13. Mar, 2020

13. Mar, 2020

FRIDAY 13-03-20

Funny how sometimes, days just don't work out as you'd planned. We'd made the effort to get up in time, get scrubbed up and down to the local Sports Centre  to hire our bikes, just for today really, though you can have free hire of them for up to a week.

On our arrival at the Centre the office was locked and the desk deserted with a notice saying that the office up the stairs would deal with all questions, so up we went. "Yes", we were told "Just wait downstairs and I will be with you", and after a reasonable wait he joined us to tell us that he had just received a phone call from the Town Hall telling them not to rent out any more bikes. So that was it, we told him that we were disappointed but understood.

As we walked away I said to The Chef something was going on, that I reckoned they were going to gradually retrieve all of the bikes currently out on hire over the next few days and then close the Sports Centre. On the way back I wanted to pop in to the largest Chinese Shop in the village - but it was closed, they never close. So back to the supermarket across the road from the campsite to buy a baguette for lunch as our plans had now changed from 'Biking to Oropesa and buying lunch there before riding back' to 'Take a lunch with us and walk towards Oropesa and stop when we've had enough, eat lunch and walk back', and as it happens the supermarket across the road sells crustier baguettes than the Lidl store which we had passed on the way back.

When we walked in to the store it was like the start of the January Sales. There were four tills open and all of them had long queues. Loads of shelves were empty, and customers had their trolleys piled high, so the cunning plan was that The Chef would buy bits that we needed or would need while I nipped across the road to pick up the shopping bags. I wasn't gone long and when I returned she had bought the few items we needed that were still available. So I took the trolley  off her and joined a long queue armed with one of the shopping bags, while she went back down to Lidl to see what she could get and I would join her after I'd taken my bits back.

As it was heaving with skanky Spaniards I decided to put a face mask on. When the woman in front of me in the queue turned round and saw me with it on she nearly crapped herself and stood right to one side of her trolley as far from me as she could. It was only after a while when she realised I wasn't coughing or sneezing and that I posed no risk to her that she rejoined her trolley.

I swear I was in that queue for 20 to 30 minutes, but eventually I was through the checkout, paid by card, then wiped the card with sanitiser and legged it back to the campsite. Having dropped my bits off I walked swiftly down to Lidl and when I entered I couldn't believe it. There stood the Chef with the remaining bits we needed and wondering where on earth I'd got to. Honesty it was like a normal day in there. No queue at all, not even busy. I can only assume that generally speaking the Spaniards shop at the Supermercado across the road from the  campsite, and the campers use Lidl. Because I know if I'd been a local who arrived at Supermercado by car I would have soon jumped back in and checked out Lidl.

Never mind we made our way back with our bits including a couple of large bottles of water.

Once back we put things away and the Chef made a lunch which I put in the backpack and we set off. By now it was about 11:30 - much of the morning had gone.

I have to say it was a lovely walk along the disused railway track with the sun by now up and very warm. We knew we wouldn't now make it to Oropesa but we had much pleasure in just heading in that direction. Eventually we decided we'd had enough, found somewhere to have lunch down on the rocks and then made our way back.

Once back we decided to have a bit of a sort out with the garage etc as we need to think about getting back on the road. The long-term campers here have been shaken out of their little bubble, as suddenly the problem has arrived on their doorstep.

Before this evenings meal we made our way back down to the village to get The Chef a hat which she can wear in public to cover her hair. It's white and looks like a trilby and I think it suits her, though it does have tiny holes in it. I told her it would do for now and if we came across anything better we'd get it.

The village 'High St' was really quiet and when we popped in to the Tourist Information Office they had already erected a barrier to keep punters away from their counter. So for us that was confirmation - it's Showtime!

Word has it that all bars and restaurants must close until further notice throughout the Valencia region starting as from tomorrow night, and that includes here.

