Rough Sea's Ahead -- Joe's in Bed !

Monday 3rd May 2010

Well, if this is Rough I'm the best sailor in the world,and years of avoiding sleeping on ships has been wasted..!!

As i awoke crossing the 'rough' seas of the Bay of Biscay...all was calm, and pleasant, the sun streaming through the chink in the blackout blinds at 07-30 a.m., the only distrurbing sounds were...the sleeping assorted backpackers,zonked out all around...

I crept out of the lounge onto the sunny decks, and had a morning stroll in the pleasant sunshine...the sea around may be rough, bout our onward journey was calm, and smooth.

To celebrate I had my final (for a while,I think) 'Full English', peculiar you may think on a French ship, travelling in International/ French Waters, en route to Spain ! Still very enjoyable...

A pleasant morning passed as the Pont Aven cruised gently towards Santander, and arrived there, under increasingly threatening black skies around 12noon GMT, 1300 local time...

As we all gathered in the garage, and re-united with 'Wally' who semed to have travelled well ! I bumped into a couple from Mancester/Co Leitrim and Co Clare, who were emigrating to Murcia, Southern Spain,along with their 'old' Campervan, trailer loaded with many possesions, and their dog. They said going to Murcia, being in the mountains,the best bit was that the kids refused to come, as it wasn't near the sea ( not a bad idea!)..

Anyway, off to the Frenetic start of Continental Europe, and the chaos that is Santander port, with a rain shower to welcome me !!

Fortunately the ferry company had provided an 'easy escape to Santander' route, and that together with 'Wally' and 'TomTom' speeded me on my way to the motorway, and onwards to my first stop in the Picos de Europa...

As I travelled along the motorway the heavens opened to an almighty downpour...just my luck, left good weather in England, to rain in Spain.....and I'm not even on the plain!!

2 Hours of driving brought me to Potes, and my first campsitehttp://www.campinglaviorna.com/

Pleasant reception, and on deciding which pitch I was to use, set up, and took bikes off, and thought I'd done so well, beating the intermittent rain,

and connecting the electric...all between showers...

&Unfortunately on filling the water tanks mustn't have closed tap properly as it was empty when i tried to use it later...still I'll survive on bottled water until I next move..

I was comfy in 'Wally' with the heater on, and my first cup of

'Spanish' PG tips tea !!

Followed by dinner of Chilli con carne, and chocolate Pud..with some of Dot's flapjacks to round everything off....

This is the life, may get used to it !! Just hope the sun puts in an appearrance !!

Q What get's wetter the more it dries ???