Snowbirds 2025
- Thread starter jeffmossy
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Mobilvetta
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Well had a disaster this trip, wife broke her upper arm on our second day in Benidorm by falling of her bike, I was on some ladders cleaning the solar panels, because we had a layer of sand on the roof from the rain that brings sand from the Sahara dessert.
Well I managed to fall of the roof and landed very hard on my left leg, ball of my foot knackers and my knee, fought nothing of it, but after limping for two weeks thought I better go to hospital, x-ray showed no bone breakage, so I was sent home with some Naproxen and got an injection in my backside.
I was still suffering a week later and the naproxen where not working, my knee was still painful when I walked, so I went and paid to see a private doctor who arranged for an MRI scan at an additional cost of €315.00, got the report later that day and went back to see the doctor, she emailed a consultant the report and the scan to see if he thought he could give me a steroid injection, but he said that wouldn't do any good and I'm going to require keyhole surgery.
I said to the doctor well I can't have surgery here as I need to drive the motorhome back to the UK and my wife can't drive it in her present state and I wouldn't be able to after the operation, so I said for now I will just have to struggle on and show my doctor the report when I get home and get a second opinion.
The conclusion of the MRI scan is I've got a rupture of the internal Meniscus. Signs that suggest a slight leverage of the lateral collateral ligament. Osteochondral lesion in the ball joint. I've now been given Tramadol and some stomach tablets, the doctor advised that swimming and cycling would help as they aren't weigh bearing and to keep my leg up with ice packs on my knee and wear a knee brace
What a trip and the weather has been poor compared to last year, hopefully I will be able to drive back, I've got a manual gearbox, but hopefully once I'm on the motorways won't need to use the clutch much. Be glad when this trip is over.
Well I managed to fall of the roof and landed very hard on my left leg, ball of my foot knackers and my knee, fought nothing of it, but after limping for two weeks thought I better go to hospital, x-ray showed no bone breakage, so I was sent home with some Naproxen and got an injection in my backside.
I was still suffering a week later and the naproxen where not working, my knee was still painful when I walked, so I went and paid to see a private doctor who arranged for an MRI scan at an additional cost of €315.00, got the report later that day and went back to see the doctor, she emailed a consultant the report and the scan to see if he thought he could give me a steroid injection, but he said that wouldn't do any good and I'm going to require keyhole surgery.
I said to the doctor well I can't have surgery here as I need to drive the motorhome back to the UK and my wife can't drive it in her present state and I wouldn't be able to after the operation, so I said for now I will just have to struggle on and show my doctor the report when I get home and get a second opinion.
The conclusion of the MRI scan is I've got a rupture of the internal Meniscus. Signs that suggest a slight leverage of the lateral collateral ligament. Osteochondral lesion in the ball joint. I've now been given Tramadol and some stomach tablets, the doctor advised that swimming and cycling would help as they aren't weigh bearing and to keep my leg up with ice packs on my knee and wear a knee brace
What a trip and the weather has been poor compared to last year, hopefully I will be able to drive back, I've got a manual gearbox, but hopefully once I'm on the motorways won't need to use the clutch much. Be glad when this trip is over.
Pauljenny
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While we all enjoy the excitement and joy of overcoming challenges, as part of the Motorhoming life......
There's time to retreat, if the hazards are too much.
Have you thought about asking your insurer to repatriate yourselves and the van.?
Tramadol is a strong drug, in our experience.. and may make you're return drive risky
It's a mind numbing, " Shut up, " tablet.
If you don't ask, you'll never get !.
Been there, done that..
Good luck to both of you.
There's time to retreat, if the hazards are too much.
Have you thought about asking your insurer to repatriate yourselves and the van.?
Tramadol is a strong drug, in our experience.. and may make you're return drive risky
It's a mind numbing, " Shut up, " tablet.
If you don't ask, you'll never get !.
Been there, done that..
Good luck to both of you.
moonshadow
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That’s awful for you. Hope you get back without anymore trauma. It’s not been a great rip for us either - Martin had to go to doc as he got a chill and couldn’t shift it, I damaged a tooth on a ‘stone less’ olive and am having a root canal this afternoon. As for the weather …
Undertaker
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Good grief, guys I was thinking of dipping my toe in the water next year but you aren't selling it to me! Best wishes to all of you and hope thing improve weather and fortune wise.
Mobilvetta
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I made a contingency plan already for us to get back if I can't manage to drive, although it would only involve driving for a maximum of 3 hours a day and after resting my knee all night it seems ok for a few hours, gets worse as the day goes on.
The Tramadol doesn't make me sleepy, but the first couple of days it made me feel sick. My son says he will fly out to meet us if I'm struggling to drive the motorhome, haven't bothered with my travel insurance as I don't fancy leaving the motorhome for it to be repatriated at a later date, plus I have a trailer with a scooter on too.