So tomorrow will be a chores day as we ready the vehicle to leave on Sunday morning heading to Denia where we plan to spend the night in the Marina complex. We've only seen the top part of Denia close to the port and railway station when we once caught a train there from Benidorm. So after a look around we'll  head to Benidorm for just a couple of days before heading further south.

For the rest of this trip we'll need to be totally flexible and think on our feet because a lot of what we do now is going to depend on what we will be allowed to do, and where we're allowed to go.

.....Watch this space.

12. Mar, 2020

12. Mar, 2020

12. Mar, 2020

THURSDAY 12-03-20

Last night's DVD entertainment was the first three episodes of 'Gavin & Stacey', but I don't think The Chef was that impressed by it, which is a shame as we've a few episodes left to watch.

As promised we had another lovely sunny day, though it was a bit cooler than yesterday. Today was the day we were to hire the bikes ready for a bike ride tomorrow. Unfortunately after another nice walk along the promenade in to the village we were unable to do so because we took photocopies of our passports rather than the originals. We have a few photocopies onboard, taken with both passports side by side on A4 sheets so that we can leave them at a campsite Reception desk if they require them as we don't like parting with the originals and be told to come back for them later. Never mind. We will get up earlier tomorrow and take the originals with us, hire the bikes and then set off for our bike ride from there.

We couldn't remember which day of the week the market was on, but as we rounded the corner from the Sports Centre we had the answer - it is Thursdays. As usual it was mainly fruit and vegetable stalls, but whereas we would normally buy bits, we decided against it as there was a lot of feeling and fumbling of the goods by the locals, and right now I think we should be avoiding that sort of thing, and so after a look around we made our way the short distance to the largest of the Chinese shops where I bought a new reversible trouser belt, new flip-flops, a single cotton sheet and some elastic should we need to start making our own masks if things get worse with the coronavirus over here.

Then it was in to the supermarket across the road from the campsite where we bought some fruit which had been packaged and was therefore not as handled as the loose food, then it was back for lunch.

Later I had a text from my brother Richard who informed us that he and his wife Sue had decided at the last minute to cancel their holiday to Denia. So last minute that their bags were packed and the car was outside the house ready to take them to a hotel for the night before flying out here tomorrow. But having had their friends they were joining here cancel a couple of days ago, and to then find out this morning that the fires and fiesta celebrations in Denia have been cancelled, they saw little point in coming out. It must have been extremely disappointing for them but they made the right decision. Just like back home the coronavirus is kicking off here, so things are getting riskier, plus they would have had to run the gauntlet of the airport, flight and hotel air conditioning it wasn't worth taking the risk. We were disappointed too as we were looking forward to catching up with them and finding out all about their recent motorhoming adventure in Australia. Never mind we'll meet up as soon as we get home whenever that will be. The Chef and I have decided that we'll increase our precautions as from Benidorm and further south, and if we feel the risks become too great (rank Spanish armpits may keep the flies away but they aren't going to save them from this one) we'll make our way home, almost non-stop. So it's very much fingers crossed for us.

Having sat out in the lovely sunshine this afternoon The Chef agreed to thin my hair out for me. I had my hair cut about four weeks ago by Blind Brian, and even though I asked him to thin it out having cut it he didn't. He seems to have mastered the art of distracting customers and to present an acceptable look in the mirror at the end of the cut. But you don't really find out what he's really done until the following day. The man is so inconsistent, occasional he's really quite good, but more often now it really isn't worth the money. But if I don't go and pay hime then there's no money to feed his guide dog. I have to say this evening my hair feels so much better - cheap at half the price.

The chores are all done now and I have just had to pop out to the gas locker within the rear garage to change over the cylinders as the heating stopped working. I can't grumble the first cylinder has lasted us since the UK and it's been used for heating every evening since we left as well as cooking when we've not been hooked-up to electricity on campsites.

An early night tonight I think as we've a few calories to burn up tomorrow as we play Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid on our bikes.