to keep it as a double, and to make life more comfortable I treated the vehicle to a top of the range mattress topper from 'Dunelm' just before we left. It's so comfortable, and that folks is the case for the defence in our continual 'slack hammock', lying-in instead of getting up in good time to embrace this lovely weather.

Now I've had this ugly face of mine a long time, long enough to find my way around it with a wet razor and  without a mirror or safety net. This gives me a big advantage in the shower block. Firstly I go there wearing only a dressing gown and flip-flops. It's so much easier than getting dressed after a shower trying to get trousers over damp skin. I always carry my towel and washbag in front of me for fear of there being a gust of wind and some old lady coming the other way having a heart attack.

When I enter the shower block I walk past all the chaps stood at sinks having a wet shave and straight in to a shower cubicle. Dressing gown off and I'm straight under the shower for a scrub down and wet shave. I can sometimes be in and out whilst others are still stood at the sink (I really don't know why I've shared that with you, look upon it as a tip to beat the Gemans in the shower block).

Today we were to take our bikes for a ride along the promenade. It's been a while since we last used them. I decided to take a backpack with the camera in it along with a shopping bag just in case we came across anything we fancied.

We always wear cycle helmets, though both of us feel silly with them on, though not as silly as we'd feel wearing a ventilator in an ITU hospital bed having sustained a head injury in an accident.

It was a lovely warm sunny day for a gentle ride, though we did hang around at the campsite until about 11:00 when the temperature felt nice and warm before setting out. We rode along the promenade to the southern edge of town before returning back through the town centre. We had intended to stop at a bar we've visited before and have a beer and some tapas, but it was really busy being late lunchtime and so we gave it a miss.

Once back at the campsite we grabbed a couple of shopping bags and popped across the road to the supermarket to buy some bits, then it was back for a very late lunch and a nice sit in the sunshine. This warmth and sunshine thing is still a bit of a novelty to us at the moment, it will no doubt wear off in a few days.

We quite like the pitch (B-2 4) we have here. As it's in a cul-de-sac there is no passing traffic which is a boon. Furthermore the neighbours seem nice enough. We are sandwiched between Welsh caravanner's to our left and Dutch motorhomer's to our right. Across from us is a German motorhoming couple who have a lovely Husky dog. Now I'm not normally a dog lover but this dog has just the loveliest temperament, if we didn't look across at him we wouldn't know he was there, unlike the usual neurotic, small, yapping balls of fluff we have to endure.

Behind us, side by side, are two German couples with motorhomes.

We're missing having our freestanding awning on the side of the motorhome. It means that once the sun gets low we have to come indoors as it's a bit too fresh to sit out there. With the awning we could have sat inside it with the heater on. They just give you more living space. But we had to make a decision. Do we bring the bikes or the awning? We concluded that we could make better use of the bikes. In anticipation of the weather improving and getting warmer we would have less need of the awning, besides once we leave here we'll be touring around and would not consider erecting it during this period which would mean we were just carrying it around for an awful lot of miles................... But in the meantime we're missing it!

20. Feb, 2017

20. Feb, 2017

20. Feb, 2017

MONDAY 20-2-17

Last night was a bit restless. I lay in bed listening to the mandatory dog which continuously barks somewhere out there in the community. This was interspersed with the sound of bumping and thumping and banging as caravanning neighbours returned from the bar and restaurant to turn their sofas in to beds. You'd think they'd have worked it out that it would be better for everyone if they made the beds up before they went out.

We were greeted this morning with a lovely blue sky and sunshine. It's that sun which makes all of us feel better.

After scrubbing up and breakfast I went to check on the progress of the UK motorhome who was due to vacate his pitch today. The problem on this campsite is that folk don't have to vacate their pitches until 17:00 and new arrivals  can't move on until after that time, so he has every right to stay there most of the day.

It was a long walk all the way over to that pitch but success, he had moved off. Back I went, and within minutes we were slowly driving around the site to locate to our new long-term pitch.

We spent two or three hours creating 'base camp' with the folding bikes readied for use and chained to the rear towbar assembly. We also lay a large mat down in front of the habitation door as we find this helps to prevent stone chippings from being trodden in to the vehicle, not only that it prevents the chippings scraping the paint off the bottom of the folding chair frames.

Whilst The Chef was sunning herself this afternoon I popped over to the supermarket which is right opposite the campsite entrance where  I splashed out on three different brands of bottled wine, costing a total of about £7. I've no idea what they will taste like, and there's only one way to find out.

On my return I repaired the aluminium wine container with some epoxy resin to cover the leak, so hopefully that will be successful.

Then it was off to sort out some Wi-Fi which unfortunately is not free here. Still at eighteen euros for thirty days it's reasonably priced.

Our next door neighbours from Welsh Wales told us about the excursions they run from the campsite, one every two weeks. The destinations include Valencia and Peniscola which is north of here, and somewhere I fancy taking a look at. Originally we had planned to go to Valencia on the train, but this means we have to cycle (it would be a very long walk) to the railway station, where hopefully they provide facilities to lock the bikes up before getting on the train. We were both thinking about two one-day visits there. That's not to say we won't still do it on the train, but if we can get there by coach on the first attempt it would be helpful.

We had a technical problem this evening as The Chef tripped out the electrics. We don't normally have a problem using our two single hotplates to cook on, but clearly there's a problem using them here. This is doubly annoying as I purchased two individual induction hobs which are far more efficient, but they were taken off after the trip down this way two years ago. Well guess what? When we get back home they're coming  back onboard to stay.

We have enjoyed a lovely warm sunny day, though once the sun goes down the temperature plummets. I now have to hope that the ceramic electric fan heater we carry with us doesn't trip the electrics out as well.

Tomorrow we plan to go for a nice bike ride around the local area.

Depending on how it goes I may not upload an entry for every day. I'll see.