Our travel insurance weren't exactly useful when my wife had her mishap, although they recently sent us an email asking us to send all our receipts for expenses we have occured, but we had to endure a public hospital using our GHIC card, no offer of them sending her to the private hospital closer to us in Benidorm.
My wife has had two follow up appointments at another public hospital closer to us, they have x-rayed her arm each time and then she has seen the doctor, the last one been two days ago, the doctor said she doesn't have to wear the sling now and gave her 3 exercises to do each day, he wanted to see her again before we left Benidorm, but is receptionist wouldn't make us a new appointment as our Sip number had been withdrawn, so she said we would have to go to a health centre to renew it.
But you can't do this unless you are a resident here or have an NIE number, spoke to my sister who lives here and she says they don't offer aftercare with the GHIC card, they will just treat you as an emergency case, for some reason the first hospital we went to using the GHIC card gave my wife a temporary sip number.
She told me her neighbours father came over to visit and had a stroke, the hospital did the initial emergency treatment as it was classed as emergency, but there was no aftercare offered and he came home in an ambulance, wheelchair bound and the family had to sort him out with physio etc.
Mobilvetta
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I hope you go on ok with the Dentist, everyone I have spoken to claim the dentists are better here than in the UK. Glad Martin is recovering. Hopefully see you in the new Forest meet, take care.
Mobilvetta
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Don't let our mishaps put you off, we have had some great times travelling over here during the winter, it's just a blip, we will definitely be back again next year. Not spending winter in the UK, it's to blooming cold.
Undertaker
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I'm off for a couple of nights in Flamborough next week so I'll probably be thinking you snowbirds have made the right decision
Mobilvetta
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I don't know it's been raining heavy again most of last night and today, very cloudy, but still 17°I'm off for a couple of nights in Flamborough next week so I'll probably be thinking you snowbirds have made the right decision
HurricaneSmith
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Friends of ours who have a home there have just returned. Rain and chilly every day. 
Pauljenny
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Nice smug pic to cheer the folks back home, Jeff. .
Looks like the Guardiana river is running high ?
jeffmossy
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Paul look at the colour of the water from all the storms that we have had, you cannot even see the fish swimming in the harbour and I have never seen that
FIJIT
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First .... apologies for the prolix!!
Since our last post when we were in Nazaré we have been travelling up the Western coast of Portugal, the majority of the time in good sunshine. It looks like we have been a bit luckier than most.
. The majority of our stops are coastal. We've always been drawn to the coast and love walking on the beach, but especially now we have a water/beach bum pup!!
We've included a few pics of each destination. The parkups have all been good and have either been free or very cheap. Incredibly, the dump and fill services have also often been free or very cheap!! If anyone would like any details/our opinions, please ask. We've thoroughly enjoyed each area of Portugal we have visited.
1. Figueira da Foz - Beachside motorhome stop.
2. Costa Nova (village of stripes).
3. Aveiro (The Venice of Portugal). Free motorhome spot.
4. Esposende - lovely city in the Braga district of Portugal. Free motorhome spot (big enough for 80 vans) behind the bus station and GNR police station (so, very safe)
.
Today we drove across the border into Spain (blinked, and we missed it
) and are now at a free motorhome spot in the centre of Pontyverde. We used this spot last winter and can't enthuse enough - so close to everything (no beach but a lovely river!!). The views walking from the parkup around the river and across the bridges are just stunning at night.
We did have rain on our drive and arrival at Pontyverde but the sun soon came out again for a lovely warm afternoon stroll.
We'll be here for a good few days
. Whereto next !!? 
Hope the weather is being kinder to everyone now, and you are enjoying your winter playaway
Since our last post when we were in Nazaré we have been travelling up the Western coast of Portugal, the majority of the time in good sunshine. It looks like we have been a bit luckier than most.
. The majority of our stops are coastal. We've always been drawn to the coast and love walking on the beach, but especially now we have a water/beach bum pup!!We've included a few pics of each destination. The parkups have all been good and have either been free or very cheap. Incredibly, the dump and fill services have also often been free or very cheap!! If anyone would like any details/our opinions, please ask. We've thoroughly enjoyed each area of Portugal we have visited.
1. Figueira da Foz - Beachside motorhome stop.
2. Costa Nova (village of stripes).
3. Aveiro (The Venice of Portugal). Free motorhome spot.
4. Esposende - lovely city in the Braga district of Portugal. Free motorhome spot (big enough for 80 vans) behind the bus station and GNR police station (so, very safe)
. Today we drove across the border into Spain (blinked, and we missed it
) and are now at a free motorhome spot in the centre of Pontyverde. We used this spot last winter and can't enthuse enough - so close to everything (no beach but a lovely river!!). The views walking from the parkup around the river and across the bridges are just stunning at night.We did have rain on our drive and arrival at Pontyverde but the sun soon came out again for a lovely warm afternoon stroll.
We'll be here for a good few days
. Whereto next !!? Hope the weather is being kinder to everyone now, and you are enjoying your winter playaway 
