So far

Caught the 1645 Stena ferry Rosslare to Cherbourg it was a little late leaving 90 minutes. Heated dog lodge for Bertie not very big enough room in each of the 8 kennels for two very small dogs or one large dog. Bertie wasn’t happy to find 3 kennels in the DOG lodge occupied by cats.
Ferry ok arrived about mid day on dry land on Sunday, shops shut but we had planned for that. Monday off for a big shop only to find it’s all saints day and most shops closed. Found an Aldi that don’t celebrate all saints day. All good. Stayed on a commercial Aire near Laval €11 inc all services. Now 160 miles south at Prahecq municipal Aire free inc ehu and all services. Tomorrow 150 miles again to saint germain. Weather ok 14 degrees and showers. Fuel in supermarkets around €1.48 per ltr.

We closed a bit ahead of time to get the site ready for closing down. And had a day at ferrybank before Rosslare. Heading south now.

Now at Jaca. I spent 4 nights in France. I have done 700 miles roughly. So far I have spent €210 on fuel since leaving ferrybank. I’m getting about 24 mpg. I’m not hanging about and some of the hills and villages have had a negative impact on fuel consumption. Crossed into Spain via the Somport tunnel a first for me, the scenery was amazing snow capped mountains. Heading a bit further today just stopped for shopping. Repsol diesel €1.40 per ltr in Spain.

Crossing via Bilbao 30 hrs give or take and straight into Spain versus Rosslare to Cherbourg 18hrs cheaper crossing but 4 days/700 miles and €200 of diesel.!!!
Next year already booked Rosslare to Bilbao but it was nice to something different.
Sunny but only 11 degrees today, tonight it’s meant to get to zero degrees.

Mid March and June would be a lot warmer probably in France than now so yes if you are in no hurry it’s good to do France

Had few days at camping Estepa at Valfarta in land in northern Spain it’s a very quiet campsite with no shops restaurants anywhere close but we like it. €10 per night ehu if needed €1 every six hours. Showers WiFi etc free, washing machine €2. Now near benicarlo at camping Algeria for a few nights, again not a site for everyone but we like it, €18 per night Acsi rate. Very warm today 24 degrees. Loving life. Off to an Aire we know next if it’s not full, if it is we have a plan b and c.

Thanks Jon but we have only been gone a week or so and we are all good.

After Benicarlo we went to El Grao. An Aire which has a maximum stay of 48 hours which was not enforced unfortunately and it was obvious that people were staying much longer, we arrived early and got a spot but both nights we woke up to find another MH blocking us in, the turning area was also occupied. It’s free and in a nice location but needs to be chargeable or the rules enforced as it was way oversubscribed. Found ourselves back at El Naranjal in Javea again. Intended to stay 5 nights here and then head to camping Javea that so many people have told me is better than Naranjal but I went on the scooter and asked at reception if I could have a look round and whilst I can see most prefer it I didn’t so I have extended our stay by an extra few days here.
Some things that surprised me. Campsites are much less busy than previous years the row I’m on now 25% occupied and it was similar in other sites. Shops/restaurants are not asking for covid certs. Masks are worn even by people alone in the middle of nowhere.
Temperature late teens early twenties during the day low teens at night. Heading to an Aire at archena next, then maybe the IKEA Aire.

That’s why I prefer Naranjal 10 minutes to the beach. 5 minutes to a Nepalese/Indian and some nice small green walking areas for the hound.

Thank you for this I’m heading that way soon.

Took the dog out yesterday the temperature at 7.50 am was 17 degrees but it was very cloudy. The forecast was for rain all day. Lunch time no rain and the temperature had soared to 18 degrees. We had planned to leave on Monday morning and I was debating pack the boot putting the scooter away etc but as Sunday was meant to be dry I decided to leave it. It started to rain at 6pm and has continued now for 15 hours with no let up. The dog looked out the door and went back to bed without his morning walk. Rain may stop according to the weather forecasts early afternoon so I might get everything packed away then. I don’t like packing wet ground sheets but the alternative is to stay longer and I’m ready to move on now.

