Sun sun sun here we come

Why anyone would want to stay on that carpark for more than a night or 2 is beyond me.
Towns good for a wander and the lunch and tapas we had later also good but in winter what did we miss?
Good that anybody reading this now knows of the strange pricing structure.
Think there may be a discount for 2 nights although my grasp of Spanish is limited so may have misunderstood the guy in the office
 
Minxy said:
The Grand Mundo on the main street, if just parking for the meal there's loads outside although we usually go in the side street on the opposite side, it's quiet enough to stay overnight there too if you've had too much plonk. We stay overnight near the port but it's not always possible to get in there and it's narrow so you have to tuck in well. Alternatively there are a few dead end road leading to the beach which you can stay on.

Oh, if you need water there's a tap on the decking area near the port and you can empty your toilet waste down the manhole behind the little toilet block, it usually has a bit of string on to lift it with.
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Minxy we are parked behind lidl so will go for Sunday lunch, do you need to book?

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MichaelT said:
Minxy we are parked behind lidl so will go for Sunday lunch, do you need to book?
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No need to book but check the price as I think it may be dearer at weekends.
 
8th Feb quick 50mls down to Torremolinos this morning. 1690 total.
Got a front row spot in another manky carpark for €2 per night so mustn't complain too much. Very cool wind blowing when we arrived but must be 19 or 20°C by now.
It's a pleasant 3.5mile walk along the prom to the centre but a bit of a slog on the way back after tapas coffee and cake.
Quite by chance found a really authentic place for fish tapas and sherry. Walked straight in but by the time we had eaten there were a queue of Spaniards waiting. Always a good sign if you can find where the locals frequent.
Sat here now trying to decide do we cut the corner and head directly to Cadiz or not.
Called in at Gibraltar on a cruise a few years ago and was not impressed then so no need to return.
 
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Grove of palm trees on Torremolinos beach bet you can't see the ground for sun beds in summer
 
Yep that's the answer but until we got this far south they were all full.
All I really want is a flat bit of tarmac and prepared to pay for that as well but further north they were all full as well.
One man's manky is anothers heaven obviously. :LOL:

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9th Feb 150mls of empty roads but €10 tolls today. 1840mls total. Sunday no lorries.
Decided to blast through and miss the Gibraltar corner. Fuel was €1.67 for the best stuff. Gave the van a treat but think it might have been happier if I had washed it.
On site at Las dunas Puerto de Santa Maria (yes!) they had an ACSI space for a mere €25. Spotless facilities. Imagine being asked to pay that in the UK you'd think all your birthdays had come at once.
Ideal spot they have allocated us full sun close to the loos (but not too close) and near the washing machines. Actually cheaper to use machines here than a launderette.
Almost too hot to sit in the sun but table and chairs out for lunch soaking up the rays (at last on this trip).
To top it off the wine we like in their supermarket was €2 cheaper than Macedonia.
 
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The castle Puerto de Santa Maria.
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Another contender for snozzel of the 16th century. No problem getting a fix on the time if you point him in the right direction.
'John the thing' created the first map of the Americas in the 1500's
 
Cadiz on the ferry today.€10 return. 30 mins walk from the campsite.
Did a few of the sights had a few coffee stops plesent lunch and now sitting in plaza de Espana in the bright afternoon sunshine.
IMG_20250210_111834.webp

Cathedral (all are welcome in the house of god as long as you have €10) needless to say we just admired the external architecture.
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Bit of the original town wall (although looks to new to be Roman)
 
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Nearly 17000 steps today feel as though we've walked nearly 8 mls.
Don't expect the central market in Cadiz to be open if you visit on a Monday no fresh fish for tea. Not to sure it would have been very fresh by the time we got back to the van.
Forgot to mention that if staying at the same campsite as us (las dunas) then there's a cheap petrol station just around the corner by the football stadium€1.40. cheapest I've seen recently.
It's not worth the detour into town to find it if just passing by.
 
berni109 said:
Nearly 17000 steps today feel as though we've walked nearly 8 mls.
Don't expect the central market in Cadiz to be open if you visit on a Monday no fresh fish for tea. Not to sure it would have been very fresh by the time we got back to the van.
Forgot to mention that if staying at the same campsite as us (las dunas) then there's a cheap petrol station just around the corner by the football stadium€1.40. cheapest I've seen recently.
It's not worth the detour into town to find it if just passing by.
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Never buy fish on Monday as fisherman don't fish on Sunday is my motto.😀
 
berni109 said:
Cadiz on the ferry today.€10 return. 30 mins walk from the campsite.
Did a few of the sights had a few coffee stops plesent lunch and now sitting in plaza de Espana in the bright afternoon sunshine.
View attachment 1011407
Cathedral (all are welcome in the house of god as long as you have €10) needless to say we just admired the external architecture.
View attachment 1011412
Bit of the original town wall (although looks to new to be Roman)
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At least the amphitheatre is free, if not particularly impressive. Easy to miss the entrance though.

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11th Feb 70mls journey up to Seville via Jerez
1910mls total.
Stopped off in Jerez for a look around. Actually has a town centre with shops (at least one of us was happy) for a walk around and more cafes and bars than you can shake a stick at.
2 coffees for €2.4 in some back street bar - cheapest yet. Not only cheap but good as well.
The Alcazar was closed to the public for a film shoot and the cathedral was pay to enter so other than some tapas and some fish for tea quite a cheap visit.
If you have anything bigger than a 6mt van don't attempt to get into P4N 11408 there is a big hump off the road.I scrapped a bolt on our step.
Bright and sunny start to the day 14°C and pleasantly warm in Jerez but on the journey the skys darkened and we had some rain for a while when we parked up but still 17°C. Atlantic front moving through should have passed by tomorrow. Hopefully!
IMG_20250211_112958.webp

Some wonderful flying buttresses.
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Got to give it to these church builders wonderful architecture.
 
