Tam, Jade and Franky's European Adventure

Feltwell said:
Can't be, he doesn't look Chinese at all ;)

Nice beach Tam - I've got beach envy...… No beaches for me on my forthcoming 3 weeks in France, but I have got mountains and some very nice rivers to stay by, that'll do.
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You can't beat nice mountains and rivers ...but it's so hot here just now it's nice to be near the water. ..and fires inland I believe
 
I stuck a for sale sign on the motorhome and I've had a couple of enquiries already.

One guy may have a smaller van to part exchange here in Portugal.

I was wondering though what's the situation for someone registering a right hand drive in Portugal? Anyone know?
 
Been there a couple of times last winter,there were actually less vans then

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Think I may have to drive back to portimao today. Got a warning on dash yesterday saying brake fluid is low and I'm thinking that's down to my front brake pads being nearly at maximum wear ....i did check them last month when I was in totana and thought I may have a few thousand miles on them yet but I'd feel safer having a set with me so I can change them over.

Not sure of motor factors over here but seems there's a car parts place in portimao called "sandiastand" so might give them a try
 
Got the new pads ...havent fitted them yet but not had that warning on dash again and from new pads it seems there's definitely a sensor on them. So maybe it was cause I was on a very steep incline at the time

But I'll change them first chance I get

So I'm in portimao again trying to decide where to park 4 the night
 
Well that's another successful job for kerbside autos ...thats me fitted the new brake pads on franky ....took me just over an hour mainly due to the jack being a pain to use on the rhs. ..left side no probs but right side a stupid protection plate fouls the handle when trying to wind it up

But hey ho at least they are done now ...found the sensor wire to be broken on the old set hence no warning of wear ....although I reckon they still had a few thousand miles in them yet but didn't want to take the chance.
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And I'm now back over in aljezur sky was full of smoke in portimao because of the wild fires so stuff breathing that in :p

Few nice bits near the beach but park4night full of folk saying gnr moving folk at 7 am etc and giving fines so I decided to park in this wee picnic spot inland for the night and it gave me a flat surface to do brakes on.
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Nice work on the brakes Tam, always a nice feeling of satisfaction when you get a job like that done yourself. I have neither the mechanical know how nor patience for stuff like that! Fair bit of kit your carrying around there though nobody can accuse you of not being prepared. You must have been a scout were you? :) dib dib dib

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monzer said:
Nice work on the brakes Tam, always a nice feeling of satisfaction when you get a job like that done yourself. I have neither the mechanical know how nor patience for stuff like that! Fair bit of kit your carrying around there though nobody can accuse you of not being prepared. You must have been a scout were you? :) dib dib dib
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It was my job once a long time ago but I still do most of my own repairs where I can ..brakes are easy once it's jacked up and wheels off only two bolts then to take calipers off shove pistons back and fit new pads in. Saved myself garage labour at least.

I'm carrying a lot of tools with me so I'm glad in a way that I get to use them a few times makes it worth while carting them around for a year. It's proved invaluable I have to say
 
The beach at rogil is good for stopping the night
Or from were you are there is a industrial estate just before rogil that has a large flat area in the middle that is quiet at night. GNR saw us in both places and ignored us
 
Glad you got that job sorted Tam, well done. Be sure to keep well away from any fires and keep Jade and yourself safe.
 
Great job done Tam
You have given me the motivation to jack my bus up and check the pads.(in my drive way)
I do not think i have braking sensors.
Have a safe onward journey.:):)

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bigtree said:
Almost the same spot at Carrapateira Tam, we go there every year as it's our favourite beach.View attachment 247745
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No 'camping' activities there then:D

The green bit on the map stretching from Porto Covo in the North to Burgau on the Algarve is the 'Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina'........guess what.......no 'camping' allowed outside authorised sites, it may even be the case that no overnight parking is allowed.

I know it goes on, I have stayed along that coast myself, and the GNR and other authorities generally turn a blind eye but is it a surprise that in recent years they have started to clamp down.
 
matamoros said:
No 'camping' activities there then:D

The green bit on the map stretching from Porto Covo in the North to Burgau on the Algarve is the 'Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina'........guess what.......no 'camping' allowed outside authorised sites, it may even be the case that no overnight parking is allowed.

I know it goes on, I have stayed along that coast myself, and the GNR and other authorities generally turn a blind eye but is it a surprise that in recent years they have started to clamp down.
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Yes it's apparently not allowed but there are motorhomes everywhere ....aswell as loads of estate cars etc full of surfers. Even seen some tents pitched up. I was on that bit at carraptiera for 2 days and it got busier more vans turned up evening time. On park4night there wasn't any mention of the gnr at that spot but it seems all the ones as you come further up there's comments over the last few months of early awakenings and fines etc.
They are seriously needing to do something about the car drivers though as it's those dirty buggers that keep disappearing in to the bushes to crap and leave loads of paper and baby wipes behind them it's disgusting.
 
