Adventure b4 DEMent1a

Looking around social media it seems like a lot of Spain is getting cold, wet weather just now.

But is it true that the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain? :)
Can’t really give the definitive answer to that, being in Portugal. The rain in Portugal falls mainly on my van. ?

If I was honest, the last couple of days has been difficult. The weather, especially on the coast, a full blown storm. The delivery drivers strike, and having no diesel, how long would I be stuck here, will the strike last weeks, not days. Sleeping in a noisy supermarket car park, ahh, the list went on and on. Maybe even feeling lonely. If I’d phoned Nic saying I was a bit low, would have worried her, making the situation even worse. I got fuel at about 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, and I left there immediately. Whoosh, gone.
Stayed the night in a tiny village. There, I was treated to a rehearsal of local dancing. Loads of waving arms, foot stamping and twirling around. All very nice. Nic reckoned it was Portuguese version of Maurice dancing. Didn’t see Maurice anywhere.
Today I continued onto Monsaraz. On a hill over looking the lakes. Walked down to the lake, not difficult, walked back up to the van. Now that was hard work. The view from the windscreen at the moment is amazing. Panoramic, but under a lead grey sky.
That said, life’s improved, even if the weather hasn’t. Cheerful again.
 
You always get weather Del so just make the best of whatever flavour it is. I won’t tell you I am sheltering in the shade at side of the van as I have had too much sun lol
 
You always get weather Del so just make the best of whatever flavour it is. I won’t tell you I am sheltering in the shade at side of the van as I have had too much sun lol
I’d love to send you a digit, but the moderators would block it. Sod’s law, I’ve rubbish weather until late next week.
 
You always get weather Del so just make the best of whatever flavour it is. I won’t tell you I am sheltering in the shade at side of the van as I have had too much sun lol
It is the same here, I have had to put the fantastic fan on to cool down, it says the temp will be back down to 25C tomorrow though, too warm to sleep last night ???????
 
I have a feeling I am going to be a bit sore tomorrow in spite of frequent factor 30 applications. Then again I burn under a 100w light bulb lol
Charlie has done some great salmon on the barbi we have to do it all again tomorrow lol
 
I will have my revenge gentlemen, one day. Sleep safely, for now!
A wonderful evening. Shame about the rest of the day. A couple I met on the Costa del Sol, in the wind, remember me telling you about that, are now in Valencia, in a very damp campsite. They’ve had really bad. Bloody shame really. Especially for people who’ve just managed to get away for a while. Yes they’d been better to have stayed at home.
Enjoy your, unseasonably good weather, while you can. I’ll be home mid May, bringing Spanish weather with me. So get your sou’westers out.
 
Gone over the border into Spain. What a difference. Roads better, people look more prosperous. Seems to be a nicer place to be,
All this stopping at place for days on end is going to have to stop. One or two days are plenty. Sometimes one is enough.My boredom level has come down to almost zero. Tbh, I’m enjoying the drive more than anything thing else.
Arrived in Badajoz, just over the border. The weather is set to be warm today and tomorrow, then unsettled Tuesday and Wednesday. Driving days then. Making my way north by zigzagging east west. Doesn’t make a lot of sense, but neither is it supposed to. Going for a walk. Later.
 
If you are at the aire beside the bridge, watch out for the duck poop in the park it is everywhere. If you go up to the road, cross over and walk about 100 metres up you may see a wee blackboard advertising fresh bread 3 for a €. Best bread ever wish I had a freezer in the van as would have bought 30. Old castle is worth a look, also lpg nearby.
 
............. All this stopping at place for days on end is going to have to stop. One or two days are plenty. Sometimes one is enough.My boredom level has come down to almost zero. Tbh, I’m enjoying the drive more than anything thing else..............
I couldn't agree more.

Long ago I realised I preferred the driving to the arriving. I rarely spend more than a couple of nights anywhere before I get the itch to move on. We are all different, which makes each of us interesting.
.
 
If you are at the aire beside the bridge, watch out for the duck poop in the park it is everywhere. If you go up to the road, cross over and walk about 100 metres up you may see a wee blackboard advertising fresh bread 3 for a €. Best bread ever wish I had a freezer in the van as would have bought 30. Old castle is worth a look, also lpg nearby.
Yup on the aire by the bridge. Only Brit here. Went up to the castle this afternoon, being Easter Sunday, there was a parade of the Madonna on a throne being carried by a group of lads, accompanied by a brass band. Very entertaining. As an agnostic, it all went over my head a bit. Different strokes etc.
Duck and goose poo well and truly noted. Almost like being at home.
The bread, I’ll give it a try. I’m not especially good with white bread.

