Settling in to the Spanish lifestyle

It rained a bit overnight and the breeze picked up, but by mid morning there were some sunny intervals. We walked along the front for a change and had a coffee and savoury roll for lunch. The local cider bar was getting very lively with some impromptu flamenco dancing in the street.

We invested in an hours WiFi to download the Saturday Mail as my 3g had run out of steam. After a very nice grilled prawn and salmon dinner 'chef nous' we went to see the Spanish singing and dancing at the adjacent beach site. Everyone was wrapped up against the cold wind except for the group who were playing non stop to keep warm! They were very good.

Like an English summer

It's a lovely "English summer" day, sunny and warm. Shorts and t-shirt for us but locals still in jumpers, scarves and hoodies, so obviously not a Spanish summer day. We walked into Noja town to the Lupa super market and came back with some sea bass and prawns to grill. It's a holiday weekend so the site may get busy later.

Its still a stunning beach

Some entertainment in the local bars and cafes tomorrow and Sunday. It's mothers day on Sunday too. Made friends with friendly English caravanners in their late 70's from Yorkshire next to us, first time in Spain.

First day in Noja

We arrived last night after a smooth but cool crossing. Went to the Orca talk and later spotted a whale blow, but a long way from the ship. We are staying at Playa Joel site again, an ideal place to start a Spanish holiday.

This morning started overcast with some light showers but it brightened up by mid-day and we had a few hours warm sun. But it's cool with a fresh northerly breeze off the sea. The beach was deserted except for me! A Robin sat on the outside table and posed for photos 2 feet away - very tame. Downloaded the daily mail and then it was Rosemary turn for a long walk.

The sun stayed out into the evening and the wind dropped enough to cook chicken outside and demolish it with a (part) bottle of €4 Rioja. Watching a DVD tonite, it's certainly not sitting out late weather yet!

Off to Spain

Left home at 10 to meet Katie in Cobham for lunch. Did not go quite to plan as we ate in Sainsbury instead of Loch Fynne.

Left Katie at 2:30 and arrived in Portsmouth in a snow shower to board the Pont Aven. Sun came out and off we went past the Isle of Wight again chasing a cruise ship. Dinner in the self service and an  early night. Whale and Dolphin watching in the morning - weather permitting.

Trial run

This year we managed a trial run before we leave for Spain. We had a night at a Britstop near Toddington, with a restaurant, where we met Mark and Christina for a birthday dinner.

All systems performed to specification, including gas heating which we needed as it was a cold and almost frosty night. Weather forecast for Northern Spain and France is not very encouraging for the start of the holiday as they are in the same northerly air stream that is determining the UK weather at the moment.

Ferry to Spain, drive back through France

In just over a week, 26th April in fact, we will be heading to Portsmouth in our Moniche to catch the Brittany ferry to Santander for a five or six week trip along the north coast of Spain and returning back up the west coast of France.
We will start with 3 days at Noja as we have done before to acclimatise, then another 2 or 3 days around San Sebastion area before crossing into France for Biaritz. We will go on to spend a little time in the foothills of the Pyrenees, going as far east as Lourdes before turning north to revisit the Bordeaux wine region around St Emilion. We will continue to the French coast near Royan and may do some island hopping on, Oleron, Re and Noirmoutier, on the way north to Brittany for the final two weeks of the holiday. We expect to sail from Roscoff to land back in Plymouth on, or after 1st June for a couple of days in Devon and home in time to join the Queens 90th celebrations in Croft .