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Barriesimpson said:
That's an awful lot of shit. 😂
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Which presumably needs to be emptied using a hose which then needs to be stored back in the van?

I had a 3.5 inch grey waste hose with a previous van but I'm not really sure I'd want to use a long black waste hose to try to reach disposal points that were designed for cartridges.
 
Found a truck wash quite by accident (wrong slip road) and thought I would try to shift some of the muck that's been on the van since France.
3 goes with the jet wash didn't even touch it but I do have a clean windscreen now.
 
berni109 said:
18 Jan 25 Amboise France.
At last we managed to get away on our jaunt to Spain's med coast. Nothing booked just winging it so as long as we can service the van we will be fine.
Both ill from Christmas eve with colds (sure mine was man flu) unable to shake it off so delayed the ferry by a week.
Uneventful journey down to Newhaven but don't recommend the M25 on a Friday afternoon. Ever time I travel on the M25 I vow never to again but unless we go for a western channel crossing (in the winter?) there is no realistic alternative.
After reading recommendations for the Newhaven crossing decided to give it a go. Good price and the 'superior' cabin was as good as most hotels we've stayed in.
Managed a few hours sleep but we misunderstood the docking times so the staff were hammering on our door telling us we were holding up half the lower deck from disembarking as we were up against the ramp. (If you were behind us - sorry).
0°C when we got off with freezing mist then it went down to -1°C as we headed South. Missed the snow falling but a light sprinkling across the fields as we got further on. It was warmer at home than in north central France.
5am is a good time to traverse Rouen, I don't know where Google maps actually took us but we made it without seeing a low bridge.
Miserable cold damp/wet journey south to Amboise but the redeeming feature is a free municipal motorhome parking area (no services) within easy walking distance to town. Just us and another van on a space for at least 20.
You may have read that the heater in a ducato is poor and I can confirm that it is abysmal. Cranked right up and blower on full it just about kept the worst of the cold off. Can understand why some peeps have a thick curtain blocking off the cab area but ours is only a pvc. It was so cold in the back i was worried the dump valve would empty our fresh water.
Amboise is a major tourist attraction with it's massive chateau built by Charles (the something or other) but in the cold and damp it looses some of its charm. Since it's our first day we decided to treat ourselves to lunch and whilst it was good €70 for 2 courses and a half carafe it certainly was not cheap. The days of a plate du jour seem long gone but then the kids keep telling me I'm living in the past.
Onwards and downward tomorrow but the weather forecast looks no better for a few days
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Menu del dia in our village is €9 for a big salad plate and 3 further courses :roflmto: . That’s why we live in Spain and not France :giggler:
 
berni109 said:
18 Jan 25 Amboise France.
At last we managed to get away on our jaunt to Spain's med coast. Nothing booked just winging it so as long as we can service the van we will be fine.
Both ill from Christmas eve with colds (sure mine was man flu) unable to shake it off so delayed the ferry by a week.
Uneventful journey down to Newhaven but don't recommend the M25 on a Friday afternoon. Ever time I travel on the M25 I vow never to again but unless we go for a western channel crossing (in the winter?) there is no realistic alternative.
After reading recommendations for the Newhaven crossing decided to give it a go. Good price and the 'superior' cabin was as good as most hotels we've stayed in.
Managed a few hours sleep but we misunderstood the docking times so the staff were hammering on our door telling us we were holding up half the lower deck from disembarking as we were up against the ramp. (If you were behind us - sorry).
0°C when we got off with freezing mist then it went down to -1°C as we headed South. Missed the snow falling but a light sprinkling across the fields as we got further on. It was warmer at home than in north central France.
5am is a good time to traverse Rouen, I don't know where Google maps actually took us but we made it without seeing a low bridge.
Miserable cold damp/wet journey south to Amboise but the redeeming feature is a free municipal motorhome parking area (no services) within easy walking distance to town. Just us and another van on a space for at least 20.
You may have read that the heater in a ducato is poor and I can confirm that it is abysmal. Cranked right up and blower on full it just about kept the worst of the cold off. Can understand why some peeps have a thick curtain blocking off the cab area but ours is only a pvc. It was so cold in the back i was worried the dump valve would empty our fresh water.
Amboise is a major tourist attraction with it's massive chateau built by Charles (the something or other) but in the cold and damp it looses some of its charm. Since it's our first day we decided to treat ourselves to lunch and whilst it was good €70 for 2 courses and a half carafe it certainly was not cheap. The days of a plate du jour seem long gone but then the kids keep telling me I'm living in the past.
Onwards and downward tomorrow but the weather forecast looks no better for a few days
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Buy yourself a Chinese heater they are brilliant and warm my Autosleeper Burford so warm we have to turn it down,Also have one at home to save the main boiler being on all the time.
 
Figaro said:
When did Ducato heaters become pants ?
My 2003 Ducato heater is excellent
Have a great trip (y)
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As is ours when Andy cranks it up I’m toastie in my wheelchair except for the draught coming through the skylight. Even though it’s shut it is awful when travelling- always wear my hat !!
 
Wendo55 said:
We've overtaken you now on the road today as we passed Valencia and are overnighting in Denia before checking in at la Torreta site in Benidorm for the next 6 weeks. 🤗
Loads of funsters in Beni!
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Love Denia so easy and flat in my chair 😎

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