HS. Tried to be clever there, and add you quote onto Starkicker’s. Always a mistake, me trying to be clever.
It’s taken me a while to sort myself out, but it is the driving isn’t it. Either you love it or not. All this trip when I tell people what I do for a living, after they tell me I should have retired, say it’s a busman’s holiday. Almost empty, quality roads. now I’ve left Portugal. And a van that’s comfortable to drive. At work I get a lower backache, and I use a diclophnic gel most nights to help me sleep. I bought two tubes with me, not used them once. Loving it. Now I’ve got my head back together, all the hassle of last week is just a memory*. Even the weather played it’s part today. Forecast says good tomorrow again, Tuesday,Wednesday not so clever, then it’s back to sun and hot. We’ll see!
* I’m never going to run low on diesel again..
More tomorrow, same iPad, different location ?

Forgot to add. According to polarsteps, this is day 50.
5108 kms. A few more to go yet. Happy bunny.
 
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just under 300 mls nnw the aire at ampudia just above valladolid is worth a couple of days if weather is half decent free services just outside the bullring & football field plus a castle 100yds away and an old town looking like something from a spaghetti western
 
If the sun won’t come to me, I’ll go to find it. Drove 290 miles today, from the Portuguese border to almost Zaragoza. Sitting in the van, in the ever present rain, admittedly at a very high altitude, with the heating on. According to the forecast the sun should make an appearance over the Spanish East Coast tomorrow or Thursday. I’ll be there, to cheer it’s reappearance. I am prepared to be let down, this seems to be a theme of my trip.
Not all bad tbh. The van has been running faultlessly, it’s comfortable, and a joy to drive. Amazing really, don’t tell it, cos it doesn’t know, it’s only a commercial vehicle really. Not the limousine it thinks it is. Five hundred kilometres in a day, is not a problem. Spain might be crap, Fiat Ducato’s are pretty good.

Hold the press. Weather update. Bearing in mind, Spain, mid April, the rattle on the roof, I can confirm was sleet. Ice on me roof. I’m not sure it could happen to anyone else.?. And all I hear is , the weather over Easter was fantastic. I could have saved a fortune.?.
 
Can’t really give the definitive answer to that, being in Portugal. The rain in Portugal falls mainly on my van. ?

If I was honest, the last couple of days has been difficult. The weather, especially on the coast, a full blown storm. The delivery drivers strike, and having no diesel, how long would I be stuck here, will the strike last weeks, not days. Sleeping in a noisy supermarket car park, ahh, the list went on and on. Maybe even feeling lonely. If I’d phoned Nic saying I was a bit low, would have worried her, making the situation even worse. I got fuel at about 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, and I left there immediately. Whoosh, gone.
Stayed the night in a tiny village. There, I was treated to a rehearsal of local dancing. Loads of waving arms, foot stamping and twirling around. All very nice. Nic reckoned it was Portuguese version of Maurice dancing. Didn’t see Maurice anywhere.
Today I continued onto Monsaraz. On a hill over looking the lakes. Walked down to the lake, not difficult, walked back up to the van. Now that was hard work. The view from the windscreen at the moment is amazing. Panoramic, but under a lead grey sky.
That said, life’s improved, even if the weather hasn’t. Cheerful again.

No pic?
 
Medinaceli 1000+mts . Heating on all night. Gale force winds.
Left Medinaceli in a snow storm. No, don’t believe me. Took a video on the way out, cos I knew folks would say I was telling porkies.
Said s** this for a game of silly bu**ers, and pointed the Van East. Now just above Tarragona, near Barcelona. Definitely in Catalonia. Yellow ribbons every where. Painted on roads, Star, only one star, and stripes hanging from most windows. I saw a banner, written in most European languages saying, “ You can’t imprison an entire nation “.
Looks like good walking country, so if they’re dry from last time I put them on, I’ll get the boots out. Plus,the sun’s here. Found it, at last. Happy again ?
 
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Lol Del, our snow is white and covers ground, cars and garden sheds. Used to cover houses but 50 years since that:)
 

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