Coming back to Spain

View from Cabarceno

The ferry was booked for the 9th of July which was the same day we left the UK last year on the start of the European tour. Loading went well and we were soon in our stateroom, also known as an inside cabin, and ready for our cruise to Spain. Once again the sailing was perfect, the Bay of Biscay was flat calm and we saw dolphins swimming alongside the ship. We left the ship at about 18:00 and drove the short distance to Cabárceno where we spent the night.

In the morning it was off down the road to Aranda de Duero retracing our steps from February. Got to the Area, spent the night, got LPG and hit the road.

Missed the Repsol garage on the A-4 just south of Madrid so had to make a big detour again to Toledo to get LPG.

Arrived at Alcazár de San Juan. Stopped the night by the bull ring. Walked around the town had a beer and tapas in a couple of bars and listened to the music concert that was being held in the bull ring (from outside).

Stopped in Granada to get gas and arrived at Málaga Monte Parc around 18:00 and went straight onto our old pitch.

The swimming pool at Finca Gertrudis

In August we signed a lease for a finca with a pool near the village of Villafranco del Guadalhorce and Harvey went into storage at Malaga Monte Parc.  It is called Finca Gertrudis.

Swanning around the UK for a while

Harvey at Tanner Farm Park, Marden

The reason for returning to the UK in February was to have Harvey and our Vauxhall Corsa tow car serviced and MOT'd but first a short visit to Kent to see Emma and Charlie. Then to Wareham Forest Tourist park near Wareham which was going to be home for a few weeks but when their prices went up for the start of the new season it was off down the road, about 300 yards, to Birchwood Touring Park.

Me talking to Professor Eek

Harvey had to go to Cheltenham to have some bodywork repairs done so we booked into Briarsfield Motel and Caravan Park not far from the repairers. While the repair was being done we took a trip down to Tiverton to visit Jan and Ian for a few days. Ian and I have a love of beer in common and we managed to visit some good watering holes. The guys at Motorhome Medics had rung on the Friday and told us that the repair had not taken as long as they had thought but we arranged for them to keep the van until the Monday so that we had the weekend away.

Professor Eek doing his thing

On Monday it was a quick run up the M5 to pick up the van and then back to Birchwood in convoy. When Harvey's MOT was due it was off to Dorchester and The Royal Yeoman.

We went back to Cheltenham to have Harvey serviced and were joined by Jan and Ian at the camp site. On the Sunday we went into Cheltenham to check out the ukulele festival and I ran into an old colleague, Martyn "Eek" Cooper. We watched the "mass busk" in the town centre and then retired to the pub where the festival was being held for some beer and more music. I even got to have a go with Martyn's ukulele.

Jan and Tricia at Tintern Abbey

Harvey at Caberceno near Santander

Next was a short run down the M5 to West End Farm in the village of  Locking, in order to attend an RAF reunion in Weston-super-Mare on the Saturday night, and we had a visit from Jan and Ian on the Sunday to show off their new motor home. They decided to stay overnight and we both left in the morning, Jan and Ian to the Lake District and Tricia and I to Portsmouth and the Santander ferry.