So 4 weeks ago yesterday we arrived in Cherbourg we are now at Mar Azul a campsite surrounded by plastic growing sheds, vegetables rather than pot I believe. After we left Javea we went to the IKEA Aire in Murcia then to a campsite that has always been full when we have tried to book in advance but I read elsewhere that rather than booking in advance if you only want a few days just turn. They had 8 or so pitches available for a week or more we found a nice pitch slap bang in the middle of Sweden at least that’s what it felt like. Playa mazarron I nice site facing the beach. The reception was incredibly slow and to leave you have to park offsite about 200m away and walk back to reception and hand over the barrier fob and pay.
Next we went to Aire in Vera town intending to stay for 3 nights but left after one. There was lots of shooting and bangs which my dog hated. Next a rustic campsite little Texas in the middle of the spaghetti western filming area. €15 for the night inc ehu, WiFi and I think showers. We have been using our own shower mainly. We could only get a pitch here in Mar Azul for three nights which suits us fine. I have gone from Sweden to Germany who are staying for a very long time. Masks are rarely worn by the majority of campers even inside buildings although I’m wearing mine the whole time. We are staying in this general area for a week or so bank holidays on the 6 and 8 of December then to Torrox and the Marbella, we are still intending on going to Portugal but we are watching the news and mindful of any extra restrictions that may be brought in. Rub it in moment 19 degrees full sun and about 12 at night.

We are going to keeping an eye (cctv) on the storm as it also coincides with high tides. But hopefully my gates and shutters will hold.

So after Mar Azul we went to adra mercadona good access for parking to
Campsite Huerta Romero very close to the beach. Also an nice Aire almost next door the campsite. The campsite is not in Acsi but €19 per night. Good but not great. Then El pino in Torrox Acsi campsite now €18 per night it was €15 in 2019. The site is difficult to navigate in a 7.4m MH but we like the restaurant about 100m away from the entrance. It was here our fridge freezer stopped working but we go it fixed (for now) now at camping Torre de Mar. Nice beach side site €20 on Acsi rate again getting on the pitch tight but with the help of a danish lady, French gent and Amanda we parked up next to a nice Swiss gent. Weather still good. Not sure whether to head to Cabo Pino or turn around from here. But all is good.

No damage all good, thanks Martin

Upwards.
So we left torre de Mar campsite. A site i’d go back to for its location but not if you were reliant on their facilities.
We went back to Mar Azul to pick up the 2022 Acsi book and on arrival we found they no longer stock the book. We booked in for 2 nights but I was disappointed that during our first night we had an email in German (only not even Spanish) telling us to leave before 12 noon the following day. The email was followed up by a hand delivered letter at 8.30am again in German telling us to leave before 12 noon the following day. I did go to the reception as I was leaving at 10.30am after my second night and explained I speak English live in Ireland and I would have expected the letter to be in Spanish rather than German. I did also express the email followed by the hand delivered letter was a bit of an overkill. On the pitch beside me was a German, nice enough couple who had a domestic washing machine on their pitch and the pitch the other side again nice German couple had a domestic fridge freezer bigger than mine at home in their awning. The campsite was a chorus of Morgan Morgan even in the afternoon.
Now at a campsite in Roquetas De Mar. Where we will stay until after the 3 king’s celebration. It’s a nice campsite and only a short walk to miles of beaches and boardwalks. The campsite is around 95% full. On my my row there is a mix of British, Dutch, Spanish, Swiss.
Amanda is preparing our traditional Christmas dinner, a slow cooked beef rendang.
Cloudy today but acuweather saying 27 degrees and 9 hours of sun on Monday the other weather app says it’ll be 22 degrees (I’ll take that). As we leave I’ll go to Elche where I know a place that have the Acsi book, then maybe Benidorm for a few days.

Now at Bilbao, getting the ferry on Thursday. We have had a blast. I might do a summary of where we went, where we liked and where we didn’t!!