Northernraider said:
Yes it's apparently not allowed but there are motorhomes everywhere ....aswell as loads of estate cars etc full of surfers. Even seen some tents pitched up. I was on that bit at carraptiera for 2 days and it got busier more vans turned up evening time. On park4night there wasn't any mention of the gnr at that spot but it seems all the ones as you come further up there's comments over the last few months of early awakenings and fines etc.
They are seriously needing to do something about the car drivers though as it's those dirty buggers that keep disappearing in to the bushes to crap and leave loads of paper and baby wipes behind them it's disgusting.
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It's a crazy situation, we have stopped on the other car park round the corner near the surf school a couple of times without bother but only in the winter and without 'camping'

The problem in Portugal seems to be that enforcement of rules is extremely haphazard and the political system is corrupt from top to bottom no matter who is in power making change very difficult.

"They are seriously needing to do something about the car drivers though as it's those dirty buggers that keep disappearing in to the bushes to crap and leave loads of paper and baby wipes behind them it's disgusting."...........like French lay byes then!!

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That picture was taken in May 2015,at night we put everything away and went into our van,the two vans behind us sat out till late that night and the GNR came along after 11 and had words with them. They were told to be away before 12 the next day,they just waved at us during the day when we were having lunch. Last year in October they told us no overnighting,we stayed that night as we were going to the local restaurant. Every van left the next day,this year ,May the police never appeared. So it seems as @matamoros says it is haphazard how they go about it.
 
We went to some lovely beauty spots in northern Spain last year and we were disgusted that the Spaniards had not respect for their own countryside with the amount of human excrement, bog paper and baby wipes around the edge of carparks and in adjacent bushes.
Might discuss a few, but if we go off for a walk into the countryside, I always carry a Tesco type carrier bag with me and a handy pocket pack of tissues and if I get really desperate for a dump the out comes the carrier bag, drop the trousers and grundies and hang onto the carrier bag handles and away you go. All cleanup material goes in the carrier bag and tied off with a knot and carried until a suitable place is found to dispose of it.
Before you all go errrr and disgusting, it no different to the good dog owners carrying a bag of dog poo around in a plastic bag.
 
bigtree said:
That picture was taken in May 2015,at night we put everything away and went into our van,the two vans behind us sat out till late that night and the GNR came along after 11 and had words with them. They were told to be away before 12 the next day,they just waved at us during the day when we were having lunch. Last year in October they told us no overnighting,we stayed that night as we were going to the local restaurant. Every van left the next day,this year ,May the police never appeared. So it seems as @matamoros says it is haphazard how they go about it.
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Yep it seems to be the way this year too I've seen one gnr car in a month I've been in Portugal.
Today I drove up to rocil around 10am there was 5 vans there that had obviously stayed overnight ....i parked up took jade a walk and then I got the beach for a few hours till around 3pm ....came back had lunch and decided not to stop there overnight so I've driven up to odeceixe and I'm parked down by the river at the minute with 2 other vans.

Had a walk round the town and just having a cuppa deciding whether to stop the night here or not.

I think if they really wanted to stop folk staying overnight then they have to be consistent it's no good just tolerating it out of season when they benefit from the financial input etc ....if it's a definite rule enforce it and put signs up
But they should also do something about the cars not just the motorhomes.
I've opted for the parking a little inland and driving to the beach for the day option till I'm passed the nature park area because I can't be bothered being woken at 7.00am to move and not risking the corrupt fine situation


Anyway a few photos from today actually a few are from yesterday I forgot to post.
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This cliff top was impressive it was full of large cracks and you could see where bits had sunk and were breaking away from the rest, I was quite happy walking about on it thinking it was cool till I spotted a couple of cracks and holes that when you looked down you could see the see under you.....at that point I realised I was walking on a bit of cliff that overhung the sea and wasn't attached so I got out of there rather sharp lol
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This was jade having one of her dumb moments where her head was in the shade but the rest of her was getting cooked

Sometimes I do wonder about her
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The coast from Cape St Vincent upwards is stunning,shame they have reduced the parking at Cabo Sardao beside the lighthouse. We stayed there a few years ago and cycled along the cliff tops.
 
Well if ostriches can bury their heads in the sand why shouldn't Jade?
The cracks in the cliffs in your pics were scary ,gave me butterflies just looking at them.
I hope Jade has the number to call puppy line if you take her near them again;)

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Val 2 dogs said:
Well if ostriches can bury their heads in the sand why shouldn't Jade?
The cracks in the cliffs in your pics were scary ,gave me butterflies just looking at them.
I hope Jade has the number to call puppy line if you take her near them again;)
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Who mentioned ostriches? Spotted near Porto Covo.
 
Well I think I must have tempted fate lol.

The wee town of odeciexe was getting very busy and I was getting dirty looks for taking up 3 parking spaces so I decided to move back to rogil as there were no signs saying no autocaravanna etc and thought I'd just move again early morning.

So I got there parked up 2 other vans here I started making my dinner and a knock at the door

Gnr

Policeman was nice enough he said overnight not allowed ...daytime no problem but not after sundown ....he asked for Id and van documents

Which I have him....he insisted I was not getting a fine only advised off the parking restrictions in the national park . He copied all my details off my licence and my log book on to a form which was all in Portuguese which again he insisted was only regulations and information on the nature park.
He had me sign this form which I did on the word that it was not a fine

He said I can stay tonight and parking here is ok tomorrow daytime but then I must move

Which was my intention anyway.

So has anyone any experience of this ?

Guy seemed nice enough but I've heard stories on here before of someone being fined after they were told it wasn't a fine.

I didn't get a copy of the form he had me sign

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